the issue with anyone is the time investment required in order to gain enough experience just to operate within the game, let alone be any good at it. Back in the day, with greater numbers, for most of us it was that social interaction along with our passion for virtual WW2 combat that kept us coming back. To be apart of something greater than just my small actions within a much large event that never stops. That dynamic no longer exists today. In fact, the only thing keeping this game going are us die hards. We have been blessed with afew new and returning players but in terms of growth... nah we done.
We are talking somewhere between 25 and 50 hours of game time before muscle memory starts to kick in to compete. Then you add the tremendous downtime between action, accumulated with each sortie... least we all forget what its like to invest 15-20 minutes of nothing just to end back up in the tower not knowing what happened while reading someone shot you down.
I used to think this game had a chance to grow again. I no longer endorse that idea.
That sure is a negative reply in a positive thread.
For 20 of 35 yrs I’ve watched the same peaks and valleys every summer and winter. Both AW and AH. And every summer players go doom and gloom when numbers are not expected to rise. Actually we’re running same numbers as last summer, minus 10 because of 1-2 dweebs who chased those 10+ away. The game isn’t doing it, the dweebs are. Last winter numbers hit 200, higher than prior winter.
Right now we have a moron targeting players until they do leave.
The CONSTANT doom and gloom posts are doing damage. Again, the players spewing in summer when numbers are suppose to be lower.
I’m still seeing new names/players.
This time of year last year we hit 130-140 regularly. We are missing the 10+ because of one dweeb. Top that nonsense with former players who did everything they could to skim players for another sim.
The game isn’t doing it, some players and former players are. If we removed doom and gloom and several individuals you could hit 250 this winter.
I’m needled constantly by former players who know flame wars drive players off. I’ve never done a damn thing to these dweebs, other than point out there child antics push players away, and most if all counter their efforts by trying to bring numbers up. The community don’t shame these “people” enough. You HAVE you push them out. You have to. Sitting on hands only helps them. Bad things happen when good people do nothing.
The game itself is not driving numbers down.
Run these dweebs out and stop doom and gloom posts is a great start. Steam players were a false positive by players who just jump from one game to another, with no real intensions to stay anywhere. That 700 was an illusion and bad benchmark.
We can hit 250 this winter. But very hard with what I stated above. Its not the game.
Locking post does not help, they can still be read. They need to be deleted.
Biggest of kudos to the core of this thread. Lets leave it positive.