jew_nose_it
Dalayan Master
Yeah one of the things I keep wanting to try is starting out on a fresh MMOPRG server but I haven't had the chance to yet
How to get new players
- Thread starter Gwaine
- Start date
Yeah one of the things I keep wanting to try is starting out on a fresh MMOPRG server but I haven't had the chance to yet
WOW! With comments like that, I am sorry I even spoke up.
I simply wanted to see what everyone thought about the idea. I have never heard it spoken in these forums, and thought I would bring it up.
And yes, I am not the original Gwaine that you all know. I use this name on the Live servers.
Thanks for the dialogue everyone, look like we are not ready to consider this option
Gwaine
Don't get me wrong I like SoD myself BUT.....
The community is very coarse, and the zones are empty.
Emu of a game that's 12 years old... niche gameplay for a verrrry old game. Attracting new players would be an uphill battle without something drastic.
A new fresh casual server is a great idea, however I doubt they have the money or internal interest to support something like that.
The community is very coarse, and the zones are empty.
Emu of a game that's 12 years old... niche gameplay for a verrrry old game. Attracting new players would be an uphill battle without something drastic.
A new fresh casual server is a great idea, however I doubt they have the money or internal interest to support something like that.
Not sure if this is the place to post it, but all my old EQ boddies that didnt want to play here, or tried it and desided to not play, all the same reasons...
Refresh every 1 hour.
Target ring not working.
Looking side to side didnt work (i now know that EQPlaynice will fix this,didnt at the time).
Bad trading system.
Extreme naming policies.
Refresh every 1 hour.
Target ring not working.
Looking side to side didnt work (i now know that EQPlaynice will fix this,didnt at the time).
Bad trading system.
Extreme naming policies.
Goldfolk
Dalayan Elder
I think you are all missing a key point,
It's not the number of new players that is the main issue but the high drop out rate as people hit various barriers in the game which many find impossible to surmount.
The first barrier is learning the basics of the game, getting into groups and getting enough xp to get to level 65 where the real game begins. Basically, if they don't get to this stage then they probaby have no place in hardcore SoD but this is where I would question the wisdom of making additional hazards such as the new MoP as it just might be a straw that breaks an occasional camel's back.
The second barrier is getting into an effective raid guild and this can be a mountain to climb especially if you have a redundant class such as tank, monk or mage. It's pretty demotivating if you have a 65:200 paladin who can't get into a raid guild after 3+ months hard grind. Conversely, I have known barely 65 clerics an dchanters grabbed by mid tier guilds who have been lavished with gear. There isn't any easy solution to this but I'm pretty sure there are a group of people who just give up because they can't progress. Enabling a once in a toon-time class change for toons who are blocked would help tho.
The third area where burn-out and attrition occur is at T9 with Mephar, Folerit and friends. Some guilds just get stuck here and players burn out and you get into an eternal cycle of back-gearing just to replace those who are dropping out.
Having reached IS, late EF, Spires (for a very few), you kill the mobs enough times to get your loots but what then? Let's face it these mobs are intentionally difficult; I have successfully killed a few IS mobs and usually it's anything but fun. On one mob I'm required to spam a single spell on 2 targets for about 15-20 mins knowing if I fuck up the raid wipes. I understand that most encounters in Spires are similar with incredible levels of pressure on players to get it right. When people do fuck up the first reaction of the raid isn't usually very sympathetic so is it any wonder people burn out at the highest level.
Finally, people drop out at all levels because of life changes, such as getting a job or a girl friend etcetera.
Under these circumstances I would suggest that new players is not the key issue, it's about making the game as much fun to play as possible while retaining the essential hard-core nature of the game. This would mean some tweaks to the game but the main thing I see as missing is some help for the new players in getting a better understanding of game mechanics before they lose heart and maybe some system to allow committed players with the wrong class toons not to have to start from scratch.
It's not the number of new players that is the main issue but the high drop out rate as people hit various barriers in the game which many find impossible to surmount.
The first barrier is learning the basics of the game, getting into groups and getting enough xp to get to level 65 where the real game begins. Basically, if they don't get to this stage then they probaby have no place in hardcore SoD but this is where I would question the wisdom of making additional hazards such as the new MoP as it just might be a straw that breaks an occasional camel's back.
The second barrier is getting into an effective raid guild and this can be a mountain to climb especially if you have a redundant class such as tank, monk or mage. It's pretty demotivating if you have a 65:200 paladin who can't get into a raid guild after 3+ months hard grind. Conversely, I have known barely 65 clerics an dchanters grabbed by mid tier guilds who have been lavished with gear. There isn't any easy solution to this but I'm pretty sure there are a group of people who just give up because they can't progress. Enabling a once in a toon-time class change for toons who are blocked would help tho.
The third area where burn-out and attrition occur is at T9 with Mephar, Folerit and friends. Some guilds just get stuck here and players burn out and you get into an eternal cycle of back-gearing just to replace those who are dropping out.
Having reached IS, late EF, Spires (for a very few), you kill the mobs enough times to get your loots but what then? Let's face it these mobs are intentionally difficult; I have successfully killed a few IS mobs and usually it's anything but fun. On one mob I'm required to spam a single spell on 2 targets for about 15-20 mins knowing if I fuck up the raid wipes. I understand that most encounters in Spires are similar with incredible levels of pressure on players to get it right. When people do fuck up the first reaction of the raid isn't usually very sympathetic so is it any wonder people burn out at the highest level.
Finally, people drop out at all levels because of life changes, such as getting a job or a girl friend etcetera.
Under these circumstances I would suggest that new players is not the key issue, it's about making the game as much fun to play as possible while retaining the essential hard-core nature of the game. This would mean some tweaks to the game but the main thing I see as missing is some help for the new players in getting a better understanding of game mechanics before they lose heart and maybe some system to allow committed players with the wrong class toons not to have to start from scratch.
darksabbath
Dalayan Master
Me: Hey, weren't you a paladin yesterday?
Him: yeah, but everyone wants clerics, so I changed. Can't be that much different right?
Me: ...
Several wipes later...
Me: You are fired, you suck, learn how to play a class first.
gtoo
THE NEMESIS
you almost had it correct
Goldfolk
Dalayan Elder
This isn't a grievance Zaela, I was trying to point out that the game is like a bucket with a hole in it. At the risk of stating the obvious you won't get more players in game if as many people leave the game as join it.
At the top end people burn out. I am not airing any grievance merely saying that it is inevitable that there wil be a top end loss because the pressure to perform is quite intense. I am not syaing that should be changed in any way just it's part of the way the game is structured.
The suggestion of a class change was merely that, if it's a nightmare to do fine by me.
I do have two other suggestions, but again might be difficult to implement but at the moment beginners are scattered to several different starter zones. This makes it difficult to group early on and to get into the game. Everyone starting in the same zone would allow new players to group more easily and to learn from each other.
Final suggestion, how about asking for volunteers to teach new players the basics. If they volunteered to spend say 2 hours with a group they could earn small amounts of fame or some token reward.
Please do not take anything I say as criticism, I have been playing for over 2 years and do subscribe. I am obviously a great fan of the game but discussion thrives on diversity. If only 1 in 20 suggestions are worthwhile it is still good to encourage people to post with ideas.
Thade
DINOSAUR THADE
Compared to old sanctum for sure.
And I can think of 2-3 fights that require that. But really most of spires is more about a handful of people not fucking up, and not your entire raid not to fuck up.
Rorne
The sad fish is a reactionary creature; an enemy o
Refresh/target ring/and the side to side thing (p.s. just turn your character or better yet change camera mode) are all client limitations many of which are actually being worked on by the volunteer staff so I don't exactly know why you're bringing them as if it's constructive criticism. Well okay wow they don't like refresh? Can I get a dev in here to use his magic PL-bug-go-away wand, whew much better, thanks for bringing this to attention.
Also if your friends can not live without naming themselves Fuckman or something I don't know hwat to tell you, when will these draconian (could not even name my iksar this.. nazis...) naming policies end.
This exists and it is called grouping and is also called low tier raiding
Tarutao
Staff Emeritus
If the naming policy that stops Superpally and Bandaide and Meowmeow is a deal breaker, then your maturity level is going to get you banned soon anyway.
I actually am not as hard core as most of the GM staff as I could see how the naming policy could deter someone who has some heart felt character name that they have used for 5 years on every mmo they play yadda yadda...
but at the end of the day its worth it not to have people walking around with horrible names. As for the bugs - there aint a whole lot we can do and what we can do we are doing. I do agree that the server has become a bit more harsh to newbies lately but at the same time we are still a fraction of what commercial MMORPGs are. More incentives to be nice still is not bad.
As for "Leaky bucket" arguments we are actually up 20% or so compared to a month ago so the drives seem to be helping somewhat. Hopefully some inertia will be gained.
but at the end of the day its worth it not to have people walking around with horrible names. As for the bugs - there aint a whole lot we can do and what we can do we are doing. I do agree that the server has become a bit more harsh to newbies lately but at the same time we are still a fraction of what commercial MMORPGs are. More incentives to be nice still is not bad.
As for "Leaky bucket" arguments we are actually up 20% or so compared to a month ago so the drives seem to be helping somewhat. Hopefully some inertia will be gained.
Goldfolk
Dalayan Elder
I'm with the staff on naming: this is an RPG and it somewhat destroys the ambience of the game if you have stupid names.
On a side point, if Inner Sanctum is still the most difficult zone in the game (as suggested by others here), shouldn't the effects such as Casting Speed, Magic Damage etc be upgraded to be on a par with Spires especially seeing as you did make some of the fights harder.
On a side point, if Inner Sanctum is still the most difficult zone in the game (as suggested by others here), shouldn't the effects such as Casting Speed, Magic Damage etc be upgraded to be on a par with Spires especially seeing as you did make some of the fights harder.
Last edited:
Goldfolk
Dalayan Elder
Can't speak authoratively about any of the other fights but Drakes is a LOT harder now.
Previously it required 1 person who could kite well and one perosn who could peel well, the rest tanked, healed or spanked.
Now fight is very involved, maybe not by hardcore inner IS standards but by any other.
Anyway it's only a suggestion based on what others said
Previously it required 1 person who could kite well and one perosn who could peel well, the rest tanked, healed or spanked.
Now fight is very involved, maybe not by hardcore inner IS standards but by any other.
Anyway it's only a suggestion based on what others said
Obscenitor
Dalayan Elder
You can't exactly compare a zone with minimal trash and 4 bosses to a zone with huge amounts of trash and 14 bosses... I am not sure where you got this idea from but excluding Nylstra'Zara and Custodian Spires as a whole is much harder than Sanctum. There are some fights that might not have as elegant of a strat as some of the new sanctum fights but they are harder to execute.
Goldfolk
Dalayan Elder
Salarus
Dalayan Master
Hail, Gtoo's corpse.
That said, the 'pressure' of these incredibly hard encounters is the reason I still play this game; it's a challenge. Learning the fight for the new Custodian is probably the most fun i've had while playing this game; and feeling the reward of defeating it, when your raid has such a small margin for error in so many ways, is quite the rush.
There is plenty of content that is not as challenging, yet still quite fun for those who like to quest (vah, diety augs, faction augs) for those who like to casually play past 65 (cmal 1-3, cata) and quite generally the large amount of PUGS that are hosted what seems daily by a large group of players.
That said, I really do think that from level's 1-10 players should not have death fatigue. Someone brought this up earlier, and I can say that death alone when you're learning this game is frustrating, but sitting for 5 mintues doing nothing is too much for some during this process.
tl;dr The content avalaiable in this game post 65 both for those who wish to raid hadcore, and those who wish to play casually, is ample. Take away death fatigue pre level 10.
That said, the 'pressure' of these incredibly hard encounters is the reason I still play this game; it's a challenge. Learning the fight for the new Custodian is probably the most fun i've had while playing this game; and feeling the reward of defeating it, when your raid has such a small margin for error in so many ways, is quite the rush.
There is plenty of content that is not as challenging, yet still quite fun for those who like to quest (vah, diety augs, faction augs) for those who like to casually play past 65 (cmal 1-3, cata) and quite generally the large amount of PUGS that are hosted what seems daily by a large group of players.
That said, I really do think that from level's 1-10 players should not have death fatigue. Someone brought this up earlier, and I can say that death alone when you're learning this game is frustrating, but sitting for 5 mintues doing nothing is too much for some during this process.
tl;dr The content avalaiable in this game post 65 both for those who wish to raid hadcore, and those who wish to play casually, is ample. Take away death fatigue pre level 10.