Top contributors to the world of ASL

[nekengren2]

Some more food for speculation:

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von Marwitz

The numbers are always that lopsided when I look. I mean holy cow................VASL just blows away anything else on VASSAL. I could not find any other game with as much usage. A really good indicator that the contributions of VASL to our ASL is humuuuuungous.

 

[von Marwitz]

The numbers are always that lopsided when I look. I mean holy cow................VASL just blows away anything else on VASSAL. I could not find any other game with as much usage. A really good indicator that the contributions of VASL to our ASL is humuuuuungous.

Actually there are other games on VASSAL that do beat VASL... Or so I thought...

Indeed looking at the Server Connections to VASSAL of last month these are the three most used games:

1. VASL (7254)
2. Star Wars X-Wing Minatures (4662)
3. Warhammer Underworld Mod (4062)

So VASL is indeed the clear 'winner'.

Interestingly when this question came up and I checked the numbers, so far it has never been VASL that won but Star Wars X-Wing - with a significant margin. The first time I discovered that, I was very surprised. I am pretty sure I have checked on three occasions with maybe a year or so in between. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the numbers from back then.

VASL being on the clear first place for now may (a great may as the 'database' is only resting on my elusive memory and few occasions) have seen a very significant boost due to Corona.

von Marwitz

 

[Faded 8-1]

Worth noting that a lot of games, especially popular newer games, are primarily played on TTS or Tabletopia or some other VTT. None of those has a complete ASL set, so VASL has the market cornered.

X-Wing gets a lot of play on TTS I've noticed.

Also worth noting that the fully-realized 3D components, and the interface used to manipulate them, is currently better suited for games with minis, cards, tiles, etc. than stacks of counters. Most wargames are still a bit klunky on them compared to VASSAL.

 

[RobZagnut]

Again, a great many ASL players are not really part of the online ASL community at all. I see this on a regular basis when I get e-mails from people who, having played ASL against their buddy for decades, decide on a whim to google Advanced Squad Leader, happen to come across my site, and are amazed that there is this world of ASL they knew nothing about.

Good point. Of the 14-15 local guys I played thru the years only me and one other guy had an online presence.

 

[olli]

The numbers are always that lopsided when I look. I mean holy cow................VASL just blows away anything else on VASSAL. I could not find any other game with as much usage. A really good indicator that the contributions of VASL to our ASL is humuuuuungous.

Also due to VASL tourneys during Covid the numbers leaped ahead

 

[esprcorn]

Gamesquad ASLers are in no way representative of other ASLers (except in their ages!). There are huge numbers of ASLers who are not part of the ASL "scene" at all and typically just play one or two local opponents only.

I keep hearing this. Who are these mysterious players that only play amongst themselves and fear the interwebs? How would we count them?

 

[esprcorn]

Good point. Of the 14-15 local guys I played thru the years only me and one other guy had an online presence.

I'd be curious to know how many of these 14-15 that did not have an online presence still play ASL. I would venture to guess that the bulk of the active and invested players of ASL, know of GameSquad and VASL.

 

[Actionjick]

An attrition rate of 75% leaves @ 85000 players still active in some sense. Seems like a very large number but at least something to work with.

Still a pointless exercise but I've always been intrigued by such things. Fish always laughed about me charting the number of attendees at Oktoberfest.

Have to take into account 2nd ASLRB and individuals who bought multiple copies. I'd halve the 85,000 to @ 40,000.

 

[Pitman]

Can't agree with this anecdotally based evidence.

I don't think there is a single UK player who attends tournaments that isn't aware of Gamesquad. I find it hard to believe people live in such a shell.

What you just typed was "I don't think there is a single player who [does not fit the definition that you just offered] isn't aware of Gamesquad."

If you are attending tournaments you are not part of ASL players who are not part of the "ASL scene." Good grief.

 

[Pitman]

Whilst doing research (??) for the Today in ASL History thread Wiki stated that there have been over one million copies of SL/ASL sold. That is a hazy starting point to determine how many ASL players there are which might eventually lead to a rough estimate of VASL use or knowledge of it.

Lots of variables and unknowns. I'm sure the one million figure includes all the modules and the important estimate would be how many copies of the ASLRB and BV were sold. Will have to discuss this with Captain Bacchus tonight.

This thread has devolved into some interesting and silly directions. VASL, no matter your opinion about it, is here to stay and given the current situation anyone who cares about ASL should be grateful it's available.

Unfortunately, in practice that's a useless starting point because Squad Leader is not ASL and the number of people who play or have played Squad Leader is just not relevant to those who play or have played ASL. And in all likelihood, both the majority of people who have played SL and who have played ASL are not currently playing ASL anymore.

 

[Pitman]

What makes me laugh is the people that buy the extra copies to make a killing later on then when MMP announces a reprint coming soon the pristine unopened copies start to come up for sale to try and make the killing then, most people have now decided to give those a miss and wait for the reprint .

I don't buy extra copies for speculation purposes but I do buy extra copies of official products for replacement purposes, having learned the hard way how hard it can be to find replacement parts many years later.

 

[Pitman]

I'd be curious to know how many of these 14-15 that did not have an online presence still play ASL. I would venture to guess that the bulk of the active and invested players of ASL, know of GameSquad and VASL.

My whole point is that "bulk of the active and invested players of ASL" (who may well know of GameSquad or VASL, though it's no guarantee) are not the bulk of players of ASL.

 

[Pitman]

I keep hearing this. Who are these mysterious players that only play amongst themselves and fear the interwebs? How would we count them?

There are many games I have only played solitaire or against other people face to face, without ever playing online, going to a tournament in which those games are played, looked for websites related to those games, joined Facebook groups related to those games, and so forth. So how would you know I play any of those games? Answer: YOU WOULDN'T.

 

[Actionjick]

Unfortunately, in practice that's a useless starting point because Squad Leader is not ASL and the number of people who play or have played Squad Leader is just not relevant to those who play or have played ASL. And in all likelihood, both the majority of people who have played SL and who have played ASL are not currently playing ASL anymore.

Well I did say it was a hazy starting point but not entirely useless. You have to start somewhere.

 

[Martin Mayers]

What you just typed was "I don't think there is a single player who [does not fit the definition that you just offered] isn't aware of Gamesquad."

If you are attending tournaments you are not part of ASL players who are not part of the "ASL scene." Good grief.

Can you repost this when you're sober please ?

 

[Actionjick]

This thread has gone whacko. It's just become silly. Here's a comparison that is as important as how many know about VASL.

On the sub there was a raging debate about whether you fold or crumple the toilet paper after defecating. Feel free to offer your opinion.?

 

[Actionjick]

This thread has gone whacko. It's just become silly. Here's a comparison that is as important as how many know about VASL.

On the sub there was a raging debate about whether you fold or crumple the toilet paper after defecating. Feel free to offer your opinion.?

I'm a folder.

 

[Sparafucil3]

I'm a folder?.

Heathen. -- jim (PS I never actually thought about it)

 

[Actionjick]

Heathen. -- jim (PS I never actually thought about it)

Well bitd life on the sub needed whatever distraction you could come up with.

On one run someone removed the toilet seat from the head the CO and XO shared. They were not amused and took the seat from one of the two toilets for the enlisted men. Good times.



All the spares we carried and not a toilet seat among them! What an oversight.

 

[Yuri0352]

You're right... this thread has gone whacko.