Losing players?

[Candy]

If you're going to do that, there is four more things that game has, and I think are VITAL for the concept to actually work. These are:
- VERY strict RP rules and enforcement
- New character accounts NEED a two-page back story for the character and are only activated if another player (something like an advisor in PS) confirms that the story is good and fits settings
- A startup bonus for new characters
- Death isn't free.

On RP rules: I'll name an example. They have a rule that magic use NEEDS TO be RPed before the actual use. If you get caught not doing that, you can get banned. Obviously, bad names aren't only renamed if a lazy GM stumbles across them, but would never make it through character activation. And so on.
On character activation: this is the most important thing that is missing with PS I think. Here, people can just create an char and jump right in. This might lead to more new characters in the short term, but also to DISCOURAGEMENT of serious roleplay. It's just not worth trying to ask someone for the way to somewhere when his desc is empty. And so on. If there IS information, people are encouraged and supported in giving serious thought to their characters. In the long term, I can't think of any better concept to have a REAL RP based game going well.
On the startup bonus for new characters: when you create a character, you select their race, job etc. and according to your selection, you start with a default set of clothes (instead of naked), weapons/items, food, and/or money (and well, some ranks in certain skills, but PS already has that).
On death: If a character dies three times, there is a team (i.e. Godly) discussion about whether or not the character will be allowed to live once more. (of course, bug-induced deaths shouldn't be counted in)

Now you might wonder if that's not more team involvement than you can handle. On the one hand, it's probably too much for only the GMs to handle. But there's also the possibility of player councils (as I said, similar to advisors). Obviously, I can't tell if it will work for PlaneShift. But it works for that game very well, although it is in some ways inferior to PlaneShift in mechanics or graphics. (Not in all ways, obviously; there's a job system in place which is far superior to PS' in my opinion; it limits the leveling of skills based on creation choices; but then that's okay imho because it makes people seriously think about how they set up their character.)

Now I'm gonna say. That game is built on top of the Ultima Online engine, which is a commercial effort. However, all the game's story and settings, the char creation etc, the races and... I guess at least some of the graphics are all created in a free effort. I'm aware PS' engine might never be perfect, but I don't think that's PlaneShift's main problem. The main problem is that "identity crisis". And I can't think of any other way to solve it than through the above.

But that's just my opinion.

Ehh, those rules are too restrictive. They might work for a forum-based RPG (although even there two pages of backstory required would make most people assume the admin pictures themself a dictator of a small country that is their forum), but they'd only discourage RP in an MMO and make us look like a bunch of elitist pricks. Roleplaying should be made easier, not more intimidating.

[derula]

Ehh, those rules are too restrictive. They might work for a forum-based RPG (although even there two pages of backstory required would make most people assume the admin pictures themself a dictator of a small country that is their forum), but they'd only discourage RP in an MMO and make us look like a bunch of elitist pricks. Roleplaying should be made easier, not more intimidating.

Thanks for your input.

As I said, this is just an example, and I am not sure whether it would work for PlaneShift. But as I said, it works for that game. It has lots of players, the community is very nice and helpful, and I didn't get the impression that the admins are total pricks either. My first character's backstory was rejected. This was very well reasoned in personal discussion with the revising player, and I was given the chance to alter my backstory, although I chose an elven race which in that game is much more different from humans than in PS, it is hard to come up with a valid reason why an elf would move to that island, and the char creation page warns that new players should probably not start with one. My second one (a human) was accepted, and I was given some hints what to start with given the nature of my char. (I never actually played though)

But, it doesn't have to be that strict for PlaneShift. What really is important in my view, is to give the player a possibility to create a character with a good backstory before joining the game, and to give a reason why all content in the game is not known to any new characters. I think those are the most important lessons PlaneShift needs to learn, if it really wants to have roleplay that is easy to get into and very strong / high quality. New players shouldn't be forced to create a character first before they can even figure out what back story it might have, and the information needed for backstories should be centralized in the PS homepage, not in various libraries and other places spread out across the game world.
Everything else I said are just examples taken from a game where this works, since Talad asked for an example.

[Vakachehk]

Planeshift is no longer a fully RP based game, infact when EZPCUSA combined with Laanx it becam a combined server. I don't think Planeshift lacks in RP and I don't think that's the issue here. Having to activate your storyline is a bit pathetic tbh.

However, you got the rest right.
-Start up bonus... I'm gonna take it this means more tria after tutorial (short or long way), and information on means to get more tria for new players like mining, what you need to do to be able to mine, where to mine.
-Death isn't free, absolutely agree.

What I think could be useful towards new palyers understanding of Planshifts's setting and RP and looks good at the same time. Is a clip / trailer that automatically plays (and can be skipped after the second view) while Planeshift is loading or before it loads. Like when you play the Sims, it plays that little clip at the beginning.

Anyways, this clip could be very dense in Planeshift's setting. I also think something like a setting storyline could help. What I'm meaning is like a recent large event, a war, a fight between gods, various attacks from the Stone Labyrinths, etc. For example, WoW and it's war between Horde and Alliance(?).

[ether]

I also think something like a setting storyline could help. What I'm meaning is like a recent large event, a war, a fight between gods, various attacks from the Stone Labyrinths, etc. For example, WoW and it's war between Horde and Alliance(?).

He has a valid point, actually.  Encouraging RP would probably be easier if the players had a few more jumping-off points, like a more active central theme or plot to the game.  Or a few of them.  I mean, Planeshift has a wonderful world built but despite the depth of some quests, it just doesn't seem like it really has much going on in it.  Perhaps we'll see more opportunity for this when we see more explorable content in the game.

[Tzarhunt]

-Start up bonus... I'm gonna take it this means more tria after tutorial (short or long way), and information on means to get more tria for new players like mining, what you need to do to be able to mine, where to mine.

Or just make the starters a lot better damnit. What's the point of spawning such a weakling? Isn't every grown-up citizen supposed to know how to handle a weapon? 'Start your journey with frustration' could be a catchphrase for this game. Since it takes ages (and is anti-fun) to bring up a skill to any usable level, why not give starters three or four skills at level 20? They can still start from scratches if they want to learn new stuff.


About settings... I think a good start would be a paragraph about the average Joe's everyday life on each Level, a reason why there are so many bloody adventurers and always small running jobs available for them, why plants grow where no light goes and how magic is just any guy's tool and not cryptic at all.

[Vankseal Serozan]

Honestly I think if new players were actualy given a full set of armor and two weapons or a weapon and shield combo of their choice along with a glyph or two of their choice and higher starting stats so they are not stuck killing rats for hours or trying to mine for long periods just to get a few ore (because the skills max lvl has been raised to 200 and all the mobs/jobs made tougher) you would see less players quiting withing the first few hours of gameplay. I agree Vakachehk on the idea of polishing up the questing system and some other things that need fine tuning. I think it should be made more clear in the character creation and on the ps website how sertain things will effect the character. I have seen players joing the game and have to start with nothing because they chose skills that were not even implemented yet.

[novacadian]

re: setting tips

Perhaps once a character has more than 5 hours of game time the loading screens could display different settings tips instead of the same old RP ideas; along the lines of the skyrim load screens.

- Nova

[tman]

Honestly I think if new players were actualy given a full set of armor and two weapons or a weapon and shield combo of their choice along with a glyph or two of their choice and higher starting stats so they are not stuck killing rats for hours or trying to mine for long periods just to get a few ore...

Well a full set of leather armor costs what? 1300 tria?  The problem isn't so much with what we give them, but with what we tell them.  There should be some hint like "If you're planning to explore some of the more dangerous areas of the Dome, you should look into getting yourself some armor/weapons/gliphs.  This NPC sells these basic items and can usually be found here.  If you're looking to study magic, seek out the magic shop just outside Hydlaa, etc"

I do agree that players should be able to choose a few skills in character creation to start with at around 10-15.  And there should be a warning about choosing skills that don't exist yet.

[Pakarro]

Most of the info tman wants here, are in the tutorials anyways. What I think would be nice, is a sentence somewehere (prominently, so you don't miss it):
If you want to know something, choose a fellow player, politely introduce yourself, and  ask away. But don't forget that your character does the asking (which is called "in character" = ic), and not you, the player (which is ooc "out of character"). Don't wildly look for trainers, but ask your fellow citizens.

Something in that way, maybe more elaborate ... Just teach people to co-operate as soon as possible. The rest will probably be ok. Probably everyone of us would be happy to help by healing in fights, or cooperative hunting and telling little tricks. You just have to make newbies to ask for help and not be afraid...

Then people will grow into the concept of rp. If you demand too much in the beginning, you overload players, and they will quit. Not because it is boring or low graphics quality or something, but because it is too much stress. I for my part started in ezpc, because I was afraid I could never meet the standards of rp required here. Sometimes I still am...

[Dramborleg]

 Three words. Game Master involvement. Unexpected or epic plots sprung on the community by those with the abilitys to create unique and interesting episodes. On several occasions I have had GM's do interesting things that  broke the grind up. One occasion,to catch  a theif at the Gugrontid alter was transported iside the alter to spy without being seen. Another Rampaging maulberlords at the copper mine.
  But even a monthly or bi-monthly "campaign", would be very entertaining and help to give the impression that you are part of a living world.
     

[LigH]

And you returning, Dramborleg, at least on sundays.

Estyo — Esanor.

[Dramborleg]

Yeah I'll be here.

[Gilrond]

Welcome back Dramborleg!

[lehjr]

Obviously, you need to be bringing in a steady flow of new players to actually have any number of active ones. And since I've only been playing about a month I can give some insight about the first impressions of a new player.

Basically, in order to get more players, you need to improve on the tutorials and documentation. New players aren't going to stick around if they can't even figure out how to play the game. I found the character creation a bit intimidating, but not unbearable. However, I spent a couple weeks just figuring out how to drink a potion. And the crafting books, the information should be sorted by item (sabre, broadsword, and so on), not by task (shape, forge, and so on) and overlapping information should be merged or condensed. For instance, regardless of the material you make the shields out of, if the process for that type is the same, then why does it need a separate entry? And yes, there are crafting books available that are written by other players, but what happens when those players no longer play or if an update makes the information in those books incorrect? The fact that you even need these third party books should tell you there is a problem.

There are also little things that kill that immersion quality of role playing, things like displaying the weight of the furnace (do we need to know that) or floating herbs/plants and the torches in the Bronze Door Fortress where the flames all need to be raised up higher.

Some have said that the graphics are horrible, and to some degree that is the case, but more of that is the graphics errors like the rainbow effect in some areas, and the ability to see through the ground in others as well as some other anomalies. The engine definitely runs heavy and seems to run at the same speed on a single core machine with 2GB of RAM as it does on a dual core machine with 4GB of RAM. And that's in both Windows and Linux. Furthermore, certain sounds (which ones I can't be sure of) seem to crash the Windows client, especially in the area of the arena. This may be an OpenAL issue, but I don't know. But it looks like development for OpenAL on Windows stalled 3 years ago, and might be a problem later on, even if it isn't a problem now, so it might be a good idea to reevaluate that dependency or at least look into the actual opensource version, "OpenAL soft".

In the case of actual graphics, I don't think it's fair to compare PlaneShift to games like WoW. However, if you've ever played RuneScape you'd see just how bad graphics (along with every other aspect of a game) can be. So why is RuneScape so much more successful than PlaneShift? Most likely it all comes down to resources. They have an active development team and they continue to add custom content. The only other real advantage they have, aside from commercial marketing, is that there is no installation required as the game plays from within a browser. And while all of this may sound irrelevant, RuneScape usually has thousands of active players logged in at any given moment.

But success can't be measured on number of players alone, and despite it's quirks, I am enjoying the overall gameplay experience.

[Gilrond]

CS obviously doesn't really fully benefit from mutli-core architectures, as was pointed out before.