One of the reasons you don't see all 85 billion core variations on Solap is because a) it confuses new people even more b) they are played a vanishing small amount c) some and only some them seem to cause things to get borked with "known" issues to avoid
In the vein of let's be responsive to the community, what FreeBeer said Camaro. We'll throw it up on the server
On how people get treated as new players:
Back about three years ago I stumbled on the fact the game was not dead but still alive. I felt like I was a seven year old getting his favorite toy for Christmas. Being on this merry-go-round before I knew to keep my head down. Welll me being me, and my posting style which was even more convoluted then, I errrrm drew attention to myself.
In a post I bitched about the plethora of booting taking place in game, and got asked have YOU ever commanded MrChaos? Why yes I have I replied at least a hundred times on AZ. Right then and there I knew to go sit in the corner since I had just missed getting a dose of lovin from the community. Oh I got the Serb STFU post tbs, but I also got a pm from GooeyFish saying nice things to me and giving the advice about not wanting to get your dick pinched in the door by continuing to post. Good advice it was too.
Now wild horses couldn't have drug me off the game but that got me just a bit of a rep. I decided to embrace it; when set on fire from a burning couch cook your lunch with the flames kind of thing. When I joined RT back in my newbie days Kartloff threw a fit at my joining, almost quiting and comparing me to GoldDragon as the two most annoying people in the game ( an opinion another old timer, Orion still holds if I haven't missed my guess ). My reply was thanks for the compliment, and I meant every word of it. Goldie -> Wurf -> Caddie -> Cookie and I still would think would be a compliment to be compared to him now. Just some background for the "newer" players.
The point being, was everyone else was *meh* blow it off but to me a new player all over again, joining a new squad, it was ball crushing. I don't think any of us realizes the impact of our posts are developing over the time we stay about in the community. Yours truly included in that comment. It doesn't matter if a new guy says the same thing as 100 before him, to him it's all new. Stop posting for the love of Peet is a favorite refrain from a number of people including your truly. Just a nicer stfu if you think about it. Telling those you are trying to reach to stfu isn't a smart move... and I dont have to be in marketing to know that one.
So Jimen, Jerkato, Skutch thanks for taking the time to actually care enough to post your thoughts. Especially with an eye to a newer player perception which we all lose sight of once the crust forms, me too *sigh* me too.
Crono and Bacon thoughts that less people is more just isn't a sustainable option imho. I understand the sentiment, I want good game play back too. I want to make it as fun as I remember it too but the golden days are always when you first fall in love with something, so they are different for us all. I got extremely lucky to get that experience twice, once for AZ and once upon my return. For every Dorjan, notJarvis, Girlyboy, and Fishy you lose someone like Noir, Dengaroth, Pook, GlobeMaster, and Duckie. Oh some of them are about but they don't play play anymore
So we always have to be growing or as they say in business your dying. The numbers errrmm point to the later rather then the former. I don't mean we are in danger of collapsing tomorrow but we had best a) hope something just happens b) at least think about things on how to retain players on
both ends of the spectrum. Cause personally Im sick of losing my OG Allegiance friends too.
The info about new players:
Ive got the analysis on my HD and need to get with RedLion for us to fact check the others work, and then share it with Fwiffo for a final going over before sharing it more widely. Fwiffo is an awesome guy to work with on a project. RedLion same same. Sorry emergency time in the MrChaos world is why it didn't get done this weekend.
MrChaos
edit: added Skutch