Since we're planning some changes to the game launch scheduling and other things, I'd like to know a bit how you actives think of the game joining systems for these longer games.
The strategy is:
- When a long game world ends, the next replacement scenario is available for pre-joining at that time already.
- The starting date of the next scenario is usually a few days or a few weeks after the ending.
- If (and usually when) the exact starting date is not yet known by the time the previous scenario ends, you can still pre-join the new one. But in that case we'll send you an automated email once the date is known (together with news, facebook and newsletter sent to all members).
- And another email when the scenario actually opens, if you've prejoined it.
- Same information is announced at the site news and in social media channels. Also a separate link to advertise the new game world is at game's Dashboard with one-click prejoin possibility.
The questions are ..
A) Is this a good way to keep you informed?
B) Have you gotten enough information and details about the next scenario, or too much "spam" already?
C) Would you prefer to start the next new scenario immediately when the previous ends, or are you fine with these small pauses in between? (usually needed to do some work at our end...)
D) In terms of the long game worlds, would you need more predictability and schedules when each scenario ends and when to expect the next one? So you'd know for example 4 months in advance when the next ultra-long game starts? Or is this kind of given and common knowledge that a new one starts after previous one ends..?
E) Other comments or improvement suggestions?
(p.s. the plan is to start also a rolling series of shorter non-beginner games with clear themes and schedules, more of these later)
A) Personally speaking, I am fine with the way of being informed as it is.
B) Abundant information, not spam, but close to it.
C) I am fine with pauses between GWs, as long as some meaningful changes await me in the new GW. They can be anything from performance updates for existing a/c to CBD for pax (!).
D) 4 months advance notice is too much, and the common knowledge that the new world would start ~1-3 real weeks after the old world ends is enough.
E) Suggestion: I know the developers have their primary jobs on weekdays and hence the new GW usually starts on Sunday evening. But for a vast majority of players, it would be much better if it was to start on Friday evening (or even Thursday evening, as the initial 24 hours are spent twiddling thumbs anyway) instead. That way, the initial excitement and stalking the used market for planes setting up the airline can be had for 2-3 days before normal service resumes.
For me, I'd generally like to see the new world start as soon as the old one finishes (or even a few days before!). If the gap is literally 3 or 4 days, that's OK but with the current one, it's three weeks! I'm really sat here twiddling my thumbs and have joined another world to play around and experiment - that's kind of a waste of the 5 credit joining fee as I'll only stay for those 3 weeks or so.
I think it's important to keep the long worlds well staggered. So, if they run for around 80 years they need to be 20 years apart if possible. That's not the case now, with a big gap from 1967 to 2010.
About the amount of information - it's OK but bordering on too much. It's very easy to see the new panel appear on the front screen but in-game messages, emails AND a post on Facebook might be a bit too much. So I vote for less info but I don't really care...
To be honest I would never use the pre-join facility anyway. I'd always want to be online right at the time the game starts (first 2 or 3 hours) so there's no benefit for me. Do the new games even become full like they used to? I haven't noticed tbh.
The increase in shorter worlds is a good idea though. After 18 months in one game (I only play one at once) I'm ready for a "challenge" world. How about running one of those, starting near the end of EVERY long world (with maybe a real-time month overlap) and then having the new long game start at the end of the 'Challenge' world? That would fill the gap nicely - rather like we have the World Cup/Euros etc. to fill the gap between domestic football seasons. ;D When people are waiting for a game to start you're losing money, after all.
A) Very happy with the current system of being informed, makes sure I wouldn't miss it should IRL suddenly turn hectic
B) I think the amount of notice/information given has been spot on.
C) Happy for there to be a downtime of several weeks if it's to allow for game updates, as long as these are all well communicated too
D) 4 months is too long I feel, maybe 1 month before the existing world ends, send out an announcement with preliminary plans (ie immediate turnaround or planned few week downtime for updates - might be a good opportunity to preview what is in the pipeline to ramp up the excitement).
E) I would like to see more variety in available game worlds, and an increase in number of concurrent games overall, this might allow players to spread a little more (GW2 feels extremely overcrowded). This could tie in with knobby's point below, about keeping the long gameworlds evenly spaced - GW1 will follow very closely behind GW2 for the best part of 70 years.
a) This is fine.
b) Also fine, nowadays you need to say things three-four times before people really pay attention it seems.
c) Short delay 1-2 weeks is fine – more than that starts to get a bit rough.
d) 3-4 weeks is the sweet spot. Gives enough time to talk shop with friends and think through strategy but not long enough that all the hype is lost.
e) Starting the gameworld on the same day of the week would be ideal going forward – Thursdays strike me as a great day. Weekend starts really are the worse – as soon as we start moving in game the real world claws you back.
Quote from: [ATA] Verto on May 30, 2019, 01:16:03 PM
e) Starting the gameworld on the same day of the week would be ideal going forward – Thursdays strike me as a great day. Weekend starts really are the worse – as soon as we start moving in game the real world claws you back.
That would be a great idea! If every GW started on a Thursday or Friday, at least we know when to plan and what to expect in the future. The actual start time on that day can vary to suit Sami's schedule.
Otherwise I am indifferent to everything else as I log into AWS more then enough times to keep track of what's going on.
Talentz
A Fine to me
B I think now is fine, but if there were more information I would not consider it spam
C I would like immediate unless there are updates, In which case Im flexible about waits
D I think a week is already enough
E This is kind of unrelated, but It would be cool to have an official gameworld that starts in the 70-80's
I like the way it is. I just never prejoin to avoid being spammed.Does not prevent me from joining on day 1, each GW I decide to play(i.e. GW3, and sometimes GW2 in lost places).