Suggestion for Improvement of the Game
I am trying to make this feedback productive and constructive, rather than negative, in hopes that the developers will consider.
Some of these numbers are not verified by myself, but consistent with data others have posted recently to the forums.
Active game population across all servers is approximately 1400.
Discord has around 120 followers and the same could be said about Strimtons stream. I honestly feel like these groups are one and the same, or at least a large portion arent unique to one another.
These two channels represent 240 players or about 17% of the total active game population. If my assumption is right above, then its likely 120 or 8.5% of the population. Likely the solution is somewhere in between, so lets assume a split and assume these channels make up less than 13% of the game population or 180 players.
I do not know about you, but the total of players still playing this game is very, very low. So low in fact that the community as a whole could be a focus group for other larger MMOs. If the voice majority now lies in the 180 players and the other now ignored majority is continued to be ignored, do you think this game can survive if the remaining 1220 players quit or at least stop spending? I understand it feels good to build a faction that supports you and makes you feel good, and the DDO community has always been critical of the game, however it is largely because we love the game. But feeling good does not pay your salaries, but satisfying the masses does.
The population is low but traditionally loyal and primarily the ones missing from the vocal majority are the long time players that have financially supported this game over the years. You cant lose this population or the game dies and you are no longer employed.
Attracting new players is difficult in this game, but doable. More later on this for suggestions.
Attracting older now quit or haitus players should be a priority. How do you do that? Well send them an email first off. Ask them to come back and give them an incentive unique to them. Maybe 2500 bonus DPs for logging on the first time in 3 months or longer, as a once available bonus in October. But require them to fill out a survey of why they quit. Use this as constructive feedback to change direction in the game. These players are your priortiy to return and low hanging fruit to be honest.
Next devise a plan to increase traffic from new players. Stream is a good platform and I am sure there are others, but not discord. Discord may be the worst platform out there for game health to be honest. All it does it attract sycophants and elites, which are both toxic for a game. I personally would not be opposed to a special starter pack in the store that gave a huge discount to a newly created account in the form of a true starter pack, that gives something like 6 ottos boxes, 1 tensers weapon box 6 raiders boxes, +1 tomes of fate and destiny, + 1 racial AP and all the non-expansion packs for like 5000 DP. This would serve 3 purposes. 1.) It would build a new competitive player that isn't hampered by power creep. 2.) It would create a new player that has invested money and will be less prone to quitting a few days in. 3.) It would give a new player a taste of what is available for purchase in the store and likely increase revenues for SSG/game. Lastly I would incentivize existing players to group with new players. New players need help, advise, quest knowledge, etc to overcome a lot of hurdles and enjoy this game. This could be done by giving existing players a party bonus of 50% pot bonus to exp and a +15% bonus to finding named loot, when partying with a player less than 90 days old. This is basically a combination of a sov pot and elixir of discovery. Then the only problem lies with dual boxers taking advantage of the bonus. I am sure there is a way to block a dual boxer since the IP would be shared with the main account. If someone wants to create a new account oustside of dual boxing to take advantage of this, I see no downside. Heck even further behind players may deem this beneficial to their main.
Lastly, player retention. There are many bonuses already for exiting player, but VIP is weak and needs love. Too many other suggestion already exist for VIP, but my preference overall is a bonus to named loot. Most everything else is already available in a store to buy. But any of the suggestions already offered would be fine as the value of what you get is just not worth the sub. And I would send a survey to all existing players as well. Maybe a smaller bonus or a lottery to filling one out. Again use this constructive feed back in direction moving forward. And use the forums and lamania as your only source of feedback in fairness to the community at large. These are your official channels.
