Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: AKFokerFoder+ on August 16, 2004, 05:47:54 PM

Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: AKFokerFoder+ on August 16, 2004, 05:47:54 PM
All businesses exist to meet customer wants. A clear understanding of your customer base wants helps to define how to meet those wants. Of instance, a customer buys a 3/8" drill not because he wants a drill, but because he wants to make holes.  I know it's kind of corny, but work with me :)

What I believe all HTC customers want is a satisfactory gaming experience.  Of course, what makes a satisfactory gaming experience varies vastly.  Still I think that we could certainly agree that for the majority of players, we want to feel that we are in a competitive position.  That is, we have a chance to compete against the other two sides.  I personally have no desire to provide target practice for massive hordes of players who bomb our dar to make us blind,  and then overwhelm my side with numbers.

Like the customer who buys a drill because he wants holes, what I want is balanced game play, not balanced numbers. And certainly I think there is a percentage of players who want the same thing.

I do not think that we should try to balance the gameplay by taking away plane sets and keeping players from flying.  Taking away things from players causes bad customer relations. I think what we should do is give things to players as a reward for switching sides.  That is let us make changing sides something a player feels he wants to do, other than is forced to do.  

Give the side that is down;

1. tougher hangars and towns, harder to knock down, and quicker to rebuild.
2. Cheaper and cheaper perk rides, and quicker perk points.
3. Dar that is harder to knock down, easier to re-supply and comes back quicker.
4. Change the fuel multiplier to give them longer times in the air, this will really help offset numbers.
5. When the numbers offset reaches about 66%, make dar invincible, and  at 50% make hangars and towns invincible.
 
Now wouldn't this make it more desirable to switch sides to the low numbers?

Notice that no one loses anything, but the outnumbered side gains.

I am sure there are other ideas that would give the outnumbered side gains that I did not think of.

The concept is of course to create a positive reason for players to switch to the outnumbered side.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: Zanth on August 16, 2004, 06:21:13 PM
Hitech tried the reward concept, and was not happy with the results.  I was of similar thinking as you and I still think it has merit -  I would have tried a perk-like score multiplier for example.

Unfortunately, there is a dynamic that has evolved in post $14.95 Aces High your plan would not address.  Now there is a certain demographic that enjoys bullying the opposition. They will complain at anything that limits them from doing so.  

The current implementation has hardly had a chance to return results.  Personally I have seen it improve overall gameplay for the arena as a whole rather than for a single segment.  It is an approch with merit, the effect is noticable without being draconian.  

For much of the weekend all three sides, when not almost exactly even, where at reasonable parity.  There was a spike Sunday night, but this time it was manageable in that everyone could enjoy the game, not just one side.  

After a month or so of tweeking, Hitechs chosen approach I think will prove to have been the profitable one.  An even playing field makes money and provides for game growth.  Time, as always, will tell.   But for my 14.95 this was a great improvement.
Title: Re: 3/8" drills
Post by: X2Lee on August 16, 2004, 06:22:58 PM
Quote
Originally posted by AKFokerFoder+
All businesses exist to meet customer wants. A clear gains that I did not think of.

The concept is of course to create a positive reason for players to switch to the outnumbered side.



I like the 1/2 inch drill
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: RTSigma on August 16, 2004, 06:29:13 PM
I need a tip drill.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: kj714 on August 16, 2004, 07:17:39 PM
Dewalt for power tools
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: gunnss on August 16, 2004, 07:28:14 PM
Better a Brace and Bit........
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: AKFokerFoder+ on August 16, 2004, 07:58:55 PM
Quote
But for my 14.95 this was a great improvement.


First of all $14.95 is cheap, dirt cheap, it ain't about the money.

I love Aces High 2, much improved over AH1.  Although I do think that the gunnery is still a bit too easy, especially at over D300.

What I would hate to see is people leaving and going somewhere else. PO'ing your customer base in the way it is happening now is a step that may not cause people to leave, but to at least log off.  When they log off, some may try another flight sim, and eventually leave.

Without numbers the game will die, and that to me is what I fear most about this change.  It may drive people to other sims.  I have seen that happen in other flight sims.

I am finally getting a respectable K/D is this game, sortta hate to see the game die.  The death of a flight sim is an ugly thing, you don't want to see it happen here :(
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: IK0N on August 16, 2004, 08:12:19 PM
What bit do I need to drill concrete for cage anchors?
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: Grits on August 16, 2004, 08:17:11 PM
Get off my tip!
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: X2Lee on August 16, 2004, 08:47:38 PM
Quote
Originally posted by IK0N
What bit do I need to drill concrete for cage anchors?


Masonary bit
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: X2Lee on August 16, 2004, 08:48:48 PM
Quote
Originally posted by AKFokerFoder+
First of all $14.95 is cheap, dirt cheap, it ain't about the money.

I love Aces High 2, much improved over AH1.  Although I do think that the gunnery is still a bit too easy, especially at over D300.



:mad:  stay on the subject this is about drills
Title: Re: Re: 3/8" drills
Post by: DieAz on August 17, 2004, 07:51:35 AM
Quote
Originally posted by X2Lee
I like the 1/2 inch drill


see yer 1/2 and raise ya a 3/4 :D

< machinist , at work we have collets that go to 4 inches and boring bars that go to however big ya want the hole to be  
:p
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: Masherbrum on August 18, 2004, 08:49:48 AM
I've beat the watermelon out of my 75th Anniversary Edition Milwaukee.   I laugh at DeWalt.

Karaya
Title: Re: 3/8" drills
Post by: slimm50 on August 18, 2004, 08:56:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by AKFokerFoder+
All businesses exist to meet customer wants.  


Wrong from the start, Foder. Businesses exist to earn a profit. If they can do that, and have fun at the same time, all the better. True, to make the max profit they have to, to some degree, cater to their clients demands. But there are many and varied considerations to make if they're to remain a viable enterprise.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: airbumba on August 18, 2004, 08:56:40 AM
Quote
Originally posted by X2Lee
Masonary bit


Buy a real one. Never use those cheapees that come with Tapcons...u get one hole per bit.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: storch on August 18, 2004, 09:32:20 AM
Quote
Originally posted by airbumba
Buy a real one. Never use those cheapees that come with Tapcons...u get one hole per bit.


Buy Bosch Masonary bits they last much longer.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: Mister Fork on August 18, 2004, 09:39:05 AM
Pyro rule:
Quote
2- Threads should remain on topic, do not "hijack" topics.
X2Lee, airbumba, Masherbrum, Grits, kj714, IK0N, RTSigma, gunnss... et al- did you all miss this rule? Just wondering...

AKFokerFoder - it's a valid logic to assume that in an attempt to resolve the side balancing, it is possible that gameplay may have been sacrificed.  But I do believe the rules kick in only when the numbers are over a limit - that limit is unknown.

There could be other gameplay issues to make gameplay more enjoyable - limited numbers of late war aircraft per side because industry was targeted, limited fuel for each country because their fuel factory was hit, lot of other great gameplay stuff to impact and balance gameplay.

One of the hardest issues Pyro and HiTech have to deal with is making the non-vocal majority happy, and keeping in check the vocal minority.   Having been there, that is very very hard to do.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: airbumba on August 18, 2004, 09:50:06 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Mister Fork
Pyro rule:X2Lee, airbumba, Masherbrum, Grits, kj714, IK0N, RTSigma, gunnss... et al- did you all miss this rule? Just wondering...

AKFokerFoder - it's a valid logic to assume that in an attempt to resolve the side balancing, it is possible that gameplay may have been sacrificed.  But I do believe the rules kick in only when the numbers are over a limit - that limit is unknown.

There could be other gameplay issues to make gameplay more enjoyable - limited numbers of late war aircraft per side because industry was targeted, limited fuel for each country because their fuel factory was hit, lot of other great gameplay stuff to impact and balance gameplay.

One of the hardest issues Pyro and HiTech have to deal with is making the non-vocal majority happy, and keeping in check the vocal minority.   Having been there, that is very very hard to do.


..no need to drill us on the subject.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: storch on August 18, 2004, 10:19:55 AM
unless you use a bosch bit
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: AKFokerFoder+ on August 18, 2004, 01:28:05 PM
Mister Fork:

Thanks you for your input.  I was trying to get people to shift their thinking from it's a "numbers issue" to "it's a game play issue"  A shift in the paradigm.  The example I tried to use just got the thread hijacked.

This whole thing is not really an issue for me anymore. Since it is a game play issue with me, when the sides are out of whack or I can't fly the planes I would like to, I merely shift to another game.  That may not be an acceptable solution to some players, but it is working for me.

Your mileage of course may vary :)
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: FBRaptor on August 18, 2004, 02:16:40 PM
I need a square hole. What bit should I use for that? :D
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: X2Lee on August 18, 2004, 07:12:09 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Mister Fork
Pyro rule:X2Lee, airbumba, Masherbrum, Grits, kj714, IK0N, RTSigma, gunnss... et al- did you all miss this rule? Just wondering...



I got it cupcake, this thread is about drills, you are the bumble off topic

Dont believe me? Try reading the header.

Now , care to back off and get on topic?
maybe delete yer post?
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: kj714 on August 18, 2004, 08:24:27 PM
Ah, jeez, just having a little fun. You may not have noticed but this same subject is being discussed on at least a half dozen other threads on the board to the microscopic level.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: DieAz on August 19, 2004, 01:24:44 AM
Quote
Originally posted by FBRaptor
I need a square hole. What bit should I use for that? :D


I can't remember what it's called but there a drill bit with 4 corner chisel around it. it makes a square hole.   I've only seen it used for woodworking though.
Title: 3/8" drills
Post by: jodgi on August 19, 2004, 02:31:45 AM
Foder, I've never seen anyone "hijack" his own thread before.

kudos.