January 2014 Where Survey Results

[Nyr]

Raw data for January

Total new accounts created:  191
Duplicates (created multiple accounts out of confusion/staff accounts/etc):  0
New accounts minus the above: 191



Where people came from
(noteworthy results mentioned, some might be concurrent)

Topmudsites:  22
Themudconnector: 56
Google:  16 (note that these can probably be attributed to either TMS or TMC)
Search/web:  7 (these also can probably be attributed to either TMS or TMC)
Friends/other players/family/co-workers/homies:  23
Reddit:  9
Random forums:  16
TVtropes:  2

A smattering of some miscellaneous answers:
Ask.com
Pasta Crafting
My old college friend is forcing me to do this



Login data

Actual logins (created a character that was approved and they logged in):  45
1 hour or less in playtime: 7
1-2 hours of playtime:  10
2-6 hours of playtime:  8
6-20 hours of playtime:  10 (3 logged in as recently as Friday)
20+ hours of playtime:  10 (6 logged in as recently as Saturday)

GDB Accounts created in January
Of these 9 active/high playtime players above, 5 have already created GDB accounts and have already been posting.

We also have a few players that came onto the forums with a GDB account this month to post and such, though their game accounts are not new this month.  I'm throwing those up here because in each case it is a player that is playing actively enough to post and play even if they aren't from this month.  (I dunno if I'll keep doing that.)

1 with a game account created in December 2013
1 with a game account created in November 2013
1 with a game account created in 2010
1 with a game account created in 2005

It looks like doing a two-part review of actual playtime + recent login time is a better way to determine the folks that are presently sticking to the game from the month.  I think it would also do some good to send a brief e-mail to the most active (the 9 identified) to point them to the forum and possibly a survey or something like that.

Working on getting tools that will track origin, start location, racial choice, length of time in newbie area (if at all), login time window, and possibly playerbase interaction (did they interact with another PC or not).  We also could report the most playtime from a new player for the month, but I don't know if they'd want us to do that...so we'll leave that kinda nebulous and vague.



If you're one of those people above?  Feel free to chime in here!  Getting your perspective on things will hopefully help out future players.

[Cutthroat]

That drop from TMC is interesting. We had 125 people come to us from TMC from November and 84 from December, yet only 56 in January. The main difference about our presence on TMC those months is that we were in first place November and December... and second place for most of January. Goes to show what a big difference that can make, I suppose.

What is good news though is that word-of-mouth and alternate sources are going pretty strong. If you know people interested in tabletop or forum roleplaying, RPGs or even other MUDs, I think those would be ideal people to talk to about Arm.

[FantasyWriter]

Has anyone ever considered sending a "Hey, how are you enjoying our game?" letter after X hours played?

[Narf]

Has anyone ever considered sending a "Hey, how are you enjoying our game?" letter after X hours played?

Too needy.

How about we just send them this instead?



Seems suitably manly and aloof.

[WithSprinkles]

You had me at "Hello."

[FantasyWriter]

Haha, I was thinking more along the lines of something that -asked- for constructive criticism, since this is the group that regular players will come from.
Perhaps they could be pointed to an area/faucet of the game that is more along the lines of what they want since they have already stuck their foot in and tested the water.

[Nyr]

Haha, I was thinking more along the lines of something that -asked- for constructive criticism, since this is the group that regular players will come from.
Perhaps they could be pointed to an area/faucet of the game that is more along the lines of what they want since they have already stuck their foot in and tested the water.

It looks like doing a two-part review of actual playtime + recent login time is a better way to determine the folks that are presently sticking to the game from the month.  I think it would also do some good to send a brief e-mail to the most active (the 9 identified) to point them to the forum and possibly a survey or something like that.

(bolded for emphasis)

[FantasyWriter]

Sorry, missed that one, my good sir.
Great minds think alike!

[Eluin]

I /think/ I'm one of those 9 and I certainly wouldn't mind taking the time to answer a few questions on a survey or something if I were emailed such, though I did kinda join a bit late in the month of January. (My defense for thinking I might have had that much playtime in 2-3 days was that I was kinda sick.)