Esselinithia
Fledgling Freddie
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2003
- Messages
- 1,110
While clustering has its own drawbacks and won't stop the game from losing players (it can accelerate that problem) and character transfer alone can have similar side effects, there are some good and easy to implement plans to get people back. It is done with some customizations.
Observations:
1st: By use of bonuses, GOA should reduce the kill RP and increase siege / defense / repair RP rewards for most NF zones, and increase the RP rewards for zones that doesn't have a keep currently.
2nd: By replacing an existing battleground zone, GOA should try to add new GOA specific RvR content for high level characters. Changing BG zones for events was done before, and it is possible to designate a zone for some "test events". Since these events are at first temporary, and help testing new concepts, they don't hurt much.
This zone should resemble Old Frontiers in some aspects (portal keep, milegates, and a nearby keep, where you can't destroy walls) and in the future expand it with a 2nd zone (2 keeps and a "relic keep", capturing the relic keep should award you a charged item with good bonuses).
3rd: If the above tests are successful, GOA should ask for implementing their zones in a patch, and some empty zones for future experiment.
4th: In the empty zones try to implement an area that is similar in experience to frontiers on Gaheris server. (Ability to farm items you can later turn in for RP, similar mobs, similar terrain)
5th: If step above is succesfull, and the amount of players back can justify more significant changes, follow with mid term steps. At this time you can advertise all the changes and recruit old people back. (Possible even after the 2nd step)
Mid term steps:
1st: XP distribution should be configureable on per zone basis. The goal would be to prevent power leveling. (lower level should get very very little xp in a high level group)
2nd: It should be possible to change how abilities work for a set of zones (with loading screen), and maybe some item stats too. With this, you should be able to implement conditions similar to classic servers by disabling TOA abilities, and changing buff rules in given zones of a normal servers.
3rd: Ability to mark sets of zones (with loading screen) as cooperative, where you can't attack members of other realms but can talk / group with them.
4th: Ability to add zones by GOA, and ability to design new dungeons, instances, etc. for new and challenging raids and quests.
5th: Use the above options to create a "classic" type set of zones (based on the OF like zone, since OF like layout is balanced for classic abilities), turn the zone where you can PVE farm RP into cooperative zone, and periodically add new dungeons and raid targets. Make press releases, articles, etc. based on this.
Long term measures:
1st: with the above implemented, the demand for the game should be significant, and it should be a good reason to produce new and new game boxes. It would be nice if there would be collectors edition with good contents.
2nd: Strong fansite program
3rd: Competitions for good content creation (often)
4th: Strong community page
5th: 20% of the extra revenue should be turned into advertising
6th: Roundtables
7th: If people help with any stage of this progress, from ideas, planning, to long term goals, they should have a chance to get rewarded with either unique items, or in case of significant contributions where GOA can expect more from the said people: free subs / expansions. (Hey, if they are helping and you profit from it, make sure they stay in your games and help with them!)
Observations:
- People are willing to come back to see new things, and if they are happy they might stay
- GOA in the past was able to and allowed to:
- add quests
- change zone layouts
- add custom items
- adjust xp and rp bonuses
- The initial success of classic shown that new rulesets can be a good recruiting tool
- Significant changes can be good for press releases, and also for articles submited to major portals, etc.
- Initial success can be used to justify the need for some code changes later, and it can help both GOA and Mythic.
1st: By use of bonuses, GOA should reduce the kill RP and increase siege / defense / repair RP rewards for most NF zones, and increase the RP rewards for zones that doesn't have a keep currently.
2nd: By replacing an existing battleground zone, GOA should try to add new GOA specific RvR content for high level characters. Changing BG zones for events was done before, and it is possible to designate a zone for some "test events". Since these events are at first temporary, and help testing new concepts, they don't hurt much.
This zone should resemble Old Frontiers in some aspects (portal keep, milegates, and a nearby keep, where you can't destroy walls) and in the future expand it with a 2nd zone (2 keeps and a "relic keep", capturing the relic keep should award you a charged item with good bonuses).
3rd: If the above tests are successful, GOA should ask for implementing their zones in a patch, and some empty zones for future experiment.
4th: In the empty zones try to implement an area that is similar in experience to frontiers on Gaheris server. (Ability to farm items you can later turn in for RP, similar mobs, similar terrain)
5th: If step above is succesfull, and the amount of players back can justify more significant changes, follow with mid term steps. At this time you can advertise all the changes and recruit old people back. (Possible even after the 2nd step)
Mid term steps:
1st: XP distribution should be configureable on per zone basis. The goal would be to prevent power leveling. (lower level should get very very little xp in a high level group)
2nd: It should be possible to change how abilities work for a set of zones (with loading screen), and maybe some item stats too. With this, you should be able to implement conditions similar to classic servers by disabling TOA abilities, and changing buff rules in given zones of a normal servers.
3rd: Ability to mark sets of zones (with loading screen) as cooperative, where you can't attack members of other realms but can talk / group with them.
4th: Ability to add zones by GOA, and ability to design new dungeons, instances, etc. for new and challenging raids and quests.
5th: Use the above options to create a "classic" type set of zones (based on the OF like zone, since OF like layout is balanced for classic abilities), turn the zone where you can PVE farm RP into cooperative zone, and periodically add new dungeons and raid targets. Make press releases, articles, etc. based on this.
Long term measures:
1st: with the above implemented, the demand for the game should be significant, and it should be a good reason to produce new and new game boxes. It would be nice if there would be collectors edition with good contents.
2nd: Strong fansite program
3rd: Competitions for good content creation (often)
4th: Strong community page
5th: 20% of the extra revenue should be turned into advertising
6th: Roundtables
7th: If people help with any stage of this progress, from ideas, planning, to long term goals, they should have a chance to get rewarded with either unique items, or in case of significant contributions where GOA can expect more from the said people: free subs / expansions. (Hey, if they are helping and you profit from it, make sure they stay in your games and help with them!)