So I've been thinking a bit about the future of this game. Where it started, how it evolved, where we are now, who the audience is, how to breathe new life into the player base, and where it goes from here.
Disclaimer: I, nor anyone else, are soothsayers about the future - most if not all of this will turn out to be incorrect, but I hope a version with echos of these ideas emerges. All of this is discussion, and intended to formulate some ideas about how to ensure the next 20 years of Aces High.
This game started, and I believe still is, one of the premier flight simulators for WWII aircraft ever developed. It has remained that way, and like good fine wine it has gotten mostly better with age. New planes, new graphics, etc. etc. It has evolved over the years multiple times, and the thing that gets me most excited is the step into VR (which I just started last night, and have to say. omg wow.).
Here we are now: 100-200 players average per evening, US time zone. A decent scenario corps, with events drawing 40-60. A solid player base of mostly older (sorry!) players, that tends to like the tried and true methods this game offers. But what are we missing? New, fresh ideas. New players. New horizons and new campaigns to be written with a massive player base. How do we attract new players?
Hmmm... I think gamers today value speed, ease of use, and a fun-fresh experience. Think of the popularity of Fortnight, Call of Duty, Clash of Clans, Halo, etc. Those games have quick, robust multiplayer experiences. There are other games with much deeper experiences: Minecraft, name-your-RPG, and others. Why does Aces High not merit more attention?
How do we attract new players? How do we train and keep new talent in-game? How do we keep people coming back for fresh experiences (not just the Bish-Rook-Nit war that ends with 20 perks in your account, woohoo! It's always fought the same way and won the same way, endless melee).
My thesis: what if...there were a matchmaking server. And what if it matched players of similar skill (a la a Clash of Clans match), and what if it dropped you right into the action (Halo, CoD) on a map with other similar players; and how about letting you choose your ride, but 'skilling up' to unlock others? What if there were a pipeline that allowed you more access and eventually gets you to the MA, where the battle is always raging? What if there were new ways to honor achievements and recognize that building of skill? What about a more dynamic experience that is actually based on your game rank (again, any online competitive ranking/matching multiplayer)?
Are these things doable with this current platform? Maybe, maybe not. Does the player base want a new, fresh experience? Is there even a snowball's chance that Dale/HiTech and co. even want to try this? Is it technically feasible with the software and code that developed over 20 years?
All questions I'd love to ponder with this community. Let's keep this thing going, I can't bear to see it go the way of the dodo simply because of the intransigence of the community. If we want to see an evolution/revolution, we've got to talk about it and provide feedback! Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
