Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: nrshida on August 29, 2014, 04:02:05 PM
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I think with Aces High there is a big gulf between new players and experienced ones which I was thinking might be partially bridged by making the TA a more attractive place to hang round in for both. The TA should ideally be the first point of contact for new players and facilitate learning which it does to an extent, but then there's no real reason for experienced sticks to go there for themselves. I have a few suggestions I thought I'd just lob out there to start some discussion:
Aerial firing range - have drones of various aircraft types flying round in a set pattern like a long-sided oval. This would be better than the gentle circle offline drones fly in. This way you can pop in anytime you feel like and practice your gunnery from every aspect or just to warm up. You can also get help or share advice with those similarly practicing - you can't do that offline.
A permanent target area - I don't think many new players know about the dot commands. Why not hang some targets out there permanently with their own icons to show distance.
A Parcour zone - my Brother had a game on his Nintendo once called Pilot Wings. One of the activities was flying through coloured virtual loops or blobs in the sky which formed a sort of aerial course. If arranged nicely then BFM could be practiced without lengthy reading or studying or even being aware you are doing that. An increasingly difficult course might attract experienced sticks even if they just wanted to check out a new aircraft or challenge themselves for fun. Perhaps a ghost plane of the last person through could encourage innovative routes and manoeuvres.
A Redbull racing area - A lake or an area next to a port which has the pylons as used in the Redbull races. So players can practice racing / flying hard. You could even have a timer system and a scoreboard on a permanent arena page.
Pod Racing course - Some desert terrain with a twisting valley and maybe even the odd cave to fly through.
Batfink Town - Incorporate some chains of hangers, ships and obstactles from Batfink's excellent terrain. This is really fun and challenging.
A BFM Bot - Which could be set to demonstrate manoeuvres and left running so players could follow and learn. Would also help with the different consequences of pursuit curves.
A Gliding School. An Alpine-like bit of terrain with an airspawning modern glider or even a period open wooden and canvas one. Germany used gliders to train a shed-load of pilots when they were forbidden to use powered trainers and as stick and rudder is so fundamental to flight this would be a good training tool, even for experienced pilots. The core of energy conservation habbits could be formed or revised here. Could have a feature which modeled a thermal column to increase endurance. Might be a good way to hook new subscribing players if this was only available in the TA.
A question pin board - On a similar tab to the Arena message, where players can leave questions and whoever happens along can answer. Not many new players have a forum account this might be more convenient.
Three month free subscription - yeah baby, three free months but for the first two you are only allowed in the TA - think about it!
A squadron notice board - as players approach being let loose in the main arenas, they might request a trainee position in an established squadron. Similarly squadrons could offer positions for those wanting to learn. Hopefully this would buffer some of the noobshock when you start fighting in the MA. I bet a lot of potential long-term players are lost to that.
Perhaps some of these ideas would help to streamline new players into the game and at the same time offering some variety of flying activities for established players too. That way the one can meet the other on friendly terms instead of getting frustrated at being pwned twelve times in a row then quitting. Has to be better than the old alt f4 tradition. Some of these suggestions wouldn't take so much work. Perhaps some of the terrain ideas could even be implemented by one of the players who build these things.
Well just some creative ideas for what they are worth.
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Very nice suggestions!! I think this would really be great and add some new fun deminsions to the game :aok
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Good idea.
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Now, that's some coloring outside the lines. Good idea!
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Great ideas but the first 2 are already there,they call him Morf!...... :devil
I would like to see a BFM drone that a player could launch and follow,instead of an icon to tell the plane type maybe the icon could display the BFM,suck as "break turn" then change to Immelman,etc. This way a player could get some training in even if there's not a trainer available.
While it's not my game I think the free to play could be extended for the TA only,not sure of the length but maybe and extra 2 weeks of just TA time. I think a new player shoild be warned that the 2 weeks free start the moment they go online but if the only fly in the TA it will be extended an extra 2 weeks...or something of that nature.
:salute
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If you stick them in the TA for 2 months, they won't stay. I know I wouldn't. 1 month free trial, with 1 week in the TA. This seems more feasible.
And I heard Pilot Wings mentioned. :x This gets and instant win from me! :rock
I really like this though. I'd definitely do the Pilot Wings course, that's for sure. :D Followed by the Pod Racing course. :x So I'd be in the TA for more than to touch up on my Manual Calibration. :aok
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Heck give them unlimited time in the TA and the free two weeks starts the first time they log into any of the other arenas. This way the player can decide when to jump into the pool. Ta while limited is a great place to learn WITHOUT the pressure of having to do well.... what ever their expectations are.
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Heck give them unlimited time in the TA and the free two weeks starts the first time they log into any of the other arenas. This way the player can decide when to jump into the pool. Ta while limited is a great place to learn WITHOUT the pressure of having to do well.... what ever their expectations are.
worth considering :old:
+1
And I heard Pilot Wings mentioned. This gets and instant win from me!
in the achievements, you become a 2nd Lt. with one kill in an USAAF plane. Ergo; you have your pilot's wings.
Unless the poster means a separate award/achievement; or something that would be optional to show, like the stars, on the chat line or be allowed to use in your BBS avatar
LtngRydr
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I hope these ideas get looked at.
Big +1
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Great ideas.. I like the unlimited time with the 2 weeks period starting on the initial MA/SEA login. Maybe even with a BIG in your face warning the first time you goto connect to an arena other then the TA.
At some point someone mentioned so many hour spent in the air in the TA before even being able to go to another arena. I liked that one also. Maybe the first 40 hours can only be in the TA.
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+1 for all nice post.
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Huge +1
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Great ideas.. I like the unlimited time with the 2 weeks period starting on the initial MA/SEA login. Maybe even with a BIG in your face warning the first time you goto connect to an arena other then the TA.
At some point someone mentioned so many hour spent in the air in the TA before even being able to go to another arena. I liked that one also. Maybe the first 40 hours can only be in the TA.
I like the idea of the big "in your face" warning for new players who go straight to the MA. Just a pop up that says something like "Caution: Aces High 2 is a very difficult game with a steep learning curve. We highly recommend you spend some time in the Training Arena before jumping into combat so as to learn the controls of the planes and vehicles and set up your preferred keybindings." and then give them the option to either click "Yes, take me to the TA" which, if clicked, will load them into the TA, or "No thanks" and allow them into the MA.
I also like the idea that your 2 week free trial doesn't start until you log into the MA and you get unlimited free time in the TA. If this was the way it worked then if they clicked "No Thanks" and tried to go into the MA anyways maybe give them one more warning pop up saying "Warning: Your 2 week free trial time will not start until you enter the Main Arena. Are you sure you would like to skip the Training Arena? Time spent in the Training Arena will not be counted towards your 2 week free trial."
+1 for shida's post! TA could use a little overhaul to help new players out when no one is in there. :aok
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I dig it!
Lots of those are awesome ideas. I'd love to see some drones for both gunnery and BFM and even ACM practice, for sure. A course or two would be awesome as well! Those things could be incorporated into BigRat's tag game!
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:aok
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I like the idea of the big "in your face" warning for new players who go straight to the MA. Just a pop up that says something like "Caution: Aces High 2 is a very difficult game with a steep learning curve. We highly recommend you spend some time in the Training Arena before jumping into combat so as to learn the controls of the planes and vehicles and set up your preferred keybindings." and then give them the option to either click "Yes, take me to the TA" which, if clicked, will load them into the TA, or "No thanks" and allow them into the MA.
I also like the idea that your 2 week free trial doesn't start until you log into the MA and you get unlimited free time in the TA. If this was the way it worked then if they clicked "No Thanks" and tried to go into the MA anyways maybe give them one more warning pop up saying "Warning: Your 2 week free trial time will not start until you enter the Main Arena. Are you sure you would like to skip the Training Arena? Time spent in the Training Arena will not be counted towards your 2 week free trial."
+1 for shida's post! TA could use a little overhaul to help new players out when no one is in there. :aok
might as well says "you arent welcome because you are a noob".
semp
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Air Warrior as I recall had a beginners arena. When you achieved 10,000 points as I recall you were booted out of the beginners arena
and were forced to play relaxed real or full real arenas. In the beginners arena you participating against other NOOBS of equal experience.
Not a bad idea to do that here.
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All World. This would be a great thread except Triton28 posted in it :D
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All World. This would be a great thread except Triton28 posted in it :D
I know right. It's like, better than that now and stuff.
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might as well says "you arent welcome because you are a noob".
Presently a new person's first few hours/days/weeks in the MA probably says exactly that anyway. The proposed warning is a very good idea, coupled with a clear direction to an arena a new person might not easily find.
- oldman
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Great ideas.. I like the unlimited time with the 2 weeks period starting on the initial MA/SEA login. Maybe even with a BIG in your face warning the first time you goto connect to an arena other then the TA.
At some point someone mentioned so many hour spent in the air in the TA before even being able to go to another arena. I liked that one also. Maybe the first 40 hours can only be in the TA.
40 HOURS !
Some people don't even play 40 hours a month.
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It might be good to have a beginners level MA as well.. Maybe make it available to players one year and under, while allowing trainers access to help them along...
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It might be good to have a beginners level MA as well.. Maybe make it available to players one year and under, while allowing trainers access to help them along...
So not so good players playing against more not so good players. . .do you progress?
I got better from getting my head beat in by the greats and I don't know many people who progress in the game from constantly killing someone who is either the same skill level or a little less experienced.
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So not so good players playing against more not so good players. . .do you progress?
I got better from getting my head beat in by the greats and I don't know many people who progress in the game from constantly killing someone who is either the same skill level or a little less experienced.
You do progress in that you stay longer, learning more and more as you fight on a more even play field. As they become a "shark" in the kiddy pool they get taken out and thrown in with the real sharks at which time while maybe not the shark they thought they were they stand a bit of a chance against these others and so don't get as frustrated. Also spending a month or two or 3 in the game before getting dropped in with the sharks gets them hooked that much more.
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Three month free subscription - yeah baby, three free months but for the first two you are only allowed in the TA - think about it!
This is gold. Add in some training aids a la Air Warrior to help a noob to develop and I think many new players would be attracted to the game once AH3 is up and running...and HEAVILY advertised.
:rock :salute Nrshida
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Instead of two weeks or even a month free, how about 100 hours free?
The gung ho noobs can immediately log in to the MA and upon finding out it's not so easy, will have the option to visit the new and improved TA without losing free time. Until their 100 free in-game hours are spent, the "would you like to go to the TA?" message would pop up at every log in. Most people will probably just go to the MA first and many of those will get discouraged and quit. I did. Unless you are a masochist or familiar with the genre, this game requires some small measure of success before you really get hooked.
However, forcing people to go into the TA will turn off many prospective players.
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Shida is there a condensed version of your comments :old:
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Shida is there a condensed version of your comments :old:
Facilitate :old:
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I've toyed with the idea of starting a newbie squad but don't have the time to commit to it.
The premise goes something like this:
The squad is open to new players after their two week free trial up to three to four months after subscribing at which point they are let loose to pursue whatever avenues they care to within AH. Players in their two week free trial are allowed and encouraged to play with the squad but wouldn't be invited until they subscribed.
During a player's tenure in the squad all aspects of AH would be explored as a squad, from fighter sweeps to bomber missions, GV missions, CV missions, base takes, etc. In addition, AH events (scenarios, FSO, This Day In, KOH, Xtreme Racing League, etc.) as available. Of course, players would be encouraged to help one another as they made new discoveries within the game.
At the end of their tenure they'd be expelled from the squad to find their own way, but with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the game and an idea of what style of gameplay best suits their needs.
As I said, I don't play enough to accomplish this but if anyone else did I'd be willing to help when possible as a veteran resource.
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I've toyed with the idea of starting a newbie squad but don't have the time to commit to it.
The premise goes something like this:
The squad is open to new players after their two week free trial up to three to four months after subscribing at which point they are let loose to pursue whatever avenues they care to within AH. Players in their two week free trial are allowed and encouraged to play with the squad but wouldn't be invited until they subscribed.
During a player's tenure in the squad all aspects of AH would be explored as a squad, from fighter sweeps to bomber missions, GV missions, CV missions, base takes, etc. In addition, AH events (scenarios, FSO, This Day In, KOH, Xtreme Racing League, etc.) as available. Of course, players would be encouraged to help one another as they made new discoveries within the game.
At the end of their tenure they'd be expelled from the squad to find their own way, but with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the game and an idea of what style of gameplay best suits their needs.
As I said, I don't play enough to accomplish this but if anyone else did I'd be willing to help when possible as a veteran resource.
Excellent idea. Maybe someone can do it sometime.
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I've toyed with the idea of starting a newbie squad but don't have the time to commit to it.
The premise goes something like this:
The squad is open to new players after their two week free trial up to three to four months after subscribing at which point they are let loose to pursue whatever avenues they care to within AH. Players in their two week free trial are allowed and encouraged to play with the squad but wouldn't be invited until they subscribe.
Bald,
This is a great idea and concept,it gives the new player a feeling of belonging,would give them guidance and encourage them to explore all aspics of the game.
However it would be a boatload of work and require real commitment and stability.
I've been trying to do sort of something like this only I call it Morf's social club! There are a group of regulars who come to the TA and chase me around while trying to shoot me. We always BS each other and everyone learns something new almost every time! I try to keep it relaxed and most dont even realize they are being taught as they dont feel the pressure to perform.
From experience many new players get intimidated,not by the smack talk but simply because they continually die each and every sortie,that can be hard to handle and a many reason I see new players give up.
Hajo brought up the old "kiddies pool", I think something similar would benefit AH,after a set time or certain points or accomplishments are achieved it's time to move on.IIRC your ammo was made ineffective or you couldnt load any,been awhile and I dont remember exactly.
Once the update is finished hopefully some of these concerns can be addressed!
:salute
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If it was for the TA, for Ghost, for the trainers, for all the excellent sticks that hung out there in the TA, I never would have spent so much time in the game.
At one time the TA was a vibrant, exciting place. I remember upping bombers and having 5 or 6 fighters practicing attacks while I practiced gunning. Then that fantastic bombing range was put in for both dive bombing and rocketry. I always wondered what happened to it?
But I dont doubt one thing for a moment and thats the TA is tied directly to the overall health of the game.
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So not so good players playing against more not so good players. . .do you progress?
Progress would be slower, however, it could give them a easier chance of a kill. And that could keep some from giving up.
I wonder how many have tried the two weeks, never got a single kill and constantly died; and then gave up ?
I've been here since Jan 2011 and I still get killed 4-5 times more than I kill. But, I'm still here, having fun flying P38s :old:
LtngRydr
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Great idea!
+1
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Heck give them unlimited time in the TA and the free two weeks starts the first time they log into any of the other arenas. This way the player can decide when to jump into the pool. Ta while limited is a great place to learn WITHOUT the pressure of having to do well.... what ever their expectations are.
+1
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Awesome idea