Can't say I didn't expect this thread to pop up one of these days. Only a matter of time!
First off, before this wall of text develops... I'd like to thank you for organizing the post nicely and not making it a total ragepost. It helps in giving valid points in which we can possibly work with and if you give me a somewhat respectful, fair post I will do the same in my reply.
Let's begin with point #1.
1. Player Count - Obviously the player count is down from the opening of JtE. That is perfectly normal for any server, but from what I have observed, the player count is reaching all time lows. I've been on a lot more this past week due to school being out and I've noticed very low player counts not only on the weekdays, but also on the weekends. The player counts remind me of the last days of the previous SMP, when I was one of the very few who still played.
This has happened with all SMPs, from the best ones to the worst. These all-time lows are not specific to this server, but to the community at the moment. We are in a period of transition and refocusing, we have a relatively new server two months fresh, a new Administrator, and we are without our beloved classic servers. At the moment there is not a stable, developed method of advertisement. The only way we spread is by word-of-mouth and a few pages here and there, and that's not enough (and trust me, we have picked up on that).
That means, the players that have been here from the beginning are starting to tire of the server. That's normal, and in return a newer generation of players will fill in. Towns die, new towns spring up - it is the natural way of life, civilizations and nations will rise and prosper, and in Minecraft it speeds this up. Though clearly the player amounts are low, and that - in my opinion - is the #1 issue with Elysium at the moment (finally something that's not credited on me!) and the good thing is it's fixable and it could even sort itself out.
The good thing about SMP servers are... it doesn't always matter! Though there may be limited people to chat with or explore with, it doesn't mean you can't start a project yourself, get levels in a darkroom or go mining. It's a glorified single player server at times, and though you have come to play multiplayer it's relaxing to go caving for a while and bring home some of everyone's favorite cyan stuff.
2. PvE - I've always taken into account who is on the server. I hardly ever see people on that I would normally see on the old SMPs. One of the people who I actually interviewed was a very active player on the previous SMPs and she was also active for the first few weeks of JtE. I recently went looking for her since I noticed that she was hardly ever on JtE. I found out she was very active in AoD/PTNT/RoF. She said that JtE just lost its touch and it wasn't as fun as Primordia and one of the previous SMPs. I found this very upsetting that she no longer found joy in Blocktopia's SMP.
So I talked to her a bit more about the PvE VS PvP issue. She said that many players didn't like PvP because they would always get killed. I feel that the players that said that didn't give PvP a try. It is the truth that when I first started PvP, I would get killed due to other players or nature. But I didn't give up. I slowly learned the ropes and ways to deal with PvP. Many people think PvP means they are in combat 24/7. This is simply
Not True. I would like to make a metaphor. Have you taken Biology at your school? Do you at least know what evolution/natural selection is? In Minecraft SMPs, PvP is the natural selection. It keeps people from creating too many clans, too grand of a city, too much of this and too much of that. If you took Biology, you also learned that when a population gets too large it collapses. Snowfall was growing exponentially, then it collapsed and many people in its clan didn't come back to JtE. (Not the best metaphor but you get the idea.) In the previous SMP, I made some decent towns. They weren't grand but they were nice. It was much more of an accomplishment then, than it would be in a PvE server. I was proud that I gathered all the those materials and built the buildings with the danger of an attack. I never actually liked to participate in PvP, but it gave me a challenge that was fun.
Another thing in JtE that ruins the fun is the Nether Network. It is very convenient and it makes travel easier, but let's face it. It's much more of a challenge to transport everything in the overworld and it's more fun too. If we had PvP, another NN would not be made I think. If one was made, it would be a hotspot for combat and many would not travel it. PvP would make travelling fun again!
Elysium is something new. The name itself suggests peace and bliss, and the server represents this. For the past 2 or so years... we have had maps with more substantial elements of PVP. There are players that like to play a calm, relaxing survival server sometimes. Those people are attracted to the server, and those who like die-hard PVP aren't. It makes sense, if you don't compare last server to this server. Also, might I hasten to add that us staff have been working on ways to incorporate PVP. It may come soon, and in the coming days PVP should have more of an influence on the server.
I understand PVP is something that moves the server. It creates action, it creates a challenge, and raiding has more meaning when you take down your enemy. But Elysium is different, and there still is 10% of the world for those who want a hardcore survival experience with the option to gain resources with a lesser threat. Also remember, we have dungeons for people who want to engage in PVP and we have nice dungeon entrances begging for camping. Though the outlets for it are limited, they are there.
The NN may make things more easier as well, though it wasn't a cakewalk to construct and in return paid off. But remember staff have been discussing things, and that changes may come. Assumptions will get you nowhere, mindless suggestion without consideration gets you nowhere.
3. Pre-Made Towns, Trades, Emeralds - At first I thought all of these trades and pre-made towns and emerald being a major currency would be awesome, but it's not. The trades were somewhat useful in the beginning, but now their just blah. I think they were actually too useful I think. They discouraged players from getting things on their own and they took the fun away. I don't think the trades are that good anymore now that we all have loads of supplies. This also made emeralds not rare, which isn't that big of a deal but still meh.
Trades are refreshed, sales are made, it's all about reading the market and manipulating it. People like it, you don't. Not everyone likes it. And what is the problem with adding an extra outlet to gameplay? It's not effecting you negatively, it is only positive. If they were "somewhat useful" at any time in your playing, they have done their job. As for having loads of supplies, you can never have too much of anything. Take what you have an abundance of, spread it, love it.
As for the pre-made towns, imagine how different the SMP would be without them. This SMP was a lot of change, people don't like change, but the moment we take them away there will be people wanting them again. They were fun to explore, they are for new players... and they were never meant to study. Just an add-on, it helps the storyline and again... why the hell would we need a new server because of pre-made towns?! It's not a failed concept if it helped, or was cool, at any stage.
4. Quests - I can't say too much on this topic since I really didn't do any quests, but they are gone now anyways. Many people complained of the glitches, and I just found them unattractive. There were a lot of quests that I just felt looked stupid.
Cool. Removed them for some of these reasons. Now let's make a new server because they're removed and a lost mirage in the distance! YAY!
5. Minecraft is being Updated - As we know with the previous SMP, updates can make our SMP server outdated. Another reason for updating the last SMP was the fact that it lacked natural cocoa and emerald ore. Right now JtE lacks natural quartz and it will lack naturally spawned horses, mules, and donkeys soon enough. This also brings up the issue of resources. As we all know, resources like glowstone cannot be found in the nether in great quantities anymore.
It can. We survived the 1.5 update, in fact the server has transitioned well. The new update doesn't have much to offer, it's a lot of bug fixes and some new features.
But WHY did this server survive the 1.5 update? The staff members had plans, we have plans and we can re-assure you it will survive. Plus, there is no way a server can be made in the time that it takes from this post to the update unless you want it to be terrible. This server will undergo an update at some point, it will be choppy in some areas but in others it will prosper. Deal with it, run around on horses and enjoy.
Also:
Right now JtE lacks natural quartz
resources like glowstone cannot be found in the nether in great quantities anymore.
we all have loads of supplies.
?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
And, if you have so many emeralds because they are not so rare, perhaps you can check out the glowstone trades that are out and about, that are refreshed on Mercantia once a week, and/or explore a bit!
6. Application Process for Towns - When I first started Elysium, I thought this would be great, but it's not. I've created many successful towns in the previous SMP, but this time I had trouble doing it. The main reason: I had no way of creating a TAG with a clan chat that would bond the new members to my clan. Let me explain. If you were a new player to Elysium, and two people called out your name in the chat. They each asked you if you wanted to join their clan. One person had a very fancy TAG and had chest protection and a clan chat. The other person didn't have a TAG or any fancy chat, but they had a very nice up and coming town that you couldn't see from the spawn. Who would you choose? I would choose the person with the fancy book cover, the TAG. See what I mean? This gave the smaller clan a disadvantage right off the bat. I also just really enjoyed the clan chat in the previous SMP. It was very convenient and we created a nice town even without the incentive of something like the clan chat or chest protection.
If a new player decides to join a town, he is still joining the server and is going to play. If he keeps playing, he's interested. Getting players takes time, but it is not terribly difficult. Ask him to check it out. Remind him your doors are open. I don't see how this is related - it seems more like filler BS to get more people on your side.
This thread should be retitled, to something like: ''Feedback for future servers'' or something like ''The Elysium player-base thoughts'', were people can openly discuss there reaction to the server, and how it could be improved. That'd be better.
The problem with Elysium isn't the roof, it's the foundation. There are far too many things that need changed. It wouldn't be worth all the work to change all that stuff, because by the end it wouldn't even be Elysium anymore. We need to build the foundation of a new server.
The problem with Elysium isn't the roof, it's the foundation. There are far too many things that need changed.
What in the actual fuck needs changing? If you feel something's wrong, PM me! I am here to help this server grow and live, and if you know of problems or disagree with something... you should not say things are wrong without mentioning exactly what they are, you should bring them to me in a respectful manner. Saying things like this make me less inclined to do anything, if you're going to say 3 months of preparation and 7 months of sustaining by many staff members has turned out to gone to nothing, and the foundation has been flawed from the start when we created it?
I'm actually quite interested in what you have to say to this... and if you have nothing, don't throw stuff around, especially when you may (or may not) have noticed the Director has been watching this thread unfold.
I Absolutely love the way you put that a few posts up- Its not about the roof, its about the foundation.Ive seen plenty of servers (whether it be minecraft or something else) that start up, fail, and are scrapped.The beginning of things is extremely important. Ever heard the phrase, 'Make a good first impression?' If a server was lame at the start what would make me want to come back? A new one. JtE was nice at the start.
I think you're agreeing with me? Not sure, but here is what I have to say. You're right the foundation was nice and sturdy at the beginning of the server. People played on it because it was something brand new that Blocktopia never had before and they wanted to try it out. A few months later people are tired of this concept or realize they didn't like it in the first place. The foundation has turned into rubble.
A few months later people are tired of this concept or realize they didn't like it in the first place. The foundation has turned into rubble.
That happens. This is why there are people who leave the server - they have enjoyed their time and are done. People do join, they do want to try it out the cycle goes on. Though a lot of our core community, the ones you could call those who post on the forums, go on TS/IRC, are on the servers are lot, and are here to stay has left... SMP servers develop a playerbase of their own, and each is special, and each has new and interesting people.
But again -- how has this foundation turned to rubble? The only thing I see that's turned to rubble is how Castra was destroyed after we had an event with 40-50 people online! Events are made, towns are crafted, staff are here... you are feeding off of other's thoughts, please keep an open mind and consider MY side, the one that has to deal with all of this and the players that like this server.
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Now, let's get to my own thoughts on this topic.
I'll start off by expressing my opinion:
No.
Why?
Anybody who does not realize there are plans, and anybody who does not understand the cycle of SMP servers and who can not accept change is going to want a new server. But let me tell you: There ARE plans, we are deciding to have the longest-running SMP server because we are trying something new, and we are giving towns, settlements and structures a very long time to expand. There is no fear of it being wiped, you have a sense of security. All your progress will not be wiped, you will have something that will stay forever.
Map resets are temporary fixes for one of the major problems in this game, and in life: Change. People want new... everything. As M_B_H said, I do not want to reset the map because it is a temporary fix to an issue we can never solve. While other maps have had this brought up in ~4 months, we've lived almost 7 months and this is being brought up. Our very stable foundation and gameplay concept has propelled us up to this record-breaker and we're not stopping here. Why not rejoice in the fact we have a long SMP? You need to make it refreshing for yourself, and when it is the time for us to do so we will do it - and we will do it well.
You now have the verdict of the one opinion that settles this, or at least, some of it. No poll, no sole opinion, no petition will change my mind, or the mindset of the Elysium staff team. Though you can change things within the server, you're not changing the consciousness of the server. That's in my hands, and I will be the one to rule over that. I'll let you complain, they will pass in one ear and out the other. If you want my attention, as many head-staff has said in many places, you can send me an organized PM outlining what you want changed and WHY. Though discussion like this is nice, it turns into an opinionated bandwagon when we want a factual, unbiased discussion.
Please do keep discussing this, I will quietly jot notes down and work to iron out flaws that many people seem to be pointing out.
Finally - might I end by saying...
Thanks for the suggestion.
