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I will try to Address the slow decline in numbers rather than sharks and the like.
Based on successful business models.
Advertising (% of budget/income) for google search - pay per click, YouTube - aviation channels advertising. As to TV, younger demographics just don’t watch it like we do/did. Consider an increased Social presence, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc.. As mentioned before, better teaser videos, do a YouTube search on this, there are some pretty good aces high videos that... well to be frank, are better than what is on the website.
Arena Size - Taking a lesson from some 3rd person shooters that are quite popular and obvious frustration in arena size/flying to fights. Shrinkable maps, as the numbers fall, the border collapses inward (Battlefield Series). Some issues from that, strats, do they move as the map size changes or leave them untouchable as it shrinks. If strats remained outside the small map border it would remove “milk runs to strats” but would increase to some degree sub 20k bomber runs.
Playability (Personally I echo the sentiments of RV and Shuffler when it comes to ai.
When it comes to base feeding frenzies, I guess I will address some of the shark behavior after all). These are just ideas folks!
1. Defenses - make an auto gun on both ends of runway unkillable and increase their accuracy (restrain to anti air only (remove from capture requirement) on those bases with on base map room). This may help keep the sharks from vulching on runways and allow some defenders to gain traction. What it does is make camping the runway harder and moves the fight to the air. Yes you will get people hugging ack and running to it so think of it this way, if that is happening, you are the winner of the confrontation. This could also be a feature of shrunken map only, I am not a coder so feasibility is out of my league.
2. Death ring on map border (standard game practice) - keeps buffs more in play
3. Bomb and bail = death and zero points - keeps buffs in play. I don’t know how many times people climb up to get them and when the DarBar switches, the buff guy bails. Why? Perhaps to avoid the death that hurts thier standing, maybe some don’t like returning, then don’t go
...
4 Idle time out (standard game practice) - Two benefits, it clears the tower and stops the base flashing from afk vehicles. if you are there to bog down enemy efforts great! But you have to be there to turn your gun or something when the timer warns you not off having a beer with the boys.
5. Commander view main gun shooting - this has frustrated many players I know and I am not sure which way this should go but it is worth consideration at least. I do know that objects you can see and hit from commander view you cannot through the gun sight. It seems to be the gv equivalent of 3rd person in ftrs, which is disabled. I reckon the guys who do this a lot won’t like it but can’t count how many times people have complained about rounds coming through hilltops.
6. Vehicle base hanger camping - how about all the hangers are spawnable. This will definitely involve more players to take a base that is being defended. Instead of just two camping the hanger and one running an M3.
7. 200, nope not going there!
These previous suggestions are more to keep Aces High in line as a war time simulator and eliminating some of the game the game attributes that make it more gamey. Not sure if this will actually increase playership or not, that is the subject for study. But I do think it may factor into retention. Just the other day many people logged because they were tired of being camped and just gave up, so the numbers went down.
Egocentric or points motivated behavior.
Again this is a sensitive topic, mostly with those that “do” want their name in lights. IMHO all of this should be changed. No running stats or who killed who, turn that message back off. As to xfighterx landed XX kills. You could change that to xfighterx has landed a successful sorty. Enable it for two or more kills as is current. Another option would be to tell only your country of your success. Kinda like in the real war. Again not sure about increasing playership but may contribute to retention.
This one is not quantifiable but is relevant. It is a personal choice of all the players if they want this game to be better and Is ganging and picking/kill stealing. I often see four or five guys fly right past co-altitude fighters to gang on one low guy for what reason? To get the kill and name in lights of course.. of course I’m not referring to wingmen tactics! But everyone has seen it and everyone has complained about it and many do it! I think as a community we should try asking the person fighting if they want or need help. We have all kills stolen after finally getting the advantage in a good contest only to have another teammate zoom in and destroy the adversary leaving one with an assist for all thier troubles! This is not to be confused with the con’s buddy coming to help him out (if he needs it) that’s legit!
This was more brainstorming than anything an I have covered a few ideas that are not new. Some would take little effort to implement and some would more effort. This commentary is my opinion and is as such not totally objective but is based on my experiences and those of my online friends who have repeatedly mentioned these things. I like this game and would like to see it like it was in its “glory days!” That will take compromise and concessions for sure.
In my organization the following model was used for policy changes, operating procedures implementation and was our philosophy based decision tree. A decision flowchart if you will. A change was objectively run through these criteria.
1. How does this affect or customers/community?
2. How does this affect our organization?
3. How does this affect management as a group?
4. How does this affect the work force as a group?
5. How does this affect the individual?
If all were positive, it was implemented easily but 1 through 4 were mandatory for any change.
In regards to Aces High perhaps the following:
1. Does it benefit the game, drawing in more players? If the answer is yes then
2. Does it benefit HTC? If yes then
3. Does it benefit our community? If yes then
4. How does it impact the individual to the extent it may cause them to quit?
An example I will offer up, quite simplified.(of course risk v gain needs to be a factor)..
Advertising will draw in more players so 1. Is yes
Advertising will thereby increase HTC income so 2. Is yes
Advertising will increase players and therefore fights and Benefit the community so 3. Is yes
Advertising will impact the individual positively with more fights and increased game play so the answer is do it!
I hope this commentary is taken as I was trying to deliver. Constructive ideas that may help us grow. The big unknown is Playabilty above, that is probably a polling question. For example I have no idea how many people will quit if bomb and bail, or activity timer is implemented.
Dale, a way to address this may be to form a group of people you trust to really look into some of these and others ideas to see if they have merit. I am sure many of these experienced people and contributors above would be happy to help in that respect!
With all that said, Happy New Year to all of you and I hope for more fun for everyone in Aces High III in 2021.
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