Retention Revisited

[egamma]

For what it's worth, as a "new" player (think I've been on EC for about four months now, Dwilight for about 1 and a half), I want to throw in my experiences. As limited as they may be, a qualitative post can run alongside a quantitative one.
...
These, I feel, are issues that need addressing. Not now, because of the major code updates and systems going into the game. But after that, I think as a community we need to look at this again and put our heads together. I'm sorry for the wall of text, but I felt that adding a relatively new player's views on the matter might help. Then again, I am kind of expecting to be told to sit down and shut up.

All the stats in the world can't tell you what an actual "new player" like yourself can. I think we need to re-examine what SMA means. A new player should not be beneath the ruler's notice--the ruler has just allowed that character to advance from the ranks of the minor nobility and become a knight of the realm, yes? A highly prestigious position, not one to be ignored by the General or Duke or whatever. It's like when you see someone in a military uniform--you say "Thank you for your service", no matter if you're a fellow knight or the President of the United States.

[Peri]

I can't say that it is "normal" for SMA realms to have the nobles high in the hierarchy to be disrespectful and ignoring everyone. They would not tolerate to be considered peers, I guess, but this doesn't prevent them from being kind and helpful towards newcomers. Thus, I would say it was probably more an unfortunate choice of realm rather than else.

It is by the way not very clear to me what do you mean with "A community-drive for a friendly atmosphere", Tom.

[Chenier]

Unfortunately there is a negative side to this as well. I recently made Alaron, my third noble. He is a character on Dwilight, as I felt I wanted to help with testing the game out in some manner, even if just a little. And I wanted to experience a SMA realm. The difference was quite clear immediately. I felt quite alone from the start - only one person welcomed me for instance. Yet a completely new player to the game joins and everyone from Ruler to Knight is welcoming them. It sounds petty, I understand, but it's not a good impression. I didn't feel welcome, and reconsidered my decision. I haven't deleted him due to perseverance, and running around slaying NPCs is quite fun in a way.

Is he a noble or an adventurer?

Activity is a realm-wide thing rather than a continent-wide thing, really. You have inactive realms on all continents and active ones too.

Sometimes, people are just tired of welcoming people and never getting a reply. I, for one, try to welcome new nobles as much as possible, but I know that some slip through unwelcomed because they joined at a time I had too many distractions, while I assumed someone else would do it.

Also, I thought cybernations didn't exist anymore?

[JPierreD]

Very nice post, Ravier. I also get very annoyed by the trolling in the forum, even if way lighter compared to other games. When we OoC call other realms lame/fail (not jokingly), or some characters as idiots, though they are not being RP'd to be so, well... I feel there is a seed of conflict. You can say those same things in a more polite way.

By the way, I am always on IRC, and the atmosphere is much better in there, normally.

[Indirik]

The difference was quite clear immediately. I felt quite alone from the start - only one person welcomed me for instance. Yet a completely new player to the game joins and everyone from Ruler to Knight is welcoming them. It sounds petty, I understand, but it's not a good impression. I didn't feel welcome, and reconsidered my decision. I haven't deleted him due to perseverance, and running around slaying NPCs is quite fun in a way.

This is something I have noticed as well. New players are welcomed when they join the game or a new realm. That "OOC: New player, 0 days in the game)" tag gets people to really speak up and welcome them. But when you don't see it, most people figure you'll hit the ground running, or whatever.

The other thing that may have been different between your EC realm (Westmoor) and your Dwilight realm (Astrum) is that Westmoor was actively at war when you joined. That does make a big difference. Realms fighting wars tend to have quite a bit more chatter, and be more active overall. Realms at peace tend to fall off a bit.

[Gustav Kuriga]

If you still have a noble in Astrum, send a message to Gustav Kuriga. He's always looking for knights to train into the next generation of military leaders in SA.

[Chenier]

This is something I have noticed as well. New players are welcomed when they join the game or a new realm. That "OOC: New player, 0 days in the game)" tag gets people to really speak up and welcome them. But when you don't see it, most people figure you'll hit the ground running, or whatever.

Definately. That new player tag is a big motivator to get off my ass to welcome someone. Otherwise, why should I bother greeting him if he doesn't bother writing to introduce himself? Goes both way.

The other thing that may have been different between your EC realm (Westmoor) and your Dwilight realm (Astrum) is that Westmoor was actively at war when you joined. That does make a big difference. Realms fighting wars tend to have quite a bit more chatter, and be more active overall. Realms at peace tend to fall off a bit.

Though there's a correlation indeed, that is a broad generalization. Realms will have more to talk about when at war, and so will talk more than when they are at peace, but silent realms are silent when compared to others no matter what. After all, if you aren't losing, wars don't tend to need more talking than what the orders are.

[JPierreD]

If you still have a noble in Astrum, send a message to Gustav Kuriga. He's always looking for knights to train into the next generation of military leaders in SA.

To brainwash, you surely mean? ;D

[Vellos]

I guess I disagree with the consensus here.

I don't see any number of anecdotes as very useful. Ravier had a bad experience with a new character in Astrum; personally, I don't think we all have a duty all the time to go out of our way to personally greet every new noble. I like to, but I don't think it should be a big deal.

There may be some rancor on the forum, and we can try to clean that up some. And maybe we can try to be friendlier. I know that, for it's part, Terran just elected a noble to a lordship literally a week after he joined Terran. Some realms are doing it. Some aren't.

[Perth]

To be quite honest, and maybe this sounds a little selfish, bit I've found myself with slightly less motivation to welcome a newbie since the New Estate System came to Dwilight.

Before, I welcomed every new Noble, eager to offer them an estate in my region in a realm in need of Knights. Now, all of sudden, I'm pulling in large amounts of cash with absolutely no Knights. And while I always try to make an effort to welcome new nobles to the realm out of a desire to help the game, however I won't lie that I've found myself with a little bit less motivation lately. 

[Vellos]

And.... Terran just elected a Senator with only 6 days in-game.

Newbies, come join us! We will give you lordships! For serious!

[vonGenf]

To be quite honest, and maybe this sounds a little selfish, bit I've found myself with slightly less motivation to welcome a newbie since the New Estate System came to Dwilight.

Before, I welcomed every new Noble, eager to offer them an estate in my region in a realm in need of Knights. Now, all of sudden, I'm pulling in large amounts of cash with absolutely no Knights. And while I always try to make an effort to welcome new nobles to the realm out of a desire to help the game, however I won't lie that I've found myself with a little bit less motivation lately.

The Duke should be the one who does the welcoming. One more noble = one more region!

[D`Este]

The Duke should be the one who does the welcoming. One more noble = one more region!

The duke gets lesser motivated when those new nobles don't say a word when they join and don't respond on letters.

[LilWolf]

By the way, I am always on IRC, and the atmosphere is much better in there, normally.

The IRC channel is a pretty small group of players that have been there in most cases for years so they've learned to cope with each other. Pretty much anyone will be fine there as long as you don't take it too seriously(there's some weird humor etc.). It's easy to get along in a group that hovers in the 20 people range.

The forum brings a lot more people in the same place so you're bound to get the occasional bad message between certain people.  Not really sure what could be done about that other than what Tom suggested. Maybe a more strict moderation line or warning messages about bad messages, but those might be a tad too harsh for such a thing.

[Chaotrance13]

Is he a noble or an adventurer?

Activity is a realm-wide thing rather than a continent-wide thing, really. You have inactive realms on all continents and active ones too.

Sometimes, people are just tired of welcoming people and never getting a reply. I, for one, try to welcome new nobles as much as possible, but I know that some slip through unwelcomed because they joined at a time I had too many distractions, while I assumed someone else would do it.

Also, I thought cybernations didn't exist anymore?

He's a Noble. And I just checked - Cybernations is still about. I guess with all the donations that Kevin pulls in there, it would be hard for it to be shut down.