This game is dead unless things change

[scott66]

Fork2 ..hope you Find what you're looking for with the rooks, it was always fun keying up on 200 by accident instead of range and hearing our way conversations lol..made late nights interesting <S> you're always welcome back to bishland anyTime.in the end all that matters is that you're having fun no matter what country you fly for...I'll be Looking for you on 200 text bar and in the air ....scott66

[usvi]

[Widewing]

There are some aspects of Aces High that annoy me and have annoyed me for years. These are very minor things, pet peeves, if you will...

When I started play, in tour twenty-something, I had no understanding of the game's prevailing culture. None. Thus, I drew the ire of some players. After about a week, I went to the dueling arena. I was asked if I wanted to duel. "Sure", I said. The other picked the fields and I took off and headed towards the opposite base. I had no idea of the accepted rules. When I spotted the other guy, I saw him dive for the ground. I did the same. As we came to the merge, he was going to pass on my left side. So, just as we met, I turned hard left and opened fire. He flew right through the tracer stream and blew up. The next thing I know, the text buffer explodes with indignation. I didn't realize that it was guns cold on the merge. I saw him and shot him down. The second fight, I climbed to 10k, the other guy was far below when I spotted him. I ended up shooting him down again. Once again, the text buffer is filled with acrimony. I didn't know there was a hard ceiling....

HOs in the MA, shooting guys on the runway... It seemed that whatever I did, someone was really pissed.

I simply was ignorant of the culture and the unwritten etiquette of the game. I have a pretty thick skin, so I wasn't bothered by the raging and nasty PMs. Gradually, I learned the culture. It took a lot longer than two weeks. So, not only do you have to learn ACM, gunnery and the intricacies of the game, one has to learn the culture. I must have seen a dozen replies to questions of "Alt-F4". These guys think that they're funny, but we all know that they're schmucks.

Years later, I was asked to be a trainer. I did that for several years. The one thing I tried to teach new guys, was the culture as well as the basic and advanced knowledge of the game mechanics, BFM and ACM. As a trainer, I saw new guys every week. Most were great folks. Some where already buttheads, ignoring the TA rules, or convinced that their $14.95 bought them the right to be jerks. In the TA, we would just boot them out of the arena. I think that most subscribers recognize that the game culture needs to change some. It is best changed from within. As long as bad behavior is tolerated by the player community, change will not manifest itself. We, the players, have no small amount of responsibility in that regard. We should be policing ourselves more.

Back when I started, 200 players on at prime time was the norm. Game population grows and shrinks due to several factors. The economy is the biggest factor. Staleness of the game is another. HTC is heavily engaged in overcoming that last one now. However, that takes time and countless hour of labor.

Not long after I started playing, I joined a squad and remained with them to it fell apart over internal politics and demands to play on nights when my schedule simply didn't allow it. We formed a new squad. That one lasted about a year. Since then, I have played lone wolf. No squadies, no wing man. I'm not a joiner. Not a follower, and not interested in herding cats, which is what squad leader must do.

There are things I would change about the game. But, I'm just one voice and I don't expect all to agree with me. I have little tolerance for rude players, and I'm not shy about dealing with them. The majority are not rude, but like any community, there are a percentage of jerks. Most players know them.  

As to complexity... The learning curve is steep. That's both bad and good. Bad because new players will struggle a bit. Good because many of us prefer realism over fluff.

Fork2, most of us welcome honest criticism about the game. Some get a bit defensive for their hobby. A few are simply mean-spirited. Unfortunately, that last group garners much of the attention. There's a business concept of "continuous improvement". This means improving the product every day, usually in small increments. HTC does that. We only see the improvements when an update is released. The update is a cumulative thing, consisting of all the improvements HTC has incorporated.

Anyway, it's always a pleasure to greet new players. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have a need for help with any aspect of Aces High. Even us retired trainers are happy to set aside some time for the new guys.

[SKULLY7]

Since you seem to be new. have you taken time to peruse through main page tutorials?  yes some in game game can be dicks when asked about how toos but atleast give time to read instructions or at least print out keyboard commands to know what keys do what and how to map keys and stick to set preferences.  We can not do it all for you.

[zack1234]

Fork your talking gibberish

You do nothing to make the game better for anyone

If you cannot be positive go and mow the grass

Your thread was to long as well, it reads like a insurance seminar

This game is awesome and is getting better

Dont pm me in game because i minimize my text buffer, i only look at it when i am writing gibberish about Unicorns

I have had a double expresso so i apologise

[nrshida]

Cobblers, this game is fantastic. Nut up or shut up. 

Holy hell that sounded Midway-esque

Consider your way Danny, consider it indeed 

[bustr]

tl;dr: "Blah blah, something something thanks Obama for killing Aces High, blah blah you're all filthy liberals."

You and Surfinn must be best friends.

 

FORK,

You are very new, extremely thin skinned, and looking for a fight. You didn't bother to catch that my second response was for the above over sensitive keeper of the one true faith of tyranny by minority. Ala "Hissy Fit".

"The sensitivity training must be strong with this padouan's metaclorian overwhelming him to the drop of an apostate pin."

So are we to all bow down to the glory of your newness, and beg pardon for our boorish manner, because we have been instated too long in your worldly view?

In a bad economy the numbers in this game will be low, since it's a monthly subscription to play. You sound like a few shills who came through here just before War Blunder went live, preaching the end of the AH world as we know it. Shaking the bushes so to say to fling low hanging fruit over to the competition. Or at least a small stamped to check out the eye candy.

But, then HTC is just about to release an improved updated version that looks to be a prize. I sincerely hope you are just a Mr. Cranky Pants and not a shill for the competition. As of now, you know whom and where to have every question answered about AH coming out of the seems at your beck and call. Past this point, you are beginning to sound just as ill-mannered as you accuse us of being.

So Mr. Cranky Pants or shill, welcome to the AH mosh pit.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

GVs have killed the game. The few players that are left are sitting in GV and the people who come for the flying part get empty arenas.

Of course the horde mentality and lopsided sides also drives people to gvs when they get tired of being repeatedly gang banged in the air. I remember often just sticking to a field gun if and when we were steamrolled. It feels counter intuitive to spend 20 minutes flying into the horde for a certain death. Much more fun to instantly spawn to a field gun and pick a couple from the red mass.

[mbailey]

 
  I may not know how to dogfight but I can land my p38 on fire dangit! (and I have , many times, lol)

 

I like the guy already  

If ya ever want to do some P38 sorties give me a yell....I usually fly knits, but im not country loyal and will travel over to Rooks and wing up with ya anytime.

[Arlo]

The problem with that (if it is a problem from your perspective) is that limited realism arenas dominate when they are an option and that is followed by people going where the numbers are.  You end up with a heavily populated limited realism arena and a nearly empty full realism arena.

That is fine and all, but it would a very sad thing for those of us who prefer full realism.  There isn't any other home to go to right now for us.

If you like, you can turn on the stall limiter in the existing arena, you just won't have quite as much control as those without it.

Air Warrior suffered that.

[ReVo]

FORK,

You are very new, extremely thin skinned, and looking for a fight. You didn't bother to catch that my second response was for the above over sensitive keeper of the one true faith of tyranny by minority. Ala "Hissy Fit".

"The sensitivity training must be strong with this padouan's metaclorian overwhelming him to the drop of an apostate pin."

So are we to all bow down to the glory of your newness, and beg pardon for our boorish manner, because we have been instated too long in your worldly view?

In a bad economy the numbers in this game will be low, since it's a monthly subscription to play. You sound like a few shills who came through here just before War Blunder went live, preaching the end of the AH world as we know it. Shaking the bushes so to say to fling low hanging fruit over to the competition. Or at least a small stamped to check out the eye candy.

But, then HTC is just about to release an improved updated version that looks to be a prize. I sincerely hope you are just a Mr. Cranky Pants and not a shill for the competition. As of now, you know whom and where to have every question answered about AH coming out of the seems at your beck and call. Past this point, you are beginning to sound just as ill-mannered as you accuse us of being.

So Mr. Cranky Pants or shill, welcome to the AH mosh pit.

tl;dr:"Blah blah tyranny, blah blah thin skinned, blah blah if you don't agree with me you must be here to kill the game for our competition." *Passes out the tinfoil hats*

Actually, my goal was simply to point out that you seem desperate to blame ANYTHING but Aces High and it's players for the problems with the game. As for being a shill i'll go ahead and say that I thought War Blunder was horrible and I would suggest that everybody save their time and not bother with it. I am very excited to see the new graphics and hopefully that will bring players back. That being said without changes to the way the game is played those new players will leave upon realizing that the game isn't much fun no matter how beautiful the terrain you're chasing that Runstang through is. (Just like they have been)

[Randy1]

Last night was a good example of the three country problem.  The Bish and Knights were pounding it out on their side of the map leaving the Rooks with a few scraps.  If we the Rooks took advantage of the situation, we could have captured a lot of easily but I, we didn't.

I have heard many times a nob ask a question and get jumped by sly remarks offering no help at all.

This is a tough game to learn.  Its a tough game to survive in for long enough to learn.

[Hoplite]

Sarcasm doesn't play well in text, Coogan.  The guy comes here to comment on all the sarcastic responses he gets in the MA and you give him a sarcastic response.  It's not other people's fault if they didn't get your "joke" -- that usually means you didn't tell it right.

Tips for FORK2:

Detune Channel 200 -- Very little of what you'll see there is useful and the game is often more enjoyable with 200 off.  Likewise you have to take this General Forum with a grain of salt, as many people come here simply to troll and annoy others.  Sadly the Main Arena and this Forum (online games in general, for that matter) are full of people who get their enjoyment from griefing others -- that is just the reality of it.  You need to learn to ignore the idiots (who are often the most vocal) in order to find the relatively silent majority of decent folks.

Ask questions in the Training Arena or on the Training Forum, not here or in the MA --  Sarcastic or misleading answers are not tolerated in the Training Arena or Training Forum.  You may still get them, but usually they are quickly called out and corrected if you get them.

Get more than one opinion on things -- Very few people have ALL the answers.  When you find players you think you can trust and who are willing to answer questions or give help, go ahead and ask them.  But don't take what any one person says as gospel.  When it comes to game play, there are different approaches and different methods for the many different aspects of the game.  For example, air combat alone has different schools of thought on how to approach it.  Often times getting help and input from multiple sources will give you a better idea of things.

Don't just join one squad, expect to try several squads, BEFORE you find a home.  A squad should help you learn what you want to learn.  If the squad you are with doesn't teach what you want or fit your needs or play style, try out another squad.  I've personally been a member of three different squads in AH during my time here.  The first taught me about the mechanics of base-taking but couldn't teach ACM or wingman tactics.  The second squad did focus on air combat and teamwork, but was mainly European and didn't participate in FSO.  My current squad participates in FSO (a one-life to live attempt at a more realistic, historical combat setting) but doesn't fly in the MA too often.  In a way, that's nice for me, as it gives me a certain level of freedom to fly on what side I want and with whomever I want in the MA.  So, while squads are great, they are not the complete answer.

Lastly, the game requires patience.  Most players plateau and stick to things that are easy because it is too hard to get better.  If you have patience (and learn to tolerate all the nonsense), then you can thrive in AH.

Just a few tips from somebody who agrees this "community" has a very ugly face when what people first see is channel 200 and the forum.  The key to AH is to look past that to find the heart of gold of the game.

Good luck.

<S>
Ryno

FORK:

  all of these.  Some of the best advice you will get.  Don't give up on the game.  Take a break if need be. 

Look beyond the silliness and you will find it's a great game.

Most of the players who appear to be jerks are really pretty decent people.  Some players just allow themselves to get caught up in the competition or temporarily lose control of their emotions.   The number of actual jerks is very, very, very small....but that's something you will realize only by giving the game more time.

[Swoop]

The first thing that would really help is a decent manual / online help page with every single nuance of the game dissected and explained FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SOMEONE WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE GAME.

Say what you like about how much work has gone into the help page, from a noobs point of view it's bloody awful.  There's so much that isn't explained or glossed over quickly assuming pre-existing knowledge.  The training corps is great but, again, so many people don't come anywhere near the forum and don't know about it.  More trainers in game, keeping an eye out for posts on ch....er.....6 is it?  And a message, a massive message in bold underlined writing, should tell all new accounts about the help channel and how to tune to it.



The second thing that would help is more events like FSO and Scenarios, the mess and unfriendlyness of the main arena can be left behind.  FSO is not for Europeans cos it's at 5am.   That sucks.   Scenarios are great but don't happen anywhere near frequently enough.  However, I'm also not a fan of short (or zero) icon ranges used in a lot of events, I liked the 12k icon ranges we once had.  I think the idea that no icons is more realistic is an elitist attitude and removes a lot of the fun for noobs and any poor sods playing on a 14" laptop screen.  That and I'm too lazy to clean my screen....

I would say the AvA is the place to be but....a) there's never anyone in there and b) no icons.

[Megalodon]

It's hard to tell who is new and who is not these days...the griefers have been given the ability to change there name at will. Cause they   ed

Should be 1 acct 1 name...then we could more easily tell when a noob is on.

As it stands CanOCorn and CanOBeans might not be the same person.

But... I digress,