Author Topic: Social Media  (Read 13540 times)

Purrcious

  • Knight
  • **
  • Posts: 28
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #15: September 27, 2017, 11:40:14 AM »
Purrcious just like to repeat points discussed in IRC with Wimpie.

BM needs to improve the new player experience so that recruitment can be translated to player retention.

More Discussions here is highly encouraged:
https://forum.battlemaster.org/index.php/topic,7902.0.html

Quote
And finally some stats:
As of September
BM registered players: 419
Weekly Activity: 256
Daily Activity: 124

Text-based browser games has been in decline the couple last years, playing a lot of them and everything seems to be suffering in playerbase. This is probably highly affected by the fact that most people trying to kill time has now mobile games at their disposal.

Quote
More stats:
/r/browsermmo : 591 subscribers
/r/pbbg : 441 subscribers
/r/webgames : 93,579 <-- this are games with graphics though

A lot of the pbbg & browsermmo play games that doesn't have a limit on the time you can spend on them which is mostly called stamina or timed which battlemaster is; so we're really looking at a very niche market now.

This isn't a post to sound pessimistic but more about how to approach the matter more intelligently.

Battlemaster might have to really innovate or adapt to break to other audience.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2017, 12:00:07 PM by Purrcious »
Calm like a Tiger, Quick like a Cheetah, Fierce like a Lion,
Silent like a Puma, Agile like a Jaguar, Lazy like a House Cat!

Wimpie

  • Developer
  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1777
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #16: September 27, 2017, 01:48:19 PM »
Little update, I was able to acquire editor rights to the BM Facebook page from Tom. He doesn't own the Twitter page, most likely it's Vita (who is yet to pop up).

For your information, go and like:

https://www.facebook.com/BattleMasterGame/

Next up will be to link those social media pages on the BM website somewhere and start spouting fun content.
Osgar (Thalmarkin, BT), Jeames (Perleone, EC)
PAUSED: Nasgar (Avernus, DWI), Jari (Outer Tilog, COL)

JeVondair

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1525
    • View Profile
    • SWTOR Reapers Guild
Re: Social Media
« Reply #17: September 27, 2017, 07:37:38 PM »
Marketing plans are easy to come together, the wiki has all of the content we need right at our fingertips and the rest we can innovate, but Purrc is right, BEFORE we go on the hunt for new players, we need to review the new player experience. It has been so many years since I started that I only remember those times with a vague sense of excitement. I'd like to see a QA control group of 2-5 players established that will create new families, document their experience, and come back with specific suggestions aimed at improving new player experiences. that way we have hard data instead of just spitballing.
"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere"

Wimpie

  • Developer
  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1777
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #18: September 27, 2017, 07:58:22 PM »
I'm not sure we will allow 2-5 players to create new accounts for that purpose.

If you mean new players (without an existing account), then of course, more than welcome!

Maybe I can work on some suggestions that have been given in the New Player experience, but those would need to be lined up.
Osgar (Thalmarkin, BT), Jeames (Perleone, EC)
PAUSED: Nasgar (Avernus, DWI), Jari (Outer Tilog, COL)

JeVondair

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1525
    • View Profile
    • SWTOR Reapers Guild
Re: Social Media
« Reply #19: September 27, 2017, 09:03:21 PM »
But did we not kind of try that with GX? All those new players, and the best feedback I could bring you was barely actionable - they were mostly overwhlemed and lost and trying to learn everything. I think that someone with significant BM experience would be better suited to noting what needs doing.
"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere"

Crownguard

  • Peasant
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #20: September 27, 2017, 10:28:26 PM »
Having checked Battlemaster's Twitter and Facebook social media feeds I am not surprised there was zero traction from the previous social media efforts. We can do so much better with the talented folks we have in game.

The rewards for involvement need to be decent if we want it to ramp up, continue and flourish. I understand the BM player history of non-involvement. It is simply easier to login, do your turn and go about your business.

But, what if we gamified the involvement? Initially, we kind of handle involvement the way it is handled on these forums with "Peasant" or "Grand Duke" titles in a list like we have most famous and wealthy families in-game already. Depending on the level of involvement and or number of social media posts, players receive rewards just as pointed out previously as in-game rewards of scrolls, unique items, etc., but as we move forward the knowledge is made openly available that there is a greater reward system being built where participants have access to a small continent - maybe a clone of the Colonies or War Island. Or if that is too much, then additional character slots or a single character per continent restrictions lifted. Or perhaps that special continent allows for two characters per family again to help fill in gaps. None of this should detract from the existing game of course and should someone cease participating in the social media campaign, they lose their bonuses.

I'm trying to not involve a lot of new code or dev time with these ideas, but I don't see any way around some time being necessary.

Wimpie

  • Developer
  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1777
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #21: September 28, 2017, 08:18:42 AM »
I think the main problem here also is that not everyone wants to reveal their social media account (real Facebook account or Twitter account) to the community. So you could not link their involvement on social media to their BM account.

Also, it would mean someone following up on all the involvement to be able to get a reward system going.
Osgar (Thalmarkin, BT), Jeames (Perleone, EC)
PAUSED: Nasgar (Avernus, DWI), Jari (Outer Tilog, COL)

Chenier

  • Exalted Emperor
  • ******
  • Posts: 8120
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #22: September 28, 2017, 12:50:20 PM »
I think the main problem here also is that not everyone wants to reveal their social media account (real Facebook account or Twitter account) to the community. So you could not link their involvement on social media to their BM account.

Also, it would mean someone following up on all the involvement to be able to get a reward system going.

That and vice versa. I believe many members prefer keeping their gaming habits more private. Myself included.

That said, giving some minor perks to people who contribute to the game's promotion via social platforms seems reasonable.
Dit donc camarade soleil / Ne trouves-tu ça pas plutôt con / De donner une journée pareil / À un patron

Antonine

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 542
  • Current family: Sussex. Old family: Octavius.
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #23: September 28, 2017, 02:45:16 PM »
Has anyone considered a very low budget, but highly targeted, facebook ad campaign to promote the game to people who already play similar games?

Nosferatus

  • Testers
  • Mighty Duke
  • *
  • Posts: 1093
  • Too weird to live, too rare to die
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #24: September 28, 2017, 04:23:09 PM »
Has anyone considered a very low budget, but highly targeted, facebook ad campaign to promote the game to people who already play similar games?

That is actually a great point.
We could even hold a special donation campaign among current players to get the money for a facebook/google ad campaign(and or perhaps just as good, cheaper competitors?).
Facebook and google can target their ad's incredibly well, much better then we could.
I am not sure if it's possible but we could even mix in some of our own ideas of good targets with the existing algorithm they already use.

Why haven't we tried this before actually?
Formerly playing the Nosferatus and Bhrantan Family.
Currently playing the Polytus Family in: Gotland, Madina, Astrum, Outer Tilog

Antonine

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 542
  • Current family: Sussex. Old family: Octavius.
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #25: September 28, 2017, 07:49:00 PM »
If we were going to do it I'd suggest we think very carefully about what kind of adverts we want to do. They'd need to be something that highlights the best aspects of the game and the opportunities for new players without also looking like just another spam advert for some online single player fantasy game stuffed full of adverts, malware and mild nudity.

Perhaps we could have adverts along the lines of:

It's been years since the start of the war that has sundered the East Continent. Armies of knights clash in battles as the two great alliances strain against one another.

Greater Xavax has fallen and its nobles seek exile in the ancient northern realm of Sirion. The King of Caligus leads his armies south. The city state of First Oligarch makes its last stand and the nobles of the great southern democracy of Vix Tiramora debate plans to reshape the continent in their own image.

Every knight, every noble, every lord and every ruler is a player. This is a turn-based game where the actions of players create the history of continents. Realms rise and fall off the back of their rivalries, diplomacy and military organisation.

Join them as a new noble in a realm where you'll be part of a team from the very start. Make a name for yourself, choose your destiny and, perhaps, rise to greatness.

Play now at: Battlemaster.org


Obviously we'd need graphics/videos to accompany the adverts to make them stand out but that's the kind of thing that I think might grab people's attention.

MTYL

  • Noble Lord
  • ***
  • Posts: 242
  • No personal text here, sorry.
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #26: September 29, 2017, 09:25:18 AM »

-snip-


Oh, so we have a creative director on the block. And a good one at that. I absolutely love your idea.
_____
New family - Arnickles Renodin: Maura(OS), Myr(LN)
Old family - The (dead) Bennets: Max(SF), Joran(VT), Jarra(OS)

Wimpie

  • Developer
  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1777
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #27: September 29, 2017, 10:28:32 AM »
I'm not sure if there's budget for these kinds of things. The little donations that battlemaster has, go directly into payments for the servers etc.
Osgar (Thalmarkin, BT), Jeames (Perleone, EC)
PAUSED: Nasgar (Avernus, DWI), Jari (Outer Tilog, COL)

Antonine

  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 542
  • Current family: Sussex. Old family: Octavius.
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #28: September 29, 2017, 12:26:55 PM »
I'm not sure if there's budget for these kinds of things. The little donations that battlemaster has, go directly into payments for the servers etc.

Obviously BM doesn't have any kind of advertising budget, but I'm sure we could do a whip around amongst players - I'm sure people would be prepared to chip in enough for a trial bout of advertising to try to bring more players into the game.

Wimpie

  • Developer
  • Mighty Duke
  • ****
  • Posts: 1777
    • View Profile
Re: Social Media
« Reply #29: September 29, 2017, 04:16:14 PM »
Okay let's be concrete, this isn't a Facebook page of a million dollar company with millions of followers.

Let's get a first post going. What graphic content (what about a funny meme to start off perhaps?) or textual content should I post on the FB page. Something decent, please.

Also, the goal should be to get people interested in the game & in the page. Get likes, get people going to the website.

Could be:

  • A funny meme about it being almost weekend & thus more time for BM?
  • A fact about something that is happening in BM right now
  • ...
Go!
Osgar (Thalmarkin, BT), Jeames (Perleone, EC)
PAUSED: Nasgar (Avernus, DWI), Jari (Outer Tilog, COL)