Just a few responses to Nat’s post:
4. How can we attract more new players to the Mud?
I think, perhaps, some of the problem we have is we have SO MUCH CHOICE, but not much depth. I think we should actually remove a lot of the old zones, make way for the new. Freshen things up a bit. There's so much potential, but it's almost as if we are presenting everything in the wrong way.
We need clearer better maps, a more appetising website design that doesn't feel like a coder cleanly made it (No offence. It's perfect, but it's coder-perfect :p). Easier to read/find help files or guides. A redesign of the future "space port". Better descriptions, more interactive, more involving.
But please, remove some of the older zones. Time to make way with the old.
Perhaps clearing up some of the older zones would be neat, and reworking the maps to force people into new territory may help some, but I think some people don’t like being forced to travel to new areas (probably about as much as some people dislike socials – aka: forced emotes). The story behind 4D would actually make for a great reason for areas to appear and disappear over time – the dimensional portals have shifted and suddenly new lands have emerged while old ones have been found. We could make it a regular thing to shift around areas, but then our website maps are virtually useless. *shrug*
5. What can we do to make the new players want to stay longer?
As above, plus some change with the class system, or at least further motivation to play beyond hitting GM.
Also comes down to atmosphere.
Also, less favouritism. God's (IMMs) in the sky used to be something more respected and rarely seen or spoken to. IMMs were up there doing their thang, muchly invisible. Now? I get we're all like one strange family, but I think the line between IMMs and mortals has blurred too much. Thin it back a bit, particularly so new players don't feel out of place. Try to engage them in character, too... There needs to be some sense of authority in a game. By allowing everyone to input and work in a mud, it takes away the game aspect part of it a bit, yknow?
While I could agree with the less favoritism, it seems like you mean less IMM friendliness here. Which is something I have to disagree with. One of the reasons I stayed on 4D is because both Molly and Mordecai showed an honest interest personally when I (as a level 4(?) maybe newbie pointed out that there seemed to be a problem with the dogcart in the Old West section of the mudschool. I admit, I was awed (I was only level 4 or so and probably only been on the mud for a couple of hours and an IMM was answering my question personally) but it stuck with me to the point that this day (10+years later) I can still tell you that it was 1) Molly AND Mordecai and 2) the exact thing that happened. Their involvement that day made me realize that they cared enough to personally see to it. Though, I must admit that Mord probably thought I was a nag after that since every time I saw him I asked what was up with it.
6. What do you think specifically turns newbies off our Mud?
Many people I'd think it'd just be a case of a short attention span. Unfortunately, if something doesn't grab someone in 30 seconds, it's forgotten about.
But right now? The fact we're all afk/sitting at recall, OR, giving eachother abuse and unnecessary stuff on public channels. Constant swearing, namecalling, or rude remarks aren't exactly going to encourage people to stick around for long. Cut back on the shit-talk, people.
I admit, I thought of this the other day and realized that as a new player with a lot of the comments going on over gossip, I wouldn’t stay. I mean, really, if I was going to make my feelings known about the people with what they say over gossip, most of the players would probably think I hate them. I don’t. I do hate what’s said, but then it all falls under “freedom of speech” and “adult things”. But it also falls under the “don’t act like an ass” and “be mature about the freedom we give you.” Which wins? It’s also because of what’s going on over gossip that I want to finish all the projects I have going on the build port. Because, once I’m done there, I’ll feel free to move on to someplace else if it all keeps up (yes, I have considered just saying “hell with it” and drop all projects, but I’m not that type of person and I am more invested in this place than it sometimes seems. It seems to die down once in a while, but then we get people that start it up again. I understand that some people like that sort of thing, but there are also some that don’t and I wish we could give everyone a chance before we start pounding on them – or letting them into the “family secret” of rudeness and namecalling and other general abuse.
