When our next game version is released, how much positive service can we do ourselves by posting at SimHQ. If we can keep from roasting their community with our aggressive caustic form of camaraderie?
That's a point well said, however it exists in a world we don't live in here.
I said it 15 years ago when I first wrote about AH in the Simhq type community, and have continued to say it with recent posts here and at SimHQ - it takes a different sort of person and client to appreciate this sort of game. Many people don't like a competitive environment, for the very reason that it attracts that certain type of person. I'm not saying everyone in AH is that type of person, but it does attract that competitive and sometimes almost antisocial type of player, where as that type of person isn't really satisfied with the single player, or limited small number multiplayer environment that is catered to with the IL2/DCS/F4 type games that most SimHQ players prefer.
People enjoy being comfortable in their niche, something that will get dumped on its head when you join the AH community, as there is always somebody better, and is the case for newcomers, very often somebody better.
IMO this sort of aggressive, competitive environment shows its colors on the bbs systems. SimHQ folks are NOT used to the type of community interaction there is here. Don't get me wrong, in their off topic area at the bottom of their BBS, they have their own problem children, and Rick.50cal, one of the long time mods there, I've known since the 90's from combatsim and Simhq, a fellow Canadian. I'm sure his story is similar to Skuzzy's, although in a much, much smaller book.
I guess a good example I can use to describe this is other games. Falcon 4, DCS, all the piles of other games and helo sims over the years have had their own little communities, but they've always gotten along reasonably well over at SimHQ in their bbs sytem. AH, WB, AW, games such as these have tighter and more vocal communities, and have never, ever, had a "second home" so to speak over there. I know many would think it's a perfect place for AH to pick up new customers, but as I've said, it really isn't, I'm sure HT would agree too - the majority of the gamers there just aren't the type of person who thrives, or even enjoys the type of competitive environment that exists here, and few if any other places so far as online sim games go. I'm sure a review there of the new version wouldn't hurt, but it certainly isn't going to add hundreds, or even dozens, or even A dozen (imo) new customers to the ranks here.
