Gentlemen and Ladies:
The question on the poll is an interesting one. How to increase
player involvement indeed? I think I'm going to muse a bit on the
choices...
Bree weekly/monthly. I admit I don't look at this much. I
understand the thought on a general mailer for all players; but I see
this as just a place to post basic articles on playing Middle Earth
(Example: Why a mage/emissary/agent combination is not a good
idea). This is not meant to be interactive, though players are
allowed to contribute. This would be a fine place to stick player
rankings I suppose or results from previous games (though I myself am
not interested in such things). I don't see how this would increase
player involvement. There general consensus seems to be that few
players write articles. If this is true I think we can count this
out as a method of increasing player involvement.
Yahoo mailgroup. Here we see a lively debate on poll questions and
whether we should have more involvement. We seem to have a good
volume of messages though I will rely on previous statements that
this seems to come from a core of chatty players. If this is true
then I don't see how this platform is increasing player involvement.
Chatty players will make themselves heard, either by setting up
websites on the subject themselves or by camping out at a website of
someone else's and posting like there is no tomorrow. This is a fine
place for more experienced vets or chatty newcommers to discuss MEPBM
but there seems to be a number of players who say they haven't wanted
to read through all the messages required for them to have a good
grasp on what has been said on a given subject to post (or that by
the time they have finished reading they feel the subject has been
hashed to death). If this is the case I think we can conclude that
the volume of messages on these (rather dry) subjects is not a method
to increase player involvement.
Online Message Boards. My experience here is that this is used to
contact players and to boast. Occasionally, player questions are
answered. Recently we had a rather interesting one on the Harad navy
and how to sail it without intefering with Free naval movement. More
interesting is that while this was going on Harly was requesting
players find subjects to write about for the next Bree. Now there is
some player interaction here: there are players discussing whether to
deal with neutrals or not, whether players who drop positions without
telling anyone are reprehensible, and on a case by case basis which
side the undeclared neutrals in various games should side with.
However, the majority of posts come off as boasts, jokes, or insults
(nations insulting nations, not players insulting players). This is
fine as far as it goes; but it is supplying very basic interaction
between players: contact information, boasts, jokes, and insults. In
my opinion this is probably the area where we see the most
involvement from new players (anyone can crack a joke, whether it is
funny or not...). Is this the level of involvement that is being
discussed on this site? I doubt it, we aren't really posting fifty
something messages concerning improving player involvment to see more
jokes and boasts posted. So, while it meets the need of the poll
question, it isn't really answering the actual question.
Interactive Website. I am still a little unsure of what the idea of
this really is. I imagine it is a place where the above three
examples are combined, or a stepchild of the old Mouth of Sauron
where players got together and submitted strategy and questions and
the mysteries of MEPBM were unraveled. Combining the three above
however, even if it could be done on a financial or time standpoint,
would be difficult to do so as not to make it so unweildy that no one
wants it. As this is theoretical I don't have much to say on it as
an idea. We have to ask whether this choice would create increased
player involvement and I suppose from a business standpoint would a
more streamlined structure increase the liklihood of increasing our
player base. I think the jury is out on that; my concern is the
grass is always greener argument. Ask a player if he wants a better
looking more centrally placed product for the same price and I'm sure
the answers will come back in droves to do it. Take that same
player and tell him that prices will be raised for a product that we
think is better; but as it turns out is just a product that's
basically nicer looking eyecandy; but a more expensive version of the
same game he played cheaper a year ago and he will get disgruntled.
No one wants that; but the truth is new ideas can fail as well as new
products and if we make a change we had better be sure that it is for
the good of the game and not for the sake of change.
I want to sum up. The reality might be that the majority of players
see the game as recreational and that all the communication and
planning is fine for some; but not for them. An occassional boast,
witty joke is fine and enough interaction to satisfy them. Harly as
a company seems interested in giving players a forum to state their
views and this should be commended - not all PBM's are this way.
That said, there may be a flaw in the idea that increased player
involvement is essential for the company. What might be a better
question is whether players are currently satisfied with their level
of interaction. Personally, I am. I don't need player ranking
systems or interactive websites - I just need a game where I can
recruit a dragon, overrun an army of trolls, or seize the One Ring
for myself...
Now if any of you have read this much then let me tip my hat to you.
I hope no one thinks I was taking shots at anyone. I think as long
as we always consider when we make an arguement if this is good for
the game, then we will be fine. Now, I'd like to get back to my
life, I've bothered enough with you people already...
Bonus points to anyone who catches that last sentence's reference.
