Greetings,

As declared in the start of the year, 2012 is a year where we want to increase our active playerbase.

6 months passed since the start of 2012 and 8.5 months since the launch of our last universe: Massacre. We have no stable cycling for a new universe; we always judge according to data at hand with a view to launch as few as possible. Our initial plans were for a completely different universe which would launch in February 2012. This plan is currently on hold.

Meanwhile, recently, we are discussing the launch of a new universe now, with same features as current ones but a different setup; We believe that there is absolutely no realistic need to launch a universe with same setup as another.

So here comes our big dilemma, should the new universe be good for newcomers or a gem for the experienced players?

The question is really hard and here are some data to take in mind before deciding:
-Zorg Empire has a pool of 160 000 players who have played the game in the past. The vast majority of them are perhaps total newbies who will most probably not bother to come back. There is also a high percentage that was involved more with the game that is expected to give a try in a new universe. However a big part of this percentage is expected to desert after about a month due to poor standing (the game is very fierce in competition and perhaps we need to take this in mind)

-Besides the pool, we will invest in advertising. We estimate to increase our playerbase by at least 20% with a view to take it to 50%, in this way.

-We believe that the game is currently at its best phase in regards to:

• Financial Health (In compare to 2009)
• Server Capacity (When we started in 2009, we were constantly running out of capacity. Such problems do not exist any more. In contrary, we got the basis to even quadruple our current playerbase without issues)
• Game integrity (no bugs!)
• Community (Many Experienced players and a noisy community in compare to nothing back when we started. We are also well structured in administration of this community)
• Feature-rich game (Just for the record, when we started, we even lacked RF)

The elements above put us in the top games category where we are competitive despite our poor graphics due to our non-aggressive financial model.


So, the final question and the big dilemma is how should our new universe be designed. Should we create a universe to allure experienced players or a universe that will keep newcomers in.

Keep in mind that a series of poor excuses that appear in the forums from time to time have no relation to the numbers we are after here. Active players who are knowledgeable enough to know the mechanisms of the game are not expected to leave because of these mechanisms. Even if they do, they are expected to return. Instead, we are speaking for mass numbers here and how to ensure that the universe details will provide them the interest for them to stay.

We are waiting for your feedback.

For the sake of your existing player base in other newer universe, dont go with the plan until it is a complete year cycle. I have tried to describe the necessity for a player base in a specific universe to be matured and saturated.

In game the migration of players from older servers to the new ones is expected. But a vast majority of this migration are from the potential long term players who are just starting. every universe tribes on new players. If you cut that channel off it will not sustain in a long run. now who migrates away. what i have seen is the prime category of players are who doesnt have any empire that is worth caring for. if an empire costs less than 1.000.000 points i will say that is lacking a certain care and attachment for which that player may stay on and keep playing.

to get a 1.000.000 point in game for most universe it takes more than a year at an average. so when a new universe is declared the observation is 50% of these potential players move to the new universe without the diversity of the new features and in the end killing the server.

you have mentioned that you will try to bring in more players with advertisement and other means. but in reality the major sustainable and long term player proportion in ze comes from existing pool. everytime a new universe is launched that proportion gets thinned out. and it does puts established players on the earlier universe through a lack of interaction. rendering that universe inert.

so my suggestion is wait for a complete year before launching another server. rest is up to you if it is a business sustainability concern its the game owners prerogative.

I see no reason not to have it be both.

A new universe will give new players a chance to have a "level" playing field.

When i first started extreme, I knew I'd NEVER catch up to the top ten and grew disenchanted after a couple months.

Then I tried speed and standard.

I got bored and left for awhile.

But on massacre, a new server where I actually had a chance, I've hit top ten players.

I think a new universe gives the new players a chance. It gives the old players something exciting and a chance to try out new strategies.

There is no point in cutting off fifty percent or more of zorg from trying the new server.

It's time to get out of the box. I think a super noob capitalist / pacifist / recruiting uni is the answer.

1. max of 10 planets
1.1 you can pay for more planets
2. slowest ship speed in the game
3. any easy adjustment to help defense
4. uni caps at 50k points
5. you may pay 10 rubies to extent your limit 10%
6. no moon popping
7. Experienced players should be encouraged to act as trainers
7.1 this can be accomplished by only allowing approved players to start alliances.

there's more but I've got to go.
You get the idea.

I don't really understand the previous posters logic. That sounds more like it's the protection mode then a universe. But I guess if people want that then it'd be cool but it'd be better to make two new universes for that. I mean the people who have more time to play and are "vetrans" would get kicked out of that universe really, really fast.

Flapper wrote:It's time to get out of the box. I think a super noob capitalist / pacifist / recruiting uni is the answer.

1. max of 10 planets
1.1 you can pay for more planets
2. slowest ship speed in the game
3. any easy adjustment to help defense
4. uni caps at 50k points
5. you may pay 10 rubies to extent your limit 10%
6. no moon popping
7. Experienced players should be encouraged to act as trainers
7.1 this can be accomplished by only allowing approved players to start alliances.

there's more but I've got to go.
You get the idea.

you want this 2. slowest ship speed in the game
and then u ask this 6. no moon popping

i told you
no veteran or old player want to play this server
sorry to tell ya

Flapper suggestion seems interesting, it seems like a very professional approach which will not weaken existing universes at all. A question though, what do you mean by uni caps at 50k points ?

I agree with SPY, in fact the whole dev team agrees. A secondary option is to try to bring this kind of players to existing universes, hoping that the performance won't be bad. MASSACRE is well established but I don't think that it would make difference for a newbie to start now there or in a new universe. The only REAL difference for a newcomer after all, only exists in his mind as he thinks he will be able to catch up if he starts at same time.

Looking back, 50k might be low ( 100 would probably be better ) and I should state this would not be for vets. The thread is for what's needed most, vet or noob. I say noob.

I believe my suggestion would serve two purposes. First it would give players a place to learn the game in a more or less stress free invironment. Second, it would give a place for the builder bobs to play, but they would have to pay to keep growing.

By a cap I mean that once a player hits a certain point total all their build options are disable, thus keeping it a noob uni. As mentioned you could pay for the right to add more points.

I always thought standard was for newcomers, it is the slowest...
I mean if don't have time to learn what you need on that server.... come on. Now maybe not a new server, a better "newcomer guide / advanced beginners guide" so to speak maybe would be better such as what to build up to what lvl for each basic build "type". Why make things more complicated or expensive?