Word of Mouth

[Drith]

Just though of this because of all the talk of the server merge stuff.

Back when I was in university there was someone I knew who took economics (I can't stand economics but anyway). He said that they had done a case study of Everquest and found that the tremendous popularity of the game came almost exclusively from word of mouth.

Given how many completely new characters I've grouped with lately (I mean like fresh off the boat in the harbour new), as well as all the efforts put in by the devs to make the game better and the player base becoming increasingly supportive of the game I think the game is going to grow very well.

Hah I can even see them having to add a server after or around Christmas.

[Conejo]

you have to counter that with the negative side.

people are going to leave, disgusted with X or fed up with Y. they will tell their friends not to bother with such a game, and spin it in the worst way possible.

[In_Like_Flynn]

It would sure be nice to know if DDO is a growing game.

[dameron]

It would sure be nice to know if DDO is a growing game.

The server merge should tell you all you need to know.

No advertising + very little new content = lower populations.

[In_Like_Flynn]

The server merge should tell you all you need to know.

It doesn't. I'll clarify: I'd like proof.

[Mhykke]

It doesn't. I'll clarify: I'd like proof.

I love the game, I'm not attacking it....but honestly, the server merge, while not "proof", is definitely evidence.


I do wonder how they're attracting new players though. I was in a walmart the other day looking for some cables, and saw all the MMO's for sale, new and old, and ddo was nowhere to be found. Wondered how people were going to join the game if it wasn't even being sold next to the dozens of others......Hope I'm worried for nothing.

[Riddikulus]

It doesn't. I'll clarify: I'd like proof.

The fact that the merge from 14 to 5 is happening is all the proof you're going to get from Turbine.

There are a couple of population study threads which dovetail into this, but will probably not qualify to you as "proof".

You're just not going to get what you are looking for... get over it.

[Klattuu]

Word of mouth really worked well when Everquest came out because MMO's back then were a new phenomenon.

Why is it that Asheron's Call is still doing very well but Asheron's Call 2, a superior product in my estimation, failed?

It wasn't word of mouth that was the issue but the fact is that the world of MMO's is expanding faster than the gaming population.

What DDO absolutely needs is a marketing campaign at least every Fall co-insiding with a major update.

I believe Turbine is gearing up for this. There have been a lot of 'growing pain' changes lately, many of which are controversial to the older population, but to a new wave of new players will give the impression of a very well thought-out and stable game.

Word of mouth, when things are going well, is a great way to slowly increase a healthy population. Advertising and hype is what is needed to rapidly fill the ranks and give an air of excitement.

[rimble]

I only play on one server. All things being equal, if it were the ONLY server, it wouldn't change anything.

If the game is still live, and content continues to come at the same pace, it doesn't affect me one way or the other if there is one server or three-hundred-and-twenty.

[Cruzer]

I believe Turbine is gearing up for this. There have been a lot of 'growing pain' changes lately, many of which are controversial to the older population, but to a new wave of new players will give the impression of a very well thought-out and stable game.

That part caught my attention. How does putting out a patch with known bugs (imported from even a "test/preview server") show a well thought out/stable game? If you're planning a new and large marketing campaign, you don't get rid of two-thirds of your servers. You can sugar coat it and shine all the positive light you want onto it - thriving and successful MMORPGs do not get rid of servers.

I like DDO. I play DDO because I like it more than WoW, Guild Wars, CoH/CoV, Vanguard, LotR... but that doesn't change the fact that a game getting rid of its servers isn't a good sign. They're probably stealing the hardware from those old DDO servers to make more room/worlds on LoTR

[Hurin]

I honestly can't believe people are still doubting that the populations are low. Are you guys for real? What more proof do you need than the number of servers being reduced from 14 to 5? Would you like Eckelberry to return from Lucas Arts and hand you the most recent subscription numbers on a silver platter? Would that be sufficient for you?

Ridiculous. Come on guys. You can shove your heads in the sand all day long, but in the end you do have to face the facts, sometime, don't you?

It sure isn't pretty--in fact it is a crying shame--but geesh... wake up and smell the coffee. The game is not doing fine. In fact it is in deep trouble, and has been for some months.

[Talson]

Why is it that Asheron's Call is still doing very well but Asheron's Call 2, a superior product in my estimation, failed?

Having played both and been in a guild that was functioning in both AC and AC2 at the same time the biggest problem for AC2 was the fact that those that played AC felt AC2 had been dumbed down since there were less charecter creation options so they went back to AC or other games. I joined AC2 the day it went retail and power leveled a couple characters to 50 and then got bored with the game in about 6 months.

I then switched to DAoC and was there till everything was getting nerfed left and right due to PvP imbalances and people begging for nerfs...

DDO is probably the second longest I've played an MMO (Second to AC1) and I have to say the product has been well worth playing. While the server merge is probably an indicator that subscriptions are on the decline I don't look at it as an indication the game is failing due to quality several have "suspended their accounts" at different points due to lack of things to do etc...

As new high level content is added and or the next level cap is released I'm sure many will return, but with it being summer and not a great deal of new things for our level 14 characters to do many are taking a break at this point. So for servers that were ghost towns the server merge is a good thing to retain those who are curently playing.

Take it easy
-Tal

[Shecky]

I honestly can't believe people are still doubting that the populations are low. Are you guys for real? What more proof do you need than the number of servers being reduced from 14 to 5? Would you like Eckelberry to return from Lucas Arts and hand you the most recent subscription numbers on a silver platter? Would that be sufficient for you?

Ridiculous. Come on guys. You can shove your heads in the sand all day long, but in the end you do have to face the facts, sometime, don't you?

It sure isn't pretty--in fact it is a crying shame--but geesh... wake up and smell the coffee. The game is not doing fine. In fact it is in deep trouble, and has been for some months.

Lower numbers than guessed before the beginning =/= trouble; it's just a fact of life in the world dominated by World of Warcrack. Nothing can compete with 'Crack. Not until someone creates a 3D game with direct cerebral interface.

[Klattuu]

That part caught my attention. How does putting out a patch with known bugs (imported from even a "test/preview server") show a well thought out/stable game? If you're planning a new and large marketing campaign, you don't get rid of two-thirds of your servers. You can sugar coat it and shine all the positive light you want onto it - thriving and successful MMORPGs do not get rid of servers.

I like DDO. I play DDO because I like it more than WoW, Guild Wars, CoH/CoV, Vanguard, LotR... but that doesn't change the fact that a game getting rid of its servers isn't a good sign. They're probably stealing the hardware from those old DDO servers to make more room/worlds on LoTR

I never suggested DDO is thriving. I suggested that DDO is preparing for a resurrgence.

You get rid of 2/3 of your servers when you are concerned that a new wave of players is going to be presented with a desolate world. If you want to give the impression that the worlds are populated, you populate the worlds. Logging into a world that has hundreds of people on it is much more inviting than logging into a world with dozens of people on it.

To suggest that DDO is shutting down servers to make room for LoTR is not true. Such a suggestion insists that Turbine would rather bolster an expanding new product with older servers than buy new servers and that LoTR subscriptions are far-and-above what was anticipated. Turbine has given every impression that they are dedicated to the long-term growth of the game. The fact is that about half of the DDO servers were under-uliltized and the entire system needed to be retooled to make them better products overall and more manageable to maintain.

Yes, the loss of 10 worlds does not give the impression that DDO is commercially healthy but it is a proper business decision.

[Kavel_Havae]

Advertisement.........

Who will buy a product that no one knows about? Jim's Garage might make the best Chopper in reliability and looks but if you don't let people know that it's from Jim's then wheres the profit.

My 2cp's on this and it should be an easier implement than a non targeted color spray of ads. how about a standee in a big box store of your choice with product in it to sell. hype the new mod! hype the D&D name! get an endorsement from G. Gygax if he can narrate deleras' he should be good for a positive quote. Hell do a standee with a cross promotion with LotRO (half DDO / Half LotRO) get both products out there. Give another "Exclusive Deal" for a like the Founders items.

I know advertising cost money but there are many ways to spread the cost around. Atari could chip in some, WotC it their brand they would like to see it grow and gain a newer player base.

I would also love to see Turbine give reviewers office or face time to explain the product... and not have the reviewer call DDO another WoW knock off, with no new innovative ideas. The under or uneducated review can do more harm than good. get the people that promote your product behind you, or at least hype them enough to get the rave review in print before the glow wears off.

last..... Trade Shows. re-market the product there...

Thats all my ideas for the moment.

[Ken_Dorak]

What DDO absolutely needs is a marketing campaign at least every Fall co-insiding with a major update.

I believe Turbine is gearing up for this. There have been a lot of 'growing pain' changes lately, many of which are controversial to the older population, but to a new wave of new players will give the impression of a very well thought-out and stable game.

Word of mouth, when things are going well, is a great way to slowly increase a healthy population. Advertising and hype is what is needed to rapidly fill the ranks and give an air of excitement.

I agree fully, and do believe they are planning this.

That part caught my attention. How does putting out a patch with known bugs (imported from even a "test/preview server") show a well thought out/stable game? If you're planning a new and large marketing campaign, you don't get rid of two-thirds of your servers. You can sugar coat it and shine all the positive light you want onto it - thriving and successful MMORPGs do not get rid of servers.

I like DDO. I play DDO because I like it more than WoW, Guild Wars, CoH/CoV, Vanguard, LotR... but that doesn't change the fact that a game getting rid of its servers isn't a good sign. They're probably stealing the hardware from those old DDO servers to make more room/worlds on LoTR

Actually, numbers aren't declining, they HAVE declined. Been this way for a few months now. While I'm not really keen of the server merge, it makes the most sense and will allow the players the ability to find and group with other players more. Some don't like it, they like doing things their way. Others are fond of the idea. Turbine will save money internally on both hardware maintenance and upgrading as well as IT support for those servers. That allows more money to be spent on things that will improve the game further, such as (gasp) development and bug/tech fixing.

Sure, on the front, it doesn't look like DDO is doing well because it doesn't have a WoW population and it's likely that they overestimated the size of what DDO's fanbase would be. Two things contributed to the current size not meeting expectations and those are - 1) It's not a WoW clone and 2) It's not exactly to PnP specifications. Therefore, the WoW-type players didn't jump here and a lot of die hard D&D players aren't keen on the product. However, it has it's niche player base and I think they have figured out how to salvage the product and make it continue on and produce money at this point, otherwise they'd have scrapped it by now and stopped developing for it.

[OKCRandy1]

Just though of this because of all the talk of the server merge stuff.

Back when I was in university there was someone I knew who took economics (I can't stand economics but anyway). He said that they had done a case study of Everquest and found that the tremendous popularity of the game came almost exclusively from word of mouth.

Given how many completely new characters I've grouped with lately (I mean like fresh off the boat in the harbour new), as well as all the efforts put in by the devs to make the game better and the player base becoming increasingly supportive of the game I think the game is going to grow very well.

Hah I can even see them having to add a server after or around Christmas.

I do hope you're right. I was encouraged the other day to be running with some noobs.