by ElCapitan1701 » Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:28 am
I also notice a high drop off rate off new players after short time of playing Salem. I think there are some reasons for that
1) Salem is complex. Maybe the learning curve could be smoothed (f.e. food for raising low level stats without knowing gluttony system -> later) but on the long run people need to be willing to invest some thought. There are enough games out there, which you can play with brain afk, so I think its fine, if you can`t play Salem like that.
2) Salem is exhausting. F.e. path finding, food preparation, raising stats....it`s a lot of micromanagement. While time invested into building something rewards with some sort of proud, what you have done, those micromanagment things are often felt to be annoying.
3) Salem is - what? Many players are coming with false expectations. Thats the fault of both salem and the players. This isn`t Minecraft - so building or rearranging terrain isn`t a core concept of Salem. Those players leave, when they notice, that you can`t lower river-tiles (and make water flow into them...) or when they build their house and see there is not much more...
But Salem isn`t a real crafting MMO yet either - there is no server economy - no trade - no easy way of selling your goods to other players - and no really need for crafted goods. Most things you make one time to see it`s effects, then you craft it no more. Or you spam things to give it away or use it youreslf for raising stats. Atm a lot of players also can craft everything - why should one player feel important as he can do anything an other can`t?
4) Salem is a group based, time intensive game. To have fun in Salem you need to play in a group with a sync time frame. So players with jobs or families will have a hard time with Salem in the long run.
5) Salem has a lot of possible frustration points. You know, slow progress, getting KOed by small animals, getting robbed, or killed, or...
If you sum up those five points and ask yourself, which type of players do fit in there, my answer atm is: not much. Only pvp loving guys with a lot of free time will be happy with Salem on the long run as it is right now. And I`m not sure, if this is what devs want as ongoing game concept and seatribes impetus indicates, or not, which business model and "crafting MMO" indicates imho.