TWC's 10th anniversary is coming up, I'd like to say congratulations. That is not the only reason for this post however. Let me begin.
I have scrapped the first post as it was just crazy full of stuff and I want to get feedback on this stuff.
1.Gold to Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts and make them drop-able I have icons with the correct designs and a Idea about how the conversion will work/what mobs drop on kills/prices.(Ik it was discussed before)
2.Each mob having different speeds/attacks/mechanics. Ex.Wolfs cause bleed effects if they are attacking you long enough. Ik the eyes have cool effects now, why not all.
3.A lost more spells that are canon added as well as spells given a purpose besides dmg.(see improved spells idea post).
4.More exploration and secrets, ROR was fun, maybe automate it to change every week. Better hiding spots to like where you must interact with something to get in.
5.Auto events- item drops somewhere in the world have 5 mins to find it. Spot the difference-something in the map changes, you must inspect it for prize/points. Scheduled RP hour? Break into gringotts- have to break a certain wall and fight off dragons and other creatures to pick up gold.
Classes-NPC teachers? How will questions be asked?
ex. Teacher NPC starts class, tells info about spell, and afterwards has options to repeat info, or you can leave a question and a gm can check and answer it at a later date?
6.Npc'd students? Not sure if they'd get in the way or if they are extremely necessary but would be cool to see some npcs in school.
7.Like other posts, more quests got loads of ideas for some.
Basically if you read this, make a post doing
1. Like/don't like/ in between/ (addition or something that should be something else.)
2. Like/don't like/ in between/ (addition or something that should be something else.)
Just in case I need this space.
Also I edit the top post several times, might be worth re-reading every once in a while, Ill put ** next to anything added.
How would you rank up in the clans? What stops everyone from being a DE Dark Lord?
The Dark lord promotes you. Some might not want to be promoted due to being banned and what not. Those who want to be completely dedicated to Death eaters can await promotion and get perks for giving up certain things. There is only one Dark lord.
I'm guessing that if you become the strongest DE, you would automatically become the HDE. However, if you become stronger than the HDE, you can challenge them formally for the position. If you loose, you give up any claim to lead the clan ever.
Possibly, the whole clan will have a chance to vote off the current HDE. The whole point is the clan leaders are people who understand all the rules and do whats best for the clan. They are basically a full time DE, when they log on their goal is to gain power and numbers. Most of his numbers will be recruits. I see it difficult for people to give up hogwarts.
I'll put it here as a note: I don't plan to spend any time improving current clan system, I think clans that rely on leaders suck and should be removed.
The general idea is currently to add quests and clan "factions" that will behave in similar fashion to factions on MMOs, a player will be able to align themselves with a faction and advance via quests/actions, his rank can also decay if he's inactive over time.
A system that relies on players to be active will not yield any fruit, a new leader only have a temporary activity boost and any new feature we provide only have one effect on players "oh hey, a cool new feature. -logs out-".
I understand you're all full of ideas so for now I'll just put some of my own so you understand the general direction I'm working towards, my goal is to automate TWC to create activity at all times for all time zones without relying on other players, what I want to add to TWC is single player activities in hopes that co-op activities will be born by luring players one by one.
This includes adding -some- new content, we do work on new things here and there, changing old crappy things, automated events (While I do beg for feedback about what we currently have, so far I've received none nor anything solid regarding new possible automated events), automated classes (a big question mark as there's a lot of resistance regarding that idea) and quests.
Something I wanted to really do was add a dueling type AI so that I can produce deatheater/auror NPCs, I don't want a normal monster, I want an actual fighter you can duel, perhaps on few different difficulty levels, however, making an AI behave like a human is a little tougher.
Another thing we've been planning about for ages is the possible features BYOND 5.0 holds, Murra did approve updating the server to the latest version which holds many graphical features, I can't begin to note how important this is as BYOND adds a lot of features we can use to create new spells, items, monsters etc.
For example, we could now easily do a spell that makes you twice your size with a one line code. Previously when I needed a bigger icon for a monster, I'd grab the icon, resize it via icon editor then re-upload the icon editing the monster. It's not something that'd be very efficient as a spell.
This could mean a whole revamp of Transfiguration /for starters/.
While there's many directions to take, I'd like to keep focused on quests and automated events while trying out new content, christmas is coming and I have to figure out what I want to do for that.
P.S. Azrael, I understand you've been away for a long time, I advise you walk in the desert and try fighting Floating Eyes or perhaps jump in Chamber of Secrets and try to fight Basilisk. A lot of the things you write have been answered by me in an update or previous suggestion post.
Lastly, prefects will only be considered when we hit 50+ players on daily basis, although if it were only up to me, I'd just hire more GMs, I see little purpose in prefects, either way, 50+ players on daily basis then we'll talk.
Yes I understand completely, perhaps I am to ambitious at the current moment, maybe smaller changes can change the game greatly. I understand the importance of automating the game, but I do hope you consider my features of smarter monsters, or item uses later down the road. The little things help as well, thank you for your time responding, I will still update this post with ideas, and I will lean more towards the direction you are taking.
!*Attention*! Please read. I would appreciate you waiting a few hours to reply. I would like to ensure as many people as possible read this reply.
Hi, I believe below is an easy read so please read. Particularly if you're an oldbie/elder, you may get a wiff of nostalgia like I did.
Ok, I'm going to be the one to finally politely challenge Rotem with the vision of automation. At the end of the day, Rotem is the one who devotes the time and ability to change shit. Period. Cos of this, I think no one has actually challenged the vision. I'm not going to argue with Rotem, I think she has performed wonders with her recent updates. Despite this people still put suggestions as if TWC lacks something. Let me put something out there to feed your own fire. Here's why.
Fact number one. TWC long term activity has not been as high ever since stat points from monsters were removed. Period. Did we find an alternative replacement for this? No. We didn't.
Stat point drops were the only manual, unequal, unique player focus which was self-motivated and in turn was rewarded with improved player stats and gold. When they were removed, a huge void was left. Sure, there were reasons, the general dev team agreed it, fine. But what was brought in as the alternative? Nothing. Game, set, match.
Controversy debate: Was the removal of this in favor of the majority base?
Point number two. Level 600 content is flat. Sure you removed the unlimited level factor. Great. Now we have a bunch of equals at Level 600 with fuck all to do or prove. Any noob firing the right number of misplaced shots at the right direction results in a ruined fight, battle, whatever. Evidently, it has screwed with clans who can just hire shit players and in turn have shit outcome. They get kills via nooblessness - this is an anti development agent. How many players who are top tier even still rock the clan scene these days?
Compare two years ago from now before the server shut, before stat point removal, before our end of summer activity drop which resulted in the shut. Before loads of shit changed. Clans?
Aurors: Seraphim Kyo, Julian, Killa, Ezekiel, me, Picklez, Natwolfy, Jace, Turb, Dazzler, Tim Cloud, Avery, Markus, Lavitiz.
DE: R*t*m, Demonic, Brett Black, BioHaZard, Bl*z*, Dscudiero, Shade, Lucifer, Sponge.
The variety here was insane. We had the most fun doing this shit. Julian vs Rotem was an epic battle which everyone would just watch cos it was them two? Now? The fuck happened? No one in TWC right now has the level of motivation the players back then did. In every generation of TWC, the best players who left were always replaced. Except, when the server came back, it was never like that.
Now compare to who we have active right now? That's called devolution. No one is motivated to get to the level of skill we all got to back in the day. I bet if Julian and Kyo came online right now they would fuck up 95% of clan members. After months of nothing. Something about current TWC is not as motivating as it was in 2011 & 2012. Exhibit B.
Point number three. The economy. If you weren't fighting you were an item hoarding business making rich motherf*cker. People used to collect items like no tomorrow and gold flowed like we burgled Smaug. Look at Dsc's B&B joint, man that place was the way to go for your items.
Everyone used to save and collect stuff to trade and get in the big time items - draghorn wands, Lion wigs, other custom wigs, shoes, event shoes, event items, magic eyes. Slowly this has been stripped down. Now we are left with what everyone has access to. YAY WE LOOK THE SAME. LOOK AT THIS ITEM I EASILY GOT BECAUSE IT'S SO COMMON. The excitement as a player getting valuable unique character recgonizing items was great, another fuckin reason to play.
Furthermore. The removal of the Event Shop was a step backwards. The Event Shop gave sight of long term activity because people used to come back every day to every event to save for those rare items, or name changes, or spell points, or whatever else you could buy back then. Players nowadays don't know the hustle of saving shit to get the top items.
People don't turn up to events like that anymore with a hungry ambition to win to save points. People don't give a fuck about events cos the hassle isn't worth competing against others. The rewards aren't high enough. Not only that, the Event Shop introduced items in to the industry with exclusive offers and deals. This shit definitely helped gold travel and helped people farm, save, etc.
Removed also though? -shrugs-
Number 4 - tieing in with #3. Events? Any danger?
I've said this til I'm blue in the face. Event board? Pushing staff to do original events as well as the easy ass automate FFA? This worked like clockwork before. People would do shit. For me, the best GM's were brought to light during this period because the ones who had to commit to the event board brought their own creativity and motiviational skills to the post. The lazy fuckers who couldn't hack it were filtered back down to a regular rank where they belong. They just don't make quality GM's like that anymore it seems.
GM's on TWC right now I agree are daily log ins. Reliable? Certainly. Just about get the job done? Yes. Nice people? Sure, most. Do GM's have huge OOC personalities like they used to? No. Do they bring creativity to events? Some. Do they go above their responsibilities? No. Are they pessimistic rather than optimistic? Some. Do some really give a shit anymore? Evidently. If you hire robot equivalents you get robot results. Originality is such a vital ingredient to the recipe of TWC's fun, don't you see?
--
Now, we're in 2014 nearly 2015. We've come way past all of the features and problems I listed above. If you're a developer, you will stick with your guns about how TWC currently looks because you did all the work to get it to this current position. You were the people who removed all the features that I crave today. You were the people who continued to tidy up and accidentally throw away our favorite toys. I get that at that time you had good reasons and thus you probably won't go back on yourselves now. But please, do not brainwash yourselves.
The best TWC times was when shit was human to human, interactive, original, together, communal. 99.99999% of the people who I know in TWC stayed here for the love of the community. Making it an auto session will lose the harmony.
I think what you wrote is complete bullshit Severus.
- Fact number one & two, the removal of stat points and the addition of level cap developed dueling to the point where dueling is not limited to Rotem and a changing adversary she crashes, now pvp is a thing everyone enjoys because they don't have to put a fuckton of hours to get to level cap or high stats. Do note that with AFK training allowed there's no way in hell we're removing the level cap, it would be completely and utterly pointless especially when a lot of people, including you Severus do not take the time or effort to even hit the level cap when it increases. Stats are balanced now and have logic in them, we've never went backwards and only forward, the current TWC is definitely a better version.
- Fact number 3, there's a lot more items than there were back then, there's even a new event shop built into TWC itself, with gold, I've even added artifacts, those ideas were born out've the dead event shop, like a phoenix.
- Fact number 4... events... I don't know if you guys realize this, TWC died with 30 events going on per week, activity was never effected by event quality or quantity, it actually made little to no impact whatsoever. While the time of the year, holidays, updates, new books/movies and the like do make impact on player numbers, events hardly do.
I think this 'stepping backwards' you describe is your own personal interest decay from playing TWC for so long, if I, the one who had highest level and an insane amount of stat points say that stat points removal and level cap proved to be a good move, it means something.
TWC is a small community and I will be providing cool new updates over time, if you go back to version 16.00, this was the first release from open source, I think I've made a lot of good progress and this progress will continue. TWC is not in a state of emergency, there is nothing wrong. When you've played the same game for a long time, you lose interest, this is natural, please stop trying to make things bigger than they really are.
If what I wrote doesn't convince you that this is only in your head, please compare yourself to those who said safe zone killing was a mistake and they wish to kill in school again or that removing student housing was bad or all that bullshit people complain about. The game changes, it moves forward, please stop being stuck in the past.
Oh and just an addition about the subjects of GMs.
You guys don't recall this but I do, GMs generally suck.
Ander hired many GMs within the same month, Azlef who is remembered for his abuse, Acheron who left after a week, Zander who disappeared twice yet hired twice. There was Crow who until today we have no idea where he disappeared to. The list of shitty GMs goes on and on.
Then there's decent GMs who did their minimum requirements. Odd Future, Ezekiel, Severus etc.
Then there's the GMs that got promoted to admins, because they were simply noticeable.
The only difference between GMs today and GMs back then is that we no longer hire the first type, we haven't experienced shitty GMs. The decent GMs are precisely the same, you may not recall correctly but there was no creative events aside from admin generated events. Today we gave GMs the ability to use custom maps and admin verbs within those maps so we even get more creative events by GMs now and then. That too improved.
I am seriously disappointed with how people fail to remember the actual truth. If you compare TWC today to TWC back then, TWC today is better in every aspect. There's not a single detail that was better back then.
"BUT YOU COULD KILL IN SCHOOL BACK THEN." Yes you could come back after you've been AFK in slytherin CR finding out you died to a level 100 named Timmy who spammed you with inflamari then laughed at your AFK body at hospital wing and logged out, leaving you no option to get revenge with GMs or with vigilante justice.
Today, you get an automated event that allows you to kill in school and the AFK are protected. Is this really stepping backwards?
I made the post to suggest adding both small fixes, and adding immersion to the game play. I agree on both parts here and there. It is the holiday season people both have free time and no time to play. Rotem this is to you, on the original post I had ideas about making the AI smarter, I see the bassy and eyes do certain things now. What did you think of my suggestions for the other mobs? I know getting the games essentials are more important than adding new features, but over all minus the clan stuff and big suggestions, what do you think about adding more immersion and fun ideas here and there. If there is a certain idea you like or don't like please tell me and we can tweak it together. Examples-Currency being turned to Wizarding money(Ik it was talked about before), Interactive items, owls replacing replacing Pming(Know its it big step perhaps a vote?) and heaps of other things. I am all for putting smaller changes first, but I want to feel like im in a magical world. No offense to anyone these are just my thoughts.
Severus:
I completely disagree with what you're saying, also. Now I may just be a lowly GM to you and basically the one that nobody ever listens to, but the things that you're carrying on about and saying are complete bullshit. I've been around on TWC since the wipe happened and the game came back, give or take a month. Numbers have been up and day, with numbers peaking around the time that you would expect: summer time. It isn't a matter of this was removed, that was removed it's a matter of: people have fucking lives and don't have time for TWC. You yourself are barely on TWC, and I'm logged in more then people like Justin, but yet you come here and claim you have all of the answers and know everything about the state of TWC today.. makes sense, right?
I invite you to spend as much as a week as you're physically able to on TWC without your life getting in the way, see the game, the people who still actively play the game, the events the Staff Members try to do, especially now that we're leading up to Christmas time where we have to base more events around the Christmas theme. And then at the end of that week, come back here and comment with what you saw. Because TWC isn't dead. The current TWC doesn't not lack personality Events may not be as creative as they used to be, but TWC isn't the same game that you remember and barely spend time on now, there isn't a plethora of people who are online that are going to join events, I'm lucky to have one or two people join a "Find it" event, and odds are it's going to be the same people every single time.
In short, I ask you this: How can you accurately judge TWC if you're never on TWC? How can you say "TWC is shit now" if you don't play TWC as it is now? Because I sure as hell never see you around. If you're some high and mighty god and have all the answers; then you bring new players to TWC, keep them on TWC, and the events will pick up because there will be people there to join them. There's only so much you can do if you're doing an event for 3 or 4 people. You're not going to go out of your way and set up an extravagent event in which you spent 1-2 hours of your time if you're going to have the same 3 people join who you're going to attract if you hide yourself, run around outside, or even do a FFA.
But like I said: TWC isn't dead, because there's usually a conversation always happening, there's always at least one person in a class, the problem isn't that TWC has changed and people don't like it, the problem is that these people are busy and don't have time to be on TWC anymore. When that changes, they will come. The thing we should be doing, and you should understand this Severus, is catering for new players, not old. Old players will come back when they can, but new players need to find something in the game that they like and will stick around for. How do you suggest we do that?
Please tell me: If you were in my position, Spitty's position, Rotem's position, Sylar's position; if you were in any of our positions, what would you do to ensure new players remained on the game? How would you do events differently from us?
Because, honestly, your "facts" just seem a lot like opinions to me. You say staff have a lack of OOC personality, I don't understand where you get that from.
But, like I said, spend a week on the game as much as you can, and then come back here and say what you will. Because as far as I've seen, you're not active enough to judge the game like you are here.
So given all of the above, why has TWC rapidly deteriorated?
Every year since 2005 players come and go yet were either consistent or increasing in numbers - and I talk regulars. You can pull any stat to say that TWC since the reboot has had increased numbers but it doesn't mean shit when you can't pull together above 6 players for a class
If TWC was still in improvement then where the fuck is the next set of players incoming? Why does every other player of my playing age and older complain of the same things? I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions.
I played the game pretty much non stop all year trying my best to convince new players to stay, bringing in old ones and refreshing the interests of current ones, I've tried all sorts of shit. In the belief of the dev team I have donated with good intent.
Why is it every time I log in TWC comes to more of a stand still than ever? People who return after inactive phases PM me for an update. I have no option but to say good features but no one fucking uses them.
In honesty, I remember things Ander did. That Linshon did. That Tobias did, Rotem, Sponge, Odd Sky Eze Ash I could legit remember a Dscu fucking lesson where he took a class demo in the holoroom? Dsc?! Eze and Ash obsessed finding hunting seeking events. Sponge rp hour. Tobi depulso ball. Rotem had me going every time from sky map cloud events and tile color mazes and wheres walley, wizard lottery, event shop. This was standard eventing in 2011/2012 and the base fucking loved this stuff. Everyone was hyped logging in. Today we have a 5 second class from a GM like come on man this shit sucks.
I am glad you disagree with me and it makes sense. The people developing the game disagree. Of course. You guys do great jobs and I know you work your asses off but there are fundamental elements this modernized TWC lacks. The reason you disagree is maybe you don't see it. Regardless of my opinions, your opinions, the outsiders opinions, the proof is in the pudding: the game can't get a regular player count anymore, and, knowing that stuff you removed had them coming before... that's when you know you've fucked up.
Edit:
In reply to,
"In short, I ask you this: How can you accurately judge TWC if you're never on TWC? How can you say "TWC is shit now" if you don't play TWC as it is now? Because I sure as hell never see you around. If you're some high and mighty god and have all the answers; then you bring new players to TWC, keep them on TWC, and the events will pick up because there will be people there to join them. There's only so much you can do if you're doing an event for 3 or 4 people. You're not going to go out of your way and set up an extravagent event in which you spent 1-2 hours of your time if you're going to have the same 3 people join who you're going to attract if you hide yourself, run around outside, or even do a FFA."
I hope this is some form of sick joke. Perhaps due to timezones you miss me. I had to leave and broke from TWC in August time only. Except for then, every month every day of this year I have been online trying to intensify interest, spark new sources of media. Dragons had people I trained fighting existing clans- the Dragons era was easily the most active I've seen clan wars and players fighting in 2014. Mr E Leak, another of my creations, sparked the most posts to the DP and talk about the DP since I started playing TWC. My intent with new players and kindness, generosity and will to help is always at high quality. I actually tried to leave a generation to play TWC who I talk to on Skype daily yet they have no interest. Shit changed for them.
Its because people have gotten older they've gotten jobs they have kids they have relationships theres more to life than just a game.
Cba to reply to unintellectual replies so gonna quote stuff I've already queried.
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:31:35 PM
Every year since 2005 players come and go yet were either consistent or increasing in numbers - and I talk regulars. You can pull any stat to say that TWC since the reboot has had increased numbers but it doesn't mean shit when you can't pull together above 6 players for a class
If TWC was still in improvement then where the fuck is the next set of players incoming? Why does every other player of my playing age and older complain of the same things? I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions.
I'm going to go ahead and repeat what Kole said, because it's something that I also said in my post.
People don't play as much because they have lives, they have jobs, they have relationships, they're making families. TWC is, at the end of the day, just a game. What person is going to give up time with family for a game? You yourself aren't active as much as you claim to be.
If I may interject while I am not the most active player, I would like to note that from four years ago to now I have only seen things that make me happy. Sure I'm not that active but the thing TWC has right now, while I'm not saying I don't like the innovative ideas Azrael is suggesting, there is so much available currently that people choose not to perceive as fun. The forest isn't just there full of kill able AI monsters for a very moderate amount of gold. THERE IS AN RP ASPECT SO OPEN TO THIS GAME THAT MANY WILL REFUSE TO ACTUALLY TRY. Make your own events, RP with friends and make a little exploration gang, ask someone to be a villain.
There is so much room for creativity with what we already have and yet people see this game as very concrete and going one way only. There is so many things to do, and the many locations we have are not just for show.
Again, ideas are great, new stuff and thoughts are always exciting and I really appreciate EVERYBODY like Rotem who work hard to make sure we have a good time, but we don't always have to rely on new coding or icons to enjoy this game. A game so open to creativity shouldn't go to waste and only conform to desires of new features.
Edit: also, if you're not going to try and just say "TWC isn't fun anymore" and bullshit like that, you don't deserve anything new. This game is made with hard work and spitting on it isn't gonna make them want to give you everything you want.
@Chase I did make an edit in my previous post for you but you replied here so you can go back and read that which answers activity.
@Kole @Chase see below about people with lives. In addition to below, please explain the 11-21 year olds that I know who would be willing to play with change who didn't go inactive for personal commitments?
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:40:34 PM
Cba to reply to unintellectual replies so gonna quote stuff I've already queried.
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:31:35 PM
Every year since 2005 players come and go yet were either consistent or increasing in numbers - and I talk regulars. You can pull any stat to say that TWC since the reboot has had increased numbers but it doesn't mean shit when you can't pull together above 6 players for a class
If TWC was still in improvement then where the fuck is the next set of players incoming? Why does every other player of my playing age and older complain of the same things? I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions.
The idea of the post is getting lost, the point was for me and anyone else to suggest things they'd like to see in TWC when 2015 comes around, kinda like a wishlist. I don't mind a little debate but I want to stay focused. What features will make the game more fun bu adding things players can do and interact with the world. I think features were taken out for a reason and it is understandable for people to want them back. I'd like to hear more feed back on things people want to see that are reasonable and weather or not the staff see's it as something they also like and can do(eventually).
Also changed the first post.
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:31:35 PM
So given all of the above, why has TWC rapidly deteriorated?
Because of people like you who spread false propaganda. Please provide me with proofs that show TWC deteriorated and that it has for the reasons you stated.
You keep making baseless accusations, did you know Spitfire practiced special classes that triumphed over anything I've ever done? No you didn't nor did you mention this. There's a fuck ton of shit you're not aware of yet you assume TWC is getting worse without any actual proof.
You say "You can pull any stat to say that TWC since the reboot has had increased numbers", however, wouldn't this mean I back up the bullshit I write? Wouldn't this mean you're just ignorantly sticking to your opinion without actually considering reality?
As for your wishlist Azrael, it's true we're getting lost, I feel as though while people thank me, they also blame me for everything bad that happens and also expect me to fix everything, I imagine this the insanity Murrawhip had to deal with for years, luckily this is open source and I can say "screw you guys, I'm going home." (Southpark reference).
I promise you this however, I will read all your ideas, sometimes a simple thought you had will merge into mine and this collection of ideas, from you and everyone else will eventually give birth to something new and wonderful, it wouldn't be just me, it'd be you as well and everyone else who feed me those good ideas. I'm a human being and I remember things people write. I do take my time reading every suggestion even ones written with shit English that make no sense.To further explain why this is a sort of an attack against me, I'll pose one question, why did Serverus write this:
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 03:24:52 PM
Ok, I'm going to be the one to finally politely challenge Rotem
Maybe you disagree with my ideas but if an idea has a flaw, you debate it and refine the idea until it reaches perfection as I have done for many ideas. Most of the things I plan to do are a collection of ideas gathered by myself, Murrawhip, Lucifer, Linshon and many others from this very suggestion board.
I named Lucifer because he was the one to think clans should become similar to WoW factions. Murra added that he'd want a decay so that inactives lose rank.
Linshon noted how he thinks automating classes is bad and thus I haven't pushed further until I get more feedback and know how to truly make something awesome that won't just be us providing painkillers to one pain. We want true solutions, not painkillers.
If you think I'm designing anything like a politician with the thought of only gaining fans and silencing complaints, you're dead wrong. So why is it that I'm being challenged, did I do something wrong? Maybe it's my language barrier but to me it sounds like I'm in the extreme wrong and I should be focusing on something else, something else TWC lacks. As your post continues, you claim we've made steps backwards and not forward, that isn't polite in the slightest, that is a bold accusation I am the cause for the deterioration even though I myself had nothing to do with most of those facts you've pointed out.
And then there's this.
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:40:34 PM
Cba to reply to unintellectual replies so gonna quote stuff I've already queried.
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:31:35 PM
Every year since 2005 players come and go yet were either consistent or increasing in numbers - and I talk regulars. You can pull any stat to say that TWC since the reboot has had increased numbers but it doesn't mean shit when you can't pull together above 6 players for a class
If TWC was still in improvement then where the fuck is the next set of players incoming? Why does every other player of my playing age and older complain of the same things? I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions.
This... This right here proves everything I wrote in my first reply to you, it proves you have a biased opinion, it proves you have no real facts, stats, proofs, anything to back it up. Just a collection of displeased players who want to be able to kill in safe zones. Do you not see how much you're like them? "Yea, TWC sucks, it isnt' fun anymore, you used to be able to kill in school and shit, the map was bigger and stuff, it had a lot more open grass field of nothingness. There were also prefects who sat there all day long doing nothing at all and having colored names, isn't it wonderful?"
We change things for a reason, you are being extremely ignorant and arrogant, ignoring our reasons and thinking you know everything and can do better on your own. Maybe this is why you get replies like "If you're some high and mighty god and have all the answers".
I couldn't have put it any more blunt than he did, I understand you have thought about this for awhile and developed this amazing theory that TWC is dying because x y z. Now I'm here to tell you, everything has a birth and everything has a death, in the end oblivion can not be avoided. Do you think in a million years anyone is going to care? No, they won't.
This is why I spend my time doing what I can for the present not regretting safe zones, level cap, stat points or any change I made to TWC. If the players disagree, they can now take the open source and run their version (as long as they abide by the license which isn't really that harsh). If players enjoy the changes I do make, yay. If not, they don't have to endure. It's their choice as it is mine to spend my free time donating to this community. And anything that even sounds remotely like this: "I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions." can meet this reponse:
Quote from: DuhCosmicApple on December 10, 2014, 06:53:36 PM
Edit: also, if you're not going to try and just say "TWC isn't fun anymore" and bullshit like that, you don't deserve anything new. This game is made with hard work and spitting on it isn't gonna make them want to give you everything you want.
I hate to go off topic with Azrael's ideas, but perhaps I can help with this debate.
Right now, I feel that Rotem is putting in a lot of work for the right areas of TWC that's needed, the new players. I can understand why some are not satisfied, as I can feel it too.
There just doesn't seem to be the same hype as before where we had the all-stars of TWC in clans which made the rivalry very very intense. Severus may be onto something in that perhaps it was stat points and the ability to be better just by putting in time that made people feel the hype and compete to be better than one another. Unfortunately, I agree that this was very flawed as there would be no equal PvP which is standard in almost every game. What we have to come up with is a new incentive.
Back in 2012, my main incentive was at first, just like any new player; have fun, learn spells, make friends, and do every quest possible. Later on however, it became about getting into the PvP action/clans as that's where all the pro players were at. So, I worked hard at increasing my dueling abilities and leveling up as fast as I could in order to get into the Aurors. Eventually I did. This is where my incentives began to change again and I wanted to be a better Auror and duelist as a whole. So I "stat trained", so I could get better stats in order to compete with some of the other elites.
It's always been the journey, not the destination. That's what TWC is about. Unfortunately, the incentives at the endgame of TWC are nonexistent. The journey has been cut as already you have reached the destination. You are a level 600 like everyone else, with the same spells, with nothing to do but get gold, RP, hoard items, and participate in events.
At least, that's what it feels like during the winter/fall and probably the spring season.
I know the new players don't feel like that as they still have incentives to get further into the game.
What we have to come up with is a way so that TWC's endgame has an incentive that will be everlasting.
One idea that comes to mind is potion making. There could be a number of combinations to make potions that could be secrets. Sure they may leak, but there could be better versions/hidden techniques that will change a potion completely if it was made.
Now obviously potion making isn't the same as dueling, but it still makes something for endgame players to do and experiment. If you keep players in TWC long enough ACTUALLY doing something, then you'll most likely have a reaction with increased activity everywhere else. At least that's my theory.
"Because of people like you who spread false propoganda". If this is your answer to "why has TWC deteriorated", then there must be lots of us spreading "false propoganda" for it to effect an entire games player growth. Maybe it's not so false?
In relation to Spitfife's event/class. At no point have I insulted or expressed distaste in features added to TWC, in fact I have always stuck by them. My post points out why we don't have players to attend this new stuff. In my post I addressed removal of key features which were never replaced. Sure we can have all this automatic bullshit and fancy ass detail but there's no point without fundamental game motivators which actually get people to play by themselves when these new features aren't taking place.
In terms of blaming you for this, I tried aiming the post at the dev team more than you. I challenged you on it because in the post previous you said /you/ were bringing in the vision of automating stuff which set me off. There was more than a flaw in the idea but a flaw in direction of the game, I truly feel like the game whilst had tighter and absolutely more detailed features, it does nothing for players to play when this isnt about. My post debates that exactly. Usually suggestion board debates and ideas are seen through anyway.
The quote RE: cba with replying to unintellectual replies. I refuse to respond to areas I had already covered and queried because that shows a ridiculous amount of ignorance and short sightedness. I ask where TWC new flux of players are and ask why people who are still able to play and decide not
to, I get the answer that "People have lives now..." Wait, what? That answer doesn't make any fucking sense. I talk new players and current ones, not old ones clearly. Wtf? Saying people have lives is almost an escape route to satisfy your own side. If you wanna throw a bullshit statement like that against a purposeful question I ask, prepare to be thrown off.
I don't have all the answers and never claimed to. I simply made four points on what we used to do which had TWC active and what we currently do- and now TWC is not active. Comparing data is not fuckin rocket science.
I queried a bunch of shit and still half goes unanswered. I know that things were removed for reasons and never did I need to question it until now. Now, where I see a direction you propose that I feel achieves nothing.
The aim should be how the fuck can we keep players long term. What did we do before that kept players? I reminded you. We removed the old stuff for a reason. What's the alternative replacement?
I haven't read much of anything, I literally am about 2 lines into Severus's first post but I would just like to say that I am not looking forward to reading the rest of it just on the sole fact that your opening argument's point is connecting the lack of player population with the fact that stat points were removed. A VERY VERY VERY small portion of active players actually gave a shit about stat points. Seriously how many of you actually hardcore grinded in silverblood in order to get stat points? Maybe 15? At that point in time that'd be like what, maybe 1/4th the given userbase at any time? Like I said, I haven't read much of it at all yet but I do plan to read the rest and I hope it switches seriously quick because stat points are not the reason behind player population decreasing.
First edit:
Quote from: Chaseio Blade on December 10, 2014, 05:57:55 PM
Now I may just be a lowly GM to you and basically the one that nobody ever listens to
I don't ever want to see you say that again because as someone who was reading through all of this information, you instantly just lost my interest in reading what you had to say because you just told me everyone ignores you anyway. I hope that it was just some passive aggressive sarcasm toward something Sev had previously said or something and not words you back up.
Edit 2:
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 06:31:35 PM
I'm in contact with several people who would be willing to play TWC under previous conditions.
Yea, they can say that all they want but they would come back for a week or a month at a time and then disappear again. This has happened time after time after time on TWC despite whatever the current condition versus previous conditions were. It's been done in the past and has failed as well. It's the nostalgia effect essentially.
Edit 3:
Quote from: Rotem on December 10, 2014, 08:15:59 PM
Maybe you disagree with my ideas but if an idea has a flaw, you debate it and refine the idea until it reaches perfection as I have done for many ideas. Most of the things I plan to do are a collection of ideas gathered by myself, Murrawhip, Lucifer, Linshon and many others from this very suggestion board.
Linshon noted how he thinks automating classes is bad and thus I haven't pushed further until I get more feedback and know how to truly make something awesome that won't just be us providing painkillers to one pain. We want true solutions, not painkillers.
This is a one of the huge problems of TWC with the suggestions that people make and I don't think this has been addressed enough. Time after time again I hear people complain that their suggestion got shot down by someone or something like that. I'm not gonna argue that suggestions aren't turned away a lot of the time, they are from my experience with TWC. I have personally read over peoples suggestions before and thought to myself "Wow, that's so stupid." and I will admit that because I don't care for the sugar coating. Here is the thing though, every single idea can be improved on and people don't seem to realize it. Here is an example. I specifically picked this one out because you were the one that suggested it Sev. http://forum.wizardschronicles.com/index.php?topic=2824.0
This was around the time that I was still headmaster I believe. Topic created June 7th. Last reply June 10th. Duel Instruction wasn't a bad idea. It was a problematic idea that needed to be examined further and because not everyone saw things your way and because there was disagreement and discussion about the problem guess what? Nothing ever came out of it after 3 days. I made an extensive list of all the possible GM's I could remember for Rotom to update the museum with it. Never happened. Hell when we were bringing back TWC we had a huge and extensive list of plans, and as you pointed out the level cap content lacks severely, never got finished. This is a problem in the creative process. Ideas get thrown out there and for one reason or another, instead of people doing what you are supposed to do (exactly what rotom suggested, refinement into making the idea as unflawed as possible (not perfect because every idea has room to be improved on)). Stop giving up on your guy's fucking ideas after 3 days of people giving you feedback, pointing out problems or their own disagreements and maybe some of these ideas would be put in. We are all guilty of it sure but how many times have you come up with an idea and after a few days you say fuck it and stop working? That's a huge problem because I already know the answer.
Generally, this applies to everyone who is reading this, when you post something in the suggestion form start naming the suggestion V.1, V.12, V.13 something or another where you post the idea, you get feedback and ideas from people and you then take that, revise your idea to include or exclude information or suggestions (and if you exclude something have a reason for it besides something stupid like "UH that was a good point and all, but if I do that then I can't do it my way so fuck it). When you are done doing that bring the suggestion back to the forums and bring it up to people to revise it again. I bet you instantly get less criticism and the idea overall has likely improved. Im serious, do this please and watch the results. An idea isn't finished until no one has anything else to say on the matter and if they do and they don't speak up that's their fault and have no room to complain regardless. I agree with the last part Rotom says though, you don't want an addiction to painkillers to solve long-term issues. If you absolutely have to have one because it is unavoidable and will break the game if you don't use something to numb it for a second then go ahead but while doing that find a solution to the problem that won't cause other problems (and if it will, make sure you think of those ahead of time in planning your idea).
Edit 4:
Quote from: Severus on December 11, 2014, 02:33:57 AM
I don't have all the answers and never claimed to. I simply made four points on what we used to do which had TWC active and what we currently do- and now TWC is not active. Comparing data is not fuckin rocket science.
Cut this bullshit out. Every single post you make you always claim something scientific like this. "Look at the data." "Fact ##" "Exhibit" "Stat This". Cut that "my information is reliable scientific data" bullshit because repeatedly claiming your information is something it's not doesn't sit there and make your argument stronger it just makes you look like you have a superiority complex and are looking to make your shit look better. Nothing you presented is data, statistical, or an exhibit. Sure, some of it probably is factual but none of it is fucking data nor have you brought anything into this whole ordeal that remotely resembles data or statistics in any way shape or form. Your whole arguments and points in general aren't a problem and I don't necessarily disagree with all of them or agree with any of them, but you can't keep doing that kind of manipulative bullshit that you think people are going to give you credibility because you throw around math, science and law terms.
Edit 5:
Quote from: Severus on December 11, 2014, 02:33:57 AM
The aim should be how the fuck can we keep players long term. What did we do before that kept players? I reminded you. We removed the old stuff for a reason. What's the alternative replacement?
I 100% agree with 50% of these words.
The aim should be how the fuck we can keep players long term.
What did we do before that kept players? I reminded you. We removed the old stuff for a reason. What's the alternative replacement?Why complicate it? Leave it right there and write it on the blackboard 1,000 times.
Player retention and transitioning a player from a new player to a active current player is how TWC is going to succeed. How do you do that?
Forget about what is and isn't in the game, forget about what is cut from the game, forget all your old theories on how being nice to new players makes them stay or being helpful makes them want to play more (I am sure it helps some people but in the end it's not a big enough driving factor to give any reasonable amount of player retention, however, on the opposite of this if you look at people being dickheads to new players then I am sure they will find a reason not to come back).
@Linshon, before I begin. Damn Lin you just slapped us in the mouth with the truth like always. You know I hella respect you for that shit. Ok lemme get to it.
"Your opening arguments point is connecting the lack of player population with the fact that stat points were removed."
Don't get this twisted. What I said was that stat points were a continuous form of player motivation, it made you the strongest, it was unique to the player. It didnt require an entire event or a GM. It was there to farm as and when you liked. TWC never replaced this type of feature. Which is a reason players go static, afk or inactive? I bet so.
Then how to keep players long term?
Discuss.
... And moving onto my response to Azrael's suggestions, I think they are all lovely and creative ideas, however I don't know how to feel about NPC teachers considering there is such a trademark of interacting with a real person and learning. Unless you mean they're just fun NPCs to interact with that give shout outs like "Dear me! Don't tell Professor Spitfire, but his Mudkip's odor is spreading throughout the school!" And are just interactive. Other than that I really like this creativity but let's also see what we can to about the current things we have too! :) thanks for all the great ideas
I can not make hidden secrets within a open sourced game.
EDIT: I can not make hidden secrets within a open sourced game without hiding vital information of the system which in turn harms any solo servers. A "recipe" script file can be made and placed on server for secrecy but I'd rather just go back to my original claim.
I'm not much one for the past stat points being unlimited and uncapped leveling but, what if we had pets, and we could train them, duel with them against other pets and what not, and let them be unlimited to stat points, leveling, what not, lol. Maybe give them a set amount of lives before they get reset or something, ok maybe that's too pokemonish for TWC lol. I'm just thinking if we had like a pet elemental or dragon and trained them and went to a area where players could vs other playerrs pets with their pet and put money or items towards it for winning.
this is my wish for 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXTgqJtoGM
Another idea which sorta goes with the economy thing Sev was talking about and a way to not necessarily fix it but could help a bit, which can also tie into my not pokemon pet idea is, like I mentioned about using gold and items as the prize during a pet battle, or as if that was how you initiate it as a option, what if we do a csgo type thing, where how we have lots of those common, well now common items right, and we can do a 'trade-up contract' say you put 5 commons on the table vs someone who has say 1 sorta rare item, or he puts up gold or whatever he feels right, you win those 5 commons and had another 5 commons in your vault, you use the trade-up contract that requires 10 of them and you get back an item that is deemed better than the previous ones, usually up one scale for csgo, we don't necessarily have rarity set, but yeah. Just an idea lol.
Sorry for my non structure, I see people put work into their suggestions and I do love seeing it, but i'm basically just throwing out things that i'm thinking straight away before I forget, if someone wants to add onto these ideas, question them, what not, and wishes to rewrite a more structured version for ease of viewing, please do!
Quote from: Spitfire on December 11, 2014, 04:45:28 PM
I'm not much one for the past stat points being unlimited and uncapped leveling but, what if we had pets, and we could train them, duel with them against other pets and what not, and let them be unlimited to stat points, leveling, what not, lol. Maybe give them a set amount of lives before they get reset or something, ok maybe that's too pokemonish for TWC lol. I'm just thinking if we had like a pet elemental or dragon and trained them and went to a area where players could vs other playerrs pets with their pet and put money or items towards it for winning.
That wouldn't help at all. There would probably be a cap. Like I said previously in my post on this very topic, we need to think of an idea that is everlasting. In which case, players would be the ones to determine their own paths. The example I gave in that post was potions. Potions is good as no one will have a clear idea as to what to do. They'll have to experiment in order to get the correct combinations in order to make something useful. The possibilities then are limitless and will give a future for TWC for a very long time.
Pets are a good addition, but would only be interesting for about 2 months max when everyone has level 600 pets or whatever. The only way I could see this being interesting is if it had the functionality with breeding. Think of Wizard 101 for this example. It has a breeding system that could give your pet better traits if 2 pets were combined with really good traits. It's logical, but it also has a degree of chance. This is what makes a game continue on itself.
This is what TWC needs for endgame.
Quote from: Rotem on December 11, 2014, 04:47:50 PM
this is my wish for 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXTgqJtoGM
Yeah! Add daycare too pls!
Oh by the way, the reason I don't pursue pets is that because I fail to see how pet combat can be any fun, I just don't see a proper combat for this.
I could definitely have you breeding cows and what not but it needs a purpose and I fail to see one without combat.
It's more of an idea to tie into the pet idea as just a package, for the trade up contract thing, to make it get used, but anyway the whole pet thing, to acknowledge the whole level 600 thing, like I said somewhere, it'd have life limits, and then get reset back after so and so life deaths, though I doubt people would like that, finding alternative ways to keep said system as a thing through a pet might help some of those so called people who want the stat system and all that unlimited leveling be a thing, though theres so many holes in this, that it's an idea that needs help. lol
Now combat, I was thinking along the lines of just controlling your pet and using him to do whatever your pet could do, I don't know what'd it be, suggestions?! Pixie should use hyper beam, kthxbai,
Quote from: Rotem on December 11, 2014, 07:16:35 PM
Quote from: Rotem on December 11, 2014, 04:47:50 PM
this is my wish for 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyXTgqJtoGM
Yeah! Add daycare too pls!
Oh by the way, the reason I don't pursue pets is that because I fail to see how pet combat can be any fun, I just don't see a proper combat for this.
I could definitely have you breeding cows and what not but it needs a purpose and I fail to see one without combat.
??? Rotem are you quoting yourself? xD
That's kind of weird.
Anyways what about potions? What do you think about potions? o.o
Potions is something that can be added, there are about 10 suggestions on the forums about potions and I don't think anyone has come up with a system that could be implemented due to being too complex or to simple. I think for it to work it would need all new herbs, plants and materials that can be bought and found/dropped as well as exact instructions to make said potion. Do you need to cut up ingredient? Grind it? squeeze juices from it, or just throw it in the cauldron. What heat do you need it, which way do you stir it, after how long til you switch directions that you stir or lower the hear or add an ingredient. A lot of work for one potion but it is defiantly a feature I would love. Potions to use in battle to increase my spell dmg or make me faster, or joke potions. Its something in the harry potter world and I would like to see everything in the game. However I don't see it happening anytime soon.
I didn't read most of these replies but I did read Severus's.
I think you need to talk to Lucifer about nostalgia. The game isn't worse - you're growing up.
P.S. I read a bit more. Two things:
Quote from: Severus
What I said was that stat points were a continuous form of player motivation, it made you the strongest, it was unique to the player.
It was also a continuous form of player de-motivation to anyone who felt they'd never be able to catch up to the people that'd started playing years prior. This outweighed the pro. I remain very glad that we removed that ridiculous linear growth which forever increased the barrier to entry for a new player.
Second thing: Seriously, quit being a jerk in 70% of the shit you're saying here. Your very first post was demeaning as fuck. It's possible to critique something without insulting everything we've worked on here.
Third thing because I can't count: Where's your name in the dev log?
I didn't mean to offend and offer my apologies if I did. I just laid out a bunch of things which havs been boiling up for a while. I don't feel like I play the same game as I used to and I know I'm not the only one. I'm glad some of the shock value in my post have people reading and have people approaching me on Skype.
As I have said profusely, returning stat points is not the answer but an alternative is. Give people long term reasons to stay.
We all know I'm not a developer, for you, that's a ridiculous question. What's developing without having the people who hardcore play critique? Are you not completely undermining the entire Suggestions Board coming at me with that? Particularly during decline. If I was a developer I would bathe in ideas that had people playing my game.
Besides, I was told not to care so much so thus I am resting my case and withdrawing my efforts to assist.
Do you have icons for NPC teachers
Quote from: Severus on December 12, 2014, 02:27:29 AM
I didn't mean to offend and offer my apologies if I did.
So you said this.. saying you didn't want to offend him and then apologised
Quote from: Severus on December 12, 2014, 02:27:29 AM
We all know I'm not a developer, for you, that's a ridiculous question. What's developing without having the people who hardcore play critique? Are you not completely undermining the entire Suggestions Board coming at me with that? Particularly during decline. If I was a developer I would bathe in ideas that had people playing my game.
And then you say this. Seems a lot like you're trying to either A) say you're better then us or B) offend us
thats my wish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFzRWiLPurE
Chase, again, are you serious? I was under the impression you had a better understanding of social interaction than that.
I didn't mean to cause offense, I'm not sorry for what I said, I'm sorry if you took offense. I meant to make you read my opinions and points I wanted to draw which were not only views of my own.
Responding to Murrawhip's sneaky "where's your name on the dev log?" comment is not offensive when all I did was analyse the statement and in relation to my posts.
Politicians do not sit around taking offense when someone disagrees with them and offers a harsh opinion why. You're being over sensitive and, again, making no sense.
It's not sneaky. Other people who aren't developers have contributed.
We're not politicians. Politicians owe it to you to come up with the best solutions. We are volunteers and as such deserve a base level of respect.
I open sourced TWC to get rid of this over-critical bullshit. If you're so against the very fabric of what this game is, hire some developers and fork the damn repo.
Quote from: Vanchi on December 12, 2014, 08:10:31 AM
thats my wish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFzRWiLPurE
Lucifer, if you so happen to read it, you have fans waiting on this year's video.
If they were just interactive professors, again I would love to see them walk around spouting dialogue
Also i realized this is Azrael's suggestion post so please go somewhere else
I like the idea of Potion making system and it would be nice to gather the ingredients for the potion's and could be useful in combat, Also it would give us something new to do in the game and make it more interesting, It doesn't have to be something too complex but sometimes simple things are more efficient but this is just my opinion others may think differently.
But I also like what Azael said about the potion's system and maybe for the plant and herbs needed to make the potion you can put them and the map and you have to pick them and they only re-spawn every couple of minutes or so like this there is competition to pick the herb/plants making it more fun, Also Killing Monster could drop ingredients for the potion.
Just another thing I would like to add maybe the more rare herbs to make better potions can be used in the auto event system for example
when this event starts it could spawn rare herbs or plants on the map in random place's for 30-40mins or so and you got to find them once the event is over then the rare herb and plants disappear, These Rare Herbs and Plants can be used to make like a super damage potion which is better than a normal one for example and the potions would need a cool-down so they don't get abused and your damage will go back to normal after x amount of minutes
Quote from: Severus on December 10, 2014, 03:24:52 PM
Aurors: Seraphim Kyo, Julian, Killa, Ezekiel, me, Picklez, Natwolfy, Jace, Turb, Dazzler, Tim Cloud, Avery, Markus, Lavitiz.
You forgot Lueroi.
He was an Auror when I was.
This is me completely blowing away your stat by getting 13 people, none of which were AFK, in a late night class.