Author Topic: Solution for the low numbers???  (Read 10309 times)

Offline Puma44

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #30 on: July 23, 2018, 10:34:16 AM »
Very true.  Spit IX.

But they're still not staying past ten mins.  We have to fix that.

In addition to an effective ride, the sarcasm that newbies receive from our keyboard heroes is a big factor, in my opinion.  Why would a newb stick around for that kind of treatment?  ALL of us started square one, day one.  The keyboard heroes have somehow forgotten that or are too self absorbed to care.  Regardless, not a good starting environment for a newb.



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Offline Chris79

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #31 on: July 23, 2018, 10:54:54 AM »
In addition to an effective ride, the sarcasm that newbies receive from our keyboard heroes is a big factor, in my opinion.  Why would a newb stick around for that kind of treatment?  ALL of us started square one, day one.  The keyboard heroes have somehow forgotten that or are too self absorbed to care.  Regardless, not a good starting environment for a newb.


Disable 200 for 2 weeker's, and as i stated earlier, have a few vets create a squad dedicated for new guys, and automatically place those new guys into that squad.


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Offline Vraciu

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #32 on: July 23, 2018, 10:55:32 AM »
In addition to an effective ride, the sarcasm that newbies receive from our keyboard heroes is a big factor, in my opinion.  Why would a newb stick around for that kind of treatment?  ALL of us started square one, day one.  The keyboard heroes have somehow forgotten that or are too self absorbed to care.  Regardless, not a good starting environment for a newb.

Yeah.  Also noobs probably have no idea how to communicate to ask for help.  I can't tell you how many dozens of players I saw sitting on the runway firing their guns...towering...doing it again.
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Offline Lazerr

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #33 on: July 23, 2018, 11:00:41 AM »
I dont think troop/supply carriers is a good idea personally.. if you are trying to build a new core of players with a promotion like this, that would be starting off the wrong foot.  Aces High 3, not supply warZ.  I would rotate the planes available to some extent too.  2 somewhat competitive fighters, 1 bomber, and 1 gv + pt boat.

This isnt my game though.  I dont recall seeing HTC share any opinion of a free planeset either.  I definately dont see any accounts being lost due to the change.  I do see folks populating the arena and eventually wanting to have access to the whole game.

I cant quite wrap my head around new accounts not staying even for their trial.   :headscratch:


Offline Vraciu

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #34 on: July 23, 2018, 11:03:36 AM »
I dont think troop/supply carriers is a good idea personally.. if you are trying to build a new core of players with a promotion like this, that would be starting off the wrong foot.  Aces High 3, not supply warZ.  I would rotate the planes available to some extent too.  2 somewhat competitive fighters, 1 bomber, and 1 gv + pt boat.

This isnt my game though.  I dont recall seeing HTC share any opinion of a free planeset either.  I definately dont see any accounts being lost due to the change.  I do see folks populating the arena and eventually wanting to have access to the whole game.

I cant quite wrap my head around new accounts not staying even for their trial.   :headscratch:

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Offline Puma44

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #35 on: July 23, 2018, 11:05:37 AM »

Disable 200 for 2 weeker's, and as i stated earlier, have a few vets create a squad dedicated for new guys, and automatically place those new guys into that squad.

Great ideas!  Plus have dedicated mentors/flying partners (in addition to our fantastic trainers) to fly with newbs and explain the ins and outs of the game.....encouragers.

Yeah.  Also noobs probably have no idea how to communicate to ask for help.  I can't tell you how many dozens of players I saw sitting on the runway firing their guns...towering...doing it again.

Also, a good idea.  As a newb (and with some of it still), I found a lot of the training writups online to be confusing and not match what I was seeing on my computer screen.  Written from the viewpoint of someone who understood the subject, not someone who was on day one.




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Offline bozon

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #36 on: July 23, 2018, 11:31:13 AM »
I suggested this before:
F2P is out of the question for this game. On the other hand the 2-weeks non repeating trial is well below the standard these days for trying a game before caughing out any $$.
HTC can have special event weekends where people can play for free. These should not happen often enough to form any kind of F2P, but they do allow the masses some trial time in the MA, without the 2-weeks clock ticking over their heads.

These weekends should be accompanied by an advertising push. The community could run walk on special events during these times.
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Offline bustr

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #37 on: July 23, 2018, 12:00:18 PM »
If you believe newbies are having a problem understanding how to use VOX\Text, the button that says Radio can be over looked with pre-experience assumptions from other games that Radio does not mean chat or text. Since the younger generation is used to chat or text and something related to VOX like Discord or other external service voice comms in other games being separate functions. Change the button to VOX\Text or have an onscreen floating box like the HUD in a corner with Communications or some other word or sentence. "Click Here for Help Channel Chat."

I don't know how much Hitech researches the competition and other games in general to understand player expectations based on experiencing those games most of their gaming lives. Our clip board is pretty basic, sparse and simple. I'm not sure how patient or curious new players are to hover a mouse or, if they even discover that aspect of system help. What I've seen of the other games, along with a word description is usually included a graphic in a click box as a button for a function. Shades of kiddy games. :lol Think of games on your smart phone or a console. WT went to the extreme with this in their interface. The AH GUI is of the generation that we understood to click on things and see what happens to learn the interface. Then there is the aspect of players for the competition's games are constantly publishing updated youtube videos on how to navigate and use the basic setup of the game's interface portal. We call that the tower with that clipboard we click on. Skuzzy might want to create a sticky forum and fill it with all of those Help videos the popout on the clipboard runs after the first game install, "Help Videos" or some really obvious name. Newbies probably visit these forums at least once along with prospective new players.

If it only takes 10 minutes to dislike this game, that is not long enough to be offended by the in game community or, the learning curve. It's just about long enough to have their pre-conceived judge a book by it's cover biases confirmed. Our interface on purpose tries to look like how boring a tower and a real clip board looks. I used to work as ground support at Bay Bridge Airfield in Maryland. You only want the info needed to accomplish flying to the local rules and standards, not a bells and whistles game console for xBox hero's. Games have bells, whistles and flashy shiny stuff to hook short attention spans. Pilots in the real world try to eliminate as much of that as possible becasue their lives depend on not being distracted. Hitech has chosen to eliminate "distractions" in favor of focusing on seat of the pants combat. And becasue he is a real world active pilot, not a virtual world gamer.

If all it takes is 10 minutes to dislike our game, the portal to our dance floor may be a bit too Zen for kids expecting a mosh-pit with flashy shiny stuff going on like WT and other games.   
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Offline Spikes

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #38 on: July 23, 2018, 12:22:09 PM »
Agreed. Although I would go as far as 18 items on the menu comprised of one air and two ground transports, eight early war fighters, three early war dive-bombers, one early war level bomber, the Storch, the Jeep and the PT.

My 'freebie' suggestions:

C-47A
F4F-4
P-40B
SBD-5
Hurricane Mk I
Spitfire Mk I
Bf 109E-4
Fi 156
He 111H
Ju 87D-3
B5N2
D3A1
A6M2
I-16
Jeep
M-3
SdKfz 251
Elco 80' PT Boat

There's a fair degree of limited fun there without much chance of griefing. Plenty of latitude but none of the late war iconics like the Mustang, Corsair or late war 109s, 190s, Japanese or Russian hotrods or heavy bombers. I suppose the level bomber could be dropped as well as the Zero and Wildcat. That still leaves 15 toys (out of over 100). It's a pretty good carrot (with potential for steak upgrade).

I think this list is a bit too comprehensive. The issue of alt accounts and spying (yep I went there, someone was bound to bring it up) also comes to mind. Being able to have a second account for free and run goons, M3, etc would offset the decent balance we have already. Luckily, this game has never been plagued much with alt accounts like I have seen in other games. While it may be hard to alt account with no joystick, the GV game can certainly be altered by an influx of alt accounts.

As for planes, it is tough because people who want to play want to fly the P51, P47, 190, 262, etc. All the late war stuff. Giving all early war stuff will make people write it off as Pay to Win, which in today's gaming world you don't want that label. Mid war stuff would be a nice mix. But we're talking only a handful of planes, 3-4 or so. Just to give people a taste beyond their 2 week trial (which is too short to experience this game and make a decision).
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Offline bustr

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #39 on: July 23, 2018, 01:32:50 PM »
Give them a spit9, FM2, He111 and Panzer H.

These become obvious if a vet or newbie is flying or driving them. After the initial 2 week, 2 more with only these. Vets with second accounts won't destabilize anything like having access to Arlo's full list. And make the 28 days contiguous once the trial account enters the MA for the first time, use it or loose it.

Most people with lives so busy they can't keep up with extra activities will never start a free account at much of anything or have the time to waste on our learning curve. They are too busy. This has been used as an argument for extremely long and flexible trial MA accounts. Only a vet who wants a long term free second account would even throw that out as a road block to something like this. Use it or loose it. Over the years I've seen many new name 2 week accounts flying like vets I've fought against under their real names show up repeatedly. I've never heard that your IP or what ever unique identifier is limited to x number of times to create new two week accounts. 

And then back to the stories of prospective new players taking only 10 minutes in the tower to decide our game is too retro and boring. Windows 7-10 has a classic interface you can set your OS back to. If younger gamers need a glitz and flash interface to warm the cockles of their little hearts. Present two interfaces with a toggle for the "Classic" we see standard today and burn their Lil eyes out with flash and bling like the competitors. If that is all it will take to get them to up rides and discover what makes AH what it is. It's a gamble, or Hitech just waits for them to turn 40 and hope they take another look at this game. By that point most of them will be working at eliminating glitz and flash from their lives.
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Offline 1stpar3

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #40 on: July 23, 2018, 01:38:31 PM »
 :furious Ok,maybe OFF TOPIC, but back too MY PERSONAL pet peave with keeping NEW players :uhoh   Just LAST NIGHT....New player, made a comment on 200 and recieved this reply "Shut up..... new DIC"  :furious  THAT AINT HELPING   I would post the screen shot, but dont know how to edit out the names involved, and dont want to be a DICK. But it really upset me :uhoh  Yes...HE LEFT :bhead
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Offline Puma44

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #41 on: July 23, 2018, 01:51:30 PM »
:furious Ok,maybe OFF TOPIC, but back too MY PERSONAL pet peave with keeping NEW players :uhoh   Just LAST NIGHT....New player, made a comment on 200 and recieved this reply "Shut up..... new DIC"  :furious  THAT AINT HELPING   I would post the screen shot, but dont know how to edit out the names involved, and dont want to be a DICK. But it really upset me :uhoh  Yes...HE LEFT :bhead

Send that screen shot in to HITech and let him remedy that childish behavior.  What’s wrong with showing the names involved?  If anyone else was egging this guy on, they need their names up in lights also. 

Just another prime example for not tuning up 200. 



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Offline toddbobe

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #42 on: July 23, 2018, 02:04:25 PM »
I still think it would be beneficial to use the games learning curve as a plus rather than a negative.  Such as this is a serious game not an arcade plane game. Are you serious enough?.... that kinda thing.
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Offline nodeamus

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #43 on: July 23, 2018, 02:26:06 PM »
And then back to the stories of prospective new players taking only 10 minutes in the tower to decide our game is too retro and boring.

Lots of interesting suggestions from the established player base but I wonder what (prospective) new players think? How about a survey of recently joined players, with an incentive of a free months subscription to complete the survey?

Some market research to find out what is required for those key first 10mins would surely be helpful? :headscratch:

Offline Puma44

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #44 on: July 23, 2018, 02:56:27 PM »
Lots of interesting suggestions from the established player base but I wonder what (prospective) new players think? How about a survey of recently joined players, with an incentive of a free months subscription to complete the survey?

Some market research to find out what is required for those key first 10mins would surely be helpful? :headscratch:

That’s a great idea.👍



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