I remember when empires wasn't on steam and I always got yelled at for playing scout and being a noob Wait a second..
Are you sure that marketing is the problem? I've always believed that marketing can take a good product and make it great, but it can't make a shitty product succeed. Empires is kind of a shitty pub game.
The point is, if we had 100000 newbies downloading this game, and we can make 1%(very conservative, even for Empires) of them stay, we'll end up having 1000 regular players. However during Steam release and after that, there were probably only less than 5000 newbies who even downloaded this game.)
You pulled all three of those numbers out of your ass. The landscape for free games is different than it was five years ago. Players sample dozens of f2p games. What makes you think that even 1% of those players that try empires will choose it over the dozens of other more polished f2p games?
People don't play only one game at the same time. Despite our vets, we have some relatively new "regular" players, in case you haven't noticed. From my observation, I believe Empires managed to keep more than 1% of players around. (Although Empires is a completely dead meat atm, I've never seen worse.) If you can keep 20% players around, the game will become really popular, soon or later.
I have to agree that Empires just straight up has a problem with new-player retention rates, and the solution isn't to market the hell out of it and hope that some players decide to stick with the game. Saving Empires isn't going to be something that can be done by adding a new weapon or rebalancing combat, although those would be benefits; there's no silver bullet, no magical code that can be just dropped in to get people to stay. Saving Empires would take a serious discussion about the problems with Empires that takes in a number of viewpoints, and a discussion that doesn't get bogged down with vets stroking their egos saying that new players need to "deal with it". Vets have been saying new players need to "deal with it" for years now, and it's obvious that players won't deal with it, and they won't put up with it when they have other options.
I win How about make an exclusive empires club. Only members of this club are allowed to join Viper or Epic server. To join the club, people must give a brief description of themselves and list the reasons they are interested in playing this mod. Vets like us will already be granted access, but can be removed or superseded if faggotry ensues. Once the applicant is accepted into the club, they must sign an agreement to follow the rules(no bitching, griefing or just being all around useless player). That means if you get shithead noobs that downloaded the game to just troll around with their buddies or to just grief the cv every round, they will be rooted out very quickly. This also means current members will have to abide the rules or else no more empires privileges. This will bring in more players because once they see that we are super exclusive and super cereal about the game, they will naturally want what they can't have and will apply to the club. And those who wanted to join just to be massive cocksuckers will most likely not bother with the whole process. You are welcome, my idea has saved empires. Will be right here to collect Nobel Peace Prize.
They did that once back when both servers (actually not EPIC but the "Main" server) were basically ran by the same admins (The Old Oppressive G4TC Regime) and they had a Vets club where players who were, for completely subjective reasons, labelled "veterans" had reserved player slots. People think vets ego stroke now, back then vets actually were mentally handicapped idiots. I still rep the pubbers to this day.
You didn't choose the pub life. But fo real pub games are the ones that matter, create a healthy and fun pub community and the "xXMLG PRO 720 MOWTARXx" community will grow as well.
Who says I don't? Today when you were on I happened to be playing around as grenadier trying to rocketsnipe, but both games you saw me in I also happened to have no/ a shit team and was still being marginally useful.
There we go - almost two messages without someone insulting another player. I was getting worried. I think Freak's idea of level achievement is worth considering. I wouldn't leave it upto a good old boys network but based on hours of play. If someone plays XX hours they are allowed to spec on Viper/Epic. When they hit YY they can play a game but if kicked or banned once they have to wait for + 20 more hours before they can join Viper/Epic again. This will encourage newb's playing vs newbs on other servers and learning of basic gameplay. I see some activity on the commander practice server. Wonder why that limits to six players though. I wanted to watch and help train but couldn't join the other night. Oh I also think we need a two drink minimum gameplay night.
Urethra - kudos for staying on the whole match last night while ScRaT and I pounded you in the ass. It was fun. I endured the same on a match earlier where it was me and a newb vs three OK players. You joined after a vet (Creeper) and a different newb joined - first dropped due to frustration of his pushing shitty tanks. I was able to keep three vs one at bay for a while due to better research and the BE tank advantage. I lost my shit when one of the THREE players decided to sneak a scout in to sab everything. When we started it was 2 on my team vs 1. I told the opponent - take right ref - we won't attack. Just research and we'll wait. Then they pull the 3 vs 1 shit with a scout. Some players have no self respect. That is why later in the game when you said 3 vs 2 unfair - I had to say "PULEEEZE ! REALLY !" It was a fun match though. Anyway - we were hopeful someone would have joined your team, but it didn't happen. Maybe a breath mint next time.
The problem with "distributed" design is that barely anyone remembers why things are they way they are. When they're changed to fix A, B shows up again.
Same goes with collision. (50%) 1.Remember why soft collision was removed? (50%) 2.Remember why soft collision was implemented?
I have a test-fix in SVN. I should be testing it with Candles over the weekend. I still have your PM marked unread to remind me every day, so I haven't forgotten.
