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Is MSFligths.net slowing down?

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  • Is MSFligths.net slowing down?

    My name is Clay and I have been hanging around MSFlights since Jan. 2, 2015. Since then I have seen many people come and go and some that have stayed. So what I am observing is that more are leaving than staying, especially newer people. Here's basically what I have seen.
    1. New people don't seem to stay as much as they used to.
    2. "Older people are leave more and more.
    3. This Sunday afternoon at 10pm Eastern it was slow with 5 people in the channels.
    So what should we do?
    Do you agree with me?
    Why not or why so?
    Are we not inviting enough?
    I know connecting to a multiplayer session is harder since the sim ins't as popular so is that the problem?

  • #2
    I think the "problem" has too many variables to determine a real cause. But I think it could have a lot to do with things that people are looking for in a community. One thing is ATC. We currently don't have working ATC on SimLink. This is slowly being worked on and could be a cause for a small percentage of people not staying. Also, unfortunately, there are a lot of younger kids that come in and either can't control themselves or don't have any respect. On the flip side, we do have a small handful of superb young pilots that stick around and are fantastic to fly with! This doesn't just end with kids. Some adults do it too. This isn't a "serious" community, but it is one that demands respect from its users. Some people can not handle this. So these people simply just don't stay.
    There are many types of communities...
    -Special interest
    -VA
    -Group Flights <<<-msFlights
    -ATC
    -Anything else you can think of.

    Although we try to do all of these things, We really specialize in one of these.
    Personally, I would like to see a few more people in than 5 at a time.
    But I also would much rather have quality over quantity. I feel like the quality people stay and the ones that don't usually go.
    Our community isn't for everyone. But either is all the others.

    Comment


    • #3
      I think if you have been here the length of time you say then you should notice the trend that occurs ever year.
      The winter months are busier for us as the days are shorter and the weather doesn't favour out door pursuits. The summer months are always quiet as people spend the days with family members enjoying the weather and taking vacations. This is always the case and someone always writes the post "it's quiet around here what's wrong" I believe I did it once years ago. The answer is nothing is wrong and it's a annual trend. The shut down of Microsoft flight servers may have added to the decline in numbers as the name of our community leads a lot of people to believe we are a msflights server and not a general flight sim server. I myself presumed this at the start and have had conversations with others that also thought that. I do not feel
      We need to worry about the numbers connecting as we are here for a shared passion of aviation and not to be the most popular kid in class. I'd rather have a small
      Group of like minded enthusiasts than a huge group of members just here to have a place to hang out and bringing issues for the staff to deal
      With.
      sigpic

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      • #4
        One fundamental concept that I've tried sticking to is that the size of the community will be whatever it wants to be, and that's not as important as the enjoyment and excitement we who stay get from it. I think it's that focus that started the community in the first place, and it's that focus that led it to grow. It's also that focus which lends me to use a cautious tone in discussions like this one. I'd hate to stir action based solely on the quantity of people here. As Travis mentioned: quality over quantity.

        That being said, one of the drivers away from the community must surely be the diversification in platforms that we've all had to face. I just recently switched from FSX:Boxed to FSX:SteamEdition coinciding with a full PC re-format. The amount of work required to go from "newbie-all-over-again" to "let's-see-what's-out-there-in-multiplayer" was prohibitive. This includes the download and configuration of:
        - SimLink
        * Model-matching files
        * vPilot
        * msFlights.net Proxy Server
        - Group-flight flight plan
        - Custom scenery
        - Custom aircraft
        - Discord

        Without these things, a pilot can feel alienated. Some of them have been deemed necessary (SimLink & some form of a non-FSX voice server), but there I find it likely that the majority of pilots, many of whom are surely great people, just aren't interested in participating in something that requires prerequisite work -- the lack thereof made Microsoft Flight! a great platform for natural ballooning in head-count of the infant msFlights.net community.

        P.S.- I say "we who stay" fully understanding that I've personally been a rare sight in group flights since the rise in popularity (and necessity) of SimLink, but saying "they who stay" would be self-alienating, and I'm not ready for that.
        Take the time, a second to soar; for soon after, beckons a second more.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Clay View Post
          This Sunday afternoon at 10pm Eastern it was slow with 5 people in the channels.
          10 pm is pretty late for a work night, you likely won't see many people on at that time unless there is a group flight. I base the success of msFlights.net off of how well attended the regular weekly group flights are. They are all still pretty well attended so I would not worry about it.

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          • #6
            p.s. forgot to mention I am working on revamping our virtual airline routes with OzFlyer so this may interest some people. To start with, more detailed airliner/turboprop hubs in Europe, and more realistic GA routes in North America.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Travis View Post
              One thing is ATC. We currently don't have working ATC on SimLink.
              We do have working ATC on SimLink.
              If you want to control on SimLink follow the instructions in the post below.
              http://msflights.net/forum/showthrea...imLink-servers

              What we don't currently have is regular controllers.

              Everybody is welcome to control at MSFLIGHTS.
              There are no special requirements needed like with other communities.
              Although if you prove to be good at ATC and admin feel you deserve one, you may find yourself with the MSFLIGHTS controller badge showing others you are competent.

              At this time the default FSX radar can not be used to show SimLink aircraft, but there is plenty of choice in the ATC thread above of ATC clients that can be used.
              If you don't use BOINC or World Community Grid then you should!

              Comment


              • #8
                Ok I was just worried about the community and its well being. With everyone being confident that its the summer time and it is "late" for work nights I guess its just that. Thanks for your inputs guys.

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                • #9
                  We have a Controller badge in Discord?
                  (... and a long thread ensued...)
                  Take the time, a second to soar; for soon after, beckons a second more.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I think we are just trading outdated information! : P Roo has been very busy, and I don't have much of an excuse for mine : O

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Clay View Post
                      Ok I was just worried about the community and its well being. With everyone being confident that its the summer time and it is "late" for work nights I guess its just that. Thanks for your inputs guys.
                      Your concern is noted, and I find it encouraging that someone cares. Summer is indeed a factor here for employed folks. Elsewhere, it's less so for the younger gentlemen of another US community and for the older pilots of yet another European and more ATC oriented Steam community.

                      It's been a while since we were arguably the biggest flight sim community. I doubt those days will ever return. In my humble opinion that's good, as it shows there's been an increasing diversity of choices for people. We don't offer everything here, and we don't try to anymore; we just offer what we're good at.

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                      • #12
                        Seems like MsFlights has had less and less activity ever since the community switched to discord.
                        [IMG]http://www.vrsimulations.com/images/sigbanners/vrs_supporter.png[/IMG]

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Panther View Post
                          Seems like MsFlights has had less and less activity ever since the community switched to discord.
                          We've certainly had far fewer trolls. :tickled_pink:

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                          • #14
                            True I guess, lol.
                            [IMG]http://www.vrsimulations.com/images/sigbanners/vrs_supporter.png[/IMG]

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                            • #15
                              My POV: community is based on core group of people who've been "here" forever. Noobs cannot learn aspects of aviation because there are next to no opportunities to create relationships (such as it is online) with people of experience (Mike being one, Airwolf being another). Majority of experience fly together and "know" each other which is an enabler of group exclusivity.

                              Ya gotta create experiences for the introductory guys/girls such that it builds and fosters relationships between the new and the old (not age). What I see here is a small team with a revolving door. Good observation however by OP despite this being typical of a lot of RPG guilds and other small groups of individuals. Group flights put people in the same mission, but no cohesion is built, hardly any learning is taking place, and a lot of other missed opportunities to bring others into the fold might be the cause.

                              Lack of ATC isn't it. VA is fun, until its not. Group flights are interesting, but that also depends on who is leading.

                              The military people in here should have a good idea on how to bring the new guys in and help foster that team building effort. Takes work but that is the only way to grow your group, if that's what you're after.

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