Decline in the number of players

[knorke]

ppl are like 'WOAHAWTFZOMGEPIC', sometimes even comment advances but when it comes to playing it... well, they simply dont do that (THIS, SD, LandingOperations for example)

this.
It is because spring games are like some guy walks up to you and asks "Hey, So I build this plane in my garage, want to see it?"

First seeing it, you might be impressed as fuck on how he managed that etc.
If he wants you to test flight it you probally respond "lol no thanks, I am fine with seeing it on pictures."
Even if you take a flight in the passenger seat and think it was kinda cool, there is no way that you consider to use it for your next holiday trip.

[luckywaldo7]

What spring games really need is more techno.

[PicassoCT]

What spring gamedevs need is to filter out those needs who are essential for succes. Not made easier by this 17 page long de-mand list. Good i made up my mind already: JWs target list.
Fun, halfway balanced Mutliplayer.
Awesome Singleplayer. (Second Point for the Win) If i get the Crowdbar lateron, dont tell me i didnt told you. I did.

(EnterObscureSearchwordtolaterfindEvidencehere)

[Jazcash]

!lock

[smoth]

you see good doctor the thread has served it's purpose and now it will serve MINE

[Wombat]

It is because spring games are like some guy walks up to you and asks "Hey, So I build this plane in my garage, want to see it?"

i think 2 factors i already metnioned are important here:

-first of all, ppl get old etc.etc. ppl on this forum simply dont play spring almost at all (well at least i dont see majority of ppl from forum PLAYING in the lobby.)
- most ppl dont know that this forum even exists.

links in #main could use bigger font etc.

[knorke]

i dont think these two things matter.
sure, forum people are in it for the recent advances and not for playing. but who of the millions of starcraft players goes to the sc forum? not many probally.

[momfreeek]

all the little problems matter, surely.. maybe for different people but what makes you think you'll find a silver bullet that will turn everything around?

[knorke]

what makes you think you'll find a silver bullet that will turn everything around?

who do you mean?

[momfreeek]

santa claus

[knorke]

reverse santa claus?

[Wombat]

but who of the millions of starcraft players goes to the sc forum?

sc is heavly advertised, spring is nothing compared to it. problem is ppl dont even know what THIS is. sadly only basic realised games need to be advertised @ main ( licho and his bot as well)

[knorke]

at least gundam, evo and kp were mentoined on several sites and got/get some traffic. (see last pages)

problem is ppl dont even know what THIS is.

THIS was never in a stage of completeness that you could give to a new player.

[momfreeek]

if forum is irrelevant why does sc have one? The community surrounding the game is clearly important for some people. why is it not important to cater to these people?

[Wombat]

it was fully playable (textures were never planned) and completely original (and still is) for spring. special abilities are still something no other game got.

THIS was never in a stage of completeness

depends what u expect, can hardly agree with that (also its just example ofc).

'advertising' any game on moddb is hardly any advertising anyway. i dont think someone will think 'hey, lets play some ww2 game *googles 's44'*'

EDIT - stop the sc example, spring is nothing compared to it.

[knorke]

if forum is irrelevant why does sc have one?

If the game is good, community forms around the game. The nicest forum is nothing without people. Forum is certainly not the issue.

completely original (and still is) for spring. special abilities are still something no other game got.

That are useless facts, interessting only to programmers. Players see "special abilities" in other games all the time. A game must stand on its on and not only in comparision to TA ports with 10 years old models and gameplay.

it was fully playable (textures were never planned)

Was there a installer? Afaik no, you have to install the engine and then copy in a .sdz file. Was THIS at any point even listed on games page or had its own homepage? I only remember downloading it from some thread.
Needs a map too. Is there a list of space maps that work with THIS somewhere? How many maps are there?
Do some keys do random stuff?
Is there an AI?
Is there a nice lobby?
Is there an options menu where you easily adjust your graphics, hotkeys?
If not, are there at least good defaults?
...

But that is all not the game, that is engine, lobby etc!
And all that Lua for the special abilities was hard work to write and the engine was hard work too and it is all in free time and people have to learn how to uvmap..!
Yes, sure, all true, respect to everybody working on this.
But reaction from player: wtf is a Lua and why should I care?

Again, no disrespect to any dev but calling games like THIS "fully playable" is just being blind.
I seriously do not know how people can keep denying.

[luckywaldo7]

I seriously do not know how people can keep denying.

Agreed.

Although I also seriously do not know why people go around saying "Spring needs X!" when they have no intention of doing X themselves.

My what a circular thread this is. Enough serious and time for the random links and image macros again?

Edit: For clarification, I don't mean game devs asking for lua tags or bugfixes or something. I mean random people demanding things when they contribute nothing in the first place.

[knorke]

First step towards change is admitting the problem.

here we go again \o/

[Wombat]

A game must stand on its on and not only in comparision to TA ports with 10 years old models and gameplay.

i dont compare it to TA ports only, its second most orignal spring game (after KP) if u ask me.

Was there a installer?

why it needs any istaller ? u just right click and then left click to dwl it.. its small game, doesnt need any special installer.

I only remember downloading it from some thread.

true, that proves other points above about forum.

Needs a map too.

it got maps, small space, and big space (i think medium either) it doesnt need any special maps, its just picture of space.

Do some keys do random stuff?
Is there an AI?
Is there a nice lobby?
Is there an options menu where you easily adjust your graphics, hotkeys?
If not, are there at least good defaults?

dunno how is that relevant ? spring options ? most spring games dont have that :'

Again, no disrespect to any dev but calling games like THIS "fully playable" is just being blind.

i was playing it, no uber bugs, had lot of fun. games purpose is to provide fun. THIS does it. it sounds like only games with >300 units can be considerated 'finished'.

would u call spring defence 'unfinished' ? its working, its tower defence. but it doesnt have own lobby, noob tutorial how to change hotkeys. u need to click twice to download it... how is that bad ?

own website do jackshit coz it drowns in google results and ppl simply wont google exact name.

good u do a lot lucky !

[Forboding Angel]

That's why you rely on having a lot of content that gets indexed by google. See the evo site for examples.