New player decline...

[Nick]

We have had a recent decline of new players. Not as many are visiting the pages and even fewer are registering.

How can we make the game more interesting for new players? Do we need to advertise more? Is the turn pace to slow?

All suggestions welcome!

//N

[Jean]

How about a seperate section that doesn't run on dice rolls. A section for character development, and freewriting when not on missions? Or perhaps we can do this in between missions? It would be a fun chance to just develop the characters.

We could also run this section parallel to the new mission. For instance, we could call it shoreleave, and create what our characters have done prior to each mission and develop a significant history for our characters.

Right now, we are writing with other characters that we only know from their actions and reactions to the current stimuli that are given to each other. To allow more freedom to get to know those characters, develop past histories beyond biographies, we could take more care with each other and learn the depth of who it is we're dealing with whenever we're on mission.

It would be more fun for anyone that wishes to contribute. Of course, for those that don't care about that sort of thing, they shouldn't be forced to do it by any means, but for those that do --- it would be a blast!

[maxvale76]

Well, I can't speak for anyone else; but a couple of ideas that pop into my head are:

1. Perhaps run more than one Play-by-Post (PBP) game at a time. If there's someone else you trust to run a game; maybe you could have "1st Squad/Section's" game and "2nd Squad/Section's" game being run simultaneously. Maybe they belong to the same unit and the adventures are connected....maybe not.

2. I would like to see faster Turns; but with as many playes as you've got; I really feel your pain. I'm running a PBP on another site with 8 players and I can only post about once every 6-8 days. My hat's off to you Nick!

3. While Jean's idea above isn't a bad one; to me, unless its also GM run with options/choices to make and NPCs to interact with; I don't see myself using it much. That's more of a collaborative story-telling/chat-room/blog posting; which is cool; but I'm here to play an RPG.

4. It might not be a bad idea to have a central repsitory where each character has a profile where full backgrouds can be flushed out and available for anyone to read so that everyone knows more about each player's character and can work that into the game itself.

Just my two cents!

[Jean]

In response to your #3.

Yes, I know that not everyone would like this, but if we give more writers a choice, than it will help the place.

I enjoy storytelling, but if someone else doesn't, they don't have to partake in it. But just because not everyone would enjoy this sort of thing, doesn't mean we can't give everyone the option to do it.

It wouldn't affect the main missions, and it would provide more enjoyment for those that do actually like the idea of adding realtime backgrounds to their characters.

[Nick]

I might have found a forum bug that restricted new players from accessing both the game and the campaign section... 

That could explain the decline!!!!

Please test the site, both as logged in and as guests!

You should be able to post everwhere as a registered member except the campaign where You must be an active player.

You should be able to see the whole site even as unregistered.

//N

[Nick]

Ok so the suggestions are another campaign with a second GM and a free writers section, like fan fiction?

I can manage both. No problemo!

If there is interest to GM a campaign in the Aliens universe let me know and lets see if we can hook things up (I will have to send the new GM the rule books and so forth).

//N

[Jean]

I'm up for it. I volunteer!

EDIT:

Actually, I'm not too sure about understanding the rules of GM'ing without a little one on one help over MSN. If that's possible, I would glady help. I need the ability to have questions answered about what I read while I go through it because this is a new type of writing-adventure to me, still.

As for the Fan Fiction section.

I would love to add extra between-the-scenes stories about what happened to our characters on leave, etc., I know not to involve other characters as NPC's, but it would give me a chance to add some storyline with Weyland Yutani, or an actual Vacation.

We could all add a little into stories like that to help get us attached to each and every character ran. I would certainly love to read them all. But I know that to some people, this is just a game, and that's cool, too.

[Nick]

Check Your PM's Jean.

//N

[Jean]

Check Your PM's Jean.

//N

PM's must be lagging a little or something. I haven't gotten anything yet; are you sure you clicked the right name?

[Nick]

Yup...

Should be there soon.

//N

[Jean]

Ah, got it! Checking it now Thanks