Maybe it's just me but i think advertising would really boost the playerbase of DDO

[CrackedIce]

Maybe it's just me but in my past experience of playing from when I first joined it was easy to PUG at every level for the quests you wanted to do.

Now, either less people are playing, or more people are soloing or staying put within their respective group of freinds, either way less LFMs are up.

Less people are posting on the forums.

Prospective players either use the forums to determine the pulse of the game or see it in game itself as they are lacking the PUGs to quickly join as they advance in heroic levels.

Most new players are not going to be soloists (toons capable of doing it on their own, or even willing to solo as they want to group up)

I know I prefered to group with fellow first lifers in my first time through heroic levels. And enjoyed the quest options from the LFM, even for a f2p.

I was also inclined to post my own LFM for quests I wanted to do and was able to get full groups very quickly (within 10-15 minutes)
Now this is not the case. I put up LFM, wait 10 minutes, start the quest I can solo at this point anyway and post IP - I usually get 2 who join before I complete.

Here is my request:

This game is amazing. I felt it when I started and I feel it now going through Heroic levels (epic is missing endgame atm, but no worries as epic levels is a more recent addition to the game)

What DDO needs to do is begin running animated clips of the game foabout around the same time they expect the enhancement update to come out - not the outdated cartoony movies they have from preveous updates, but rather like the diablo 3 character action clips - introducing the classes and class abilities in live action sequences. Take away the UI and being able to zoom out and around the characters as they leep, climb, flip, tumble, jump, attack (cleaves..etc)

This way non DDOers can see exactly how classes play and approach an encounter - some different then others.

Most people on the outside do not have a taste for what the game is. If they even know what it is, it just feels old and outdated. DDO needs to give them something to see and hear - give some umph to game.

DDO is very capable of WoWing potential gamers with its limitless custamization, its fps gaming style, and its sheer scope of innovative quests.

What say all of you? Do you think that smart advertising will pull enough players to really revitalize the game and breathe fresh air for the rest of us?

Disclaimer: I am not saying the game is dead. I just feel that there are so many more players who would play the game if they really knew what it was.

[Vint]

What say all of you? Do you think that smart advertising will pull enough players to really revitalize the game and breathe fresh air for the rest of us?

Disclaimer: I am not saying the game is dead. I just feel that there are so many more players who would play the game if they really knew what it was.

I am unsure how advertising right now would be. If someone were to see an AD and then do some research on the game, I think seeing that they will have to put down $40 (or whatever the expansion price is), will be more of a deterrent. Even if this does not deter them, the lack of LFM’s (from what I hear) might.

The best advertising Turbine could do is if they quit alienating their current customers. At some point (maybe now), Turbine will not be able to get as many new players as players that they run off by implementing some of their stupid ideas.

Speculation, alpha test or not, I can see this enhancement bs losing more players than it brings in. Good call Turbine.

[Ew_vastano]

how would advertising help the bug riddled mess that is ddo?
I came here in 2009 with a bunch of friends met new friends here wich is the only reson i still play
new people are gonna come try the game find 0 lfms, unmovable lag as well as all the other bugs and go play something else that works.

i know if i had started now instead of 2009 (when there wasnt 1/4 of the game breaking bugs and lag) i wouldnt have stayed to lvl 10

[danotmano1998]

The best advertising Turbine could do is if they quit alienating their current customers

+1...

Oh wait.. That's broke too!

[DynaTheCat]

Maybe it's just me but in my past experience of playing from when I first joined it was easy to PUG at every level for the quests you wanted to do.

Now, either less people are playing, or more people are soloing or staying put within their respective group of freinds, either way less LFMs are up.

Kinda this. Cuz many TRs now just solo the easy elite low lvl quests till lvl 8 then pop an xp stone.

Or, at least, it's what I'm doing atm. :D



This game is amazing. I felt it when I started and I feel it now going through Heroic levels (epic is missing endgame atm, but no worries as epic levels is a more recent addition to the game)


There's a lotta endgame content.... pretty much all the new content is endgame content. :O

There's really no reason to put out more mid-low lvl content.

High roads, Epic gianthold, Citw / underdark / eveningstar stuff....

[PermaBanned]

The best thing I like about DDO is also it's biggest obstacle to player base expansion. We are a niche game. We appeal to those players that prefer complexity. We don't want easy button cockie cutter toons, we want to make something uniquely our own. Everyone wants a powerful character, but want to make it powerful, not just have it become that way.

In my experience, most gamers I've met out there would rather just do it Zelda style. Turn on the game, play, and get better as you go with no need for planning or foresight, no interest in a learning curve beyond "what does this button do." These players won't like DDO, it's not that simple.

From what I have observed, DDO is in a cacoon right now. Turbine is hoping a butterfly emerges, but I'm not so sure. Perhaps more than any other change they've made to the game, the impending enhancement pass will determine the future of the game, both short and long term. Either they handle it well, and retain the beautiful variety of potential builds, or they water it down to make it more palatable to those prefering simplicity.

Simply put, the broader your games' appeal, the broader your potential for profit. As those of us who prefer complexity are the smaller "niche" market, we present a smaller potential for profit than the Zeldonian easy-buttoners. It's not hard to guess which group Turbine would prefer to be attractive to.

As a boost in advertising accompanied the MotU expansion, I suspect another boost in advertising will accompany the next expansion, highly emphasizing the "new, more user friendly enhancement system." This will be there push to expand the payer base (no, its not a typo). Their gamble will be that they hope to attract more than they alienate, hoping that none of the newcomers do their due diligence and discover they're considering subscribing to a game that will later alienate them if it means making another buck.

Sadly, the worst thing about DDO seems to be that while it's a beloved game to us, it's just a business to them.

[Mastery404]

I concur that this game does a lot of things right. However, it's not new player friendly. If they wanted new players they'd revamp the old and dated mechanics. Instead they're increasing the power gap between newcomers and veterans.

[Rubbinns]

Most new players are not going to be soloists (toons capable of doing it on their own, or even willing to solo as they want to group up)

I know I prefered to group with fellow first lifers in my first time through heroic levels. And enjoyed the quest options from the LFM, even for a f2p.


This game is amazing. I felt it when I started and I feel it now going through Heroic levels (epic is missing endgame atm, but no worries as epic levels is a more recent addition to the game)

What DDO needs to do is begin running animated clips of the game foabout around the same time they expect the enhancement update to come out - not the outdated cartoony movies they have from preveous updates, but rather like the diablo 3 character action clips - introducing the classes and class abilities in live action sequences. Take away the UI and being able to zoom out and around the characters as they leep, climb, flip, tumble, jump, attack (cleaves..etc).
Agree with a lot of that.

The thing with new players is they join elite runs and think they have to do it on elite to level first life characters. The lfm for normal is never up, there are no groups of newer players willing to do it on normal and learn the quests. I don't know why, but there is not any. Separately, the mapping, and grouping systems are not that good. Often resulting in share please even if the quest giver- another bad issue with grouping- is right in front of quest.

End game will get even richer for players wanting to stay at cap. For newer players the end game is deep. Cannith Challenges, ADQ, ToD, Shroud, Reaver's, Alchemical, Crafting leveling, Favor unlocking, all for the TR items and perks. The farming time is forever.

Advertising clips from various camera angles of in game action would be awesome. Skilled, geared, players zerging a dungeon, killing iconic monsters, each class a different quest suited to the class. Short clips 15 seconds long, a Rogue, Cleric, Wizard, Monk- pls no barb, we need less newer players wanting to be barbs. The ads don't need to be on tv at all, target media, gaming, video sites.

[Ryiah]

The lfm for normal is never up, there are no groups of newer players willing to do it on normal and learn the quests. I don't know why, but there is not any.

Based on the observation that I rarely see anyone asking for an Elite opener I would surmise that the majority of those who actually put up LFMs have access to Elite in some manner and are likely capable enough to run it short-manned if needed.

[CrackedIce]

It seems to me that many of you are not seeing advertising as a boon, with such things as poor LFM choices and forums full of anti turbine hate (bugs, lag and all that)

I see advertising as the way to bring in more paying customers and provide greater incentive to fix bugs - customer retention as well as boost the much needed LFMs.

Of course it is kind of a infinate loop as players generally research ganmes before comitting to a mmo.

At least they could start off as f2p and move towards Premium or VIP depending on their needs.

Either way, I feel that smart advertising via action clips as well as explanatory ones would go a long way in bringing in more then just a trickle of newbies to the game.

Just look at NWO and see how many people went there - it became a thing primarily because of its advertising techniques.

Turbine just needs to make DDO real - not to just those players seeking D&D custimization - but real to other players where they see the value of the game. I feel that people just dont realize how good it is as they just see it as dated and hanging in there due to die hard fans....

And to all you complainers - a first life run through the game for the first - evn five times is immensely fun. Once you hit the TR grind and epic weapon grind I see more of an issue, but not before then. My opinion of course.

Cheers!

[Kevindithas]

I've been saying forever that turbine needs to advertise DDO more, as mentioned above the only recent advertising I have seen was a little for MotU besides that I can't recall any advertising since ddo was in its first year (maybe 2nd). I do know there was that big spiel a while back where ATARI I think was supposed to advertise a bunch and never did and ended up advertising their own game or something like that cannot remember the details.

[Orratti]

On the official D&D website and some MMO websites there is advertising for the game. On the MMO sites I think the advertising is for the expansion. There is some advertising out there if you look in the right places.

[earl_of_pain]

However, it's not new player friendly. If they wanted new players they'd revamp the old and dated mechanics. Instead they're increasing the power gap between newcomers and veterans.

KNOW IT, Zerg, no newbs, byoh, be useful. no slackers.

What is the point of getting new players? The LFM do not want new players. They want people they don't need to hold hands with. The players don't want to have to explain or do anything that slows them down. The players will boot you for comments like "share the quest" or even using the chat instead of voice. If you can't do elite at level perfectly word gets around. You end up on friends lists that aren't there for the persons buddies to be on.

Don't hate the game. Hate the players.

[Robai]

When quests are too easy it's boring.
Random deadly traps, random deadly bosses, etc. would help (make spot skill useful, you should never know where the trap is, no matter how many times you've done that quest).

Also give an option for more bank/inventory space for those who still play this game, because there are way too many btc stuff.
I stopped leading/joining raids since can't loot anything. Can't even TR with toons which are overgeared (waiting until Turbine wakes up and sells more btc spaces, or makes it as favor reward or whatever, just anything).

The more quests the less players to group with.
The more levels the less players to group with.
The more large guilds the less LFM's for pugs (current renown system encourages to be in large guilds).
The easier quests the less players to group with.
The less F2P content the less players to group with.