Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: 20Fingers on November 01, 2020, 01:30:44 PM
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:airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane:
So, just re-created an account and began to explore the game after a long absence. While I was never a great player, I had a lot of fun and flew with some pretty awesome pilots as well as hung with a few well known squads along the way.
WTH happened to the numbers??, less than 100 players in three massive countries? Looks like it is taking hours of flying and dying just to get into a decent fight. How the heck are the squads doing???
When we once had 1000's playing from several countries, enough on at one time to find a fast and good fight, or a long range full theater war lasting several days? What I have see so far is pretty dismal by comparison.
Dale - HiTech answering the phone himself, I made several calls to the 'office' recently, wow!
Correct me if I remember wrong but when I started playing AH the game in 2008 was much tighter with less complexity. Meaning, my first experience was entering a small training arena, not multi-level platforms with one-on-one area, bombing ranges, and the other 'separate' ways to train: it was one arena to meet-n-greet newbs, recruit talent, and sometimes just hang out and help less skilled pilots strengthen their wings, literally! There was community created in that small venue of interested game players, or at least that is how I remember it.
I read through some of the most recent discussions about game play, the current state of affairs, and the loathing about low numbers and difficult times. Seems to me that the vastness of the game, being oriented to what was once a massive membership, is part of the current problem along with a seemingly stubborn commander-n-chief: HiTech. Perhaps less could be more, and could a change help make things better, if we can get a consensus from the tribe?
With so few players and the size of the current game, perhaps things could be adjusted back to a much tighter and less complex footprint so that 100 players could engage in a decent fight without blowing hours on a few skirmishes, or for the newbs, flying what seems like a lifetime across sectors just to die in a few seconds because what is waiting is a group of much higher ranked players. Losing a few fights is and should be part of the tempering process while learning the game, but being slaughtered for weeks before getting enough experience to land a single kill does not lend itself to player retention, right? If we chase off the newbs the game falls flat, kinda like the quire sinning only to itself when a audience is required to keep things going.
When I left game back in 2013 one of the reasons was the issues associated with key players dominating the game, padding their stats at the expense of newer player retention. Some of you will argue, "that's war, nothing is far" and to some degree you are correct, it is about fighting each other in a air war theater, but it is also about the reality side of being a member of a community of gamers, so both must be part of the discussion on how to regrow the game, even if Dale Hitech won't listen right now, he cannot deny that AH was once a fantastically populated and well played game, he must listen to us if he's to survive.
So, let me ask you this basic question, how much fun are you having in the game right now? Is if fun padding your stats, if that's you goal, by continually dominating a very small population of gamers on AH? I remember asking this question to one of the more notorious gamers back in 2012 and at that time there were 1000's playing. At that time a few squads were in near complete domination of most fights and that player lamented the only thing interesting was watching the stats grow. I'd watch this player tear through furballs killing at will, and landing multiple kills over and over, or sneak bases and so on, but on the human side of things, the player was basically board with the direction AH was going at the time. I cannot imagine, and I will ask when I encounter that player - if still playing, what the game is like today.
Less-is-more in a lot of things we humans engage in. Restrictions stimulate interests and enhance creativity, this is not speculation its a proven fact. Perhaps the answer to resolving the fast downward spiral of AH is to scale it back to a much tighter arena(s), seriously address the ENY situation (read a lot about this, it seems to be a part of the problem), and work on both the human and gamer aspects if the game.
Lastly, if you are a veteran of AH with high marks and a good standing in the game, please think back to your first encounters in the game, learning to fly, engaging other players, the first legit kill in your gun sights and the thrill of it all. Don't misunderstand what I have written as a plead for fairness in the game play, it's not about that. What I am asking is to fairly reflect and analyze the current game and how your personal influence might assist in growing the numbers again so we get back some of the fame-n-glory that was once AH, to retain new players by capturing their interest in hanging with it, inspiring them to learn a grow, and to recruit their friends.
I'll be out there, being the fodder for better pilots, eating lead like a twenty dollar hooker, and happily playing the game as it is. But, I hope this post generates some serious thought and dialog about how we can help change the game and get those numbers back up so more gamers can enjoy the fantastic game as it was intended.
:salute
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Love your effort. Deaf ears are plenty though.
Maybe we will see you up in the skys
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My complaint about the small number of players who chased off all the other players
Here’s the angry letter the small number of players who chased off all the other players knew they were bound to receive. Let me start by stressing that I am not attempting to suppress anyone’s opinions, nor do I intend to demean the small number of players who chased off all the other players personally for their beliefs or worldviews. But I myself do avow that I must deal with the relevant facts.
Maybe I’m in the minority here, but it seems to me that whenever the small number of players who chased off all the other players want to convince everyone that the most incompetent, sullen pinheads there are are easily housebroken, they turn instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink. These words and idioms are intended to distract the listener from noticing that if the small number of players who chased off all the other players' histrionics get any more footling, I expect they’ll grow legs and attack me in my sleep.
You may be wondering what propelled me to question the small number of players who chased off all the other players’ motives. Quite simply, it’s that the small number of players who chased off all the other players claims to have data supporting their assertion that the worst kinds of warlords there are should be fêted at wine-and-cheese fundraisers. Naturally, they insist that they can’t actually show us that data—for some unspecified reason, of course. My guess is that they're hiding something. Maybe they're hiding the fact that they use highfalutin terms like pseudoconglomeration and mediterraneanization to conceal their plans to use paid informants and provocateurs to keep us hypnotized so we don’t investigate their demonic principles, ideals, and objectives. In this scheme of theirs, a mass of grandiloquent words falls upon the facts like soft snow, blurring the outlines and covering up all the details. We become unable to see that high-handed momes must transition away from the vainglorious ideology of Marxism and learn to use the best available evidence to adjudicate the small number of players who chased off all the other players’ vagarious press releases.
As there is a great deal of confusion and lack of reality-based information on this vexing topic, let me attempt to make some sense of the situation by noting that every time the small number of players who chased off all the other players spouts some nonsense about how they were chosen by God as the trustees of His wishes and desires, the effect is that their lapdogs become even more loyal to them Sociologists refer to the phenomenon of increased devotion to an unethical, logorrheic theory at the very hour of its destruction by external evidence as cognitive dissonance. I call it proof that the small number of players who chased off all the other players want us to believe that it’s okay to leave the educational and emotional needs of our children in the sinister hands of temeritous xenophobes. This of course is nonsense without any empirical validity, but the small number of players who chased off all the other players so vehemently insists that the ego, the lower self, is something divine and worthy of embrace that this has come to be accepted wisdom, at least by lazy skites. Lastly, let me remark that it is imperative that we institute change. Timidity here will bespeak canker and atrophy of the soul.
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:airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane:
So, just re-created an account and began to explore the game after a long absence. While I was never a great player, I had a lot of fun and flew with some pretty awesome pilots as well as hung with a few well known squads along the way.
WTH happened to the numbers??, less than 100 players in three massive countries? Looks like it is taking hours of flying and dying just to get into a decent fight. How the heck are the squads doing???
When we once had 1000's playing from several countries, enough on at one time to find a fast and good fight, or a long range full theater war lasting several days? What I have see so far is pretty dismal by comparison.
Dale - HiTech answering the phone himself, I made several calls to the 'office' recently, wow!
Correct me if I remember wrong but when I started playing AH the game in 2008 was much tighter with less complexity. Meaning, my first experience was entering a small training arena, not multi-level platforms with one-on-one area, bombing ranges, and the other 'separate' ways to train: it was one arena to meet-n-greet newbs, recruit talent, and sometimes just hang out and help less skilled pilots strengthen their wings, literally! There was community created in that small venue of interested game players, or at least that is how I remember it.
I read through some of the most recent discussions about game play, the current state of affairs, and the loathing about low numbers and difficult times. Seems to me that the vastness of the game, being oriented to what was once a massive membership, is part of the current problem along with a seemingly stubborn commander-n-chief: HiTech. Perhaps less could be more, and could a change help make things better, if we can get a consensus from the tribe?
With so few players and the size of the current game, perhaps things could be adjusted back to a much tighter and less complex footprint so that 100 players could engage in a decent fight without blowing hours on a few skirmishes, or for the newbs, flying what seems like a lifetime across sectors just to die in a few seconds because what is waiting is a group of much higher ranked players. Losing a few fights is and should be part of the tempering process while learning the game, but being slaughtered for weeks before getting enough experience to land a single kill does not lend itself to player retention, right? If we chase off the newbs the game falls flat, kinda like the quire sinning only to itself when a audience is required to keep things going.
When I left game back in 2013 one of the reasons was the issues associated with key players dominating the game, padding their stats at the expense of newer player retention. Some of you will argue, "that's war, nothing is far" and to some degree you are correct, it is about fighting each other in a air war theater, but it is also about the reality side of being a member of a community of gamers, so both must be part of the discussion on how to regrow the game, even if Dale Hitech won't listen right now, he cannot deny that AH was once a fantastically populated and well played game, he must listen to us if he's to survive.
So, let me ask you this basic question, how much fun are you having in the game right now? Is if fun padding your stats, if that's you goal, by continually dominating a very small population of gamers on AH? I remember asking this question to one of the more notorious gamers back in 2012 and at that time there were 1000's playing. At that time a few squads were in near complete domination of most fights and that player lamented the only thing interesting was watching the stats grow. I'd watch this player tear through furballs killing at will, and landing multiple kills over and over, or sneak bases and so on, but on the human side of things, the player was basically board with the direction AH was going at the time. I cannot imagine, and I will ask when I encounter that player - if still playing, what the game is like today.
Less-is-more in a lot of things we humans engage in. Restrictions stimulate interests and enhance creativity, this is not speculation its a proven fact. Perhaps the answer to resolving the fast downward spiral of AH is to scale it back to a much tighter arena(s), seriously address the ENY situation (read a lot about this, it seems to be a part of the problem), and work on both the human and gamer aspects if the game.
Lastly, if you are a veteran of AH with high marks and a good standing in the game, please think back to your first encounters in the game, learning to fly, engaging other players, the first legit kill in your gun sights and the thrill of it all. Don't misunderstand what I have written as a plead for fairness in the game play, it's not about that. What I am asking is to fairly reflect and analyze the current game and how your personal influence might assist in growing the numbers again so we get back some of the fame-n-glory that was once AH, to retain new players by capturing their interest in hanging with it, inspiring them to learn a grow, and to recruit their friends.
I'll be out there, being the fodder for better pilots, eating lead like a twenty dollar hooker, and happily playing the game as it is. But, I hope this post generates some serious thought and dialog about how we can help change the game and get those numbers back up so more gamers can enjoy the fantastic game as it was intended.
:salute
Few of the people playing even post or know about the BBS. If you are looking for a fight, you can usually find one if you fly during US hours.
The numbers are not what they used to be. In the evenings they are the best. I was just on and there are some good fights that have been going on for some time now.
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Stop by Monday night madness and i know you will find a good fight.
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Very few of those that are left really right. A lot like the horde mentality and war monger attitude. And don’t dare suggest any change. 78 of the 100 that’s left will threaten to leave.
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Very few of those that are left really right. A lot like the horde mentality and war monger attitude. And don’t dare suggest any change. 78 of the 100 that’s left will threaten to leave.
... and then there is this...
They just begged to do away with ENY so the horde could live on. That change was made and does not look to be good. Currently rooks are outnumbering each of their competitors by over double their numbers.
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Claim Jumpers still rook? Didn't they make 7 or 8 squads at one time due to the 32 player limit per?
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... and then there is this...
They just begged to do away with ENY so the horde could live on. That change was made and does not look to be good. Currently rooks are outnumbering each of their competitors by over double their numbers.
interesting thing i have observed in the past week.
more rooks and bishops are staying late defending or attacking. really hard to take bases as we have to defend too. love it.
semp
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This...
With so few players and the size of the current game, perhaps things could be adjusted back to a much tighter and less complex footprint so that 100 players could engage in a decent fight without blowing hours on a few skirmishes, or for the newbs, flying what seems like a lifetime across sectors just to die in a few seconds because what is waiting is a group of much higher ranked players. Losing a few fights is and should be part of the tempering process while learning the game, but being slaughtered for weeks before getting enough experience to land a single kill does not lend itself to player retention, right? If we chase off the newbs the game falls flat...
<S>
Eagler
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Claim Jumpers still rook? Didn't they make 7 or 8 squads at one time due to the 32 player limit per?
We're still Rook, least we were the last time I logged in, which was a week(?) ago. I think we had 10 squads at one point? :headscratch: It was at least 6 full for sure, with one or two "extras". In any event, I think I'm the only CJ active on the forum. :headscratch: :uhoh
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:airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane:
So, just re-created an account <snip>
Well 20fingers the biggest issue with the game has been that HTC hasn't kept up with the changing video game industry. Ive been here since tour 20 first as MDJOE then as Fugitive. There is nothing wrong with the game. It is the best flight sim type game ever made with more things to play at than any other flight game. However, gamers expectations is what has changed over the years. HTC has NOT changed to work with these expectations and so has slowly and continually lost more and more players.
You will see a number of posts from the cheerleading squad that has spent most of the last few years with their heads in the sand. YES there have been players that have chased away players I know of at least one that was banned by HTC for "hunting" a player among his other "tricks". I know of a few others that I squelched as soon as I logged on, if they were flying as they were so toxic that they took any enjoyment out of the game. Thankfully most have left because the one left here just ignored them and so they lost their "thrill", but yes it happens.
The sharks eating the newbies, has always been a problem but in the old days the shark to newb ratio was more like 1 shark to every 5-6 newbs. Today its more like 3 sharks to every 1 newb. Of the top 25 in fighter rank today Id say about half of them spend their time picking. Very few players "fight" any more. You reverse a guy once or twice and most run. "Score" and your "Name in lights" seem to be the driving factor in game play.
Can things change to "save the game", sure. Will they, unfortunately I doubt it. There have been MANY suggestions to try and the majority of them are ignored. HTC seems to be happy with what they have and so keep the status quo.
Free to play is a must these days. Sure HTC gives away 2 weeks free active from the first time you login to a "pay" arena. This as any one who plays the game knows is not enough. In the old days most players who downloaded the game were WWII enthusiasts looking to live out the "glory days" of WWII. Today half the gamers in the world more than likely haven't heard of WWII! Two weeks was a good enough "taste" to get you hooked. Today the game MUST stand on its own as most of the new guys couldnt care less about WWII. They are looking for a "fun" game. Give them a handfull of average planes and GVs to play with in the main arena indefinitely to get use to the game, to see the depth of the game, to see how it ALL works together.
Limit the Sharks. Last tours top 50 spends the next tour flying mid war planes going by ENY. Sure the following tour they may be able to jump up to better planes but it may keep the sharks out of the SPit16s and F4U4s and other late war monsters. If they dont curb themselves every other tour they would be forced to do it every other tour. This would give the newbs a "chance".
Change the landing message. "so and so landed 5 kills" promotes these "sharks" to pick and avoid fights to get those "kill" numbers up there. Instead post "so and so landed kills". everyone would know they landed 2 or more kills but it would make them all the same, no more "competition" to be the guy who lands the big numbers.
Add perks/extra score to those players who join and participate in base takes/defenses. Generates more mission and so more fights.
Put the name of the player who dropped the troops that captured a base name in lights. Many new players drive goons and M3 because its easy and getting their name in lights will be a big perk.
The recent update to the P38s art work is a step in the right direction. Many players complain that AH graphics are old. With new sharp interiors/player view art work most of those complains wouldn't be there. It IS the only art you really see. All other art is a blur except the ground art from a GV. In this case the art only needs to be more varied. How much of an issue that is, I don't know. More types of trees, buildings, ruins, rocks/bolder piles and such.
GVs, get rid of the location dar and just add a dar bar for the GV. Friendly dar bar, enemy dar bar, and enemy GV dar bar. Leaves the "hunt" portion of the GV battles there, but also shows that there is a possible GV battle to be had.
Most games these days have a full free version. Others have a single up front payment for the game and you can play forever. Others have a fee for the game and has "payments" to more up with better equipment. HTC's biggest issue is to not keep up with the changing times. The gaming industry has changed. New players are just that NEW they game by these newer settings. Many players are happy to get a game for free and then spend hundreds of dollars a months to to be "better" in a game. AH has none of this. 2 weeks is just enough time for a new player to realize just how much he/she doesnt know and feels help less and so just leaves.
There should always be someone in the MA that gets a popup when a new player pops in for the first time, or any time during their first month. A quick note to them with a welcome and assurances that help is available would go a long way in keeping new players.
Are these good ideas? Will they help? Could they be enacted? Only HTC can give you the answers to those questions. Personally I think this game could be saved. I think we could get back up to the 200+ days and 400+ weekends again, but changes MUST be made. Will it cause some player to leave? LOL!!! yup, but if you loose 30% or the players today to get 4 times that number tomorrow Im good with that because those that we would lose are the one we could do with out any way :devil
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You can't code out toxic players, only ban them. You can't code out sharks, only learn from them. Punishing them is ludicrous. And making the game 'free to play' isn't the holy grail you think it is for with that comes micro-purchases from hell and purchased advantages.
Are these good ideas? Will they help? Could they be enacted? Only HTC can give you the answers to those questions.
You seem bent on demanding such and acting like you have all the answers.
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Stop by Monday night madness and i know you will find a good fight.
THIS!!!!!!!!! Watch out for that "ULBlizz"...she is a KILLER/BLACK WIDOW :rofl :rock :devil
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The "pay to cheat" path is available in many games today. It is popular with those too lazy to actually improve. Sadly many so called gamers fall into that category.
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no need of micro purchases or pay to win. 6 planes, 2 gvs are free. You want to use anything else you get a subscription, period. Pretty simple.
As for having all the answers lol if I did id own the company. many right answers have been posted here and a few of them have been used. I just think its time to try a few more. How's the "no ENY" experiment going? I didn't hear any complaints when I was on Saturday night.
Maybe it time to try a few of these other ideas "that are never going to work".
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no need of micro purchases or pay to win. 6 planes, 2 gvs are free. You want to use anything else you get a subscription, period. Pretty simple.
As for having all the answers lol if I did id own the company. many right answers have been posted here and a few of them have been used. I just think its time to try a few more. How's the "no ENY" experiment going? I didn't hear any complaints when I was on Saturday night.
Maybe it time to try a few of these other ideas "that are never going to work".
A few lower tier planes and GVs is not a bad idea. IMHO.
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We've had this conversation. I was on the side of lower tier freebies. :old:
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Claim Jumpers still rook? Didn't they make 7 or 8 squads at one time due to the 32 player limit per?
The CJ's always had a lot of class. In fact almost all the Rook squads had a lot of class which is why I started Rook and stayed Rook for my career. I bounced around and flew will almost all the Rook squads tho I did love the 484'th and the B-24s. I used to love the bomber missions.
"Big Week" was the game at its height. I do remember those battles.
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A few lower tier planes and GVs is not a bad idea. IMHO.
:aok
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What happened to the numbers seems to be a much disputed and complicated issue.
However, one thing always drives business: advertising word of mouth and media ads...
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What happened to the numbers seems to be a much disputed and complicated issue.
However, one thing always drives business: advertising word of mouth and media ads...
Unless you're Tesla. But this is not Tesla.
I really want the numbers to come back up again. I have had some really nice fights lately even with low numbers (last night, 46 players online. "Hi ATLAU!"). But I do remember the days of old VERY fondly.
Honestly, this is some of the most fun I've had in AH, now that I joined the Arabian Knights. Great squad play is at the heart of this game. I also posted a 'future of the game' post back a month or two ago. It generated a lot of suggestions, and I think some could be incorporated. But it requires HiTech/Dale to want to adapt and incorporate some of the changes. It also requires the company to be in touch with what gamers today want. Quicker matches; a smoother/easier software experience, social and matchmaking capabilities for quicker melee deathmatches... This game has some HUGE pluses: the realistic aircraft models, the nice balance of ease-of-use (instead of DCS-like meticulousness), VR!!! These things are all great (did I mention VR?!?!). So where does it go from here?
I think some advertisement would be good, but it has GOT TO BE A SMOOTH FIRST-IMPRESSION EXPERIENCE. Newcomers to this game need to step into it and be able to play immediately. That may be an unbridgeable fix. It may be a literal bridge too far to change some of the very mechanics of this game that we know and trust (even something like .dot commands can be difficult for newer gamers to grasp). Not sure. But if the game will survive, it absolutely MUST adapt to the modern era. I truly hope this happens, as AH brings me a ton of joy and a super-fun recreational experience.
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I feel bad for new guys.. when i was new, there was 1000 people online, and my odds of running into someone who wasnt a shark were lower. Today they are still noobs, but 90% of their opponents are well experienced. I wont go into current tactics of the established community though, you all see it. Most of them wont even fight a low baddy unless help is close.
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There is folks coming into the game and some are actually staying around. This new generation of gamer is a controller using gamer. If they cannot play it totally on a controller they are not interested. If they have to set up a controller they will probably not stick around. There are people coming back to the game after years away like myself who are in a better place financially and are able to get a better machine and equipment to play aces high with. Advertisement would help out a lot, but who is going to fund that? Should we start a gofundme for ad revenue?
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I remember the good ole days too...
When you were lucky to make it back to base ..forget about getting a kill.
Players - can you say society - today want to start at the top of everything. One way or another..
Sorry but in life when you start something new you usually suck at it for awhile.
Put 20 years and a fistful of dollars into this game and you too can become something more than cannon fodder
But don't expect not to get your butt handed to you repeatedly in the beginning.
You learn as much in the beginning by your defeats as your victories.
<S>
Eagler
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I was frankly always surprised by the numbers crash and the only thing I could think of was the lack of hearing about the game. Ive played all the flight games at one time or another and AH always had the most stable software and I always thought the graphics were fine. It was a very good mix of both and what good are graphics if your computer has problems running them or the software itself is buggy?
Ive thought of coming back but now Im 62 yo and cant sit at a computer very long due to health problems. I havnt gamed in years, and thats any game.
Its funny how even many years down the Line you still remember specific fights. Like on the last day of Big Week I was in a P-51 escorting and got into it with a P-38 who had about my skill Level and it took many minutes as we went down the altitude Ladder trading advantage. Or the one and only time I shot down Lusche. I remember many individual fights like that and tho I usually lost them they were so good they etched themselves into my memory.
No other game ever did that for me.
I know one thing when I started the game had a very strong training pipeline for the noobs with dedicated training and trainers everywhere. I still remember Ghost sitting in his IJA fighter on the runway giving tips and clues. I dont know if any of that is still around. I hope so. Good luck to the community. <S>
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Some good observations. :salute
I kinda evolved to think low numbers earlier in the morning US time were used by bomber pilots to pad their scores. I also noticed one squad in particular that seems to take advantage of the low number times. I have gotten used to upping (with extra fuel) and flying multiple sectors for a fight when numbers are low.
That said, later in the day and into the evenings there are more numbers and much easier to find fights.
I compliment on AH becoming available over Steam in an effort to raise the numbers. Thank you for this and all you efforts to get more numbers. :salute
I naturally wonder for AH, given their staff and overhead, how many players are enough? What is the minimum number (to pay expenses) and the max number (beyond the point they are willing to hire more staff and resources)?
Great game. Best in class. Best software to achieve best realism vs. play-ability and fun. Long live AH! :rock
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... Its funny how even many years down the Line you still remember specific fights. Like on the last day of Big Week I was in a P-51 escorting and got into it with a P-38 who had about my skill Level and it took many minutes as we went down the altitude Ladder trading advantage. Or the one and only time I shot down Lusche. I remember many individual fights like that and tho I usually lost them they were so good they etched themselves into my memory.
No other game ever did that for me...
I find this to be true as well. One fight in particular that sticks in my mind was a down-on-the-deck duel I had against A8Cole. He was in a Typhoon, I was in a P-39Q. I ran out of cannon ammo. I fact I *think* we both ended the fight out of ammo and low on fuel. I can't remember if I won, lost, or drew but it was memorable and fun; very sporting all the way through, and ended with <S>'s given.
Another great fight I had recently was against SKJackD (IIRC the handle). He was in a P-47D with the yellow cowl and black skull and I was in a P-38J. I can't recall the end, he probably dispatched me, but what I remember is the tension of the fight; the striving for position, the resets and re-engagements, and of course the <S> at the conclusion. Its always fun to fly against someone who's equal in skill or a little better than you.
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This new generation of gamer is a controller using gamer. If they cannot play it totally on a controller they are not interested. If they have to set up a controller they will probably not stick around.
Sounds like a new generation all have ADD
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Sounds like a new generation all have ADD
I don't think that can be attributed to 'generation.' ;)
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Change the landing message. "so and so landed 5 kills" promotes these "sharks" to pick and avoid fights to get those "kill" numbers up there. Instead post "so and so landed kills". everyone would know they landed 2 or more kills but it would make them all the same, no more "competition" to be the guy who lands the big numbers.
This is a great idea!!!
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I don't think that can be attributed to 'generation.' ;)
Bet it can be
Kids these days are on more drugs from doctors than were in the high school halls in the 70s
Eagler
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no need of micro purchases or pay to win. 6 planes, 2 gvs are free. You want to use anything else you get a subscription, period. Pretty simple.
As for having all the answers lol if I did id own the company. many right answers have been posted here and a few of them have been used. I just think its time to try a few more. How's the "no ENY" experiment going? I didn't hear any complaints when I was on Saturday night.
Maybe it time to try a few of these other ideas "that are never going to work".
I like this idea. Just make sure there is a variety of fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft for them to fly.
I'd also suggest locking it to default skins only - but they should be able to see the custom skins in the hangar and on other players planes in the arena, so they can see what they are missing. But if they try to select one to fly, they get a message "A paid subscription is needed to fly this skin. Subscribe now?" with a link to subscribe.
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I was about to try out the two week trial and get back into the game. I left for a while and have tried again every few years, but the numbers are soooo low, it's lots of driving to get to the fight and then not much action!
Free to play is the way to go. This is such an amazing game. The physics and damage model, the attention to detail. I just love this game. Freemium doesn't have to be pay to win. I hate the "gold" rounds that do extra damage or special vehicles that are bulletproof.
The free to play games that I really like have you pay extra for cosmetics, or allow you to buy a unique model that has no benefit other than faster experience.
I'd pay extra to get a new paint scheme for my Dora, or a model that allows me to earn ENY faster so I can fly the Ta-152 without guilt.
Bring it on. I miss Aces High!!!
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I like this idea. Just make sure there is a variety of fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft for them to fly.
I'd also suggest locking it to default skins only - but they should be able to see the custom skins in the hangar and on other players planes in the arena, so they can see what they are missing. But if they try to select one to fly, they get a message "A paid subscription is needed to fly this skin. Subscribe now?" with a link to subscribe.
No. There is, and should be, no reason to lock skins like that.
As for "free" planes: No perk anything of any kind.
Bomber wise: Restrict the 17, 24, Lancaster and Tu-2. The Tu-2 I put into this list is due to her payload and speed.
Fighters: Not going to touch that one with a 10ft pole. I'll leave it to you fighter jocks figure out that mess. :)
GV's: Panzer F, Sherman 75, 251, M-16, M-8 and Jeep should be the "freebies". Everything else would be locked.
Allow them to still earn perks however. This could give more incentive to go paid so they can spend them.
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no more "competition" to be the guy who lands the big numbers.
In many cases the rearm pad is the root cause of folks landing 3-10 kills in a plane per "sortie".
Some fly really careful and keep rearming. Just say'n.
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In many cases the rearm pad is the root cause of folks landing 3-10 kills in a plane per "sortie".
Some fly really careful and keep rearming. Just say'n.
Not like there's anything wrong with that. :old:
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Just face it,. AH is dead. There havent been any upgrade to the game for like 4 years. And the player base is litteraly dying away from old age. I see no reason for anyone to spend their money on this game. Its a shame but its still the reality. Nostalgia isnt going to save the game.
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Just face it,. AH is dead. There havent been any upgrade to the game for like 4 years. And the player base is litteraly dying away from old age. I see no reason for anyone to spend their money on this game. Its a shame but its still the reality. Nostalgia isnt going to save the game.
It's supportive posts like this that sets this community apart from so many out there.
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It's supportive posts like this that sets this community apart from so many out there.
The people is why we are all coming back
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Perhaps the free to play portion of the game model can look something like this:
Option 1 Recommendation:
1. 1st 2 weeks, no changes. Allow full access.
2. AFTER the 2 week free trial (full version):
a. 3 weeks of free play in all Early War planes
b. At the end of the EW 3 week free trial, offer 1 final week in all planes sets.
Basically, 1 1/2 months. Gives time to learn enough to play and understand what you are doing. Get to know new players. Allow them access to special events and join FSO as a guest to a host squad. Basically giving more time to potentially new players to get a little past the learning curve.
Option 2 Recommendation:
Allow full access in the MA to all Early War Planes as a "free to play". But in doing this, you can potentially ruin the play in the arena. Not too difficult to troll the arena in this scenario. Maybe worth the risk though.
Not saying we should try any of this. Just throwing some ideas out for HTC to consider to generate traffic. Maybe already tried and didn't work. I dunno. I just fly cartoon planes and die a lot. THAT is my specialty.
:rock
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Not like there's anything wrong with that
If you are compelled to fly in a manner the skews perception of what you did in "one" sortie...follow your bliss. :salute
[sidebar]
The rearm pad BTW is a great and useful tool and should be kept in the game. For instance, if all the hangers are down.
This is a different context than using it to display phantasmagorian sortie numbers. :old:
[/sidebar]
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You're way too fixated on the kills landed message. Probably more so than with those you take an accusational stance. Players know about the rearm pad. Players can surmise how some large kills landed messages came to be without it ruining their AH experience. The number of inconsequential elements of this game that some are willing to attribute toward it's supposed demise is rather amusing. :cool:
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Just face it,. AH is dead. There havent been any upgrade to the game for like 4 years. And the player base is litteraly dying away from old age. I see no reason for anyone to spend their money on this game. Its a shame but its still the reality. Nostalgia isnt going to save the game.
Why are you here?
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Why are you here?
To show his support?
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To show his support?
You mean troll the boards.
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Probably more so than with those you take an accusational stance.
Its your $. Fly any way you want. :salute
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Its your $. Fly any way you want. :salute
That is why HT has to control the game..... the players can't. It just turns into a cesspool. The BBS is proof of that.
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You're way too fixated on the kills landed message. Probably more so than with those you take an accusational stance. Players know about the rearm pad. Players can surmise how some large kills landed messages came to be without it ruining their AH experience. The number of inconsequential elements of this game that some are willing to attribute toward it's supposed demise is rather amusing. :cool:
I once landed 27 kills in a Pony with 2 bombs and rockets no rearms.
another I dropped bombs on vh just as it respawned, 12 gvs dead. laughed so hard I crashed my pony.
semp
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That is why HT has to control the game..... the players can't. It just turns into a cesspool. The BBS is proof of that.
He's implemented very few 'control' measures.
Kill shooter - obviously necessary to keep griefer players from shooting players on the same side.
Perk points - keeps the arena from becoming all 262s 24/7.
ENY - imposes aircraft restrictions on sides that outnumber their opponents by a certain amount.
I can't think of any other 'game control measure' and it seems to me that HT is more of a 'let the players do what the players do' kind of guy. I am too. That doesn't mean I find everything players do palatable. It means I have more respect for leaders than demanders. There's still a few of those in the community. :) :salute :cheers:
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ENY is another..... and now removed, return to cesspool.
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He's implemented very few 'control' measures.
Kill shooter - obviously necessary to keep griefer players from shooting players on the same side.
Perk points - keeps the arena from becoming all 262s 24/7.
ENY - imposes aircraft restrictions on sides that outnumber their opponents by a certain amount.
I can't think of any other 'game control measure' and it seems to me that HT is more of a 'let the players do what the players do' kind of guy. I am too. That doesn't mean I find everything players do palatable. It means I have more respect for leaders than demanders. There's still a few of those in the community. :) :salute :cheers:
In the old days when there were less options of games to play that could fly. But not any more. Internet bullys thrive, the "play how you want" gets more and more players frustrated and that leads them to quit. If the game doesnt change it WILL continue to just fade away.
While you look at these posts as complaints or whines those of us that post them look at them as help for a game we love. We are just trying to help keep the game going.
Why are you here?
He is another long time player who hates to see the game he loved playing die is my guess.
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In the old days when there were less options of games to play that could fly. But not any more. Internet bullys thrive, the "play how you want" gets more and more players frustrated and that leads them to quit. If the game doesnt change it WILL continue to just fade away.
While you look at these posts as complaints or whines those of us that post them look at them as help for a game we love. We are just trying to help keep the game going.
He is another long time player who hates to see the game he loved playing die is my guess.
Ahh so he is playing and not just trolling the boards.
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WTH happened to the numbers??, less than 100 players in three massive countries?
Some stinky mace or was it fighter ace dorks with poor hygiene came over in the first half of the 2010s and stank the place up. We have done run out of Fabreeze, the stains are still on the walls, and the tap water is still brown.
How the heck are the squads doing???
Most are on life support .... Mine due to the aforementioned stinky mace guys that we let use our restroom ... once .... we ended up having to burn the whole old club house down ... couldn't even save the stripper pole as a really Kruel person from the stinky mace gang tried do a sexy dance routine on it and left it smelling like stale beer and day old tuna.
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stinky mace gang tried do a sexy dance routine on it and left it smelling like stale beer and day old tuna.
That's tough
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Fly the way you want.
Caveat
Should a significant number of paid users routinely find issue with a game feature, that naturally would warrant investigating changing it.
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Caveat
Should a significant number of paid users routinely find issue with a game feature, that naturally would warrant investigating changing it.
Define 'significant number.'
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Define 'significant number.'
Definition of significant (unedited)
1 : having meaning especially : suggestive
-- a significant glance
2a : having or likely to have influence or effect : important
-- a significant piece of legislation
also : of a noticeably or measurably large amount
-- a significant number of layoffs
-- producing significant profits
2b : probably caused by something other than mere chance
-- statistically significant correlation between vitamin deficiency and disease
Source:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/significant
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Give the percentage that you perceive.
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In many cases the rearm pad is the root cause of folks landing 3-10 kills in a plane per "sortie".
Some fly really careful and keep rearming. Just say'n.
since wep is no longer replaced when rearming its prob less common than you think.
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since wep is no longer replaced when rearming its prob less common than you think.
I dont recall when WEP was reset when landing, but maybe im just getting old.
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Is there any way for us to factually determine how many people that get 4+ kill per sortie have done so via the rearm pad?
It is possible that our perceptions are inaccurate. Lets use science and facts if we can. :salute
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Is there any way for us to factually determine how many people that get 4+ kill per sortie have done so via the rearm pad?
It is possible that our perceptions are inaccurate. Lets use science and facts if we can. :salute
This really matters to you. Meh.
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Is there any way for us to factually determine how many people that get 4+ kill per sortie have done so via the rearm pad?
no
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it is all good man. there is a lot of fun to be had in the mornings when all of us base stealers log in...no enemy = easy steal. but it is fun. its still a great game and the ones that know it and enjoy it know it. I am glad you are trying again. nothing is perfect guys but this is so much fun. you know it is!
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Is there any way for us to factually determine how many people that get 4+ kill per sortie have done so via the rearm pad?
It is possible that our perceptions are inaccurate. Lets use science and facts if we can. :salute
Considering 90% of players have less than a 2 K/S on avg, id say hardly anyone uses the re arm pad effectively for it to matter.
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:airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane: :airplane:
So, just re-created an account and began to explore the game after a long absence. While I was never a great player, I had a lot of fun and flew with some pretty awesome pilots as well as hung with a few well known squads along the way.
WTH happened to the numbers??, less than 100 players in three massive countries? Looks like it is taking hours of flying and dying just to get into a decent fight. How the heck are the squads doing???
When we once had 1000's playing from several countries, enough on at one time to find a fast and good fight, or a long range full theater war lasting several days? What I have see so far is pretty dismal by comparison.
Dale - HiTech answering the phone himself, I made several calls to the 'office' recently, wow!
Correct me if I remember wrong but when I started playing AH the game in 2008 was much tighter with less complexity. Meaning, my first experience was entering a small training arena, not multi-level platforms with one-on-one area, bombing ranges, and the other 'separate' ways to train: it was one arena to meet-n-greet newbs, recruit talent, and sometimes just hang out and help less skilled pilots strengthen their wings, literally! There was community created in that small venue of interested game players, or at least that is how I remember it.
I read through some of the most recent discussions about game play, the current state of affairs, and the loathing about low numbers and difficult times. Seems to me that the vastness of the game, being oriented to what was once a massive membership, is part of the current problem along with a seemingly stubborn commander-n-chief: HiTech. Perhaps less could be more, and could a change help make things better, if we can get a consensus from the tribe?
With so few players and the size of the current game, perhaps things could be adjusted back to a much tighter and less complex footprint so that 100 players could engage in a decent fight without blowing hours on a few skirmishes, or for the newbs, flying what seems like a lifetime across sectors just to die in a few seconds because what is waiting is a group of much higher ranked players. Losing a few fights is and should be part of the tempering process while learning the game, but being slaughtered for weeks before getting enough experience to land a single kill does not lend itself to player retention, right? If we chase off the newbs the game falls flat, kinda like the quire sinning only to itself when a audience is required to keep things going.
When I left game back in 2013 one of the reasons was the issues associated with key players dominating the game, padding their stats at the expense of newer player retention. Some of you will argue, "that's war, nothing is far" and to some degree you are correct, it is about fighting each other in a air war theater, but it is also about the reality side of being a member of a community of gamers, so both must be part of the discussion on how to regrow the game, even if Dale Hitech won't listen right now, he cannot deny that AH was once a fantastically populated and well played game, he must listen to us if he's to survive.
So, let me ask you this basic question, how much fun are you having in the game right now? Is if fun padding your stats, if that's you goal, by continually dominating a very small population of gamers on AH? I remember asking this question to one of the more notorious gamers back in 2012 and at that time there were 1000's playing. At that time a few squads were in near complete domination of most fights and that player lamented the only thing interesting was watching the stats grow. I'd watch this player tear through furballs killing at will, and landing multiple kills over and over, or sneak bases and so on, but on the human side of things, the player was basically board with the direction AH was going at the time. I cannot imagine, and I will ask when I encounter that player - if still playing, what the game is like today.
Less-is-more in a lot of things we humans engage in. Restrictions stimulate interests and enhance creativity, this is not speculation its a proven fact. Perhaps the answer to resolving the fast downward spiral of AH is to scale it back to a much tighter arena(s), seriously address the ENY situation (read a lot about this, it seems to be a part of the problem), and work on both the human and gamer aspects if the game.
Lastly, if you are a veteran of AH with high marks and a good standing in the game, please think back to your first encounters in the game, learning to fly, engaging other players, the first legit kill in your gun sights and the thrill of it all. Don't misunderstand what I have written as a plead for fairness in the game play, it's not about that. What I am asking is to fairly reflect and analyze the current game and how your personal influence might assist in growing the numbers again so we get back some of the fame-n-glory that was once AH, to retain new players by capturing their interest in hanging with it, inspiring them to learn a grow, and to recruit their friends.
I'll be out there, being the fodder for better pilots, eating lead like a twenty dollar hooker, and happily playing the game as it is. But, I hope this post generates some serious thought and dialog about how we can help change the game and get those numbers back up so more gamers can enjoy the fantastic game as it was intended.
:salute
I came back for about a month, after an absence of 8 years, (spent about 4,000 bucks on A COMPLETE up-to-date RIG to play this game in particular).... I actually enjoyed the game maybe 3 hours out of that month. I've spent almost all my flying time on DCS.
I have always absolutely loved this game and the work that went into it, on all fronts. The community, however, is no longer there. The engagements are terrible in the main. Of course, this is my opinion and may not represent anyone else's. But, when I find myself logging in to grab 20 K just to find an -even- fight...... well, the fun left. I found myself flying at 5K trying to lure someone into a fight for two hours..... everyone that bounced me either got the kill on the first dive, or was gone after one reverse. The best fight I found was someone sticking around until ALMOST CO-E....then they dropped the nose and were gone. It's just boring, TBH. The most fun I had was in the scenario in the Summer.... and that even had dismall numbers.
Base takers leave if one person shows up to defend....nobody wants a fight, they just want the stats. It's a sad state for a once amazing game that I've been into since 1998 when I was paying by the hour on dial up.
I agree, the "JACKWAZD LANDED 7 KILLS" message needs to go away. It does nothing to move gameplay in a positive fashion, and likely rewards tactics that are just boring in an online experience. Score dweebs can see their score if they want to.
Something really has to be done in order to put the fun back in. I'm sticking around to see if anything happens, but that isn't indefinite.
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My old machine that I just replaced, played this game great. It ran a first gen i5 with 16 gigs ram on a gigabyte g55 mb. I ran different GPS on it over the years. This game does not take much to run it. That machine was almost as old as this game.
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My old machine that I just replaced, played this game great. It ran a first gen i5 with 16 gigs ram on a gigabyte g55 mb. I ran different GPS on it over the years. This game does not take much to run it. That machine was almost as old as this game.
And none of that has anything to do with his post other that he was willing to invest money FOR the game. Not because it NEEDED it, but because he WANTED to.
The whole point your avoiding is that game now allows poor game play to be the norm. Running from a "fair" fight at 5k after flying around an hour, or after blowing a merge they dive out and away, base takers running away if a single player shows up to defend.
The whole point of his post was to point out how after being away from the game for 8 years he finds that it is boring as hell because nobody wants to fight any more. Whats with the sugar coating Shuff?
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I agree, the "JACKWAZD LANDED 7 KILLS" message needs to go away. It does nothing to move gameplay in a positive fashion, and likely rewards tactics that are just boring in an online experience. Score dweebs can see their score if they want to.
Agreed. It encourages poor game play.
...and yet...I'm never the one who lands seven kills, so it might just be envy...
- oldman
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And none of that has anything to do with his post other that he was willing to invest money FOR the game. Not because it NEEDED it, but because he WANTED to.
The whole point your avoiding is that game now allows poor game play to be the norm. Running from a "fair" fight at 5k after flying around an hour, or after blowing a merge they dive out and away, base takers running away if a single player shows up to defend.
The whole point of his post was to point out how after being away from the game for 8 years he finds that it is boring as hell because nobody wants to fight any more. Whats with the sugar coating Shuff?
This game .takes about a 600 to 800 dollar machine was my point. He said he spent that to play this game. That would have been a terrible waste. Obviously it was for other games that take far more power.
So it does have to do with his post.
I said nothing about the runners.... we have always had them.
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This game .takes about a 600 to 800 dollar machine was my point. He said he spent that to play this game. That would have been a terrible waste. Obviously it was for other games that take far more power.
So it does have to do with his post.
I said nothing about the runners.... we have always had them.
How much did you spend on your new rig? Again it is irrelevant because he was talking about how the game has changed for the worst. His whole post had nothing to do with how much he spent other than pointing out he WANTED to invest in a good box to play what he THOUGHT was a good game, which unfortunately isn't quit as good as he remembers.
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How much did you spend on your new rig? Again it is irrelevant because he was talking about how the game has changed for the worst. His whole post had nothing to do with how much he spent other than pointing out he WANTED to invest in a good box to play what he THOUGHT was a good game, which unfortunately isn't quit as good as he remembers.
changing for the worst is a perception. just like I think it has changed for the better. I am having way more fun now than when we had 1k players. some others dont think so.
had fun tonight, had my :ahand 1/2 the time. but I was able to get a couple of kills here and there. was a good night.
semp
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How much did you spend on your new rig? Again it is irrelevant because he was talking about how the game has changed for the worst. His whole post had nothing to do with how much he spent other than pointing out he WANTED to invest in a good box to play what he THOUGHT was a good game, which unfortunately isn't quit as good as he remembers.
He said just for this game..... read. I stated it did not take that for this game. It is one of the big points of this game. It can be ran on a machine that is not that powerful. Much older machines can run it with ease. New folks might think it takes more than it actually does. It is good to clarify that.
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Lower numbers need smaller maps so there is less running and hiding and more forced engangements
MNM is the place to be for such an experience
<S>
Eagler
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I agree, the "JACKWAZD LANDED 7 KILLS" message needs to go away. It does nothing to move gameplay in a positive fashion, and likely rewards tactics that are just boring in an online experience. Score dweebs can see their score if they want to.
+1
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Lower numbers need smaller maps so there is less running and hiding and more forced engangements
MNM is the place to be for such an experience
<S>
Eagler
Agreed.... or terrains with active areas to keep the fight in certain areas. As bases are captured the area adjusts.... this way the large terrains can still be used.
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I agree, the "JACKWAZD LANDED 7 KILLS" message needs to go away. It does nothing to move gameplay in a positive fashion, and likely rewards tactics that are just boring in an online experience. Score dweebs can see their score if they want to.
Since we get a live play-by-play of every kill, I don't think many pay attention to the "landed kills" message anymore. You hardly ever see a "WTG" when someone lands several kills.
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Since we get a live play-by-play of every kill, I don't think many pay attention to the "landed kills" message anymore. You hardly ever see a "WTG" when someone lands several kills.
I see wtg's all the time.
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ok snowflakes, lets do this. BECOME INSPIRED TO FLY BETTER WHEN " " " JACKWAD" " " LANDS 7 KILLS, i see plenty of way to go's(dunno why bruh above had said he hardly sees a WTG, you must fly where nobody speaks a word except over voice, and last but not least, go back to the og chat, no play by play kill after kill.
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K.I.S.S.
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K.I.S.S.
This works in most cases......
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How much did you spend on your new rig? Again it is irrelevant because he was talking about how the game has changed for the worst. His whole post had nothing to do with how much he spent other than pointing out he WANTED to invest in a good box to play what he THOUGHT was a good game, which unfortunately isn't quit as good as he remembers.
This exact sentiment. I bought a machine that was good enough to do VR well and to move into the next iteration. I was not implying you needed that to run this game at a base level.
I also bought peripherals... VKB stick and pedals, new warthog throttle and mounts, along with a SecretLab chair... all meant to get back into this game, which I've missed. Those peripherals were over $1,500 together.
Thankfully, they can be used for other games, including DCS.
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[SNIP]
I came back for about a month, after an absence of 8 years, (spent about 4,000 bucks on A COMPLETE up-to-date RIG to play this game in particular).... I actually enjoyed the game maybe 3 hours out of that month. I've spent almost all my flying time on DCS.
[/SNIP]
No biggy... I was just taking what you stated as fact. I built a new machine too.... but not for this game. It will easily handle VR also. That is one part of the game I did not take into consideration. It will take a bit more machine to handle the VR part.
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If you fly and enjoy DCS you cant complain of slow and no action in AH
DCS is very pretty and fun if you prefer to wrestle your plane around the sky instead of flying it but plane choices suck.
You cant see crap and have no idea where the enemy even is..
You have ONE air battle after spending at least 30 minutes wandering around looking for a fight..
Though not as "pretty" .. for me AH is 1000x more exciting and enjoyable today than any other ww2 a2a online sim on the market today.
<S>
Eagler
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If you fly and enjoy DCS you cant complain of slow and no action in AH
DCS is very pretty and fun if you prefer to wrestle your plane around the sky instead of flying it but plane choices suck.
You cant see crap and have no idea where the enemy even is..
You have ONE air battle after spending at least 30 minutes wandering around looking for a fight..
Though not as "pretty" .. for me AH is 1000x more exciting and enjoyable today than any other ww2 a2a online sim on the market today.
<S>
Eagler
It is the best, we just need to convince 300 to 500 new players of that and get then 5o stay longer than an hour or two
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It is the best, we just need to convince 300 to 500 new players of that and get then 5o stay longer than an hour or two
This is FACT!
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This really matters to you. Meh.
:aok
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If you fly and enjoy DCS you cant complain of slow and no action in AH
DCS is very pretty and fun if you prefer to wrestle your plane around the sky instead of flying it but plane choices suck.
You cant see crap and have no idea where the enemy even is..
You have ONE air battle after spending at least 30 minutes wandering around looking for a fight..
Though not as "pretty" .. for me AH is 1000x more exciting and enjoyable today than any other ww2 a2a online sim on the market today.
<S>
Eagler
The funny thing is, I enjoy DCS for the technical aspects of the flight, not the fighting. I actually go through the entire pre-flight checks on each plane, through the startup card and and takeoff/landing checklists. It's the sim part that I enjoy there. I honestly barely PvP. I have been flying there with my brother in law, but he's an actual F-16 pilot....
Here, I just want to enjoy the fights, and not go through that much "simulation". Unfortunately, I've found the arena to be generally underwhelming, versus the craziness that I remember. It is simply my opinion. Perhaps I will give it another go around and see if it holds up. <S>
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Last night some new virtual pilots stopped into MnM. They was all about it. I told them why not get your moneys worth out of your subscription.
I guess that applies to everyone in this community. Why not get your moneys worth?
Custom arenas with the quickest fights on the internet anywhere. Why would you not take advantage of that? If you spend a 1/4 of your gaming time in the Ava, a 1/8 in the SEA and 5/8 of your time in the MA it would only cost you $9.40 for the subscription to the MA.
Something to think about
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It is the best, we just need to convince 300 to 500 new players of that and get then 5o stay longer than an hour or two
As a player, you would not really an one-time increase of 50 players at all.
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As a player, you would not really an one-time increase of 50 players at all.
Did you miss the word notice?
HiTech
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Did you miss the word notice?
HiTech
Thinking he did but that's the word I picked to fill in with my misshaped brain.
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Did you miss the word notice?
HiTech
:rofl Yes I did. :aok
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I was able to sign on one morning before work and there were maybe 30 players on? For a few hours I fought 1 or 2 bad guys at a time and they killed me and I killed them. It was awesome fun. Sometimes it just sucks fighting a Horde. If you are having trouble finding a fight, start one!
Is the game too hard for the lazy gaming world? Where all you need is a bit more cash or a cheat code? Perhaps but I would not dumb it down for them.
I am just grateful that the Game is still here to log in to. Where in Cyberspace would you rather be?
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As a player, you would not really an one-time increase of 50 players at all.
The 5o was a typo, it was supposed to be "to"
I think a jump of 300-500 would make a difference .
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I think a jump of 300-500 would make a difference .
To put it into perspective, there are currently a bit over 1000 pilot ID's per tour with at least 1 kill or death.
(So I guess 500 more subscribers would make big difference to HTC, at least ;))
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Lower numbers need smaller maps so there is less running and hiding and more forced engangements
MNM is the place to be for such an experience
<S>
Eagler
or 2 country war on a single front maybe?
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To put it into perspective, there are currently a bit over 1000 pilot ID's per tour with at least 1 kill or death.
(So I guess 500 more subscribers would make big difference to HTC, at least ;))
On Saturday nights prime time eastern we have 120-130, add just 60 or 70 to that and it makes a big difference.
For both HTC and us players. :aok
or 2 country war on a single front maybe?
Hitech is dead set against this. Most likely because there is no way to break up uneven sides short or the game controlling which side a player plays on when they log in. At least with 3 sides 2 teams COULD gang up on the team with the numbers to break their run.
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I dont recall when WEP was reset when landing, but maybe im just getting old.
it was in AH2 for sure, I dont think it ever was in AH3
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Well, WEP never reset on the rearm pad or CV deck for me in AHII. I have had it 'cool off', even in flight. :cool:
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sure, you still had to go though the cooling cycle in ah2 if the engine was hot from using wep, but you did get the wep cycles back after rearming. compared to now where you dont get any more wep once you use it all up regardless of temp after rearming.
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sure, you still had to go though the cooling cycle in ah2 if the engine was hot from using wep, but you did get the wep cycles back after rearming. compared to now where you dont get any more wep once you use it all up regardless of temp after rearming.
Nope. It never 'recycled' for me after a rearm. My cooled off WEP quit a lot sooner.
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As I remember it WEP went for the longest time where it just would have a cool down and then it would be good to go again 5 minutes on 5 minutes off or whatever the planes pattern was indefinitely. I think that was in a AH2. Whenever it changed over to WEP actually having a maximum total amount of time, I am pretty sure it never reset on the rearm pad.
Wiley.
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WEP behaves differently in different aircraft, I believe. I think HT modeled such.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power
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WEP in AH
WEP is strictly time based, there is no actual temperature function involved (thus there are no tricks to get WEP back quicker, for example by cruising at lower power level).
It's function is defined by Time (=maximum continuous use), Cooldown(=time required to 'recharge' after a single full use of WEP) and Total (= total WEP time per sortie). A F4U for example has 5/10/8, meaning you can use WEP up to five minutes at a time, has a cooldown period of 10 minutes (so 2 minutes of cooldown for 1 minute of WEP used, and a total time of 8 minutes of WEP per sortie. The FW 190D-9 and Ta 152 have (10/5/40), making them the kings of WEP, so to say.
Once your total time is used up, WEP is gone and can not be restored on the rearm pad!
For many years, the Total was broken, so WEP was limited by Time and cooldown only, giving every plane with WEP an unlimited amount of cycles. This was fixed by HT about four years ago. The rearm pad itself had never any impact on WEP
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Agreed.... or terrains with active areas to keep the fight in certain areas. As bases are captured the area adjusts.... this way the large terrains can still be used.
I was new...but I remember Bases changing as others were taken? Some bases()or was it strats) were Re-Established in dif areas...as per War realities?
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If you fly and enjoy DCS you cant complain of slow and no action in AH
DCS is very pretty and fun if you prefer to wrestle your plane around the sky instead of flying it but plane choices suck.
You cant see crap and have no idea where the enemy even is..
You have ONE air battle after spending at least 30 minutes wandering around looking for a fight..
Though not as "pretty" .. for me AH is 1000x more exciting and enjoyable today than any other ww2 a2a online sim on the market today.
<S>
Eagler
THIS!!!!!^^^^^ I wish that some of the "DETRACTORS" of AH3, could see what we see, Brother! This is BAR NONE..the Gold Standard as WW2/Sims go! DCS, improved their "Con Sighting" issues...but Dale fixed this, like 2 years ago!(when AH3 BETA, was testing)? Bless their hearts!!!! If he could figure out how to duplicate the "Terrains and eye candy", DCS has adopted......Talk about "Cornering the Competition"!!!!!!!!!!! :rock OH!!!! This position is UL APROVED(ULblizz,ULcapkid/BW1stpar lol) ect. :devil :rock :x :neener:
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THIS!!!!!^^^^^ I wish that some of the "DETRACTORS" of AH3, could see what we see, Brother! This is BAR NONE..the Gold Standard as WW2/Sims go! DCS, improved their "Con Sighting" issues...but Dale fixed this, like 2 years ago!(when AH3 BETA, was testing)? Bless their hearts!!!! If he could figure out how to duplicate the "Terrains and eye candy", DCS has adopted......Talk about "Cornering the Competition"!!!!!!!!!!! :rock OH!!!! This position is UL APROVED(ULblizz,ULcapkid/BW1stpar lol) ect. :devil :rock :x :neener:
The eye candy would make the computer requirement higher. It is my understanding this is something they have attempted not to do in AH. This allows folks with older machines to participate.
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WEP in AH
WEP is strictly time based, there is no actual temperature function involved (thus there are no tricks to get WEP back quicker, for example by cruising at lower power level).
It's function is defined by Time (=maximum continuous use), Cooldown(=time required to 'recharge' after a single full use of WEP) and Total (= total WEP time per sortie). A F4U for example has 5/10/8, meaning you can use WEP up to five minutes at a time, has a cooldown period of 10 minutes (so 2 minutes of cooldown for 1 minute of WEP used, and a total time of 8 minutes of WEP per sortie. The FW 190D-9 and Ta 152 have (10/5/40), making them the kings of WEP, so to say.
Once your total time is used up, WEP is gone and can not be restored on the rearm pad!
For many years, the Total was broken, so WEP was limited by Time and cooldown only, giving every plane with WEP an unlimited amount of cycles. This was fixed by HT about four years ago. The rearm pad itself had never any impact on WEP
ahhh ok, but my point still stands. no unimited wep cycles likely made rearming a figter for kill streaks less popular
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ahhh ok, but my point still stands. no unimited wep cycles likely made rearming a figter for kill streaks less popular
Because?
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it goes without saying. not having any wep left in many popular rides is a huge disadvantage.
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it goes without saying. not having any wep left in many popular rides is a huge disadvantage.
Meh. Talk to guys who manage their energy. The rearm pad has been used ever since it existed to increase glory messages and it never reset the WEP. Methinks your perceived viewpoint is exaggerated. :D :salute :cheers:
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I dont recall when WEP was reset when landing, but maybe im just getting old.
I don't believe how WEP at rearm is handled has ever been changed in the life of AH. I.E. It has never reset.
HiTech
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Wep management is the only engine management in AH3
It is the same as it always has been
If you can't manage that one variable, stay out of DCS
Eagler
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Wep management is the only engine management in AH3
It is the same as it always has been
If you can't manage that one variable, stay out of DCS
Eagler
Yeah, I've heard DCS can be rather anal about that and that engine management is the distraction it was never meant to be in AH. Not knocking it if that is someone's thing. I would say that WEP management is not the only form of engine management in AH, if managing your fuel counts.
(https://i.imgur.com/3qINCfK.png)
It ain't mandatory or your engine is destroyed .... but then, who really wants that in AH?
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The eye candy would make the computer requirement higher. It is my understanding this is something they have attempted not to do in AH. This allows folks with older machines to participate.
:aok Agree! I should have said something along those lines, as well. The terrains in AH3, were "that attempt"! I like it! If most detractors can run AH on their systems, they should try DCS and REALY SEE how great we have it here! <what I meant :cheers:
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The eye candy would make the computer requirement higher. It is my understanding this is something they have attempted not to do in AH. This allows folks with older machines to participate.
I dont know if that is still true. As far as "eye candy" goes it is mostly what you see of your plane/vehicle. The new 38s show that AH can keep up with the other in that department. The tree system they use now I would think stream lines that aspect. Maybe a bit more variety in the "fawna" might add to the eye candy.
I think the biggest add-on would be more tiles and a way to add them randomly on map launch. We have a bunch of maps, but everything on each map is alway the same. If they could recoad the maps so that every base and the approaches to the base changed everytime it would add that interest of a new map each time.
Still loading the same number of tiles, same planes (with the newer graphics like the 38), I dont think it would add to the work load of players computers like it did in the old days.
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I dont know if that is still true. As far as "eye candy" goes it is mostly what you see of your plane/vehicle. The new 38s show that AH can keep up with the other in that department. The tree system they use now I would think stream lines that aspect. Maybe a bit more variety in the "fawna" might add to the eye candy.
I think the biggest add-on would be more tiles and a way to add them randomly on map launch. We have a bunch of maps, but everything on each map is alway the same. If they could recoad the maps so that every base and the approaches to the base changed everytime it would add that interest of a new map each time.
Still loading the same number of tiles, same planes (with the newer graphics like the 38), I dont think it would add to the work load of players computers like it did in the old days.
Not too bad probably.... but it is not going to be anything like the scenery in RDR2.
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didn't HTC used to advertise on the Military Channel? I could have sworn they did.
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Meh. Talk to guys who manage their energy. The rearm pad has been used ever since it existed to increase glory messages and it never reset the WEP. Methinks your perceived viewpoint is exaggerated. :D :salute :cheers:
I disagree. You're gonna need the WEP and planes with limited WEP will eventually be at a disadvantage if you are aggressive. A P51 with poor acceleration needs to use WEP (smartly) and you can only get a few sorties in before you're stuck flying WEPless.
Other planes like the YAK3 or 262 don't have WEP so could jn theory maintain their performance for long runs. The K4 has a lot of WEP so chances are you run out of parts before WEP.
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I disagree. You're gonna need the WEP and planes with limited WEP will eventually be at a disadvantage if you are aggressive. A P51 with poor acceleration needs to use WEP (smartly) and you can only get a few sorties in before you're stuck flying WEPless.
Other planes like the YAK3 or 262 don't have WEP so could jn theory maintain their performance for long runs. The K4 has a lot of WEP so chances are you run out of parts before WEP.
Not seeing this as making a case. *ShruG* :old:
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I hear a lot of people talking about how hard it is because there are a lot of 'good players' and because of that, people leave. I never hear about those players wanting to actually get better. You see, I wanted to be better. So I dueled, a lot and learned. I got beat over an over again. I couldn't believe how much harder this game was compared to flying combat flight simulator against AI. If you think you are going to come in here an start kicking but, you are gravely mistaken.
What really hurts new players is getting ganged by multiple people every time. The biggest issues and hardest part of the MA is getting ganged by multiple players. This has more of a negative impact to players than coming across good sticks.
The second issue is maps. When you have maps like Bowl MA up for 4 days, flying 10 minutes to a base with action spread out all over the map with minimal big battles in the afternoon and off hours. This creates slow and boring gameplay. Maps make the action happen. Thats why they are so important.
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Story of the modern era Vio; No Lions, only kittens.
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I disagree. You're gonna need the WEP and planes with limited WEP will eventually be at a disadvantage if you are aggressive. A P51 with poor acceleration needs to use WEP (smartly) and you can only get a few sorties in before you're stuck flying WEPless.
Other planes like the YAK3 or 262 don't have WEP so could jn theory maintain their performance for long runs. The K4 has a lot of WEP so chances are you run out of parts before WEP.
YAk3's overheated at 100% throttle IRL, so they should have to use WEP like everyone else.
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YAk3's overheated at 100% throttle IRL, so they should have to use WEP like everyone else.
WEP produced more than 100% of the engine's normal rated power for a limited amount of time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_emergency_power
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I’ll be honest. If we want new players. We need to advertise to the potential player base. And the best way to do that is to promote the game through content advertisements. Not the traditional way. But through YouTube Content creators. PhlyDaily, Squire, Matsimus, Military Aviation History (Bismarck). Let them play the game. Be up front about it. I guarantee, that if they sponsored the game through these avenues they would get new players in. But idk if HTC has the resources to do it anymore.
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I’ll be honest. If we want new players. We need to advertise to the potential player base. And the best way to do that is to promote the game through content advertisements. Not the traditional way. But through YouTube Content creators. PhlyDaily, Squire, Matsimus, Military Aviation History (Bismarck). Let them play the game. Be up front about it. I guarantee, that if they sponsored the game through these avenues they would get new players in. But idk if HTC has the resources to do it anymore.
HT may be interested if you tell him what your guarantee consist of.
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I’ll be honest. If we want new players. We need to advertise to the potential player base. And the best way to do that is to promote the game through content advertisements. Not the traditional way. But through YouTube Content creators. PhlyDaily, Squire, Matsimus, Military Aviation History (Bismarck). Let them play the game. Be up front about it. I guarantee, that if they sponsored the game through these avenues they would get new players in. But idk if HTC has the resources to do it anymore.
Yes. Advertising will save us all. :rolleyes:
NGE first. Then advertise the everliving hell out of it. And it still won't drag many people away from the free options.
Wiley.
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Unfortunately I don't see a way to adapt to the current trend of free to play while maintaining a simulator feel. By going free to play you will need to create reasons for people to pay money. It could be as simple as skins, but that wouldn't draw enough, you'll need people to pay that $10-15 a month for premium. And what would premium give without making the game pay to win? More perks per action wouldn't be very enticing, a grind to fly good planes is not going to work without separating the Tempests from the Spit 1's. Proper free to play is the only way you are going to get a high number of players in the game though because of its ancient GUI and aging graphics. If its a bait and switch like the current format, you'll always have bad reviews on Steam that keep most people from even trying it. The first thing that popped up when I downloaded this free to play game on Steam was the opportunity for discounted membership, alot of people would uninstall right then and there. Like War Thunder and World of Tanks has shown, free to play doesn't mean you aren't going to be profitable, all those thousands of players that are playing for free entice their friends to play too, and for every person there is a chance you get people like me that will spend way more than $15/month on a game without thinking twice. The biggest hurdle is just determining how to implement this sandbox world conquest game into a format that would allow paying customers a reason to pay without destroying the will of the non paying customers.
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Unfortunately I don't see a way to adapt to the current trend of free to play while maintaining a simulator feel. By going free to play you will need to create reasons for people to pay money. It could be as simple as skins, but that wouldn't draw enough, you'll need people to pay that $10-15 a month for premium. And what would premium give without making the game pay to win? More perks per action wouldn't be very enticing, a grind to fly good planes is not going to work without separating the Tempests from the Spit 1's. Proper free to play is the only way you are going to get a high number of players in the game though because of its ancient GUI and aging graphics. If its a bait and switch like the current format, you'll always have bad reviews on Steam that keep most people from even trying it. The first thing that popped up when I downloaded this free to play game on Steam was the opportunity for discounted membership, alot of people would uninstall right then and there. Like War Thunder and World of Tanks has shown, free to play doesn't mean you aren't going to be profitable, all those thousands of players that are playing for free entice their friends to play too, and for every person there is a chance you get people like me that will spend way more than $15/month on a game without thinking twice. The biggest hurdle is just determining how to implement this sandbox world conquest game into a format that would allow paying customers a reason to pay without destroying the will of the non paying customers.
Didn't some subscription-based space sim make changes to allow free players into same arena space as the subscription payers? I want to say it was Eve Online, but not sure - and I don't know what the limits between pay and free are as far as available equipment, ships, etc.
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Didn't some subscription-based space sim make changes to allow free players into same arena space as the subscription payers? I want to say it was Eve Online, but not sure - and I don't know what the limits between pay and free are as far as available equipment, ships, etc.
Yes, Eve Online is a free to play, but its grindy and entices payment to get ahead.
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I like the fact that in AH I can't "buy my way to the top" like most games these days
And I'll take my flight sims without external view a2a combat allowed
Eagler
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I am finding that GTA V is pretty much worthless. I bought it a little over a month a go and I am already tiring of it. What works is the groups that use it, like FiveM. The roll play servers are mostly moderated and disable the garbage space vehicles and such. They also ban those that run cheats which Rockstar does a terrible job of.
I have been here at AH for better than 20 years.
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Didn't some subscription-based space sim make changes to allow free players into same arena space as the subscription payers? I want to say it was Eve Online, but not sure - and I don't know what the limits between pay and free are as far as available equipment, ships, etc.
A lot of the Subscription games changed and allowed you to get to certain levels on F2P as well. I know WoW was one of them, EVE was as well but I think since they may have removed that limitation.
Then there are the 'premium' style games which you can play completely for free but there are 'pay to progress faster' methods. These are the likes of WT, WoT, WoWS.
Then, there are true free to play games wherein whatever you buy either does not give you a competitive advantage (eg cosmetics), example of this is SMITE, or everything in the game can be obtained in-game without paying anything, an example of this is Warframe.
These companies of course need revenue streams so they offer premium currencies for USD, but the USD you are spending won't net you any competitive advantage during gameplay and you aren't required to spend a penny to play the game.
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I am finding that GTA V is pretty much worthless. I bought it a little over a month a go and I am already tiring of it. What works is the groups that use it, like FiveM. The roll play servers are mostly moderated and disable the garbage space vehicles and such. They also ban those that run cheats which Rockstar does a terrible job of.
I have been here at AH for better than 20 years.
Open world open PVP has always been a cesspool in games like GTAV. I pretty much only buy games like GTA and RDR for the single player campaigns, which were awesome in both. Online, not so much.
Wiley.
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Open world open PVP has always been a cesspool in games like GTAV. I pretty much only buy games like GTA and RDR for the single player campaigns, which were awesome in both. Online, not so much.
Wiley.
I have never played a lot of different games. I was always one for flight. It is a bit new to me. RDR is great, story mode, and pretty good online. I have run across a few online that will run some code to screw things up. In GTA I have seen code run a lot.
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Honestly, you can invite or try and bait a million people in here, but if the gameplay isnt changed with smaller maps first, anyone logging into the large stale action maps wont be impressed during 75% of the time. It gets hard even in primetime with some of these maps to find action worth $14.95, especially to a new eyeball.
Make the changes needed to make the game action packed with the player base we have, and it wil work itself out. Then go ahead and work the larger maps back into rotation.
Between the dark hours, maps, and country gangbang because the current player base likes it easy, there is too many hours in a day where it will be just not enjoyable for a newbie.
It should be action packed 24/7 to warrant the 14.95 for a new comer. Not 6 hours a day 3 times a week.
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Honestly, you can invite or try and bait a million people in here, but if the gameplay isnt changed with smaller maps first, anyone logging into the large stale action maps wont be impressed during 75% of the time. It gets hard even in primetime with some of these maps to find action worth $14.95, especially to a new eyeball.
Make the changes needed to make the game action packed with the player base we have, and it wil work itself out. Then go ahead and work the larger maps back into rotation.
Between the dark hours, maps, and country gangbang because the current player base likes it easy, there is too many hours in a day where it will be just not enjoyable for a newbie.
It should be action packed 24/7 to warrant the 14.95 for a new comer. Not 6 hours a day 3 times a week.
Definitely agree here.
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I like the fact that in AH I can't "buy my way to the top" like most games these days
And I'll take my flight sims without external view a2a combat allowed
Eagler
I agree it’s a great aspect of AH to earn your way to perks, skill and knowledge of how everything works in game.
How do we get new players to come without advertising? I first found AH through a TV commercial.
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I haven't heard @HiTech comment about the small map sizes. There's like 42 different threads in here where the player base (key, long-running customers) keep yearning, dare I say PLEADING, for smaller map sizes. So Dale, what say you?!
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I haven't heard @HiTech comment about the small map sizes. There's like 42 different threads in here where the player base (key, long-running customers) keep yearning, dare I say PLEADING, for smaller map sizes. So Dale, what say you?!
It is called beating a dead horse.
The idea was thrown out there..... throwing it out over and over will do little.
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It is called beating a dead horse.
The idea was thrown out there..... throwing it out over and over will do little.
ROFLMAO
In this case it would be called "still beating the dead horse bone dust" .......
Last night brought back memories of flat out dogfighting and each side not giving up and running off...the squads and players on knights and bishops kept on adjusting to the attack from each other for the time I was logged in to the MA
I guess the mixture of squads and players were just right for it to get that fun for all playing on each side
Before FSO even started up there were over 221 logged into the game
TC
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ROFLMAO
In this case it would be called "still beating the dead horse bone dust" .......
Last night brought back memories of flat out dogfighting and each side not giving up and running off...the squads and players on knights and bishops kept on adjusting to the attack from each other for the time I was logged in to the MA
I guess the mixture of squads and players were just right for it to get that fun for all playing on each side
Before FSO even started up there were over 221 logged into the game
TC
It was definitely rocking. I wanted to stay but had a long day already.
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ROFLMAO
In this case it would be called "still beating the dead horse bone dust" .......
Last night brought back memories of flat out dogfighting and each side not giving up and running off...the squads and players on knights and bishops kept on adjusting to the attack from each other for the time I was logged in to the MA
I guess the mixture of squads and players were just right for it to get that fun for all playing on each side
Before FSO even started up there were over 221 logged into the game
TC
If it was the same map i logged into after work at 2pm CST, it was a small map. That explains your experience of an enjoyable gaming session. Had the map been something like buzzsaw, or one of the larger maps in the rotation, your post wouldnt have been made. You also logged into the game at its peak time, which is in the evening before FSO.
So... congratulations, you logged in at on the right time, on the right day, and luckily had a small map up in the arena.
Thanks for further proving what I stated in my previous post. Keep it mind there are 6 other 24 hour days in a week, many of those where the recipe for a good gaming experience is absent.
If you arent seeing the issue with the map size currently in the game, you simply dont log in as much as others do that experience the problem more often, which I KNOW is the case with you and Shuffler.
Ive been here long enough, have a pretty damn good grasp on the game where neither of you could convince me otherwise.
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Ive been here long enough, have a pretty damn good grasp on the game where neither of you could convince me otherwise.
'My experience is universal! All players think/feel like me! I know all the answers!'
Nothing new here, folks, move along. :)
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ROFLMAO
In this case it would be called "still beating the dead horse bone dust" .......
Last night brought back memories of flat out dogfighting and each side not giving up and running off...the squads and players on knights and bishops kept on adjusting to the attack from each other for the time I was logged in to the MA
I guess the mixture of squads and players were just right for it to get that fun for all playing on each side
Before FSO even started up there were over 221 logged into the game
TC
That is the best time to play, small map just before FSO on a Friday night. Of course, just about 1045 EST the numbers in the main arena drop and by 1100 EST your lucky if there is still 100 players in the main arena and we are back to the same problem people are complaining about.
You guys in the "rose colored glasses" seem to forget that. All of these players who are "beating a dead horse" LOVE this game. The SEE all the great things about it and want to see it continue. If there were no issues explain why we dont have 600 players a night any more? Those numbers werent just a flash in the pan type of thing, we SUSTAINED those numbers for more than a year. Why did two thirds of the players leave and never get replaced? Im guessing it was because there were issues.
What the issues were/are we can only guess as we dont have access to an exit poll, but the boards are full of suggestions that might work. At this point how is it going to hurt if you try some of them for a tour. You login and a window pops up with a message for HTC saying "We are trying "blah, blah,blah" for this tour and ask that you give us an opinion on how you feel it works in the game at the end of the tour."
Everyone gets to see how some of these ideas work out and if they are a move forward GREAT! If not we only had to "suffer" through a single tour. By telling everyone up front it is only going to last a single tour most players I think would suck it up and give it a chance. Would it really hurt the game if all the larger maps were taken out of rotation for a month? Sure were only have a few small maps that may get rolled quick, but that would come back around quick. If it looks to generate more action maybe a couple new small maps could be whipped up, I hear Kong has a lot of time on his hands :)
The point is, stop sitting around staying sagnet, DO SOMETHING!
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Decent map and fights in MA right now 11:10am est
Eagler
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Fugi i would love to see different settings each tour along with a login message that explains the differences.
Pros - it helps the vets with overcoming "stale" gameplay
Cons - newbies would be confused
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That is the best time to play, small map just before FSO on a Friday night. Of course, just about 1045 EST the numbers in the main arena drop and by 1100 EST your lucky if there is still 100 players in the main arena and we are back to the same problem people are complaining about.
You guys in the "rose colored glasses" seem to forget that. All of these players who are "beating a dead horse" LOVE this game. The SEE all the great things about it and want to see it continue. If there were no issues explain why we dont have 600 players a night any more? Those numbers werent just a flash in the pan type of thing, we SUSTAINED those numbers for more than a year. Why did two thirds of the players leave and never get replaced? Im guessing it was because there were issues.
What the issues were/are we can only guess as we dont have access to an exit poll, but the boards are full of suggestions that might work. At this point how is it going to hurt if you try some of them for a tour. You login and a window pops up with a message for HTC saying "We are trying "blah, blah,blah" for this tour and ask that you give us an opinion on how you feel it works in the game at the end of the tour."
Everyone gets to see how some of these ideas work out and if they are a move forward GREAT! If not we only had to "suffer" through a single tour. By telling everyone up front it is only going to last a single tour most players I think would suck it up and give it a chance. Would it really hurt the game if all the larger maps were taken out of rotation for a month? Sure were only have a few small maps that may get rolled quick, but that would come back around quick. If it looks to generate more action maybe a couple new small maps could be whipped up, I hear Kong has a lot of time on his hands :)
The point is, stop sitting around staying sagnet, DO SOMETHING!
This was after FSO.
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This was after FSO.
Yes
I was logged into the MA before I went to FSO and went back after....my flying in the MA was after FSO not before....
Lazerr, I was making a simple post of a good evening I had... nothing more, nothing less
Cheers
TC
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Yeah it was a good couple of fights we found. Miss ya Laz. Been too long.
Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
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We had a good fight last night Friday 12/5/2020 ......... lasted a couple hours, wasn't hundreds but enough all in one base taking effort by the Bish to Rooks.
Arlo I read your comment early in this post, just one question:....... are you ok?
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Arlo I read your comment early in this post, just one question:....... are you ok?
Probably. I take it that you're referring to the Pakin Auto Complaint Generator one? Discovered that back in my AW days. 'Bout 2 minutes of fun that kind of meets any amount of wordy nonsense word for word (or more). :D
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Yeah it was a good couple of fights we found. Miss ya Laz. Been too long.
Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
Going to try and find you guys this Friday for FSO, post FSO, or both. <S>
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My memory, when they did the upgrade to AH3, which required a more advanced computer, we seemed to lose alot. I'm sure that had an impact, which may have run into an unintended struggle.
Younger players demand better graphics, etc. which requires a better computer. That meant AH needed to upgrade. Problem, younger players aren't as fascinated by WW2 and want cheaper thrill rides, not a slightly more complicated flight simulator.
Older players were fine with lower graphic quality of AH2, and love WW2 and pretending we can fly a real plane due to more advanced flight simulator.
Well, younger players are the potential growth and/or sustainable future of AH. Older players are the core, but we are slowly thinning out.
Tough challenge! What to do?
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Going to try and find you guys this Friday for FSO, post FSO, or both. <S>
You better, punk... :noid :joystick:
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My memory, when they did the upgrade to AH3, which required a more advanced computer, we seemed to lose alot. I'm sure that had an impact, which may have run into an unintended struggle.
Younger players demand better graphics, etc. which requires a better computer. That meant AH needed to upgrade. Problem, younger players aren't as fascinated by WW2 and want cheaper thrill rides, not a slightly more complicated flight simulator.
Older players were fine with lower graphic quality of AH2, and love WW2 and pretending we can fly a real plane due to more advanced flight simulator.
Well, younger players are the potential growth and/or sustainable future of AH. Older players are the core, but we are slowly thinning out.
Tough challenge! What to do?
hitech posted way back then that maybe a dozen or 2 didnt have enough power to keep playing. the baseline was an e8400 with an 9800gtx cpu which was pretty much obsolete then. you can still play with that computer if you want, wont be great but you can still play on it.
semp
edit: right now I play with a 2500k cpu and a 970 gpu which are pretty much worthless and I have no problems can almost play with everything on, i choose not to. and yes I still have win7
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Computer power is not an excuse for low numbers in AH
All other flight sims require more for their prettier graphics
Smaller bases with tougher base defenses would go a long way to increase the level of action with fewer players around the clock
Eagler
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My memory, when they did the upgrade to AH3, which required a more advanced computer, we seemed to lose alot.
AH3 caused no notable additional loss of pilots. I looked at the # of pilots per tour chart and would not have been able to tell when AH3 dropped if I hadn't known the date from memory. The loss of pilots had almost been constant for years.
edit: right now I play with a 2500k cpu and a 970 gpu which are pretty much worthless and I have no problems can almost play with everything on, i choose not to. and yes I still have win7
When AH3 came out, my ancient I3-2120 and GTX 950 combo had no problems getting 60fps in most situations with a few minor tweaks.
AH3 had very low system requirements even for the time it was released.
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I think what folks remember is all the people who said they could no longer run it and were leaving. Did they really leave? Who knows.
Like many things on the BBS, folks think their idea is popular just because a handful of people agree with them.
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I haven't heard @HiTech comment about the small map sizes. There's like 42 different threads in here where the player base (key, long-running customers) keep yearning, dare I say PLEADING, for smaller map sizes. So Dale, what say you?!
You would not like it, and it will not work despite what some of the two country advocates say. Only way that would work is if the game auto adjusted and put you in the country during log in that had lower numbers automatically. I would bet not many players would like playing that way very long where they could not be in the country of their choice.
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That is where AI should be used to balance the sides by providing a moderate to tough defense for any low number sided undefended base against being attacked by the horde side as they try to "win the map" against nobody lol
Eagler
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The day that AI aircraft are added to MA is the game is the day I am gone.
That is where AI should be used to balance the sides by providing a moderate to tough defense for any low number sided undefended base against being attacked by the horde side as they try to "win the map" against nobody lol
Eagler
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The day that AI aircraft are added to MA is the game is the day I am gone.
Why?
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Why?
I can play arcade types of game anywhere how boring is that!! I don't play this game to fight against AI I play this game to interact with real people. After all is some AI going to tell you that you are a HO or a cheater? :-) I won't do it and it is my preference once AI is introduced in fighters I am gone.
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Have you tried the offline missions?
Unlike IL2 and others, the AI in it is harder than the average human player in AH
I'd rather fight AI than fly around for 15 minutes to get to the next lopsided human a2a battle to have that plane fly to its unrealistically accurate 88 for protection
Eagler
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I'd rather fight AI than fly around for 15 minutes to get to the next lopsided human a2a battle to have that plane fly to its unrealistically accurate 88 for protection
Yep
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I can play arcade types of game anywhere how boring is that!! I don't play this game to fight against AI I play this game to interact with real people. After all is some AI going to tell you that you are a HO or a cheater? :-) I won't do it and it is my preference once AI is introduced in fighters I am gone.
Pretty sure nobody's advocating you fighting nothing but AI 24/7. :)
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AI fights would take all of the fun out of it.
Just look at the Match play arena. Getting ganged by a bunch of AI isn't going to make anyone happy. It would also scew stats and people would get pissed off at AI capabilities. Atleast with humans you have someone making the decisions rather than a computer.
Smaller maps with a good base layout is the real key to providing action especially during the off hours.
IMO, that's the most important thing to provide solid action to the game to get people fighting and create bigger battles.
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Yes smaller maps would go far but in slow times I would rather fight AI than nobody
If they dont want to fight AI stay away from bases that are empty of humans which is more bases than not these days
I dont really get base capture as fun but I really don't get it against empty bases..
To win the map for perks?
Eagler
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Believe it or not, the numbers are starting to flatline/possibly increase again. If hitech was intrigued I think it wouldn't take much for us, as a community to pay for some advertising. I would pitch in 100$ TO THAT EFFORT.
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The day that AI aircraft are added to MA is the game is the day I am gone.
IF it happens, I probably will too. The whole idea here is fighting other players.
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IF it happens, I probably will too. The whole idea here is fighting other players.
Well, there ya go. Both of you quit and you won't have each other to shoot at. Logic at its best. :)
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Well, there ya go. Both of you quit and you won't have each other to shoot at. Logic at its best. :)
Cut all the reasoning out and just dumb it down like that so you might understand it... evidently.
.... and you are still wrong.
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Believe it or not, the numbers are starting to flatline/possibly increase again. If hitech was intrigued I think it wouldn't take much for us, as a community to pay for some advertising. I would pitch in 100$ TO THAT EFFORT.
To be honest, and its purely anecdotal, I have seen so many over the years who found this game from a TV commercial. IMO, that's the most effective marketing today because people can look up the game on their phone right there on the couch and don't feel like they are being tracked by an Ad on the internet.
I see these cheesy phone game commercials all of the time where they hire Arnold Schwarzenegger to promote it. It works.
Also, I believe the pictures and videos tab on the website should be updated. I tried to show a colleague the game the other day. Wanted to show him a corsair. Could not find it on the pictures tab. Would be nice to have 1 pic atleast of all of the planes. Also would be cool to have more approved videos uploaded to the videos tab. Not all new comers to the website will know there is a films a screenshot section in the forums. IMO this really helps because it allows the person to see the game from a positive perspective and could definitely encourage them to download it.
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"Word of mouth"... I came over from FA.
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Cut all the reasoning out and just dumb it down like that so you might understand it... evidently.
.... and you are still wrong.
Well, I guess that technically you two can shoot at each other elsewhere in a different game or way.
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The day that AI aircraft are added to MA is the game is the day I am gone.
why would I pay $15 a month play against AI? I can do that now in a boxed flight game......... without the $15.
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why would I pay $15 a month play against AI? I can do that now in a boxed flight game......... without the $15.
There are offline boxed flight games that aren't 20+ years old that are anything like AH?
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The idea of AI would be to balance the low side correct? So those of you always saying switch countries to the low side technically wouldnt be fighting the AI, right??
You would be fighting along with the AI and all of the heros tryng to balance ENY together.. in a broken system with maps too large and players split between three countries.
The logic some of you use is mind numbing. I should go back to reading this and laughing rather than caring and replying. :headscratch:
The point of the AI would give people something to do, and make the game look BUSY when it really isnt with new players. It would be a win win.
This could be accompished with smaller maps. Yesterday was mindanao map, tons of fights lots of fun. Today i found myself on a large map shooting wirbles hiding in trees. Same time of day, juat a different game board.
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Pretty sure nobody's advocating you fighting nothing but AI 24/7. :)
Pretty sure I did not say anyone was advocating playing against AI 24/7.smh
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"I'd rather fight AI than fly around for 15 minutes to get to the next lopsided human a2a battle to have that plane fly to its unrealistically accurate 88 for protection"
Eagler
Have you done ANY research on how accurate the 88 was?
"The 88 earned its reputation as the best overall gun of the war. It was justifiably feared by Allied airmen, tankers, and foot soldiers because of its accuracy, lethality, and versatility. The weapon was deployed on German tanks, as an antitank gun, an assault gun, and for antiaircraft purposes."
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The 88 was accurate against waves of bombers flying formations in a straight line at a known alt.
Not against fighters buzzing around a base under 5k going > 300 mph
Some have honed the 88 to unreal capabilities.
Eagler
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I see a few regulars that bail from perfectly good planes and get straight in the 88. Its really sad.
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There are offline boxed flight games that aren't 20+ years old that are anything like AH?
Your are not talking about AH now... you are talking about AH the AI game
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Your are not talking about AH now... you are talking about AH the AI game
Actually, *I'm* just talking about AH. Others are having a pre-emptive discussion about quitting the game if any AI are added to the MA and someone mentioned they'd rather play an 'offline boxed game' if that happened. That's when I asked if such an animal still exists that would satiate their need.
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The 88 was accurate against waves of bombers flying formations in a straight line at a known alt.
Not against fighters buzzing around a base under 5k going > 300 mph
Some have honed the 88 to unreal capabilities.
Eagler
The problem is, we've got the opportunity to get way better at what we do than they did to do what they did. We take more shots in a week playing than likely pretty much anybody took throughout the entire war. The capabilities aren't precisely "unreal", the modeling is based on physics. If the bullet goes through the space occupied by the vehicle, it hits it. It's just that we have way more practice.
Wiley.
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The problem is, we've got the opportunity to get way better at what we do than they did to do what they did. We take more shots in a week playing than likely pretty much anybody took throughout the entire war.
Not only we have so much more practice, AH cartoon pilots also defy every real world regulation, common practice and common sense when doing so.
For example back in the day, I managed to kill even Tigers in my Hurri D by diving almost straight down on them to pierce their top deck.
Real world Hurri pilots never used that attack envelope as it borders on suicidal, which has no consequences in Aces High at all. Took me a lot of cartoon deaths to get any good at it, no real pilot ever had the chance to die a couple of times until he could perfect a totally crazy move.
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The 88 was accurate against waves of bombers flying formations in a straight line at a known alt.
Not against fighters buzzing around a base under 5k going > 300 mph
Some have honed the 88 to unreal capabilities.
Eagler
I don't think the history books mentioned waves of bomber alone. Allied airmen of all types feared the 88.
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I see a few regulars that bail from perfectly good planes and get straight in the 88. Its really sad.
It is their money, you and others really don't have a say on how one wishes to play the game.
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Actually, *I'm* just talking about AH. Others are having a pre-emptive discussion about quitting the game if any AI are added to the MA and someone mentioned they'd rather play an 'offline boxed game' if that happened. That's when I asked if such an animal still exists that would satiate their need.
The IL2 series.
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It is their money, you and others really don't have a say on how one wishes to play the game.
Could you point to where I said they can’t or shouldn’t bail from perfectly good planes?
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I'll be back after the 23rd, I'll fight you in the MA or Matchplay!
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The IL2 series.
I think I paid $2.95 for the battle of Stalingrad on a Steam sale recently but now I just need to buy some more planes if I want them. I found Rise of Flight really hit me hard for DLC I just had to have a lot of them planes.
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<leaving watch mode>
I will try to Address the slow decline in numbers rather than sharks and the like.
Based on successful business models.
Advertising (% of budget/income) for google search - pay per click, YouTube - aviation channels advertising. As to TV, younger demographics just don’t watch it like we do/did. Consider an increased Social presence, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc.. As mentioned before, better teaser videos, do a YouTube search on this, there are some pretty good aces high videos that... well to be frank, are better than what is on the website.
Arena Size - Taking a lesson from some 3rd person shooters that are quite popular and obvious frustration in arena size/flying to fights. Shrinkable maps, as the numbers fall, the border collapses inward (Battlefield Series). Some issues from that, strats, do they move as the map size changes or leave them untouchable as it shrinks. If strats remained outside the small map border it would remove “milk runs to strats” but would increase to some degree sub 20k bomber runs.
Playability (Personally I echo the sentiments of RV and Shuffler when it comes to ai.
When it comes to base feeding frenzies, I guess I will address some of the shark behavior after all). These are just ideas folks!
1. Defenses - make an auto gun on both ends of runway unkillable and increase their accuracy (restrain to anti air only (remove from capture requirement) on those bases with on base map room). This may help keep the sharks from vulching on runways and allow some defenders to gain traction. What it does is make camping the runway harder and moves the fight to the air. Yes you will get people hugging ack and running to it so think of it this way, if that is happening, you are the winner of the confrontation. This could also be a feature of shrunken map only, I am not a coder so feasibility is out of my league.
2. Death ring on map border (standard game practice) - keeps buffs more in play
3. Bomb and bail = death and zero points - keeps buffs in play. I don’t know how many times people climb up to get them and when the DarBar switches, the buff guy bails. Why? Perhaps to avoid the death that hurts thier standing, maybe some don’t like returning, then don’t go :) ...
4 Idle time out (standard game practice) - Two benefits, it clears the tower and stops the base flashing from afk vehicles. if you are there to bog down enemy efforts great! But you have to be there to turn your gun or something when the timer warns you not off having a beer with the boys.
5. Commander view main gun shooting - this has frustrated many players I know and I am not sure which way this should go but it is worth consideration at least. I do know that objects you can see and hit from commander view you cannot through the gun sight. It seems to be the gv equivalent of 3rd person in ftrs, which is disabled. I reckon the guys who do this a lot won’t like it but can’t count how many times people have complained about rounds coming through hilltops.
6. Vehicle base hanger camping - how about all the hangers are spawnable. This will definitely involve more players to take a base that is being defended. Instead of just two camping the hanger and one running an M3.
7. 200, nope not going there!
These previous suggestions are more to keep Aces High in line as a war time simulator and eliminating some of the game the game attributes that make it more gamey. Not sure if this will actually increase playership or not, that is the subject for study. But I do think it may factor into retention. Just the other day many people logged because they were tired of being camped and just gave up, so the numbers went down.
Egocentric or points motivated behavior.
Again this is a sensitive topic, mostly with those that “do” want their name in lights. IMHO all of this should be changed. No running stats or who killed who, turn that message back off. As to xfighterx landed XX kills. You could change that to xfighterx has landed a successful sorty. Enable it for two or more kills as is current. Another option would be to tell only your country of your success. Kinda like in the real war. Again not sure about increasing playership but may contribute to retention.
This one is not quantifiable but is relevant. It is a personal choice of all the players if they want this game to be better and Is ganging and picking/kill stealing. I often see four or five guys fly right past co-altitude fighters to gang on one low guy for what reason? To get the kill and name in lights of course.. of course I’m not referring to wingmen tactics! But everyone has seen it and everyone has complained about it and many do it! I think as a community we should try asking the person fighting if they want or need help. We have all kills stolen after finally getting the advantage in a good contest only to have another teammate zoom in and destroy the adversary leaving one with an assist for all thier troubles! This is not to be confused with the con’s buddy coming to help him out (if he needs it) that’s legit!
This was more brainstorming than anything an I have covered a few ideas that are not new. Some would take little effort to implement and some would more effort. This commentary is my opinion and is as such not totally objective but is based on my experiences and those of my online friends who have repeatedly mentioned these things. I like this game and would like to see it like it was in its “glory days!” That will take compromise and concessions for sure.
In my organization the following model was used for policy changes, operating procedures implementation and was our philosophy based decision tree. A decision flowchart if you will. A change was objectively run through these criteria.
1. How does this affect or customers/community?
2. How does this affect our organization?
3. How does this affect management as a group?
4. How does this affect the work force as a group?
5. How does this affect the individual?
If all were positive, it was implemented easily but 1 through 4 were mandatory for any change.
In regards to Aces High perhaps the following:
1. Does it benefit the game, drawing in more players? If the answer is yes then
2. Does it benefit HTC? If yes then
3. Does it benefit our community? If yes then
4. How does it impact the individual to the extent it may cause them to quit?
An example I will offer up, quite simplified.(of course risk v gain needs to be a factor)..
Advertising will draw in more players so 1. Is yes
Advertising will thereby increase HTC income so 2. Is yes
Advertising will increase players and therefore fights and Benefit the community so 3. Is yes
Advertising will impact the individual positively with more fights and increased game play so the answer is do it!
I hope this commentary is taken as I was trying to deliver. Constructive ideas that may help us grow. The big unknown is Playabilty above, that is probably a polling question. For example I have no idea how many people will quit if bomb and bail, or activity timer is implemented.
Dale, a way to address this may be to form a group of people you trust to really look into some of these and others ideas to see if they have merit. I am sure many of these experienced people and contributors above would be happy to help in that respect!
With all that said, Happy New Year to all of you and I hope for more fun for everyone in Aces High III in 2021.
<back to watch mode>
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A few lower tier planes and GVs is not a bad idea. IMHO.
+1
Defenses - make an auto gun on both ends of runway unkillable and increase their accuracy
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Diaster, I like all your other ideas though. 88s are stupid accurate already.
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I think I paid $2.95 for the battle of Stalingrad on a Steam sale recently but now I just need to buy some more planes if I want them. I found Rise of Flight really hit me hard for DLC I just had to have a lot of them planes.
I spent a fortune on the planes for RoF, I had the same need to get a bunch of those planes. Found out the same with the IL2 Battleground games, had to get each new "Battleground" when they were released.
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Not reading the whole thread because, well because.
Have they thought about advertising on youtube channels like The Great War, WW2 by Indy Neidel, Mark Felton Productions, and many more? Each one of those get hundreds of thousands of views, some millions. I see World of _____ on there all the time. They did the Pearl Harbor Special with World of Ships but thought that if they used Aces High, it would've looked much better.
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Not reading the whole thread because, well because.
Have they thought about advertising on youtube channels like The Great War, WW2 by Indy Neidel, Mark Felton Productions, and many more? Each one of those get hundreds of thousands of views, some millions. I see World of _____ on there all the time. They did the Pearl Harbor Special with World of Ships but thought that if they used Aces High, it would've looked much better.
I watch youtube a lot and never see advertisements.
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I watch youtube a lot and never see advertisements.
Do you have an adblocker? Lol
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Claim Jumpers still rook? Didn't they make 7 or 8 squads at one time due to the 32 player limit per?
Arlo from AW and AH?
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The "pay to cheat" path is available in many games today. It is popular with those too lazy to actually improve. Sadly many so called gamers fall into that category.
I agree with this.
Game quality is great but much of the new blood is comprised of people who can't be bothered to learn how to become awesome.
What percentage of players are left who would spend hours configuring their machine to best run earlier flight sims to the point of writing custom configuration files and modem strings?
The definition of "gamer" is not what it was.
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...Dale, a way to address this may be to form a group of people you trust to really look into some of these and others ideas to see if they have merit. I am sure many of these experienced people and contributors above would be happy to help in that respect!
With all that said, Happy New Year to all of you and I hope for more fun for everyone in Aces High III in 2021.
Some really good stuff in that post, and echoes some thoughts I had posted a couple months back. But I'd like to key in on these 2x statements.
1) The player base is very loud and vocal on the forums, but I think a small focus group would be interesting. Dale/HiTech would have to agree to that, but it could be like a little player's committee. If Dale doesn't want to run the game without that input, it is 100% his call, but it could be nice to pull in some volunteer effort to sort the wheat from chaff and think through the implications of any changes that the player base has put forth
2) Yes, a very happy and fun new year to all. This pandemic has brought out a lot of change. Not the least of which is some more time at home, and thus some time to be able to enjoy more time in AHIII!
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Do you have an adblocker? Lol
Yes...... I always watch youtube through a browser and not the youtube app also. That way it blocks the ads.
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Yes...... I always watch youtube through a browser and not the youtube app also. That way it blocks the ads.
I do believe there's a large population that watches on phones and youtube apps like on Roku or AppleTV. Haven't been able to get an adblocker on those or I'd done the same!
It's just a different route, that has a lot of viewership. No idea on the pricing of stuff like that.
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Sigh sigh.
The good days of Titans Tuesday aka tantrum Tuesday or titanic tantrum.
Having two late war arenas that cap at 600 players with never ending fights.
FSO with over 500 players.
AvA +100.
50-100 players do memorial flight for one of the fallen.
Great squads; pigs with wings, jg-54, das muppets, unforgiven, CJ....
Gv raids
Days we will never see again.
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Days we will never see again.
True!
And so what?
We will never see pirate days again, or Mongol horde days again. We live for what we have today.
Which is still pretty good. I haven't lacked for entertainment.
- oldman
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True!
And so what?
We will never see pirate days again, or Mongol horde days again. We live for what we have today.
Which is still pretty good. I haven't lacked for entertainment.
- oldman
Did you run everyone of again?
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Another topic that has been run over and over again, with good reason.
Imbalance is the problem. ENY tried to address that but all it did when I played was piss me off and piss me off enough to log off when it got stupid.
To those that say 'change sides and no ENY'...please READ THIS CAREFULLY... We could change sides and the fight would evaporate to the other front leaving us nothing to do (fighter pilot, really not interested in any other aspect). So I would change sides and no fight 30 minutes later but stuck for 12 then 6 hours. nah, outta here.
Imbalance takes many forms though, it could be a horde, it could be 2 sides on 1 or it could be late war planes against early war. ENY tried to address that last point but it really did not work.
For me, to make it more fun I would have restricted planes to time periods. Early, mid, late. Cycle that on a time basis, for arguments sake 30 minutes a period. Once that period is over you lose the right to fly the later period plane, you can continue in a lower plane if preferred but once your sortie in a later period ends, be it die, land or refuel.
But I liked fighter plane action so obviously my preference favours that play style.
Problem is there is no way to please us all and I feel that is the essential problem with the game. It tries to be all things to all men and ends up being poor at everything rather than excellent at one thing.
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Another topic that has been run over and over again, with good reason.
Imbalance is the problem. ENY tried to address that but all it did when I played was piss me off and piss me off enough to log off when it got stupid.
To those that say 'change sides and no ENY'...please READ THIS CAREFULLY... We could change sides and the fight would evaporate to the other front leaving us nothing to do (fighter pilot, really not interested in any other aspect). So I would change sides and no fight 30 minutes later but stuck for 12 then 6 hours. nah, outta here.
Imbalance takes many forms though, it could be a horde, it could be 2 sides on 1 or it could be late war planes against early war. ENY tried to address that last point but it really did not work.
For me, to make it more fun I would have restricted planes to time periods. Early, mid, late. Cycle that on a time basis, for arguments sake 30 minutes a period. Once that period is over you lose the right to fly the later period plane, you can continue in a lower plane if preferred but once your sortie in a later period ends, be it die, land or refuel.
But I liked fighter plane action so obviously my preference favours that play style.
Problem is there is no way to please us all and I feel that is the essential problem with the game. It tries to be all things to all men and ends up being poor at everything rather than excellent at one thing.
They removed ENY for the kids. Now numbers are way embalmed many nights.
Now you can happily come back and fly in your group of 80 against 30 and 25.
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True!
And so what?
We will never see pirate days again, or Mongol horde days again. We live for what we have today.
Which is still pretty good. I haven't lacked for entertainment.
- oldman
Nursing home still letting you play? Those poor nurses.
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They removed ENY for the kids. Now numbers are way embalmed many nights.
Now you can happily come back and fly in your group of 80 against 30 and 25.
You did not rear my statement carefully enough did you? I would change sides to fly against the numbers only have the fight dry up and be stuck there. So why would I come back and fly in a group of 80 when that was not what I did before?
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You did not rear my statement carefully enough did you? I would change sides to fly against the numbers only have the fight dry up and be stuck there. So why would I come back and fly in a group of 80 when that was not what I did before?
ENY was the best idea yet. It was removed and now it is worse.
The kids got their pacifier.
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ENY was the best idea yet. It was removed and now it is worse.
The kids got their pacifier.
Yep, the children will jump into the upper in planes and have no clue how to fly them correctly
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Must be the oddball here but I usually check numbers and switch to low side when I login just to improve chances of finding good fights
Eagler
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Must be the oddball here but I usually check numbers and switch to low side when I login just to improve chances of finding good fights
Eagler
Nope. Going on the low side gives you a rich target environment.
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Yep, the children will jump into the upper in planes and have no clue how to fly them correctly
And then before you know it they will be in the , co called, Lesser planes.
What was that Italian fighter, the c-205 or something, that had the two canon and two 0.50s and real good speed and handling? Very under rated when someone good was in it "not that I was". I remember having very tough times against very good sticks in Lesser fighters.
AH had some tremendous sticks at one time. I'm sure a few are still around. Some of those Euro players were murder.
We had some very good P-38 sticks to and you only needed to be in front of those nose guns once. They didn't miss. Of course it wasn't often you were in the altitudes where the P-38s could give you a very hard time. Thats why I have such great memories of "Big Week". Finally we were able to fight these airplanes at the altitudes they were designed for. <S>
Ive hooked up my hardware again and got it running. Im just wondering if I have the energy to play again. Frankly my health hasn't been very good but I'll probably try it again. Its good to still see some old names around. Any ex-484'th or Blind Bats still around? <S>
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I am shook by the number I have been seeing when I get of work lately...less than 11 on maps far to big for this game
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Alt? P-38‽ We don't need no stinking alt.
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And then before you know it they will be in the , co called, Lesser planes.
What was that Italian fighter, the c-205 or something, that had the two canon and two 0.50s and real good speed and handling? Very under rated when someone good was in it "not that I was". I remember having very tough times against very good sticks in Lesser fighters.
AH had some tremendous sticks at one time. I'm sure a few are still around. Some of those Euro players were murder.
We had some very good P-38 sticks to and you only needed to be in front of those nose guns once. They didn't miss. Of course it wasn't often you were in the altitudes where the P-38s could give you a very hard time. Thats why I have such great memories of "Big Week". Finally we were able to fight these airplanes at the altitudes they were designed for. <S>
Ive hooked up my hardware again and got it running. Im just wondering if I have the energy to play again. Frankly my health hasn't been very good but I'll probably try it again. Its good to still see some old names around. Any ex-484'th or Blind Bats still around? <S>
I hope you come back to fly a bit at a time, take it easy. Im sure you will find the types of action here and there, unfortunately not like it was in the old days. Which for you could be a good thing. In the old days you never wanted to log because it was just too much damn fun and so would over do it. Now a days its easier to find lulls where you can take a break, or just log until your feeling up to it again.
The C205 is a rare bird. We have some really awesome skins for it these days tho. There arent too many "super killers" out there any more. We have a new breed that is all about the kills and so are very good at picking, HOing, or vulching to rack up their kill count. Once you get them at any disadvantage their toast :devil We still have a few super killers and they always make for a fun fight, even tho I still lose most of them.
With the numbers lower, 120-180 depending on the night (US prime time) I wish they would really pull a number of maps. Some of the medium/large maps we have left never hit that special number to generate plenty of fights.
Come on back Rich, we need more players that play the game the "right way" even if you cant pull all nighters any more! <S>
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Alt? P-38‽ We don't need no stinking alt.
You dont. I do. :O
Thanks Fugi. To tell you the truth I should have come back years ago. Im 63yo now and cant game for long. I spend a lot of time reading military History now and I finally got the time to bone up on the Pacific war, buying about a dozen books after retirement.
This was actually the first computer game I ever played. Right after I started WW2OL and almost played myself out of a marriage. Its good to see your still here. I was greatly saddened by the Loss of Wasp. When I worked midnights I spent many a daytime cycle just puttering around flying with him and doing little silly things like protecting a carrier by going on ord missions together even tho there weren't many playing.
Wasp was an excellent man. Typical of the older crowd when I started. He is missed.
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I find this to be true as well. One fight in particular that sticks in my mind was a down-on-the-deck duel I had against A8Cole. He was in a Typhoon, I was in a P-39Q. I ran out of cannon ammo. I fact I *think* we both ended the fight out of ammo and low on fuel. I can't remember if I won, lost, or drew but it was memorable and fun; very sporting all the way through, and ended with <S>'s given.
Another great fight I had recently was against SKJackD (IIRC the handle). He was in a P-47D with the yellow cowl and black skull and I was in a P-38J. I can't recall the end, he probably dispatched me, but what I remember is the tension of the fight; the striving for position, the resets and re-engagements, and of course the <S> at the conclusion. Its always fun to fly against someone who's equal in skill or a little better than you.
I remember beating Betty in her Typhie once. It didn't happen much because Betty was better then me and very good in the Typhie but I just happened to be in a LA-7 and got lucky. The LA-7 at lower alts can make anyone look good.
Then many of us would go on a specific plane binge quite a lot. I spent many months almost never getting out of that IJA bomber, the one with the 20mm cannon on top and the twin 12.7 mm guns in the back. It was heavily armed and very fast and was a great raid bomber.
Then again I spent almost an entire year in B-26s. I loved the Bombers in AH and probably got medium good in them.
There were very skilled dedicated Bomber hunters in the game too and Bomber sticks would always be challenged. The best of them had a tactic where they would come down right on top of you and just whittle one Bomber at a time away. It was very difficult to defend against.