Why do NESes fail?

[Birdjaguar]

Is part of the problem that players know that most games fail and so they sign up for more than they can play and hope that some of them stick around? Hedging their bets so to speak.

 

[Luckymoose]

Is part of the problem that players know that most games fail and so they sign up for more than they can play and hope that some of them stick around? Hedging their bets so to speak.

Yes.Exactly.

I hate joining a nes that doesn't look liek it'll stay open. I though JD's was going ot last 2 updates max but its one of the best I have ever played.

*will not correct spelling errors, I r bad grammar*

 

[Symphony D.]

I know I actively avoid games that look like they're going to crash. My moderating experience is very limited, but from a player's perspective, I know a fairly large problem is just not connecting with your country, even if it seemed interesting at first. I've dropped out of a fair number of of NESes because of that. Being selective in what you take is prudent for all players, in my opinion... then again, this might also hurt niche NESes, so it's something of a double-edged sword.

That said, updates do take a lot of effort, and people bugging you (in other threads even!) and things such as NAO, which have effectively made LINESII the Mod's favorite bombing range, are utterly deplorable, IMO.

 

[Birdjaguar]

... but from a player's perspective, I know a fairly large problem is just not connecting with your country, even if it seemed interesting at first. I've dropped out of a fair number of of NESes because of that. Being selective in what you take is prudent for all players, in my opinion... then again, this might also hurt niche NESes, so it's something of a double-edged sword.

So in a historical NES people choose nations that force them into a style or culture that they aren't excited about? Any ideas on how to fix that?

 

[Symphony D.]

It doesn't even necessarily apply to historical NESes, I think. It's less common, though just as possible for it to happen in alt-historical or even fictional settings. The only way to prevent it, I'd say, is to look at the situation and see if there's really a way in which it hooks you. If there isn't, but it looks like it might just be to joyride around in, it probably isn't for you. I mean, it very well could be, but you might just be setting yourself up for disillusionment later. It probably depends on work load too - I like to put effort into the nations I pick, so it has to grip me for me to be motivated. If someone tends to be fairly light on effort (usually they're in more NESes too, so it's not really a bad thing) then it's probably not a big factor.

For example, if Victorian British culture and attitudes isn't really your thing, you probably shouldn't play Victorian Britain. Most players have some flexibility in their play styles and capacity to roleplay, but should generally try and stick to things that fit inside those so that they don't get bored. Unless they want to try and expand their horizons. "Pick things that fit what you like to do," I guess. Same story with all games that require a degree of roleplaying.

 

[jalapeno_dude]

It doesn't even necessarily apply to historical NESes, I think. It's less common, though just as possible for it to happen in alt-historical or even fictional settings. The only way to prevent it, I'd say, is to look at the situation and see if there's really a way in which it hooks you. If there isn't, but it looks like it might just be to joyride around in, it probably isn't for you. I mean, it very well could be, but you might just be setting yourself up for disillusionment later. It probably depends on work load too - I like to put effort into the nations I pick, so it has to grip me for me to be motivated. If someone tends to be fairly light on effort (usually they're in more NESes too, so it's not really a bad thing) then it's probably not a big factor.

For example, if Victorian British culture and attitudes isn't really your thing, you probably shouldn't play Victorian Britain. Most players have some flexibility in their play styles and capacity to roleplay, but should generally try and stick to things that fit inside those so that they don't get bored. Unless they want to try and expand their horizons. "Pick things that fit what you like to do," I guess. Same story with all games that require a degree of roleplaying.

I agree. That's why I tend to do fresh starts--I can create my nation, and thus take it in a direction that is interesting to me. I'll then set goals, which are usually not to conquer the world--for example, with the Eldranians I wanted to go down in a blaze of glory and force the formation of an alliance to fight me.

 

[Swissempire]

Players lose faith to easily*stares at own flock*

 

[Israelite9191]

Lack of Mod time. Both of my NESes closed because of time constraints. Likewise NK's fabulous NESes often close because of time. However, time alone is not enough. If it weren't for the horendous buggering of players, particularly of the type of one who has already posted in this thread but whose name I will not mention, most Mods who close their NESes becuase of time constraints would ride out the period of constrained time and come back at a normal pace later. Unfortunately, players are extraordinarily impatient. After Moding for the first time, I made it a point to NEVER bug a Mod, I would hope all NESers would hold themselves to the same rule.

 

[Sheep]

I close my neses because I dont get enough people intrested, I lose intrest or yeah something happens..

Oh and on the whole question of paying mods to update. The average update for one of my neses takes about 4.5 hours including stats worth of work. More if it is extremly busy update with lots of conflicts and what not to resolve. Limiting players to one pm and strategic instead of tactical orders did however help remedy this a little bit. Reason why I say paying mods to update. My company now pays me about 4400 USD an hour now so I dont see how people would be ABLE to afford to pay me. Having said this I am not particularly worried.

And no I am not paying for neses. One of the most attractive features is that it is free.

 

[das]

In other words, my theory stands: NESes die when mods, for whatever reasons, are unable to continue them, because mods are vital to NESing as hearts to human body (although there were a few individual cases of succesful moderator transplants ).

 

[North King]

After Moding for the first time, I made it a point to NEVER bug a Mod, I would hope all NESers would hold themselves to the same rule.

Well, if, in private conversation, you ask me,

"Hey, NK. Sorry to bother you, but how's the update coming?"

Then I'll happily answer. But if, publically posted, you say:

"UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE NAO!"

Then I'll be angry and probably update slower just to spite you.

 

[Birdjaguar]

I close my neses because I dont get enough people intrested,

I can understand that worry. But if you get enough to begin, and it gets going, it appears that people will join in later.

Is there a critical mass number of players you need for a game to be interesting and have staying power?

 

[Oruc]

People who bug mods are idiots, even if they do a mistake with your orders, like leaving something out, you should be polite and ask nicely if they could include your orders in the update.
rather than typing in caps (because they are supposedly shouting) and ranting and raving, its unnecessary and only creats a bad atmosphere.
Also if your annoyed at the update being late or believe their was no way an event could have happened like it did in the update, then you should not complain to the mod they have plently of other things they would rather do then listen to your whining, there are always plently of people on Aim and Msn who will pretend to listen.

 

[Disenfrancised]

I can understand that worry. But if you get enough to begin, and it gets going, it appears that people will join in later.

Is there a critical mass number of players you need for a game to be interesting and have staying power?

depends on the size of the system - if they are all interacting it can be quite low, Stars! was working fine with only 7-8. World map NESes do tend to need more it appears, and its better if they are interacting I think.

 

[Israelite9191]

Altogether, it normally takes me 10-12 hours spread over 2-3 days to do an update. Yes, I am obsesive.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Altogether, it normally takes me 10-12 hours spread over 2-3 days to do an update. Yes, I am obsesive.

I can see that if you had 12 or more players plus NPCs, and if there was a lot of war, it would take a while to work through and write up.

 

[Disenfrancised]

Altogether, it normally takes me 10-12 hours spread over 2-3 days to do an update. Yes, I am obsesive.

me too (well maybe not 12 hours)

 

[Israelite9191]

Actually, for me it takes less time if I have more players and more in-depth orders. I try to make happenings in NPC parts of the world just as interesting as those elsewhere, which is incredibly hard when I have to do all the research and work. Oh, and I do a lot of reasearch, and I mean A LOT. You may not notice it, but there is research that goes into every statement I make in an update. Everything needs to be realistic, names need to make sense, etc. That's why when people join with inacurate stuff in their stats, I try to get them to change it (such as when one person joined as Eire and made their capital Dublin, which wasn't a major city until the Vikings and was called/is called in Gaelic Dun Aillen).

 

[~Darkening~]

I have never, not even once, bothered a mod for an update. I know that i don't want it done to me, so I don't do it to others. I'm firmly anti-NAO.

 

[jalapeno_dude]

The general rule for me is 20 minutes per player. It's usually closer to 30.