how do we get players back to BL

Author Topic: how do we get players back to BL  (Read 8445 times)

DISCLAIMER:
this is not a thread about "ooooogh BL is dead I'm so emooooo"
this is not a thread about "Badspot is such a forgetnut omfg just update the gaaaaaaaame"
this is a thread about actions we can take as a community to get a bigger playerbase again
it's probably been made a thousand times but this thread relates to BL in late 2016 sooo
thank you


so BL is pretty inactive right now
I'll go online and only see about 4 or 5 servers with any people on them, when there used to be about 10 or 15 at the very least (keep in mind this is anecdotal)
so overall there's about 4 or 5 people online at a minimum and at a maximum I'd say 30
servers used to be much bigger than this and you'd have discussion about things in game all the time here on the forums
now you have discussion on the forums about servers, but no people actually in the servers
it creates a strange disconnect between the people who play the game and the people who forum here, even though we're the same people

at this point I'm done with trying to figure out why people aren't playing as much anymore
we already know a lot about why they don't so let's just ask how we can fix that (not Badspot)
fyi it'd be productive to not be that starfish that goes, "there's nothing we can do nostalgia nostalgia rose-tinted glasses"
there's definitely something we can do so let's figure out what it is and do it

for example,
I think a big problem with the game is the lack of server variety
how many randomizer dms there are
compared to how many freebuilds/do-whatever-the-forget-you-want servers there are
you see my point
so my solution would be to create a megathread here for sharing ideas
the reason for that is so people can draw influence from the list of ideas and make a server unique to BL
I know that I would host some interesting servers with the concepts I have but I have a stuffty network and I'm not into paying for hosting monthly so I'm stuck just relying on people to figure it out all by themselves

I can see major strides with the recent arrival of BL Glass
people who left because of Ephi shutting down RTB now have a unified system for downloading add-ons and server management again, and they're even adding chatrooms
so that could easily draw new players in as well as old players back

so yeah,
/discuss

there are too many people who dismiss a threads point by just saying 'another one to add to the list'
like i'd understand threads where the subject is literally just 'is blockland dying? why?' but threads like these actually have a point

- More add-ons
- More unique and fun servers to play
- Videos to help getting more players to know about the game, the servers, the add-ons and so on

- More add-ons
- More unique and fun servers to play
- Videos to help getting more players to know about the game, the servers, the add-ons and so on


adding on to the first suggestion, I think that add-ons need to be made that specifically streamline the game

for example I suggested a version of Connect2Chat for BL Glass and it got made
now I don't have to open up the interface in order to chat with people, and I immediately know what is going on everywhere

second suggestion relates to my suggestion

third suggestion is a good idea, but how would we link that to the game?
that seems like something only Badspot can do

Playercount is almost completely dependent on the servers that are open. Tons of people launch Blockland to check which servers are online and if they see one they like they'll join which adds to the player count, but a lot of time the they don't see anything fun so they get off. It isn't that complicated, you don't need to figure anything out. It's simple as that.

There have been numerous other threads that are basically the same as this one. OP just says we need to come up with better server ideas, great. But nobody actually does anything after people say their ideas.

Host better servers if you want more people to play the game.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 12:22:08 PM by Crøwn »

Host better servers if you want more people to play the game.
This is such a dismissive thing to say. You do realise not everyone can run a server right? Going 'well run your own if you want more servers' helps loving NO ONE. The reasons these threads exist is to reach out to those who can so they can hopefully get the message. But as these threads always prove to me, most everyone shoves their fingers in their ears and scream either:

A. Oh this thread again.
Or
B. Do it yourself.

A. ARE YOU loving SERIOUS? does no one see how dismissive this is?

B. Well, gee I never thought of that :/

I like how you only responded to one sentence of his post, completely ignoring the context the rest of it provided.

master matthew - the problem isnt that there isn't enough ideas or things to do. its that few people actually take the time to make anything.

the simple fact is modders and server developers like me tend to have busy lives or other hobbies and we cant just dump massive amounts of time into BL without either getting bored or giving up other things we want to do. the only "solution" is to have more people willing to work and finish projects rather than talk about what could be better

this topic is essentially the equivalent of a game critic saying "this game sucks and this is what could be done better" without considering the time or money required to make said suggestions a reality.

We can't fix this problem because we need players to have players. It's as simple as that.

It's not an issue as to server variety; when Blockland had double or triple the players there were also just as little variety in servers.
It's also not an issue as to technology or resources. People have more and better add ons than ever to work with. Players in the community are just as smart and able to create nice things as they've ever been.

If I, and probably many other people, don't see a populated server we like, we close the game.

Aside from some endorsement from a person with a lot of following, nothing can be done.

You see I would have no problem hosting a well put together server that's unique and stuff, but I have school and work. Most people have lives and things that they have to do instead of just working on a project in a game. I always look back on the fact that there are certain times in the year that bl will be dead regardless what servers are up, because of life things for example:

Back when the population was booming yeah there were more than just 30 people online at a time, but when school started back up what happens? A lot of people stop playing for awhile and that number drops. Yes back in those days even with those people dropping you still had a few people who were online to play with, but facing the truth our numbers have dropped since then so when things like school start there's relatively no one online, or at least no good servers being hosted up until something like winter break which results in things like
Tons of people launch Blockland to check which servers are online and if they see one they like they'll join which adds to the player count, but a lot of time the they don't see anything fun so they get off.

Pretty much at this time in the year playercount is going to be low anyways because school, and to add on to the fact that the community's numbers have dropped since bl went on steam and even before then, the game is going to be dry for awhile, at least until winter break, or summer.

Idea: Booby trap TDM

team 1 would have X amount of time to set up any traps they can in a map, then after X time is up, team 2 gets released and tries to make it from point A to B without dying to the traps

kinda like deathrun but less predictable

Idea: Booby trap TDM

team 1 would have X amount of time to set up any traps they can in a map, then after X time is up, team 2 gets released and tries to make it from point A to B without dying to the traps

kinda like deathrun but less predictable
do it

there are no single server solutions, just try out whatever you're passionate in making and maybe people will agree with your idea as being enjoyable

Maybe more reviews on Youtube?

Idea: Booby trap TDM

team 1 would have X amount of time to set up any traps they can in a map, then after X time is up, team 2 gets released and tries to make it from point A to B without dying to the traps

kinda like deathrun but less predictable
Would be fun, but it's gotta be a lot more skill based than luck based. The traps shouldn't have anything where you just die to the unknown, no warning, despite everything looking clear. And in order to stop everyone from just surviving, throw in a time limit. Whether it be 'moving wall' based to apply pressure, or just a simple timer.

Maybe more reviews on Youtube?
The reviews aren't going to mean stuff if there's nothing to review, really.

Here are some key points that I believe don't help keep the Blockland community alive.


1.   Many players don't host servers consistently which gives no players a chance to rejoin the server that they love. Lets compare this to Garry's Mod or Minecraft where almost every single server is 24/7 and dedicated. Players always have an opportunity to rejoin the server at any time they like as long as the host continues to pay the monthly fee.

2.   The in game community tends to be more younger while the online forum community tends to me more mature. When these 2 clash together it causes hatred and a mass production of drama topics and it scares away a lot of visitors.

3.   Servers need to have more creativity and more freedom involved. Most server hosts will half ass a build for something like City RPG by instead of working on a build for at least a day or a week and coming up with some unique ideas. They instead just plaster around some basic 32x32 roads with a giant ass dark grey wall around the border of the map.

4.   Hosts and their administration team should be less strict and cancerous. Most of the time everyone bans their users for absolutely no reason. Or they'll ban them permanently for doing nothing. Or they'll make a hate list and just ban everyone they hate permanently. I believe in second chances and think that people shouldn't be so harsh to their own community on their server. It also comes off as abusive and some players that do get banned permanently from a server just tend to quit the game entirely.

5.   It would help ever so slightly if Badspot interacted a little bit more but at the moment I'm glad that he interacts with the community at all. People on here have given him so much stuff and grief. It's surprising he hasn't ditched his own community. And it's nice to have him somewhat around compared to a lot of other gaming communities where the developers don't listen to them at all. It gives the community a sense of carelessness from the developer.

6.   If you want to build back the community. It's not about bringing back players. It's about keeping the players we have now. Blockland has to have something to offer to the community that will make them want to stay with us.


I'd enjoy to hear input from the community from these points that I've brought up.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 02:55:52 PM by Sentry »