General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: hazmatt on May 15, 2025, 01:11:12 PM
Title: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 15, 2025, 01:11:12 PM
Has anybody ever discussed AH3 while playing other games? I see discussions from time to time in games that I currently play about other games. I doubt you'd get much traction marking AH3 to people playing WoW but you might in DCS, WT, IL2 etc. I used to invite people to come play AH3 with me when I was still playing. I was just curious as it seems it might work. Maybe I'm wrong?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CAV on May 15, 2025, 03:01:09 PM
I don't go out and Market AcesHigh, But from time to time the subject of other flight Sims have come up. WW2OL, Il-2, WT SIM, & Oddly Iracing Have a sizable community of former, AW, WB & AH players It seems. And more or less the answers I get when I ask why they chose their current game as opposed to something like AH, I get things like they wanted more historical matchups (Axis versus allies) they wanted something more of a combat flight simulation( Aircraft management) and unless arcade-ish. And they were looking for something more Mission and objective focused than the furball that usually develops in Aces High.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shuffler on May 15, 2025, 03:07:21 PM
One can see why they are racing.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 15, 2025, 03:16:18 PM
I don't go out and Market AcesHigh, But from time to time the subject of other flight Sims have come up. WW2OL, Il-2, WT SIM, & Oddly Iracing Have a sizable community of former, AW, WB & AH players It seems. And more or less the answers I get when I ask why they chose their current game as opposed to something like AH, I get things like they wanted more historical matchups (Axis versus allies) they wanted something more of a combat flight simulation( Aircraft management) and unless arcade-ish. And they were looking for something more Mission and objective focused than the furball that usually develops in Aces High.
That's interesting. When I ask I usually get a blank stare. Seems most have never heard of it and the ones that have are x players.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Banshee7 on May 15, 2025, 05:37:26 PM
Oddly Iracing Have a sizable community of former, AW, WB & AH players It seems.
I'll probably be trading in my HOTAS for a steering wheel and pedals when my new PC is built. I've been wanting to get into iRacing for a long time to run the different dirt series.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 15, 2025, 06:10:38 PM
Iracing looks pretty realistic to me. Haven't tried so know nothing about the physics modeling. If you can get kicked out for driving too aggressively I probably would.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Meatwad on May 15, 2025, 07:10:49 PM
I bought a Logitech G29 and im happy with it. Steering was way too stiff until I found out I needed to install their control panel for the wheel and then I was able to loosen the wheel up enough to simulate a car. I have been using it on Beam.NG drive
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Mayhem on May 15, 2025, 08:46:38 PM
I'll probably be trading in my HOTAS for a steering wheel and pedals when my new PC is built. I've been wanting to get into iRacing for a long time to run the different dirt series.
I did it for a while. Ran the Mazda Miata series and was getting to be ok. Figured I could qualify, but wasnt going to win anything. Equipment seems to matter and the science behind setup for the cars is also important. For the amount of time I was spending it just wasnt worth the cost. I also found it pretty lonely. Really missed the "chit chat" of the squad/friends.
Built this just for fun :)
(https://i.postimg.cc/WbNr23nL/simpit.jpg)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 16, 2025, 01:39:25 AM
That's a pretty cool rig!
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Lusche on May 16, 2025, 09:18:40 AM
With the notable exception of Elite Dangerous, I play most games in single player mode only and am not active in their communities, so there's nobody to talk to anyway. And while I sometimes have mentioned it in E:D and other places (it's the biggest thing in my life as a gamer after all), I would not do any kind of 'active marketing' any more, especially not to people in my timezone.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CAV on May 16, 2025, 09:58:13 AM
Just remember one thing about iRacing....
Learn how to mute players and put that button on your wheel.LOL
At least once a day you're going to get into a race where a wreck happens You're going to get two drivers In a food fight on which one was wrong. They're going to be chewing on each other's bellybutton for the next 50 laps or so.
If you don't want to listen to that crap, learn to mute.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CAV on May 16, 2025, 10:03:00 AM
LOL
The body part I used there wasn't bellybutton but I guess I can't use that part of the anatomy here.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: captain1ma on May 16, 2025, 10:03:48 AM
tried Iracing, but there's not flaps or propeller. not my idea of a good time!!
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 16, 2025, 10:43:05 AM
Has anybody ever discussed AH3 while playing other games? I see discussions from time to time in games that I currently play about other games. I doubt you'd get much traction marking AH3 to people playing WoW but you might in DCS, WT, IL2 etc. I used to invite people to come play AH3 with me when I was still playing. I was just curious as it seems it might work. Maybe I'm wrong?
There is not much chat in DCS. SRS is for relevant chat only.
I have not joined a forum like this but if I do I will promote AH. They are very different and complementary in my opinion. DCS is very strong on history and detail but with allot less action and no serious combined arms. WW2 only has 8 planes in the set.
I would especially recomend AH to anyone wanting to improve their ACM's. 1hour in the MA can be like 5 or more hours in DCS.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Eagler on May 16, 2025, 12:13:22 PM
Whenever I make a comment on a dcs or il2 yt video the responses aren't positive...
They are ok spending serious $$$ on each plane, map or campaign but $15 a month is a budget buster lol
Eagler
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 16, 2025, 12:17:13 PM
Whenever I make a comment on a dcs or il2 yt video the responses aren't positive...
They are ok spending serious $$$ on each plane, map or campaign but $15 a month is a budget buster lol
Eagler
DCS/IL2 were smart to get them $$$ invested into their ongoing purchases - makes it harder to walk away from, so they double down on trying to get more people to play it.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Eagler on May 16, 2025, 12:23:22 PM
DCS/IL2 were smart to get them $$$ invested into their ongoing purchases - makes it harder to walk away from, so they double down on trying to get more people to play it.
I guess..
I have invested over $4,485 in AH since I started in game fees alone..not counting hardware upgrades lol..
It's more than that as that doesn't count when it was $29.95 a month before it dropped to $14.95..
For 25 years of entertainment I think it was a fantastic investment!
Eagler
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 16, 2025, 12:27:18 PM
I have many DCS planes and terrains and I'd like some assurance I can still use them if the company goes under. If the company doesn't provide for that I expect someone will make a way.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shuffler on May 16, 2025, 12:33:21 PM
Whenever I make a comment on a dcs or il2 yt video the responses aren't positive...
They are ok spending serious $$$ on each plane, map or campaign but $15 a month is a budget buster lol
Eagler
Couple of notes here. I have 4 accounts on both IL2 and WT and there is no monthly fee for these. I buy planes when they go on sale and pick up planes on both platforms for usually around $5. (if I see something I really like) The annual cost for these 8 accounts for me is pretty much $0 unless I choose to spend on something. 8 accounts on AH3 would cost me over $1,400 a year... $1,400 a year is a budget buster for me :)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 16, 2025, 12:58:00 PM
Couple of notes here. I have 4 accounts on both IL2 and WT and there is no monthly fee for these. I buy planes when they go on sale and pick up planes on both platforms for usually around $5. (if I see something I really like) The annual cost for these 8 accounts for me is pretty much $0 unless I choose to spend on something. 8 accounts on AH3 would cost me over $1,400 a year... $1,400 a year is a budget buster for me :)
So why are you here and not playing them? Don't they have their own forums for you to peruse? Should several of us pop by and assert that we have no interest in playing vs low-skill players in mostly empty airspace, even for free?
FTP in $ arenas is not going to be happening here, so why not just... move on? Or... start running a player-arena, free, right? Play with your family there?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 16, 2025, 01:57:30 PM
So why are you here and not playing them? Don't they have their own forums for you to peruse? Should several of us pop by and assert that we have no interest in playing vs low-skill players in mostly empty airspace, even for free?
FTP in $ arenas is not going to be happening here, so why not just... move on? Or... start running a player-arena, free, right? Play with your family there?
I know that it will never be free to play here. I don't expect it and even if it was I doubt that I would come back as long as people like you are still around. I do however have friends that are still here that have played since AWdos days that I get PMs from and like to interact with.
Wow, your toxicity is everywhere. You have to go around the forums to attack me wherever I make a post. If that isn't getting on somebodies ankle I don't know what is. Did you every stop to think actions like that is why you'll soon be playing with yourself? You seem to never miss an opportunity to attack people and talk tough from behind your keyboard.
The best part is that you talk as if you're a skilled player. I've seen you fly. You're mediocre at best.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 16, 2025, 02:13:20 PM
I know that it will never be free to play here. I don't expect it and even if it was I doubt that I would come back as long as people like you are still around. I do however have friends that are still here that have played since AWdos days that I get PMs from and like to interact with.
Wow, your toxicity is everywhere. You have to go around the forums to attack me wherever I make a post. If that isn't getting on somebodies ankle I don't know what is. Did you every stop to think actions like that is why you'll soon be playing with yourself? You seem to never miss an opportunity to attack people and talk tough from behind your keyboard.
The best part is that you talk as if you're a skilled player. I've seen you fly. You're mediocre at best.
Less lies in your lying, plis, kthx.
You always hump my ankle here - go take a look at our interactions here. You have issues letting go of your butthurt with me and some mod. :rofl
You're incapable of making informed decisions about others' skills in this game because your fundamentals are lacking across the board. :ahand
Try not to conflate lack of my effort with a lack of skill. :rofl
Set up a custom arena - 16 players, play with these alleged family members you claim. It's free. <----- free, free, FREE What's your excuse again?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 16, 2025, 02:54:12 PM
I couldn't agree more with this statement. All the joy I had in this game is worthy....... :salute ZE
I agree. During most of the time I played it was well worth it. Especially after paying the hourly charges on GEnie. I was single back then when I was on GEnie, and didn't really have to eat so it was ok :)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Mayhem on May 16, 2025, 09:24:34 PM
There is not much chat in DCS. SRS is for relevant chat only.
DCS has it's own voice comms now and a lot of people have been moving away from SRS, On top of that you have discord and the old Teamspeak and Mumble. You also have text chat.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 16, 2025, 09:39:14 PM
DCS has it's own voice comms now and a lot of people have been moving away from SRS, On top of that you have discord and the old Teamspeak and Mumble. You also have text chat.
I find Discord can be a bit too chatty when you need to constantly check 6. No sit back on auto climb and look at the AH awacs which makes the two very different.
I am not knocking AH. DCS is allot of scanning for dots and then being terrified of shooting down a friendly :D
Not much opportunity to chat.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Tumor on May 16, 2025, 09:55:55 PM
Has anybody ever discussed AH3 while playing other games? I see discussions from time to time in games that I currently play about other games. I doubt you'd get much traction marking AH3 to people playing WoW but you might in DCS, WT, IL2 etc. I used to invite people to come play AH3 with me when I was still playing. I was just curious as it seems it might work. Maybe I'm wrong?
Always. I don't make a point to do so... but it inevitably comes up.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 16, 2025, 10:24:32 PM
Knock off the chatter.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Prayer on May 16, 2025, 10:51:08 PM
From my point of view the downfall is subscription and the time it takes to setup and learning curve. Even coming back to AH I dreaded going through the setup and setting buttons and views. The small tweaks that really pay off. Id really like to see if this was free to play what the numbers would look like here with a training arena
I get the reason it is in place and it kept the game alive for many years, but may also be what leads to the eventual end. Most players cant fathom a monthly subscription for various reasons except the die hards here now. Pretty much unheard of, think it did the same thing for ww2 online along with age. Miss the good ol days here
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 16, 2025, 11:40:01 PM
From my point of view the downfall is subscription and the time it takes to setup and learning curve. Even coming back to AH I dreaded going through the setup and setting buttons and views. The small tweaks that really pay off. Id really like to see if this was free to play what the numbers would look like here with a training arena
I get the reason it is in place and it kept the game alive for many years, but may also be what leads to the eventual end. Most players cant fathom a monthly subscription for various reasons except the die hards here now. Pretty much unheard of, think it did the same thing for ww2 online along with age. Miss the good ol days here
Agreed. WT has an automated setup where you can run through and have everything configured in a couple minutes even with brand new controllers.
I'm guessing HT is still making close to 90k a year with the subs based on the numbers I can see and I don't think he is going to jeopardize his income just to get a higher number of players in the game.
I'm sad to say I suspect it will end up like warbirds if that is in fact the case.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Eagler on May 17, 2025, 07:42:07 AM
I'm guessing HT is still making close to 90k a year with the subs based on the numbers I can see and I don't think he is going to jeopardize his income just to get a higher number of players in the game.
That's a minimum of 500 subscribers. Seems like with that many there would be less complaining about numbers.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 17, 2025, 08:50:54 AM
That's a minimum of 500 subscribers. Seems like with that many there would be less complaining about numbers.
How many of those 500+ are complaining about #s, tho'? You cannot go by the forum. And you're most certainly not in game to observe the massive non-whinging about #s.
Would we all like a 24/7 populated arena? Sure. Even DCS and IL2 struggle with that. Moreso than AH, apparently. WT is an entirely different beast with a different market appeal and strategy. AH only provides a sense of emotional attachment that is easier to abandon than the emotional + $$ attachment these other models present. Aren't you concerned if DCS went under you'd lose all your $$ invested planes/terrains? Was that you?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Meatwad on May 17, 2025, 09:19:16 AM
From my point of view the downfall is subscription and the time it takes to setup and learning curve. Even coming back to AH I dreaded going through the setup and setting buttons and views. The small tweaks that really pay off. Id really like to see if this was free to play what the numbers would look like here with a training arena
I get the reason it is in place and it kept the game alive for many years, but may also be what leads to the eventual end. Most players cant fathom a monthly subscription for various reasons except the die hards here now. Pretty much unheard of, think it did the same thing for ww2 online along with age. Miss the good ol days here
Subscription models that worked 20 years ago aren't the same as today. People now want a ftp set that allows them to adjust to the game at their pace, not 2 weeks free then sol unless you pay up. Thats going to drive off New players. When someone is too stubborn to adapt to today's needs, your product will die. Its the reality that is ignored. Combine that with a developmentally dead game, you are not going to get any new players. Its a harsh reality that someone wants to ignore rather then make any attempt to increase players
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 17, 2025, 09:45:15 AM
Subscription models that worked 20 years ago aren't the same as today. People now want a ftp set that allows them to adjust to the game at their pace, not 2 weeks free then sol unless you pay up. Thats going to drive off New players. When someone is too stubborn to adapt to today's needs, your product will die. Its the reality that is ignored. Combine that with a developmentally dead game, you are not going to get any new players. Its a harsh reality that someone wants to ignore rather then make any attempt to increase players
As being mostly, if not 100%, a sole proprietorship or very limited LLC/corporation with very few investors/owners, there's generally very little incentive for that business to outlive the owner(s). This decision was made way back, and in the ensuing time this model has been profitable enough where a change hasn't been an imperative to on-going desires of increased profitability.
So yeah, in all honesty, this game has actually beat the norm for gaming life-cycles, especially at the small, non-corporate/investor level. Corporations outlive their creators and have differing parameters for sustainability and profitability.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 17, 2025, 09:46:34 AM
Aren't you concerned if DCS went under you'd lose all your $$ invested planes/terrains?
Well, you're the one who brought up DCS...
Not at all. Companies don't go out of business overnight without warning. To avoid legal entanglements the ED would simply disable the DRM in a patch on the way out the door. If not, then I'm sure any bankruptcy court would order that as part of the orderly liquidation of assets.
And if not, as this owners previous sim learned, DRM is trivially easy to defeat. There issue isn't a technical one, it's a legal one. With no company left to seek recourse, a DRM hack would appear on the web within days.
In fact, DCS would be a lot more resilient to continuing after the parent company going out of business than AH. DCS doesn't require a single company run a monolithic server. It is distributed and non-centralized already.
But given DCS has no credible competitors in it's space, it's not a concern I'd give much time on. Odds of a asteroid strike, Carrington Event, or Yellowstone Caldera eruption are probably higher.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 09:54:34 AM
How many of those 500+ are complaining about #s, tho'? You cannot go by the forum. And you're most certainly not in game to observe the massive non-whinging about #s.
Would we all like a 24/7 populated arena? Sure. Even DCS and IL2 struggle with that. Moreso than AH, apparently. WT is an entirely different beast with a different market appeal and strategy. AH only provides a sense of emotional attachment that is easier to abandon than the emotional + $$ attachment these other models present. Aren't you concerned if DCS went under you'd lose all your $$ invested planes/terrains? Was that you?
So those like you posting pics of MA numbers are lying? Prime time used to be evening hours in the US. 30 people flying in the MA at prime time does not suggest a subscriber base of 500+. I'm making an observation based on what hazmat said, no need to get defensive.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 17, 2025, 10:00:00 AM
I gave no clue where these guys come up with these numbers at PT, but its BS. The MA us consistently above 90 at prime time, period. They say these low numbers to harm it. I’m calling BS right now. 30 at prime time NONSENSE. Your BS is what drives defense. Get a life. Your BS is why you get attacked, period.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 10:00:28 AM
But given DCS has no credible competitors in it's space, it's not a concern I'd give much time on. Odds of a asteroid strike, Carrington Event, or Yellowstone Caldera eruption are probably higher.
I'm not concerned about competition. If they were any real competition I'd likely be enjoying that product also. I'm more concerned with the company's presence in Russia, even though legally in Switzerland. Russia is not the most stable country right now.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 10:01:19 AM
I gave no clue where these guys come up with these numbers at PT, but its BS. The MA us consistently above 90 at prime time, period. They say tgese liw numbers to harm it. I’m calling BS right now. 30 at prime time NONSENSE. You BS us what drives defense. Get a life
Others post pics. You probably have also. Easy to refute the claims of others. Just post a pic.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 17, 2025, 10:04:41 AM
SIts a harsh reality that someone wants to ignore rather then make any attempt to increase players
At this point, especially given no realistic hope for full scale development to suddenly restart, I think it is delusional to even imagine vast numbers of new players being lured in.
At this point the only feasible strategy to stabilize or re-inflate some amount of population, IMHO, is solely possible now by luring back previous players for a nostalgia tour. Younger players, having their expectations set by the current market, will never accept the graphics, + monetization model. Only old players who have seen worse of both over the decades think that is fine.
That's the strategy that should be focused on at this point, IMHO. There are various things that could be done, but it is unlikely feasible without HTC participation at some level of effort to try and save itself. Yes, I'm sorry, it might even take a line of code or two.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 17, 2025, 10:06:03 AM
At this point, especially given no realistic hope for full scale development to suddenly restart, I think it is delusional to even imagine vast numbers of new players being lured in.
At this point the only feasible strategy to stabilize or re-inflate some amount of population, IMHO, is solely possible now by luring back previous players for a nostalgia tour. Younger players, having their expectations set by the current market, will never accept the graphics, + monetization model. Only old players who have seen worse of both over the decades think that is fine.
That's the strategy that should be focused on at this point, IMHO. There are various things that could be done, but it is unlikely feasible without HTC participation at some level of effort to try and save itself. Yes, I'm sorry, it might even take a line of code or two.
Beat it
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 10:06:10 AM
At this point, especially given no realistic hope for full scale development to suddenly restart, I think it is delusional to even imagine vast numbers of new players being lured in.
At this point the only feasible strategy to stabilize or re-inflate some amount of population, IMHO, is solely possible now by luring back previous players for a nostalgia tour. Younger players, having their expectations set by the current market, will never accept the graphics, + monetization model. Only old players who have seen worse of both over the decades think that is fine.
That's the strategy that should be focused on at this point, IMHO. There are various things that could be done, but it is unlikely feasible without HTC participation at some level of effort to try and save itself. Yes, I'm sorry, it might even take a line of code or two.
Thats the sad part, participation by HTC will never happen to increase numbers using other methods. Even said it himself that he wont do anything other then keep it as is. Then people wonder why numbers continue to drop and no new players show up. You die if you dont adapt.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 10:12:31 AM
So those like you posting pics of MA numbers are lying? Prime time used to be evening hours in the US. 30 people flying in the MA at prime time does not suggest a subscriber base of 500+. I'm making an observation based on what hazmat said, no need to get defensive.
I can believe it.
I think there is a large ghost population that keeps an open account without going online often except for occasional FSO and events.
I've seen nightly hit 150ish at a peak. Given a percentage of your total base will ever be online at one time (lets say 20-25% at any given time) then a total client population of 500-1000 wouldn't be unreasonable. And that would be consistent with estimates Lusche has made off his data.
$0.02.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 17, 2025, 10:14:57 AM
I think there is a large ghost population that keeps an open account without going online often except for occasional FSO and events.
I've seen nightly hit 150ish at a peak. Given a percentage of your total base will ever be online at one time (lets say 20-25% at any given time) then a total client population of 500-1000 wouldn't be unreasonable. And that would be consistent with estimates Lusche has made off his data.
$0.02.
You may be right. I'd keep the game going if it profited me less than half though. Why not?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 17, 2025, 10:28:33 AM
Add micro management of the engine and no auto pilot..and that's why some of us enjoy AH way more than dcs
To each their own..
Eagler
It took me a bit to get used to no auto pilot LOL. The auto climb auto pilot let me safely go afk for a few in AH. I've tried that a couple times in other sims and have come back to a smoking hole. The thing that sux the most is you have to pay to repair your plane in some of those other games!
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 17, 2025, 10:35:50 AM
Just a few bugs https://forum.dcs.world/forum/253-bugs-and-problems/
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 17, 2025, 10:45:44 AM
So those like you posting pics of MA numbers are lying? Prime time used to be evening hours in the US. 30 people flying in the MA at prime time does not suggest a subscriber base of 500+. I'm making an observation based on what hazmat said, no need to get defensive.
I'd suggest that you, as a non-player, lend very little credence to another non-player's "observations." :aok
Most pix I've posted have been early morning times - and I'm more about balance than gross numbers. So there's very little for me to feel defensive about, other than non-players opining on things they have little clue about. :aok
Evenings have generally been 90-110, fairly consistent over the past few years, but trending slowly downwards.
As for the total subscribers, only HTC has that accurate number, but one can get a feel, like I do, by not scoring in fighter category to see where # of players that at least had 1 sortie (and fighter is the most common, especially for any 2-week trials.) How many of those fighters are subscribers vs 2-week freebies is unknown, but generally you'll see more subscriptions than freebies, especially with the lack of marketing.
There are also seasonal variations.
If I were pressed to ballpark, and because not all subscribers play MA - some are just scenarios or special events, I'd estimate subscribers around 700-900 - above that 500 wag.
And considering the lower (and by now very stable) overhead, compared to the height of AH, this will still be profitable at lower levels than 500 subscribers. It just depends on how much time HTC wants to spend on rolling over tours, adding maps, enabling the winter snowmen, and dealing with the whinge calls/emails. :aok
Many of the gameplay changes people agitate for are amenable to adjusting some already adjustable setting (like the recent NOE adjustment from 60ft to 100ft - but they do take time to implement and re-compile, and with lack of testing, carry the risk of messing up things which can make people leave faster.
There might be some issue with removing maps from rotation that we are unaware of and why so many unloved maps are still present (some of which have a direct impact on players willingness to play them.)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 17, 2025, 11:06:16 AM
LOL. Yes, DCS plane development is slow. But still faster than HTC's lately. ;)
You so miss the plot. You are so obsessed with DCS. DCS is not the competitor to AH. That is IL2 and will be Combat Pilot.
DCS is a different kind of game. More like MSFS 2025 with bullets.
Having tried all those other games I agree that DCS i not a competitor to AH. I think the game that is closest to AH3 is IL2 1946 (with a bunch more planes but no VR) Il2 CloD (with VR development in progress) I think IL2 GB is in the middle between AH3 and DCS because it has servers that are very much like DCS and then servers that have icons and all like AH3.
I think the main difference is that all of them have some sort of FTP or very inexpensive to get started option. I think I bought IL2 1946 for $4.99 on sale and CloD for $9.99 on sale with no monthly fee to play online.
Personally I think WT is the elephant in the room. According to AI the the game has 27 million registered players and usually over 100,000 online. I don't think all of the IL2 releases combined can match those numbers and the info I have on DCS suggests 1,000-1,500 players online.
I think that if someone could figure out a strategy to appeal to WT players that it would be the most successful as there are a lot of them and while I doubt the arcade mode players would be interested, the realistic and simulator guys might be.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 12:30:03 PM
just to let you know we have hidden one post from you, please keep it DCS related on the forum advertising other games is not allowed
I have not given you any warning points this is just a heads up.
best regards
bignewy""
I don't think anyone brings up DCS here more than you.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Eagler on May 17, 2025, 12:41:15 PM
I log in nightly at 8pm est..
There was usually 70 to 80 online then and maybe 80 to 100 when I log an hour later at 9pm..
Recently it's been 60 to 70 when I login and 80 to 90 an hour later..not sure about the other 23hrs in the day lol..
It's the map and what fronts it creates that matters to me..it just takes one good fight to make the hour fun for me..
Not sure the numbers support 3 sides anymore but that thought has already been expressed repeatedly and doesn't seem to make a difference so there's that..
Go auto assign and enjoy it while it lasts..
Eagler
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 17, 2025, 12:47:05 PM
No idea how many are playing DCS single player right now as these numbers are only for multiplayers but I just captured this. I play single player most of the time but host a 2-3 player session a few times a week. I have most of the WWII planes also but rarely fly them. I like stormy night missions taking out enemy ground targets then fighting off migs. Occasionally I survive and make my way back to base using navaids. I mention AH every now and then but the AI is never interested. ;)
Having tried all those other games I agree that DCS i not a competitor to AH. I think the game that is closest to AH3 is IL2 1946 (with a bunch more planes but no VR) Il2 CloD (with VR development in progress) I think IL2 GB is in the middle between AH3 and DCS because it has servers that are very much like DCS and then servers that have icons and all like AH3.
I think the main difference is that all of them have some sort of FTP or very inexpensive to get started option. I think I bought IL2 1946 for $4.99 on sale and CloD for $9.99 on sale with no monthly fee to play online.
Personally I think WT is the elephant in the room. According to AI the the game has 27 million registered players and usually over 100,000 online. I don't think all of the IL2 releases combined can match those numbers and the info I have on DCS suggests 1,000-1,500 players online.
I think that if someone could figure out a strategy to appeal to WT players that it would be the most successful as there are a lot of them and while I doubt the arcade mode players would be interested, the realistic and simulator guys might be.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Dadtallica on May 17, 2025, 12:48:15 PM
Spring numbers have been way down. It’s going to be long summer for Animl.
There were only 65-70 people the ma at 1030PM EST last night, a Friday even. FSO arena had like 15 at the time I looked. Wednesday’s and Thursday’s have been really low last couple months. Lusche can come with the receipts but to me the normal steady decline seems to have picked up some steam.
I don’t mind the subscription but it’s never about if you can afford $15. It’s all about the perceived value to the user and that is always subjective. You cannot chastise someone for not wanting to spend $15 a month here just because they pay it for Netflix or happy meals as is the usual common curmudgeon complaint. Those things are worth the trade for them. The aurora of AH doesn’t translate to a younger crowd and thus this $15 is too much to spare. Even for me here almost 20 years could argue it’s now a $9.99 game at best.
IL2 and steam has sales all the time where you can buy the planes for $5 or less. They just had a huge one.
Also, can we all be a little honest and self aware… this community is a tough nut to crack for the uninitiated trial player. :old:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CAV on May 17, 2025, 07:34:10 PM
Quote
I think that if someone could figure out a strategy to appeal to WT players that it would be the most successful as there are a lot of them and while I doubt the arcade mode players would be interested, the realistic and simulator guys might be.
I think players over in War Thunder may be a tough nut to crack.
If anything it's more of a threat to us. I've been poking around a little bit over in realistic and Sim mode and For a "win the War" type player like me it has a certain degree of appeal once you figure out some of the mechanics to it.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Oldman731 on May 17, 2025, 08:04:09 PM
There were only 65-70 people the ma at 1030PM EST last night, a Friday even.
So, did you have fun?
I've managed to get on a bit more often these past few weeks, and I haven't had any problem finding fun fights. You don't need 600 people for that to happen.
- oldman
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 17, 2025, 08:29:49 PM
I think players over in War Thunder may be a tough nut to crack.
If anything it's more of a threat to us. I've been poking around a little bit over in realistic and Sim mode and For a "win the War" type player like me it has a certain degree of appeal once you figure out some of the mechanics to it.
I never thought about it that way but now that you mention it. The realistic to me is very AH3 like with icons and auto trim etc. The sim mode to me is more like IL2 with no icons on enemy and no auto trim for example. I went to IL2 after I left AH3 and had some fun there. Then I remembered I had created WT accounts when it came out and decided to go back and check it out. The longer I'm there and the more I advance tech trees and gather squad vehicles, and the more I see that it appears a good number of players that are left here are toxic, the less I think I will return so you might be on to something;
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Tumor on May 18, 2025, 05:10:20 PM
The DCS Spitfire models differential braking. Takes some getting used to. Be sure to turn off rudder assist if you want a challenge.
IL2 GB has that crap too. I never was able to get good at taxing in a spit. It was annoying and I tried to wait for everybody to clear the taxi area so I didn't take out any friendlies trying to get the runway. I would also look and see if I could get a straight shot across the field and take off that way even though I knew I'd get scolded by the tower! lolz
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 18, 2025, 06:01:23 PM
IL2 GB has that crap too. I never was able to get good at taxing in a spit. It was annoying and I tried to wait for everybody to clear the taxi area so I didn't take out any friendlies trying to get the runway. I would also look and see if I could get a straight shot across the field and take off that way even though I knew I'd get scolded by the tower! lolz
That's what's nice about those big grass RAF fields. ;)
I think that's the one before IL2 GB. They have VR testing in beta for it last I heard. I think I bought it on sale for $19.95 with the Fortresses and Focke Wulfs or the Desert Wings Tobruk expansion (I forget which one) I like flying around England and sight seeing. The towns are very detailed.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Eagler on May 19, 2025, 06:52:21 AM
The 109 is a greater challenge on the ground imo. You cannot keep it on the runway without using the wheel brakes.
Finally taking off and landing the k in dcs was memorable but for my old arse it's more work than fun..
Eagler
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 19, 2025, 08:03:17 AM
Awesome he started another excuse for 128 pages if dcs sakes on the front page. This is why I quit promoting. Gullible Idiots for. Sholes. I don’t give free work for foolish nonsense let the TX crew wipe your game, hey, they are from TX its kewl. You waste my time
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 19, 2025, 10:07:48 AM
Finally taking off and landing the k in dcs was memorable but for my old arse it's more work than fun..
Eagler
I only tried the free version of the 51 in DCS and it seemed pretty tame to me but that was with whatever the default settings were so I doubt it was full fidelity. The spitfire in IL2 GB was the worst for me on the ground. It was fine once I got it in the air however there was like a 50% chance something would go wrong taxing, taking off or landing it. I got to the point that I tried not to use brakes on landing lolz.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Dadtallica on May 19, 2025, 02:49:19 PM
Awesome he started another excuse for 128 pages if dcs sakes on the front page. This is why I quit promoting. Gullible Idiots for. Sholes. I don’t give free work for foolish nonsense let the TX crew wipe your game, hey, they are from TX its kewl. You waste my time
This is yet again an other civil discussion you can’t seem to help but stomp all over. Could you just try going away for once?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 19, 2025, 02:51:59 PM
I have the P-51 so have spent little time in the free TF-51. The flight models for both may be the same and full fidelity other than the rudder. I think rudder assist is on by default for all of the WWII planes, could be wrong. For a challenge turn it off. The P-51 is maybe the most tame for ground handling.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 19, 2025, 05:16:42 PM
I stop weeks ago. Its not what the discussion started at. It morphed as ysual. Just let Skyyr back and finish it off..
Nope, I’m done done.
Allowing these two is a disservice for paying customers who come to immerse in AH. Any talk if the word another sim, these two cone in and turn it into all about dcs Former players have a bigger say so than the payer, better yet volunteers. Its not permitted at dcs, period.
I never seen such weirdness
Invite Skyyr back too, lets bolt down hill
Oh look child trippy started a bew dcs in oclub. This us whats not worth 15$. We can’t even have our own game.
This is nit urrational, it’s not #1, it’s 1001, enough. Better things to do that actually yield results. This us a riad blick
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Meatwad on May 19, 2025, 05:30:42 PM
Add micro management of the engine and no auto pilot..and that's why some of us enjoy AH way more than dcs
To each their own..
Eagler
TBF after take off its not too bad. So far this DCS tour 1 bomber kill for about 15 sorties :D If you look at the 4ya server stats page even now towards the end of the month most players have not got a single PvP kill excluding Ai
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 20, 2025, 09:59:06 AM
Development appears to have ended altogether. Enjoy what we've got but don't expect any new releases because there won't be any. ""
You have a new reply there
Certainly I dropped out of DCS 4 years ago when the Mossie arrived. 4 years later and nothing new in WW2 that I can see. 4 years ago the Corsair was and still is "in development" !! I only just got my PC back up to spec which is why I came back after my "girlfriend" kicked the front in :D
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 20, 2025, 11:08:12 AM
Last night there were so many bugs and re starts it took me 20 minutes to get in the air and then the frame ended :furious
But if you have a $2000 plus pc and are obsessed with realism............... I guess its as close as you can get currently.
I understand though VR works allot better in AH though so in that aspect AH lends itself better to realism.
AH'S Problem is people don't know it exists.
It was never designed for game play, its a simulator, it will never ever be a good combat game. It may never be more than it is with Nick burning production bridges. He van no linger be trusted to pay his debt for work. zNobody is going to do the work without the cost paid up front. Razbum pretty much no longer exist. Those workers got stiffed by DCS and moved on to jobs that actually pay. Chances of bug fixes on those planes is zero. Chance of getting new planes is almost null.
These guys that sell it here are lying their flaming butts off. They don’t view you as friends, they view us as hopefully gullible fools. They sell horse crap to fools. These guys are KNOWINGLY trying to sell you planes where bugs and updates can no longer happen. They are sold here by lemon used car salesmen. The last thing they are honest brokers. They hide these truths and push myth.
DCS is pretty, nothing more. Calling it a combat sim is a joke.
In 20+ years, if I thought there was any true fun in it I would have been there already. I’d go to another first, for sure. Its not new, their future is no better than ours. Why do they sell it here? Desperate to turn it into something with our skills it will never ever be. They swallow pipe dreams. It will never be as fun as AH or IL-2 and they know it. They hide these truths from you because they are used car salesmen that won’t allow you to look under the hood.
They are simply trying to save their $1000s in investment in a dead end.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Lusche on May 20, 2025, 11:42:47 AM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed. The subscription rate was abysmal. THAT is the core problem - for whatever reasons, people don't like it enough to stay and hand over $15. Everything else results from it. That's why HTC stopped advertising... you could not recuperate the costs. Of course, this is a more unpleasant truth for us fanboys, our beloved game ("nothing wrong with it") being rejected. I mean, I was totally surprised how the steam launch ended up myself. :old:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 20, 2025, 12:07:29 PM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed. The subscription rate was abysmal. THAT is the core problem - for whatever reasons, people don't like it enough to stay and hand over $15. ...
That is the point I try and make and just get labeled a hater.
The problem isn't primarily one of exposure.
That is why no number of player made videos will alter the situation. I'm not saying to not make videos simply because you enjoy it. I'm saying they are not likely to have any real effect because it is the conversion rate that is the failure point.
You can get more eyes on the product, but with a near 0% conversion rate, that doesn't matter. You're just getting more eyes to reject the product.
Fix what ever it is holding back your conversion rate (that's the real discussion) then you can make productive use of advertising and market outreach. Until you do, player videos and handing out bumper stickers and t-shirts at air shows are all just farting in the wind.
But you can't have that discussion because: "Graphics are fine!" "No one has a problem with subscriptions. It's only $0.50 a day!" "Everyone loves 3 sides! It's best!" "AH gameplay is better than anything out there!"
If all that is true, then my question is, where are the customers at then?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Prayer on May 20, 2025, 12:51:05 PM
Would be nice to hear from HighTech himself instead of zero response or one line statements. Like to hear what his thoughts are on this current sim dark age as well as any future plans or none at all. Id like to hear the possibilities that he sees in the market and what it would take for AH to thrive again. Sure would be nice
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Shane on May 20, 2025, 01:03:13 PM
But you can't have that discussion because: "Graphics are fine!" "No one has a problem with subscriptions. It's only $0.50 a day!" "Everyone loves 3 sides! It's best!" "AH gameplay is better than anything out there!"
If all that is true, then my question is, where are the customers at then?
Casting pearls before swine... :aok
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: oTRALFZo on May 20, 2025, 01:05:17 PM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed. The subscription rate was abysmal. THAT is the core problem - for whatever reasons, people don't like it enough to stay and hand over $15. Everything else results from it. That's why HTC stopped advertising... you could not recuperate the costs. Of course, this is a more unpleasant truth for us fanboys, our beloved game ("nothing wrong with it") being rejected. I mean, I was totally surprised how the steam launch ended up myself. :old:
I joined back in 2004 (ish) and I was hooked since seeing the advertisement on History Channel. I remember this place surging and most of the newbies joined for the same exact reason. Remember having so many folks that they had to have 2 arenas? I remember that pissing off a few folks but my question being.. Even with that advertising, we had a huge lapse in continuing subscriptions? It is very hard to imagine.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: fudgums on May 20, 2025, 01:08:50 PM
Are people exhausted with the subscription model in general? Not just AH but, everything?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: oTRALFZo on May 20, 2025, 01:13:55 PM
Are people exhausted with the subscription model in general? Not just AH but, everything?
Biggest complaint I have heard was the learning curve. I have even tried to get my Son hooked but you have to admit that this game is very dynamic and very hard to learn all the aspects that it offers. It was about a year of playing before I learned there were vehicle spawns :furious
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: The Fugitive on May 20, 2025, 01:27:54 PM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed. The subscription rate was abysmal. THAT is the core problem - for whatever reasons, people don't like it enough to stay and hand over $15. Everything else results from it. That's why HTC stopped advertising... you could not recuperate the costs. Of course, this is a more unpleasant truth for us fanboys, our beloved game ("nothing wrong with it") being rejected. I mean, I was totally surprised how the steam launch ended up myself. :old:
The gaming industry changed. Subscriptions went away for the new games coming out. All you had to do was buy the new version and you were good to go. Many you had to have/run your own servers. With that change in mind set players have a hard time doing a game subscriptions it seems.
Then there is the game itself. 2 weeks is nowhere long enough to see what the game has. The many ways to play it while all still in the same arena. The learning curve to become average is up there and that is may be only one facet of the game (fighter, GV, bombers, strat, base takes, base defense, sea battles, sea/shore battles......) Luckily setup was made easy by HTC unlike some of these other games. Sure tweaking your setup may take months, but you can be flying in a very short time.
I think the steam effort failed big time as I dont think HTC expected the turn out they got. Had they had the VR all set, a bunch of volunteers ready to help as players came in, maybe even changed a few of the default settings to help new player come in they would have captured a lot more subscriptions. As it was we had hundreds of players check in, get lost trying to get rolling and leave in the first 15-20 minutes. I think finding out the "FREE" was only the first two weeks didnt help much ether.
By some of us pushing YouTube channels and now the Discord and trying to post info about the game every where we can is a small effort to be those "advertisers". I have had a number of people reply to me that they didnt know about or didnt realize that Aces High was around. We all have to get the word out. Join the Discord, post in it, tell others Discord servers about us. The same goes for the YouTube videos. Make them and post them. If you cant make them push them, share them, post them to other social media "X" "reddit" or any other thing you can thing of. The more we can push the name Aces High out there the more likely we will get more to come in here.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 20, 2025, 01:38:05 PM
No one is likely to fix or change anything on the forum but no harm in trying or discussing. Seems to me youtube videos are the most likely to draw interest. A few might try it and stay. That's better than a sharp stick in the eye.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 20, 2025, 03:40:38 PM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed.
And if you can't fix that, you should stop wasting your time chasing new players and put all your energy in to re-accessing those former players.
They are used to the graphics. They are used to the gameplay. They are used to the subscription model. etc. They would be your lowest hanging fruit.
You just have to figure out what would it take to entice them back.
Is there a combination of changes that could lure you back?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Dadtallica on May 20, 2025, 03:47:31 PM
It would be unfair to offer anything special to someone returning and not then also give it in some manner to those who never left. Both of which are easy to rectify. Either way I’m just gonna enjoy what we have while we have it whether or not I think we should pay less for it. It’s probably not gonna stop me anytime soon.
Why does everybody think the individual who owns this game actually wants it to increase in size? If it were to do so he would then have to do so in aggregate exponentially. How is he doing that exactly? More importantly, is there even a desire to do so? Pretty sure we know the answer.
Also, what would be the possible benefit for him to comment on any of this ever. He would win and lose at the same time, every time?
Most of you in here are probably retired… I bet you like it a lot! :old:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 20, 2025, 04:13:04 PM
It would be unfair to offer anything special to someone returning and not then also give it in some manner to those who never left.
Say he went through the user DB and reset every expired account where they've been gone at least 6 months and re-enable a trial for them. Add what ever flag you need so that those trials can actually last 90 days.
Would that be too insulting to current players? What do you get out of it? More targets to shoot at? A chance to reinvigorate the game you love? Is it really costing you anything?
I assume he has emails of past customers. If I want to reclaim my former id he has to identify me somehow. Those are former customers not random internet email leads. Send them an email and say, "As part of our 25 year anniversary celebration you have been granted a 90 comeback trial period. Comeback and remember what you loved so much.".
The trial is just sitting there waiting for them. That creates an urge to go collect the free thing I have coming. Once you get them back and rolling again, maybe some will stick.
Reasonably low effort. All the coding is in the non-graphic parts of the system HT can handle. We're not talking huge dangerous logic changes. Just some account parameter twiddling. A low cost attempt and changing the curve.
Would that not even be worth the try?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 20, 2025, 07:05:39 PM
I really don't know why this myth persists so much. We had thousands and thousands of players downloading AH... and almost nobody stayed. The subscription rate was abysmal. THAT is the core problem - for whatever reasons, people don't like it enough to stay and hand over $15. Everything else results from it. That's why HTC stopped advertising... you could not recuperate the costs. Of course, this is a more unpleasant truth for us fanboys, our beloved game ("nothing wrong with it") being rejected. I mean, I was totally surprised how the steam launch ended up myself. :old:
I didn't know :frown:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: caldera on May 20, 2025, 07:07:34 PM
And if you can't fix that, you should stop wasting your time chasing new players and put all your energy in to re-accessing those former players.
They are used to the graphics. They are used to the gameplay. They are used to the subscription model. etc. They would be your lowest hanging fruit.
You just have to figure out what would it take to entice them back.
Is there a combination of changes that could lure you back?
I think you have something there, with trying to reacquire past customers. Especially ones who played for years.
It's very hard to compete for new blood, when they see better graphics for less or no initial investment. No reason to give up on that front, but courting those who once loved the game seems like better odds.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 20, 2025, 07:32:33 PM
I think you have something there, with trying to reacquire past customers. Especially ones who played for years.
It's very hard to compete for new blood, when they see better graphics for less or no initial investment. No reason to give up on that front, but courting those who once loved the game seems like better odds.
AH also does not take high end hardware to run. I don't know about IL2 but DCS on full settings you are looking at a $2000 PC at minimum. I can just about run DCS at the lowest settings with quad 3600 core, 64 RAM and 500 gig ssd and the graphics at that level look like 1980's on the ground.
There must be plenty of people who like me ran AH at low settings 10+ years ago who with a modest modern PC will be able to turn everything up to max now and WOW :banana:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 21, 2025, 10:52:58 AM
And if you can't fix that, you should stop wasting your time chasing new players and put all your energy in to re-accessing those former players.
They are used to the graphics. They are used to the gameplay. They are used to the subscription model. etc. They would be your lowest hanging fruit.
You just have to figure out what would it take to entice them back.
Is there a combination of changes that could lure you back?
I know when I was playing WW2 online they used to have a thing called "Welcome back soldier" where they would email prior players and offer them a free full access subscription for a limited amount of time. The numbers would jump during these times.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 21, 2025, 11:05:29 AM
AH also does not take high end hardware to run. I don't know about IL2 but DCS on full settings you are looking at a $2000 PC at minimum. I can just about run DCS at the lowest settings with quad 3600 core, 64 RAM and 500 gig ssd and the graphics at that level look like 1980's on the ground.
There must be plenty of people who like me ran AH at low settings 10+ years ago who with a modest modern PC will be able to turn everything up to max now and WOW :banana:
Not sure you'd need a $2000 computer. I can run max detail on WT and IL2 easily on my computer that I built for under 1k. I have a 4070 super and a 12100. I "upgraded" the cpu to a 12700 but there was a minimal performance increase so I sent it back. Here's a breakdown of what I can recall for my computer off the top of my head 12100 $70 64gb RAM $100 4070 super $550 motherboard $150
That works out to less then $900. I had a case and drives and monitor that I could use. I suspect most people would have this or could get them for fairly cheaply.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: waystin2 on May 22, 2025, 11:14:19 AM
ARMA 3? :aok
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 22, 2025, 11:29:09 AM
I remember I was gonna join you guys there and check it out, but then something happened. I may have missed a sale or lost the info or something. I could use a break from making smoking holes in the countryside with the A4E I'm trying to learn.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Lusche on May 24, 2025, 05:04:33 PM
Is there a combination of changes that could lure you back?
A few years ago it could have... but now it's too late, because the lack of action in my timezone would make any change in setting I could possibly ask for irrelevant. Reverting the dar settings won't change the fact that during my prime time, there are only around 30ish players logged in. Right now, it's almost midnight on a Saturday here, and it's not even 50 players logged in. When I played last time, I had to stay up until US prime (like 3-5 am!) to get a glimpse of the battles & action which made AH so great back in the day. And that's not only bad for my health, but also not very reliable, because even at US prime the action is more and more often limited to a single battle between two countries.
And no, no simple gameplay settings change would magically get the numbers up again.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Lusche on May 24, 2025, 05:05:48 PM
And no, no simple gameplay settings change would magically get the numbers up again.
This^^^
Hoping its a magic setting us really avoiding the obvious, ya gotta do the leg work to get the word out so they even know it exist. No matter the product.
If ya hand out 100 biz cards and get one response you’re probably doin ok. You’re nit going to get s mad rush on a single magic posting.
Batch emails is just gross biz. It looks desperate, disparate doesn’t sell well.
Ya really just have to get out there and shake the trees.
Out of 4.5k+ views on my videos, It may have drawn 10-30 to try it. That’s less than 1%. But 10 staying is worthy when you’re talking 100 and 10-20 pushes us into critical mass. The game starts rocking and more likely to retain more. Below critical mass (100-120) not as much.
Numbers breed numbers Pound the ground
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 25, 2025, 05:30:14 PM
I know when I was playing WW2 online they used to have a thing called "Welcome back soldier" where they would email prior players and offer them a free full access subscription for a limited amount of time. The numbers would jump during these times.
:aok
I came back but what put me off is "This guy is an a hole and this one is cheating" on the chat and not just 200.
Ok its very negative but people seemed more excited about their grudges and petty BS slights than the gameplay. I think everyone who calls someone else out is guilty. Just don't do it. Here or in game it makes for a toxic environment and pointing the finger just makes it worse.
Where is the fun in allot of 50 something men who should know better slagging off someone in a game for some comment on 200 :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 25, 2025, 05:54:09 PM
Ya because the YKW and V stunt and allowing the DCS sales booth setup was so helpful we lost 30-50 players.
Kills me how some in this thread whistle innocently, using every creative insult formula except that one. Just giving us “helpful advice” in shutting down even trying, every chance he gets. Prime hunting ground post for scavengers.
hubris copious
The numbers are having problems because that stuff was allowed, period. One only stopped on legal issues, which the other two at the sales booth encouraged and took part in.
Who the HELL would stay apart if something with personal data crap going on?
“I’m your buddy trying to sink your game, just thinking whats best for you, here try my game”
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 25, 2025, 05:56:48 PM
Ya because the YKW and V stunt and allowing the DCS sales booth setup was so helpful we lost 30-50 players.
Kills me how some in this thread whistle innocently, using every creative insult formula except that one. Just giving us helpful advice in shutting down even trying, every chance he gets. Prime hunting ground post.
hubris copious
?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 25, 2025, 06:01:15 PM
Lol please - tell me how talking about DCS made the game lose 50 people. Or Skyyr being back for that matter. Show the evidence.
I have to interject also DCS ww2 has a small fraction of the numbers AH has at prime time. WW2 it is very small potatoes. Wow 25 people in 4YA ww2 is a busy night and then for about an hour. Typical prime time say about 16. Also as Animal says no prospect of future development. Its very much a sim not a game.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on May 25, 2025, 07:38:57 PM
I didn't think there was more then a handful of people that had left AH3 for DCS. I used to run into AH players quite often when I played IL2. It seems more players would go there then DCS.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Tumor on May 28, 2025, 08:25:30 AM
I didn't think there was more then a handful of people that had left AH3 for DCS. I used to run into AH players quite often when I played IL2. It seems more players would go there then DCS.
IL2 & AH are like siblings. DCS is their nutty, lab-coat wearing Uncle. :airplane:
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 28, 2025, 09:13:58 AM
IL2 & AH are like siblings. DCS is their nutty, lab-coat wearing Uncle. :airplane:
Good way to put it. AH is more like rugby, DCS is like golf. But not they are not in a good spot. Its like a cavity, you see a black spec, but under that there is much mire wrong. What they admit to is the black spec. Its on a time clock now.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 28, 2025, 09:32:02 AM
I didn't think there was more then a handful of people that had left AH3 for DCS. I used to run into AH players quite often when I played IL2. It seems more players would go there then DCS.
Didn’t Trips have you there? How much money did you waste trying it?
Problem with DCS, beyond their financial situation, its a money pit, and its justifiable investment is questionable now.
During MotA/YKW era, I watched 8-10 get sucked into the inflated banter here. 9 of 10 returned. BUT, they bit that shinny hook and spent 1 yr sub here to try it just to find it is not as sold and didn’t like it.
So not only did we drop numbers for a time, it grifted hard earned money from our brothers ( and sisters) hoping they could save their own 1000s in investments in DCS. They are not looking out for you, they laugh at you as fools to even listen. They mock AHers while selling them horse crap at every chance. These are grifters who want to get the AH pop when it dies. Or kill it taking them. Which is stupid, they are no where near the same audience. Who ever panders to them of bite their hook us a damn fool.
What these DCS guys do here is WAY beyond ban in any game forum. Evidently being from TX cancels normality.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 28, 2025, 09:43:31 AM
One F-15E air refueling video coming up. Just as soon as I learn how.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2025, 09:59:48 AM
One F-15E air refueling video coming up. Just as soon as I learn how.
Of course there is. You prove my point in your every post. Didn’t you two girls spend the whole day holding hands trolling here?
You guys spent too much time in games successfully avoiding maturity at all cost. Dunning-Kruger.
Your existence and antics here is disrespectful to actual paying customers and volunteers who help bring that money as a byproduct of interest raising numbers, allowing you to create room disruption in attempt to skim from the free efforts.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: DmonSlyr on May 28, 2025, 10:18:36 AM
WW2 in DCS can be super boring, especially with no action showing on the map. I like Ghosts Dsmned VF81 servers becasue atleast there's some AI and map icons to help you get into action. The fights feel a lot slower in WW2 DCS and the planes feel much differently. While the immersion is there, the "fight" just isn't the same as AH. I find IL2 to be more similar to DCS. Same sever type setup, but no pro-longed war like AH. Either way, I sorta enjoy the "cartoonish" look of AH more for WW2, the special events are great, and the MA is just so unforgiving and "natural" for the most part, but I feel I get better fights there for WW2 all around.
Jets, are a whole different thing and different feeling so I cant compare with AH.
Flight simulation is a small community and it takes years to learn fundamentals. Everyone just have to find their game and what they enjoy the most. No one says you only have to play one...
At the end of the day, they are all money traps, that's what hobbies are :rofl Just have to enjoy it.
I love racing, but you are always bound to the track.. thats why flying is so much better :D
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 28, 2025, 10:20:31 AM
Of course there is. You prove my point in your every post. Didn’t you two girls spend the whole day holding hands trolling here?
You guys spent too much time in games successfully avoiding maturity at all cost. Dunning-Kruger.
Your existence and antics here is disrespectful to actual paying customers and volunteers who help bring that money as a byproduct of interest raising numbers, allowing you to create room disruption in attempt to skim from the free efforts.
Look at me look at me.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Animl-AW on May 28, 2025, 10:55:44 AM
WW2 in DCS can be super boring, especially with no action showing on the map. I like Ghosts Dsmned VF81 servers becasue atleast there's some AI and map icons to help you get into action. The fights feel a lot slower in WW2 DCS and the planes feel much differently. While the immersion is there, the "fight" just isn't the same as AH. I find IL2 to be more similar to DCS. Same sever type setup, but no pro-longed war like AH. Either way, I sorta enjoy the "cartoonish" look of AH more for WW2, the special events are great, and the MA is just so unforgiving and "natural" for the most part, but I feel I get better fights there for WW2 all around.
Jets, are a whole different thing and different feeling so I cant compare with AH.
Flight simulation is a small community and it takes years to learn fundamentals. Everyone just have to find their game and what they enjoy the most. No one says you only have to play one...
At the end of the day, they are all money traps, that's what hobbies are :rofl Just have to enjoy it.
I love racing, but you are always bound to the track.. thats why flying is so much better :D
I agree.
However constant selling if a game on another game’s forums is low class and prohibited in almost all game forums. Mostly so on DCS forums, so they know what they are doing.
1) I setup a Pepsi sales booth, while I’m unpacking Pepsi cases a prospective customer approaches for a sample, so I offer them a Coke.
2) Ever been in a restaurant where the manager allows street people to come in and feed off your plate?
3) Ever walk into a McDonalds and see Burger King bags on the tables?
The genre is smaller than other genres, but not as small as you think. They are just divided over choices.
IMO, Sims are a higher level of learning curve and game play. Everything from physics and correct graphics and FM to history. Its a college course. Its more intellectual, thinkers. If you ant neck-down game play sims are not for you. We’re a different breed that thinks on a different level.
Jet sims have nowhere near the deep history and aces as WWII. Go ahead, list 5 famous jet pilots. You can’t have much history in something that barely happened. The depth just isn’t there. Cool bells and whistles, but what does my mind tue it to for immersion? See many movies about jets?
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the F-86. Its a whole different speed of thinking than props. But its not as intimate as prop knife fighting. Props = duck hunting, Jets = deer hunting
To each their own, just don’t let your dog crap in my yard. :)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2025, 10:59:56 AM
heh... well, I don't usually sit down and eat. But I have. McD's is right next door to BK. Whoppers rule but the Clown's fries are way better. :bolt:
Agreed. But they were even better back when they were fried in beef tallow. ;)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Prayer on May 28, 2025, 02:45:34 PM
I have the Oculus Quest and really look forward to playing Aces of Thunder. Not a War Thunder fan because it was too arcade like. This looks very promising as it now forces you to play from the cockpit. Ill spread the word of aces high there. When it comes out in a few months looking for a few to come dominate with me.
I'm thinking a cross between Aces Combat 6 and Guitar Hero.
I'll call my agent (https://sm.ign.com/t/ign_in/screenshot/default/les-grossman_rpub.1200.jpg)and see if he can get us some face time with the suits at Gaijin.
Uh oh. A new game for me to skim for!
[Edit] Damn. Meant to type Thunder Aces. Oh well. Not worth the tokens to regen. Marketing Dept will probably change it anyway based on Focus Group testing. As long as they don't want to change all the pilots out for fat black chicks, I'm flexible.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2025, 08:21:33 PM
Darn. Marketing pinged back with some suggestions based on Focus Group feedback.
(Didn't finish rendering. Out of tokens I guess. Maybe I got charged by the pound. It was worth it. ;))
I remember I was gonna join you guys there and check it out, but then something happened. I may have missed a sale or lost the info or something. I could use a break from making smoking holes in the countryside with the A4E I'm trying to learn.
DM me if you want to stop by. :aok
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: LCADolby on May 29, 2025, 07:28:21 AM
I didn't think there was more then a handful of people that had left AH3 for DCS. I used to run into AH players quite often when I played IL2. It seems more players would go there then DCS.
This is from our Discord Server not everyone on our discord is actually Damned. The Damned is basically a DCS squad first and AH and IL2 second and third.
This list the games we are into. For ARMA I'd hit up Waystin2 and the Pigs on the Wing.
This is from our Discord Server not everyone on our discord is actually Damned. The Damned is basically a DCS squad first and AH and IL2 second and third.
This list the games we are into. For ARMA I'd hit up Waystin2 and the Pigs on the Wing.
If you guys are into making fancy builds or looking for a more in depth survival experience I highly suggest giving ‘Vintage Story’ a look. I haven’t been able to go back to Minecraft since I checked it out.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Mayhem on May 29, 2025, 12:22:42 PM
Out of curiosity, in DCS, do your guys skew WWII, Jets, or Helo? Or mostly even interest?
Depends on the person, We do all 3, So it's mostly even. I typically do more Helo's and Warbirds than anything else, Sometimes I jump into my Hornet or Falcon. Gray eagle tends towards Warbirds and Cold War. Ren does Jets and Warbirds but rarely flies Helos and such.
We have picked up a lot of new members as of late and most of the new members are into Moderns and Helos however as they rub elbows with the old timers (Like Ren and GE) they tend to pick up at least one warbird and start flying WWII.
Couple weeks ago I believe it was GE took and Humphry took out a Sam Site in Mustangs on our Modern Persian Gulf Server on a dare. (This is typically done by our Helo's)
Right now we are looking at Friday Nights being our Fudge around and find out night, Saturday Modern/Coldwar nights and Sundays are our Warbirds/WWII nights. We used to do Friday Moderns Saturday Warbirds and Sundays our FA&FO nights but it was causing to many conflicts with peoples real world lives.
Some Guys do IL2 and a few are still here in AH.
I was going to do resume FSO but Nef left and the 412th shut down. The Damned does not have enough active AH players to support FSO as it is Drano Folded our old FSO squad into the 412th.
Due to a Death in Family and another Family member fighting Cancer I personally have not been on much, Infact right now I tend to have more free time on the internet when I'm at work.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 29, 2025, 12:35:48 PM
Depends on the person, We do all 3, So it's mostly even. I typically do more Helo's and Warbirds than anything else,
That's be me. I wish more people would try helos. They are a blast. A totally different way of flying that has a lot in common though with warbirds. I mean, it is a "prop" driven aircraft in a way. ;)
I think I'd be OK with jets up until fly-by-wire and BVR kills. That's when you lose me. So I might could do early CW, Korea, early Vietnam\Arab Israeli Conflict kinda stuff.
The WWII MP environment is not close to AH, but damn those planes are beautiful and a joy to just go out and fly.
I wish HTC would expand to become a DCS Vendor. They have all this expertise that just needs a more economically viable platform to fund their team. I think as long as you don't try and violate the IP, it is a good deal for both parties. Someone like Heatblur would never make trying to make their own custom game, but they are quite profitable under the DCS umbrella. Get his artists together and produce some modules. He would bring decades of experience and the market is ripe for more WWII 3rd party modules. Let another company handle the marketing.
I'd love to see HTC monetize their server technology through licensing. It is top tier server code being held back by a front end he can not compete on.
I can dream can't I?
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Mayhem on May 29, 2025, 12:44:39 PM
I'd love to see HTC monetize their server technology through licensing. It is top tier server code being held back by a front end he can not compete on. I can dream can't I?
You know if HiTech ever gives up on AH he could sell the server and client software. You wont see 500+ per arena but the game would never die at least not until windows outgrows it like it did with Air Warrior III (Drano had to build a win98se machine to get his old AWIII boxed game to run).
What would also be cool is if Hitech Developed and sold Mods for DCS. I think he would not only be good at it but He would probably be better than any one else especially when it comes to warbirds. I'm also getting kinda tired of waiting for Magnitude 3 to get off their arses and finish the F4U1D.
However, I think that would also depend on the real reasons behind the ED vs Razbam conflict. While I'm all for supporting and maintaining warbirds Nick Grey owns the Fighter Collection and Eagle Dynamics. ED has been known to make 0% intrest loans to the fighter collection. It's rumored that those loans has put ED in a position where it has to sell new mods to pay the developers for the sales of the old mods.
That's be me. I wish more people would try helos. They are a blast. A totally different way of flying that has a lot in common though with warbirds. I mean, it is a "prop" driven aircraft in a way. ;)
I think I'd be OK with jets up until fly-by-wire and BVR kills. That's when you lose me. So I might could do early CW, Korea, early Vietnam\Arab Israeli Conflict kinda stuff.
The WWII MP environment is not close to AH, but damn those planes are beautiful and a joy to just go out and fly.
I wish HTC would expand to become a DCS Vendor. They have all this expertise that just needs a more economically viable platform to fund their team. I think as long as you don't try and violate the IP, it is a good deal for both parties. Someone like Heatblur would never make trying to make their own custom game, but they are quite profitable under the DCS umbrella. Get his artists together and produce some modules. He would bring decades of experience and the market is ripe for more WWII 3rd party modules. Let another company handle the marketing.
I'd love to see HTC monetize their server technology through licensing. It is top tier server code being held back by a front end he can not compete on.
I can dream can't I?
BVR in DCS often isn't from my experience. Growling Sidewinder did a video with him and his buddy Shotgun with an F-15EX vs Su-35. The F-15EX was carrying 20 AIM-120s and finally got the kill on the 19th or 20th missile fired. There was much turning and burning.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 29, 2025, 01:00:58 PM
However, I think that would also depend on the real reasons behind the ED vs Razbam conflict. While I'm all for supporting and maintaining warbirds Nick Grey owns the Fighter Collection and Eagle Dynamics. ED has been known to make 0% intrest loans to the fighter collection. It's rumored that those loans has put ED in a position where it has to sell new mods to pay the developers for the sales of the old mods.
Well it eventually started coming out that yes, Razbam had been trying to work the the Ecuadorians to get them an custom model and get it running on a customer grade free download version of DCS. That violates DCS IP agreement and is an attempt to deny them the government level version they sell to militaries. This was clearly an attempt to violate their non-compete agreement and interfere with their MAIN revenue stream which is probably not he consumer product. The fact that Razbam tried so hard not to let that part out should tell you something. It was not what was originally present as ED just randomly choosing not to pay them for no apparent reason.
The loan thing I think is an issue with people not understand how business can work. Some hitech companies and such might compensate their CEO with interest free loans with no paypack period and no interest. It's a way of increasing their compensation without increasing their tax load.
The company gets to book it as an asset, accounts receivable, and the CEO doesn't have to declare it as income as it is a "debt". Creative book keeping.
It's grey area (excuse the pun) but not particularly illegal. I understand it would seem odd to most street normies. It's not the first time I've seen it in tech companies.
The fighter collection existed long before Grey's association with ED. I think his Dad started it decades ago.
But this should be in the O'Club. ;)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 29, 2025, 02:55:58 PM
My vote is for a multi-crewed EB-52. Of course we'll need nukular weapons.
Well, with ED and other mods appearing to be shifting to PTO content, that market is wide open for a vendor to continue to fill out the ETO. Or even to start, just producing WWII asset packs.
Get you foot in the door, get up to speed on their platform and SDK. A good on-ramp without having to bite off a full fidelity aircraft at first.
Then use that revenue to get the band back together and fund further AHIII development, which they are free to do as long as they work it out in their contract.
For instance Heatblur thrives under DCS but still makes MSFS modules.
$0.02
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Mayhem on May 29, 2025, 03:14:48 PM
My vote is for a multi-crewed EB-52. Of course we'll need nukular weapons.
You have them in DCS we use to restart our training servers with a nuke (No Joke) the last mission a Mig would spawn at the north edge of the map with a huge escort and fly all the way south Kataisi and drop a single bomb that would insta kill everything in a 10 mile radius and then the server would restart. However there is no mushroom cloud or even a flash.
But OMG how cool would it be to walk around and change stations in a B-52 in VR? Heck some one should just make a full VR B-17/B-29/B-52 with working stations.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: CptTrips on May 29, 2025, 05:33:28 PM
You have them in DCS we use to restart our training servers with a nuke (No Joke) the last mission a Mig would spawn at the north edge of the map with a huge escort and fly all the way south Kataisi and drop a single bomb that would insta kill everything in a 10 mile radius and then the server would restart. However there is no mushroom cloud or even a flash.
Lol.
Ghouls. ;)
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: AKIron on May 29, 2025, 05:33:35 PM
Even a B-52H would be fun. The EB-52 is the fictional Megafortress though. There is an F-106 mod with the Genie nuke missile. Big kill radius but no blast effects as you mentioned.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: Yarbles on May 30, 2025, 05:02:03 PM
Bed Time Already..
30 min downloading the up date
45 minutes loading time to get past all the bugs
10 minutes on start up and TAXI
5 minutes chasing dots and the mission ends
:aok
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: DmonSlyr on May 30, 2025, 06:54:09 PM
The no icons definitely gives me twitches from the old days of AH dot bug lmao. Wondering why there is no icon, and then realizing it was just a dot plane bug and not a plane at all :rofl :old:
I feel your pain though, similar happened just the other night. Right when I get the air, the server resets :aok
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on June 01, 2025, 09:51:46 AM
Didn’t Trips have you there? How much money did you waste trying it?
I'm guessing you're talking about DCS? I installed the free version and flew around in the free planes for a bit but that's a far as I got. Flying the 51 there didn't feel a whole lot different then IL2 or WT Sim battles.
I prefer the cat and mouse game of IL2 or WT Sim battles where you're looking for contrails or tracer or getting bandits called out on radar and trying to find them before they find you.
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on June 01, 2025, 10:00:28 AM
I have the Oculus Quest and really look forward to playing Aces of Thunder. Not a War Thunder fan because it was too arcade like. This looks very promising as it now forces you to play from the cockpit. Ill spread the word of aces high there. When it comes out in a few months looking for a few to come dominate with me.
Uh, WT sim battles make you fly from the cockpit with icons at very close range and no AWACS just like IL2. If you play WT in arcade mode it will be arcade like...
Title: Re: Marketing AH3 in other games.
Post by: hazmatt on June 01, 2025, 10:05:19 AM