[thesmoothcriminal]

Please note: this is just my opinion, i do love graal and want to see it do well. So no flaming please, my opinion is based off what i remember when i used to play. anyway...

I have just logged on for the first time in 6 or so years since i last played graal and its charm is still here (kind of at least) but it hasnt changed at all. That isnt really a bad thing but its really the community that made the game for me (and i believe is a make or break thing for modern mmo's). Back in its prime, graal was popular, having a huge player base but now the mmo environment has opened up and competitors have come in and changed the landscape while graal hasnt changed at all. I dont think it can compete with all current mmorpgs even the 2d ones (especially all the free ones). Now that there are so many mmo's out there for a player to choose what makes graal a cut above the rest? the game needs to be looked at from a business/marketing perspective (and im no expert).

I think the iphone application is great idea. Its fresh territory for mmorpgs that needs to be capitalized on and in turn it will draw players to the pc version. Unfortunately graal isnt being developed on by a huge team like other mmorpgs that it competes with and thats understandable. So rather graal should take a different approach then other mmo's that will give it a competitive advantage. Graal should focus mostly on what i loved about when i first played, not the content itself but the ability to make your own player world.

Not many others offer what graal can in terms of players being able to put there own stuff online easily. Improving player world development should be graal's means of competition and i think if marketed new players will respond. While i dont know what has changed over the last 6 years I think that focusing on player development and improving the quality and means by which they can do it will make graal stand out and draw more players. Now i must stress i dont know how the business end works for stefan/unixmad and i believe that game isnt making them rich but i think the pricing model needs to change (if possible to keep the game alive).The game needs to be free to draw in players (my opinion) so it can stay competitive. Playerworld development should be the means of making money (i remember something similar being tried back in the day). Maybe through off once payments for space or a cash shop for addons for playerworlds (just ideas coming to mind). Ultimately we need to look at other similar mmorpgs, what there doing in terms of pricing and quality. Anyway again all my opinion based off what i know from a while back. thanks for reading all that.