OK BE, in what ways do you see AcesHigh has gone downhill? I think the game has contunied to improve since tour 74 or 75ish when I first logged in. Since that time we've seen a complete graphics rehaul, several requested planes and GVs added. And just resently a 2nd redesign of the base and town layouts. We even have a hint of Uboats now!
I'm sorry but I just don't see the game as going downhill. Sure the ENY and caps can be a real bummer, but that has been a factor since the end of AH1 when the arenas were first split. If anything the ENY is LESS of a problem now as you have the choice to move to another arena if you don't want to change countries.
The split arenas are also another plus IMO, because the guys that like flying the earlier birds don't have to put up with the uber planes now. A P40 has twice the chance of a successful sortie in EW or MW as opposed to the LW arenas.
All in all I have to say the positives outweight the negatives by a long shot.
And all this for the same price it was 4 or 5 yrs ago. This is the ONLY thing I can think of that hasn't doubled in price in that short time span.