The biggest con of ArmMUD is idle-time/downtime. Some of us can deal with it and others can't. I'm wondering how you folks deal with it.
I'm just musing on how to gain and retain players here.
I take care of crafting and such during this time so other times can be spent on bar RP, social, RPTs, sparring etc
What downtime? You are only as idle as you want to be depending on the role. I usually play roles that always have something they could be doing. I play in Oz so for the most part I gravitate to fairly independant pcs.
If you mean aides etc, nobles, browsing shops for interesting wares, plotting the downfall of enemies, trying to figure out strange behavior by PCs, and writing bios. Also crafting really helps with downtime on the more social roles. There is also the quit function which works well!
IMO: Arma is like any vocation in that it can have seasons. Some industries pick up as summer ends (back to school supplies manufacturers) while others die down (various forms of tourism). We're upon the last long weekend for a moment, so the game had probably died down a bit as folks simultaneously enjoy the last of summer and gear up for fall. It sucks, but I know I am going to be Arming hardcore soon.
To me the important thing is commitment to a certain time slot.
I tend to log in for an hour or two at the same time every night, so that my PC is available/can be found regularly.
I try not to extend that into 3+ anymore unless it's for an RPT, as I feel that leads to burnout.
PCs can be draining when it is overextended meetings/playing but just pontificating. I prefer to get in, get the action done, and then log out.
I definitely know my way around solo RP, but I do it with intention and almost plan it. If I log in, and it's late or no one is around, I treat it like a 'Solo RP Session'. I get to know my PC a bit better, I do something that is solitary or internal (Feels/Thinks), and then I log out.
The game is much healthier to interact with when you play it, and don't let it play you. It's easy to fall into the trap of always being online, or sneaking online at work, or idling to wait for interaction. My suggestion is to better plan when you log in, make it a consistent window of time, and log out rather than idle waiting for the action to find you.
I always try to set up a recurring activity that will lead to plot, but DOES NOT require a leader pc. If I dont get it right, my pc rarely lasts more than the first 30-60 days of real time. Without a routine leading somewhere, I get impatient and either get involved in pvp or exploration. Both lead to dead pcs.
I've had something like a dozen characters or a little more fail to get over this hump, and exactly three get over. One was a half giant alleycat. One was in a great rivalry that the other pc could have killed me at will and didnt. The last was recruited into a third clan right at the danger point by two of the best leaders I've played with in the game.