Page 2 of 3

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:24 pm
by Severian
These styles of games tend to have a very limited life-span and more so if it is of the non-reset variety.

We're lucky that it has lasted this long so strongly. The two things that make the experience are:

1. The Community {Attitude/Diverse/Fun}
2. The Game {Mechanics/Competition/Fun}

Things to note besides the age of the game:

-Community attitude towards one another has dropped to all time low and most restrictions been removed with more planned to disappear if certain mod factions get their way.

-Diversity on forums dried up with most people aligning their voice to one of two factions. That is ingame ties, bonds and friendships tend to reflect on forums and as such over time become just as polarised.

- Game Mechanics changed for better or worse with the advent of an open market, flow of Attack Turns, almost limitless resources and the introduction of things such as planets where the focus changed from long term account planning and strategic hits to whoever has the most logged time played.

- Competition dried up when a super-power formed and the only way to remain in the game was to form another, esculating expansionism leading us to where we are today and the death of almost every old mid range alliance.

So IMHO drop can be pinned to three things:

We have Super Powers instead of Competitive Diversity leading to polarised game/forums and the systematic destruction or assimiliation of most mid ranged allinaces and players.

War and game mechanics changed so that massing or war is no longer an achievement, 0 stat snipers are king and the frustration of the new style bounce back from anything reflects on the attitudes on forums leading to a cocky new generation of people who haven't had to work for their account and free to cause trouble with the ability to get away with it.

Administration swing away from holding posters in check for the sake of basic respect and standards on forums to a more open policy of anything goes because I really don't want to have to do work or tell certain people off.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:27 am
by Lore
I'd say I have to agree.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:09 am
by Wolf359
I can remember when the average number of players online used to be around 80 - 100. :-D

It then went up quickly to between 300 - 400 for a while and peaked at about 800 just prior to me leaving in Dec 06. Slowly dropped off to around 600 now, so I'd say it is a slow decline.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:11 am
by buck
Wolf359 wrote:I can remember when the average number of players online used to be around 80 -100.

It then went up to between 300 - 400 for a while and peaked at about 800 just prior to me leaving in Dec 06. Slowly dropped off to around 600 now, so I'd say it is a slow decline.


Wolf left, and the number fropped by 200


ZOMG WOLF HAS MULTIS!!!!

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:30 am
by S T E E L E
back on getting more ppl to join

yeah right

90% of kids these days arnt interested in playing text based games coz they have no imagination, and us olderish players are too lazy to start a massive game like this from scratch :P

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:32 am
by Lore
S T E E L E wrote:back on getting more ppl to join

yeah right

90% of kids these days arnt interested in playing text based games coz they have no imagination, and us olderish players are too lazy to start a massive game like this from scratch :P


I disagree there myself.

I find great joy in starting new games. I have done so many times. Sadly all of them have died untimely deaths but 1 and I still play it.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:35 am
by S T E E L E
Lore wrote:
S T E E L E wrote:back on getting more ppl to join

yeah right

90% of kids these days arnt interested in playing text based games coz they have no imagination, and us olderish players are too lazy to start a massive game like this from scratch :P


I disagree there myself.

I find great joy in starting new games. I have done so many times. Sadly all of them have died untimely deaths but 1 and I still play it.



hmm oh yeah i guess ur right, i just know that if SGW got reset there is no way in hell i would attempt to bring my account back up to speed again..feels like such a wasted effort

altho if there is a way to reset my memory of playing morrowind, so i can play it again *for the first time* id love to hear about it

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:36 am
by Mystake
Lore wrote:
S T E E L E wrote:back on getting more ppl to join

yeah right

90% of kids these days arnt interested in playing text based games coz they have no imagination, and us olderish players are too lazy to start a massive game like this from scratch :P


I disagree there myself.

I find great joy in starting new games. I have done so many times. Sadly all of them have died untimely deaths but 1 and I still play it.



the ones that do die generally die because an admin doesn't have the will to keep the game going. When you start a browser based game you make a financial commitment to it. WE're lucky jason pockets enuff change to cover server costs (and company car, casual dress wednesdays, business dinners, private jet etc)

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:42 am
by Lore
Mr Mystake wrote:the ones that do die generally die because an admin doesn't have the will to keep the game going. When you start a browser based game you make a financial commitment to it. WE're lucky jason pockets enuff change to cover server costs (and company car, casual dress wednesdays, business dinners, private jet etc)


That or they turn it over to someone who doesnt know what they are doing, or who never updates the game.

Oh, and remember it a "hobby" 8)

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:44 am
by S T E E L E
Lore wrote:
Mr Mystake wrote:the ones that do die generally die because an admin doesn't have the will to keep the game going. When you start a browser based game you make a financial commitment to it. WE're lucky jason pockets enuff change to cover server costs (and company car, casual dress wednesdays, business dinners, private jet etc)


That or they turn it over to someone who doesnt know what they are doing, or who never updates the game.

Oh, and remember it a "hobby" 8)


a hobby? :O surely not!

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:49 am
by Clarkey
Donovan5 wrote:3) Pay attention to the welcome to the forums part. Would 2 seconds of some of the more respected players saying hi and how can i help get you started really be so terrible?

Weilandsmith is definitely trying to make progress in this area. =D>

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:00 am
by Lore
clarkey wrote:
Donovan5 wrote:3) Pay attention to the welcome to the forums part. Would 2 seconds of some of the more respected players saying hi and how can i help get you started really be so terrible?

Weilandsmith is definitely trying to make progress in this area. =D>


That is a double edged sword many of us have walked many times. When your in the top 5 you get multiple daily messages asking for handouts. Id say 40% of the people I have helped, I have regretted helping them later. They can become leeches. I've even had some get downright baligerant and mad because I had " More stuff then you know what to do with".

Personally I now take the approach to offer advise only. Then after I see how they react to certain things I may then offer the some resources.

I have many times been suprised by the people that I've helped in the past appearing later on and offering help and support or just a friendly word of thanks.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:04 am
by Clarkey
Lore wrote:I have many times been suprised by the people that I've helped in the past appearing later on and offering help and support or just a friendly word of thanks.

I have also had people offer me help back after I have taken them under my wing..... they are good people.

But you're right about so many expecting you to give them resources etc. Personally besides getting asked for resources myself, i always get asked.... how many ascension is Elder Ancient God..... how can you have 11 planets..... maybe I should start pointing them to the forums more.

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:08 am
by S T E E L E
clarkey wrote:
Lore wrote:I have many times been suprised by the people that I've helped in the past appearing later on and offering help and support or just a friendly word of thanks.

I have also had people offer me help back after I have taken them under my wing..... they are good people.

But you're right about so many expecting you to give them resources etc. Personally besides getting asked for resources myself, i always get asked.... how many ascension is Elder Ancient God..... how can you have 11 planets..... maybe I should start pointing them to the forums more.


that would be a good idea...far too many newbys don't even have a registered account on the forums, or are let alone active on it...
i didnt for ages...but i finally got roped in :D

Re: Number of Players Online

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:19 am
by Lore
S T E E L E wrote:that would be a good idea...far too many newbys don't even have a registered account on the forums, or are let alone active on it...
i didnt for ages...but i finally got roped in :D


I have said for a long time, and still say now, that it should direct you to forums upon creation of an account. Say the first 10 times you log in you should get directed to forums, unless you make an account.