Why still alpha ?? questions from newbie

[_user]

Hello dear PlaneShift players,

Im newbie to this game, i was started just yesterday and i think this game is really pretty cool, but i was read on site this game are developing science 2002year, so 13 years in alpha realse ?? 13 years in alpha development realse is very very long.... So i wanna to ask: Why this game are so long in alpha ? This game non-progressing or what is the point ? I must wait another 10-13 years for full edition ? Cuz its only 0.6v.... So players what is the point of slow grow this game ?

[Rigwyn]

Ehm. People have been playing the game for over a decade now and have been having fun with it to varying degrees. As for the version number, it's a version number, not a percentage. Give it a try. If you like it then play it and enjoy.

[LigH]

Hello dear PlaneShift players,

Hello dear PlaneShift player, too.

i was started just yesterday and i think this game is really pretty cool,

Hooray, at least one new player enjoying our efforts! ... Well, maybe we just read more often about disappointments, because satisfied players don't feel the same urge to write about it.

So i wanna to ask: Why this game are so long in alpha ? This game non-progressing or what is the point ? ... So players what is the point of slow grow this game ?

To relieve you to some degree: No, the development does not stall, it is indeed active. Yet, as it is a "leisure time project", even of many, the speed is not as high as if we had a full-time working paid development team.

The term "alpha" is already deprecated, though, if I remember correctly; it was called a "project in development" or similar... and it is related to the many areas which will need more content until we could call this "a game" without getting embarrassed too much. Client code, engine, models, textures, sounds, effects, crafting rules, even the settings (the background story), everything is not yet close to a level of completeness we would be satisfied with. Having a complete landscape ring of the top level, the "Dome", would possibly be a minimum before agreeing to a version 1.0, I guess...

But don't let this "in development" state keep you from enjoying what has been done until today. Maybe we can even convince you to help us getting a few steps further to a "game" we all can be proud of.

[_user]

Okay i see, but another question i have is about number of players...
So that numbers is not much, so i have a question: This game still made progress and dont dying ? 50~ players online looks like this game can lost all attetion nearly.

[Rigwyn]

Yeah, the number of players are small right now. It is what it is. Your best chances of finding other players would be around maybe 9PM US/Eastern time give or take an hour or so.

[_user]

Yea, okay sure, but its not point of my question...
In years before thats number was bigger ? PS losting players ? dying ? Or always have numbers like this ?

[Rigwyn]

Yeah, back around '07 there were lots of players. The population took a major dive since then and has sort of levelled out at a low number. In the last year or two though, there have been a huge number of improvements to the game itself - mainly between versions 0.5 and the current.

[_user]

One moment, i dont really understand this ;p
So you said the planeshift now have highest population ever ? PS dont lost players ?

[LigH]

The highest number of players was around the version 0.3.x, I believe; but the community went through serious times.

[_user]

So what was the highest number of players~ ? how much ?

[Demagul Riwe]

So what was the highest number of players~ ? how much ?

One moment, i dont really understand this ;p
So you said the planeshift now have highest population ever ? PS dont lost players ?

Yea, okay sure, but its not point of my question...
In years before thats number was bigger ? PS losting players ? dying ? Or always have numbers like this ?

Believe me, PS has a small community, but an awesome one. There's plenty of landscape, crafting, combat, magic, and skills released for it to have a larger amount of players, but it's just really unheard of right now. At first I was a little ehhhh about the low player-count too, but once I got more into the RP community on PS, I started having a great time. Of course, there are benefits to a low-player game, too: like a good relationship between the GMs, Devs, and Players, and the fact that a good RPer can rise up socially in the game quite easily if they try. I do hope the game expands, but for now, I'm perfectly happy with this smaller, tight knit community.

[_user]

Yes i see,  ps community is small but active and rp, but im interesting for information what is the record of players online at that same time, what number ? :p

[Demagul Riwe]

Yes i see,  ps community is small but active and rp, but im interesting for information what is the record of players online at that same time, what number ? :p

Ermm....usually around 50ish at most these days...I just thought I'd let you know that there IS a good community. It's mainly publicity problems.

[_user]

Sure, thanks all for answers I will start enjoyed this program, maybe i try to invite some friends, this game should get more more players when will be 1.0 i think, so thanks all

[Demagul Riwe]

Welcome to Planeshift, by the way! I hope you get a chance to meet one (or more) of my characters sometime.