How have we lost so many people to this wonderful game?

[Mongoose]

if ya have time read this study 


/http://grail.cs.washington.edu/projects/game-abtesting/chi2012/chi2012.pdf

This hyperlink does not work.  Try this one instead:  http://grail.cs.washington.edu/projects/game-abtesting/chi2012/chi2012.pdf

[ccvi]

1. Goto Hangar
2. Select a P-51D, 50% fuel, 2x100lb GP
3.  Take off on N runway.
4.  Xmit "launched" on help channel.
5.  Navigate to ground target marked on map.
...

At first I thought it was nice, but then noticed that it doesn't really work. The game is a lot more than that. If you are putting in everything that is part of the game it is quite a bad thing for everyone not playing the whole game. And there is many people only playing some parts of the game.

At the very least it needs to be spit for different topics, each with separate competency evaluation and, if desired, tutorials, which should be disguised as a game. However, continuing to online play should not require a perfect score in all evaluations. Otherwise it is quickly making the furball-wizard angry who cannot hit another tank from point blank range.

[Shuffler]

That is completely false.  There are literally dozens of online games with learning curves as steep or steeper than AH that people are willing to put in hundreds of hours to master.  AH is special only in that people seem to have trouble getting started from the beginning.

Wiley.

The games I have seen allow you to buy yourself better. I stand by my post. That means you are wrong. While neither way covers everyone, I believe my reasoning covers most.

[Ciaphas]

haha here we go with the individual requirements again... .





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CptTrips]

At first I thought it was nice, but then noticed that it doesn't really work. The game is a lot more than that. If you are putting in everything that is part of the game it is quite a bad thing for everyone not playing the whole game. And there is many people only playing some parts of the game.

At the very least it needs to be spit for different topics, each with separate competency evaluation and, if desired, tutorials, which should be disguised as a game. However, continuing to online play should not require a perfect score in all evaluations. Otherwise it is quickly making the furball-wizard angry who cannot hit another tank from point blank range.

I wasn't suggesting that as an exhaustive survey of all the knowledge of Aces High.  I've been playing 20 years and still learning stuff.

What I was suggesting there, was a minimal sanity check-ride to see if they at least know the very basics to START their learning experience in the Melee. 

Can they select a plane from the Hangar?
Can they take-off?
Can they use the map to navigate to a target?
Can they drop an egg in the general vicinity of a target?
Can they track down an air target with the radar?
Can they shoot down an easy-mode drone?
Can they find their way back home?
Can they land?
Probably most important, do they understand the different text channels and how to use them?  If they know that, they start accessing the rest of the community to learn more stuff.

If they can do the above, they have a reasonable chance to actually get something useful our of their 2-week trial.



 

[CptTrips]

Forcing anyone to go through a tutorial isn't a good idea from a game play stand point.  That is why the vast majority of games have optional tutorials that allow players the option to enable or disable tutorials in the game settings.  Tutorial enable/disable setting can be added that is a win for both new and returning players.

I know that as a player that takes breaks from time to time, it would annoy me to have to take a "check ride" for a game that I'e been playing for 20 years.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to that view.  I'm one of those people who hate tutorials even when I need them.

But just because something irritates some, doesn't mean that it wouldn't lead to greater revenue for HTC in the average. 


How about this? (Assuming some coad changes from how things work now):

1.  You can open a paying account immediately and skip the 2-week trial.  The training is offered, but can be skipped.  If you are a returning vet, this would be your path.

2.  If you wish to earn the privilege of a 2-week trial, you complete the tutorial before entering the Melee.



 

[Ciaphas]

I'm somewhat sympathetic to that view.  I'm one of those people who hate tutorials even when I need them.

But just because something irritates some, doesn't mean that it wouldn't leave to greater revenue for HTC in the average. 


How about this? (Assuming some coad changes from how things work now):

1.  You can open a paying account immediately and skip the 2-week trial.  The training is offered, but can be skipped.  If you are a returning vet, this would be your path.

2.  If you wish to earn the privilege of a 2-week trial, you complete the tutorial before entering the Melee.



 

Perhaps add a  "are you a returning customer?" check box in the account creation menu? If the person clicks "yes" then they are exempt from the tutorial and just have it as an option in the games landing menu?

This seems to be the most feasible at the moment since old players seem to think that a training/check ride would be created based on their needs instead of the needs of those that are downloading the game and leaving within minutes of starting the game.. weird how that works... .

[FLS]

...
This seems to be the most feasible at the moment since old players seem to think that a training/check ride would be created based on their needs instead of the needs of those that are downloading the game and leaving within minutes of starting the game.. weird how that works... .

When you write crap like this it makes it seem like you just make stuff up and don't actually know anything.

[CptTrips]

Perhaps add a  "are you a returning customer?" check box in the account creation menu? If the person clicks "yes" then they are exempt from the tutorial and just have it as an option in the games landing menu?

Sorta the same thing, if in that case they don't get a free trial.  Returning customers don't need a free trial by default.  Maybe they can call Hitech and beg special dispensation, but I don't want a bunch free-loaders being given 2-weeks every time they want to leave and come back.


 

[Vraciu]

I wasn't suggesting that as an exhaustive survey of all the knowledge of Aces High.  I've been playing 20 years and still learning stuff.

What I was suggesting there, was a minimal sanity check-ride to see if they at least know the very basics to START their learning experience in the Melee. 

Can they select a plane from the Hangar?
Can they take-off?
Can they use the map to navigate to a target?
Can they drop an egg in the general vicinity of a target?
Can they track down an air target with the radar?
Can they shoot down an easy-mode drone?
Can they find their way back home?
Can they land?
Probably most important, do they understand the different text channels and how to use them?  If they know that, they start accessing the rest of the community to learn more stuff.

If they can do the above, they have a reasonable chance to actually get something useful our of their 2-week trial.



 

How about, "ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE FLYING?   CLICK HERE [ ]" or something...

Change the wording.    The point being allow them to disable it but if they realize they need it then make it appear for the first 10 hours of play as a translucent checkbox.     Something like that.  I'm speaking in terms of broad concepts not specifics.   The latter is going to require more thought.

[Ciaphas]

When you write crap like this it makes it seem like you just make stuff up and don't actually know anything.

Whether or not you agree with what I have said makes little difference to me. This thread is chalk full of "I's and me's" with regards to ideas that revolve around converting downloads to subs. The fact of the matter is, this is not for the veteran player (existing or returning), this is for people who have downloaded the game and left. Not sure why that's such a hard concept for people to grasp.

The two biggest flaws in this game revolve around training. I know you don't want to hear that but it is what it is.

Brand new players NEED a basic level of training before they play this game, this isn't speculation, this is fact. Especially if all they have is a mouse and keyboard.

The training corps as it stands is by appointment only. I wonder how many people that are subscribers have a BBS account? How many people feel the same way about having to go to external sources for training just to fly for the first time without becoming a lawn dart as some of you guys feel about a mandatory training bit for "new" accounts? Almost all games that have a complexity level above potato either offer a training mission or force the new player to complete a training mission prior to playing the core game. This is a standard in today's market.

Having a training corps that is by appointment only, is counter productive. You'll never convince me otherwise on that issue.

Had the training corps been proactive, this would be a moot conversation to begin with.

 

[Vraciu]

Whether or not you agree with what I have said makes little difference to me. This thread is chalk full of "I's and me's" with regards to ideas that revolve around converting downloads to subs. The fact of the matter is, this is not for the veteran player (existing or returning), this is for people who have downloaded the game and left. Not sure why that's such a hard concept for people to grasp.

The two biggest flaws in this game revolve around training. I know you don't want to hear that but it is what it is.

Brand new players NEED a basic level of training before they play this game, this isn't speculation, this is fact. Especially if all they have is a mouse and keyboard.

The training corps as it stands is by appointment only. I wonder how many people that are subscribers have a BBS account? How many people feel the same way about having to go to external sources for training just to fly for the first time without becoming a lawn dart as some of you guys feel about a mandatory training bit for "new" accounts? Almost all games that have a complexity level above potato either offer a training mission or force the new player to complete a training mission prior to playing the core game. This is a standard in today's market.

Having a training corps that is by appointment only, is counter productive. You'll never convince me otherwise on that issue.

Had the training corps been proactive, this would be a moot conversation to begin with.

Good points.

[FLS]

Whether or not you agree with what I have said makes little difference to me. This thread is chalk full of "I's and me's" with regards to ideas that revolve around converting downloads to subs. The fact of the matter is, this is not for the veteran player (existing or returning), this is for people who have downloaded the game and left. Not sure why that's such a hard concept for people to grasp.

The two biggest flaws in this game revolve around training. I know you don't want to hear that but it is what it is.

Brand new players NEED a basic level of training before they play this game, this isn't speculation, this is fact. Especially if all they have is a mouse and keyboard.

The training corps as it stands is by appointment only. I wonder how many people that are subscribers have a BBS account? How many people feel the same way about having to go to external sources for training just to fly for the first time without becoming a lawn dart as some of you guys feel about a mandatory training bit for "new" accounts? Almost all games that have a complexity level above potato either offer a training mission or force the new player to complete a training mission prior to playing the core game. This is a standard in today's market.

Having a training corps that is by appointment only, is counter productive. You'll never convince me otherwise on that issue.

Had the training corps been proactive, this would be a moot conversation to begin with.

 

Thank you for explaining that new players need basic training. I'm going to share that with the other trainers.

Some new players don't need basic training but I understand you aren't talking about them.

Training is by appointment, not by appointment only. Do you see the difference?

Remember a few months ago when Hitech said he was considering offline training? Do you remember me being against it? No?

Do you know why people download the game and don't stay or are you just guessing? Because all the people that downloaded the game and stayed during the last 20 years didn't have training missions.

[Ciaphas]

Thank you for explaining that new players need basic training. I'm going to share that with the other trainers.

Some new players don't need basic training but I understand you aren't talking about them.

Someone had to explain it to you, sad that it had to be me instead of the title you wear... .

Once again this would be something that is a "one shoe fits all" training plan and not an "individual" based training plan. After all that's what the training corps is for, right? You know, training people old a new on the ins and outs of the game as well as advanced concepts or was it just the advanced concepts that someone said that was what the training corps was really for in a previous thread?

Training is by appointment, not by appointment only. Do you see the difference?

That's just a matter of semantics. Asking a new player to use dot commands to ask for help when they can't figure out basic flight is a bit counter productive and goes against the standard training ethos. What good does a training arena do if there isn't anyone there to teach? When you accept a position of responsibility, you have to follow through with it and own it like a boss. It means you clear your schedule to fulfill your role as a trainer. You don't do it only when it's a conveniences to you.[/quote]

Remember a few months ago when Hitech said he was considering offline training? Do you remember me being against it? No?

I do remember that thread. There is a vast difference between "go here to train" and "hey, you're new. Here is a basic course to get you started before you get slaughtered by the masses in the MA".

Do you know why people download the game and don't stay or are you just guessing? Because all the people that downloaded the game and stayed during the last 20 years didn't have training missions.

Frustration and lack of basic knowledge to play the game. By the way one of these can cancel out the other with just a bit of pregame training.

[Vraciu]

Training is by appointment, not by appointment only. Do you see the difference?

When I was in WBs all I had to do was message a guy with an = in his name and I could go to the TA right then.   

Inconvenient.   As opposed to convenient.  Do you see the difference?