Promotion: Numbers, Goals & Incentives!

[gorboth]

Greetings Genesissians!

Now that promotion is underway, it is a good idea for us to look at some
of the data regarding the playerbase so that we can set some goals.

First off, let me reitorate the concept of APH. APH stands for Average
Per Hour, and is the way the census tracks the size of the active
playerbase. Each hour, the census takes a snapshot of the number of
non-linkdead non-wizard people who are logged into the game, and we call
this the playerbase. There are many peaks and valleys in the snapshots of a
typical day (gametime 20:00 usually representing the peak) and so we average
the snapshots from each hour to get the APH for a given day. Now, lets
look at some data.

To give some context to these data, I'll rewind the clock back to one
year ago, in October of 2010. October of 2010 represents the lowest dip
we've seen in the Genesis population since we began census measurements.
From the start of that year (2010) the game experienced a steady overall
decline down to the point where we sat for an entire week with an APH
of less than 10!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hourly player activity for week of Oct 10 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16|
P 14|
L 12| . O
A 10| O . O O O
Y 8| O O O O O O O
E 6| O O O O O O O
R 4| O O O O O O O
S 2| O O O O O O O
-----+------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day | Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.
-----+------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mean weekly average players per hour = 9.714 (APH)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's just disgusting! It was a terrible week, and it motivated me to shift
priorities in development. Not long after, I posted on the Common Board
(its still there, at time of this posting) a note titled "Time to Gear Up
for the Push!". I officially abandoned the notion that we needed to finish
the recodes of all guilds prior to promotion at this time, and began my
conversations with our artist to officially begin the process of building
the new website. I also wanted to shift to something that would make the
game fun and interesting for our existing players prior to promotion so that
we could build back to a healthier playerbase by the time promotion itself
was ready to begin. This lead to priority being placed on imbuements, which
launched later in the year.

So, now, lets look at something extremely promising ... the statistics for
the playerbase since that dismal October one year ago:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Average player activity by week for entire year, beginning Sep 26 2010 |
+---------+-+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+---+
| A 18.5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | X|
| V 18.0 | | | | | | | | | | | | X|X X|
| G 17.5 | | | | | | | | | | | | X|XXX|
| 17.0 | | | | | | | | | | | | X|XXX|
| P 16.5 | | | | | | | | | | | |X X|XXX|
| E 16.0 | | | | | | | | | | X| |X X|XXX|
| R 15.5 | | | | | | | | | X | X X| |X X|XXX|
| 15.0 | | | | | | | X| | XX | X X|X X|X X|XXX|
| H 14.5 | | | | | | | X| | XX |XXXX|XX X|X XX|XXX|
| O 14.0 | | | |X | | | X| | XXX |XXXX|XXXX|X XX|XXX|
| U 13.5 | | | |X | | | X| | XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|X XX|XXX|
| R 13.0 | | | X|X | X | XXX| X|X XX| XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| 12.5 | | | X|X | XX | XXX| XXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| E 12.0 | | | X|X X| XX |XXXX| XXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| A 11.5 |X| | XX|X X| XX |XXXX| XXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| C 11.0 |X| | XX|X X|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| H 10.5 |X|X X |X XX|X XX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| 10.0 |X|X XXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| W 9.5 |X|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| E 9.0 |X|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| E 8.5 |X|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
| K 8.0 |X|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXXX|XXXX|XXXXX|XXX|
+---------+-+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+---+
| Month | |Oct |Nov |Dec |Jan |Feb |Mar |Apr |May |Jun |Jul |Aug | |
+---------+-+-----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+-----+---+

Now THAT is a trend I can get behind with enthusiasm! Notice how from that
October onward, Genesis has experienced continued and pronounced growth from
a simply dreadful levels to what we have enjoyed for the past 4 weeks. Great
work, Genesis! Keeping this trend firmly in place will take use exactly
where we all want to go.

Let's take a look at where we are sitting right now, too. These are the
numbers for the month of September (this last month) displayed horizontally
rather than as a vertical graph. The numbers on the left represent the date.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20110901 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18)
20110902 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18)
20110903 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110904 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19) < --- the APH for that day
20110905 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18)
20110906 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110907 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (20)
20110908 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19)
20110909 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110910 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110911 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19)
20110912 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19)
20110913 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19)
20110914 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
20110915 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110916 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110917 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18)
20110918 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (20)
20110919 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110920 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (20)
20110921 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (22)
20110922 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16)
20110923 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (19)
20110924 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17)
20110925 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (15)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average players per hour in given parameters = 18.03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, in one year's time, we have gone from an APH of 9.7 to an APH of 18! Based
on last October's numbers, we actually have "doubled the playerbase" as I've
so often stated as our goal. Now I refuse to really count this as progress
in the larger scheme of things, because we sort of cut the playerbase in half
before we doubled it -- a net gain of zero. Nonetheless - the trend and the
accomplishment of the last year cannot be overstated. We are on the right
path, and we need to keep it going!

Therefore, I would like to set some very clear goals, and also discuss some
incentives.

=========================
PROMOTIONAL GOALS:
=========================

1. The playerbase statistics will continue the trend of steady growth.

2. Genesis will experience its first full week of APH 25 or greater.

These are two simple goals. The first leads naturally to the second, and
both are within reach. If we achieve these goals, the following things will
occur, some naturally, and others because I will move forward with projects
I have been hanging on to (but do not see as worth doing without sufficient
growth being evidenced.)

========================
INCENTIVES FOR THE GAME:
========================

(first, the natural byproducts of reaching our goals ...)

1. Teaming will become easily possible for players once again.

2. Guilds that have long suffered from lack of members will find themselves
full of new life, new purpose, new roleplay, and all sorts of new
fun again.

3. With guilds revitalized and reactivated, the game once again develops
meaning beyond the item and stat grind. Guild alliances and conflicts
resurface with enough players to make them something to take seriously.
Lifelike and compelling play returns to lands protected or threatened
by various guilds, and the wonderful dimension of global roleplay
becomes vibrant.

4. With new players, eventually, come new wizards. Active development
of new areas, new content, and new opportunities for players resumes
in the wizard community. All guild recodes will be finished, and a
sound balance will be enjoyed by various factions and alignments.

(and now, the projects that I myself will initiate ...)

5. Much like imbuements, a global randomness will be added to all
npcs in the game giving them a chance to spawn as "boss" npcs, with
amplified stats and powers based on the type of boss roll they get.
These boss npcs will be the vehicle for item sets to be introduced
into the game. More than 60 individual item set pieces would be
created to complete sets in five or more tiers of power based on the
size and danger level of the "boss" npc that owned the item. To
equip a complete set would be to enjoy substantial powers and bonuses
while in use. Partial set completion would include partial
bonuses. (Yes, this is basically Diablo 2 concepts again. Fun stuff!)

6. The Khiraa will return as a Summoner's guild, waging battle and
domination through control of their undead minions which will be
cultivated from slain enemies and leveled up through combat. Kill
Mergula, and make him your undead champion! Better yet, kill the
player that annoys you the most, and then hunt them down a second
time with their own undead self that you have crafted into your
undead tool of destruction!

7. The long ago abandoned concept of Immortal will return, but with
Game of Thrones (just before the events described in the "Fire And
Ice" saga begin) as it's thematic content. Anyone who has reached
the level of Myth will be given the chance to sail to The North
and "take the Black" as a brother on The Wall. Doing so, even
the most bitter enemies from the "far kingdoms" find common cause
as sworn brothers defending the realms from the ancient horrors
that have begun to awaken Beyond the Wall. Even the strongest myth
team will here find challenge that exists nowhere else in the game,
and all the treasure one would expect to accompany such risk.

OH NO YOU DIDN'T, GORBOTH!! Yes, I'm completely serious about all of it.
But these things can only happen if we reach our goals, my friends. So, go
forth and PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE!

I love this game.
G.