81 replies to this topic

[Bellum Dominum]

So three months ago now I started saying that the jump snipers were going to kill the game. Back then I'd log on to one of the team speak servers and see 25 out of 30 jump ships full of players nearly 24/7.

PGI in their infinite wisdom responded to the whining of the jump snipers by nerfing artemis to line of sight only. Admittedly LRM's are strong, and were stronger without that nerf, especially against the jump snipers. In fact they are practically the only solid response to the jump sniping meta.

The last week and a half, or so, I've logged on and seen the lack of players exponentially drop on the team speak. Down to literally myself being the only one on at times, other than the other channels on the server which only had the bots. When I've seen other players I hear them talking about other games, and even starting to play for the first time some older games.

I wonder if PGI is feeling that loss of players yet, or even paying attention to it.

HINT: Community Warfare, Clans, etc. will not save this game if there are no players around to even know that you have finally fullfilled those promises. Regardless of how amazing you may actually pull them off.

[Joseph Mallan]

So yesterday I created a new Alt and only saw two names repeat in 4 matches. True it is a small sample, but I always pay attention to names as I wanna see who is where in comparison to my Elo.

[Kunae]

Joseph Mallan, on 10 December 2013 - 05:29 AM, said:

So yesterday I created a new Alt and only saw two names repeat in 4 matches. True it is a small sample, but I always pay attention to names as I wanna see who is where in comparison to my Elo.

That's actually not an accurate way to sample. The number of new players isn't the issue, it's the number retained.

It's been getting worse, with seeing the same people over and over, even if you try to "desync" with map rotations. Long wait times followed by at least half of the people you saw in the last match in your next one. Wait 3 minutes after that one and try again... same results.

[Joseph Mallan]

taking that into account then Kunae, I hardly see repeat names on drops... ever. There may be 1-2 names that repeat but if I wait 2 minutes I don't see those names again. As Joe I have thousands of drops and rarely do I see many repeats.

[RG Notch]

All you have to do to check population is look at the player counter. Well I'm sure games with healthy populations remove player counters all the time. Those long wait times have nothing to do with a lower player numbers even if you are average or below average in Elo. Lack of people in the teamspeak servers doesn't mean anything. Even all those things taken together are negated by the same few people who keep claiming they never see the same people.
It's not like the game hasn't changed much in months, or failed to add any new maps or modes. Hell even the lack of progress on the new UI and absolutely no real evidence that CW will be here anytime soon shouldn't be reducing player interest. It's the holidays or you're playing off peak time. There's absolutely no possible reason that people would get bored or burnt out.

[Kunae]

That's because "Joe" and your alt accounts are playing at the same Elo... Zing!

All kidding aside, it's just something I've been starting to notice in the last couple weeks. Not all the time, but it's becoming noticeable.

[FreeZe]

RG Notch, on 10 December 2013 - 06:51 AM, said:

All you have to do to check population is look at the player counter. Well I'm sure games with healthy populations remove player counters all the time. Those long wait times have nothing to do with a lower player numbers even if you are average or below average in Elo. Lack of people in the teamspeak servers doesn't mean anything. Even all those things taken together are negated by the same few people who keep claiming they never see the same people.
It's not like the game hasn't changed much in months, or failed to add any new maps or modes. Hell even the lack of progress on the new UI and absolutely no real evidence that CW will be here anytime soon shouldn't be reducing player interest. It's the holidays or you're playing off peak time. There's absolutely no possible reason that people would get bored or burnt out.

I just had to log into the forums for the first time in weeks to quote this. Well played sir. Well played...

[Hellen Wheels]

What bugs me is when I get a chance to play, I've been seeing more and more 12v11, 12v10, 11.10...and I don't mean disconnects. I mean the MM apparently can't find enough people to drop a full load. I don't care if they have to use a complete newb or the best of the best to fill in, I'd rather have a 12v12.

It's usually a lop-sided result, anyway.

[Mechteric]

Hellen Wheels, on 10 December 2013 - 07:08 AM, said:

What bugs me is when I get a chance to play, I've been seeing more and more 12v11, 12v10, 11.10...and I don't mean disconnects. I mean the MM apparently can't find enough people to drop a full load. I don't care if they have to use a complete newb or the best of the best to fill in, I'd rather have a 12v12.

It's usually a lop-sided result, anyway.

They're crashes, not matchmaker not finding people.

[CravenMadness]

This topic sort of came up for my clan as well. Game is just getting stupidly stale. Some of us are starting to play other games more than we play casual MWO, only logging on if groups needing a 4th or it's practice/comp game nights or clan meeting nights. Someone had concerns that our playing other games was going to 'fracture the clan' but as the responses came in to the concern the common thread throughout is that frankly ... Our members are just getting burnt out on MWO...

The balance is ****, the detection for half the weapons in the game is ****, the maps are ****, the constant output of MC purchased items, a recent patch pretty much -solely- for the purpose of seeing the **** you bought, horrid implementation of 'features' that are wastes of time that the community did not ask for or need, the price scaling on MC purchasable mechs is ****, the draw of resources the game takes is ******** so most players have to run at low end graphics in order to have an fps at a playable rate... I could probably go on, pointing out things like mountain-goat mod and dance-dance-mod being **** ways of trying to mitigate **** implementation of **** ideas... but I won't.

And for anyone who's played this game for more than four or five months (such as myself) these things are horribly obvious and makes me feel like a real sucker for having spent -any- real cash on this game just because I'm a stompy mech fan and had stars in my eyes blinding me from the facts for a while.

[Dawnstealer]

Maybe the drop you're seeing is an ELO thing? I'm a good player, but I'm not great; my KDR is pretty average as I play aggressively. Unless I'm intentionally dropping with my Steiner group, I almost never play with the same people more than two games in a row (PUGging).

Also, another reason for the perceived drop in players might just be a little bit of burnout from grinding out the TWELVE mechs of the Phoenix Project.

I know in my case after I slogged my way through that, I took a little time off and don't play as much. But I'm playing a bit more now, and if/when CW rolls out, I'll be playing a LOT.

Edited by Dawnstealer, 10 December 2013 - 07:50 AM.

[Blurry]

They dont care new sale next week.

Buy the new Hero.

UI 2.0 Sometime and then buy buy buy then maybe they will talk about CW and clans in between buy buy buy.

They dont care other than squeezing as tight as they can.

Yes the drop off is real but so far the pump and dump has worked. Get them in the door, buy a mech or 2 see how bad the game is and dump.

Rinse and Repeat - until there are no more suckers and by the looks of it - getting there.

Edited by Blurry, 10 December 2013 - 08:10 AM.

[Blurry]

Joseph Mallan, on 10 December 2013 - 06:19 AM, said:

taking that into account then Kunae, I hardly see repeat names on drops... ever. There may be 1-2 names that repeat but if I wait 2 minutes I don't see those names again. As Joe I have thousands of drops and rarely do I see many repeats.

so you play the game with your eyes closed? or just your head in the sand. does it itch? Do we need to keep doing this?
It does explain how you have lasted so long and why you still play!

[stjobe]

Joseph Mallan, on 10 December 2013 - 06:19 AM, said:

taking that into account then Kunae, I hardly see repeat names on drops... ever. There may be 1-2 names that repeat but if I wait 2 minutes I don't see those names again. As Joe I have thousands of drops and rarely do I see many repeats.

I have the same experience; it's a rare drop where I have even two names repeat from the last one. And I'm (still) trying to master my Phoenix 'mechs, so it's across all four Elos (I usually play my 'mechs until I get the 2x bonus, so it could take a few matches to get it across all twelve 'mechs...)

[Almond Brown]

Until PGI fixes the Internetz and buys everyone who plays a modern, to spec PC to use, they will always have issues.

[KinsonRavenlock]

Could someone explain to me how LRM's are the counter to the jump sniping meta ? o.0...

[Mercules]

Is this the monthly, "Oh no the game is dying the population is drying up!" thread that has been going on since early Closed Beta? No one cares. If PGI closes the doors tomorrow big F'n deal. Yes I have invested money in this game and no I don't care if they close the doors, if they do I'll play something else and consider the money I paid well worth the time I got out of it.


I honestly don't get the people who scream about how dirty rotten money grubbing a company is, and then play their game or don't play their game but haunt their forums. What a waste of breath, time, space, and organic material.

[Sandpit]

I'm glad somebody finally got the nerve to post about poptarts "killing" the game

you sneaky op you, i see what you did with your title

Mercules, on 10 December 2013 - 08:40 AM, said:

Is this the monthly, "Oh no the game is dying the population is drying up!" thread that has been going on since early Closed Beta? No one cares. If PGI closes the doors tomorrow big F'n deal. Yes I have invested money in this game and no I don't care if they close the doors, if they do I'll play something else and consider the money I paid well worth the time I got out of it.


I honestly don't get the people who scream about how dirty rotten money grubbing a company is, and then play their game or don't play their game but haunt their forums. What a waste of breath, time, space, and organic material.

No, it's a duplicate thread of "Poptarts are killing the game"

It's different and in the immortal words of Roadbeer "new and exciting" lol

[Mystere]

Sandpit, on 10 December 2013 - 08:41 AM, said:

I'm glad somebody finally got the nerve to post about poptarts "killing" the game

you sneaky op you, i see what you did with your title


No, it's a duplicate thread of "Poptarts are killing the game"

It's different and in the immortal words of Roadbeer "new and exciting" lol

I think we need some cake. But, I haven't heard from the baker lately. Has he gone on vacation too?

Edit: I just placed my order anyway.

Edited by Mystere, 10 December 2013 - 08:47 AM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

These threads always seem to pop up. Every few months a thread pops up about how people are leaving the game for X or Y reason (depending on the trending meta normally). These threads have existed since the online player counter was removed from the menu screen.

If this half these predictions were true (going from that far back), the game would have been a ghost town long ago.

I am curious to see the numbers for my own curiosity. I also think the numbers fluctuate in general. Still, I am certain there isn't some mass exodus of existing players leaving the game and no new players to fill the ranks.

I do feel that if CW did hit (and was close to what was advertised), many old players who are taking a break would come back.