Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: eskimo on January 31, 2001, 07:54:00 AM
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Pyro;
Leave the price where it's at and advertise!
I am convinced that there are thousands of potential customers out there who don't know about AH, or about how far online prop-sims have come. Whoever is buying all of those boxed sims are surely potential AH customers. I don't think that I have ever seen an add for AH anywhere either.
Give HTC some feedback guys. Let them know when and where you have seen an add for AH.
Also, how did you find AH?
eskimo
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A fellow Buccaneer was an Alpha tester.
My squad switched from WB on day 1 of the Beta test, and hasn't looked back.
We/I found out about AH by, word of mouth.
eskimo
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! And seconded.
As for advertising? That's a two way street. We need to be vocal as a community and get the word out. Not at AGW or places where such posts would actually be resented, but on "comp.sys.ibm...flight-sims" and other public venues such as Dogfighter and SimHQ ubb boards. I also still think the number one bang for your buck advertising for AH would be for ALL of the HTC folks submitting for more interviews with E-zines and such.
I found out about AH at the 1999 AW Con. Very shortly after I was a flightsim emigrant (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
-Westy
[This message has been edited by Westy (edited 01-31-2001).]
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Just as important;
I found out about WB from my old squad leader, Whitey.
I didn't even own a computer (or have an interest in them) when he showed me WB in the spring of 96.
Word of mouth, again.
WB could have had me earlier, if I would have had a clue that it/they existed.
eskimo
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I love flight sims, come to think of it I love computer games period, but my favs are flight sims. Up until about 2 weeks ago I had no idea AcesHigh existed, don't ask how or what rock I was under, just settle with the fact that I may not be human. I stumbled upon a demo at GameSpy.com which I get news E-mails from everyday about the gaming industry as a whole. From then on I've been hooked and about to slap down my plastic for the first month.
I do think that maybe some sort of advert plan could be in order here. If I have ever seen the AH logo before I probably thought it was a 'Vegas card game' but GameSpy said it was a well established, very realistic, online flight sim. Nothing is meant against the logo designer of course, I just think they could definitely be doing a better job of making their presence known.
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I think I saw information on AH via 3dfiles.com and checked it out that way. Only thing is that they are still calling AH a 'demo' on their site.
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I've seen AH on 3dfiles.com, pcgameworld.com, combatsim.com, catfighter.com....err dogfighter.com, and a host of others. I even had my article on AH published on an Aussie radio station's site! I'm thinking of distributing my article, which I update for each version, to any site that wants it. Once I get some more screen shots I'll update them. Right now it's not exactly in perfect shape, but I'm workin on it!
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Flakbait [Delta6]
Delta 6's Flight School (http://www.worldaccessnet.com/~delta6)
Put the P-61B in Aces High
"With all due respect Chaplian, I don't think God wants to hear from me right now.
I'm gonna go out there and remove one of His creations from this universe.
And when I get back I'm gonna drink a bottle of Scotch like it was Chiggy von Richthofen's blood and celebrate his death."
Col. McQueen, Space: Above and Beyond
(http://www.worldaccessnet.com/~delta6/htbin/custom1.jpg)
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>Groan<
Sure, advertise. And if PCGamer or any of the mainstream press does a review of Aces High, I am sure they'll be wow'd by the game and multiplayer finesse the game has.
But in a genre where its the most expensive of the lot, I don't think you'll shake those of us who love the game, but despite the reasons you list, its just too damn much per month. Janes, Novalogic and others are free. HTCs major competition are less. Those are the facts.
So sure, leave it as it is and advertise. Just be ready to hear similar comments like we've seen this week... $29.95?
I'm no marketing guy and won't claim to know it all. (So save your flames). I'm just trying to point out that of all the other games I've loved this much, it came in a box and was free to play on-line.
Just can't bow to paying that much when I do not play it that much.
So, that's my opinion. Yer welcome to napalm me as you wish. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Paul
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After a 2+ year absence from WB, I opened my account back up, and looked around to see what squads were still flying (my old squad got scattered to the wind). Saw reference to AH on the Flying Pigs web site & gave it a try. After that, I didn't even bother downloading WB & promptly cancelled my account.
SOB
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yeah, that info would help bring more targets i mean folks around....
i saw a review on flightsim.com while looking for my daily fs2000 download and it was the first fighter sim that didnt seem arcadish to me - really the 2 week trial is what snared me - it is pretty effective
there now htc you owe me $5 for that impropmtu focus group (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
[This message has been edited by mrfish (edited 01-31-2001).]
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When i went to the airshow at Masterton in the weekend i was blown away at how many people where actually there. Some 40,000 people! All aviation enthusiusts, most of keen on WW2 Aviation (as it was a WW2 warbirds style show) and nearly 70% of the people there would have PCs.
So lets say that if only 1% of those people who were there signed up to aceshigh because of advertising there or a demo tent or something, thats 400 new customers!
But i can bet you some 90% of the people there wouldnt even knew it existed.
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Finding out about AH was strictly a work of mouth affair, had it not been for Vati & Hajo I wouldnt have known about it!
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I'll echo MrFish... same thing, went to flightsim.com and caught a press-release type ad and it caught me. I don't regret it, I think it was a good way to get business: however, not everyone checks those releases, I'm sure.
Jay.
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Originally posted by Jay_76:
however, not everyone checks those releases, I'm sure.
Jay.
yeah and i am very skeptical when i do because the guys they have reviewing must be on the taks - i have never seen them give a bad review and have seen stuff they've raved about turn out to be a dud - xplane for example
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I never knew of a game called FIghter Duel until I saw a commercial for it on TV, yes that's right TV!! It was on the Discovery channel They might of only run the ad once, but it sure convinced me to buy it. Maybe run an ad there once or twice a week, or on the history channel once or twice a week for a month and see what happens. Target it for times that Black sheep squadron is running for the history channel(or any other WWII stuff that focuses mostly on air combat.. well even the ground stuff has a lot of viewers that would be like "wow"), and for any time on the discovery channel when a WWII thing is going on.
If I could afford it, I would run an ad.. of course the ad would probably consist of me running around in circles yelling "Aces High, WW2 air combat.. go to www.hitechcreations.com (http://www.hitechcreations.com) and download.. I'm crazy so you'd better do it or I'll come to your house and drink all your beer and eat all your hot wings!"
-SW
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hi all:
How about using your local tv stations.
Here in Edmonton, Alberta, I know one of the TV stations will do a comparision thingy on a lot of things. they would not be bios to any one game. so if you contacked your local TV station and ask them to compair WWII flight sim games, they might do it and put it on the 6:00 news. that way it will reach a lot of people and give some good info.
I will contacked my local TV station in the next day or so and see what happens.
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wolf37
C.O.
THUNDER BIRDS
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I would love to show the folks at the airport some of the Aces High action from by mission films. I'm sure many would sign up. Maybe if we have a Aces High film viewer (just a viewer to run our film files)that would work on most computers, we could really get the word out to our friends and co-workers.
Just a thought.
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re- Flightsim.com and reviews.
The AH was just a press release, IIRC, and not a review, so I wouldn't expect a "bad" one per se. That being said, I agree on its review system, I've yet to see a truly negative review of anything there, and I'm esp. "skeptical" about the stuff Peter James writes. I remember him defending Xplane along with the rest of its fans, I'm certainly not one of 'em either... call me crazy, I don't think its worth >$100.
Anyhoo... here's to AH and HTC getting more coverage in the forums that exist!
Jay.
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Hey Ozark,
There IS an Aces High film viewer! And it's even free! Yes, it's the Aces High software itself. <G> LOL, maybe we should pimp the films all over the web, and include a link to the "viewer". Imagine the surprise when folks figure out the "viewer" is the entire game. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
I do see your point about a "light" version of the film viewer though. The trick is it has to be able to render the terrain, the objects, et. etc. Pretty soon it is as big as the full game. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs http://www.flyingpigs.com (http://www.flyingpigs.com)
"A pig is a jolly companion, Boar, sow, barrow, or gilt --
A pig is a pal, who'll boost your morale, Though mountains may topple and tilt.
When they've blackballed, bamboozled, and burned you, When they've turned on you, Tory and Whig,
Though you may be thrown over by Tabby and Rover, You'll never go wrong with a pig, a pig,
You'll never go wrong with a pig!" -- Thomas Pynchon, "Gravity's Rainbow"
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I do see your point about a "light" version of the film viewer though. The trick is it has to be able to render the terrain, the objects, et. etc. Pretty soon it is as big as the full game.
Good point Lephturn.
hehe...didn't even think about all the files just to render the terrain. That's why I work in a job that requires me to run into the fire when everyone is running out. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Ozark
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332nd Flying Mongrels (http://www.ropescourse.org/flying.htm)
"I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not yelling and screaming like his passengers."
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Originally posted by AKSeaWulfe:
If I could afford it, I would run an ad.. of course the ad would probably consist of me running around in circles yelling "Aces High, WW2 air combat.. go to www.hitechcreations.com (http://www.hitechcreations.com) and download.. I'm crazy so you'd better do it or I'll come to your house and drink all your beer and eat all your hot wings!"
-SW
I would pay to see that commercial LOL! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif) But you gotta be running around with your arms held out like wings, and making VROOM VROOM noises. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
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LJK_Raubvogel
LuftJägerKorps (http://www.luftjagerkorps.com)
(http://raubvogel.tripod.com/signew.gif)
[This message has been edited by LJK Raubvogel (edited 01-31-2001).]
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I got my first version of WarBirds off of a games magazine CD. I wasn't too impressed. Later (a year or so) on I went and downloaded WB (50mb at 28.8 :eek (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) and signed up. Thats where I got the "Karnak" handle. I only played for a few months before canceling though.
I found out about AH when it was in beta from the EAW forum on Combatsim.com. I tried it briefly (did a Spit9 vs. Spit9 fight with w FA guy who had the drop on me. I won) but I didn't have time to do much and given that I work in QA I wasn't too keen on testing software at home. I signed up in version 1.02 (I think, though it might have been 1.03) and have been here ever since.
BTW, I seem to recall having read a review of AH in PC Gamer or Computer Gaming World. They gave it 3 out of 5.
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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother
Sisu
-Karnak
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I found out about WB by word-of-mouth from Delta. When Pyro and HT parted ways with WB to form HiTechCreations and Aces High, I knew my time at WB was short. Pyro graciously let me be an Alpha-tester and here I've been ever since. I was rather shy in the beginning and it wasn't until I grilled Delta for hours that I felt comfortable enough to try an on-line sim. I'm glad I did and I'm glad my squad followed me to Aces High!
Buhdman, out
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Walt (buhdman) Barrow
(formerly lt-buhd-lite)
The Buccaneers - "Return with Honor"
home.earthlink.net/~wjbarrow
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I think AH would be better served by paid adds. Why? Two reasons.
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Control of the message. No one wants to depend on what others MAY do or say in
business.
2.
From the 10 to 25% of the market side, why would a mac user plug AH or listen to you
about AH? No support for the platform.
I would guess that the mac user would "word of mouth" brand WB to both wintell and mac os
people to get the largest number of friends to shoot.
If a winteller tells a mac type, no sale, loss of effort, and the machead may try to
convert you to something you both can play.
Me? I'll prob end up building a game only box. :-) I like the calm posts here :-)
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M.C.202
Dino in Reno
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We are gettting adds on prime-time TV for Microsoft Combat Flight Sim 2. A clear sign of the times.
[This message has been edited by Spatula (edited 02-01-2001).]