Our game is dying. What can we do?

[sarger]

Lately I've seen alot of posts on forums with claims such as "leagues aren't what they used to be", "this game is dying". This is usually met with responses such as "saying stuff like is killing the game!", but lets face it, all statistics point that this game is slowly dying, the rate of people quitting the game is higher than the people who are just starting to play it. I've been a part of alot of gaming societies such as Action Quake, Counter-Strike and Quake 3 and they've all gone down this path and its easy to see that this game shows all the symptoms of a game dying. We may have about 2 good years left, but after that we'll have more dropout squads and the competition quality will decrease, thus we will lose most of the veterans playing this game.

However, I do feel that this game still has a shot for survival, this game has alot of qualities which the other games didnt have such as:

1. The fact that it's completely free.
2. Staff that is organized and really dedicated to the game after all these years. (by that I mostly mean the TW staff)
3. The nostalgic addictive gameplay, everyone longs for the good old games. It is what has kept this game alive for so long.
4. That you don't need a super computer to play it.


So here's the question, what can we do?


I believe the answer lies in advertising. There's lots of ways to advertise this game without paying for it.

Here's my idea:

To create a "Advertising division", in cooperation with staff of course.
We would recruit members and have each member pitch idea's on the best places to advertise and how to do it in the most efficient way possible, thus luring as many new players as we can. Due to Trench Wars still having the highest number of players most of these new players would in most cases end up here.

So if anyone in staff or other players are interested in this, by all means post or leave me a message in game (name is sarger).

I'd also like to request that staff will not move this thread to a different section, due to the fact that this is the place where it will attract the most views, which is the key to get this going. It's in our best interest that this thread will stay here.

So feel free to discuss, flame, throw in a few ideas and what not.

[Tsumetai]

Sounds good sargey. Creating a non-cheesy ad for Youtube and getting people to post in other places they go to would be a good start. Maybe revamping whatever answer we have under a "What is Subspace like?" on the FAQ for the main site could work as well.

[Scoop]

Stop making these negative nancy threads.

[LaG KiLLeR]

I have a better idea. Instead of always proposing ideas or complaining about the game (saying that there needs to be a change), why not just take action and do something? Instead of asking for permission or saying "you could do this", why not do it yourself? If you truly want the game to survive, take actions into your own hands. An advertising division sounds good, but its too much effort, let alone we'd probably spend years on pre-production ideas, each getting slammed down but the players of the TW population. So, instead of always seeking or asking for someone to hold your hands, why not stand up and say "I will do it".

Honestly, I don't mind if the game dies or not, I've played it for long enough and I know it will never be the same. I don't have enough passion or time to dedicate to incite a TW REVOLUTION. But, I know some of you guys do, and if you want to, go do it. Stop saying, start doing. Take action.

[Reaver]

Advertising is a good start but the best thing anyone in this game can do to help this game is to tell your friends about it and actually showing them how to play. I'm not sure about you guys but I've been using the internet for over a decade now and I've never clicked on an advertisement for anything, or decided I was going to buy something over an advertisement I saw on the web. If you want to help, just bring some friends to the game, and actually explain how to play and keep in contact with them. I've brought 5 long term players to this game that are still playing today and many more short-term players that were looking to play something else.

[death row]

All this "game is dying" stuff reminds me of that one movie, where some boy had to save some imaginary planet.. and some real big dog had to give him a ride to those two big statues that shot laser beams out of their eyes. what was that movie again? fantasia? lolz:unsure:

[paradise!]

Advertising is a good start but the best thing anyone in this game can do to help this game is to tell your friends about it and actually showing them how to play. I'm not sure about you guys but I've been using the internet for over a decade now and I've never clicked on an advertisement for anything, or decided I was going to buy something over an advertisement I saw on the web. If you want to help, just bring some friends to the game, and actually explain how to play and keep in contact with them. I've brought 5 long term players to this game that are still playing today and many more short-term players that were looking to play something else.

i agree with this people just have to learn how they heard about this game id say 95% of people on this game heard it from a friend. For me it was a long chain a friend of a friend of a friend showed me this game, and ive showed some of my old neighborhood friends it, ive showed heisman who in turn showed some people on his hockey team who play eg and DSB competitively. But, i think what we have to do is get people in pubs to start dding and jding. id say of all the tw population 20% actually dd or jd, the rest consist of pubs. We need someone with a very genuine idea to get people to transfer to real playing.

[Vatican Assassin]

the movie was the never ending story, im pretty sure you lose a small part of your soul every time you watch it. ok here is a great site i think we could get into: http://addictinggames.com/

here is the site to submit a game to be uploaded: http://upload.addictinggames.com/


i suggest someone who is in charge of something sumbit continuum. it would probably be better for a high staff member to do this than a player. if no staff respond to this in lets say a week sarger or I will do so.

you could make an advertising thread sticky and when people find sites like thios one they could post it perhaps?

EDIT: I think the best in game suggestion that has come up is an in game tutorial that quickly goes through the ships and the different games, arenas, etc.

more editing: the site may only support smaller games than continuum, not sure.

[freddie]

Getting new people into the game means shit if the current playerbase doesnt swallow their pride and actually tries to behave somewhat good.

75%+ of players are at least annoying whiners if not total fucktards. Why would new players want to listen whining and flaming in 10 years old 2d game?

Trashtalking is fine, but when people almost try to get rid of every new, or not so skilled player in the game with their continous whining... :death:

[Herik]

All this "game is dying" stuff reminds me of that one movie, where some boy had to save some imaginary planet.. and some real big dog had to give him a ride to those two big statues that shot laser beams out of their eyes. what was that movie again? fantasia? lolz:unsure:

Neverending Story. And the realm name was Fantasia.
I've seen that movie thousands times. :wub:

[PH]

Getting new people into the game means shit if the current playerbase doesnt swallow their pride and actually tries to behave somewhat good.

75%+ of players are at least annoying whiners if not total fucktards. Why would new players want to listen whining and flaming in 10 years old 2d game?

Trashtalking is fine, but when people almost try to get rid of every new, or not so skilled player in the game with their continous whining... :death:

good reason for me to continue being a dick

[End]

We managed the game of the month, now i say make a VERY DECENT advertisement for youtube, and get it to Most viewed of the day or week. If its top of the page it is guaranteed over 200,000 views. That should get a ball rolling somewhat. Once a video is made all we have to do is watch it, its pretty simple.

[Doc Flabby]

There is a future to this game. At least 2 new clients are in active development...

[FarScape]

make 1000$ prize for a squad that win a league, and you will see people running to play continuum :-D

I honestly don't see what new about your idea. Advertising is something that always welcome. if you think thats the way to do it, you got my vote.
at least its not those ideas about removing arenas :-P

[Fluffz]

fix pub, eg is more fun than this