Okay, about custom arenas, and
the point that I am not able to get across. At the moment I am more concerned with what I am able to accomplish in SETTING UP the custom arena. My point is that
HTC has given us tools similar to what they use to make the game playable (of course we have no where near the control). If we take more time working with these tools and seeing what can and can not be done "easily" we might have better suggestions to offer.
If I did get my server up and left it up, with very little effort I could fill it up. If you haven't noticed there has been an awesome group of guys doing just that. It is called SSO, and was the most fun outside of hanging with my MA friends other than flying some really well put together scenarios and my beloved AvA.
As for the
trainers, I usually find 1 of those guys on just about anytime of the day. I thought they had a "bat signal" channel or something setup, to request trainer's attention ( I am probably mistaken).
Back to how all this could be incorporated in the AH2 package, here are just a couple of wild ideas:
When game is first loaded there is an option that asks if this is your first installation. You say yes and it very briefly explains that
you will need perks to fly certain highly sought after aircraft in the Main Arena. It then it gives you the opportunity to earn perks by clicking next > you do and you are put into a training environment that explains who and how to get ahold of AH Training Corps.
You then achieve more perks for doing any number of things that should be considered essential for beginning the game... Joystick modes and selection, button mapping, mouse and voice options, game sounds and head movements.... so forth and so on.I think you can see where I am going,
by adding perk points any user would feel they are gaining something of value and if they learn something on the way, win win baby. Okay, so you are still headstrong and think you know it all and only grab the initial perk points. You start playing the game and the Tempest is dangled in front of you but, you find out you are a few perks shy. The training options will be there until you complete them all.
Another thing, I had 4 kids and if you want to know, I have found more walkthroughs and code sheets on just about every gaming title they owned. Youth are the masters at exploring the tools for quick learning curves. They were raised in the impatient world of instant gratification, and know a good deal when they see one.
This is how you encourage even the most resistant player to actually read the training notes instead of clicking and receiving the rewards. You give them a specific word located in a specific phrase to gain the password to release their perks. For example the 10 th word in the fifth step for joystick calibration. The amount of time they take to locate the specific password will attract almost any eye to some useful information. << Sneaky huh?