How new players find us.

[Qzzrbl]

I had this friend who I had gotten addicted to Mudding, and I showed him to Armageddon a few weeks after finding it myself. He started off as a half-elf in 'Rinth and attacked the first NPC he saw. After his resurrection, he bought a dagger, and tried attacking said NPC again. He came to me saying that Armageddon is too hard, so I called him a bitch and never spoke to him again. 

[Barzalene]

emote appears, as summoned, with a *poof* of smoke and a spreadsheet analysis.

February 2008: 163 responses, 137 non-null
Friend - 28%
TopMudSites.com - 17%
MudConnect.com - 15%
Internet Search - 12%
Other MUD/MUSH/game - 4%
Returning player - 4%
zMUD - 3%
Wikipedia - 1%
Elfwood - 1%

There was a 26% increase in the number of new accounts from January to February. Wow.

However, when I look at unique player counts and character applications over the time period, I'm not seeing any concomitant increases in those numbers. (Though the numbers for the last week of February are not complete.) This again tells me we have an issue with new player retention, such that we are retaining new players only at something near replacement rate.

My educated -guess- about which sources are highest quality for player retention would be the "friends" source, because friends are likely to help a new player figure out how to play ARM, and have a vested interest in doing so. Beyond that it's really hard to say, without numbers.

I'd like the stats on people who find Arm in their dreams or other psionically related methods, please.

[Mood]

I had this friend who I had gotten addicted to Mudding, and I showed him to Armageddon a few weeks after finding it myself. He started off as a half-elf in 'Rinth and attacked the first NPC he saw. After his resurrection, he bought a dagger, and tried attacking said NPC again. He came to me saying that Armageddon is too hard, so I called him a bitch and never spoke to him again. 

You ended a friendship over a friend not liking arm?

[Kevo]

The only reason I kept coming back to armageddon was because I couldn't catch on. I had only three or four chars in the beginning, and decided to give up. But there's a catch, I didn't leave the GDB. I kept reading the posts, saw how much fun everyone was having, and kept coming back. I wanted in. Eventually, I got the hang of it, but uh, I still need some polishing.


Let any kind of newbie interaction from the code be optional. Perhaps sidenotes, our players or staff visible in the Hall Of Kings. Talk to them. It's the only conceivable way to merge IC and OOC without being too much of either. This way, the transition is a lot easier. Maybe even just helpful volunteers. Although, this idea has a lot of potential problems.

Oh, also, I wanted to share some offensive and questionable pictures wuth you all.http://www.topmudsites.com/cgi-bin/topmuds/rankem.cgi?id=sanvean

[Ourla]

Oh, also, I wanted to share some offensive and questionable pictures wuth you all.http://www.topmudsites.com/cgi-bin/topmuds/rankem.cgi?id=sanvean

Ha.  You got me.

[Fathi]

emote appears, as summoned, with a *poof* of smoke and a spreadsheet analysis.

February 2008: 163 responses, 137 non-null
Friend - 28%
TopMudSites.com - 17%
MudConnect.com - 15%
Internet Search - 12%
Other MUD/MUSH/game - 4%
Returning player - 4%
zMUD - 3%
Wikipedia - 1%
Elfwood - 1%

There was a 26% increase in the number of new accounts from January to February. Wow.

However, when I look at unique player counts and character applications over the time period, I'm not seeing any concomitant increases in those numbers. (Though the numbers for the last week of February are not complete.) This again tells me we have an issue with new player retention, such that we are retaining new players only at something near replacement rate.

My educated -guess- about which sources are highest quality for player retention would be the "friends" source, because friends are likely to help a new player figure out how to play ARM, and have a vested interest in doing so. Beyond that it's really hard to say, without numbers.

Whispering Swedes - < 1%

[Rhyden]

People from Ottawa - 50%

[Malken]

People are coming from Elfwood? That explains the current Tuluki playerbase.

[BlackMagic0]

People are coming from Elfwood? That explains the current Tuluki playerbase.

I've had/or/have 2 tuluki PCs..... The first died of getting lost in the ruins.... ~facepalm~ Dehydration blows.

[Mood]

People are coming from Elfwood? That explains the current Tuluki playerbase.

>tell malken (softly, his cheeks stained by tears) Don't be mean...

>sip wine

[a strange shadow]

The mean ones are the ones you don't see...

Until you hear a *BEEP*

[Mood]

The mean ones are the ones you don't see...

Until you hear a *BEEP*

No, I think they pretty much just don't exist.

Yes, that's a challenge.

[a strange shadow]

Thanks for the laugh.

[Belenos]

For the month or March 2008

• Sat Mar 1 - Mudconnector search
• Sat Mar 1 - from a player
• Sat Mar 1 - mudconnector
• Sat Mar 1 - I learned of Armageddon through Shadows of Isildur.
• Sun Mar 2 - Friend who played before
• Sun Mar 2 - No Reason Given
• Sun Mar 2 - mudconnect.com
• Sun Mar 2 - No Reason Given
• Mon Mar 3 - word of mouth
• Mon Mar 3 - Topmudsites.com
• Tue Mar 4 - No Reason Given
• Tue Mar 4 - top mud sites
• Tue Mar 4 - skip
• Tue Mar 4 - My husband
• Tue Mar 4 - Mudconnect.com
• Wed Mar 5 - Google.
• Wed Mar 5 - Accursed Lands
• Wed Mar 5 - From my brother and friends who have been playing for over a year
• Wed Mar 5 - http://masters-shawn.tripod.com/gamelinks/mud.htm
• Wed Mar 5 - a friend
• Wed Mar 5 - Friend.
• Wed Mar 5 - Friend
• Wed Mar 5 - My friend told me through email
• Thu Mar 6 - mudconnector
• Fri Mar 7 - google
• Fri Mar 7 - i used to play 10 years ago and looked it up again
• Sat Mar 8 - topmudsites.com
• Sat Mar 8 - Long time ago, used to play
• Sun Mar 9 - I've read about it in the Wikipedia column 'Low fantasy.'
• Sun Mar 9 - i saw it on wikipedia
• Sun Mar 9 - RPIMud Network
• Sun Mar 9 - search
• Sun Mar 9 - google
• Sun Mar 9 - During a search about 'void' for my new tabletop magic system, Yahoo offered me the discussion board of the game.
• Sun Mar 9 - No Reason Given
• Sun Mar 9 - From a friend of mine.
• Mon Mar 10 - topmudsites
• Mon Mar 10 - Top MUD Sites
• Mon Mar 10 - [email address given]
• Tue Mar 11 - Internet
• Tue Mar 11 - wikipedia
• Tue Mar 11 - No Reason Given
• Tue Mar 11 - I played briefly a few years ago. I think I found it on mudconnector.
• Tue Mar 11 - topmudsites.com
• Wed Mar 12 - google
• Wed Mar 12 - Wikipedia
• Wed Mar 12 - TMS
• Wed Mar 12 - word of mouth
• Wed Mar 12 - Other RPI (SoI)
• Wed Mar 12 - a friend
• Thu Mar 13 - No Reason Given
• Thu Mar 13 - a website
• Fri Mar 14 - Top MUD Sites
• Sat Mar 15 - The offtopic forums at www.darkfallonline.com
• Sat Mar 15 - friend told me about it.
• Sat Mar 15 - used to play want to play again
• Sat Mar 15 - the mud community.
• Sat Mar 15 - friend
• Sat Mar 15 - gowsqhc
• Sat Mar 15 - personal website
• Sat Mar 15 - The ethereal whisperings of two atoms, as they passed fleetingly in space and time. Actually, what was it? rpimud.com , that's right
• Sat Mar 15 - A friend.
• Sun Mar 16 - Online
• Sun Mar 16 - [email address given]
• Sun Mar 16 - internet
• Sun Mar 16 - Friend told me about it.
• Sun Mar 16 - Top Mud Sites.
• Sun Mar 16 - c
• Sun Mar 16 - No Reason Given
• Mon Mar 17- My bossmans wife plays and I like to try it one time.
• Mon Mar 17 - help faq_1
• Tue Mar 18 - No Reason Given
• Wed Mar 19 - Mudconnect
• Wed Mar 19 - No Reason Given
• Wed Mar 19 - A friend insisted I try it. I'm a writer, not a Mudder.. but I figured I'd try it anyway.
• Wed Mar 19 - old OLD player, asked to rejoin
• Thu Mar 20 - another player
• Thu Mar 20 - FOUND IT ON MY OWN
• Thu Mar 20 - Topmudsites.com, if memory serves.
• Thu Mar 20 - Googled top muds
• Fri Mar 21 - rpimud
• Fri Mar 21 - I heard about it in the forums at Imperian.com
• Fri Mar 21 - surfing S
• Sat Mar 22 - A Friend
• Sat Mar 22 - From a friend
• Sat Mar 22 - friends
• Sat Mar 22 - kkkksk
• Sat Mar 22 - google
• Sat Mar 22 - No Reason Given
• Sun Mar 23 - I heard about the game in a linux user group meeting.
• Sun Mar 23 - No Reason Given
• Sun Mar 23 - krmqloe
• Sun Mar 23 - ustvs4J10
• Sun Mar 23 - I read Armageddon's page on The Mudconnector, as well as some reviews there.
• Sun Mar 23 - TMC
• Sun Mar 23 - Former players
• Sun Mar 23 - mudconnector
• Mon Mar 24 - Mudconnect.com
• Mon Mar 24 - I was looking at MUDs on Wikipedia and you guys are awesome!!!
• Mon Mar 24 - No Reason Given
• Mon Mar 24 - No Reason Given
• Mon Mar 24 - mudconnect
• Tue Mar 25 - No Reason Given
• Tue Mar 25 - mud connector
• Tue Mar 25 - Review
• Tue Mar 25 - No Reason Given
• Tue Mar 25 - I googles "roleplay MUD" and this stuck out
• Wed Mar 26 - In TBMIC.jiglu.com, a mailing list for the blind mudders.
• Wed Mar 26 - I've heard about it from a friend, and also from TMC (The Mud Connector).
• Wed Mar 26 - Googling, 'Permadeath RPG'.
• Wed Mar 26 - TMC
• Wed Mar 26 - Recommendation from a friend
• Wed Mar 26 - I was playing a naruto mud so i went to the top mud site and searched for a post apocalyptic one and i found you guys
• Thu Mar 27 - www.topmudsites.com
• Thu Mar 27 - topmudsites
• Thu Mar 27 - No Reason Given
• Thu Mar 27 - wrb
• Fri Mar 28 - Through other players at an RPI MUD 'Shadows of Isildur.'
• Fri Mar 28 - No Reason Given
• Fri Mar 28 - google
• Fri Mar 28 - TMS
• Fri Mar 28 - TMS
• Fri Mar 28 - No Reason Given
• Sat Mar 29 - From the internet
• Sat Mar 29 - Mudconnector player review
• Sat Mar 29 - mudconnector
• Sat Mar 29 - Surfing on the internet
• Sun Mar 30 - A friend recommended it.
• Sun Mar 30 - topmudsites.com
• Sun Mar 30 - From back in highschool.
• Sun Mar 30 - RPI mud list
• Mon Mar 31 - Mudconnector Mud Review
• Mon Mar 31 - mudconnector.com
• Mon Mar 31 - mudconnector
• Mon Mar 31 - mudconnector.com
• Mon Mar 31 - from another player
• Mon Mar 31 - searched
• Mon Mar 31 - i searched "mud" on google.com
• Mon Mar 31 - Surfing Wikipedia.
• Mon Mar 31 - mudconnect.com
• Mon Mar 31 - From a biography on OkCupid

[RogueGunslinger]

That is a lot of new people per month, Wish they all would stay.


My favorite: FOUND IT ON MY OWN

[Ourla]

The number of people that hear about us from TMS and TMC should convince every damn one of us to vote every day.  Boost them numbers!

[Barzalene]

I'm sad that no one this month found us in a dream.

[Barzalene]

http://masters-shawn.tripod.com/gamelinks/mud.htm
Nice description of us here.

[Maso]

Wow. That's a hell of a lot of new players for one month. If we got that many keepers who turned into talented players every month - Arm would kickin' hot!

[Olafson]

In my programming class, we are to make our own version of an MUD, and we were pointed to this game as reference.

That's pretty cool. Props to the teacher.

Sorry...just noticed this thread, and thank you...thank you very much.

I teach programming and get the students to modify CircleMud, add some classes, spells, races, some imm commands, etc...

Gives them a good feeling for what large programs look like, and how they need to learn someone else's code.  And the linklists are very good tools for kids getting ready for University level programming to pick up.

It was actually the first time in years I referenced Arm, and it was a dilemma to do so or not.

While I believe in the game, passing on an addictive game like Arm is always questionable for the morals of the teacher, let alone the adult situations that come along.

I did so probably ten years ago as well and I know those students played too much and the result were students like Mansa.  Yes, I am responsible for introducing Mansa to Arm.  Thank me or hate me, don't condemn me.

[ditchhook]

I've only been playing a week, but what I'd like to see is a 'mini-mud' with all the same code, with a bunch of tools, mounts, raw materials and weapons laying around, and some different environments. I could take an untrainable clone of my character there and experiment with different commands OOCly. My characters stats wouldn't improve, I the player would just be able to explore how the game works on an OOC level without risk to my character in the actual game.

If I indicate in the game "how the hell would I do this" the other person in the room could respond "OOC: log out and meet me in the practice rooms, and I'll show you." We go there and can have an ooc lesson on how/when to use commands, and even on RP conventions. I can waste resources or whatever, and not worry about the IC repercussions. Every time the game reboots, the mini-mud would reset. Of course, I could also go there on my own and just experiment.

I don't know about having potential predators in a connected set of rooms, so one could learn how 'tough' they are. That might be going too far. But to make something so new players could practice combat commands without putting their character at risk would also be nice.

[LoD]

One of the issues with creating "practice rooms" like that that other players could access would be the potential for OOC communication and abuse.  While I'm sure you wouldn't necessarily have those intentions, there are people who would probably take advantage of the OOC environment, especially if multiple "new" players inhabited the same space.

As a new player, what would you think of an option in the current game where you could choose to "Enter Zalanthas" or "Enter Practice Zalanthas"?

The second option would load you into one of several isolated chambers where you could interact with a variety of objects and resources to learn the syntax.  Immortals would be able to see who was logged into these "Practice" rooms and perhaps be more inclined to pop in and talk/help directly with the players.  You wouldn't be able to have any OOC communication with other players, only the Staff, but you could use all of the same skills your character and use them on practice NPC's and with practice objects, neither of which would transfer into the "real" game.

-LoD

[ditchhook]

It would be very useful even if I had to be there alone, or with staff.

But I wouldn't think people would be eager to use an "in house" venue to cheat like that. I'd expect serious cheaters to use AIM or e-mail. It would be too easy for staff to log or monitor the practice rooms.

[Xio]

It would be very useful even if I had to be there alone, or with staff.

QFT

[Maso]

One of the issues with creating "practice rooms" like that that other players could access would be the potential for OOC communication and abuse.  While I'm sure you wouldn't necessarily have those intentions, there are people who would probably take advantage of the OOC environment, especially if multiple "new" players inhabited the same space.

As a new player, what would you think of an option in the current game where you could choose to "Enter Zalanthas" or "Enter Practice Zalanthas"?

The second option would load you into one of several isolated chambers where you could interact with a variety of objects and resources to learn the syntax.  Immortals would be able to see who was logged into these "Practice" rooms and perhaps be more inclined to pop in and talk/help directly with the players.  You wouldn't be able to have any OOC communication with other players, only the Staff, but you could use all of the same skills your character and use them on practice NPC's and with practice objects, neither of which would transfer into the "real" game.

-LoD

I like this idea. I really think some method of helping to teach new players would be good. Documentation is all very well but people who are new to mudding especially need extra guidance. I've helped a few new players, a couple were friends and one that I stumbled across in Red Storm. I find it very challenging and it would be nice to see these players come into the harsh world of Zalanthas with a few tricks up their sleeves already.