Is Bartle's Taxonomy being ignored?
Today this thread will be directed towards discussing Guns of Icarus Online's consistently dwindling player base and how to fix it. If you have ever dabbled in, or researched video game development, then you are probably well aware of Bartle's Taxonomy and how each gamer can 'generally' be boiled down into one of, or a mix of the 4 basic player types: The Achiever, The Explorer, The Socializer, and The Killer. For more detailed information on these player types and to give insight into which one you are, please click on the video link below. (PLEASE WATCH VIDEO TO UNDERSTAND THIS THREAD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1drDuaQXm_UAccording to the video above, Guns of Icarus Online is suffering from an unbalanced overpopulation of The Killer player types (Which is what about half of the veteran players are) and hence is the reason for the game's inability to retain the vast majority of new players after a week or so. Muse Games is constantly re-promoting the game via sponsoring famous YouTubers to make fun game-play videos, as well as promoting the game in various Gamer Conventions to inspire masses of people to go ahead and try the game.
Your Thoughts: But doesn't promoting the game successfully cause healthy player surges?Yes it does, but it is only temporary. These Muse Games promotions would be better seen as military propaganda posters during WWII... Which did a good job of inspiring thousands of young men to be highly motivated to join the Army before being deployed during the D-Day Invasion to be mowed down by the thousands on the beaches by a better prepared force. (Click the following link to be reminded of what it is like for a lot of new players) [WARNING - GRAPHIC VIOLENCE DEPICTED]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1drDuaQXm_UYour Thoughts: But what can we do about this?Well first off let's see how each player type is accommodated in this game, and then we'll go from there.
1.
The Socializer: How can Socializers do what they do best here and have fun? Can Socializers effectively socialize in Guns of Icarus Online...? Do they have what they need?
They can chat in Global, Faction, Clan, Party, Match and Crew chats. They can potentially have fun little conversations with a whole lobby for about 5 minutes at a time before they're sent off into a match; where they hopefully spend most of their time concentrating on the battle instead of chatting incessantly to their 3 other crew members, texting in the team chat, or match chat. They can also come to the GoI forums.. where it is generally very, very quiet. Is this enough for the average Socializer?
No.. Socializers need constant engagement with other players to have fun. Talkativeness and fun interaction is not a guaranteed staple in the GoI lobbies, or aboard ships.
Your Thoughts: What else do they need then? Isn't it a good thing that their distracted yapping makes them easier prey for The Killers?It is a good thing, but it's only a short amount of time before they get tired of dying and desire to go somewhere else just to casually talk and relax. They need a Hub.. a Pub.. a "real" 3D rendered chat room of sorts. Preferably an actual open world to see their own character stand around with other characters while conversing. (This is commonly suggested for a reason)
These people would happily stand around talking and joking while aboard a ship indefinitely if they didn't have to be forced into battle. This type of thing can come with Adventure Mode - if that is ever released, but it would be best to see it as it's own little simple feature to make due for the Socializer crowd sooner rather than later for player retention's sake. Just imagine a tiny Co-op Mode where nothing attacks you and you could walk around frivolously interacting with scores of other players.
That is honestly just about all that type of player would ever need to keep them playing since it is friendship bonds and creative conversation that keeps them going... Otherwise they go back to SecondLife, or RuneScape, or Guild Wars 2, or some other garbage like that.
2.
The Explorer: How can Explorers do what they do best here and have fun? Can Explorers effectively explore in Guns of Icarus Online...? Do they have what they need?
Currently the closest thing Explorers get to a genuine and engaging exploring experience is to sight-see with their Spyglass while floating through the limited number of maps available in both Skirmish and Alliance Mode from aboard an airship. Though they must admire the glimpses of beautiful landscape with haste before they abruptly get engaged in battle - lest they get scorned by their captain for not doing their job.
Your Thoughts: Isn't that enough, though? Many of the maps are vast and beautiful.. and isn't it their casual attitude towards the game that The Killers also love to prey upon anyway?Yes, and no.. The Explorers constantly need new places to explore or else they get bored after a week and leave. Not to mention just floating passed beautiful scenery soon becomes dull once you've seen it all over and over.. They also desire to interact with the world, not just stare at it, and constantly getting killed isn't a big help in retaining them when you combine it with so few places to explore.
The best remedy for this would once again be the open-world Adventure Mode - if that is still planned. Another way to help this would be to allow airships to land their ship (just in Alliance Mode for now) so they can traverse through the buildings and terrain on foot.. They would love to just jump off their ship and storm into an oil rig armed with pistols and sword, and fly to the moon on a gigantic bottle rocket. Until there are more ways to explore and more things to learn, our Explorers will just be casually coming and going. They don't want to die in the same boring place over and over again.. They need to be dying in new places to stay happy.
3.
The Achiever: How can Achievers do what they do best here and have fun? Can Achievers effectively get rewarding achievements in Guns of Icarus Online...? Do they have what they need?
Achievers appear to be reasonably happy in Guns of Icarus Online. They have a whole range of medals, titles, outfits, and skill levels to earn from both PvP and PvE. They are the people most willing to play with the noobier players, and the most willing to bring obviously terrible ship loadouts into a match and even die a hundred deaths just to earn a badge or two. These are the people who take skill levels the most seriously. These are the people that The Killers truly love and adore, and without them many of The Killers would probably just leave.
4.
The Killer: How can Killers do what they do best here and have fun? Can Killers effectively get kills in Guns of Icarus Online...? Do they have what they need?
This is probably the happiest group in the game. This game is and always will be a PvP game. Skirmish Mode rules and Guns of Icarus Online is undoubtedly the best steampunk airship combat game out there.
For this group there's always that new surge of noobs to look forward to stomping. There's always the level 45 in 3 skills veteran Achiever with every badge in the game who has convinced himself he's better than he actually is because he looks like 'a real captain' in his new coat while smoking a pipe. These people are only unhappy when their crew mates and teammates are totally incompetent or trolling, and when there aren't enough lobbies going to get some kills in for the night due to low population.
If this game totally fails to retain its Socializers, Explorers, and Achievers, then even the Killers will leave and that's when the game will finally die. Just think on it.
tl;dr - Too bad, you have to read.
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