• Those wishing to contribute to the game by making suggestions (both small and large) should read the following before doing so.

    Bushtarion largely runs completely automatically, and has been designed intentionally to be as self-maintaining as possible, with mechanics and balance considered at a completed point.

    Please do not spend large amounts of time coming up with complex suggestions in the hope that they will be read and possibly implemented in the future, unless you just enjoy the discussion, theory-craft, and such.

    The most likely changes will be rules-changes, specific number-tweaks to units, techs, and similar sorts of changes, and only if a large community consensus is reached as "proof" that a change would, overall, be an improvement, and are more likely to be done in batches, occassionally, not as a regular thing.

Way to increase playerbase?

Yang

Harvester
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
130
I think quite a lot of people will be strongly against this idea, but here we go anyway...

The player-base is dying, and without an average sized player-base, this game will be pretty dull. Bush has lacked advertising and frankly, if it was advertised, I'm not too sure if the playerbase would change significantly as many games with graphics (obviously more appealing to the public) are advertised everywhere and hence will probably outcompete a textbased game with unconventional game mechanics ( growing plants to make money and build army ).

Hence, what about using a cash prize for the winner/high achievers in the game as an incentive to draw in extra players? I haven't really thought about what should be awarded and such, but for example, if Azzer sets a certain % of the rounds "earnings" he normally receives through gamecash as a cash prize reward, I'm sure advertising a game with a cash reward would be much easier.

In the short term this will obviously reduce Azzer's profits, which could be one of the reasons he might be reluctant to implement this, but however in the long run, when more players join the game this way and play competitively to win (hence spending more gamecash), I wouldn't expect it to do so.

This will help the community by bringing in new players who may initially be playing for the prize, who then start to learn the game and enjoy it, and then stay, thus increases the playerbase.

Note: I am not suggesting this because I think winning the game should be rewarded, just a suggestion on how Bushtarion may be advertised to draw in extra players.

~Yang
 

GooDGoodBye

Pruner
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
63
I dont think the problem is that this is a textbased game, it simply lacks advertising. If people dont know about the game how on earth can we increase the player base when people dont know about this game.

Im sure there are thousands of players who would enjoy this game, people like ourselves but they just dont know about this game.

Thats the biggest problem.

I have been thinking that you could go to your local gamestore and ask them if they could put up an add/sign about this game :p

Im sure lots of people would try it out.
 

Yang

Harvester
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
130
I dont think the problem is that this is a textbased game, it simply lacks advertising. If people dont know about the game how on earth can we increase the player base when people dont know about this game.

Im sure there are thousands of players who would enjoy this game, people like ourselves but they just dont know about this game.

Thats the biggest problem.

I have been thinking that you could go to your local gamestore and ask them if they could put up an add/sign about this game :p

Im sure lots of people would try it out.

Bush has a pretty steep learning curve compared to most of the games out there, and near to the start it may seem very unrewarding to new players, who might see the advert, sign up, play, get bored and quit within the first day...
 

Dark_Angel

Landscape Designer
Super Moderator
Community Operator
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
1,978
Location
UK
Way to increase playerbase?

Get rid of Marvin. Unfortunately, he has to leave of his own choice.
 

webvictim

Harvester
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
155
Location
California
The game is fairly tough to start off with, and I have to say that after having been allied, I wouldn't consider playing solo again because it just isn't as fun. If you sign up, don't know anybody in the community and aren't really sure what you're doing then it's pretty tough to find the motivation to come back again and again.
 

Dax

Hydroponics Developer
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
3,126
Location
Northants, UK
I was expecting another ludicrous and unbelievable post that I have seen time after time - But this one is alright. Nice one, Yang.
 

Iamsmart

Landscape Designer
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
1,668
a) Azzer disappeared
b) Azzer already promised to advertise but never did (he had his reasons i know)
c) this idea would only work in *CONJUNCTION* with advertisement

?
 

willymchilybily

Landscape Designer
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
1,418
Location
uk
no reason why this cannot be done as ias implies in conjunction with advertising. its a nice idea. and it would draw people in.. unlike games like evony where you see a pair of half clothed boobs and click the link and try it out, bush is harder to get into but so so so much more rewarding (i dont like evony so dull). so yeah need to get people in but keep them in for a few rounds. so they learn and learn to play. i played the first round after all for the incentive of £10


slightly related unfunny anicdote:

i was told hey click on this voting link and vote for bushtarion you will get ten pounds (by a friend) i did. i was like wheres my 10pounds.

he was like....you need to play the game to get the 10 pounds. so i joined i played ...wheres my ten pounds. he told me to vote again.....and i got 10 bush credits....i was like WTF. thats not ten pounds. he said no its ingame credit worth ten pounds. i asked what i could buy. he said punit. so i ended up waiting for the next round to buy and try with a punit....true story. money motivates. Ive been here for nearly a decade......

.....if only i hadnt wanted those ten f**king pounds so badly. :(
 

Enrico

Tree Surgeon
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
518
Hmm, I think a cash prize pr say might be contrary to some laws around the world, but let me add a few suggestions in the same vein:

1. Have BC-prizes along the way. (maybe 20/10/5 for win/place/show in the Score) 5BC for leading winning ally, best bountyhunter/HF/Effectiveness and 5 BC for any ID who wins an award. (last one not cummulative)
2. All new players who sign up for a SECOND round gets free access to the P-unit that round.
3. Anyone who recruited a player who signs up for their 3 round gain 5 BC.

Basically BCs are cheap prizes for Azzer.
 

Max

Garden Designer
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
1,015
Location
London
They would certainly keep those already playing. I was going to take some time off from playing (and spending) but instead during the PW that was run as a break for Age 5 coding, I stayed and played on due to cash incentives >:D

Would have got the £10 rather than the £3 as well, if we hadn't decided to mass the legendary DarkSider who had masses of SAs and a lot of insurance every tick \o/

But I think it worked then. Not sure if it was cost effective for Azzman though.
 

TehPantz

Head Gardener
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
431
Location
USA
I would say advertise first, then throw in the intensives. What use are prizes if there is no one to win them?

Also, to keep players who stumble upon this game we need to let them know that there is a community here. Put direct links in the 'welcome' mail to the 'Introductions' and 'Recruiting' part of the forums. Maybe make it an optional part of the tutorial to introduce yourself in the forums?
 

Davs

Garden Designer
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
948
Location
England
tbh people have mentioned in the past that the tutorial needs to direct people towards the irc channels and the forum. And yeh, I agree with you that there should also be a link to each in the welcome mail when you make and ID.
 

Ogluk

Official Helper
Community Operator
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Messages
764
Location
Bracknell
tbf the welcome mail does direct to the forums, and the live chat links (albeit only to their location on the sidebar)
 

TehPantz

Head Gardener
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
431
Location
USA
It points the features out, but doesn't provide a direct link. People are lazy and you must give them things on a silver platter :p
 

Enrico

Tree Surgeon
Joined
Dec 14, 2007
Messages
518
Well giving a BCreward to those that bring new players in, players that stick around, would amount to advertising, and probably be more cost-effective than just buying banners. øø
 

Ogluk

Official Helper
Community Operator
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Messages
764
Location
Bracknell
Well giving a BCreward to those that bring new players in, players that stick around, would amount to advertising, and probably be more cost-effective than just buying banners. øø

there is/was a BC reward if you refer new players and they purchase BCs, hasn't really been a big thing though :p
 
Top