FREE Aces High? New way to get fresh players?

[Chilli]

This is a bold claim, especially in the light of the recent STEAM events.
What are you basing that on?

Missing an entire market

I know that HTC is already aware of this because of previous evidence in marketing to a European audience.    Really the numbers pretty much support themselves during HTC business hours (guessing ~9 - 6 Central time) and beyond that beginning peak hours until ~ 11:30 pm. 

Aggressively, offering coupons for a month of freeplay to players located in critically dead time zone (between above hours) would boost the numbers exponentially.  {snip}

I am not sure of what recent Steam events you reference.  I am basing my statement on the long list of Aussie, and off hours players that have gone missing. 

I am definitely not saying that the game is not worth the price of subscription for that time zone, only pointing to the obvious.  An "empty" arena (numbers less than 10 on any chess piece side) definitely leaves out most opportunities for quick paced action that "prime time" zone players enjoy.

I am also saying that from my experience, whenever there has been some major advance in Aces High development, there has also been a peak in repeat customer subscriptions.  HTC can either confirm or dispute this quite easily with review of the subscription poll questionnaire data.  I simply speak from the recognition of a number of familiar names.

Now, maybe you can help me out.  Did Steam specifically target these retired "off peak" players, or did it offer 2 weeks free for NEW players through Steam?  (Hopefully, the Steam investment plus aggressive marketing specific targets, will be the one, two punch to tip the scale in favor of growing those audiences again).

P.S.  Considering the niche customer base, I dare say that AH3 primarily only reaches those in the US.  We could be attracting more players from Europe and Asia as well as my Australian friends (whatever language that is they speak) g'day  .  All of the areas that contributed men and metal during the historical events from which HTC has carefully modeled machinery and physics.

[zack1234]

Offering free cooking utensils or a year subscription to dog fetlers weekly might help

I offer business advice the HTC on a monthly basis but as yet they have declined to reply to by notes pushed under the door

[nrshida]

Once again proving how oblivious y'all are.

I stated IF what you claimed was true THEN the MPA would be busy and it isn't. Therefore your analysis is flawed and so is your proposals.

I think you are missing an observable factor. Your trouble is being convinced you have all the answers and simultaneously sure that you are uniquely qualified to say so isn't condusive to discussion or progression. That's why you keep repeating the same suggestion over and over again without variation or considering anyone else's views.

[DmonSlyr]

I stated IF what you claimed was true THEN the MPA would be busy and it isn't. Therefore your analysis is flawed and so is your proposals.

I think you are missing an observable factor. Your trouble is being convinced you have all the answers and simultaneously sure that you are uniquely qualified to say so isn't condusive to discussion or progression. That's why you keep repeating the same suggestion over and over again without variation or considering anyone else's views.

But your statement doesn't correlate to that arguement. The reason it's not populated is because you cant choose who you want to fight, can't spawn into action, can't free flight if you are waiting for someone.... I mean, how can you not see that? Those are real flaws. I do consider to most players views. But if im sure I have a better understanding of the game situation than others, than I will challenge their statements. Too many people here complain over and over again about the same issues, lack of #s and fights. I'm giving great solutions from my very experienced undertsanding of the game, and what I have seen before in the game, that people really enjoyed.

Bustr is on right tract with shorter bases and better fighting areas. I don't want to change how the MA works. I love the MA, albeit a few nuances, like base distance and 88mm guns, or resupply towns as to completely deter the usage of bombers which have very long sorties at time. This also creates gangs as you have to completely hoard a base to take it. Just small things like that. 

When someone can finally make a small map geared toward furballing and quick combat with air spawns, It will work. Wish I had the time.

[Ack-Ack]

If anyone had bother to read the reviews and posts in the AH Steam page you would have seen some of the main reasons why players didn't stick around after the trial.  The majority of feedback consisted of:

1) Difficulty of flight model
2) Difficulty in setting up controls, whether it be joystick, game pad, mouse or VR controls
3) Free trial wasn't log enough to get hang of game (loops around to #1)
4) Subscription business model
5) UI (loops back to #2)

While some complained it was tough to find a fight sometimes, those comments were in the minority of the Steam feedback.  I also noted from talking to some of the new players while helping them, they pretty much echoed the same sentiments of those that left feedback on the Steam page.

[Zoney]

I don't want to change how the MA works.

^^^ So, you don't want to change the MA.......
......Except for these things Below and all that other stuff you've relentlessly hammered into our brains for the past few years

 

I love the MA, albeit a few nuances, like base distance and 88mm guns, or resupply towns as to completely deter the usage of bombers which have very long sorties at time. This also creates gangs as you have to completely hoard a base to take it. Just small things like that. 

Once again, You and those like minded individuals have the tools to do exactly what you propose.

You can yell on 200 and all meet up in a general area and just duke it out.

You can create your own arena and just duke it out.

You can ask the AvA staff to set it up, (and I'm willing to bet that they would be happy to accommodate you), and just duke it out.

Because of course, you don't want to change the gameplay in the MA.

 

I know you are passionate about the game but I really believe your ideas are not as viable as you are guessing.

Truly, I want you and your friends to be happy here, I just don't agree that your ideas will send the game down the correct path.  Now because you keep on and on and on and on and on and on and on about it.........I think fewer and fewer and fewer are listening.

[bustr]

Violator,

We won't get airspawns in the MA, so being able to show Hitech shorter base distances do enhance getting at each other, versus spending too much time in transit is a better route. He had the NDisles vBases swapped with small air feilds, so I suspect he has been looking at some of the same things I have. Shorter distances seem to keep players at each other, I suspect that will enhance loosing bases quicker. Still that will be a lot of activity that doesn't require changing this game to be like war thunder and become pathetic.

One of the problems with your arguments, is how close you blur the lines and stop short of saying make AH into WT, instead of using what this game allows. You remind me of nugetx a bit, and I did wonder if he was you being bored. You keep telling Hitech he has to change the game using bullet points from how WT operates. AH has all of it's combat types freely mixing in a single arena, you keep describing segregated arenas like WT "realistic" or "simulator" by specifying how Hitech has to make AH into a version of a WT air combat matchup arena.

The moment Hitech tries to make AH compete with WT as a WT knockoff venue and game play style, the doors here close. Everyone here but yourself sees this, and after all these years, you could have already built a terrain.

As for Ack-Ack's observations about Steam players, I read the reviews for awhile, I'm wondering if some of them did get a controller other than a joystick going, and found the game is not War Thunder, and stretched the facts about their experience a bit. After all, it's not their fault the programmers didn't child proof that aspect of the Aces High simulator and made things too hard for them. War Thunder did........   

[lunatic1]

The advertisements would be for other products, not ads for AH.
This Buds' for you.

Coogan

ohhhh I see what your saying, advertise other peoples stuff, like a McDonalds hamburger.
are you nuts?

[lunatic1]

sitting here reading the past 3 pages-it just occurred to me-it's not the fact that it is a flight sim using WWII assets because if you look and remember World of Tanks-War Thunder-Armoured Warfare and World of Ships are all WWII Games that are being played by thousands if not millions of players.

I think ACK-ACK hits the nail on the head. about the new players:

Posted by: Ack-Ack
« on: Today at 06:12:26 PM »
Insert Quote

 

If anyone had bother to read the reviews and posts in the AH Steam page you would have seen some of the main reasons why players didn't stick around after the trial.  The majority of feedback consisted of:

1) Difficulty of flight model
2) Difficulty in setting up controls, whether it be joystick, game pad, mouse or VR controls
3) Free trial wasn't log enough to get hang of game (loops around to #1)
4) Subscription business model
5) UI (loops back to #2)

While some complained it was tough to find a fight sometimes, those comments were in the minority of the Steam feedback.  I also noted from talking to some of the new players while helping them, they pretty much echoed the same sentiments of those that left feedback on the Steam.

I am going to be a little crude here: most of the new players are LAZY, my opinion is they don't want to take the time to learn to play the game because in these other games they can just hop in and play.
don't want to or can't but a joystick or headset with a mic--not that u need these to play the game it's just easier and cheaper to use the mouse.
even though using a mouse is harder than using the joystick.
you can ask almost anyone on the Knights I try to help all the new players that I can when they are on when I'm on. they ask questions you answer back-they don't like the answer.

all those other games are FREE to play, until you want better equipment to play at a higher tier, but I imagine most are satisfied with what they have now.

as far as I know DCS is the only game/sim that is not just WWII, but like I said all those other popular games are WWII..it's the type of game and the cost of the game that comes into play.
I personally will play this game as long as I have a working computer and can pay for the game and I will play until I die.
which may be 15 or more years since by DR. said they found nothing wrong except my lifedema and my Blood pressure are fine. so party on dudes.

[100Coogn]

ohhhh I see what your saying, advertise other peoples stuff, like a McDonalds hamburger.
are you nuts?

A lil' krazy, but nooo 'lunatic'.   

Coogan

[100Coogn]

You can yell on 200 and all meet up in a general area and just duke it out.

 

I'm curious now.  Is channel 200 turned on for new players?
If so, might want to make sure that it's turned off by default.
Some of the going on's in there could drive away potential customers.

Coogan

[DmonSlyr]

If anyone had bother to read the reviews and posts in the AH Steam page you would have seen some of the main reasons why players didn't stick around after the trial.  The majority of feedback consisted of:

1) Difficulty of flight model
2) Difficulty in setting up controls, whether it be joystick, game pad, mouse or VR controls
3) Free trial wasn't log enough to get hang of game (loops around to #1)
4) Subscription business model
5) UI (loops back to #2)

While some complained it was tough to find a fight sometimes, those comments were in the minority of the Steam feedback.  I also noted from talking to some of the new players while helping them, they pretty much echoed the same sentiments of those that left feedback on the Steam page.

I actually agree with you on all of those issues. Which is exactly why I think it's necessary to have a single small FFA arena much like furball lake but over land with a cooler terrain.  players can communicate much easier and play the game in a smaller environment. People aren't taking the game as seriously. The MPA does a very poor job of that which is why I'm griping so much. The MA makes the game difficult to learn because it's overwhelming.  Most new players don't know about head position and the home key. The default view is awful for SA. It's the one thing aces high did take from the other Sims and I don't know why. The cockpits are too pretty to start 1 inch from the aimer.

I do really agree with your assessment though and it does need to be addressed. Besides the flight model of course. I am merely focusing more on game play flow after people figure out the set up part

Violator,

We won't get airspawns in the MA, so being able to show Hitech shorter base distances do enhance getting at each other, versus spending too much time in transit is a better route. He had the NDisles vBases swapped with small air feilds, so I suspect he has been looking at some of the same things I have. Shorter distances seem to keep players at each other, I suspect that will enhance loosing bases quicker. Still that will be a lot of activity that doesn't require changing this game to be like war thunder and become pathetic.

One of the problems with your arguments, is how close you blur the lines and stop short of saying make AH into WT, instead of using what this game allows. You remind me of nugetx a bit, and I did wonder if he was you being bored. You keep telling Hitech he has to change the game using bullet points from how WT operates. AH has all of it's combat types freely mixing in a single arena, you keep describing segregated arenas like WT "realistic" or "simulator" by specifying how Hitech has to make AH into a version of a WT air combat matchup arena.

The moment Hitech tries to make AH compete with WT as a WT knockoff venue and game play style, the doors here close. Everyone here but yourself sees this, and after all these years, you could have already built a terrain.

As for Ack-Ack's observations about Steam players, I read the reviews for awhile, I'm wondering if some of them did get a controller other than a joystick going, and found the game is not War Thunder, and stretched the facts about their experience a bit. After all, it's not their fault the programmers didn't child proof that aspect of the Aces High simulator and made things too hard for them. War Thunder did........   

Bustr see that's where you are missing my point. I don't want the game to turn into WT, believe me. I don't want airspawns in the MA at all.  I love the MA and want to keep the MA what it is. It is sacred. I just think particular nuances need to be adjusted to make the action appear more rapid. I don't even really care for death Match arenas. Free for all bowl would work better.  I'm glad you are working on maps. We need it.

[nrshida]

But your statement doesn't correlate to that arguement.

Your statement did, was the point.

The reason it's not populated is because you cant choose who you want to fight,

You can't know that's why it isn't populated and yet you use that to support YOUR vision for how the MPA should be. Choosing who you fight is what you want, not what I and other MPA users want. This has already been discussed, I see again you did not acknowledge that...

can't spawn into action,

It's a Match Play Arena (with air spawns). Into what action are you suggesting you spawn?...

can't free flight if you are waiting for someone....

Already proposed on the Wishlist.

I mean, how can you not see that? Those are real flaws. I do consider to most players views.

No you don't. What you do is propose that if everybody else defers to your superior insight, learns to play the game your way, and the game be modified to support your in-game activities then player numbers would suddenly increase (the what's in it for you guys gambit). Narrow-minded guesswork which you try to argue from a position of authority. People not agreeing with you does not automatically make them idiots. They might have different but equally valid or more valid insight. Your approach is rationally flawed, biased, arrogant and ignorant at the same time.

What Ack-Ack did was to gather objective evidence, compose it into some kind of logical set of consistent issues and present that in a well-argued format. He did not do that by starting with an opinion and looking for evidence to support that. If I were HTC I'd be pinning that to the white-board and considering it a worklist of constructive feedback from the target group. Gold dust.

[Ack-Ack]

I actually agree with you on all of those issues. Which is exactly why I think it's necessary to have a single small FFA arena much like furball lake but over land with a cooler terrain.  players can communicate much easier and play the game in a smaller environment.

Having a small FFA arena isn't going to resolve the issues that a lot of Steam players were having that caused them not to convert to a subscription after the free trial.  Those players will still have the issues that caused them not to subscribe.

[haggerty]

If anyone had bother to read the reviews and posts in the AH Steam page you would have seen some of the main reasons why players didn't stick around after the trial.  The majority of feedback consisted of:

1) Difficulty of flight model
2) Difficulty in setting up controls, whether it be joystick, game pad, mouse or VR controls
3) Free trial wasn't log enough to get hang of game (loops around to #1)
4) Subscription business model
5) UI (loops back to #2)

While some complained it was tough to find a fight sometimes, those comments were in the minority of the Steam feedback.  I also noted from talking to some of the new players while helping them, they pretty much echoed the same sentiments of those that left feedback on the Steam page.

I dont see how the flight model can be construed as difficult, only way to make it difficult is to disable the stall aids.
But 2-5 are all on the developer, when I installed the steam version it was difficult to get the game going, and thats from a veteran that knows where everything is located in the ancient UI.  I have friends that liked the game but refused to come back for the 2 week steam trial just because of the $15/month model, these same friends have no issues spending $15 a month in free to play games.  We can bash the new generation all we want, but if you want their money you are going to have to find a way to cater to them.  I wonder what percentage of steam trials instantly uninstalled the game when the very first pop up after installing was "Hey, if you subscribe right now we'll give you an extra 2 weeks for free, but you have to decide right now!".  Its a bait and switch to list the game as free to play on steam, sure there may be things you can do for free, but you can't play with the core community.
I don't imagine we will see any changes because there are still over 1000 subs per month and this game should costs pennies to maintain with today's server costs and the lack of load we put on it.  Why bother putting work in if the product isnt losing money.