Something needs to change.

[Rothkur]

Rothkur, you are asking for adding Free to play option.

Go advertise this game anywhere. Tell people it's $40 + $15/month, has been released for a YEAR, and has no free trial. See how they react. It's a small team independent non AAA MMO, get over your rampant fanboyism for the game and look at the real world. Very very few people want to drop $40 just to try Xsyon when it's pretty blatantly a small indie MMO. This fact is evidenced by the amount of new players coming into the game and the amount of players currently playing.

You should learn to read before you start writing. The only thing I'm arguing with is the $40 box (initial) cost and the lack of a free trial period like every other successful P2P MMO in existence. Decided the rest of your post really wasn't worth my time if you're going to pull a strawman argument on the first sentence.

[MrDDT]

You should learn to read before you start writing. The only thing I'm arguing with is the $40 box cost and the lack of a free trial period. Decided the rest of your post really wasn't worth my time if you're going to pull a strawman argument on the first sentence. Go **** yourself and get off this forum.

Sorry for poor choice of words.

With a trial, I'm guessing you mean a free trial? So thus samething. Unless you didnt mean free trial but a paid one. Then yes that wouldnt be a big problem. Still the point is they need to work on keeping players playing (not the current ones but any new ones also. Retention). Currently Retention is sooooooooo low. 1000s have left the game not because others were not playing it, but because the game isnt fun and got boring fast with no goals/objectives. Sure building a town and totem stuff is fun for a bit. It gets old fast.

[Rothkur]

So what keeps people playing Wurm and not Xsyon for all these years? Why is wurm a far more profitable business than Xsyon? Why does Wurm receive more development even after notch left than Xsyon? Despite these facts Xsyon is clearly the better game, so why is no one playing Xsyon? It's not like there is an alternative to Xsyon. There is not another game like Xsyon in the world. Wurm comes *kinda* close but is too primitive to be on the same level.

[MrDDT]

So what keeps people playing Wurm and not Xsyon for all these years? Why is wurm a far more profitable business than Xsyon? Why does Wurm receive more development even after notch left than Xsyon? Despite these facts Xsyon is clearly the better game, so why is no one playing Xsyon?

Wurm's econ is much better, crafting has very hard to reach tiers and there is PVP token area others. PVP is more strife also.

[Dubanka]

Going back to Mac's post.

I played...quite a bit, for 3-4 months after the release debacle...i stopped playing because there simply wasn't a reason to play...it wasn't a game.

so, i would ask...what has changed?

we had many an argument about there being a point...Is there one?

Why should I start playing again...the fact that i still watch the boards and contribute on occasion means i'm looking for a reason to.

Is there a point to the game?

Or do you still just craft to craft and build to build?

From the outside, it seems that in the 5 months since i've last played...they've added some new mobs (zombies, etc) and made trees regrow...oh and i guess you can build gates.

I haven't seen anything posted that in any way makes me want to log in again.

So...the question that needs to be asked with regard to attracting players, retaining players, and getting players to come back...whats the point, and why should i care?

[thurgond]

I'm not going to argue against any of the suggestions here. What I do want to point out is that this is the week before Christmas. Some of the people you aren't seeing this week may be playing in the newest theme park on the block (I give them a month, 6 weeks tops before they exhaust that content), but I'll wager most are just busy enjoying the seasonal activities in the real world.

Ravelli

[Rothkur]

Going back to Mac's post.

I played...quite a bit, for 3-4 months after the release debacle...i stopped playing because there simply wasn't a reason to play...it wasn't a game.

so, i would ask...what has changed?

we had many an argument about there being a point...Is there one?

Why should I start playing again...the fact that i still watch the boards and contribute on occasion means i'm looking for a reason to.

Is there a point to the game?

Or do you still just craft to craft and build to build?

From the outside, it seems that in the 5 months since i've last played...they've added some new mobs (zombies, etc) and made trees regrow...oh and i guess you can build gates.

I haven't seen anything posted that in any way makes me want to log in again.

So...the question that needs to be asked with regard to attracting players, retaining players, and getting players to come back...whats the point, and why should i care?

In the case of Xsyon the game doesn't shove fun in your face. Xsyon is not "Fun on Rails". You have plenty of tools to make your own fun through socializing with other players, forming events and activities, and exploring the massive game world. Though some people may say they want an innovative game, it would seem in reality a lot of users wish to have "fun on rails" instead of using creativity and imagination.

That said much is limited by being forced to build on tribe land that is forced safe territory. It's not like a group of players could build a fort out somewhere in the middle of nowhere and challenge the entire Xsyon community to try and capture it. The sterilization of Xsyon often hinders it in many ways. That said nothing stops tribes from engaging in battles or skirmishes outside tribe territory. Sadly there aren't any super powerful enemies (though I think bears need a serious buff) to attack tribes/players that drop rare materials that are valuable to players. There is very little danger or risk in Xsyon. It's some sort of strange sterile utopia with the occasional bear you can just run away from.

It would be interesting to have certain rare resource areas that could not have a tribe totem placed within half a KM and let tribes fight over them. Tahoe Oil/Gold Rush 2014

[MrDDT]

In the case of Xsyon the game doesn't shove fun in your face. Xsyon is not "Fun on Rails". You have plenty of tools to make your own fun through socializing with other players, forming events and activities, and exploring the massive game world. Though some people may say they want an innovative game, it would seem in reality a lot of users wish to have "fun on rails" instead of using creativity and imagination.

I dont think its people here wanting "fun on rails" its they want purpose to their actions.

I have 100 in just about every skill in the game, yet I see no reason to craft anything as there is no reason too. The only items I craft are for looks for events and screenshots.
I build walls and buildings in my tribe area, not for any reason but for looks. There is something major wrong when that is the ONLY reason for them. There is no other reason for these things other than looks.

I've been playing this whole time, Ive played many sandbox games. Only reason I'm still playing this game is because I know it will get better. If this was the game, and I thought hey its going to stay pretty much like this. I would stop playing. There isnt enough building for looks fun to be had for me. I can do that in other games much better without using bad GUI, and port placement tools. Heck I can make it in drawing program and not be limited at all.

Sandbox games need to have reasons to do something. Yes players do help with those reasons, but they need the tools and the drive to do it. Strife, or content is what is lacking here. Not talking about content like making 12 different colors of clothes. Talking about content like, you need good gear to go kill something very hard, or to explore the depths of the areas you need XYZ.

Right now I can run around naked and kill anything in game. Heck its almost better too because you are lighter.

[Rothkur]

There are a few simple factors that are hindering Xsyon:

1.) Lack of a skill cap to prevent players from being masters in all crafts, which completely removes the need for persistent trade and cooperation between players
2.) Lack of interesting areas to explore or rare powerful creatures to defeat which yield rare resources
3.) Lack of risk, danger, or necessity for cooperation for survival. Xsyon is a sterile world for the most part
4.) Lack of difficult to obtain resources

Xsyon truly needs a "spice", something to fight over, both economically and physically.

That said in addition part of the game world needs to keep its current qualities for the players who do not with to engage in strife with other players. (That said AI adversity is a great option)

It's strange in a game so parallel to a virtual world that I never feel the world is unsafe of mysterious. Xsyon, for being so very close to a virtual world of its own, lacks.... suspense, risk, and fear.

[Book]

I think Ravelli pretty much hit the nail on the head. Busy time of year for folks, and recent release of much anticipated game (right or wrong).

As to why an ex-player should care to come back... I'd have to ask what it was about the game they liked to begin with before that can be answered.
The things I enjoyed about the game have been expanded, and quite a bit at that. I've really enjoyed that new content since coming back in, but that's largely because said content is in line with what I liked to begin with.

That won't be the case for everyone I presume, based on what it was they liked to begin with, assuming there was something they did like.

It sometimes seems as though I'm the only one that finds a challenge in the animals I do encounter. Bears, coyotes, deer, they do kill me. I'm far from having 100 in everything and don't rush to the top by any stretch. Only reason I mention this is to point out that not everyone is in the same predicament.