Shattered Kingdoms

it's happy hour and 2 people are playing. what do you think we should do? when would we pull the plug if we did? I'm sads

Goonies never say die.

Has Facebook advertisement been looked at? I know when I first started I had some one literally sitting beside me that made this format of gaming a little less intimidating.

If I see a new person on I always try to send them a tell and see if I can help them. I know others do the same.

Trying to get my D&D group to play to get their fix between sessions.

i'm still here!

as far as i know, there was no great fallout between the staff and players or even among most players. dulrik's been receptive to some recent suggestions and made changes to accommodate them, and the current rules manager emphasizes diplomacy and consensus. so, i guess people just got bored. i hope people will come back eventually.

I guess the first question should be do we want to save the game?

If yes then players just need to log on and spread the word. Dulrik could make some immediate improvements by making solo play more possible. Since reality right now is that you are either playing by yourself or with a few people. Could just take put no recall being a thing and no magic being a thing. Return spells to tribunals and reduce damage by monsters. Builders can make portal objects or transport objects like lamp of scapegoat keeping to jump ahead and being charms to end game stuff.

Could open up the storeroom in the adventure guild during happy hours and not limit the consumables there. Or add portals to end game stuff during happy hour.

Add auto happy hour when the count exceeds ten players.

But it all depends on the first question. Do we want to save the game?

As a player of one of very few active characters with access to the guild, I like this idea a lot.

Astral trinkets can still crumble, but let people use the consumables in there.

ETA: I do think it would be useful if people would provide constructive criticism when they decide to stop paying, but I suppose if you've lost interest in playing, then you probably don't care enough to do so. /shrug

Hope SK picks up a bit this winter. Personally, I'm getting settled in to my new position with our company and looking at logging some hours this winter! Looking forward to being able to make happy hour more regularly thanks to my new hours!

Just need older players to message each other, discuss some roleplay concepts, and roll characters together. Identify some of the changes that really upset folks and undo them - rather than adding new things. I think if the game went back to some of its roots in certain areas, it would draw the attention of those who reminisce the 'good ole days'. Lift bans on anyone who was ever banned and give everyone a fresh start.

I think Tragonis has great some ideas, too.

Hi all -

Well, I would be terribly saddened if SK were to die.
I have some higher level (ew adulting) priorities I'm still dealing with...

The hardest part about encouraging new players seems to be the amount of time it takes to get clear understanding of playing the game. My other half, and his friends, have played MUDs before (it's been awhile), but they express the learning curve is pretty intense here. There's a lot that scrolls on the screen, and it is overwhelming, is the feedback I receive. I know I can be a liaison and help them with this, but that is still probably a couple months off for me.

Is there perhaps a means to get all the info provided at the newbie school that scrolls past into a pdf for new players, (in a checklist format they can mark off as they understand/do the things) and put somewhere on this site (link mentioned in the motd) to facilitate the learning curve? Especially with the game quieter/fewer actual mentors around?

Thoughts welcome.

The forums aren't very noob friendly. I think the best way to learn the game is through word of mouth.

I think the best way to play SK is to roleplay and interact with other players and find ways to enliven up the environment through our imaginations. And focus on character development. All the other stuff regarding back story/game knowledge/loot is more just optional information that makes the game more realistic and how you can hook your character into the storyline.

The other way of playing SK is through meta-gaming focused more around loot and pk winning. This is a more modernized way of approaching MMO games.

Both ways of playing the game tends to be mutually exclusive. I'm sure I can find ways to make it easier for your friends to adopt the game. I'm sure if your friends are anything like you on how you played Gailehn, they would be a wonderful contribution to SK.

Aello

I think that reading all of that text in the newbie academy is tedious and people probably don’t want to do that.
Maybe there should be a more “hold your hand for mudding” tutorial.
If you select “yes this is my first time” the. You can go through a more “learn to mud” kind of questline.
“The priestess says to you head west three times and *say* I’m here to help.” Then that person tells you “go west once and say *armor.” He then proceeds to tell you about “get all” “rem dag” “rem all” and “wear all” and “drop practice.”
The. You get told to go kill one statue. “Say ‘I’m done.’ Once you’ve completed that.
Then you’re asked to go kill 30 and return to the priestess to learn how to “train level.”

Something like that might be useful for ultra-noobs. I doubt we’d see something like it though.