Lack of interest between arrival in boston and wilds

[painhertz]

Just to clear things up, we're not planning for Salem to be a small scale super niche game for only the hardcorest of hardcore players. Neither are Jorbtar developing this game purely with their vision in mind and with closed eyes to commercial aspects.

We want Salem to be as great as many of you feel it has the potential to be. We work with minimum staff on the project right now, yes, but that doesn't mean there's no room for change to the bigger and better.

Salem is a project by two great indie developers that we at Paradox support wholeheartedly, not some small project that we're planning to leave half-done.

As for the current state of the game. Of course there's room for a lot more, and many (me included) play the game simply to help it improve with feedback and see how it develops. This is after all a closed beta test, having 100% player retention is not the thing we're worried about at this stage.

On a more personal note, I would like to personally shake the hand of every single beta tester in this game. You're awesome.

As well said as can be. +3

[TotalyMoo]

Just to clear things up, we're not planning for Salem to be a small scale super niche game for only the hardcorest of hardcore players. Neither are Jorbtar developing this game purely with their vision in mind and with closed eyes to commercial aspects.

We want Salem to be as great as many of you feel it has the potential to be. We work with minimum staff on the project right now, yes, but that doesn't mean there's no room for change to the bigger and better.

Salem is a project by two great indie developers that we at Paradox support wholeheartedly, not some small project that we're planning to leave half-done.

As for the current state of the game. Of course there's room for a lot more, and many (me included) play the game simply to help it improve with feedback and see how it develops. This is after all a closed beta test, having 100% player retention is not the thing we're worried about at this stage.

On a more personal note, I would like to personally shake the hand of every single beta tester in this game. You're awesome.

Then why make the game so hard and grindy that over 90% of the players that try this game will quit after an hour or two ?

Hence beta, WIP, etc.

Stuff like this needs to and will be worked on.

[Valdahaz]

I'm glad I was able to hear that from you. There are too many people here that think this game will be able to stay afloat with just them and their town playing. I'm glad to help you guys make this game as awesome as it can be.

[kwyl]

I've put in quite a few more hours now and, although the future of the game is still hopeful, I have a QQ. It would seem I am being griefed at my leanto by a snake that knows I'm trying to get Stomp. His attitude is not the problem however. It's the loss of the proficiency levels on knock out. With mats as rare as they are, the loss of a full inventory from a two hour hike is bad enough. Especially if it's the mats and inspirationals to up the prof you end up losing the level(s) on. The lost mats and inspirationals it took two hours to get are gone. They were to raise the proficiency several levels to acquire the skill to kill the beast that knocked you out and caused you to lose the two levels your inventory would have provided as well as the two levels it has taken 2 or 3 other hours to gain toward the skill to kill the beast that did this. I'm not saying this is a common occurrence. Just that that's the day I had in Salem today. A little frustrating I think. Lots of time wasted. I could just buy silver and get some better skills so I could start feeling like I'm playing a game rather than struggling to get anywhere but, in my frustration, I have to wonder if that's not the plan all along. I'll have to give it a couple days off to decide what I'm gonna do. Too defeated to decide right now. Not really a rage quitter. I want this game to be fun and there's still a chance for that but I can't feel like I'm being manipulated to buy.

[staxjax]

Lol.

1.resources are not rare, they are plentiful if you know where to look and what you are looking for.

2.you could have just teleported to Boston upon recovery after the first KO to avoid more KOs...the snake would have dissappear or went away by itself.

3.I dont think that buying silver will help you progress in anyway, as there is not much stuff in the way of inspirationals to buy from the player or company stalls.

4.If anything, the game discourages buying silver at the moment because there are too many ways to make silver and nothing that is really worth buying at the company stall anyways.

5.if a couple KOs make you mad enough to consider quitting, imagine what it will be like when you lose your developed character to some prick that kills you just for the hell of it.

[kwyl]

On your points...

1. 2 milkweed roots in 3 hrs and 0 for 2 hrs straight. Approx. 20% success rate on maple leaves (8 producing trees from about 40 checked) I am just learning this game so if there is a better way than walking around looking for things please tell me.
2. There was a problem with that particular recovery. Msg said something was in my way and asked would I like to be recovered at my leanto instead. I said yes and the snake was gone for a while (10 mins?) but came and got me again while I was trying to figure out my new plan. I've been off since then.
3. I was gonna get some bibles and advance enough to get stomp at least. I know it's a lot of wasted points but the game wastes your points anyway.
4. I must not be playing right because I'm not yet qualified to produce anything the wiki says the stalls buy and certainly nothing another player who can earn silver would want. I have several skills but I've been knocked out by snakes before and most of my proficiencies are back down to 5.
5. Yeah I was killed in Haven and Hearth by a boar just after I bought a bunch of land etc. It sucked. I was resurrected with no skills and no learning points. As far as the whole permadeath goes, I haven't been killed yet in Salem and I'd have to decide then if I could deal with it. It is beta and there's no telling how things may change.

[staxjax]

Milkweeds are the most common herb on grasslands besides autumn grass. Is that what you are upset about...losing milkweeds and maple leaves?

[MagicManICT]

On your points...

1. 2 milkweed roots in 3 hrs and 0 for 2 hrs straight. Approx. 20% success rate on maple leaves (8 producing trees from about 40 checked) I am just learning this game so if there is a better way than walking around looking for things please tell me.

You using Wander or Forage to look? I find milkweed about 1 every 10-15 minutes (at least).

4. I must not be playing right because I'm not yet qualified to produce anything the wiki says the stalls buy and certainly nothing another player who can earn silver would want. I have several skills but I've been knocked out by snakes before and most of my proficiencies are back down to 5.

You should be able to make Cricket Teams (only need Self Defense if I recall). Otherwise you need at least Indian Tracking for Savage Charms and more skills for the rest.

5. Yeah I was killed in Haven and Hearth by a boar just after I bought a bunch of land etc. It sucked. I was resurrected with no skills and no learning points. As far as the whole permadeath goes, I haven't been killed yet in Salem and I'd have to decide then if I could deal with it. It is beta and there's no telling how things may change.

This isn't going to change. Dead is still dead.

[kwyl]

@staxjax
I think you may misunderstand. This thread is about game development regarding player retention in the early stages (unless that's my misunderstanding). I am playing an early stage character in a beta test game whose mechanics I am learning on the fly. My personal demographic is a player these guys would want to keep for final release as I am able to contribute RL money to the devs for their efforts via in game shop. I've shared an experience, which if were a regular occurrence upon final release, could possibly reduce the retention of a player such as myself. There are hints to possible solutions in that particular post rather that outright demands for change as I have no idea what direction Jorbtar intends to take. It's their game as I have said before. My goal is not to tell them what to do with it. It is to share with them my experience with what they have produced thus far. If I sounded as though I were stomping my feet and acting like a brat it certainly wasn't my intention. Just trying to help these guys develop a fun game and make a little scratch doing it.


@MMICT
I have recently begun to turn those on but I hadn't at first. I didn't really notice much change but I will re-test.

I thought I needed Stomp for crickets too. I'll look back into that.

I haven't even read how death in salem works. Thought it would happen early on so I would just find out then and go from there. Is there no inheritance at all or what? Guess I'll go on and check the wiki on that now. I did think I was supposed to get a portion of my LP back in H&H though. That's okay. The lag was what was really killing me there anyway.

[MagicManICT]

It makes a difference. It's not huge, but can make the difference between seeing the rarer items and not.

Death works a bit like HnH: you die, you lose your character. You can inherit, but I don't think it's fully implemented yet. So far you only get your claim(s) back.