This game has ran its course

[JOACH1M]

Game hasn’t ran its course, but there is some issues that have pushed players away... whether it’s the community or the game itself something needs to change.


/thread.

[fd ski]

once again, attendance is low and arena needs to be adjusted for that.
I logged in last night. 40 people online. Flew for 20 minutes, found one fight and not likely to find another. Logged.

We need maps that scale with the roster - cloud layers could be used for that. If  attendance is low, map shouldn't be larger then 40 miles x 40 miles. As more people log - it should expand.

Challenge is how to include strats into that.

[Traveler]

Game hasn’t ran its course, but there is some issues that have pushed players away... whether it’s the community or the game itself something needs to change.


/thread.

Something has changed the developer/creator is switching to a game with a different business model.  War Online: Pacific is where all of Hitech creations efforts are going from now on.  Hitech is using subscriptions from AH3 to fund development of WOP.

[CptTrips]

War Online: Pacific is where all of Hitech creations efforts are going from now on.

That is a silly statement.  Other than some new front end menus and some billing server work, it is essentially a complete sub-set of AHIII.  Now if he was doing a space fighter game you might have more reason to be concerned.

Hitech is using subscriptions from AH3 to fund development of WOP.

My guess is that it will end up being the other way around.

,
CptTrips

[The Fugitive]

Many  Many Blue Moons ago, I was flying a P-51D in AirWarrior (this was around '94/'95 in the Full Realism ETO arena)... I was flying CZ and Damned Chick had been flying CZ but switched to Az without me noticing....

Anyways, probably the most important thing to know about Chick just like most all of the old Damned members like NB, SB, GE, PT, SM, FOOL, add infinium...is that it was very important to help train/teach others and everything that players who needed, wanted to learn how to be better....with that said, it had nothing to do about being a score-w----- or ego boost... It was how to use BFM/ACM, Energy Management and SA as your "roots" ... Knowing one's own strengths and weaknesses including their plane's...

I thought I had shot the moon, when I got into this long drawn out knife-fight in a phonebooth with this Az Spitfire which was one of the first 10+ minutes palms sweating dogfights I had the joy of being in and after I finally found my way of using all the training that the Training Staff (which was basically of members from the Damned, The Musketeers and the 4th FG mostly with a few others) had drilled into my brain, I managed to get the upper hand/angles on this pesty Az Spitfire and shoot him down.... To my astonishing surprise and delight flooding thru me the screen text buffer popped up:

TC shot down Chick - A kill has been recorded!

At that point in time / moment, my view of the game would completely change and all I ever wanted to do was to learn everything I could and to pass it on to any and every player that played and would listen....

It is not about winning or being a chest thumper.... It's about all the players/squadmates/family/friends/community members that took the time out of their own "Fun Time" to help me out learning to be a more positive and capable player and in doing so led me to realize that the only proper thing to do was pass on that which was taught to me...

Damned if you do, No Fun if you don't!

When PT founded our squad "the Damned" over 30+ years ago (we turned 30 yrs old this past year), I wonder if he ever thought about if it would still be around for 30+ years....

The only thing that ever bothered me about Aces High which basically includes players from WarBirds, AirWarrior IL-2 and FighterAce with others from wwiionline, Jane's etc....

Is that we never brought over or continued to keep with the traditional way of Training that AW, WB, FA and 1 or 2 other WWII aircombat mmog's offered.... I tried to bring it here but for some reason something changed and it is easy to see when you play in the game these past few years/days....

HiTech wanted a Training Academy/Course way back in 2000, and it's a shame that we could never get others interested in the concept and how much it would have helped over all the way, these past 19+ years of Aces High

Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way and to all the volunteers that stepped up to make this game more than just a great game...

~S~  &  Cheers

TC

that's a great story and all, but what does it have to do with a player showing a possible NEW player the game and all he can show him is 10 minutes of chasing runners?

The game has changed.

That is a silly statement.  Other than some new front end menus and some billing server work, it is essentially a complete sub-set of AHIII.  Now if he was doing a space fighter game you might have more reason to be concerned.


My guess is that it will end up being the other way around.

,
CptTrips

I agree with Travler. HTC has a limited number of employees and right now the biggest thing they have going is launching the  new game. My thoughts are they haven't figured out a way to bring in and retain new players in AH3 and so are launching the  new game to keep their revenue flowing.

I hope the new game brings players  to AH even tho Hitech said isn't the purpose of the new game.  Time will tell.

[CptTrips]

My thoughts are they haven't figured out a way to bring in and retain new players in AH3 and so are launching the  new game to keep their revenue flowing.

What if it is the very basic, core nature of AHIII that is preventing gaining and retaining new customers?  Should they fiddle with the core payment model and open sandbox model of AHIII to try it out?

What if the new generation of players reject the two-week trial then pay us a subscription or Flake-Off model?  What if that revenue model went out with 3.5" floppies?

What if the completely open sand-box, you're on your own to figure out what to do, play model isn't what new player want?  What if they prefer a more focused, time limited, curated (micro-scenario) experience?

What about players who still prefer the old AHIII model?

Maybe you create two games sharing the same core technology and assets, but each allowed to present a model that two different populations of players want, so you don'y have to force either model of the other?  There may not be one single model everyone one wants.

Why not re-package the same technology in two ways to pull in the revenue from two different populations? 




 

[JOACH1M]

See rule #4

[DmonSlyr]

If you are spending 10 minutes chasing runners. It's no one's fault but your own. All the planes dont fly the same way. Take a Spit9 to a CV fight you are going to have a load of fun. Take a spit9 to a mid range high alt fight, you are going to have a hard time. The spit 9 is a very slow plane. What do you expect? Do you think people are going to 1v1 you in one of the best turning planes in the game?

Aces High isn't about being fair. It is about forcing the person to fight. It's about SA and avoiding the gangs. It's about patience to getting alt and getting the advantage over other fighters. AH is about patience and learning how to gain the Advantage. It's not about flying fair and expecting someone to 1v1 you in the MA while you have a spit9 and they have a P51. I just don't understand why people think fighters are going to play their way so that they can get an easy kill knowing full well their plane can outurn almost anything. You can either take time to learn real fighter combat or you can complain and leave. This ain't no War Thunder.

[CptTrips]

Agreed.  I thought the Pacific was an inspired choice.  That makes an excellent differentiator.

[Slate]

  I think we should transition to the new "Title" if it embodies the essence of AH. Gamers are always looking for the "new thing" and may be turned off trying an "Old Game".

[CptTrips]

If you are spending 10 minutes chasing runners. It's no one's fault but your own. All the planes dont fly the same way. Take a Spit9 to a CV fight you are going to have a load of fun. Take a spit9 to a mid range high alt fight, you are going to have a hard time. The spit 9 is a very slow plane. What do you expect? Do you think people are going to 1v1 you in one of the best turning planes in the game?

Aces High isn't about being fair. It is about forcing the person to fight. It's about SA and avoiding the gangs. It's about patience to getting alt and getting the advantage over other fighters. AH is about patience and learning how to gain the Advantage. It's not about flying fair and expecting someone to 1v1 you in the MA while you have a spit9 and they have a P51. I just don't understand why people think fighters are going to play their way so that they can get an easy kill knowing full well their plane can outurn almost anything. You can either take time to learn real fighter combat or you can complain and leave. This ain't no War Thunder.

Exxxxxxactly.

[FLS]

about 2pm est time today I had a guy come in the office, he was very interested in the flight stick I had on my desk.  we began discussing it and I explained I play this game. he told me that he did a little flying on line and he was very interested in the game as he had never heard of it.  so I fired up the computer and launched a spit 9 in the ma, he wanted to fly a 51d but do to eny I explained we couldn't take that. so any ways I launch a spit 9 get in the air all the while showing him different options of the game.  I find a 38, I give chase, 38 runs for almost a sector. well lets go find some one else.  flew to where there was a little larger dar theres a 51, I give chase almost 1/2 a sector (total flight time at this point 10 mins). so we loose him.  he asks what do you do just chase planes around? I will not type my response but he never asked the name of the game.  pretty sad.

Next time let him fly offline and shoot down a drone. It's quick, predictable, and likely to be successful.

Then if he downloads Aces High fight him 1v1 until he gets comfortable. Then point him at FSO and scenarios so he sees player organized AH.

The MA can be fun for a newbie but it's a tough place to start.

[JOACH1M]

Next time let him fly offline and shoot down a drone. It's quick, predictable, and likely to be successful.

Then if he downloads Aces High fight him 1v1 until he gets comfortable. Then point him at FSO and scenarios so he sees player organized AH.

The MA can be fun for a newbie but it's a tough place to start.

I think the current MA is bad for new players. When I joined in 09 I strictly played in the DA, where there was 40 players at all times and instant dogfight action. Sadly it’s not like that anymore.

[The Fugitive]

What if it is the very basic, core nature of AHIII that is preventing gaining and retaining new customers?  Should they fiddle with the core payment model and open sandbox model of AHIII to try it out?

What if the new generation of players reject the two-week trial then pay us a subscription or Flake-Off model?  What if that revenue model went out with 3.5" floppies?

What if the completely open sand-box, you're on your own to figure out what to do, play model isn't what new player want?  What if they prefer a more focused, time limited, curated (micro-scenario) experience?

What about players who still prefer the old AHIII model?

Maybe you create two games sharing the same core technology and assets, but each allowed to present a model that two different populations of players want, so you don'y have to force either model of the other?  There may not be one single model everyone one wants.

Why not re-package the same technology in two ways to pull in the revenue from two different populations?

oh I understand "why" they are making another game and in the type they are. Heck I've been saying for years that HTC should change to a type of F2P style setup in AH for years. It is the type of game setup most gamers are now familiar with. 

The point is AH is slowly losing more and more players. At this point creating a new game does nothing for the original. I hope it brings new players over from the new game that are looking for a more full experience.

At this point it just as t looks like HTC has given up on bring AH back to the popular/cash cow that it was before and are spending all there time launching the new game.

[CptTrips]

oh I understand "why" they are making another game and in the type they are. Heck I've been saying for years that HTC should change to a type of F2P style setup in AH for years. It is the type of game setup most gamers are now familiar with. 

The point is AH is slowly losing more and more players. At this point creating a new game does nothing for the original. I hope it brings new players over from the new game that are looking for a more full experience.

At this point it just as t looks like HTC has given up on bring AH back to the popular/cash cow that it was before and are spending all there time launching the new game.

It's possible  that lessons learned could feed back to changes to the AHIII base, but they should be proven out first in WO:P.  They shouldn't risk making changes to their core meal-ticket until they have proven results with real-world data and not just theory.

If that model doesn't pan out and is a total flop?  They can drop it and haven't disturbed their main product.

Besides, they are essentially getting paid a second time for work they have mostly already done.  You can't beat that from a business point of view.