You're right about Runescape, it's a very popular game. But you're missing one thing. Runescape It's free 2 play. If you had to pay a monthly subscription to play Runescape, how many people do you think would play it then? How many people do you think would play it over other games which would essentially cost the same.
The people who I mention Aces High to are already sim enthusiasts. (like I said) It seems that they've tried almost every other simulation other than Aces High.
No doubt gameplay is king.
That's incorrect. Runescape is only partly free. Free members are limited to a smaller (i think) portion of the game map and limited in the items they can access in the game. Last I heard the owner of the game is worth 100 million.
So you are saying the friends you suggested AH to are "flight sim" enthusiasts? If so, I find it hard to believe they so quickly dismissed the game, but if that is the case, their lack of interest could also be explained in another hardline Htc game philosophy..."this is not a simulator."
I get their objective of keeping it fun, but the game is far too generic and graphics will only go so far.