Do you ever feel like you are in a dying world?

[Degarth]

I just recently started playing again after a very long absence. I primarily played about 13 years ago and played briefly a little before the switch to GS 4. Out of the blue a week or so ago I thought about GS and went to the site and decided to try the the free trial to see how GS4 looked.

While there is much that is cool about GS 4 I am struck by how ridiculously underpopulated the gameworld is. I seldom see other people (granted I play mostly late at night). Even a couple of years ago when I played for a bit there were many more people. Now, it's almost like playing a stand alone game.

It just seems like Simu could try to do more to increase the number of players. Of course I have no suggestions for how, I am just bitching.

I am sure many people are happy with the world the way it is, but it seems much less vibrant and alive than it did when I first played. And I think that is clearly due to the dwindling population.

[Gan]

Or the fact that there are many more areas to play in now than compared to 13 years ago that tend to spread the reduced population out more.

Landing/IMT/Pinefar-Rift/RR/Teras vs. Landing/IMT/Pinefar-Rift/RR/Teras/Solhaven/Illistim/ZL/Vaalor/Frostacres

[Swami71]

I don't personally. I feel this game has a very loyal fan base. The player population is good enough for me. Would welcome more of course though. What town were you in?

[Degarth]

I travel back and forth between Landing and Mule.

[Swami71]

I travel back and forth between Landing and Mule.

I've never lived in the landing. Seems to be the most populated areas though. There is definitely less people at night and I'd guess most multi-account because of it. I know I pretty much hide all night.

[CrystalTears]

I am sure many people are happy with the world the way it is, but it seems much less vibrant and alive than it did when I first played. And I think that is clearly due to the dwindling population.
The magic and mystical aspect of the game either dwindles and/or disappears once you play, leave, and come back. There is just no way to continue to have the same awe as when you first started playing because it was all new.

As much as it may frustrate me at times with the grind to get anywhere, there are LOTS more options now then there was before. Adventurer guild, more towns, premium areas, more profession guilds, some with skills, combat maneuvers, triple experience weekly rewards, artisan skills, and so forth.

The problem with the population is that what we are left with are the loyal players. They may say that we get new players on a constant basis, but the numbers just don't show that. Then again, when you have games competing with it such as WoW, that costs less with more to offer, it makes it harder to keep the newer players. Hell, makes it hard to keep the loyal players when the costs keep going up for every little thing.

After the years roll by, the game doesn't justify the cost as much. And people grow up and grow tired of fighting about the game.

[phantasm]

When pirates laugh on the internet, they harbofl.

[Degarth]

The magic and mystical aspect of the game either dwindles and/or disappears once you play, leave, and come back. There is just no way to continue to have the same awe as when you first started playing because it was all new.

As much as it may frustrate me at times with the grind to get anywhere, there are LOTS more options now then there was before. Adventurer guild, more towns, premium areas, more profession guilds, some with skills, combat maneuvers, triple experience weekly rewards, artisan skills, and so forth.

The problem with the population is that what we are left with are the loyal players. They may say that we get new players on a constant basis, but the numbers just don't show that. Then again, when you have games competing with it such as WoW, that costs less with more to offer, it makes it harder to keep the newer players. Hell, makes it hard to keep the loyal players when the costs keep going up for every little thing.

After the years roll by, the game doesn't justify the cost as much. And people grow up and grow tired of fighting about the game.

Seems like an excellent assessment. It is just so odd to me to be in town at night and sometimes see no one at all.

There is a lot that is new to me though and that I am enjoying those things. A few new spells, lots of cooler treasure drops. You can actually outfit yourself now with useable drops. I think some of these changes might have helped player retention had they come sooner. Still they are nice to see and there is a lot to explore even in areas that are familiar to me.

And there are towns I have never even visited, so that holds some adventure for the future. Speaking of Adventure, what is the Adventurer's Guild? That is new to me.

[psycat]

Hate to basically necro the thread but this.


The magic and mystical aspect of the game either dwindles and/or disappears once you play, leave, and come back. There is just no way to continue to have the same awe as when you first started playing because it was all new.

As much as it may frustrate me at times with the grind to get anywhere, there are LOTS more options now then there was before. Adventurer guild, more towns, premium areas, more profession guilds, some with skills, combat maneuvers, triple experience weekly rewards, artisan skills, and so forth.

The problem with the population is that what we are left with are the loyal players. They may say that we get new players on a constant basis, but the numbers just don't show that. Then again, when you have games competing with it such as WoW, that costs less with more to offer, it makes it harder to keep the newer players. Hell, makes it hard to keep the loyal players when the costs keep going up for every little thing.

After the years roll by, the game doesn't justify the cost as much. And people grow up and grow tired of fighting about the game.

Wow has it's own to offer for the right players. The RP servers are still somwhat RP but the consensus among the people that I know that used to play GS or DR is that there is basically unlimited PvP on WoW's servers and other games so that group of griefers or PvP heavy players have headed there. There's no chance of a report or anything like that.

[Back]

Vaalor is awesome. Its not as big as Wehnimers but definitely worth the explore.

[Farn]

I always found the Nations really boring to explore. It seemed to be made up mainly of abandoned farmland and there never seemed to be much besides room descriptions. The earliest areas around the Landing are full of extra item descriptions/manipulations and hidden easter-eggs and such.

If anyone has any suggestions for some particularly interesting Eastern areas, I might go visit sometime if I end up reactivating (which will happen sooner or later).

[Adequate Picker]

There is no magic here for me anymore and certainly not like it was when i was playing every day. I even cleaned out my locker, put everything in backpacks and took my bank account as a promissory note to keep in my cloak so i could leave. Just havent done it yet. Might not, who knows. Am trying to find any semblance of magic to keep me here.

[Farn]

I hear good things about certain PROs (or are they MHOs?), if any of them are your kind of thing. They can keep a little of the magic going if you find an active one that fits your character and is run by good people.

I joined one that I really liked, but life got extremely ridiculous and I wasn't able to get into it as much as I would have liked. It's a major reason I'm considering reactivating.

You just have to stay away from the drama ones. Euch.

[Back]

These tapestries are woven with dramatic colors that nearly spring to life. Scenes invariably include war themes, where each tapestry clearly envisons the Vaalor elves, uniformed to show House loyalty, triumphing over what they consider the lesser races -- humans, giantmen, and dwarves. One scene, however, is done in resplendent colors, portraying elation at winning the Battle of Maelshyve. The scene, however, only shows the pure elves -- any trace of Faendryl and the other races is absent here.

Look around.

[complac3ncy]

GS has been a dying world for quite some time now. The people that still play the game will spin it so many diffrent ways. More and more "original" players quit and thier proverbial "spot" is just filled with a pocket wizard or another drone. If you see 400 people online then more than likely there are only 200-250 real people engaged in the game..

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

I feel like an 8 track in a CD world.

[Deadelf]

I feel like an 8 track in a CD world.

Ah for my old panasonic eight track player. :) With the "T" bar to change tracks. Listening to my old Eagles, Zeppeling and Sabbath eight tracks. lol

[Rocktar]

According to the Law of Entropy from Thermogoddamics, we ALL are living in a dying world.

All humor aside, yes, the population is thinner, people are more spread out and I think that even the loyal (or stupid depending on who you ask) player base is slowly shrinking one at a time. I work nights so I play in the mornings and on my nights off and in the middle of the night, if I don't have a rescuer on the other account, it is likely as not, if I die, I am logging and playing someone else. So yeah, I agree.