What makes for a healthy game community?

[Glacier Peak]

3 minutes ago, battlewraith said:

The topic is vague to me. I'm not sure exactly what you're after.

 

If the question is about what the Homecoming team can do, then I think it's actually "what makes for a healthy playerbase?"

The answers are going to involve things like content updates, events, promotion, etc.

 

"What makes for a healthy game community?"

 

1. What community are you talking about?

2. What is your criteria for saying it's healthy?

I'm not sure how much more specific I can get. I have a complete sentence as the topic of this thread. I can break down the meaning of each word if you are missing that context. If you are asking me to elaborate on what makes for a healthy game community, I am asking that question as the topic of this thread, not answering it myself. By expanding the context to "a game community" as opposed to "the HC community," I would gain more input on positive and negative actions other gaming communities have taken.

 

So to reiterate, I am not defining criteria or specific communities, I am asking broadly so I can gain the widest input. 

[Greycat]

Not arguing with me. *nods*

 

 

😉

[Luminara]

8 minutes ago, Greycat said:

Not arguing with me. *nods*

 

 

😉

 

I disagree.  🤣

[Shred Monkey]

In all seriousness I think it's all about the community's attitude towards new players.  If the community accepts them and genuinely tries to make their experience positive, the game will last.  New players will come in and stay, which replaces old players moving on.  But if there are too many players who bully new players, the game community turns toxic and shrivels up to nothing (I won't say the community dies, because sometimes you get games where the bullies hang on and hang out for a really long time).

 

Also note, you can replace "new players" with any player who's in a position to be bullied... be it lack of game knowledge/experience or other.

 

 

[Spaghetti Betty]

Diet and exercise. Staying hydrated.

[The_Warpact]

Humor, not taking anything seriously. 

 

Except posting in the wrong area, nothing chaps my ass more than someone asking about a build/AT/badge/etc in general discussion. Ask the Mods I report threads all the time, there must be ORDER on the forum.

 

So humor and order...thats all you need.

 

😜

[SeraphimKensai]

3 minutes ago, UltraAlt said:

 

I'm superhero. I always wear a mask.

 

(I went ahead and set-up a game account as a mask in-game so someone won't try to impersonate me in-game, but my forum name is not my global name in-game)

I'm superhero. I always wear a mask....

 

People don't need to have a "main". Most of the long time players don't seem to have a "main" as far as I can tell; as they all seem to like making alts.

 

I also have globals unrelated to my forum name so the two don't necessarily get linked, a few people have deduced the correlation though over the last couple of years.

 

I come at the game as someone from the original CoH Beta back in the spring of 2004, as such I've had just shy of 500 lvl 50s since the level cap was raised to 50, and I've played every powerset in the game (aside of the new seismic blaster ones) to 50 and beyond, so I use that knowledge to help random pugs needing build advice quite often. Because I've had so many 50's it's hard to say I have a main.

 

I used to have a PvP main as an emp defender when I was on a hardcore PvP ladder team during live but that was years ago.

 

I think playing without a main gives you a broader understanding of what strengths and weaknesses a potential player on a team brings with them so it's valuable knowledge for at the new harder difficulty levels.

 

[JacksonRooks]

The best thing for a game community is to crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

 

Wait, no. That's what's best in life. I have no idea what's best for a game community. Sorry.

[roleki]

3 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

Anyone have their thoughts to share on what HC is doing right to keep the game going strong? Anything they could improve? 

 

They could maybe, I don't know... nerf regen?

[Bill Z Bubba]

2 hours ago, Shred Monkey said:

which replaces old players moving on.

 

I haven't played much lately. Hopped on long enough to PL an alt from 18 to 35, stared at Mids for a second, closed Mids, logged off.

 

I agree completely that being cool, gracious and helpful to new players is VITAL to a community's well being. But what do we do to help keep the old fogies around? I mean, hell, the one thing I care about is generally ignored as unimportant by the majority of both players and devs. How should I be reacting to that other than with a shrug?

[Bill Z Bubba]

2 minutes ago, roleki said:

They could maybe, I don't know... nerf regen?

 

Too soon, man. Too soon.

[Luminara]

2 minutes ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

what do we do to help keep the old fogies around?

 

Hide their walkers.

 

*hides @Bill Z Bubba's walker*

 

NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOW, ARE YA, OLD MAN?!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[Bill Z Bubba]

Just now, Luminara said:

Hide their walkers.

 

*hides @Bill Z Bubba's walker*

 

NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOW, ARE YA, OLD MAN?!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

/shrugs

//flaps wings

///flies away

[roleki]

Just now, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

Too soon, man. Too soon.

 

It's been gnawing at me ever since I realized even my Ill/Dark controller out-regens my Spines/Regen scrapper.  Somebody needs to un-ass that whole secondary. 

[Bill Z Bubba]

16 minutes ago, roleki said:

It's been gnawing at me ever since I realized even my Ill/Dark controller out-regens my Spines/Regen scrapper.  Somebody needs to un-ass that whole secondary. 

 

And port it to tanks.

[Glacier Peak]

44 minutes ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

I haven't played much lately. Hopped on long enough to PL an alt from 18 to 35, stared at Mids for a second, closed Mids, logged off.

 

I agree completely that being cool, gracious and helpful to new players is VITAL to a community's well being. But what do we do to help keep the old fogies around? I mean, hell, the one thing I care about is generally ignored as unimportant by the majority of both players and devs. How should I be reacting to that other than with a shrug?

Great points Z!

[Aurora_Girl]

4 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

Let's stay on topic folks! 

 

Anyone have their thoughts to share on what HC is doing right to keep the game going strong? Anything they could improve? 

 

You're not my mom. 

[Glacier Peak]

Just now, Aurora_Girl said:

You're not my mom. 

We are in agreement. 

[Aurora_Girl]

48 minutes ago, Luminara said:

 

Hide their walkers.

 

*hides @Bill Z Bubba's walker*

 

NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOW, ARE YA, OLD MAN?!  HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 

Thank you Lumi. Somebody's gotta keep him limber enough to tank Relentless ASF for us. 

[Wobegone]

1 hour ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

I haven't played much lately. Hopped on long enough to PL an alt from 18 to 35, stared at Mids for a second, closed Mids, logged off.

 

I agree completely that being cool, gracious and helpful to new players is VITAL to a community's well being. But what do we do to help keep the old fogies around? 

One of the biggest hurdles for older games is player fatigue (for me anyway).  When I first found Homecoming, I played many hours for a year or so.  After that, I'd play a month or two, take a break.  The breaks are getting longer lately.  Now, as long as Homecoming is around, I'll fire it up once in a while.  New content helps bring me back.  I think the Devs understand this.  

[Albion]

1 hour ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

I haven't played much lately. Hopped on long enough to PL an alt from 18 to 35, stared at Mids for a second, closed Mids, logged off.

 

I agree completely that being cool, gracious and helpful to new players is VITAL to a community's well being. But what do we do to help keep the old fogies around? I mean, hell, the one thing I care about is generally ignored as unimportant by the majority of both players and devs. How should I be reacting to that other than with a shrug?

I am curious, what is the one thing you care about?

[Luminara]

1 hour ago, Aurora_Girl said:

 

Thank you Lumi. Somebody's gotta keep him limber enough to tank Relentless ASF for us. 

 

I've been moving his dentures around, too.  He fusses when he has to totter across the room to get them.  It's hilarious.

[Shred Monkey]

2 hours ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

But what do we do to help keep the old fogies around?

 

That's the thing with this game though, right?   I mean... it was gone for 7 years... And I had already left a year or so before it disappeared.  But, in those 8-9 years I was away, trying other games, other hobbies, I never found what I was looking for.  Ultimately, I realized the thing I was looking for was another CoH.  And, I never found it.  That is, until I did find exactly what I was looking for, right here.  

 

[Bill Z Bubba]

53 minutes ago, Albion said:

I am curious, what is the one thing you care about?

 

Numerical purity.

[Bug You 2]

Letting people play, learn and enjoy the game anyway they stumble upon, without anyone telling them its wrong (This includes Devs)