Are less people playing of late?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Stabbath, Dec 16, 2019.

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  1. Sean Silverfoot

    Sean Silverfoot Avatar

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    Got to disagree a bit, I have a ton of friends playing in games that go nowhere near a game's forums, they absolutely hate any forums. Nowadays I only stop by maybe once a day to check on new information coming and anything PaxLair related
     
  2. Joe Zhudarak

    Joe Zhudarak Avatar

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    people, me included are using more discord nowadays. The best metric is steam charts, NOT for the total numbers but the % var each month
     
  3. Mishikal

    Mishikal Avatar

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    There are two decent ways to get metrics. One, as noted is from steam charts. The downside to this is that it only reflects the activity of those players using steam, but generally one would expect the overall population to follow a similar pattern:

    https://steamcharts.com/app/326160

    The second way to get metrics is from SOTA itself, via its own API, which has been done at:

    https://shroudoftheavatar.net/how-many-people-play-shroud-of-the-avatar

    Both show some variability over the course of any given month, but a long term downward trend.
     
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  4. Stabbath

    Stabbath Avatar

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    Hi. Yes, one of the reasons I haven't been playing is I got burned out just doing the same thing over and over again and progressing hardly at all as a solo player. I mostly solo that is.

    Also, my initial character build (blades and heavy armor)I had to switch due to being useless as a solo player with high lvl content. Switched over to cloth, fire etc. cookie cutter build. Once I grinded that out and even respecced out of blades, the fire skill tree got nerfed.. Can't win. For a classless system I feel less powerful and forced into builds in sota than any other game I recall playing. The irony.

    Crafting, fishing quests I've always wanted more of. Current game I'm playing has all that and more.
     
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  5. Stabbath

    Stabbath Avatar

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    I was able to play the game as mostly a solo player (I started grouping or partnering up after playing the game for 3-4 months all solo with the exception of learning recipes lol). After around my 7 months total playing I started looking elsewhere and found it for the time being. New quests would help bring my interest back, but I don't know for how long.
     
  6. Cordelayne

    Cordelayne Bug Hunter

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    I know I am not. I have lost complete interest in the game and the game's development. LUA? Inky? I really don't care about these things, but am hopeful that maybe they can create something worthwhile in the long run.

    Episode 1 still needs work, how in the world can they REALLY move on to Episode 2?
     
  7. Sentinel2

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    Presuming the sources are even close. Showing a downward trend. Not where I was hoping to see it go. perhaps after EP2 we'll see a reversal. Hoping.
     
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  8. Sulaene Moon

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    It's probably because everyone is on vacation or away with family. After the new year it might get better.
     
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  9. Xiones

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    I took a break from the game. I still enjoy the game, but got burned out just doing the same thing all the time. Dragons, Crafting, UT, Tartrus, Lost Vale etc etc..... Still a great community of players. I wish they would increase the drop rate of gathering materials for crafting(ingots, wood, etc etc).

    You can catch me Friday 11pm CST on twitch for Vermagnussen "Midnight Rave"
     
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  10. Chris

    Chris Tech Lord Moderator Ambassador SOTA Developer

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    I'll put out a long term plan before the end of the year. As for numbers, they have gone up and down, but generally right where they were 3 months ago, actually a bit higher but only like 10%. All my ads and promotions point people to our website, not steam. The good news is our Steam reviews are rising! Yay! The bad news is, people who play through steam are declining but because more are playing in the client.

    Again, I'll try and get out a 2020 Vision document for people before the end of the year that describe where we're headed.
     
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  11. Sulaene Moon

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    What ads and promotions are you talking about? I haven't seen anything.

    Considering all of the past planning said that Ep2 was to be released in May then end of 2019 including massive repricing in the crown store and completion of player-made dungeons I won't hold my breath, but I'll hold my money. I know unplanned vacations and sick days throw schedules out the window.
     
  12. Xee

    Xee Bug Hunter

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    I have not been on as much this last month, I have been busy getting things done before the holidays as well dealing with a loss of a person dear to me. I know with holidays here myself included will be away visiting family and friends, but come Jan. I will be back along with others. Myself I look forward to the Player quest stuff which may not be for all but many in our guild have big plans and rewards for the quest and dungeon stuff. Mind you with cookie cutter dungeon rooms we may have to be extra creative to make things great.

    Ep2 stuff from what we have seen looks great, the new map looks interesting along with the overland map we had a sneak peak at. The Bard Class is coming which will open up more combinations etc. On the quest side not a whole lot has been talked about short of Ep2 will have less NPC towns but sounds like they will be mainly quest driven.

    I think some though who are not excited for LUA (add-on's for interfaces and information handling) stuff may look at the last two releases as meh... but rest assured these are all underlay systems which will benefit all in the end even those that are like Wha? LUA? Scripting? :)

    Myself I do wish they could though have one person on the team just focus on adding more quests to all them scenes to give them more meaning @Chris Wink wink. I also agree that even though many group myself along with some in this thread sometimes prefer solo and would love to see more quest bases stuff for the solo players too. Also would love daily random quests. We have researchers, the monks and the hunter small random quests perhaps expand these some more with rewards for bringing them more things for daily.

    As to Crafting I totally understand that there should be at least weekly way to get some sort of workorder with xp and or rewards to make it something that all could play. Being that I craft a lot (understatement) its for sure not for everyone in the current system its mind numbing... although in the end it can be profitable. however almost impossible for people to catch up to all us Vets which can be discouraging especially when the high end gear can be equipped by all making the lower tiers not really appealing when end game gear in some cases are almost as cheap as some of the new peoples stuff.

    These are just my views and thoughts , happy Christmas all!

    Gov. Xee
     
  13. Saevio Vehemens

    Saevio Vehemens Avatar

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    I'm still playing, just not as much. I've put so much time and money into the game. The archer nerf is still a craw in my side, I was finally able to solo some of the harder places (like the rise). Anyhow, that's all gone now. Playing solo is the standard on this game and if you can't solo the harder places, and if the easier places are not providing enough of a benefit, and lfg is all UT. Why the heck should I even try.
     
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  14. Pawz

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    Traffic is always down in all MMO's around the holidays. People are traveling, shopping etc.
     
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  15. Cora Cuz'avich

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    I'm still semi-active in the forums, but that's mostly because I can do that at work. Otherwise, I login once a month to pay my rent, and restock my vendor as long as supplies last. I'm with the other players that favor casual solo play- I've hit the lvl 100ish wall where I've gotten bored with what I can do, and the stuff I can't do is so far off that the thought of how much more of the boring stuff I'd need to do to get there makes me cringe.
     
  16. Montaigne

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    I stopped playing after the archery changes.
     
  17. Boris Mondragon

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    I will offer a few suggestions for EP2/ long term plan that can be taken for advisement/considered or discarded.

    1) Raid party group added to GM powers.

    2) New Ore/Leather/Wood/Cloth/Other crafting component that can be produced through a combination of current in game components. i.e. Shadow ore combining 2 other ores. Face it, new land mass , new mobs and a couple of new cities needs a little something extra.

    3) Fix the bandit armor mess with new cloth/metal to help out crafters that will equal comparable damage. While you are at it throw in some new weapons also craftable that can equate the xen bow.

    I see EP2 as make or break this game from my opinion. Make a bold statement of intent before the lights start to flicker.

    R/Boris
     
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  18. Cora Cuz'avich

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    Yeah, that too.
     
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  19. Xee

    Xee Bug Hunter

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    You know Archers can still are in the top for ST dps even with the nerf. One of our top damage people in our guild for Archery is Nomad Nevermore. He was upset for a while but since then he spent time working on his build and now can do more dmg then he could before. They also added a artifact set of armor and the heavy +3 tier MW/Enchants which booted stats up enough to offset the dmg :)
     
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  20. Cora Cuz'avich

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    I don't care. I don't want to be in the top x% of DPS, I want to have fun playing the game. After a very very long time grinding the same boring content, I had finally made it to a point where I could start doing things that were new to me again. I could fight daemons. I was able to (barely) take down a unicorn. I even managed an aether Lich, though it took fifteen minutes. I was enjoying the game for the first time in months, and then suddenly I was back to struggling in the Rise again. Telling me that I could spend another six months grinding away again and searching for an ugly artifact set (that will probably get nerfed as soon as I get one) does not make me think coming back to the game will result in any fun. I will hold out until ep2 and see what that's like, but otherwise, I have no desire to play a game that seems bound and determined to try and make treading water a foundational mechanic.
     
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