how do we get players back to BL

Author Topic: how do we get players back to BL  (Read 8446 times)

The issue here is that it can go either way. Some people will say it's the lack of production from content creators that is driving players away, but on the other hand, some will say it's the lack of playercounts  that is killing the content creators' motivation in the first place. It's a classic case of what came first, chicken or the egg?
I take the latter stance in this situation simply because I don't see how it's worth putting several weeks worth of work into a new server only to get 10-15 players on at a time. Dating back to even just a year ago, there were several servers with 20+ players on them during prime playing hours and currently you'd be lucky to see two servers like that.

It's definitely a factor, yeah.
Especially when you get a server into a functioning state, and wouldn't mind having people around to play around as live testing for fine tunings. And then no one ever shows up, or they just want admin to 'build their house', and leave.

One of the things that needs to stop is people only ever joining servers that already have a lot of players in them. There's only a very small number of us who will just sit in a practically empty server just to try and boost population to attract attention. I get that you just want to play something and, playing by yourself really isn't a thing for most gamemodes. Turn up Blockland's volume, grab an add-on that makes sounds when players chat or something, and watch some videos while you wait.

I'm planning on putting up my island cap points TDM within the next week or so. Hopefully that'll add some of the variety to the server list people seem to want. Also, B4B has the upcoming Brick Tactical TDM too, which is coming along nicely.

I've brought back the old SS dogfight server if people would join it

first: a bunch of consistently hosted good servers

they have to be good, they have to be hosted consistently, they have to be administrated well
they shouldn't use too many add-ons or the loading time gets too long, and the player count need some sort of a limit, like 16 players, so the overflow can go to others. at least sometimes. ramp it up to 99 players it'll be fun
hard as balls already

note: if you need a terrain map use the terrain generator
note: if you need a build find one in gallery or something
note: if you need something to host look in the gamemodes section
note: if you have friends get friends

note: classic server ideas like Red_guy's infinite mining is a cool idea







second:
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.
this is true. blockland is constantly gaining new players at a slow pace, but eventually they will leave blockland out of disinterest unless they become interested

a sense of "community" around a server helps this because people like community








third: realize that add-ons and singleplayer is not particularily easy or interesting for new players, as its always a challenge for a new or young player to install add-ons, and stuff like Blockland Glass doesn't really have a mass audience as of yet but this will do just fine for now

so do not be dependent on the idea that blockland glass will save everything









fourth: when all is said and done and blockland is all cool then get the word out via like a video or something that is actually interesting

an "introduction to blockland" might be good sort of like a tutorial but a video like about numpad keys and where to find add-ons and blah
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 03:35:58 PM by The Resonte! »

Make new, original servers and get rid of the crappy servers that will give new players bad impressions of the game.

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.

Are you actually implying badspot is not careless after it took over half a year to fix the runtime errors?



If you're not planning on attempting to host a server then don't post in the thread. You aren't being helpful by complaining about people trying to fix the problem

I'm personally working on a big RPG city thing right now and I think it'll draw in a lot of players
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 05:36:19 PM by IkeTheGeneric »

Make new, original servers and get rid of the crappy servers that will give new players bad impressions of the game.
first: a bunch of consistently hosted good servers

they have to be good, they have to be hosted consistently, they have to be administrated well
- More unique and fun servers to play
Host better servers if you want more people to play the game.
Basically this, which is why I'm working on Brick Tactical.

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
Isn't there a prop tool add-on, I think that is a good start to the gamemode idea.

Basically this, which is why I'm working on Brick Tactical.
Like I said earlier, the issue with this is hosts have no motivation to make good servers if there aren't good player counts to look forward to.

It's a full cycle:
1. Players see no good servers up and go offline, resulting in low playercounts.
2. Hosts and content creators see that there's no players online, and don't bother making good servers due to that.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 several times over until the game is a barren wasteland full of stuffty servers.

The only way to break the pattern is if hosts pushed through the low playercounts and continue to provide original content until the counts start to gradually rise over time. It is tough to see this as a viable outcome though.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 06:05:25 PM by Ravencroft· »

Isn't there a prop tool add-on, I think that is a good start to the gamemode idea.
hi yes its by me

you'd probably be best off with a mix between prop tool and swollows trap items.

Like I said earlier, the issue with this is hosts have no motivation to make good servers if there aren't good player counts to look forward to.

It's a full cycle:
1. Players see no good servers up and go offline, resulting in low playercounts.
2. Hosts and content creators see that there's no players online, and don't bother making good servers due to that.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 several times over until the game is a barren wasteland full of stuffty servers.

The only way to break the pattern is if hosts pushed through the low playercounts and continue to provide original content until the counts start to gradually rise over time. It is tough to see this as a viable outcome though.
yes, sadly. the nice thing though is a lot of content creators that stick around do it because its fun to create content, not necessarily for the playercounts. the playercounts help justify spending lots of time on it though.

The reviews aren't going to mean stuff if there's nothing to review, really.
I mean if they were more videos about Blockland, it might attract more players.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2016, 07:19:34 PM by cooolguy32 »

We must get pewdiepie and markiplier to play BL

I mean blockland is a kids game so their fan base will feel right at home.

It's a full cycle:
1. Players see no good servers up and go offline, resulting in low playercounts.
2. Hosts and content creators see that there's no players online, and don't bother making good servers due to that.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 several times over until the game is a barren wasteland full of stuffty servers.
I agree with this.  

Also, it didn't help player retention when core game features were gutted and the most popular utility add-on connecting the community was axed due to the creator being alienated and excommunicated from the game.  Unfortunately, that's said and done.

Steam sales are not effective because the player counts drop back to normal after just two days, every time.
Looking forward, I see no viable way of re-popularizing the game.