Post by Lilla on May 12, 2005 23:59:07 GMT -5
*Hey all, this post is on the Mortal Complaints board and is in response to a post by Hrotti*
I have to agree with Hrotti in that there is no reason to play the MUD anymore. There is a lack of activities, because those who belong to clans are frozen in their current ranking/position. Guard clans need ranking. So do Tower members. Before we could still get CP into the negative even if we couldn't rank, thus being online, RPing with other people. Now, we can't go into negatives so we gain CP's and that's it. There is no one to rank us. Weaves, are tediously long and painful to raise. The realism of Mirros is what makes it fun to play, but at the same time, it's the RP of the players that make it real. They all come here for a reason, RP being the main reason as is their love for the books. But this is a GAME. Meant to be fun, to relax and come here for recreation to get away from stress. The fact that there is more to worry about when we log on is such a deterrant for players, it's the main reason why no one logs on. They feel, as well as I do that the MUD isn't fun anymore. Between the move loss, mounts as well as your character dying, skill/weave decay, resizing and mending equipment, no one is logging on to PLAY anymore at risk of destroying their skill development and breaking their equipment. They rather spend their time having fun. The main point of this place is to RP, that is what makes the MUD, that is what creates the atmosphere. Having the code assist in making it realistic makes the experience more enjoyable, yes, but not when it makes the players cringe at the thought of playing because they think 'Ugh, I don't wanna deal with that.' so they don't log on. Combine that with the lack of players because of the increasing frustration from not ranking and having very little RP and you wind up where we are. Yes, this makes it seem like we want things to come easy, and be easy as players but the fact of the matter is that it is still a challenge to rank in a clan as well as level and find all the smobs and hidden things that are waiting to be explored in the amount of MUD we have so far. However, being a game to play it shouldn't be like pulling teeth. Saying all this, yes I am well aware that it takes players to make a MUD and there aren't any, but it has come to the point where we need incentive to play. Good faith, any such metaphor like that to actually persuade them to come back, because their lack of motivation to play is that strong. It takes something this drastic to regain our player base...worrying about new players in some ways will be irrelevant because if the older players come back, then you can be sure that new players will stick around. Again, what Hrotti said about knowing what other people think is the same thing, players talk about things with players and we are all generally concerend and disheartened by the same things. A couple suggestions to help with building the playerbase are:
To designate a few days at the beginning of each month to one or two Immortals so that they can keep an eye on what's been going on over the passed month. No other duties, like building, coding, scripting or whatever there is. Just RP, rank and get perspective on where players are. If higher level Immortals cannot do this, then designate responsiblities to lower level Imms. Inform them of what they can and cannot do. Which ever Immortal does this for the few days can mail the others, so that when they log on, they are up to speed. Alternate months, so that one will be guard clans, the other the White Tower.
Also, a way to keep the Tower people happy, since they are the biggest percentage of previously active players on the mud; let them out of the tower for a day or two (real life days) every month or two. Let them leave the Tower in plain garb so as not to draw attention since the Tower isn't trusted. Let them explore, learn, RP with people who don't go to Tar Valon and spark interaction and plots on the MUD. Of course, there should be an escort with them so that they are restricted from going into smob areas. As a Tower member, being able to get out and walk around when there is nothing to do, no one to talk to, no one to rank and no cp's to get, is a great incentive to come on and just PLAY and just have fun. Added to the issues we have with the code, I think that the MUD would be a better place to play.
I have to agree with Hrotti in that there is no reason to play the MUD anymore. There is a lack of activities, because those who belong to clans are frozen in their current ranking/position. Guard clans need ranking. So do Tower members. Before we could still get CP into the negative even if we couldn't rank, thus being online, RPing with other people. Now, we can't go into negatives so we gain CP's and that's it. There is no one to rank us. Weaves, are tediously long and painful to raise. The realism of Mirros is what makes it fun to play, but at the same time, it's the RP of the players that make it real. They all come here for a reason, RP being the main reason as is their love for the books. But this is a GAME. Meant to be fun, to relax and come here for recreation to get away from stress. The fact that there is more to worry about when we log on is such a deterrant for players, it's the main reason why no one logs on. They feel, as well as I do that the MUD isn't fun anymore. Between the move loss, mounts as well as your character dying, skill/weave decay, resizing and mending equipment, no one is logging on to PLAY anymore at risk of destroying their skill development and breaking their equipment. They rather spend their time having fun. The main point of this place is to RP, that is what makes the MUD, that is what creates the atmosphere. Having the code assist in making it realistic makes the experience more enjoyable, yes, but not when it makes the players cringe at the thought of playing because they think 'Ugh, I don't wanna deal with that.' so they don't log on. Combine that with the lack of players because of the increasing frustration from not ranking and having very little RP and you wind up where we are. Yes, this makes it seem like we want things to come easy, and be easy as players but the fact of the matter is that it is still a challenge to rank in a clan as well as level and find all the smobs and hidden things that are waiting to be explored in the amount of MUD we have so far. However, being a game to play it shouldn't be like pulling teeth. Saying all this, yes I am well aware that it takes players to make a MUD and there aren't any, but it has come to the point where we need incentive to play. Good faith, any such metaphor like that to actually persuade them to come back, because their lack of motivation to play is that strong. It takes something this drastic to regain our player base...worrying about new players in some ways will be irrelevant because if the older players come back, then you can be sure that new players will stick around. Again, what Hrotti said about knowing what other people think is the same thing, players talk about things with players and we are all generally concerend and disheartened by the same things. A couple suggestions to help with building the playerbase are:
To designate a few days at the beginning of each month to one or two Immortals so that they can keep an eye on what's been going on over the passed month. No other duties, like building, coding, scripting or whatever there is. Just RP, rank and get perspective on where players are. If higher level Immortals cannot do this, then designate responsiblities to lower level Imms. Inform them of what they can and cannot do. Which ever Immortal does this for the few days can mail the others, so that when they log on, they are up to speed. Alternate months, so that one will be guard clans, the other the White Tower.
Also, a way to keep the Tower people happy, since they are the biggest percentage of previously active players on the mud; let them out of the tower for a day or two (real life days) every month or two. Let them leave the Tower in plain garb so as not to draw attention since the Tower isn't trusted. Let them explore, learn, RP with people who don't go to Tar Valon and spark interaction and plots on the MUD. Of course, there should be an escort with them so that they are restricted from going into smob areas. As a Tower member, being able to get out and walk around when there is nothing to do, no one to talk to, no one to rank and no cp's to get, is a great incentive to come on and just PLAY and just have fun. Added to the issues we have with the code, I think that the MUD would be a better place to play.