Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: SpinDoc1 on July 21, 2020, 12:16:00 AM
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So I've been thinking a bit about the future of this game. Where it started, how it evolved, where we are now, who the audience is, how to breathe new life into the player base, and where it goes from here.
Disclaimer: I, nor anyone else, are soothsayers about the future - most if not all of this will turn out to be incorrect, but I hope a version with echos of these ideas emerges. All of this is discussion, and intended to formulate some ideas about how to ensure the next 20 years of Aces High.
This game started, and I believe still is, one of the premier flight simulators for WWII aircraft ever developed. It has remained that way, and like good fine wine it has gotten mostly better with age. New planes, new graphics, etc. etc. It has evolved over the years multiple times, and the thing that gets me most excited is the step into VR (which I just started last night, and have to say. omg wow.).
Here we are now: 100-200 players average per evening, US time zone. A decent scenario corps, with events drawing 40-60. A solid player base of mostly older (sorry!) players, that tends to like the tried and true methods this game offers. But what are we missing? New, fresh ideas. New players. New horizons and new campaigns to be written with a massive player base. How do we attract new players?
Hmmm... I think gamers today value speed, ease of use, and a fun-fresh experience. Think of the popularity of Fortnight, Call of Duty, Clash of Clans, Halo, etc. Those games have quick, robust multiplayer experiences. There are other games with much deeper experiences: Minecraft, name-your-RPG, and others. Why does Aces High not merit more attention?
How do we attract new players? How do we train and keep new talent in-game? How do we keep people coming back for fresh experiences (not just the Bish-Rook-Nit war that ends with 20 perks in your account, woohoo! It's always fought the same way and won the same way, endless melee).
My thesis: what if...there were a matchmaking server. And what if it matched players of similar skill (a la a Clash of Clans match), and what if it dropped you right into the action (Halo, CoD) on a map with other similar players; and how about letting you choose your ride, but 'skilling up' to unlock others? What if there were a pipeline that allowed you more access and eventually gets you to the MA, where the battle is always raging? What if there were new ways to honor achievements and recognize that building of skill? What about a more dynamic experience that is actually based on your game rank (again, any online competitive ranking/matching multiplayer)?
Are these things doable with this current platform? Maybe, maybe not. Does the player base want a new, fresh experience? Is there even a snowball's chance that Dale/HiTech and co. even want to try this? Is it technically feasible with the software and code that developed over 20 years?
All questions I'd love to ponder with this community. Let's keep this thing going, I can't bear to see it go the way of the dodo simply because of the intransigence of the community. If we want to see an evolution/revolution, we've got to talk about it and provide feedback! Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
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Is it worth losing the the game to take a chance?
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There is a matchmaking server called match play already in the game..
Also, is it really a good idea to split the playerbase up by skill, lowering the numbers in a map/server even further? Considering a lot of gripes point at/to "low numbers".
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VR in AH3 is the best a2a WW2 combat sim experience going today IMO!
I have tried them all.
HT has combined the perfect balance btwn game play and realism for an online sim.
Ping me if you see me in MA and would like to take a spin in the dueling arena.
<S>
Eagler
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See rule #4
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The essence of what you describe is being tried in War Online Pacific. WOP allows me to experiment with other methods of game play with out change the core game play of AH.
HiTech
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A decent scenario corps, with events drawing 40-60.
Friday Squad Ops draws twice that many players with 130-140 every Friday night.
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The essence of what you describe is being tried in War Online Pacific. WOP allows me to experiment with other methods of game play with out change the core game play of AH.
HiTech
Doesn’t seem to be enough traffic in there to get a real feeling for changes does it? Also the game play is quite a bit different in there than AH.
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See rule #4
Nice.
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The essence of what you describe is being tried in War Online Pacific. WOP allows me to experiment with other methods of game play with out change the core game play of AH.
HiTech
All, thanks for your ideas. It's helpful to see what people are thinking.
HiTech: first, I/all of us really appreciate how approachable you are and that you make yourself available to interact with the player base! I will check out that game, I'm interested to see what the matchmaking setup it like. Did you develop it based on all the same flight models we expect from AHIII?
Truly, I want to see Aces High continue and flourish. I've been playing since late 2000/early 2001 and am now just beginning to be able to teach my kids how to fly and play. We just got a VR setup, and the immersion is absolutely revolutionary. Now imagine I can strap the kiddo into a hi-octane plane and set him up instantly with players of his skill level. That sounds like an awesome combo. I'll experiment with the matchmaking mode and see what it yields.
Thanks again all for making this such an incredible community to be a part of.
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Is it worth losing the the game to take a chance?
-- Not my game, and so that it up to the owner/chief coder :-) I think an argument can be made that updates and enhancements could add a 'fresh' look for newer players
There is a matchmaking server called match play already in the game..
Also, is it really a good idea to split the playerbase up by skill, lowering the numbers in a map/server even further? Considering a lot of gripes point at/to "low numbers".
-- I'm going to try the match play, will post back on results. I agree that a player split would be bad with low numbers, but if we want to keep newer players in-game, rather than drumming them out by constant unskilled death, then something may need to change.
VR in AH3 is the best a2a WW2 combat sim experience going today IMO!
I have tried them all.
HT has combined the perfect balance btwn game play and realism for an online sim.
Ping me if you see me in MA and would like to take a spin in the dueling arena.
<S>
Eagler
-- Good sentiment. I'd love to meet up for a duel sometime! I'll find ya.
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Also the game play is quite a bit different in there than AH.
That is the point, to try different game play then AH, like the OP suggested.
HiTech
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Doesn’t seem to be enough traffic in there to get a real feeling for changes does it? Also the game play is quite a bit different in there than AH.
It will be. The game is different.
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It will be. The game is different.
Again the numbers seem to low to compare WOP to AH. Why not try some simple changes like wide switch timer being lowered or base capture cap for severely low numbered sides first? Most of the day it seems one side out numbers the other two almost two to one. The. The rest of the day the other side is double teamed for the duration of “happy hour”. Those seem like simple test beds that could be changed to see if it has an effect on game play. I dont think many have an actual issue with the game it’s more game play they have an issue with.
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I fear , the game is being lost and nothing is going to change that, unless something big happens.
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Both of yall are saying the people are the problem. That is the issue with many games. RDR2 online is having issues with hackers on some servers. I was on my horse at the edge of Blackwater last night and all of a sudden a metal jail cell dropped on me. Knocked me off my horse and I could not get out.
Problem with the people.
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Both of yall are saying the people are the problem. That is the issue with many games. RDR2 online is having issues with hackers on some servers. I was on my horse at the edge of Blackwater last night and all of a sudden a metal jail cell dropped on me. Knocked me off my horse and I could not get out.
Problem with the people.
Those are called MODS
The same thing is going on in GTA V online. Ne lucky your internet didn't get locked for a while.
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Some of the problems with the people can be solved.
Build it so that team "A" MUST take a base from team "B" after they have captured 2 bases from team "C". It will stop the peoples play of just pounding one team down to a few bases.
Get rid of the GV radar squares that pinpoints GVs and just add another dar bar for GVs in that sector. It will get GVers back into GVs if they aren't "highlighted" by the radar square. To compensate making it hard to find GVs, bring the old range numbers back so they can be spotted from the air when they are moving. Knock a 100 yards off the storch is range to keep it relevant.
Put a ceiling on the buffs so we dont have 30k+ porkers milk running in the low number times. 20K is good enough to make only those that WANT to go after them and make the buffs fight for their run instead of playing hide and seek.
Cap the number of planes that can launch from a base. Cuts back on the hording and forces attacking/defending from multiple fields.
Give perks for joining a mission and completing the mission. Porking a bases /taking down all ack for small groups, capture a base for larger groups.
And to get numbers up, open 5 planes and GVs to "FREE" to play IN the main arena. This way new players dont feel like they are wasting money getting killed over and over again. Once they start learning a few tricks they may get the full subscription, but even if they dont your not any worst off than you are now.
How much can be changed with just flipping a switch or editing a data page I dont know, but little things CAN be adjusted to force a different behaviour from the players. We had far too many NOEs at one point in time and a change in the dar altitude curbed is so it isnt the "go to mission" any more. Other things could be adjusted the same way.
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Some of the problems with the people can be solved.
Build it so that team "A" MUST take a base from team "B" after they have captured 2 bases from team "C". It will stop the peoples play of just pounding one team down to a few bases.
Get rid of the GV radar squares that pinpoints GVs and just add another dar bar for GVs in that sector. It will get GVers back into GVs if they aren't "highlighted" by the radar square. To compensate making it hard to find GVs, bring the old range numbers back so they can be spotted from the air when they are moving. Knock a 100 yards off the storch is range to keep it relevant.
Put a ceiling on the buffs so we dont have 30k+ porkers milk running in the low number times. 20K is good enough to make only those that WANT to go after them and make the buffs fight for their run instead of playing hide and seek.
Cap the number of planes that can launch from a base. Cuts back on the hording and forces attacking/defending from multiple fields.
Give perks for joining a mission and completing the mission. Porking a bases /taking down all ack for small groups, capture a base for larger groups.
And to get numbers up, open 5 planes and GVs to "FREE" to play IN the main arena. This way new players dont feel like they are wasting money getting killed over and over again. Once they start learning a few tricks they may get the full subscription, but even if they dont your not any worst off than you are now.
How much can be changed with just flipping a switch or editing a data page I dont know, but little things CAN be adjusted to force a different behaviour from the players. We had far too many NOEs at one point in time and a change in the dar altitude curbed is so it isnt the "go to mission" any more. Other things could be adjusted the same way.
Yes.... some of those will just log. It's a damned if you do and a damned if you don't.
I am all for having more folks back. The problem is the folks.... they changed. The kiddies like fast and furious. No one cares about history today. Many other factors.
Who knows.... some idea may work, the problem is that it can't be too radical.... the folks supporting it now will bail.
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The above fixes for GV's will IMHO drive people away rather than encourage more. It sounds great if your bombing a gv but riding in one and getting nailed every trip is what makes me log off.
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The kiddies like fast and furious. No one cares about history today.
why are we going to try for the kids........ just advertise on the History Channel's or the history magazines.
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coming from a younger pov, i say mature player group, IE informative channel and website advertisment as well as more social media..
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The above fixes for GV's will IMHO drive people away rather than encourage more. It sounds great if your bombing a gv but riding in one and getting nailed every trip is what makes me log off.
Are you referring to Fuji's post? If anything his suggestion will make things easier for GVers - which is the wrong move in my opinion.
The game needs to encourage players taking aircraft in anti-GV action to generate more overall air action. The best way to do this would be to bring back the pre-Storch icon rules for GV's. They need to be easy enough for the average player to spot at a glance. I don't care if it makes the Storch useless because it will make the IL-2, Ju 87G, Hurri IID, and SBD useful again.
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if you would just shut up and play. that's how you can change the game. surprised to see today 150+.
semp
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if you would just shut up and play. that's how you can change the game. surprised to see today 150+.
semp
Prime time yes
Maybe 100 should be a minimum with AI filling in the numbers and adjusting as ppl come and go
I have found the AI in some of the missions as good a fight as many in ma.
<S>
Eagler
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No to AI.
For ever and evar Eh-Men! :old:
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Are you referring to Fuji's post? If anything his suggestion will make things easier for GVers - which is the wrong move in my opinion.
The game needs to encourage players taking aircraft in anti-GV action to generate more overall air action. The best way to do this would be to bring back the pre-Storch icon rules for GV's. They need to be easy enough for the average player to spot at a glance. I don't care if it makes the Storch useless because it will make the IL-2, Ju 87G, Hurri IID, and SBD useful again.
For people that mostly do mostly GV's how would this encourage them to stay? What a lot of people here dont realize is that there are some of us that suk at fighters, despite some training requests. Take the GV'action away they leave.
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As far as AI goes...we already have AI supply trains, convoys, and barges that players can destroy for points.
Why not have some supply aircraft too?
Like formations of transport HE-111s, with AI gunners, every so often to supply whatever is damaged.
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If the idea is to take the planes out of the GV war, then take the GV war out of the plane fights. Take away the wirb and flak.
Why have it one way and not the other?
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If the idea is to take the planes out of the GV war, then take the GV war out of the plane fights. Take away the wirb and flak.
Why have it one way and not the other?
Bingo!
For people that mostly do mostly GV's how would this encourage them to stay? What a lot of people here dont realize is that there are some of us that suk at fighters, despite some training requests. Take the GV'action away they leave.
You're taking it too far. The idea is not to take GVers and put them in fighters, it's to get some Gvers into tank killer aircraft. Fighters will show up to kill them and other fighters will show up to fight those fighters.
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Bingo!
You're taking it too far. The idea is not to take GVers and put them in fighters, it's to get some Gvers into tank killer aircraft. Fighters will show up to kill them and other fighters will show up to fight those fighters.
Or they log because they were killed by an aircraft.
What we really need is to advertise. Maybe at airshows.
Wiley.
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Or they log because they were killed by an aircraft.
What we really need is to advertise. Maybe at airshows.
Wiley.
As it is, pilots are logging off because there's not much to shoot at in their planes. If a pilot stays at the expense of an GVer, that's a win in my book.
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I, for one, do realize that some people are not good at fighters or flying in general, and that the GV side of the game is their means of participating.
What those people appear to not realize, and some of that is because the current system in the game is all they have ever known, is just how (my opinion) coddled the GV crowd has been over the years.
My thoughts on improving the future of the game:
Add a proper ground gun sight for the 88mm. All we have or have ever had for this weapon is a circle, and with the weapon recoil, it's "by guess and by God" on aiming the thing.
Add more views to the 17lb antitank gun. Only being able to look forward.........meh........ma kes the weapon a waste, IMO>
Modify the terrain tiles to eliminate trees and bushes for a minimum of one mile around all bases, ports, etc. Allow clear fields of fire for the defensive weapons on bases.
Expand the defensive perimeter at all ports and bases.
Eliminate the spawns across bodies of water. If you want to take a base on another island or "continent", use naval forces or air power.
Compromise on the GV issue. Eliminate the GV dar, but set the GV icon range to 3K viz from the air.
Instead of changing the terrains when the arena numbers get low, shrink down the playable area to a 3x3 or 4x4 playable area. No insta death for those who fly outside the playable area, instead ramp up the fuel multiplier to 6X, 8X, or even 10X. Or have the arena automatically "jettison" ammo and ordinance from those who fly outside the playable area.
Adding more wind layers and crosswinds at higher altitudes, maybe cut down on the super accurate bombing we see in the arena. Carpet bombing was used in the ETO, the Norden wasn't THAT accurate, and even in the PTO, LeMay had the bombers attack from a lower altitude so they would actually hit their targets. I'm not saying players shouldn't be able to fly at 30K..........but their bombing accuracy might more closely reflect real world results if they had to fly lower to put bombs on target.
In the end, we can add our thoughts/wishes, but HiTech will be the one to decide what happens with the game's future.
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The problem going back to the old style vehicle icons is, you can identify, orient, and make a bombing run trivially with a heavy fighter all in one pass. Basically if the fighter has a bomb, if he sees you, you've got about 10 seconds before he can put ordnance on you. The way it is now it either requires teamwork with a storch, or likely multiple passes over unless the fighter sees you without icon.
Wiley.
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Agreed.........that is why I suggested 3K icon range rather than the old 6K range.
It's just my thoughts on the matter............since we can't implement tracks in the dirt, grass, or mud, or dust trails, due to the impact on frame rates, increasing the icon range a bit would be a compromise in my opinion.
After all, GV's didn't use mag-lev propulsion, they didn't pass over ground without a trace. Again, compromise in some way. 3K isn't a lot of time to set up a run.
A thought I threw at HT on the phone was keeping the present GV icon range in place near V bases, but near airfield, it goes to 3K.
Compromise is what I am asking for, not a return to the old days of being able to see a GV from 18K feet in the air.
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And to get numbers up, open 5 planes and GVs to "FREE" to play IN the main arena. This way new players dont feel like they are wasting money getting killed over and over again. Once they start learning a few tricks they may get the full subscription, but even if they dont your not any worst off than you are now.
YES!
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YES!
they have 2 weeks with all the plane available and they don't stick around for more than 15 minutes. what does 5 free planes gonna accomplish?
semp
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I can't bear to see it go the way of the dodo simply because of the intransigence of the community.
Good luck with that.
:salute
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Agreed.........that is why I suggested 3K icon range rather than the old 6K range.
It's just my thoughts on the matter............since we can't implement tracks in the dirt, grass, or mud, or dust trails, due to the impact on frame rates, increasing the icon range a bit would be a compromise in my opinion.
After all, GV's didn't use mag-lev propulsion, they didn't pass over ground without a trace. Again, compromise in some way. 3K isn't a lot of time to set up a run.
A thought I threw at HT on the phone was keeping the present GV icon range in place near V bases, but near airfield, it goes to 3K.
Compromise is what I am asking for, not a return to the old days of being able to see a GV from 18K feet in the air.
I don't remember 6k, I was basing that comment on 3k. With a 3k icon, it's trivial to see them and hit them in one pass.
Good luck with that.
:salute
When in your entire experience with HT has he E V E R gone, "That's a fantastic idea! Oh wait, 10 people on the forum didn't like it, so I'm not going to do it!" :rofl
It's all noise after the initial idea.
Wiley.
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I think you should concentrate on making one amazing game, rather than trying to double-dip with a dumbed down version of AHIII.
Coogan
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I think you should concentrate on making one amazing game, rather than trying to double-dip with a dumbed down version of AHIII.
Coogan
I do not think it is taking that much time. It is for experimentation that would be possibly harmful in the MA.
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When in your entire experience with HT has he E V E R gone, "That's a fantastic idea! Oh wait, 10 people on the forum didn't like it, so I'm not going to do it!" :rofl
<shrug> OK. Whatever.
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I do not think it is taking that much time. It is for experimentation that would be possibly harmful in the MA.
I disagree. It's taking Hitechs' time & focus away from the main game.
Coogan
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The problem going back to the old style vehicle icons is, you can identify, orient, and make a bombing run trivially with a heavy fighter all in one pass. Basically if the fighter has a bomb, if he sees you, you've got about 10 seconds before he can put ordnance on you. The way it is now it either requires teamwork with a storch, or likely multiple passes over unless the fighter sees you without icon.
Wiley.
You're proving my point. When we had long range GV icons, you had players upping planes much more often to hunt GV's because it was easy enough to do for the average player to have success in that role. Now, anyone but the most dedicated of GV hunter is just wasting their time in a plane, because it is much easier for a player to take another tank to kill a GV. Or even worse, they up a set of bombers and pork the hangars from 20K.
That high level of team work should not be needed to kill a single enemy, but it should be necessary to shut down an entire base. The MA has it backwards.
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You're proving my point. When we had long range GV icons, you had players upping planes much more often to hunt GV's because it was easy enough to do for the average player to have success in that role. Now, anyone but the most dedicated of GV hunter is just wasting their time in a plane, because it is much easier for a player to take another tank to kill a GV. Or even worse, they up a set of bombers and pork the hangars from 20K.
That high level of team work should not be needed to kill a single enemy, but it should be necessary to shut down an entire base. The MA has it backwards.
I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, just saying that's the result with longer GV icons. On the one hand, it makes taking out an unsupported GV with an unsupported aircraft awfully easy. From the other side, it's demotivational to upping GVs. As much as we may want to see more guys in planes, GVing seems to be desired by a lot of people and they don't enjoy getting bombed with little that they can do about it.
As it stands now, you've got to find the GV then not lose track of it when you reverse. I think it's still a bit too hard for the JABO guy but it's still possible and the GV guy has a chance to move/hide as opposed to being a sitting duck.
Wiley.
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Here's my 2 cents being a relatively new join and younger than average (35). The reason I tried it out was 100% the scale and freedom. There are nicer looking and more realistic WWII sims out there, but none I found that had 24/7 persistent dynamic arenas that could hold 100's of pilots and with the full selection of aircraft available from the beginning (other than a handful of perked). That's why I tried it.
How I found AH was a bit of a journey. I was itching for a multiplayer flight sim as I was sick of just fighting AI. Hated the arcade style multiplayer games and the short, single engagement match play. I remembered seeing my Uncle playing Airwarrior years ago so I did some google searching and that led me to AH. My point is I only found AH because I was already aware of and searching for its predecessor.
When I started I liked that there was nothing that put me at a disadvantage being a new player other than my severe lack of skill. No grinding to unlock better airframes, weapons or boosts. I also liked that I could do whatever I wanted. There were no set objectives, if I wanted to try to capture a base I could, if I wanted to defend I could, if I wanted to bomb a factory I could, try to torpedo a CV I could, just furball I could. complete sandbox. The subscription model made me hesitate a lot but considering the scale I decided it was worth it.
I stayed these last 4 years for several reasons. My squad (who I originally reached out to so I could try FSO), FSO, scenarios, and just being able to jump on at any time and try to get a little better at an aspect of the game. I was several months into the game before I knew about FSO and scenarios. I didn't know about this forum and had only heard the odd mention in game. To be honest if I hadn't found the forum and my squad I probably wouldn't have stuck around much longer. Perhaps a link to the forum in the starting menu would help with that?
I had a lot of things going for me that helped keep me here. I was already into flight sims so I had some of the basic gear (joystick) and knew how to fly. I can be really stubborn, I will keep reupping and throwing myself into a fight to try to figure out why I keep bursting into flames so fast, and with the hope I'll learn enough to survive just a little longer this time. High end ultra realistic graphics have never been a deciding feature for me. All of these are road blocks for most younger gamers. Most casual gamers I know bounce from game to game so they look for ones that are easy to pick up the basics, don't require any special equipment (yes AH can be played with a mouse and keyboard but not easily/intuitively IMO), and have lots of eye candy. They described AH graphics as 'ok, not AAA'.
In my opinion tweaking gameplay will only affect how many veteran players leave or come back. Most new players don't get far enough into the game to even notice these things. My suggestion to attract and keep new players would be advertising through twitch streams, more youtube videos, a discord server, maybe hiring a streamer with a big following already to do a feature, stuff like that. And not just advertise the game itself, but FSO and the other special events. Then a series of tutorial missions that go through takeoff, gunnery, dropping bombs, etc. that are easily accessible, but not mandatory, will help them learn the basics. Even "help" prompts in game that can be turned off would work (press '+' to throttle up, Remember to raise your gear with 'G', fire your guns with 'spacebar'). A bit of hand holding off the beginning would go a long way for the average gamer.
I think that would help bring in some ppl but the biggest problem these days is that flight sims in general are a niche market and WWII combat a niche within a niche. There just aren't a ton of ppl interested in this kind of game anymore, and the ones that might be either hit one of the roadblocks mentioned or don't even know AH exists.
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Well said Rocco. I myself found the predecessor to this game (Warbirds) by looking continuously for an online WW2 sim, and it wasn't fast. To me, getting new players means you have to have someone that is willing to help when there are questions. The tutorial videos on how to set things up, how to take off, etc., are absolutely the minimum. The next problem is you need people willing to help when someone asks for help. There are many who either ignore, or give sarcastic responses being playful, or just being an ass. "How do I put out flaps?" .... "Alt-F4" hehehe. But this first part of the learning curve is the hardest. I have tried most other sims, and I think AHIII is the best hands down compromise between trying to manage the aircraft, and fight. I don't care about eye candy if the gameplay sucks. The need for advertising is not to be diminished, but I also think the learning curve issue should be addressed. I had hoped there would be a training squadron when I first started to play this game online, but I don't have any good ideas as to how to make that work. I try to tell players how to use the game functions when I think they might not know it, but there is not a good clearing house for all commands and functions in the game and how to use them. There seems to be a reluctance among us old farts to teach people how to do something better.
As for the GV issue. Well the existence of them in the game is a source of a fair amount of contention. There are obviously many different options for how to address them. I would like to offer a few thoughts.
1. In the second world war tanks made noise that was unmistakable.
2. High speed aircraft did often miss tanks and vehicles hiding under vegetation, (cue the Storch and the allied equivalent).
Those two points being considered, the Dar square is not a bad response, (I would personally opt for a wedge that extends the direction of the tank, that narrows as you approach a base). Although noise can be a little more directional, (can be for you who want to argue). The next thing I would do is make the Storch able to see the tanks at the old ranges, (3K?), but nothing else gets that range of icons, only the Storch. Also if you shoot a Storch down, let it burn for five or so minutes as a living memorial to where you are. I think this will combine the reporting aspects of people on the ground hearing the tanks (DAR square), with the reality of a high speed aircraft looking for vehicles. Obviously you could make the arguement that if you are below a certain speed, you should be able to see it, but that's a lot more coding.
Anyway, my two cents
ULDieter (Deeeeeter, like Peter, not Dieter like an unhappy fat guy)
:grin:
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I think that would help bring in some ppl but the biggest problem these days is that flight sims in general are a niche market and WWII combat a niche within a niche. There just aren't a ton of ppl interested in this kind of game anymore
I don't want to disagree with anything you said, but I might suggest putting a bit finer point on this.
High fidelity WWII combat flight sims are a niche within a niche. Still, IL2 can grab several million sales per release. And will again here soon at end of summer.
It is not primarily a online game, but no one could reasonably describe it as an easy-mode kiddie game. It is a high fidelity flight model WWII combat sim that will sell millions of copies. The market isn't as big as Battlefield or Call of Duty, but it isn't nothing. If AH could entice 1/1000 of that number, it's worries would be over.
So when you say "people aren't interesting in this kind of game anymore" maybe "this kind of game" should really be clarified as online 3-sided Air Warrioresque Melee grind arena for 15$/month subscription. There still seems to be people interested in high-fidelity flight model WWII air combat.
Maybe the scenario would be better to emphasize as the core product. Their depth and professionalism truly make them a unique differentiator. (Maybe some mid-week options?
Many people head to the lake or parties on Fri and Sat nights. Unless you are a married Dad who doesn't have a boat. :D)
The Melee? Meh. That can be a side practice arena for between frames.
:salute
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Here's my 2 cents being a relatively new join and younger than average (35). The reason I tried it out was 100% the scale and freedom. There are nicer looking and more realistic WWII sims out there, but none I found that had 24/7 persistent dynamic arenas that could hold 100's of pilots and with the full selection of aircraft available from the beginning (other than a handful of perked). That's why I tried it.
How I found AH was a bit of a journey. I was itching for a multiplayer flight sim as I was sick of just fighting AI. Hated the arcade style multiplayer games and the short, single engagement match play. I remembered seeing my Uncle playing Airwarrior years ago so I did some google searching and that led me to AH. My point is I only found AH because I was already aware of and searching for its predecessor.
When I started I liked that there was nothing that put me at a disadvantage being a new player other than my severe lack of skill. No grinding to unlock better airframes, weapons or boosts. I also liked that I could do whatever I wanted. There were no set objectives, if I wanted to try to capture a base I could, if I wanted to defend I could, if I wanted to bomb a factory I could, try to torpedo a CV I could, just furball I could. complete sandbox. The subscription model made me hesitate a lot but considering the scale I decided it was worth it.
I stayed these last 4 years for several reasons. My squad (who I originally reached out to so I could try FSO), FSO, scenarios, and just being able to jump on at any time and try to get a little better at an aspect of the game. I was several months into the game before I knew about FSO and scenarios. I didn't know about this forum and had only heard the odd mention in game. To be honest if I hadn't found the forum and my squad I probably wouldn't have stuck around much longer. Perhaps a link to the forum in the starting menu would help with that?
I had a lot of things going for me that helped keep me here. I was already into flight sims so I had some of the basic gear (joystick) and knew how to fly. I can be really stubborn, I will keep reupping and throwing myself into a fight to try to figure out why I keep bursting into flames so fast, and with the hope I'll learn enough to survive just a little longer this time. High end ultra realistic graphics have never been a deciding feature for me. All of these are road blocks for most younger gamers. Most casual gamers I know bounce from game to game so they look for ones that are easy to pick up the basics, don't require any special equipment (yes AH can be played with a mouse and keyboard but not easily/intuitively IMO), and have lots of eye candy. They described AH graphics as 'ok, not AAA'.
In my opinion tweaking gameplay will only affect how many veteran players leave or come back. Most new players don't get far enough into the game to even notice these things. My suggestion to attract and keep new players would be advertising through twitch streams, more youtube videos, a discord server, maybe hiring a streamer with a big following already to do a feature, stuff like that. And not just advertise the game itself, but FSO and the other special events. Then a series of tutorial missions that go through takeoff, gunnery, dropping bombs, etc. that are easily accessible, but not mandatory, will help them learn the basics. Even "help" prompts in game that can be turned off would work (press '+' to throttle up, Remember to raise your gear with 'G', fire your guns with 'spacebar'). A bit of hand holding off the beginning would go a long way for the average gamer.
I think that would help bring in some ppl but the biggest problem these days is that flight sims in general are a niche market and WWII combat a niche within a niche. There just aren't a ton of ppl interested in this kind of game anymore, and the ones that might be either hit one of the roadblocks mentioned or don't even know AH exists.
AKRocco: I really like your response, I think it definitely keys in on some of the "niche"-ness of this product. But I do think there's room to bring in new players. Advertising certainly plays a role. But then there's attention-grabbing. To parallel: Tesla, the car company, doesn't do any advertising. Their meteoric rise is in having a niche product that they brought mainstream. They have a dedicated fanbase with legions of people who fell in love with the technology, as well as the proprietor.
I'm not saying HTC needs to be Tesla, what I am saying though is that you make a good point about getting the word out via Twitch, Discord, etc. I also think that the system for joining a squadron needs to be advertised better IN-GAME! In any arcade-style or RPG-style game that has a popular following, you can see it all in-game. Clash of Clans, join a Clan. Eve Online, join a corp. Aces High? - make friends on the forum, pass a (subjective) personality test, and then get a custom invite in-game. How about a system which enables people to search for squadrons in-game; we could put up welcome statements, incentives to join, show art/heraldry for the unit, etc.
I don't want to disagree with anything you said, but I might suggest putting a bit finer point on this.
High fidelity WWII combat flight sims are a niche within a niche. Still, IL2 can grab several million sales per release. And will again here soon at end of summer.
It is not primarily a online game, but no one could reasonably describe it as an easy-mode kiddie game. It is a high fidelity flight model WWII combat sim that will sell millions of copies. The market isn't as big as Battlefield or Call of Duty, but it isn't nothing. If AH could entice 1/1000 of that number, it's worries would be over.
So when you say "people aren't interesting in this kind of game anymore" maybe "this kind of game" should really be clarified as online 3-sided Air Warrioresque Melee grind arena for 15$/month subscription. There still seems to be people interested in high-fidelity flight model WWII air combat.
Maybe the scenario would be better to emphasize as the core product. Their depth and professionalism truly make them a unique differentiator. (Maybe some mid-week options?
Many people head to the lake or parties on Fri and Sat nights. Unless you are a married Dad who doesn't have a boat. :D)
The Melee? Meh. That can be a side practice arena for between frames.
:salute
Also a good post Trips. I think the buzz surrounding these games can drive a lot in terms of sales. In AH, the subscription model can work, but I think combined with the ideas above, where people really WANT to come back day after day, they enjoy all the social aspects of the game in addition to the gameplay. Perhaps a focus on social engagement, Twitch/YouTube, etc. combined with some targeted advertising would be the right answer.
In today's era, where we are going to be stuck indoors more for the foreseeable future, we really need to get into the social aspects of AH gameplay. I'm hoping some of these thoughts stick and can be turned into reality.
I'm too dang busy with work and family life to do a dedicated Twitch channel, but maybe in retirement I can get to it. I would LOVE to provide some entertainment for the community and perhaps drag some new friends into the mix too!
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I've been trying to get events out there more and more. I try to stream FSO if the mission permits, Nefarious streams the Blitz Week from bomber perspective to the AH Events FB page. I've been able to work with HT and get some event exposure onto the main website page. The problem with streaming is it really just isn't a very stream friendly game, especially events. Too slow paced for 5-10 minutes of total action.
Myself and a few from my squad also have made some new game videos (something that I think definitely dried up for a while) and I see guys like DLO and Trev make them also, which is good.
I think the biggest thing is general exposure. It's also difficult to match the mob funded games like Warthunder, IL2, Wargaming games in terms of advertising. It would be awesome if one of the big YouTubers would spend a week creating some game content for AH or stream it for a week. At this point that would sadly cost money as most won't do it without getting paid to.
Agree with the above posts though - it's a niche game inside of a niche market which is seeing a decline in interest all around. Sure there are WWII releated games like War Thunder, World of Tanks, World of Warships...but people aren't really playing those for the WWII factor.
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I've been trying to get events out there more and more. I try to stream FSO if the mission permits, Nefarious streams the Blitz Week from bomber perspective to the AH Events FB page.
Shrug. We've had several talented Youtubes and Twitchers from the community over the years. HTC has a youtube channel. It hasn't been updated in over a year, but its there.
I think the problem is that is weak tool for discoverability. Not so bad for promotion once they know about your game.
I don't do Twitch, but don't most people looks for someone playing a game they are interested in? Like "Yo, I wanna watch some GTA twitches!" If they have never heard of AH, how easy is it to accidentally run across AH Twitch feeds?
And live streaming? I dunno. Does that put our best foot forward? A lot of flying around on auto pilot staring at a clipboard map? Lets get them to download it first before they find that out. ;)
At least your videos edit all the snooze and just has the money shots. :D
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Shrug. We've had several talented Youtubes and Twitchers from the community over the years. HTC has a youtube channel. It hasn't been updated in over a year, but its there.
I think the problem is that is weak tool for discoverability. Not so bad for promotion once they know about your game.
I don't do Twitch, but don't most people looks for someone playing a game they are interested in? Like "Yo, I wanna watch some GTA twitches!" If they have never heard of AH, how easy is it to accidentally run across AH Twitch feeds?
And live streaming? I dunno. Does that put our best foot forward? A lot of flying around on auto pilot staring at a clipboard map? Lets get them to download it first before they find that out. ;)
At least your videos edit all the snooze and just has the money shots. :D
I agree - but it's the only way for us to feasibly advertise the events (being live streaming) in any sort of media capacity. I don't have the time or willpower to be honest to go in and chop up an FSO video into a 5 minute summary. I think I've seen a couple guys do that in the past. It definitely is not the most entertaining thing, but it is raw gameplay which some people like. The MA is a lot more suitable for streaming, and even that has its own issues.
My videos definitely are not as great 'shot wise' as guys like Dolby, Sukov, and LePape I think? But at least I can crank the graphics up and even when watching some shots in the film viewer I think 'wow, this game is very pretty when the graphics are cranked up'. But others are much more talented with the film viewer than I.
As for twitch, yeah it is definitely a pre-determined thing for most. Most have their streamers they like for specific games. I doubt many people will realistically try a new game by watching a stream of it for a while. They'd be more inclined to try it if the streamer they like recommends it or is playing it and is enjoying him/herself.
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The above fixes for GV's will IMHO drive people away rather than encourage more. It sounds great if your bombing a gv but riding in one and getting nailed every trip is what makes me log off.
Im pretty sure that the vis range for a moving GV and a stopped GV are set separately. A moving GV would be loud and in most cases leave tracks and/or dust clouds. Allowing the Planes to SEE them on the more is more realistic, and being harder to find when stopped in some trees as well.
The old setting Id like to see come back was how it was set in AHII. When "Greebo"s "crater" map was up we would have close to 100 players in tanks in that center crater fighting it out. Those battles were epic, and yes even with the high crater walls there you'd have guys trying to bomb the GVs, but as Devil said when you had planes doing the gv hunt thing, you always had fights looking to shoot them down. Gv fights these days with a half dozen/ dozen players are nothing.
they have 2 weeks with all the plane available and they don't stick around for more than 15 minutes. what does 5 free planes gonna accomplish?
semp
Yup and I'll bet you the majority of those new players try the game, get hammered for a couple hours and say to themselves "screw this! Im never going to be any good in 2 weeks!" and poof they are gone. If they KNOW that it wont cost them anything maybe they would stay longer, long enough to learn a few things. And even if they dont, it may bump the numbers enough to entice other players to play more often and get those more interested to sign up. Giving away a few planes/GVs in the main arena isnt going to hurt anything and shouldnt cost anything more than the time it takes to set it up. I only see pluses to it.
I've been trying to get events out there more and more. I try to stream FSO if the mission permits, Nefarious streams the Blitz Week from bomber perspective to the AH Events FB page. I've been able to work with HT and get some event exposure onto the main website page. The problem with streaming is it really just isn't a very stream friendly game, especially events. Too slow paced for 5-10 minutes of total action.
Myself and a few from my squad also have made some new game videos (something that I think definitely dried up for a while) and I see guys like DLO and Trev make them also, which is good.
I think the biggest thing is general exposure. It's also difficult to match the mob funded games like Warthunder, IL2, Wargaming games in terms of advertising. It would be awesome if one of the big YouTubers would spend a week creating some game content for AH or stream it for a week. At this point that would sadly cost money as most won't do it without getting paid to.
Agree with the above posts though - it's a niche game inside of a niche market which is seeing a decline in interest all around. Sure there are WWII releated games like War Thunder, World of Tanks, World of Warships...but people aren't really playing those for the WWII factor.
I agree the game needs a LOT more exposure. Social media is the "in thing" and where MOST gamers get their first taste of info on a game. Hitech had a girl doing it for what a few weeks? I wish we knew what happened there. There needs to be more "real time" info available on the media channels. The channel I had going for a few months was picking up steam, it just needed other players to pick up posting on it has I'm not on 24/7.
New videos are great too as long as they are shared across media accounts. We dont need a bunch of kill shot videos, but an intense fight sequence. 5 or 6 turns to get into position and then the kill. No picking, no vulching, but real fights to show the "action" that they could have too.
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High fidelity WWII combat flight sims are a niche within a niche. Still, IL2 can grab several million sales per release. And will again here soon at end of summer.
I think your point you've made elsewhere is critical about IL2 though. Number of copies sold vs number of people playing it online PVP, very tiny percentage plays it online. I think that's a major factor.
Wiley.
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Yup and I'll bet you the majority of those new players try the game, get hammered for a couple hours and say to themselves "screw this! Im never going to be any good in 2 weeks!" and poof they are gone. If they KNOW that it wont cost them anything maybe they would stay longer, long enough to learn a few things. And even if they dont, it may bump the numbers enough to entice other players to play more often and get those more interested to sign up. Giving away a few planes/GVs in the main arena isnt going to hurt anything and shouldnt cost anything more than the time it takes to set it up. I only see pluses to it.
hitech himself has said that the majority try it for 15 min. dont think they get hammered that much in that short period of time.
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I think your point you've made elsewhere is critical about IL2 though. Number of copies sold vs number of people playing it online PVP, very tiny percentage plays it online. I think that's a major factor.
As I pointed out, it is not primarily an online game. However, the point I'm making in this thread is, there are people interested high fidelity flight model WWII combat games.
So yes, there are other factors blocking them such as online PVP, subscription model, graphics, 3-sided non-historicity, etc.
But being high fidelity WWII air combat isn't the problem, for those millions buying IL2.
I just wanted to clarify that so we understood where the friction lies.
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hitech himself has said that the majority try it for 15 min. dont think they get hammered that much in that short period of time.
How many times have you seen a new guy up under a capped field? You can get hammered a lot in 15 minutes, but it isnt just dying a hundred times in 15 minutes it these guys admitting to themselves that 2 weeks isnt nearly enough time to get to fly and land a plane let alone get a kill or even survive more than a pass or two.
Can you think of a down side to having a few free planes and gvs in the main arena?
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Having seen the bit about youtube.. Big tubers feature it once or twice then move on, pretty sure its because there's no money in it.. I dont know how they (youtubers) do it. I need £750 (near as makes no different $1000) per month just to survive, and youtube for all the years I've used it, only £5 in adrev, that's 25p a year.. can't pay the bills on that. When I found my films were even used on webpages to promote the game, I didn't see a penny to give me incentive..
There isn't enough people willing to invest in an AH youtuber or Streamer, even if one of us here wanted to do it full time for AH.
Channels take time to build, especially with YouTube's algorithms and little to no investment. Plus finding someone with the energy after working all week to also have high talent at flying, filming and the charisma to build an AH youtube/stream following quickly is almost impossible. Youtubing and streaming it appears will just remain a little side hobby to our AcesHigh hobby.
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Yeah, I've tried to do Twitch before but the free video maker programs I've tried never seem to be able to get twitch to work. I've been that close. But a white screen blocked the twitch feed. Not sure what happened to Ciaphas, but him and I were trying to get me set up and it just wouldn't work. Every time I try it, it doesnt work for me. Id love to have a channel were people could watch how I fight. I feel it would help players a lot.
Maybe one of these days....
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How many times have you seen a new guy up under a capped field? You can get hammered a lot in 15 minutes, but it isnt just dying a hundred times in 15 minutes it these guys admitting to themselves that 2 weeks isnt nearly enough time to get to fly and land a plane let alone get a kill or even survive more than a pass or two.
Can you think of a down side to having a few free planes and gvs in the main arena?
paying subscribers switching to free planes.
semp
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paying subscribers switching to free planes.
semp
Your not going to giving the best planes away for free. I doubt very many players would cancel their subs to fly mid-range plane and a very limited set at that. They have the chance to fly them now and they dont so I dont see that becoming a problem. So its not a down side.
So I ask again, can you think of a down side?
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Your not going to giving the best planes away for free. I doubt very many players would cancel their subs to fly mid-range plane and a very limited set at that. They have the chance to fly them now and they dont so I dont see that becoming a problem. So its not a down side.
So I ask again, can you think of a down side?
if you see an increase in let's say early and midwar with players in free accounts. why not switch from paying accounts to free accounts.
another would be as you stated earlier people get hammered with all planes available during two week trial. what makes you think they wont be hammered in early or midwar planes?
I understand where you are coming from but that is not a solution. a while ago was also stated to give new players 1 or 2 months free trial. but it all comes down to they wont stick around for more than 15 minutes.
semp
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if you see an increase in let's say early and midwar with players in free accounts. why not switch from paying accounts to free accounts.
another would be as you stated earlier people get hammered with all planes available during two week trial. what makes you think they wont be hammered in early or midwar planes?
I understand where you are coming from but that is not a solution. a while ago was also stated to give new players 1 or 2 months free trial. but it all comes down to they wont stick around for more than 15 minutes.
semp
The 15 minutes part was that their joystick or mouse isn't set up and they have no clue how to take off when they were on the runway. They dont want to actually learn anything so they quit. I see a training tab now on the main screen. Hopefully that has helped a bit.
A free 109f and spit5 would do wonders for bringing people back into the game who haven't played in years but don't have a free week trial.
It would be a great promo for euro players.
They would subscribe eventually if they stuck around. It is very challenging flying 109fs and spit5s all of the time. This is a great teaser because they get a few kills, but wont be able to dominate. Look at all of these "free games" that sucker people in but end up making a killing. People buy eventually if they are interested enough. We have got to keep people in the game. Bigger fights create more interest. Its a chain reaction.
It would definitely be an investment with risks for Hitech. I think it would pay off in the long run. (Jmo, may or may not be true. )
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Do any of yall even fly anymore?
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Yeah, I've tried to do Twitch before but the free video maker programs I've tried never seem to be able to get twitch to work. I've been that close. But a white screen blocked the twitch feed. Not sure what happened to Ciaphas, but him and I were trying to get me set up and it just wouldn't work. Every time I try it, it doesnt work for me. Id love to have a channel were people could watch how I fight. I feel it would help players a lot.
Maybe one of these days....
I can help you get set up on twitch. It isn't bad with OBS.
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The 15 minutes part was that their joystick or mouse isn't set up and they have no clue how to take off when they were on the runway. They dont want to actually learn anything so they quit. I see a training tab now on the main screen. Hopefully that has helped a bit.
A free 109f and spit5 would do wonders for bringing people back into the game who haven't played in years but don't have a free week trial.
It would be a great promo for euro players.
They would subscribe eventually if they stuck around. It is very challenging flying 109fs and spit5s all of the time. This is a great teaser because they get a few kills, but wont be able to dominate. Look at all of these "free games" that sucker people in but end up making a killing. People buy eventually if they are interested enough. We have got to keep people in the game. Bigger fights create more interest. Its a chain reaction.
It would definitely be an investment with risks for Hitech. I think it would pay off in the long run. (Jmo, may or may not be true. )
so they dont have a joystick or mouse set up. so as you suggested a training way to set up joystick or mouse would be better rather than give up free rides.
semp
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All for the free 109f
How do I sign up?
Eagler
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I will take a free P38J. Heck... give me any free bird and I will probably take it. I don't fly that much any more. If I can do it for free.... why not.
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Do any of yall even fly anymore?
13 year veteran of the game. Only on AK squad night and FSO when RL let's me.
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Do any of yall even fly anymore?
Clear my financial difficulties and I'm back in a flash
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From the perspective of a 13 year veteran of the game and almost 2 years on the CM staff, I can easily point a way with a few suggestions.
1) Social Media
A) Players who are positive natured being in public spotlight
B) Players who can effectively communicate verbally to people with no sim knowledge and flight knowledge
C) Players who have software knowledge and experience to create websites, video and special effects
D) Players who have the time to do any part of above mentioned
E) Players who can work together to achieve above mentioned.
2) Recruiting of famous pilots
A) Film and TV actors
B) NASA astronauts
C) Chimpanzees from Project X :devil Sorry, couldn't resist.
3) Any Aces High player winning the lotto and has some spending money to spare.
I'll add some more thought on this at a later time.
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so they dont have a joystick or mouse set up. so as you suggested a training way to set up joystick or mouse would be better rather than give up free rides.
semp
I think both are great. Like I said, think about all of the "free games" making a killing off sales because they know people will spend money once they get sucked in. Those players make up for the guys who only play for free and never buy anything. The free player guys keep the #s up which helps populate the arenas.
Or tiered pricing. So you could do like $5 for 3 hours, $10 for 6 hours, and $15 for unlimited. I think that would help a lot of players who have trouble affording $15. Then they could ease their way into $15 for unlimited.
All I am saying is that some people need more time or options to learn the game before they become fully invested.
More players on the map means more fights which means more action which means more older players coming back.
I played on Tuesday and #s were 140. I was quite surprised given thats a pretty high avg # for week nights. I think the smaller map was very beneficial in keeping players logged in. There were great fights for the knights on both sides.
I do see a lot of times 2 teams ganging one side. That is why i think once you get over 200 players, there will be big fights on all for everyone.
I can help you get set up on twitch. It isn't bad with OBS.
We will have to get together one Friday night, or sat/sun afternoon to try to get it going. :aok
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I honestly don't know what it would take to get me into the Melee Arena on a regular basis.
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I guess I just find it hard to picture anyone that can't afford 15 a month. I could do that easily since 12 or 14 years old.
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I honestly don't know what it would take to get me into the Melee Arena on a regular basis.
A Bayonet point? :devil
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From the perspective of a 13 year veteran of the game and almost 2 years on the CM staff, I can easily point a way with a few suggestions.
1) Social Media
A) Players who are positive natured being in public spotlight
B) Players who can effectively communicate verbally to people with no sim knowledge and flight knowledge
C) Players who have software knowledge and experience to create websites, video and special effects
D) Players who have the time to do any part of above mentioned
E) Players who can work together to achieve above mentioned.
2) Recruiting of famous pilots
A) Film and TV actors
B) NASA astronauts
C) Chimpanzees from Project X :devil Sorry, couldn't resist.
3) Any Aces High player winning the lotto and has some spending money to spare.
I'll add some more thought on this at a later time.
4. Make a deal with the Commemorative Air Force to use their name and market to all their members.
HiTech
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4. Make a deal with the Commemorative Air Force to use their name and market to all their members.
HiTech
:aok
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4. Make a deal with the Commemorative Air Force to use their name and market to all their members.
That is very clever!
Wonder if you could do the same thing with the EAA?
- oldman
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4. Make a deal with the Commemorative Air Force to use their name and market to all their members.
HiTech
Is that an official endorsement from you for Aces High players to work with organizations in partnership to advertise the game?
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Is that an official endorsement from you for Aces High players to work with organizations in partnership to advertise the game?
I think Hitachi implied he made a deal with CAF.
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hitech mentioned this before if I remember correctly, or maybe somebody else suggested it.
semp
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Some planes were skinned to match CAF planes for their group to use.
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The ideal people to help improve game play is the squad leaders. Set a code of conduct for your squad that is beneficial to the game. Riftval was running big bomber missions Friday nights for a while. Organize something like that.
Here is a crazy idea. A couple of squads on opposing teams agree to meet on the field of battle. Get a good furball going and others will join.
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These are all really great posts, thanks for the ideas here. Hopefully some of them stick, perhaps we should make some requests in the wishlist forum?!
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I saw somebody mention earlier about free to play 109F and Spit5. Why those planes and not all the 40 eny planes for example?
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I saw somebody mention earlier about free to play 109F and Spit5. Why those planes and not all the 40 eny planes for example?
The point is to wet their whistle so to speak. Give them a few free planes in the MA so they have no pressure. If you give them to many options it defeats the purpose to getting them to transition to a subscription.
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A Bayonet point? :devil
I haven't been at place in the MA since mid-2000's. That's when I realized the most fun in game was in the Special Events Arena.
Occasionally, If I get killed early enough in FSO, I will head over to the MA and fly for a while.
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Letting new players start off with the ability to have enough perks to see why it’s worth earning them might help. If a new player comes in and sees why a Panther and Tiger are perked, they might figure it out before they get frustrated.
The above may not work well with perk planes because of vulchers and not knowing how to fly yet, but GV’n Imo it would help.
I like the intros HT did that are on auto play when you first download AH3 and start up the game, those were helpful to me as a returning player.
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Having not played for about 10 years and just recently back in the arenas my perspective is a bit different than it was when I was completely addicted to AH.
Joining an arena with even just 100 players all flying vintage warbirds and being able to choose my plane, airfield and flying style for a couple of hours of PvP dogfighting is such an amazing thing. A persistent WW2 aerial experience with absolute sandbox freedom.
When we do something in excess it is easy to forget what we have.
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4. Make a deal with the Commemorative Air Force to use their name and market to all their members.
Awesome! :rock
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Joining an arena with even just 100 players all flying vintage warbirds and being able to choose my plane, airfield and flying style for a couple of hours of PvP dogfighting is such an amazing thing. A persistent WW2 aerial experience with absolute sandbox freedom.
When we do something in excess it is easy to forget what we have.
Most of us remember, but you have identified a real danger. Good to have you back, dude.
- oldman
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Having gone away and come back, my advice is to ease the rules and bring bases closer together. The first time I logged on after being out of the game for several years, I was unable to fly a lot of the planes because the ENY kicked in. I know what ENY is, but if I didn't and was logging in for the first time, I'd be puzzled, frustrated and looking to leave since I was being forced to fly F4F-3s and Hurricane Is against La7s and P-51Ds. Quite frankly, I think AH has too many arcane rules intended to force folks to fight how the developers want them to fight. The games that are successful these days have simple, easy-to-understand rules and trust communities to figure out the most enjoyable gameplay.
I've always said AH needs to think more about folks looking to hop in a plane or tank, get into a fight and rinse and repeat. The game setup now requires fairly long flights or drives to get into a fight (particularly when other online games let you engage folks in under a minute), and most newbies are going to skim the surface to be able to engage someone relatively quickly. In AH, they then they get bounced by a vet who is willing to take the time to climb to altitude, so after flying for four or five minutes with no action to speak of, they are back in the tower and wondering why they'd want to do that again. Everyone enjoys a good furball, so encourage them and set it up so people can easily hop in a plane and find a fight. It keeps people hooked and doesn't prevent folks who want to start their flight further out from doing so. Eventually the newbies will learn and appreciate being older and wiser, but the AH learning curve is high and it isn't any fun to spend weeks getting shot down before you can engage. The game needs to be set up with the new user in mind, not the old (and increasingly scarce) pro who objects to quick and exciting fun.
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what rules do you speak of? other than eny, there's no rules that I know of.
semp
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Having gone away and come back, my advice is to ease the rules and bring bases closer together. The first time I logged on after being out of the game for several years, I was unable to fly a lot of the planes because the ENY kicked in. I know what ENY is, but if I didn't and was logging in for the first time, I'd be puzzled, frustrated and looking to leave since I was being forced to fly F4F-3s and Hurricane Is against La7s and P-51Ds. Quite frankly, I think AH has too many arcane rules intended to force folks to fight how the developers want them to fight. The games that are successful these days have simple, easy-to-understand rules and trust communities to figure out the most enjoyable gameplay.
I've always said AH needs to think more about folks looking to hop in a plane or tank, get into a fight and rinse and repeat. The game setup now requires fairly long flights or drives to get into a fight (particularly when other online games let you engage folks in under a minute), and most newbies are going to skim the surface to be able to engage someone relatively quickly. In AH, they then they get bounced by a vet who is willing to take the time to climb to altitude, so after flying for four or five minutes with no action to speak of, they are back in the tower and wondering why they'd want to do that again. Everyone enjoys a good furball, so encourage them and set it up so people can easily hop in a plane and find a fight. It keeps people hooked and doesn't prevent folks who want to start their flight further out from doing so. Eventually the newbies will learn and appreciate being older and wiser, but the AH learning curve is high and it isn't any fun to spend weeks getting shot down before you can engage. The game needs to be set up with the new user in mind, not the old (and increasingly scarce) pro who objects to quick and exciting fun.
I think even shorter base distances would be great for new players. They see a huge map and dont know where to go. Then they take off and realize how far the bases are. Some of the newer maps have closer bases and you can see higher #s in those arenas on average. I know that they aren't going to have that much fun flying a sector to a base only to die quickly. Make it half a sector and dying doesn't seem so strenuous. That is why players stick around in these first person shooters. You can die quickly but get put back in the fight. Combat challenge does this. I recommend flying in that this Friday night. I know its gotta be hard for new player because they spend a lot of time flying to a base only to die quickly. Its very hard to learn ACM in the MA because you don't get that much time to fight before 5 guys in yak3s jump you. You spend more time flying Microsoft flight sim than anything else. That being said, new players shouldn't be scared to ask questions and ask people how to be better.
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Having gone away and come back, my advice is to ease the rules and bring bases closer together.
This. I've never heard the reason why MA maps must have their bases separated by a minimum distance. The AvA mapmakers of yore weren't bound by that rule (which is one of the reasons why those maps couldn't convert to MA), and things worked just fine. Better, in fact.
- oldman
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This. I've never heard the reason why MA maps must have their bases separated by a minimum distance. The AvA mapmakers of yore weren't bound by that rule (which is one of the reasons why those maps couldn't convert to MA), and things worked just fine. Better, in fact.
- oldman
Just MA terrains
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I think even shorter base distances would be great for new players. They see a huge map and dont know where to go. Then they take off and realize how far the bases are. Some of the newer maps have closer bases and you can see higher #s in those arenas on average. I know that they aren't going to have that much fun flying a sector to a base only to die quickly. Make it half a sector and dying doesn't seem so strenuous. That is why players stick around in these first person shooters. You can die quickly but get put back in the fight. Combat challenge does this. I recommend flying in that this Friday night. I know its gotta be hard for new player because they spend a lot of time flying to a base only to die quickly. Its very hard to learn ACM in the MA because you don't get that much time to fight before 5 guys in yak3s jump you. You spend more time flying Microsoft flight sim than anything else. That being said, new players shouldn't be scared to ask questions and ask people how to be better.
To put my last post into perspective.
I was ranked #5 last tour in fighters with 12 kills/hrs. Not trying to brag. I'm saying, 12 kills per hour.. think about that. Only 5 players got more kills in a typical hour of gameplay than me. Most games you get that many kills in a single session.
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Having gone away and come back, my advice is to ease the rules and bring bases closer together. The first time I logged on after being out of the game for several years, I was unable to fly a lot of the planes because the ENY kicked in. I know what ENY is, but if I didn't and was logging in for the first time, I'd be puzzled, frustrated and looking to leave since I was being forced to fly F4F-3s and Hurricane Is against La7s and P-51Ds. Quite frankly, I think AH has too many arcane rules intended to force folks to fight how the developers want them to fight. The games that are successful these days have simple, easy-to-understand rules and trust communities to figure out the most enjoyable gameplay.
I've always said AH needs to think more about folks looking to hop in a plane or tank, get into a fight and rinse and repeat. The game setup now requires fairly long flights or drives to get into a fight (particularly when other online games let you engage folks in under a minute), and most newbies are going to skim the surface to be able to engage someone relatively quickly. In AH, they then they get bounced by a vet who is willing to take the time to climb to altitude, so after flying for four or five minutes with no action to speak of, they are back in the tower and wondering why they'd want to do that again. Everyone enjoys a good furball, so encourage them and set it up so people can easily hop in a plane and find a fight. It keeps people hooked and doesn't prevent folks who want to start their flight further out from doing so. Eventually the newbies will learn and appreciate being older and wiser, but the AH learning curve is high and it isn't any fun to spend weeks getting shot down before you can engage. The game needs to be set up with the new user in mind, not the old (and increasingly scarce) pro who objects to quick and exciting fun.
I think even shorter base distances would be great for new players. They see a huge map and dont know where to go. Then they take off and realize how far the bases are. Some of the newer maps have closer bases and you can see higher #s in those arenas on average. I know that they aren't going to have that much fun flying a sector to a base only to die quickly. Make it half a sector and dying doesn't seem so strenuous. That is why players stick around in these first person shooters. You can die quickly but get put back in the fight. Combat challenge does this. I recommend flying in that this Friday night. I know its gotta be hard for new player because they spend a lot of time flying to a base only to die quickly. Its very hard to learn ACM in the MA because you don't get that much time to fight before 5 guys in yak3s jump you. You spend more time flying Microsoft flight sim than anything else. That being said, new players shouldn't be scared to ask questions and ask people how to be better.
In both of these post your basing the game off of a "furball" mentality. The majority of players in the game today are more into grabbing bases than fighting. This is why we see so many players run to ack, hide in base guns, or run supplies rather than fighting.
Closer bases will build more fights, but is that what new players want to do? Seeing as most new players couldn't get a kill if a guy augered near them I dont think its what they are after. The game needs direction. People running missions or the game running missions. As the missions collide fights happen. If players have a "purpose" I think they will be more likely to play.
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what rules do you speak of? other than eny, there's no rules that I know of.
semp
I don't know if it's a written or unwritten rule, but the silly insistence that bases be separated by a sector or so is probably the biggest game killer I've seen, and that's been in place for at least 10 years now. I hate to be one of those "Back in my day ..." guys, but Tank Town was a fine example of when AH worked well. There would be dozens, if not hundreds of folks spawning in tanks at spawn points in kissing distance, killing folks, getting killed and having a blast. I lost many hours of sleep because I'd be enjoying myself so much and then I'd look at the clock and wonder how the hell it became 1 a.m. Back then, one of the rules limited arenas to 200 folks (another rule designed to drive folks away, because God forbid arenas should be filled and easy to find a fight), if I remember correctly, and it seemed like the Tank Town map always kept the arena filled and you had to log in early to get a spot or be stuck out in the cold. Somehow, someone decided letting folks have fun spawning a lot and killing one another and having fun wasn't what Aces High should be about and Tank Town went away. Then it became you had to drive a tank 10 or 15 minutes to find a fight and hope someone wasn't waiting to ambush you somewhere along the line. I've had more fun stuck in traffic on the Garden State Parkway at rush hour then playing along in that AH environment, since I could at least flip the bird to the guy who cut me off. Those are the rules I am talking about. I thought it highly ironic that the first time I logged in after six or seven years I got caught up in ENY when there were only about 80 folks or so total in the arena and you could swing a dead cat in most areas of the arena I was in and not hit anyone. Remember, I hadn't chosen my country, the AH server dumped me in as a Knight, which already had an overwhelming majority. Not sure why that happens if we are so concerned about balancing sides. Someone please explain to me how that silly ENY rule is helping make playing AH more fun or drawing folks to the game? Again, it's a rule that has seen numbers decrease, not increase, since implemented, which is the true measure of its effectiveness.
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Well I for one and many of my LCA Squadies appreciate the strategy aspect of this game. I would hate to loose that aspect of the game by adopting some of the instant action options described above.
<S> OldDoom :airplane:
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In both of these post your basing the game off of a "furball" mentality. The majority of players in the game today are more into grabbing bases than fighting. This is why we see so many players run to ack, hide in base guns, or run supplies rather than fighting.
Closer bases will build more fights, but is that what new players want to do? Seeing as most new players couldn't get a kill if a guy augered near them I dont think its what they are after. The game needs direction. People running missions or the game running missions. As the missions collide fights happen. If players have a "purpose" I think they will be more likely to play.
It might not be what the shrinking group of players now in AH might want, but that's because the folks who did want it voted with their feet and left. Take a look at furball factories like "War Thunder," which are never lacking for players. Many of those folks who are looking for more of a challenge would likely embrace a more realistic sim like AH, as long as realism came with the opportunity for adrenaline and excitement. I don't think we need more top-down management of arenas. Numbers started dropping as soon as that direction became the way AH decided to go. Direction is an organic extension of having folks playing the game - more folks playing the game create more squads who seek and create for themselves more organization. Successful games realize this and offer a buffet of options - folks can jump in immediately to fights and will likely kill one or two people before getting knocked off. More experienced players come to realize this and - and this is the important part - choose on their own to put in more time travelling to the fight to get an advantage. They are not forced to do so. I've never understood how somehow denying new folks the opportunity to furball somehow deprives wiser folks from choosing not to furball and gain an advantage. I say better to let people make their own choices than to decide you know what's best for them. But I might not be right. I left AH six or seven years ago when, while we no longer had to worry about limiting arenas to 200 folks, we'd still get close to 200 on a hopping Sunday night. I'm not sure what the numbers are now, but I don't think arena caps are a big concern now. That tells me imposing more rules, or enforcing draconian old ones, isn't the way to build interest.
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Well I for one and many of my LCA Squadies appreciate the strategy aspect of this game. I would hate to loose that aspect of the game by adopting some of the instant action options described above.
<S> OldDoom :airplane:
Let me ask, how does giving players the option to jump on and quickly fight deny you and your squad the ability to enjoy the strategy aspect? I've seriously never understood how one cancels out the other. I might be missing something, so I'd love to learn. I belong to a bomber squad, we start missions way back in our territory, climb to altitude and swat down anyone trying to climb up to us. We could fly over a 2-3k furball and never be bothered on our way to doing what we want to do. When we want to capture a base, we mount a strong, coordinated attack and shut it down, knock out the town and bring in the troops. It's somehow more fun if the arena is crowded and folks somewhere can hop in a plane and fly over to try to stop us. Without that, it's just a matter of killing some AI ack and destroying some defenseless buildings. Not a lot of challenge or fun in that. Just because folks are given the chance to fly short hops to engage in a fight doesn't mean everyone has to do it. It means that it's there if people do want to do it. More importantly, though, it means people are there to choose to do it, More people means more fun for players and more security for developers.
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If you are in it for the fight..... who cares how many kills. I would rather have three long fights in an hour than 15 kills.
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Are new maps being created these days by anyone for MA?
Smaller maps, harder to capture bases - whatever that takes would help.
If we keep these bigger maps the numbers need to be increased with AI driven offensive and defensive, aerial and ground actions to provide something to shoot at without having to fly around for 15 minutes first.
<S>
Eagler
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Are new maps being created these days by anyone for MA?
Smaller maps, harder to capture bases - whatever that takes would help.
If we keep these bigger maps the numbers need to be increased with AI driven offensive and defensive, aerial and ground actions to provide something to shoot at without having to fly around for 15 minutes first.
I made a new map designed for small numbers, "NORTHCO". It has three isolated center bases for furballing that should be very difficult to capture and a remote "tank town" separated from bomb****s. I didn't include fleets so that there would be less sneaking and more head-to-head fights, but some players were very unhappy about that. The map only lasted for 1 hour the first time it was played, and about 6 hours the second time. I didn't count on two sides attacking the least populated side and ignoring each other -- what was I thinking? :D
I am in the process of making another small-numbers map and will try to avoid the same mistakes (but probably find new ones).
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Thanks popeye!
Is the othermap still in rotation?
Eagler
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As far as I know, it is still in rotation. You can download it for "Offline Practice".
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Are new maps being created these days by anyone for MA?
Smaller maps, harder to capture bases - whatever that takes would help.
If we keep these bigger maps the numbers need to be increased with AI driven offensive and defensive, aerial and ground actions to provide something to shoot at without having to fly around for 15 minutes first.
<S>
Eagler
The newest small map lasted a very short time. I never saw it but I did see folks post about it.
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IMO, maps being turned quickly isnt a bad thing. Maps that stay up for 3-5 days are the ones that are too big. Players like me typically get bored playing on the same map for a week. With maps that turn quickly, it allows the players currently in the game to have a chance to win a map. Team coordination is much more meaningful.
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IMO, maps being turned quickly isnt a bad thing. Maps that stay up for 3-5 days are the ones that are too big. Players like me typically get bored playing on the same map for a week. With maps that turn quickly, it allows the players currently in the game to have a chance to win a map. Team coordination is much more meaningful.
Maps bore you but the fight is the fight. Look for the fight. Use the FORCE.... :D
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Maps bore you but the fight is the fight. Look for the fight. Use the FORCE.... :D
One would have to look at his or her definition of a "fight".
I look for fights, most of the time I fly a plane that really can't run from a fight, especially from a single engine fighter.
Today, the first time I upped, I got swarmed under by "fighters" on the country that outnumbered both the other sides combined by 50%.
Sure, I could have upped from a base farther back, would have made no difference as at some point "quantity takes on a quality of it's own".
Later on, I saw a single fighter hitting a town, upped a fighter, even flew directly under him to see if he would fight........nope, he "extended" toward his base, and safety.
Saw a bomber approaching a base, took off late, tried to get to his alt...........he ran for home as soon as I got near co alt.
HiTech "could" implement some rules to further encourage players to balance the side, but inevitable there would be those who would threaten to quit............it's a Catch-22 situation I think for him, and ultimately, we, the player base.
I know times change, and while I look back on yesteryear and the fights that took place in the arenas, I've had to admit over the past few months of flying in the arena that those times are gone forever. The players dictate how gameplay progresses, HT can only do so much. I have to admit that the style of gameplay I see now isn't what I want to see in a game, or be involved in.
"The future of the game: let's help write it"..........that starts with policing our own in game behaviors, asking ourselves if said behaviors and tendencies are welcoming to new players.
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I've had to admit over the past few months of flying in the arena that those times are gone forever.
I'm not sure behavior has changed all that much. Maybe the results of the behavior has.
I think a big driver is the lack of density given map sizes vs player numbers.
In the prime golden years, there were so many players and so much density that someone trying to run simply ran into someone else and got cut off.
It takes a certain amount of empty space to run successfully.
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Trips is right with regard to the space thing. In large furballs it was very difficult to run since there were always multi-layered cons constantly arriving and leaving.
Ultimately, players won't change the way they play.
Basically in order to find a half decent fight these days you have to fly a lesser plane to entice people to attack you. Then, if you are decent enough and get an advantage the players will just run away because they have a superior aircraft.
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Trips is right with regard to the space thing. In large furballs it was very difficult to run since there were always multi-layered cons constantly arriving and leaving.
Ultimately, players won't change the way they play.
Basically in order to find a half decent fight these days you have to fly a lesser plane to entice people to attack you. Then, if you are decent enough and get an advantage the players will just run away because they have a superior aircraft.
Yup. And that is precisely why defensive maneuvers to create a counter punch shot is one of the most important things to learn in AH. Unfortunately 98% of the people in the MA don't know what defensive maneuvers are.
One of my biggest issues is that people in uber planes must gang at all cost. I dont know how to solve that issue. Its tough to fly a sector only to get jumped by 3 yak3s and a la7 that can just about catch any plane. Its very tough for players to learn how to not get caught up in that situation. I feel with shoter base distances, your friendlies who died can get back to the fight more quickly which can block the gang. With far bases, your friendlies get killed and you are stuck with the gang. If your friendlies re-roll, they won't get back to you in time. The further the bases, means you have to roll at roughly the same time as your Friendly's or the fights become lopsided which allows the other team to begin hoarding the base. I realize that shutting down the base is necessary to take a base in most cases, but further bases makes it strenuous to want to defend that field from a back field or roll to stop them in time from taking it.
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One would have to look at his or her definition of a "fight".
I look for fights, most of the time I fly a plane that really can't run from a fight, especially from a single engine fighter.
Today, the first time I upped, I got swarmed under by "fighters" on the country that outnumbered both the other sides combined by 50%.
Sure, I could have upped from a base farther back, would have made no difference as at some point "quantity takes on a quality of it's own".
Later on, I saw a single fighter hitting a town, upped a fighter, even flew directly under him to see if he would fight........nope, he "extended" toward his base, and safety.
Saw a bomber approaching a base, took off late, tried to get to his alt...........he ran for home as soon as I got near co alt.
HiTech "could" implement some rules to further encourage players to balance the side, but inevitable there would be those who would threaten to quit............it's a Catch-22 situation I think for him, and ultimately, we, the player base.
I know times change, and while I look back on yesteryear and the fights that took place in the arenas, I've had to admit over the past few months of flying in the arena that those times are gone forever. The players dictate how gameplay progresses, HT can only do so much. I have to admit that the style of gameplay I see now isn't what I want to see in a game, or be involved in.
"The future of the game: let's help write it"..........that starts with policing our own in game behaviors, asking ourselves if said behaviors and tendencies are welcoming to new players.
I have seen the same.
There are folks on this board who have all the answers but not all the information. :aok
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It is great to know some ACM ninja moves for when things get on top of you. But learning those moves should not remove the need for the very basics of virtual dogfighting such as not allowing yourself to get into such a position of disadvantage in the first place. Not unless you want to that is.
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I made a new map designed for small numbers, "NORTHCO". It has three isolated center bases for furballing that should be very difficult to capture and a remote "tank town" separated from bomb****s. I didn't include fleets so that there would be less sneaking and more head-to-head fights, but some players were very unhappy about that. The map only lasted for 1 hour the first time it was played, and about 6 hours the second time. I didn't count on two sides attacking the least populated side and ignoring each other -- what was I thinking? :D
I saw that new map. It’s a great map! However, I saw players pointing out bugs; field guns not working was definitely one issue, I don’t recall at the moment but there were a couple more. HT checked in when that map was up and the issues were brought to his attention. I don’t know of course if he’s working with you to fix it, but I hope to see that map again! :aok
:airplane:
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One of my biggest issues is that people in uber planes must gang at all cost. I dont know how to solve that issue.
I am still a fan of "Rollin Plane Sets"............. get players out of the Uber stuff for a few weeks.
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IMO the games biggest enemy is ht itself,you would think they know their current game model isnt working and its been my experience they wont listen to anything the players have to say so it seems their approach is wait for magic dust to fix the current player levels which is the main reason i left. :bhead I would hope they do something before the game totally goes away because I would love to see 600 players again in two arenas.
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IMO the games biggest enemy is ht itself,you would think they know their current game model isnt working and its been my experience they wont listen to anything the players have to say so it seems their approach is wait for magic dust to fix the current player levels which is the main reason i left. :bhead I would hope they do something before the game totally goes away because I would love to see 600 players again in two arenas.
Wow... i thought you had been here before but evidently not long. HT communicates with folks fairly often. He also picks up on ideas when they are good.
Many other things are items that have been talked about over and over and some he gave reasons for not using.
You would have to be here awhile to know that though.
Other things like adding planes.... who knows.
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razorback, hitech always listens to those that show respect in his house.
semp
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IMO the games biggest enemy is ht itself,you would think they know their current game model isnt working and its been my experience they wont listen to anything the players have to say so it seems their approach is wait for magic dust to fix the current player levels which is the main reason i left. :bhead I would hope they do something before the game totally goes away because I would love to see 600 players again in two arenas.
I dont think HT doesnt listen, I just think he is stuck in his ways.
Customer service they are great. They work very hard to make things right, however, when it comes to the game I think he get stuck between "its worked this way for 20 years", and over thinking an idea to the point that he loses sight of what the idea is.
Things are not as good as they were before, staying the same isnt going to fix that. What the changes are, I dont know, but trying one of two suggestions each month might help. If there are issues, switch it back.
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Huh, I wonder why folks keep forgetting it's a small team running the show on a custom engine. :headscratch:
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Huh, I wonder why folks keep forgetting it's a small team running the show on a custom engine. :headscratch:
Having watched the modding scene for a few years, a small team of one person is capable of great things. :old:
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Having watched the modding scene for a few years, a small team of one person is capable of great things. :old:
Which game are you referring to? I would like to check it out.
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Having watched the modding scene for a few years, a small team of one person is capable of great things. :old:
This is true, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that AH's engine isn't designed to be modified in such ways, or we'd have super heavily modded custom arena's. That and someone would have long modded in a Beufighter and Meteor into a custom arena. :)
I don't know. Maybe it is as easy as IL2's engine? Ultimately only HiTech can comment in regards of what can and cannot be done with AH's engine.
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Decline Stage – Eventually, the market for a product will start to shrink, and this is what’s known as the decline stage. This shrinkage could be due to the market becoming saturated (i.e. all the customers who will buy the product have already purchased it), or because the consumers are switching to a different type of product. While this decline may be inevitable, it may still be possible for companies to make some profit by switching to less-expensive production methods and cheaper markets.
https://productlifecyclestages.com/ (https://productlifecyclestages.com/)
It's important to understand what phase of the product life cycle you are in. It keeps you from wasting resources where they won't help.
Hopefully AH has a long tail. It has a small dedicated market. Perhaps fading, but that could extend a couple of more years.
I think he would be nuts spending any meaningful amount on advertising for new player acquisition. If he could find ways of reengaging past players and luring them back for a bit, that would probably be more productive.
Products almost never make a comeback once they have reached decline phase. The decline might stabilize and remain exploitable for a significant "long tail". No amount of wishing made buggy whips a major profit center for manufacturers again. That doesn't mean you completely stop making buggy whips. There will always be a small population of Amish you can service. But if you want to stay in business, you start retooling your factory to focus on new products. You still have the knowledge and expertise and equipment. You just make upholstery and steering wheel wraps for these new fangled automobile things.
Products almost never make a comeback once they have reached decline phase, but companies can. Apple was on the verge of being liquidated when Jobs came back and turned it around. But he was only was able to do that with brazen innovation and a whole new product line.
If you keep feeding a function the same input parameters, you keep getting the same return value.
[Edit for clarity] If AH has entered it's product life cycle decline phase, that is no failure on HTC's part. it is simply the reality of markets. The only failure would be to refuse to face reality and adjust strategy.
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Which game are you referring to? I would like to check it out.
Take you pick
https://www.nexusmods.com/
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Take you pick
https://www.nexusmods.com/
Which one has just one guy that is the company? The one that you were talking about.
Surprised a guy can just pick a name and people will build him a game.
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Oh I see where you are going with this. :bolt:
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If you are in it for the fight..... who cares how many kills. I would rather have three long fights in an hour than 15 kills.
well again you are ASSuming, he was actually pointing out the LACK of said fights. keep working on that post count bud, youre doing great
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Which one has just one guy that is the company? The one that you were talking about.
Surprised a guy can just pick a name and people will build him a game.
Which game chooses to be a one man service?
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Which game chooses to be a one man service?
Chooses?
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Oh I see where you are going with this. :bolt:
Yes asked for facts.
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Put air spawns in the MA. everyone says smaller maps but why not just put air spawns half way to each air field make them spawn you in at 5k that way those who hate flying 10 mins to find a fight don't have to anymore and those who wanna roll from the base and fly for 10 mins can still do that also. While the realism of this game is cool its also a big down fall because you spend a whole lot of time doing nothing.
I don't feel like tracking the numbers for how much time it takes to get to combat compared to how long the combat last but I know for a fact it would be a massive difference in time traveled to combat compared to time in combat and those numbers need to be closer together and honestly there should be more time in combat than traveling.
I never understood those who always said this game has a bigger learning curve then other games not really it don't its just you spend 95% of your time getting to combat and 5% in combat learning what you did wrong so yes it takes years to get caught up while all the other games you spend about 30% of your time getting there and 70% in combat so you learn them at a much higher pace. This game ain't any harder then the rest you just spend a lot of time doing nothing and that's why there is like no one left game is just too damn time consuming.
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Put air spawns in the MA.
I was a big fan of this idea, not only because you start out higher, but because it would make high-altitude combat more common. For decades (no, really, decades) our fights have been 15k or under, while in WWII they were 25-30k and under - where planes like the P-47 really shine, and the FWs really need the protection of the 109s.
But someone pointed out that putting air spawns on the map soon would be like putting vehicle spawns on the map - and you would have a generation of spawn campers. Regrettably, I think I agree with that.
- oldman
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no quest there would be campers but use the air spawn at the next base over or you still have the option to roll from the base i think the air spawns would be harder to camp then the vehicle spawns.
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Yes lets try air spawns in MA
They seem to enhance game play where I have seen them used
Eagler
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Yes lets try air spawns in MA
They seem to enhance game play where I have seen them used
Eagler
If you gonna do airstarts in AH, then why not do it like this :
(https://i.imgur.com/5SW9r0V.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Aeb0Ake.jpg)
I can imagine the furballs around the flying carriers, and people trying to shoot/bomb it.
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(https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/4a/20/eb/4a20eb669e5fba412d87519971cb40bc.jpg) :old:
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If you gonna do airstarts in AH, then why not do it like this :
(https://i.imgur.com/5SW9r0V.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Aeb0Ake.jpg)
I can imagine the furballs around the flying carriers, and people trying to shoot/bomb it.
Hopefully SDF-1 from Robotech :rock
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Hello! I've been playing the game since I was about 13 or 14, and now I'm 19 playing the game on and off. I've always been a Rook, and have spent the vast majority of my time with the TA's Peacemakers. 800nates, who posted earlier, got me into the squad. Inspired by Latrobe and VuduVince's YouTube videos, I have mainly flown the 109G-14 and G-2. I am telling you all this as some background because I have never posted on the forum before, despite being a part of the game for many years.
I'd like to give my experience with the game as a younger player and give my opinion on what could be done to help the game get some numbers back. After reading most of the forum posts, this is what I have to say.
Though I never got to play the game in its heyday, it never stopped me from enjoying the game. Even though I was young, comradery, realism, teamwork, and sense of self-improvement kept me playing Aces High. I got lucky in finding people who would fly with me, especially as I was young and, I'm sure, annoying. I was first with the VMF-216 Bulldogs flying Corsairs, but that was before I met 800nates and he convinced me to join him in the TA's.
I state this because I am grateful for the people I've met in this game that have supported me throughout my time playing. It has been the support through my squadmates, VuduVince, trainers, and Latrobe that I stuck with the game. Without them, I most likely would've left. I asked stupid questions, made rookie mistakes, and got frustrated, but because of the people who were willing to help out a young newbie, I was able to stay and flourish. The learning curve for me at the time was immense, but I didn't even think about it because I was having fun with my squadmates and doing my best. At my best, I'd be getting about 2 to 3 kills per sortie on a good day. I've done many sorties with the TA's, as well as multiple country operated missions led by ET37, another pilot who I greatly miss in the MA.
This is the teamwork, comradery, realism, teamwork, and sense of self-improvement that I'm talking about when it comes to Aces High. These aspects, as well as the dynamic flight environment, are what truly make it special. I believe this is why people stick around playing the game today.
In terms of the engagement times for the game, I do feel they could be shorter as there are now less people to fill large maps. If the game were full, the large maps wouldn't be an issue, but now that's not the case. I think smaller maps with bases closer together would make for a great challenge in taking bases, and also less time spent doing nothing except gaining altitude. This would allow players in fighters to get into the fight quicker, but one would still have the flexibility to climb out from farther away to gain altitude, whether it is to bomb an enemy field or get an advantage over lower fighters. This also retains the realism and strategy in the MA—if you die, then you still have to fly back. There must be consequence for getting shot down. But, if you just need to support your countrymen in a timely manner, it can be done easily and quickly. This would make taking bases more difficult and provide a great challenge that would still occupy a lower amount of people.
Taking bases is the heart of the MA in my opinion. As it usually requires squads to get together and take action, or on a larger scale, for a player to setup a countrywide mission, teamwork is paramount to being successful. It's then that furballs emerge, where fighters, bombers, and GV's come together to attack and defend a field. I feel the best fights come out of these situations, as there is motivation to stay and either attack or defend a field. Situational awareness must be developed in order to stay alive, but to also support teammates if they are being attacked. People must strike in coordinated waves and adjust to the enemy in order to take a base in the allotted downtime without threat of GV's or fighters preventing troops from entering. Essentially, all the elements of AH come together, including sweet dogfights, when taking bases.
When it comes to simply looking for a fight in the MA, it doesn't seem to work very well, especially with low numbers. Even though it sucks when a player runs away to their ack because they don't want to die instead of fighting, it does make sense. When it's a 1v1 in the air with no and the other person has the choice to run away and either reengage or go home to avoid death, why wouldn't they? I'm not one of those people, but it does make logical sense why some pilots do this, as there is no reason or motivation to stay engaged besides getting a kill or likely dying. One would only want to run away if they are about to die anyways. This is why taking bases must be a huge emphasis in the MA, not just finding a quick dogfight.
If people want a quick dogfight, there are custom arenas, the DA, and even match play. The unfortunate thing is that there simply aren't enough players to saturate anything but the MA in most cases. As a result, new players who aren't accustomed to longer engagement times and such don't get much action, especially if they don't know what they're doing. Because this is the case, we must focus on making the MA more action packed while retaining the spirit of the game.
In addition to smaller maps helping the situation of the MA, I believe there should also be less bases on these given maps as well. This makes it so losing a base would be a much greater loss than simply having a small map with the same density of bases as a large one. Maps that enable the use of GV's, carriers, and potentially bombers, would be hotly contended. They would be the key to invading an enemy's territory even further, or having your territory invaded. If you lose a base that can up bombers, and if there are other airfields that can't, then that would be an extremely important field for a given country in it's war effort. Same goes with GV's and CV's, but that is already implemented.
In essence, there must be more incentive to defend or attack bases. This would require more teamwork, more missions, and result in more action for the small amount of players that are here. Within the scope of smaller maps where fields have more meaning, I believe it would help the entertainment value of the MA greatly.
Something that must still be improved upon is training and integration of new players. I think it must be clear that this game is a flight sim, and so it won't be easy. However, even though the current training videos are great, they simply aren't enough. In my opinion, they are a bit boring, and for the player who just wants to get in and fly, it doesn't cut it. Players want a new and fun experience, so training should be made exciting and fun, as well as necessary.
My idea is to have offline scripted missions with narration before a player can enter the multiplayer arena. Missions could be divided up by fighters, bombers, GV's, and essentials for gameplay like the clipboard. A player would be required to complete a certain amount of missions in training for each category in order to enter the MA. I think of the training games for Call of Duty Warzone, as they force you to complete all the essentials of the game and help you through figuring out controls and strategy in a way that is fun.
Say a player starts the first training mission for a fighter. You're plopped into a plane and the narrator says over radio channel, "Well done reaching your first solo flight! Let me run you through the essentials to flying the plane and understanding the gauges." Stuff like that would continue as you progress through the level, as the narrator would update you on new criteria to complete in order to understand how to fly your plane, set up your plane, look at the map, use E6B, etc. The final levels could be combat situations in which the new player has to use their skills to take off, drop bombs, fight AI, and then land. Once that is done, there could be a quick video or cutscene showing how the player earned their way into the MA and can either continue in the game or request to apply for a squad.
I realize this is very intensive to do, but this would make the game feel like a more polished experience. The new player would be much better equipped to handle the MA through a fun experience that teaches all the essentials to being successful in Aces High.
I saw someone post earlier about finding squads more easy to find and newbie-friendly, which I think is also essential. Once a new player enters the game and makes connections to people who want to help them, include them, find a role, etc., they will feel much more obligated to stay. That's why I stayed in the game—I had people who helped me when I had absolutely no training whatsoever. That's why having squads advertise themselves by giving a bio and rules of what they're about, would help attract new players to start making friends and build comradery. A player can then apply, and after the squad leader talks to the player and/or acknowledges the squad's rules, can be accepted.
I also read earlier about how some vets leave newbies in the dark when they ask questions. Sarcasm and toxicity cannot be tolerated when our game is dying. We must do everything in our power to encourage people to stay, to try, to improve, to make friends, and to have fun.
As a young person, I use Steam for almost all my games, except for special exceptions like Epic Games and Origin. This game must advertise itself to younger players who want a fun, action packed, realistic challenge that is better than War Thunder while offering a more immersive online experience than than IL-2. The game must improve its rating on Steam, as I'm sure it deters new players from trying it. The high subscription fee also deters players, but I realize it's necessary at the moment to keep the game afloat. That can change once player count improves. At the end of the day, this game's image needs to be improved for younger people, but also for older folks who are passionate about gaming or flying sims.
I care about this game very deeply, and I want to see it succeed. I hope my input helps the future of this game—even though I don't play it as much as I used to, there's a reason why I have kept my subscription. I hope my points are considered in making this game better, as I have put in a lot of effort into this post. I thought long and hard about what to do and what contemporary games do for new players. I think all of you have valid ideas and points and I'm glad that we all care enough to do something for the sake of this awesome video game.
-Propilot
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If you gonna do airstarts in AH, then why not do it like this :
(https://i.imgur.com/5SW9r0V.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Aeb0Ake.jpg)
I can imagine the furballs around the flying carriers, and people trying to shoot/bomb it.
I think the double-dirigible would be the best choice. Belief can be suspended for the timeframe. :D Could likely just rework the flying city that spawned the Claws. :devil
Wiley.
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Hello! I've been playing the game since I was about 13 or 14, and now I'm 19 playing the game on and off. I've always been a Rook, and have spent the vast majority of my time with the TA's Peacemakers. 800nates, who posted earlier, got me into the squad. Inspired by Latrobe and VuduVince's YouTube videos, I have mainly flown the 109G-14 and G-2. I am telling you all this as some background because I have never posted on the forum before, despite being a part of the game for many years.
:salute ProPilot.
Thanks for posting. It's good to here the views of young players instead of us old boring farts. ;)
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:salute ProPilot.
Thanks for posting. It's good to here the views of young players instead of us old boring farts. ;)
Are we out of touch?
No... It's the children who are wrong. :devil :bolt:
Yeah it was a good read.
Although the one thing I've found odd lately, I've seen a few mentions on the forum about newbies with questions getting snarled at or ignored. I've never seen that happen, all I've ever seen is usually people answering direct questions and when I've seen a new guy on chat there's usually 2 or 3 guys falling over each other to help them.
Wiley.
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Personally, I haven’t seen it either, but if it has happened, I still wanted to address it I guess. I always had good people to help me in AH.
Also, older users matter just as much as younger ones! They’re the wisest, been in the game the longest, and continue to keep it going. There are plenty more people of all ages that can play AH than there are right now lol
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This is the teamwork, comradery, realism, teamwork, and sense of self-improvement that I'm talking about when it comes to Aces High. These aspects, as well as the dynamic flight environment, are what truly make it special. I believe this is why people stick around playing the game today.
Nice post and, as others have said, good to hear from the younger crowd. The values you've pointed out here tend to transcend age, I think. The game is not likely to be attractive to most people, only to the ones who are willing to stick it out. And the geezers here have no monopoly on that.
- oldman
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Propilot, completely agree with your comments. I think interactive tutorial style missions would be perfect for new players.
I was thinking, what about country based achievements that awarded perks? Drop a troop strat below 5%, here's 5 perks for your country. Capture 6 bases in an hr, here's 10 perks. Your country gets 500 kills in 5 minutes, 10000 perks! :banana: But yeah, awards for milestones on the road to winning the war, instead of just when the war is won.
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I think that's a great idea Rocco! It gives more incentive for players to do things for the effort of their respective country, which would help stir up action and give players more opportunities to save or spend their perks.
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Are perks really that big a deal?
I have never paid attention to them in the 20 years Ive played this game
Can I sell the over 23,000 fighter perks I have?
There you go ... like some kind of S&H green stamps - they can be cashed in for free months of play!
<S>
Eagler
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Oh man, I wish! That would be nice. Yeah, they’re not used all the time, but I think they’re still important. Perhaps some more uses could be created for perks so they’re more relevant in game. Honestly, I haven’t thought about them either.
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Are perks really that big a deal?
I have never paid attention to them in the 20 years Ive played this game
Can I sell the over 23,000 fighter perks I have?
There you go ... like some kind of S&H green stamps - they can be cashed in for free months of play!
<S>
Eagler
Yes, it is almost as if other people may have a different desire than you.
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Are perks really that big a deal?
I have never paid attention to them in the 20 years Ive played this game
Can I sell the over 23,000 fighter perks I have?
There you go ... like some kind of S&H green stamps - they can be cashed in for free months of play!
<S>
Eagler
I have 65000+ and yes some folks use them almost as fast as they can get them. They want to fly the latest and greatest...... at least till boredom takes hold. Then they fly something older and end up with a lot of perks. LOL
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The perk exchange
100,000 perks for 24 hour ENY immunity
250,000 perks for 72 hour ENY immunity
500,000 perks for a trip to the virtual bordello
1,000,000 perks for an autographed picture of HT smoking a cigar and holding a glass of scotch
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The perk exchange
100,000 perks for 24 hour ENY immunity
250,000 perks for 72 hour ENY immunity
500,000 perks for a trip to the virtual bordello
1,000,000 perks for an autographed picture of HT smoking a cigar and holding a glass of scotch
The bordello one made me think of Read Dead Redemption 2. I am working the Bounty Hunter role. I walked into a hotel in Valentine. I was there to capture a bounty. I walked into the wrong room and a gal was on top of this guy..... ummm anyway I quickly shut the door and went about my business. I realized why the game has the rating.
No perks required.
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The bordello one made me think of Read Dead Redemption 2. I am working the Bounty Hunter role. I walked into a hotel in Valentine. I was there to capture a bounty. I walked into the wrong room and a gal was on top of this guy..... ummm anyway I quickly shut the door and went about my business. I realized why the game has the rating.
No perks required.
In the AH version there's sheep (and a shot afterwards .... for the sheep).
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maybe HT could make perk points bit coin ... then we would see some activity of hanger queens.... make money playing a game ... pay to play to get paid..
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maybe HT could make perk points bit coin ... then we would see some activity of hanger queens.... make money playing a game ... pay to play to get paid..
:rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl
WTH are you doing.... you have been on for 24 hours....
I'm mining! :D
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You are simply duplicating the achievement system already in place.
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Which achievement earns a trip to the bordello?
...Asking for a friend.
Actually Rocco's idea is a bit interesting. Having country-based goals reward perks. Details get murky but like he said, things like if you're a nit and your people level their city to a certain level, everybody gets perks. If your side takes some number of bases, everybody gets perks. *Might* encourage teamwork. Might create completely new forms of dweebery.
Wiley.
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If your side takes some number of bases, everybody gets perks.
Fighter, bomber or vehicle? Split it among the three? 3/3/3?
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Whatever is reasonable. Not really worth hashing out what I'd do. Maybe you get to choose. You get 9 to allocate however you like.
Wiley.
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Whatever is reasonable. Not really worth hashing out what I'd do. Maybe you get to choose. You get 9 to allocate however you like.
Yeah, one more code issue. :old:
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I'm so glad that when we agree to something hitech always does the code change. sarcasm
semp
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S&H green stamps. I remember them. :)
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What about a welcome back player thing like WW2 online does. When they roll out something new, or for some reason the come up with, they email all the players who have previously played and offer them 2 weeks free play to get them back in the game.
They also offer free to play with basic items. Maybe some 40 ENY planes would be doable? They could earn perks but they'd have to subscribe to spend them.
What about a squad dedicated to showing new players the ropes? When I new player signs up he's automatically on the roster of this new squad.
Just some ideas to throw out there.
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there was a player yesterday that for a couple of kept complaining about the lack of fights, i had been on for a few hours and since i logged in was fighting here and there and everywhere.
some people just like to complain, he could have been in probably a lot more action than me as we were both in the same country.
semp
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I think a welcome back email would work well in getting some old guys back, especially as they’ll get to see the new stuff that comes to the game
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if i remember correctly a lot of years ago htc sent emails to old players, some reported as spam, more some isps just automatically report as spam.
semp
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there was a player yesterday that for a couple of kept complaining about the lack of fights, i had been on for a few hours and since i logged in was fighting here and there and everywhere.
some people just like to complain, he could have been in probably a lot more action than me as we were both in the same country.
semp
You have to define what "lack of fights" is. To you it seems like a good set of fights is about 1 every 20 minutes or so last tour. To me and maybe many other 1 fight every 5 minutes is more to our liking. Id be happy dieing or landing 10 flights every hour. You are happy with 3. Some people..... and Im thinking MANY more are looking for much more action than what your happy with.
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You have to define what "lack of fights" is. To you it seems like a good set of fights is about 1 every 20 minutes or so last tour. To me and maybe many other 1 fight every 5 minutes is more to our liking. Id be happy dieing or landing 10 flights every hour. You are happy with 3. Some people..... and Im thinking MANY more are looking for much more action than what your happy with.
well let's just define last night. we had a cv close to the port we took it, they sank ours, but we got the port cv, for more than 2 hours there was fights in the air, lots of bombers trying to get our cv, lots of fighters, gv's trying to take the port, so maybe not 5 minutes but less than 10 could get you into a fight. that lasted untill everybody logged off, I was the only one protecting the cv. they took it. but lack of fights was not the issue with this guys, he just wanted to whine and complain. most fights were at less than 6k, we killed lots of them, they killed lots of ours.
so that's how it was.
semp
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right now there's 15 players I keep getting my butt handed back to me, it take about 10 minutes to get into a fight. i upped a tank, 2 tanks chased me, upped a fighter, damn fighter shot me down, I went out of my way to not find a fight and guess what, they came after me. so guess what, there's fights even with 15 players.
semp
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right now there's 15 players I keep getting my butt handed back to me, it take about 10 minutes to get into a fight. i upped a tank, 2 tanks chased me, upped a fighter, damn fighter shot me down, I went out of my way to not find a fight and guess what, they came after me. so guess what, there's fights even with 15 players.
semp
GREAT JOB...in Devastating the "Can't find a fight" argument! Seems as if, since AH went to V.3...folk lost there memories? NOE....SAME AS IN AH2..why dont we see these missions like before? EVERY SINGLE ITEM that matches the same Iteration from AH2 still works :cheers:
Love Ya Brother,
ULcapkid/BW1stpar PS...Sorry about your Pony, last evening :rofl Quit trying to kill my "Wing Woman" (Mindy) :rofl Stall Fighting in Pony's....AWESOME GREAT FUN! I almost screwed up...Better Lucky Than Dead :aok
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well let's just define last night. we had a cv close to the port we took it, they sank ours, but we got the port cv, for more than 2 hours there was fights in the air, lots of bombers trying to get our cv, lots of fighters, gv's trying to take the port, so maybe not 5 minutes but less than 10 could get you into a fight. that lasted untill everybody logged off, I was the only one protecting the cv. they took it. but lack of fights was not the issue with this guys, he just wanted to whine and complain. most fights were at less than 6k, we killed lots of them, they killed lots of ours.
so that's how it was.
semp
Yup last night was fun. I flew until 2 AM eastern. Knights were about 2 bases away from the win when I logged (damn I should have sat in the tower for the perkies! :noid) but it was smisles map. A nice small map that funny enough forces the players together. Even then for the first hour or so it was hard to find a fight as the Bish and Rooks were really going at it. So much so that the knights rolled a bunch of Rook bases which is why we were on the verge of winning the map.
Big maps spread out the play too much, far to many places to hide.
right now there's 15 players I keep getting my butt handed back to me, it take about 10 minutes to get into a fight. i upped a tank, 2 tanks chased me, upped a fighter, damn fighter shot me down, I went out of my way to not find a fight and guess what, they came after me. so guess what, there's fights even with 15 players.
semp
None of this sounds like a fight to me. It all sounds like hunting for a fight. Picture a newbie being stuck in this loop. 10 minutes to a "fight" to get "my butt handed to me". Ganged by a couple of tanks, "upped a fighter, damn fighter shot me down". All of this is no "fun" and that is what is going to get players into the game and to STAY with the game.
You being happy with what you have isnt going to help get players into the game. Accepting the fact that what you are ok with isnt nearly enough for many other players. The point of this thread is to look for way to improve game play, not to point out how things are just fine because it is the way you play.
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i don't understand Fugitive, name a time a new player won't get killed alot.
my point was about the returning player that just kept complaining about being unable to find a fight while the rest of us were in a fight.
semp
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You have to define what "lack of fights" is. To you it seems like a good set of fights is about 1 every 20 minutes or so last tour. To me and maybe many other 1 fight every 5 minutes is more to our liking. Id be happy dieing or landing 10 flights every hour. You are happy with 3. Some people..... and Im thinking MANY more are looking for much more action than what your happy with.
The good old kills per time stat. Really sums up the flying habbits of most people. There are some exceptions to that, but generally it paints a pretty good picture.
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The good old kills per time stat. Really sums up the flying habbits of most people. There are some exceptions to that, but generally it paints a pretty good picture.
I remember one sortie where I did not get a single kill. But over the course of about 10-15 minutes I broke six or seven attacks on my team mates, and then I got shot down. Even though I got no kills, I considered it a successful flight.
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I remember one sortie where I did not get a single kill. But over the course of about 10-15 minutes I broke six or seven attacks on my team mates, and then I got shot down. Even though I got no kills, I considered it a successful flight.
all i got yesterday was a proxy, still had a lot of fun.
semp
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i don't understand Fugitive, name a time a new player won't get killed alot.
my point was about the returning player that just kept complaining about being unable to find a fight while the rest of us were in a fight.
semp
It has nothing to do with a new players getting killed, it has to do with the number of fights.
There are fewer and fewer fight these days, mostly due to the lower numbers. Add in the fact the a good majority of players today do everything they can to avoid a fight.
Like Lazer said, a decent barometer to how often players where in fights is the Kill/Hour numbers. Checking back to tours 70 or so I was close to getting 10 K/H and Im not that good. Im sure some of the big names that were really good were closer to 25+. This is because there were more players, more fights, and the game play was more geared around fighting be it defending your buffs, head to head in fighters or even GVs. Today we have less players, more runners and more bailers, not to mention far less GV battle royals.
I remember one sortie where I did not get a single kill. But over the course of about 10-15 minutes I broke six or seven attacks on my team mates, and then I got shot down. Even though I got no kills, I considered it a successful flight.
Thats great, IF you like failed pick attempts :D Just kidding, but to many that type of play just isnt fun, much like semps style of play. While its fun for you guys it is boring for many others.
So I see no problem with a returning player complaining about there not being any fights. Getting involved in 1 fight every half hour is no where near what we had before when a lot of these guys where having fun. Many players have left because of the lack of these continual fights on one side of the map or the other.
To get this game back to a semblance of what it was things are going to have to be changed to help generate more fights. Perks for completing missions, incentives for squads to take new guys in and train them, even protect them so they dont die so much and get frustrated, maps made smaller to force players to interact, maybe a "team general" that posts missions that need to be completed in a Message of the Day type platform, it could get players to work together for some goal or another.
This is what the game needs, the same old same old isnt working all that well any more.
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Fugitive that old timer could have been in a fight within 2 minutes of taking off. we had been there for a couple of hours, tanks, bombers, fighters. but my guess is that he just wanted to complain.
as for last night, i got killed over 5 different bases on both bishops and rook fronts and that was with only 15 players.
so I don't know what else to say about the lack of fights.
semp
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I will take good fights over piles of kills any day.
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Crazy to think that in tour 82, I had an 18 K/H and that was #13 ranked. 50,000 points was a #108 rank.
Shows just how much quicker it was to get into action and find kills.
Nowadays you just get jumped by 6 yak3s as soon as you engage anything.
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Crazy to think that in tour 82, I had an 18 K/H and that was #13 ranked. 50,000 points was a #108 rank.
Shows just how much quicker it was to get into action and find kills.
Nowadays you just get jumped by 6 yak3s as soon as you engage anything.
LOL there are a lot of tiny yaks with wings that do not snap.
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the problem for aces high is it stood still.... has not developed. yes its a fun game however the character of the players is the overriding factor that has kept me playing,albeit less these days. i felt i needed a break from it as i was bored with the repetative nature of the game .
simple fact is that i see aces high as having vast potential but desperately needs to move forward to keep pace with the now many competitors . it is a great flight sim and vr is excellent for those that use it ,but its the lack of imagination in the scenarios and the huge amount of time playing with no action whatsoever especially as a gv driver.
the graphics are now dated and poor quality by comparison to competitors .....
but for all these issues i still have a soft spot for it.
recently my head has been turned to other games and i question why i remain. i pay the occasional visit still,hoping to catch up with squaddies more than actually playing.
i want ah3 to change , have decent maps,different targets ,(not just towns and ports) . different layouts. trees that collapse,walls ,hedges, buildings that can be driven into like in ah2...commandos like warbirds had.
im currently playing in tanks that require 3 players to drive and operate which gives a whole new dimension and co operation as well as realism.
ah also needs anti cheat software.
dont shun the other games...learn from them and build ah3..better!
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Read my post—I’d like to see what you think about my ideas to improve the game!
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What about going back to its roots?
Air to air combat!!
Forget gv, ships, ack and base capture..
<S>
Eagler
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I think a lot of people would be very upset if all that stuff was taken away. It’d be a lot of resources and time wasted putting those features in the game, only to take them out later. Air to air combat only is addressed with the custom and dueling arena anyways
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What about going back to its roots?
Air to air combat!!
Forget gv, ships, ack and base capture..
Recommending addition by subtraction isn't new on the forum but it is just as irrational as it ever was. :old:
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What about going back to its roots?
Air to air combat!!
Forget gv, ships, ack and base capture..
<S>
Eagler
That's called Match Play Arena.
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It's not 'what needs adding' or 'what needs to be taken away' that's the issue, imo. How about just what needs finishing (for now)? :cheers:
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That's called Match Play Arena.
....and Monday Night Madness in the AvA every week.
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I went back and reread your post, ProPilot, and from my viewpoint, you missed a few things.
Base capture you feel is an important part of the game. For some people, yes, for others, not in the least.
You said base captures should require teamwork........again, for some yes, others, no.
Right now, and for a long time now, base captures can be accomplished quite easily, IMO, too easily.
All that is required is to spawn a GV or two, roll towards the town, take out the town guns, blow up a few buildings, and base capture complete. What makes it too easy in my opinion is that the GV are all but invisible due to the overgrowth of vegetation and the ridiculous icon range. I don't know how many bases I've seen lost purely because the defenders could not see the GV's, even when they were right over them.
Keep in mind that this is my perspective and opinion only, I speak for myself alone. Different folks want to see different things in the game, thus the varied responses.
Like Eagler, I would be fine with the game going back to it's roots, being focused on air to air. I don't want to see the ground side cancelled out completely, however, as there were tanks and such from the early days, too.
What would interesting to try, thought it would require quite a bit of adjustment, would be change the spawn points. Vbase to vbase or ports only. The GV crowd has been resistant to discussion of changing the icon ranges, so my thought is let them play among themselves. Several have expressed that they don't do well in planes, so they do GV's. Some of us don't do well in GV's, we prefer aircraft. Their crutch of near invisibility via trees and reduced icons gives them an unfair (again, my opinion) advantage in the game. Checked last tour's stats, at one time a few of them had 34:1 k/d ratios........that levelled down to around 24:1 by tour's end.
Like I told HT the other day, I would never load a bomb on my plane, rarely did in the early days, if I didn't have to deal with GV's spawning in instantly from miles away. I would be glad to let them have their fun, leave me alone to have my fun, if they stayed away from air bases. ND Isles was a perfect example this past weekend. Tons of air battles, didn't have to concern myself losing a base to a GV spawning from several sectors away across bodies of water. It was like the old days, with fewer numbers. ND Isles has the GV playground in the middle, and while they can spawn to other bases, it's not across water to another land mass.
No matter what we say here, the game is gonna go in the direction that HT chooses. Does he read and consider ideas put forward? Probably so, the problem is, we rarely get his feedback. That is his prerogative, as the largest investment in the game has been by himself.
Anyway, rant mode off. Gonna be interesting to read "the future" of the game.
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....and Monday Night Madness in the AvA every week.
That's true, but it is probably more fun because it is only once a week. I don't think that format would sustain the Melee arena permanently.
If that's all the Melee was, then I think you'd lose most the already depleted customer base. it would make the current numbers look like Mardi Gras.
I think that is the prime problem with WO:P. There is no "Game" there. No ongoing "War". Just some dueling arena and a furball area.
$0.02.
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What about going back to its roots?
Air to air combat!!
Forget gv, ships, ack and base capture..
<S>
Eagler
Yup go back to what made it popular.
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Recommending addition by subtraction isn't new on the forum but it is just as irrational as it ever was. :old:
I found changing the Dar to this gamey thing we have now, quite irrational.
Coogan
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I think a lot of people would be very upset if all that stuff was taken away. It’d be a lot of resources and time wasted putting those features in the game, only to take them out later. Air to air combat only is addressed with the custom and dueling arena anyways
Then you disagree with kavo in that there has been lots of changes. Kavo says there have been none.
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I found changing the Dar to this gamey thing we have now, quite irrational.
Coogan
I believe it was due to request to help find other fighters.
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I found changing the Dar to this gamey thing we have now, quite irrational.
That's not a 'must add' or 'must subtract.' That's an 'adjustment of what we have.' Sorry if I confused you. :old:
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I believe it was due to request to help find other fighters.
Dot Dar was better. Had to use our brains a little. Now we know where everyone is going and pretty much what they're flyin'.
Coogan
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Dot Dar was better. Had to use our brains a little. Now we know where everyone is going and pretty much what they're flyin'.
Finding the enema and Fighter vs. bomber icon. The horror.
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That's not a 'must add' or 'must subtract.' That's an 'adjustment of what we have.' Sorry if I confused you. :old:
You did not.
Coogan
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Finding the enema and Fighter vs. bomber icon. The horror.
And which way they're heading.. hmm.
Did you miss that part?
Coogan
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You did not.
Ok then. Sorry for your confusion, wherever it came from. :D
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And which way they're heading.. hmm.
Did you miss that part?
I've experienced the changes as you have. Our difference is our sense of tragedy. :old:
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Ok then. Sorry for your confusion, wherever it came from. :D
Right.
Coogan
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That's true, but it is probably more fun because it is only once a week. I don't think that format would sustain the Melee arena permanently.
If that's all the Melee was, then I think you'd lose most the already depleted customer base. it would make the current numbers look like Mardi Gras.
I think that is the prime problem with WO:P. There is no "Game" there. No ongoing "War". Just some dueling arena and a furball area.
$0.02.
Yup. Same reason FSO wouldn't work if that was the MA. Things like these are best scheduled, and not constant.
Dot Dar was better. Had to use our brains a little. Now we know where everyone is going and pretty much what they're flyin'.
Coogan
It allows the people that won't read bardar to see things they otherwise wouldn't. Personally I think it's a good thing, as I think it creates more conflict where before if you weren't in a dar circle, you didn't exist to most people in the arena.
As far as "which way they're heading", you got that with dot dar by watching the dot dar for 2 ticks. That wasn't exactly a "challenge".
Wiley.
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Yup. Same reason FSO wouldn't work if that was the MA. Things like these are best scheduled, and not constant.
It allows the people that won't read bardar to see things they otherwise wouldn't. Personally I think it's a good thing, as I think it creates more conflict where before if you weren't in a dar circle, you didn't exist to most people in the arena.
As far as "which way they're heading", you got that with dot dar by watching the dot dar for 2 ticks. That wasn't exactly a "challenge".
Wiley.
Maybe not a challenge, but now it's pretty much just point and click.
Coogan
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Maybe not a challenge, but now it's pretty much just point and click.
Coogan
The way I look at it, before you would try to defend, call things out when you found them, and 90% of the people wouldn't respond until the dots showed up in the dar circle. When they changed it to what it is now, I saw a strong increase in people who would see the planes around the scout and up to defend. To me that's a win because it creates more interaction.
To be honest, I'm pretty ambivalent about the planes and knowing which is a fighter or bomber. I don't think it's that big of a deal though.
Wiley.
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The way I look at it, before you would try to defend, call things out when you found them, and 90% of the people wouldn't respond until the dots showed up in the dar circle. When they changed it to what it is now, I saw a strong increase in people who would see the planes around the scout and up to defend. To me that's a win because it creates more interaction.
To be honest, I'm pretty ambivalent about the planes and knowing which is a fighter or bomber. I don't think it's that big of a deal though.
Wiley.
I think it is a big deal.
The wonder has been removed from this game.
Coogan
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Maybe not a challenge, but now it's pretty much just point and click.
Coogan
Point and click is what some are wanting. Instant fights. Instant gratification. On top of that they like to buy their experience or purchase things to make them better. More kills a minute, the better. None of them like to die so I am not sure who will be on the death side..... possibly all AI.
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I think it is a big deal.
The wonder has been removed from this game.
Is 'wonder' the new term for 'uncertainty?'
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Point and click is what some are wanting. Instant fights. Instant gratification. On top of that they like to buy their experience or purchase things to make them better. More kills a minute, the better. None of them like to die so I am not sure who will be on the death side..... possibly all AI.
If I were HT I'd be considering having the MA be a coop mode where everybody wins, nobody loses, and the guys that die are AI. Think Destiny in aircraft. And then a PvP furball arena.
I think it is a big deal.
The wonder has been removed from this game.
Coogan
I'll take a bit more info for the people who don't want to think about it. It gets them to react more than they used to in its absence. Might have something to do with the fact that my main gameplay draw in this game is defending against attacks and getting effective help doing that used to be a lot harder before that change.
Wiley.
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Point and click is what some are wanting. Instant fights. Instant gratification. On top of that they like to buy their experience or purchase things to make them better. More kills a minute, the better. None of them like to die so I am not sure who will be on the death side..... possibly all AI.
Didn't HiTech make a game to coddle to those folks? Pretty sure he did.
Got air spawns and everything. Maybe that's more your type of game.
Coogan
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Didn't HiTech make a game to coddle to those folks? Pretty sure he did.
Got air spawns and everything. Maybe that's more your type of game.
Equating clip board info to air spawns is a practice in over-exaggeration.
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Equating clip board info to air spawns is a practice in over-exaggeration.
At times you can have to much intel. This is one of them.
Coogan
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@eddie
Interesting point of view with air to air only. It’s not what I’d want personally for the MA, but I do agree that taking bases can be too easy. At the end of the day, it is all up to HiTech anyway, like you say
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I don't think that game is getting players. Oddly enough they say they don't go there because no one else is there. I guess they have not figured out that no one really wants what they think they want.
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At times you can have to much intel. This is one of them.
You equate having more up-to-the-minute and accurate intel on your opponents to 'air spawning.' I recommend playing with a blindfold and using the force to get the maximum enjoyment. :D
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Point and click is what some are wanting. Instant fights. Instant gratification. On top of that they like to buy their experience or purchase things to make them better. More kills a minute, the better. None of them like to die so I am not sure who will be on the death side..... possibly all AI.
AI is too tough... can't you tone them down
AI shouldn't be allowed to shoot at you... this is BS ... this game is rigged!!!!
hahahaha
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but I do agree that taking bases can be too easy.
I suspect you can make the base capture harder, but that just means they'll bring a bigger hoard.
They'll obviously not bring a smaller hoard if the base capture is harder.
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Equating clip board info to air spawns is a practice in over-exaggeration.
Holy Shi*t. You might just be right.
Look at the high fidelity we had back then.
(https://i.imgur.com/W8wvYDu.jpg)
Coogan
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Holy Shi*t. You might just be right.
Look at the high fidelity we had back then.
(https://i.imgur.com/W8wvYDu.jpg)
Coogan
Over a M U C H longer range than we have, and if I remember right, they could generally tell a big plane from a small plane couldn't they? As well as altitude?
Wiley.
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Perhaps offering two sizes of dot dar... it was changed in part to the cries of people chasing dots that turned out to be 40k bombers avoiding all contact.... the instant flight path recognition is both good and bad I think ... one you do at least know if it is a feeble cause to chase a plane but on the other hand you have to much time to ready yourself for the fight about tho happen...
I do think the change helped
I do think towns go down way too easy ... now sure the guys have put the time in to learn how but one pass white flag is crazy .... re sup times should be halved ... sure you can resupply but you just have to do more trips.... maybe the C47 can take a larger load to bring things up faster... risk reward thing
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Over a M U C H longer range than we have, and if I remember right, they could generally tell a big plane from a small plane couldn't they? As well as altitude?
Wiley.
Don't care much for the size of the dots. It's when you can see when they are turning and which way they are
heading that ruined it for me.
Coogan
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Holy Shi*t. You might just be right.
Look at the high fidelity we had back then.
There were no online games back then. I remember (both lack of online games and scopes). In real life fuel burn rate was 1.0. In real life mechanical failure that was no fault of the enemy happened. In real life you couldn't fly twenty sorties in twenty aircraft from six different nations in an hour's time. In real life the terrain was always a piece of the real Earth and not an alien planet designed for a balanced three sided playing field.
Maybe you can dig all the realism you can eat in DCS but this game is not a purist's sim. I find your complaint's valid for you but not really applicable to everyone.
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Don't care much for the size of the dots. It's when you can see when they are turning and which way they are
heading that ruined it for me.
Coogan
Fair enough. Different strokes.
Wiley.
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I think one of the biggest issues of the game is has too much stuff.
A new players comes in and fights to figure out how to just get off the ground, never mind "where" the fight is and "how" to fight. Add in GVs, bombing, base capture, strat running, missions, sea battles, pt and lvt operations, Im sure it becomes a bit over whelming.
Now is the time we could use "Combat Tour". Barring pulling that out Some leaders would be great. ET37 could turn any night into a fun experience. Maybe get a bunch of players who might be interested in running mission on to a schedule. One guy take an afternoon, another take an evening and switch off during the week so they arent "stuck" always running the missions. A couple dozen players could build a good corp to take control of the war. Maybe HTC could pay these players with a free month of subscription for those that run a certain number of missions each month.
With the "guidance" a leader would bring it would help corral the new guys and give them a purpose other than just upping to get killed after a single turn. Running these missions could show players the depth of the game and how to use all of these different aspects. More things to do means less boredom for players. More missions run makes for more fights. More fights makes furballs.
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AcesHigh is unique as it really doesn't follow the 4 stages of a mainstream game;
Stage 1 Learn, where the player spends an hour learning how to play the game, this is the trickiest part to make fun and to entertain the player while learning because of the pressure he/she is under to succeed and not fail this early point, to not make it feel like work.
The 2nd, Play, where the player has learned to play the game, gathering experience and starting to feel comfortable but not under repeat pressure of failure/dying.
3rd stage, Challenge, where the player starts to challenge him/herself bumping up the difficulty to be challenged, but baring in mind people like to succeed.
The 4th and final is Surprise, where the player is surprised by something new the game presents later down the line.
In AcesHigh you are immediately surprised by the challenge of how you learn to play.
The future is fixing this immediate issue, the rest of this thread is just roadkill
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In AcesHigh you are immediately surprised by the challenge of how you learn to play.
The future is dumbing down Aces High to the point of flying checkers because each succeeding generation hates challenge, the rest of this thread doesn't matter to me
Fixed it for ya. :D
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Don't put words in my mouth when I'm making a valid point
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Don't put words in my mouth when I'm making a valid point
Neither of those things happened. :old:
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How about some bumper stickers that can be purchased for $5. They will have a p51D on them, or spit for the euro crowd, with the website address: Flyaceshigh.com with the logo sort of like what's on the front page. That might be a cheap and effective marketing strategy to get people to check out the website.
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I was thinking....I know, I know :D One of the biggest issue with giving away a "free" set of planes in the MA has been that they would have to be Mid-war planes and so would be that much harder for the new player to learn to be competitive and so that much more frustrating.
How about giving away late war monsters but limiting them by cutting fuel and/or ammo? Want a P51D? Sure, but you only get 25% fuel, 200 rounds of ammo, and NO REARMS. This way new guys could fly any plane they wanted, and if "vets" dropped their subs to fly the freebies (which I would think would be very uncool) they wouldn't be able to be monsters out there flying free. On top of that, HTC could set it up so a "free" player could buy more ammo per flight as a micro transaction.
Its only a bit of coding after all, what do you think?
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Perk points turn into "coins" like these "free" games use.
You can use perk points to fly restricted airplanes or use them to pay your $15 monthly fee.
This would encourage the better players to fly the slower weaker planes.
And it would give us who do not fly the perked aircraft something to spend the perks on.
They should also be transferable - I should be able to give my perks to a countryman if he needs them to fly a particular airplane and is short of needed perks or to gift them a free 3 month subscription.
<S>
Eagler
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I would like to be able to gift perks to a new player so they might see what can be done with them. Make it known to new players to look up experienced players for pointers on the game. When they do, allow us to give them some perks if they follow through. I have a lot of perks that I would gladly use this way. Get the new player involved and some experience at the same time.