Something to Consider

[Misty]

FI writes:

Those places where I have contributed in the past will certainly go on without me here in ALFA, but I have finished expending effort into a community that does not appreciate the efforts of all of its contributors.

Mikayla writes:

Of course, I am just one person and ALFA will surely survive my loss -

Where two write it, several others quietly say nothing and just disappear.

I suppose the onus is on the PA office and Admissions to get new players, but that is not enough. Once new members are drawn in, we have to keep them.

This is where the rest of ALFA comes into accountability. We need more DMs, both RP-centric and builders. More tech help for the already thin tech group. We need testers. We need to receive suggestions or ideas with respect and understanding, even if it is the same old dead horses rising, because maybe, just maybe a good new idea will surface.

In short, we need people to be nice. Help the new members feel welcome.




Anyhow, just a few observations on the state of ALFA before I face work.


addendum: and for you cynics, this isn't related to the PA vote. these observations are what I believe important, no matter who gets the office.

[Demson]

You're absolutely correct, Misty. I've been grappling with the issue of Retentions as part of the PR and Admissions staff. Just be encouraging to newcomers and show appriciation.

They will need it amidst the fierce discussions on these forums.

[Rick7475]

Retension can only be solved by in game enjoyment.

You can be nice all you want on the forums and community attitude, but people can forgive that if they are having fun. Look at the MMORG boards and how rude and hostile they are, yet people PAY to keep playing.

The solution for retension is thusly:


1. More in game stuff to do when DM's are not around

2. More DM's in varying time zones

3. More player interactions and servers that are built to help players get together (ie player hubs and statics)

4. TSM ( the only live NWN2 server) has some of the above but needs more.



Instead of concentrating on being polite and appointing forum monitors, concentrate on more ingame activities such as static gaming in taverns, quests, static content, and recruitng more DM's by giving them incentives to DM. Encourage contribution with some kind of reward system.

Here is an idea:

For builders:
Every Interior = 300 exp
Every exterior = 500 exp
Every new static = 500 exp
Every new item = 20 exp
Every new canon NPC = 50 exp
Every new non-canon NPC = 20 exp

Retroactive for all builders of NWN2 and NWN1 servers from 2008, and must follow the standards.

[Demson]

Good point about retention and game enjoyment, but ALFA is as much about the community and creative environment as the roleplay itself.

The original point was not the regular roleplayer, I think. It was the creative talent. And with NWN2, the line between being a player and being a 'developer' is very thin indeed.

People will not contribute because they can earn exp and gp with it.

People will contribute because they enjoy making the ALFA dream come true, and this dream is not of exp and gp. Play a MMO for that, as MMO developers do a much better job with that than ALFA will ever be able to.

Having been surrounded with polite and helpful community members such as Wynna, AcadiusLost, Curmudgeon, MorbidKate and others is what is driving me to make an effort for Admissions, PR and building in general. Without their encouragement I would not have found the motivation. If it had been for the general forums and #ALFA, I would have stopped paying attention to ALFA a long time ago. Because as you say, the game enjoyment is a long way from being realised.

[Rick7475]

Come on Demson. I need a shop interior, a shoe store, with a non-canon NPC. Email me the erf and you get 320 exp banked when WD goes live

[Lusipher]

I just had a thought and this can apply to what rick just said and also the encouraging people to help thread in Admin...

You know if you want to "do something" for people who help build something for a beta server do this:

For every person who "builds something" for a beta server allow those folks to start their PCs on the new server X amount of days before the public get a chance to join. Have the server already connected to the Live vault but passworded that only the Dms and those who contributed are allowed on for X amount of days. The DMs run some fun events for that group of "contributers" and they keep their PCs when the server is finally Live with everything they earned during that time.

Its kinda like what a lot of MMO companies are doing now for folks who buy collector editions or buy lifetime subscriptions, etc.

[Swift]

With ALFA trying its hardest to get a second NWN2 server up to give us something more to promote, i dont think any kind of MMO style exclusive period is really the way to reward contributors.

[Rick7475]

Another good idea for the beta servers, thanks Lusipher.

[Lusipher]

With ALFA trying its hardest to get a second NWN2 server up to give us something more to promote, i dont think any kind of MMO style exclusive period is really the way to reward contributors.

It would get people interested. Its not going overboard, but its a nice gesture to those that pitched in. If thats an issue with you then dunno what to tell you.

[Demson]

I have to agree with Swift. ALFA is a completely different beast than a MMO.

The only players who would contribute to a MMO's development before a release are beta testers. They do not need the exclusive period.

What you are talking about is mostly a marketing trick to get more money in. It's a privilege that's purchased by customers.

As it is, the beta servers are open to the ALFA community to begin with. The only way to make this work is to make the beta servers private. Which won't help testing to begin with.

If thats an issue with you then dunno what to tell you.

See, that's an example of how forum drama begins. Lusipher, I like you allot. But a statement such as 'If that's an issue with you then I dunno what to tell you' is exactly how bad moods are set. It's small, it's trivial, but it's how these kind of things begin. It'll rebound.

I don't think you meant ill with it, Lusipher. But it comes across poorly. It would be for me. You first establish something as a positive thing, than imply that the original poster is against it and if that's the case, you will not bother with him further. That's just not very nice to say of someone who took your proposition seriously.

Again, I don't think you meant ill with it, Lusipher. You have your own way of putting things, depending on where you live or were raised. But to me, based on what I'm used to, saying such a thing would come across poorly. Just giving a confirmation that you appriciate how he took your proposition seriously goes a long way to avoid these kind of misunderstandings.

[Lusipher]

You seriously have no idea what your talking about. Im trying to get folks to volunteer somehow. Ive seen it done at other NWN projects and it works. If people dont want to do it then thats fine.

[MorbidKate]

If thats an issue with you then dunno what to tell you.

See, that's an example of how forum drama begins.

Really? Being at a loss for words is hardly drama bait, especially around here Demson

Regardless, any comparison to MMO's is quite silly on many levels starting with financial backing and paid programmers. We are a volunteer effort that still has the same levels of government and red tape that we had when our membership was over 1000.

Kate

[Demson]

Really? Being at a loss for words is hardly drama bait, especially around here Demson

Oh you're right, I didn't meant to say it's drama bait. It does affect the moods and attitudes of people though. There's nothing wrong with the statement itself, just how it can come across.

[Mayhem]

IC rewards is a terrible idea. It will create a subgroup of elite PCs - those who have the time and inclination to contribute - putting their PCs on a pedastal above those who do not have the time, hardware or ability to make such contributions.

Primarily, I think all we will end up doing is not encouraging new contributors, but making elites out of the people who would have contibuted anyway.

And it also runs a risk of "gold for dollars" - somebody who contributes money for server hosting is undeniably contibuting, so we may well end up with people buying better characters - is that what we want?

And really - when we are looking at creating an RP rish environment, do we want contributions made from the heart by those who are keen and skilled, or do we want people who aren't that keen on contributing but will do the barest minimum they can in order to get a more powerful starting PC?

***

By all means make other intagible rewards. In game Easter eggs (eg statues or gravestones descibing the contributor as a hero of WD). And pump them up on the forums, too, ive 'em a special sig block or title or something, but don't start bribing people to contribute as the kind of people who would only do it for the bribe are not going to be doig as great a job as those doing it for love.

[danielmn]

I personally like Lucy's idea... (take no offence by your new name...it's cause a your sexay troubled avatar!) ... I see no problem at all when, transitioning from beta to live, contributors get, say, a week to just jam out with the dm's and have a couple of test run events. Keep the beta open for all, close it for the week of transition to the contributors and the dms, then open it up to all ALFA after that week. I don't think a week's delay is going to kill anyone, and it would be a good way to show appreciation to those that contributed. Set the MMO analogy aside, forget it completely. Just think of this as a way of saying thanks....WHICH IS WHAT THIS *&%! PLACE REALLY NEEDS!!!!!

And dear god Mayhem, a few days to a week isn't going to create a level 10 on a pedastal "elite" PC...at most a week should = a lvl 2 PC, possibly a low level 3. But again, if it is RP ORIENTED, levels really SHOULDN'T MATTER now, should they?

Daniel