Post by grogrock on Jan 19, 2017 15:51:14 GMT
Seeing as how the community has returned (for now) to a server that is not password protected, I figured that we should now start to consider ways to ensure that players that log into the server for the first time don't leave within 30 minutes.
One of the ways that I think we can limit the chances for players to leave the server is to implement FastDL, so that players have the content ready to use when they log in. When I join a server and find that the content pack is something I have to download on the side, I get a bit annoyed. Generally, this means that you must download all of the content, restart your game, and then log on so you can finally start roleplaying.
For some of you, you may see this as a minor nuisance, but we need to remember that people have increasingly short attention spans. Without discussing the creation of PACs, we should be trying to get the players into the RP experience the moment their character is created.
Another matter to consider here is that sometimes the forums can be confusing for new players to navigate, and they may just not want to deal with it. Other times you may have players that will have no interest in participating on a server's forums prior to the game itself. People play this game to have fun, not to go through multiple downloads and bureaucracy.
Of course, I will concede there are benefits to having players have to go to the forums to get the content. More eager players may create an account and will become a part of the community. One of the things I liked the most about this community when I joined was how the roleplay and character development extends beyond the server itself onto the forums. The notice board for events and the character bios are also nice touches that enhance the experience. Players that have everything served to them upfront may not be so interested in the forums. However, nothing says that we can't still keep the majority of the lore on the forums.
I say majority of lore, because this goes well into my next point: a custom loading screen would go with the FastDL very well and would be necessary. Tecnically having a FastDL may decrease the time the player spends downloading content outside the server, but it does increase the time it takes to log into the server the first time. What should be considered then, would be to create a custom loading screen or set of loading images for the server that players can watch.
Of course, these images would have to have some kind of value. You have your basic things like "THESE ARE THE RULES" but maybe doing something like Bethesda does with their titles would be helpful as well. I don't know how this would go about, though I have seen other servers put up about 8 different images. In referencing the Bethesda method, I am of course referring to how Bethesda puts blurbs about the lore into their loading screens. Examples for what we could put in would be a short blurb about the development and improvements of FTL travel over the years, or some history about New Canton and the formerly ruined District 12. This would help to give new players at least some orientation as to what the server is about before they log on and go the forums, without making the lore sections of the forums defunct (THE MORE YOU KNOW, CUE THE RAINBOW STAR).
One of the ways that I think we can limit the chances for players to leave the server is to implement FastDL, so that players have the content ready to use when they log in. When I join a server and find that the content pack is something I have to download on the side, I get a bit annoyed. Generally, this means that you must download all of the content, restart your game, and then log on so you can finally start roleplaying.
For some of you, you may see this as a minor nuisance, but we need to remember that people have increasingly short attention spans. Without discussing the creation of PACs, we should be trying to get the players into the RP experience the moment their character is created.
Another matter to consider here is that sometimes the forums can be confusing for new players to navigate, and they may just not want to deal with it. Other times you may have players that will have no interest in participating on a server's forums prior to the game itself. People play this game to have fun, not to go through multiple downloads and bureaucracy.
Of course, I will concede there are benefits to having players have to go to the forums to get the content. More eager players may create an account and will become a part of the community. One of the things I liked the most about this community when I joined was how the roleplay and character development extends beyond the server itself onto the forums. The notice board for events and the character bios are also nice touches that enhance the experience. Players that have everything served to them upfront may not be so interested in the forums. However, nothing says that we can't still keep the majority of the lore on the forums.
I say majority of lore, because this goes well into my next point: a custom loading screen would go with the FastDL very well and would be necessary. Tecnically having a FastDL may decrease the time the player spends downloading content outside the server, but it does increase the time it takes to log into the server the first time. What should be considered then, would be to create a custom loading screen or set of loading images for the server that players can watch.
Of course, these images would have to have some kind of value. You have your basic things like "THESE ARE THE RULES" but maybe doing something like Bethesda does with their titles would be helpful as well. I don't know how this would go about, though I have seen other servers put up about 8 different images. In referencing the Bethesda method, I am of course referring to how Bethesda puts blurbs about the lore into their loading screens. Examples for what we could put in would be a short blurb about the development and improvements of FTL travel over the years, or some history about New Canton and the formerly ruined District 12. This would help to give new players at least some orientation as to what the server is about before they log on and go the forums, without making the lore sections of the forums defunct (THE MORE YOU KNOW, CUE THE RAINBOW STAR).
