Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Arlo on June 25, 2020, 05:26:07 PM
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Wait. Just hear me out.
Aces High is the premier WWII air sim for event play in my opinion. It is also the premier sandbox for non event play (again, my opinion). Having said that, are the events hosted here reenactments? I mean, are they designed to exactly replicate the event right down to the end result? No. Of course not. The battles are designed (or attempted) to go either way (even the battles that were lop-sided).
And the MA? It isn't close to being an historical setting. Nor should it be.
Why are we (the AH community) so dead set against alternate reality settings? Is it because we think of ourselves as purists when it comes to this game and its relation to simulating WWII air war? We aren't. Not really. Certainly not as a whole. I, myself, have supported the idea that the restrictions placed on some things but not all things in Aces High serve a purpose that differentiates this game and community from others and perhaps it does. Now I wonder if that difference is necessarily serving the best interests of either. I bring this up just to explore the possibilities of helping the game to shrug off some of the 'staleness' that some seem to express when it comes to the 'same ol-same ol.'
'Alternate reality' is a very popular element in the gaming world now. Players seem to be entranced by the novelty of it. And it doesn't have to be completely off the wall stuff like dog-fighting against dragons or ground battles against Cthulhu. We've all wondered (or maybe not all but many) what if this battle took a slight twist here and what if that victory turned out to be a loss. What if World War II didn't end in 1945 but in 1946 or 1947 or even later? What if the Manhattan Project failed? What if it was never attempted? What if the planes that never quite fought in that war .... did?
I know, that sounds a bit like War Thunder (*spit*). But Dolby mentioned to me, in another thread, that there is a demographic among online air sim enthusiasts (in that other game *spit*) that are drawn to aircraft not featured in Aces High (granted, he was referencing the Beaufighter but in looking closer at the WT crowd and what they fly we could have just as easily been talking about Bearcats or Meteors). Players want to play with rare toys. 'What if' toys.
What if Dale loosened the restrictions a bit and expanded the sandbox timeline a couple of years both ways? Lets say Aces High evolves to air combat with plane models from 1938-1948? A decade of war and progress. Players could experience uber-bipes to early jets and the inventory could easily double. In my opinion, it would draw in players.
Now, I know that such would be a heavy load on Dale under current circumstances. I've played devil's advocate more often than I care to admit in the Wishlist forum when it comes to practicality or achievability (if that were a word). But this isn't something that would have to be an overnight thing or even as dauntingly comprehensive as is sounds. It could be tested in 'baby steps.' Maybe a rare plane from WWII that failed in real life but fills a void in AH. A German heavy bomber, the Heinkel He 177 Greif, for instance. It doesn't really fall against current model acceptance rules with there being over a thousand built and it was organized into units that saw some form of action. It still opens the 'what if' curtain just a little for both events and the MA. Same to be said for the Meteor jet. Planes that just almost saw war service like the Bearcat, the P(F)-80 or were introduced within a year or two after like Yak-15. These new toys would bring with them curiosity of what it would be like to play with them in Aces High from new and veteran players.
At the opposite spectrum, yes, here it comes, planes that flew in the Spanish Civil War may inspire just as much curiosity.
If the envelope was pushed just a little further from the beginning of the Spanish Civil War to the end of the Korean War (1953) you would have a window of 17 years of aircraft innovation with more 'what if' possibilities available. And it could be done much better than in WT.
Back to Dale taking on such a monster. What I'm suggesting could be just that ... a monster. But if, in small steps, it does bring in more revenue then that might open up an opportunity to expand the staff a bit. Without knowing the details of Dale's business model (and I'm not asking/prying) I see re-expanding as a possibly good thing (even if it still involves staff working from home).
What if ....
*ShruG*
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I wince when people ask for new rare aircraft.
Not that I'm against as having as many toys as possible, but it is a cost/benefit thing.
I suspect producing a new aircraft from scratch (not merely a performance tweak variant) entails a huge amount of very specialized labor for modeling, animation rigging, flight model crafting. It's probably one of the more expensive enhancements to the game that can't easily be off-loaded to the community (other than a stable of excellent skinners).
Unless it is likely to get a lot of use in the Melee on an on-going, regular basis, or a large percentage of events, then it is probably very hard to justify from a business sense. How many hangar queens do we have already that hardly ever see the light of day? Even if it would get used in the Melee, it is probably one of the most expensive things you can ask for.
You'd be much better off exploring AR scenarios that can be implemented with the current plane-set with maybe only custom terrains/skins. Keep it free for HTC to agree to. Shift the work to the community.
Hmmm U.S./Common Wealth conflict on the Northern border? War Plan Red anyone? https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/21/that-time-the-us-almost-went-to-war-with-canada-218881 (https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/21/that-time-the-us-almost-went-to-war-with-canada-218881)
:D
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Simply no.
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Simply no.
Can't argue with that. Thanks for the input. :old:
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Can't argue with that. Thanks for the input. :old:
I had plenty of time thinking about it while reading your post.
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Simply put, that "alternate reality" you propose is not what Aces High is about.
Now if you were to suggest that such an "expansion" be allowed, but only in custom arenas, that might fly. This would preserve the ideals of Aces High, and still let people experiment with the different planes, as you suggest.
A custom arena gives us players a whole world of flexibility.
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Simply put, that "alternate reality" you propose is not what Aces High is about.
Even if its not how I described it to potentially be, AH is already alternate reality 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the MA. And even with events, everything has to be massaged and manipulated to 'even the playing board' so history can be changed (either side can win). Alternate reality already exists in Aces High. :)
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And even with events, everything has to be massaged and manipulated to 'even the playing board' so history can be changed (either side can win). Alternate reality already exists in Aces High. :)
We try not to do this if at all possible.
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I see the point you are trying to explain, Brother! I have always wanted to see a Scenario...that represents EVERY PLAYER's preferred game play style. I am talking GROUND AND AIR! More people in Scenarios would be a GREAT THING. Sure...bomb**** accusations might get loud...but as I understand it....Later years of the war, was mostly supporting ground units? Most of the Russian fronts were PURE support role(thus why the IL-2)? Heck, the Typhoon was designed to be BOMTARDS. Something like this might actually draw more participants? Maybe once Air and Ground superiority is obtained(for X amount of time) the Fronts would advance? I liked that sort of format in CFS 3. Teamwork is all but dead in MA these days...and hear relentless bemoaning of that fact...so maybe those guys would give it a go? OH...and run it every Friday(if doing it in FSO) or on Saturdays like scenarios, until the Capture/Win Point is occupied. This would break up the monotony of Defending/Attacking EXACT SAME TARGETS for 3 straight sorties...for 4 straight weeks. Those that are good at strategy could make this "Fluid Front" into awesome game play(fronts adjusted at close of each frame)...IMHO MIGHT....even get those "we need a 2 front war" guys to participate :rofl I would bet...this would get pretty competitive with the MA..I think it could bring the Guys that miss the old AVA,Mid War/Early war arenas to check it out?
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No ty
Its already unbalanced in MA most days, most air battles
<S>
Eagler
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Please Arlo don't take my reply the wrong way. I'm an older Gent who grew up watching WWII Air Combat movies. I built, starting at age 8 (1958) until the age of 60 many model aircraft. I have a large Library on WWII air combat all theaters. I've read and done research of air combat that took place in WWII. The development of Aircraft from all countries, the Squadrons and men who flew them during that conflagration. So I'm pretty much stuck in my time warp world.
Also anything that has a piston engine (preferably radial), a prop or wheels gets my attention. This includes automobiles as well as aircraft. I too also bemoan the fact that Scenarios don't reflect the reality of what, who, and where. But I still love them. I just think the reality of the situation at that time and date including number of aircraft, type and Pilots were taken into more account. It's extremely hard to do here or we'd have fewer in Scenarios then we do now.
In essence I'm not a "what if guy." I appreciate your suggestion. It's an intelligent one. I'm not actually happy when I shoot down a Mustang or a B24 in a Jug. It's the best we have. There's nothing to compare our game to imho so I'm quite pleased with what we have. I've seen nothing better. The Scenarios that have been the closer to reality were Der Groose Schlalg. There were no aircraft substitued from column A for balance. We have the plane set for it.
You presented intelligently, a different format. Not a bad idea really. It would just not be my cup of tea.
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But Dolby mentioned to me, in another thread
The proof that I don't stir the pot, I provoke thought :D :old:
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The proof that I don't stir the pot, I provoke thought :D :old:
That's you all over. :aok
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This makes me think.... hmm it is hot today but I might make a stew this evening. :D
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It seems to me, when AH revamped leaving out the Early War, Mid War and Dueling Arenas, the drop off of attendance
began... I may be wrong but that is my thought...
:salute
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It seems to me, when AH revamped leaving out the Early War, Mid War and Dueling Arenas, the drop off of attendance
began... I may be wrong but that is my thought...
:salute
Bunch of stuff changed at once around then iirc. Those arenas (DA barely excepted) weren't providing any benefit I could see, at best all I ever saw in them was a couple people farming perks.
As to the OP, I'd be all for it if it were just a matter of waving a wand. I've very often wished to be able to fly a Bearcat in here. What I've also always wanted was the truly bizarre experimental stuff like the Do-335. Bring on the weird and wonderful freak fliers.
But y'know, like you said feasibility of stuff getting done... *glances over at the Tempest model*
Wiley.
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But y'know, like you said feasibility of stuff getting done... *glances over at the Tempest model*
Agreed. I actually am impressed that Dale maintains this wonderful game from a work at home environment now. My dreams can be as big as anyone's in this community. My expectations tend to be scaled back. My appreciation never dwindles.
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Almost a decade ago, I suggested that we start an Aces High Player Buyout idea with a lotto pool and when we hit the jackpot.... I offered 1 million dollars to buy the game. Dale responded times 5.
5 million dollars to buy the game and the new owner gets to make their dreams come true.
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It seems to me, when AH revamped leaving out the Early War, Mid War and Dueling Arenas, the drop off of attendance
began... I may be wrong but that is my thought...
:salute
Midwar was a national treasure...
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Midwar was a national treasure...
Best of the best
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Next some will be asking for korean war planes
We have enough aircraft what is needed are better ways of enjoying them
Mid war was a blast even with only a few players it
DA seemed to take a dump when AI was added
You go in there now and it seems no one knows what H2H even is
<S>
Eagler
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If you want "what if" aircraft then buy il-2 1946. AH is unlikely to move forward in terms of expanding game play or aircraft choice. Can't speak for anyone else but I certainly don't play AH for the graphics or gameplay. My preference is for more realism and I prefer WW2/early jets as opposed to things like DCS or WT but despite the constant aggravation that is AH3, I pays my money every month to hang with my buddies. I've been on AH on and off since 2006 but the thing that makes it stand out for me is the social aspect, plane choice and history I get elsewhere.
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Best of the best
It was a horde fest but a fun horde fest. :old:
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It was a horde fest but a fun horde fest. :old:
Rarely.....
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Next some will be asking for korean war planes
You go in there now and it seems no one knows what H2H even is
Korean War arena. 2 planes and a terrain.
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Dont think we need more planes. We only need a p51, spit, yak, n1k, f4u, 190...
That's all that flies in the MA :)
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Dont think we need more planes. We only need a p51, spit, yak, n1k, f4u, 190...
That's all that flies in the MA :)
Because events don't exist.
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Because events don't exist.
Sarcasm detector needs replacement.
Realistically it's hard to justify the time, money, and resources to marginally increase an already diverse plainest. Gameplay can be varied more effectively and more easily by changing maps or rules rather than adding an obscure plane.
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Realistically it's hard to justify the time, money, and resources to marginally increase an already diverse plainest. Gameplay can be varied more effectively and more easily by changing maps or rules rather than adding an obscure plane.
Changing maps how? Rules? Enforced how? Game play involves the models in play more than anything else. Money, time, resources .... there are limits, of course. Those, too, adjust with the amount of return they generate. Maps and rules seem to have met their limit there.
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Changing maps how? Rules? Enforced how? Game play involves the models in play more than anything else. Money, time, resources .... there are limits, of course. Those, too, adjust with the amount of return they generate. Maps and rules seem to have met their limit there.
He could change number of troops toncaptuuee or go goon only again. Hangar hardness etc. Sorry rules was not the right term.
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He could change number of troops toncaptuuee or go goon only again. Hangar hardness etc. Sorry rules was not the right term.
Looking back, do you really think that drives a draw? Or does that placate some of the regulars?
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Looking back, do you really think that drives a draw? Or does that placate some of the regulars?
Unfortunately I think Arlo's right.
For reasons that I am sure I don't know, there is a large portion of people who get told "You have two choices. You can soar through the air in an amazing high performance fighter aircraft at half the speed of sound nimbly avoiding attack while obliterating your enemies with withering cannon fire and bombs. Or, you can get into this little metal box and hide behind a tree and wait to be bombed or catch a bullet out of nowhere."
If it went that way a lot of people would be thinking "It's only aircraft? Nope."
Wiley.
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Dont think we need more planes. We only need a p51, spit, yak, n1k, f4u, 190...
That's all that flies in the MA :)
Not true
But those are the planes most used and should be restricted for newbies or cost anyone with any skill 10x the perks they do today
<S>
Eagler
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But those are the planes most used and should be restricted for newbies or cost anyone with any skill 10x the perks they do today
The more I see this, the sillier it sounds (and it seemed pretty silly from the start).
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Not true
But those are the planes most used and should be restricted for newbies or cost anyone with any skill 10x the perks they do today
<S>
Eagler
they cost zero perks.
semp
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they cost zero perks.
Zero times ten, carry the zero .... :old:
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Not true
But those are the planes most used and should be restricted for newbies or cost anyone with any skill 10x the perks they do today
<S>
Eagler
Those that need them will fly them.
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Those that need them will fly them.
As will those that want them. But, somehow, punishing the vets is needed to 'save the game' (promote variety). If someone wants to suggest a method to promote variety then ask Dale if there can be a specific 'plane of the day' that will earn more perks just for selecting it.
"Ladies and gents, today's planes of the day are the P-40 E and C.202. Both of these planes are 'early war' planes. All kills will earn double perk points (experienced pilots would be able to take advantage of this without it causing a game collapse) and every 5 minutes in the air in one will earn 2 perk points (so even the new players benefit). If the plane is eligible to earn perks in attack mode (the C.202 cannot) then points earned destroying objects is doubled (but the flight time perk points will still be fighter perks)."
Alternatively, mid-war planes used as planes of the day could earn bonus perks at 1.5 the normal rate and 1 perk per 5 minutes of flight.
That might mix up things a bit without punishing veteran players.
The ratio I suggested is on the fly and might could use tweaking.
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I would be fine with a MW arena.
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As will those that want them. But, somehow, punishing the vets is needed to 'save the game' (promote variety). If someone wants to suggest a method to promote variety then ask Dale if there can be a specific 'plane of the day' that will earn more perks just for selecting it.
"Ladies and gents, today's planes of the day are the P-40 E and C.202. Both of these planes are 'early war' planes. All kills will earn double perk points (experienced pilots would be able to take advantage of this without it causing a game collapse) and every 5 minutes in the air in one will earn 2 perk points (so even the new players benefit). If the plane is eligible to earn perks in attack mode (the C.202 cannot) then points earned destroying objects is doubled (but the flight time perk points will still be fighter perks)."
Alternatively, mid-war planes used as planes of the day could earn bonus perks at 1.5 the normal rate and 1 perk per 5 minutes of flight.
That might mix up things a bit without punishing veteran players.
The ratio I suggested is on the fly and might could use tweaking.
early and mid war earn perks higher than late war. no need to increase it. as people right now hardly fly them. giving them more perks only helps the few that already fly them and i really don't know any of them that is hungry for perks.
giving perks for just flying would encourage more use but not in the way you think.
when i started i flew mainly zekes and spitfire. i can't remember how many times i was told to get out of the trainers by some players that now want more use of these trainers. the irony.
semp
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giving perks for just flying would encourage more use but not in the way you think.
Flying within icon range of an opponent, then.
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Flying within icon range of an opponent, then.
yup i can do circles around you all day long.
semp
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yup i can do circles around you all day long.
Mmmmok. :headscratch:
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Mmmmok. :headscratch:
i would come in high over a furball and just do circles till i ran out of fuel then five in and fight to the death.
semp
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i would come in high over a furball and just do circles till i ran out of fuel then five in and fight to the death.
Or maybe you'll be able to stretch it out to ten, earning 4 perks instead of 2. *ShruG* Maybe there'll be times when you fly toward the fur and you're intercepted or surprised when you get there by an opponent that is higher than you or even co-alt (like, well, happens now). In either case, you would have to fly to opponents and remain within icon range.
Now, I am open to better suggestions (though it's Dale's opinion that counts). When it comes to enticing more variety in the main, how would you do it? Punish the vets by inflicting perk cost on the popular rides (even if they cost no perks to low scoring players) or reward all players for taking a less popular one? Or, do you envision another .... better .... way?
(Others have suggested rolling plane sets which was considered a potential player turn-off. Some would like to see the mid-war arena return but even when we had the population for separate main arenas that were broken into ew/mw/lw most everyone flew lw.)
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I flew MW a lot. Best plane set in the game.Lots of good fights too.
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I flew MW a lot. Best plane set in the game.Lots of good fights too.
I understand that, Shuf. You and a dozen others, self included.
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I understand that, Shuf. You and a dozen others, self included.
About 20 to 30 and sometimes more. Even at 20 it was great fights.
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About 20 to 30 and sometimes more. Even at 20 it was great fights.
At the point when they shut it down?
That seems odd.
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The little time I spend in WT has been ships and with aircraft not here like the Dornier 117 line.
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They make money selling 'premium' toys. Aircraft-wise that's 179 models. Not all of them are late war or post war rides. Some of them are sold as specific paint schemes for famous pilots.
(https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/thumb/f/fd/GarageImage_Zhukovskys_I-153-M62.jpg/420px-GarageImage_Zhukovskys_I-153-M62.jpg)
Zhukovsky's I-153-M62 is a premium Rank I Soviet biplane with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 2.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.31. It costs 250 Golden Eagles. Golden eagles can be obtained both by purchasing them for real money and during promotional events, for winning places in contests or tournaments.
Some of them are aircraft painted in a different national scheme.
(https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/thumb/3/30/GarageImage_B-17E_Japan.jpg/420px-GarageImage_B-17E_Japan.jpg)
The (insert rising sun icon) B-17E Flying Fortress is a premium Rank IV Japanese heavy bomber with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB), 4.7 (RB), and 5.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.43.
Some of them are just offered to include more global participation.
(https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/thumb/8/89/GarageImage_Py%C3%B6rremyrsky.jpg/420px-GarageImage_Py%C3%B6rremyrsky.jpg)
The Pyörremyrsky is a gift rank III Swedish fighter with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB/RB) and 3.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.93 "Shark Attack". Obtained as a purchasable pack. (Pack or Bundle, aircraft are vehicles in the game that are unable to be purchased straight from the game's interface, requiring it to either be purchased from the Gaijin Store, given out during events or in promotions.)
I don't know how the game comes up with its battle ratings (AB,RB) but I'm assuming the higher the more effective it is supposed to be. AB is its (arcade rating) and RB is its realistic rating according to the wiki site (arcade vs realism as perceived there).
A rather complex 'free to play' marketing system as compared to Aces High, which doesn't rely on a micro-purchase system. Obviously AH player made skins offer players a greater variety of customization not available in WT.
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Free to play. Like Aces High.
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Free to play. Like Aces High.
But not.
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I will always use 'Warframe' as the model F2P game because it truly is. You can obtain everything in game without paying a dime very easily, and even generate the premium currency in the game by simply playing the game. In addition, nothing you can buy with cash gives you any advantage whatsoever in gameplay. SMITE is similar in that the only things you can purchase are cosmetics.
Then you have War Thunder, WoT, WoWS which are 'free to play' but most call 'pay to progress'. You can access most content without paying a time, but once you get higher in tier it starts to become harder to keep a steady revenue stream. This is where 'premium' kicks in, bonuses to experience and money earned per battle. Also premium planes/ships/tanks help with this for a dollar amount but some can be earned through campaigns and giveaways.
Then you have your subscription games. Aces High, EVE, World of Warcraft. These games might have a free aspect to them, but the main content of the game requires you to pay a dollar amount per month.
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But not.
Yes... it definitely is not AH.
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Then you have your subscription games. Aces High, EVE, World of Warcraft. These games might have a free aspect to them, but the main content of the game requires you to pay a dollar amount per month.
You also have the purchase and play model like Battlefield and IL2. You purchase a game version for $60 and play on their various servers forever. There are occasional upgrades you can purchase to access new maps, but eventually, at least in Battlefield, those will be released to everyone. You just get to play on them first if you pay. Most of these games had an offline campaign mode also.
Every couple of years, a new version of Battlefield or IL2 comes out and you drop another $60 bucks. The BF4 servers are still full 6 years later. I think a lot people prefer this mode. It doesn't nickle and dime you like F2P and feel less like paying rent like subscription. People are used to the concept of buying something and then owning it. It's yours. You can play the offline campaign or go on and play on the company servers. It's a fixed cost. You don't have to buy the upgrades, or the next version if you don't want to. It's a sunk cost. If I don't play for a month, I don't feel like I'm wasting money. I own it; I can go play when ever I want or not. I don't get that nagging feeling I should cancel if I am too busy to play for a while.
I've been playing BF4 since the day it came out. The servers have always been full. I've always been impressed they can run all those servers for years and still make billions in profits, but like Hitech said the server hardware and bandwidth costs are only a minor percentage of the overhead. They make their money on the sale.
Subscription makes more sense in those fantasy games. A lot of those are constantly creating new content. New character classes, monsters, armor, weapons, quests, etc. If you pay a subscription, it should be for a constant flow of new content. I'm pretty certain Battlefield would not have been a success if they had tried to charge a monthly rent.
$0.02.
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No others are on the same scale.
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No others are on the same scale.
Depends what you define as "scale". A lot gets added over time to games these days, and that's what most people expect. Even though it's just skins or what have you, they get a sense of "ongoing development" which is important to a lot of gamers.
Wiley.
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Depends what you define as "scale". A lot gets added over time to games these days, and that's what most people expect. Even though it's just skins or what have you, they get a sense of "ongoing development" which is important to a lot of gamers.
Wiley.
pretty sure hitech adds notes to updates. i think there's been like 3 or 4 just this year.
semp
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pretty sure hitech adds notes to updates. i think there's been like 3 or 4 just this year.
semp
Lord knows I'm still here and loving it but respectfully, there hasn't been a new toy in a while. That's something people expect these days.
Wiley.
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This why I suggested Clan Air awhile ago. But the purists think it is an insult to those that served , fought and died.
Also the work load would increase dramatically on Hitech and team.
Still it would be nice to see the numbers in game increase again. I started AH in 2010, there were 400 players in ma alot, it dwindled and dwindled. Now it just the purists. Its really too bad IMO. I do believe you could create off history scenarios and battles that would be true to what the purists crave and what would hold off the staleness, and draw in newbies.
Ultimately its up to Hitech and team, its thier workload that would increase, but anything worth doing takes extreme effort.
I have often said that increasing the players invested efforts would help regenerate the game.
salute
:airplane:
ps: yeah I know I quit....
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Its too bad combat tour never got added to the MA. I think with that type of game play with on going missions and "side" story type things it would keep the players of today more interested than what the game has been boiled down to.
Even with all the options this game has, it is boiled down to a half dozen fighters that everyone uses, a couple GVs and a couple of buffs. Game play is the same, smash and grab, or NOE. GV are either supply running or doing the sneak run disappearing if defense shows up.
There us to be so much more going on in the game. Yes we had more numbers so that Im sure helped, but even with Trev95s missions once a week you can see there IS interest in these things. Years ago we had a number of players that when they logged on everyone was looking forward to some action. These "generals" put together missions which generated defensive missions. LTARs always hard a ground war going and they had only a third of the vehicles that we have now.
I think some dedicated "generals" be it either players stepping up, or added code to simulate things would go a long way to adding "new" stuff to the game. As long as the missions are mixed up and not the same old NOE thing over and over. Coading it would be tough as it would have to monitor the action and bases and then generate a mission plan and then execute almost on the fly as it were. I know when I ran missions for the 444th Air Mafia all those years ago it was almost a "full time" job. Squad nights I spent all of my time planning and setting up missions either from the tower or in a buff on a long porking mission, so I could keep track of what was going on and what I thought we needed where.
It the game play was always changing every 30-40 minutes due to this missions I think it would keep everyone more interested. Buff guys would be doing what they like, fighter would be doing what they like and GVer would be doing what they like with something different coming around the corner every 30-40 minutes.
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Its too bad combat tour never got added to the MA. I think with that type of game play with on going missions and "side" story type things it would keep the players of today more interested than what the game has been boiled down to.
Even with all the options this game has, it is boiled down to a half dozen fighters that everyone uses, a couple GVs and a couple of buffs. Game play is the same, smash and grab, or NOE. GV are either supply running or doing the sneak run disappearing if defense shows up.
There us to be so much more going on in the game. Yes we had more numbers so that Im sure helped, but even with Trev95s missions once a week you can see there IS interest in these things. Years ago we had a number of players that when they logged on everyone was looking forward to some action. These "generals" put together missions which generated defensive missions. LTARs always hard a ground war going and they had only a third of the vehicles that we have now.
I think some dedicated "generals" be it either players stepping up, or added code to simulate things would go a long way to adding "new" stuff to the game. As long as the missions are mixed up and not the same old NOE thing over and over. Coading it would be tough as it would have to monitor the action and bases and then generate a mission plan and then execute almost on the fly as it were. I know when I ran missions for the 444th Air Mafia all those years ago it was almost a "full time" job. Squad nights I spent all of my time planning and setting up missions either from the tower or in a buff on a long porking mission, so I could keep track of what was going on and what I thought we needed where.
It the game play was always changing every 30-40 minutes due to this missions I think it would keep everyone more interested. Buff guys would be doing what they like, fighter would be doing what they like and GVer would be doing what they like with something different coming around the corner every 30-40 minutes.
Pretty much it in a nutshell. The people have changed and no one new to step in and take the reins.
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We used to have ufos with lasers photon torpedoes, and backwards firing greenShite. THAT'S petty alternate. Ask Dale nicely to fire that up maybe once a week or so. That was AH2, haven't seen it in ah3
elfy
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We used to have ufos with lasers photon torpedoes, and backwards firing greenShite. THAT'S petty alternate. Ask Dale nicely to fire that up maybe once a week or so. That was AH2, haven't seen it in ah3
elfy
It was pretty much reserved for AH convention occasions.
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It was pretty much reserved for AH convention occasions.
I only recall it ever being used the once. That was a fun day.
Wiley.
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I only recall it ever being used the once. That was a fun day.
Wiley.
Each convention was different. The one I went to featured Dale's yellow hotrod stunt plane fitted with an A-10 cannon.
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Sharks with "frikin'" lazers on there heads, The 163 before it was released, and these babies....
(http://66.189.10.34:8080/Maddog_Comics/Con_ships.jpg)
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The UFO, the beer bottle, and the squid.
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I got in on shooting the RV8 and the flying PT Boats. Nailed dale 5 times in a row in his boat with my B-26's. Evidently boats can sink while flying as well. :P