Lack of Players?

Aesi

I wish I coulda been around for some of that.

such a newb.

Jacen

It would be interesting to compare the population trends with IG events. Not necessarily admin-driven events ( but the big ones, like the Reckoning and Bal'met should certainly be included) but like those time when Mhaldor would do 100+ exterms/day, or the recent Cyrene/Devotion split. Per city would best highlight the effect of these events, but it would be neat to see their effect on the whole populations.

Hell, I'd like to see a plot of newbie retention rate vs Dajio's activity level.

Amranu

I think Dajio is a healthy thing for the game, honestly. Game feels a lot less chaotic without mischief makers roaming about.

Valkyn

Mischief, and just spewing obscenities are two totally different things.

Trey

Dajio is kind of like if the dialogue from 12 year-old XBOX players fucked the comments section on YouTube and had a son.

Fianna

I started this summer, and promptly had no time to play until now. Don't forget, at least some players have school through the year. Winter break is on here now, though I don't know how global that is!

Kakotas

Daeir said:

It isn't really about hand-holding and more about the absence of any real focus on a grand narrative in favor of these smaller seasonal/interim events. I get why they do it, and they're definitely doing it very well (y700 looks pretty cool for instance), but I personally am just a bit disappointed that there's been less focus on the overarching story over the years.

Don't get me wrong. Loved the shit out of the Gauntlet and the Fayre and all the other stuff they've done thus far. Just want me some of that sick world-building from the Divine end, too.

I kind of feel this way even with factions. There's not a whole lot going on within the factions themselves. You really have to look outwards and pick fights with others or do a whole lot of self-generation before you get anything. Whereas I remember Gods showing up and hosting CTFs or story times or doing a bunch of stuff within faction and then showing up and asking us to go slay enemies or make a monument... I haven't seen much of that lately in any real form. It's mostly been focused on small world events. So it's not even micro events so much as it has been seasonals. I get why it's just those inter faction touches help legitimize what the faction is doing so if Targ is doing well destroying everyone Gods coming along saying good job lets have a ctf and I'm going to make it a titanic one or we're going to sit and swap stories of my greatness as my hand tells you all the battles we faced. It does a lot to help people connect with the whole faction thing.

I guess my rambling is pointing to the same thing there has to be meta narratives in each culture that are reinforced. They play a part in weaving the larger and grander metanarrative of the game. Individualized narratives are great they get people in but once they are in there has to be something more than bash to dragon and occasional raid defense/offense to keep a person.

Aepas

Fianna said:

I started this summer, and promptly had no time to play until now. Don't forget, at least some players have school through the year. Winter break is on here now, though I don't know how global that is!

Players that stop playing Achaea to go to school don't have their priorities straight.