Graals plan for disaster?

[Krakken]

Right here is my 2 _pence_.

I don't think you understand how much Cyberjoueurs sacrifice in order to provide this service to you. Maybe, by your judgement, Cyberjoueurs should cease playerworld hosting. They have to keep everything running still, so the only obvious alternative is to increase account cover costs to approximately double what they are now, you'd prefer that?

In regards to the hosting, the price they charge is a miniscule amount for the time and service you get. From no other game would you get these sorts of amazing deals. Plus, it's down to the server owner and their team whether or not the server makes it or not so they are the ones to blame here if anyone.

Most of the best developers refuse to work on hosted projects so there is not really any drain on the game currently. The reason for the decline is that most of the early developers have grown up and moved on and there hasn't been enough of a supply of new people to take their place.

I do actually agree that hosting and spreading of servers has really impacted on the player base in a negative way. I'd much rather have one or two servers that I know everyone would be dedicated to and develop for. I mean, from what I have seen of UN, Bomy Lands (2001) blows it out the water but no-one plays it... and why?... because their communities are already established on UN and I can't see that changing any time soon.

One thing I love about Graal is the social aspect. It's much different from any other games in that you can go on and have fun and know almost everyone on the server sometimes; it's like a big family online. Graal, I believe, needs to focus on that aspect some more in order to build it's future prospects.

And one other thing... you realise that you are somewhat contradicting yourself when you say you want to reduce the number of playerworlds but also want to reduce the prices that they can be bought for...

[jake13jake]

Originally Posted by Krakken

Most of the best developers refuse to work on hosted projects so there is not really any drain on the game currently. The reason for the decline is that most of the early developers have grown up and moved on and there hasn't been enough of a supply of new people to take their place.

I agree with most of that. I don't agree with this. The only half-decent scripters on Classic are Master Storm, Ibonic, GrowlZ, and myself. GrowlZ more freelances around a bit, Ibo doesn't participate in staff activity. Storm's activity got a buzz for a bit when we had a try to temporarily integrate his systems with the new ones I made (and we really need a Dev server so that we can really just switch the control NPC to my systems). Storm is away for a while, so that leaves me as Classic's only mainstream scripter. DC is getting a kick out of scripting for GC, and getting a bit of good experience, such that I'd actually like to recruit him for non-GC projects if he weren't unwilling. The only other scripter on the staff list is Yen, who forgets he is staff on Classic because he's working all over the place. I keep him there, though, because he's been more qualified than anyone else who has applied. So, if I need him, I'll try to get him.

I mean, people are making business scripting for developing PWs. Some of the PW owners are actually paying people to make tilesets, etc. It's not such a bad tactic. Unfortunately I don't have any money derrr... Yea, I'm absolutely not being paid for being LAT Admin.

I've spent a lot more time tiling the past week than I have scripting-- I can give you that. I also get involved in graphics a bit, but usually just cleaning up a graphic or making a prototype sprite to go by (ex. horses).

So yea, don't know anyone who can tile cliffs right except for myself. Maximus is the other person I know to do cliffs well... I think he may have quit or something. It's a shame, I respected his judgement more than he knew.