think about it....

Its all WOK here.

Moderators: Duke, trewqh, korexus, Egbert

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honestly do you think woks going slowly down hill?

yes
1
14%
no
4
57%
its doing better than before but not as well as it has
2
29%
 
Total votes: 7

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Dragonette
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think about it....

Post by Dragonette » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:53 pm

think when you signed, how many players their were, on the forums, in games and in clans.

Then their was a massive group of people signing up at once talking playing and sadly argueing.

Now due to lots of people creating tension and arguements, the amount of people leaving is incrediable. Everyone is giving up, so we need to do something and quick, im sure you don't want wok going down.People don't talk some days i can look at 4:00pm and then at 7:30 am only one thing might have being said, even through wok rush hour.

So we need to do something. Like less fighting, quicker game sign ups and most of all things being talked about on the forums. Please les do something and save wok.

If i realise this so must you. we need everyones help, so lets do it!!!!!!!

d

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Brykovian
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Post by Brykovian » Fri Nov 30, 2007 4:07 pm

My experience over the years is that WOK waxes and wanes. There were more active players back before the cool automated versions of the game were available. However, a number of that core found their gaming-fill elsewhere and the numbers went down.

The automated version of the game made setting up and playing games a *lot* more convenient ... which removed one of the major barriers to playing ... and the community grew once again.

I am not surprised when support grows quiet ... it will get bigger again. The game itself is still an excellent strategy game, which is most important, imo.

-Bryk
Matt Worden Games ... Gem Raider, DareBase, Castle Danger, Keeps & Moats Chess

Hryllantre
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Re: think about it....

Post by Hryllantre » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:29 pm

Dragonette wrote:think when you signed, how many players their were, on the forums, in games and in clans.

Then their was a massive group of people signing up at once talking playing and sadly argueing.

Now due to lots of people creating tension and arguements, the amount of people leaving is incrediable. Everyone is giving up, so we need to do something and quick, im sure you don't want wok going down.
People don't talk some days i can look at 4:00pm and then at 7:30 am only one thing might have being said, even through wok rush hour.
So we need to do something. Like less fighting, quicker game sign ups and most of all things being talked about on the forums. Please les do something and save wok.

If i realise this so must you. we need everyones help, so lets do it!!!!!!!

d
This game is still in the development phase therefore not yet the finished article. Players come and go as their Real Lives dictate, what is healthy about WOK is the continual resurgence within the community. When I first arrived here such players as Egbert, Saladin, Nestalawe, Smashface, Funtastik to name a few we're still actively involved. All then left (I thought it was something I said :twisted: ) yet Egbert has found time to rejoin WOK's ranks. Some players are restricted by work, travels, families and loss of connections, this is the real world that runs paralell with WOK and it's this that drags us from these very forums...

Some players only comment when an issue is important to them, others pass comment on most topics Han and korexus for example. You have replied to more threads than myself and a great many players experienced or not. What is important to realise is that all replies are important though some are flames and therefore about as useful as a chocolate teapot, but when a player replies at least it shows a willingness to be counted. Personally I have played in games and never thought of an idea to enhance gameplay, but most of those games are the finished article so we must be patient and allow rl to dictate the amount of time we can be active with WOK.

The WOK CON in London a weekend or two ago was very uplifting from a WOK perspective and I can honestly say WOK will not die or fade, as many minds are working together to move WOK forward.

It is very encouraging to see you starting this thread as you obviously care enough to do so :wink:

As for the arguements, well boys will be boys that just politics and opinion for the most part...

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Mullog
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Post by Mullog » Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:21 pm

Nah.
Wok isn't dying. It is always like this around the holidays. People focus on their families and all that stuff and have less time to play games... Until the middle of January things will be slow around here but it will pass.
So don't worry! :)
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
- Whatever is said in Latin sounds profound.

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Post by Hannibal » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:31 am

Dragonette, a year or two ago when I returned and looked in, it was down to just Hryll weekly asking when there might be a game, and Kor replying. Down to two. Then Trewqh and I came back. And then we were four. It is now on an upward curve, with 20 actives being pretty good by now.

It will dip from time to time, but the curve is up, the future bright. I hope. :D

Han
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Post by Nemesis » Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:32 am

When I first joined WOK it was a very vibrant place. Lot's of clans run by enthusiastic people and I joined at a stage where we had an influx of enthusiastic beginners. I am encouraged that it will become like that again, thanks to the fact we have people like Korexus, Hannibal, Trewqh, Aussie Gaz, etc around.

The thing I would like to see is a plan. What is the short term goal of WOK? To get lots of players in? To get the clan system set up? etc. If it was up to me it would be to finish the WOK5 automation and then sort the Champs and Clans. Then you have a structure to retain any players you encourage to join a game.

When I first joined WOK I got to be in a cool clan run by Calidus. I immediately belonged somewhere within the WOK structure. Then I saw people talking about the WOK Champs. I wanted to play in them. I now had a goal for the next year. Those two things made me stick to WOK.

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Post by Hannibal » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:32 pm

Different people have different views as to WHY it became less vibrant and went down to two. The reasons only matter for avoiding the same again. I know why *I* left, but I won't insert MY theory on the decline here.

I agree with the things you want:

WOK5 (Advanced WOK) to be automated to keep the solid regulars interested (though I don't like it myself, never mind).

The Champs, something to look forward to (though I'm not keen myself).

Clans. Very much yes. They mostly mesh people together and make them feel welcome and part of it (though they have been known sometimes to lead to fall-outs and quitting WOK). Me, I'd like to go back to the old system that every new starter "has" to be in a clan. Otherwise they don't get help, mates, and drawn in; they stay aloof and might be more likely to quit WOK after a first try at it). But there might be a more subtle way of doing it? Don't make it a condition for sign-up and entering a game, before you're allowed to do anything. Wait till they've signed on, perhaps by the easy option of choosing Merc, and THEN pounce: THEN tell them that they 99% have to be in a clan, it will benefit them and they'll enjoy it more. So, now choose a clan. Only for your first two games, then you can change your mind, or become a free agent/Merc... And (here's your easy no-work default: the next clan up for a new player is XXX - we can either rotate clans for this, or else put in the clan(s) most in need of new blood ...

I've been thinking about this last thing for a while. It HELPS retention, but just might BURDEN the clan by a newbie that is a liability, eg by being bad at it (who cares?), or by being unreliable and going M-3 with a clanmate ... Hmm. My idea was: We push them all (OK, 99%) into a clan for their first games, BUT, we then have the system that after completing two Standard games, they then must go Merc for 1 game. And THEN they can decide which clan they want to apply to (their earlier clan or a different one, no problem), or else stay Merc for a while, perhaps till they form their own new clan ... This is "presented" as a way for the newbie to join a clan, almost at random, and be out of it after two games, free to choose a clan. But it also, secretly, helps the CLAN: The clan can accept almost anyone, and not be STUCK with them; they will exit the clan after two games; then they apply to clan(s); your clan can either reject their application, or accept, or even chase them to come back! But you are not "stuck" with them ...

Han
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"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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Post by korexus » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:18 am

Because we have a small membership, we are vulnerable to variations in user numbers. As Han says we had a bunch of people leave for various reasons a couple of years back and have been recovering ever since.

The key point though, is that we are recovering with quite a few new faces sticking around and two more old timers returning just this weekend. WoK continues to be a good game and it will always be free to play, that means people will keep coming back when they get the chance.

As for a plan. There is one, or rather there are several. Gaz has done sterling work on the Advanced WoK engine, once we've tested out the optional rules in the Omega test we should be ready to play. High score and kaohalla are making a comeback now that someone (Gaz) has time/can be bothered to go back through the old games and work out what the values should be. High score will allow for champs games to be played, which definitely add to the fun.

Han's Duels are a great addition as they keep people visiting the site, even if there aren't 10 people wanting a game right then. Of course this higher visitor count then gives us more chance of getting a new game open.

Then there's my secret project (tm) which various people (including, guess who? Han and Gaz) are helping out on. If I ever get a chance to finish it, it should help keep players on the site and even bring new people in.

Clans are good and, especially now that Bryk's clan forums idea has been introduced, they seem to be making a resurgence. I also preferred the rule that all new players had to be in a clan, but that was when almost all new players were introduced to WoK by a friend. - This meant the average newbie had a higher staying power. I'm not sure how well it would work now that more and more people ae finding us randomly through the internet. Also, I'd be very reluctant to tell new (or in fact, any)players that they *had* to become a mercenary for a game.

WoK will survive, mainly because of a large percentage of the player base being dedicated to the survival of WoK bringing up new ideas and suggestions for improvements. (Also helped by an increasing number of poor saps who are willing to make the modifications.)

Viva Kaomaris! :)


korexus.
With Great Power comes Great Irritability

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