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Thread: Low Population

  1. #21

    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by Calyndrell View Post
    By Contrast my 11yr old son has managed to get to level 29 (Hatchling including most of the side quests)without any help from either my wife or myself well with the exception of a few simple crafted scales with a few techs on them. So do they need scaling? perhaps only very very slightly. The important thing to note is the ORDER in which you do the quests.. some are just too hard at level 20 so you do the others first and Viola at level 25ish they are much easier.
    And what new player knows the correct order to do them with? And where to hunt the best mobs (like with water elementals - it was a long time before i realised it was easier on the shore than in the lakes)?
    It's just luck there if you're doing it all alone, and hope that when you quit a quest because it was too hard, the next one you pick up is actually the right one.

  2. #22

    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by LOVWYRM View Post
    And its urgend in my eyes.

    In my eyes-and my experience: Its NO fun to play this first level in an undiscoverd country
    without friends or guildies that help
    More good ideas pls.
    We need something to spread amongst players- or Order will be deserted soon.
    I hate to repeat myself
    YOU told me to play a dragon!

  3. #23

    Default Re: Low Population

    Please don't change anything on starter island or New Trismus. it was the challenge of the game that hooked me and kept me coming back . i played for 1.5 years solo and out of all chats . it was the most exciting and yes difficult times in the game but it was just as awarding when I finally got past that mob or quest that kept defeating me . I have seen many players leave cause of boredom after level 100/100/100/100 dragon or 200 adv rating biped what is there to do ? you have built your plot/lair , you have tried to get epic hunts going but no one wants to hunt , and farming for trophies is so boring ( even worst that leveling craft schools ), you even create multiple characters but it is the same. and then there are the players that have left cause they disagree with where the developers are taking the game. yes it is getting easier to help new players but it is the veterans that also need to be satisfied .please develop new quests and area where a high level biped can level without being overwhemed ( doom is only good for so long and Barrier vale is a death sentence for a solo biped ). as for Order .. it is the same old complaint by many too many player that would rather just sit in New Trismus and just Roleplay ( and there is nothing wrong with Roleplaying ) but when new and veteran players can't get a group together for a difficult hunt again and again.. they finally give up and eventually leave . same goes for the players that leave cause of the development and restructuring of Istaria ..after years of asking for age old bugs to be fixed and are ignored and then to have abilities nerfed orto find out that a new update has Broke part of the game and can't get fixed ( cenotaphs) .

  4. #24

    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by Azath View Post
    And what new player knows the correct order to do them with? And where to hunt the best mobs (like with water elementals - it was a long time before i realised it was easier on the shore than in the lakes)?
    It's just luck there if you're doing it all alone, and hope that when you quit a quest because it was too hard, the next one you pick up is actually the right one.
    to requote myself.. my 11 yr old son... he realised this area is hard but theres some on the shore.. he learnt how to pull pretty much on his own.. yes we have been there to help him if he's stuck but we let him try things his way.. he has required very little if any tuition and normally its cos he misunderstood the directions. about the only thing i would ask for is if atleast for the early quests if either map coordinates or preferably if a symbol could be added to their map help find it. (if the maps not possible coords (say nearest 6 figure grid) would work)

  5. #25

    Default Re: Low Population

    much truth in your words , terrox.
    (exept the hard way up to level 30)

    Its been the vets who rendered possible the famous 10 years
    Its the vets who leave one by one now-though they swore they never will.
    They tell me: Give me a call if there is something to hunt-and I`ll be back in a min.
    I do not ask for special treatment for vets - but even for a fan girl like me there is nothing left to do. So I pay for our subs-
    and log in now and then.
    Yesterday we had a Sog hunt- omg- we`ve been so excited. Not because of Sog (boring) - or the Demonogii it dropped
    (and noone needed) we loved to group-and play together..
    Don`t get me wrong PLEASE:
    This is no attack towards devs-who`s work and enthusiasm I appreciate so much- or some infantile whinig- its observation and what I feel.
    Maybe we need a new concept (I think we do)and a new target audience - both slowly implemented but in time.
    I am sure lots of people have ideas- we should start to collect and brainstorm.
    Last edited by LOVWYRM; July 7th, 2014 at 04:52 PM.
    YOU told me to play a dragon!

  6. #26

    Default Re: Low Population

    I kinda followed up on the hinted suggestion lov

    so I've started this

    http://community.istaria.com/forum/s...424#post298424
    Gwain Drago - Mystic Paladin
    Arzel - Knight of creation/Battlemage
    Aurakvoar - Ancient Lunus

  7. #27

    Default Re: Low Population

    I wonder if the color schemes of the areas may attract more players, just something bight and catchy?

  8. #28

    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by LOVWYRM View Post
    or the Demonogii it dropped (and noone needed)
    I still miss many of SoGs weapons for my collection. I just randomed too low ;D
    Research Assistant Pharaxes Sphaerideion (started playing 2007-09-08, ascended 2008-06-15)
    Dragon Adventurer: 100 (2009-01-05) Dragon Crafter: 100 (prior 2008-06-04)
    Dragon Crystalshaper: 100 (2013-12-21) Dragon Lairshaper: 100 (2013-09-28)

  9. #29
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    Default Re: Low Population

    If I may add some feedback (Amon if you are reading this please skip to "SEO"):

    Istaria is an "old hero game", aimed at a category of dedicated players that used to abound back at Everquest times. These days the very idea of not having a true hand-holding theme park annoys most contemporary players. They demand maps where quests have huge arrows highlighting the whole path, visual indicators about the exact direction the next NPC is, possibly (many new MMOs do this) also indicating the distance from it.

    Another showstopper is the graphics. These days players expect ray traced lighting including radiosity glass windows, true 3D maps, DirectX 10+ visual effects and shaders. Even Istaria's forums look "1995 epoque", whereas these days players expect social media integration, forum "achievement" points with various degrees of unlocking badges and more.

    Basically, Istaria is lovely for us ancient players who come from another player culture. A select few modern players too like Istaria but "select few" are so few they won't even replace the natural turnover.

    It's a pity, because Istaria deep mechanics and crafting are so immensely superior to the graphics candy contemporary theme parks...

    Finally, a MMO needs to be known or it slowly dries up. Until 4-5 years ago I could still find some very rare players (I have been and still am extensively playing most MMOs out there) who heard about "Horizons" (nobody knows it's called Istaria now) and I had to mention "the MMO with playable dragons" to get them to recall.

    Since 4-5 years, however, it's like Istaria does not exist. Nobody knows about this game.

    So far I have only listed factors that Istaria won't be able to change.

    But now I list stuff that could be improved at least to give Istaria more visibility for free.


    SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
    These days I have learned a number of concepts about SEO and internet marketing.

    Istaria search engine positioning has some improveable details. In example, the SEO title is cut wrong, the description does not really entice to try it and is incomprehensible:

    What Google says is:

    Istaria MMORPG offers Free to Play F2P and is a Fantasy ..

    Istaria is a Sandbox MMORPG with a small but strong and helpful community ...
    underground labyrinth and then flying through at top speed with your dragon?


    Now, tell me what a casual reader, who HAD to randomly find Istaria (it's THE dragons MMORPG yet it's not first search result for "dragons MMO" (it's fifth) despite the domain age giving a big boost):

    - He immediately read F2P which is universally HATED. These days F2P means: "crap game, free because it's bad" and "pay to win cash grab", whereas Istaria does not even have that defect.

    - Reads a cut and incomplete first line that mentions "small community". After so many utter MMO failures since 2008, gamers are SCARED to invest their time in an unsafe "surely going to die" title and the small community mention clicks their mind the wrong way.

    - Reads a nonsensical second line: "underground labyrinth WHAT?". Where does that sentence comes from? You have all of TWO precious Google lines to sell the product and one of them has no understandable meaning.


    Going technical, the Istaria.com home page has some issues that penalize the ranking. Here's a Pagespeed and YSlow report about it.

    SEO report: I can't paste it here, but Amon or others can easily get it by going to this website and entering Istaria's home page URL.
    You'll see from Javascript errors to wrong keywords density. Also, the tools does not say it, but there's keywords dilution due to large use of generalistic terms (adventuring and so on) whereas the selling, focused keywords are about half the amount that could be used.

    Also: you can't do a campaign only focusing on "dragons MMO" and little else. Only a niche of players even searches for those terms (since they don't know a dragons MMO actually exists to begin with).

    Also, did you know that Google gives huge importance to titles and bold text yet THE Istaria selling point (dragons) is only mentioned in small letters, no title saying "Dragons" (nor "playable dragons"), no bold nothing?

    Look at the other Istaria strong feature: crafting.

    Input "best crafting MMO" (Google itself suggests to use these terms) and Istaria is nowhere. At all.


    Well, let's search for another very strong Istaria point: players housing.

    Enter "player housing MMO" in Google and... Istaria is nowhere to be found. After all, Istaria's strong points (long tailed keywords) are not mentioned so how could Google (and thus potential players) know Istaria has all that goodness?

    About AdWords: did you know "dragons MMO" is a low competition keyword costing about 1/6 of the average priced keyword?

    Did you know that in a low competition market you can be top bidder with as low as few cents (despite Google showing higher price, you know, they love to make you overpay them).



    Basically, there ARE totally cheap improvements that could be done to make Istaria more visible. More visible means, more players will find it, more will want to try it and a subset of them will become new Istaria citizens.


    I hope Amon will take this as very constructive feedback, because it is.
    Last edited by Vahrokh; September 15th, 2014 at 01:00 AM.
    Vahrokh Vain - Ancient dragon level 100 adv 100 craft 34M of untainted, fireworks and other crap free hoard.
    Isarion - Reaver Healer Spiritist, many craft classes.

  10. #30

    Default Re: Low Population

    So good to read you again Vah.

    So good what you wrote.
    YOU told me to play a dragon!

  11. #31
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    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by LOVWYRM View Post
    So good to read you again Vah.

    So good what you wrote.
    Thank you, sweet hun !

    I always loved the Rants forums. It's where you find the most sincere and often the best feedback possible.
    Vahrokh Vain - Ancient dragon level 100 adv 100 craft 34M of untainted, fireworks and other crap free hoard.
    Isarion - Reaver Healer Spiritist, many craft classes.

  12. #32

    Default Re: Low Population

    well writen Vahrokh , but why waste your breath, Amon and the rest of the development team have already ignored most of the communities concerns with dealing with direction. They have their direction and that is IT ( new dragon schools or biped building classes). no matter what they ARE going to implement their visions even if it means driving ALL veteran players away. we have asked them many times to please fix what is broken first but then they nerf a class ( stealthly )or they will break something important ( cenotaphs ) and CAN"T FIX It .

  13. #33

    Default Re: Low Population

    Fantastic Post Vahrokh.

    Big thumbs up now we just need the devs to take notice
    Gwain Drago - Mystic Paladin
    Arzel - Knight of creation/Battlemage
    Aurakvoar - Ancient Lunus

  14. #34

    Default Re: Low Population

    Just feel the need to point out that Amon and I are content developers, not website developers. We have nothing to do with the Istaria.com website, forums, etc. other than being able to point this thread out to the person who is in charge of that.

    So to those who say that we're focused on other things... Why yes, we are, actually. Because it is not in our skill set to be focused on website design, ads, etc.

  15. #35
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    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by Velea View Post
    Just feel the need to point out that Amon and I are content developers, not website developers. We have nothing to do with the Istaria.com website, forums, etc. other than being able to point this thread out to the person who is in charge of that.

    So to those who say that we're focused on other things... Why yes, we are, actually. Because it is not in our skill set to be focused on website design, ads, etc.
    Good point, but you could pass that on to the people who ARE in charge of such things

    Istara's Chosen Guildmaster
    Experienced Hunter, Healer, and Grand Master Crafter

  16. #36

    Default Re: Low Population

    Lol Mach-
    Thats what she said she`s gonna do *passes purple glasses over to Mach*

    Somehow Vel- seems we think the two of you are responsible for all and everything.
    Which is a compliment in my eyes:-)

    Thy for answering and taking care about this.!


    and here is an extra "PLEASE"- you may use it where you think it is missing;-)
    YOU told me to play a dragon!

  17. #37
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    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by Velea View Post
    Just feel the need to point out that Amon and I are content developers, not website developers. We have nothing to do with the Istaria.com website, forums, etc. other than being able to point this thread out to the person who is in charge of that.
    Hello,

    First of all I love to see Devs reply even to posts on the Rants forum. It means you really care.

    Second, I am not well versed into the company positions, to me Amon is the handle for "the Powers That Be".

    So, if you feel it could help, please feel free to forward this feedback of mine to whoever is in charge.

    By the way, I have an update. We have a Facebook link at the top of the forum, right?

    Now, have you noticed how basically almost nobody in here clicks it and replies to Facebook?

    A SEO consultant would ask himself why, how to motivate people to increase interest in that so to try and cause their friends to come to know about Istaria (that's how Facebook works). Their friends are likely with similar taste and thus there's a potential group of subscribers who don't become subscribers because the Facebook page is not moving and they don't get notifications about news about Istaria. In fact it's not enough to post by the Istaria user, it's the Facebook page friends (it got 1700 or so!) who are not being compelled into spreading Istaria's word around.
    Vahrokh Vain - Ancient dragon level 100 adv 100 craft 34M of untainted, fireworks and other crap free hoard.
    Isarion - Reaver Healer Spiritist, many craft classes.

  18. #38

    Default Re: Low Population

    Indeed, Facebook is a very powerful tool. I have to admit I hadn't thought of how powerful it is and haven't "Liked" it yet (so my friends can see). But I will do it tonight. Maybe if everyone Likes it, can drum up some business I rarely Like things, but this is worth it, to get some new players, possibly. It's easy:




    Maybe even add that little "Like" icon somewhere on the page that automatically takes you to the Like feature (that so many sites have). So if everyone will join me, and take the effort to Like this page, who knows what can happen? Vahrokh says he/she has 1700 friends, I have about 250. So that's almost 2k people who will see this "Like". Possibly they will visit and see what the heck this is my friend is "liking"? Resulting into someone clicking the istaria.com link on the page. Can even go a step further and click on the "Invite friends to Like this page" link.

    Maybe even add a post (What's on your mind) one time "Playing Istaria @ Istaria.com, fun!"
    Death points are temporary, Glory is forever!
    Need game info? Try Istaria Reference or Istaria Lexica Wiki

  19. #39

    Default Re: Low Population

    Quote Originally Posted by Cegaiel View Post
    Vahrokh says he/she has 1700 friends, I have about 250.
    Slightly off-topic, but wow! I have 70 friends on FB, I know a few people who have between 100 to 120 friends on there, but 250+?!! Your social life must be crazy hehe! How do you remember all of them, how do you manage to schedule time to catch up with them all, how do you get time to play MMOs with that many friends already filling up your social life? One of my mates is a DJ and he's got around a thousand friends on FB but he freely admits he only knows about 50 of them personally, the rest are just people who like his music - makes me wonder if Vahrokh and yourself are secret celebrities

    Well go for it you folks, spread the word to 2000 people pronto!

  20. #40

    Default Re: Low Population

    I admit, I only know about 65 of them, the rest, is eh or people I met at the yearly family reunion BBQ. Funny how free BBQ and beer brings folks together Called networking, if even if you don't know them Always network! Friends of friends, yeah, get em!
    Death points are temporary, Glory is forever!
    Need game info? Try Istaria Reference or Istaria Lexica Wiki

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