Exciting Changes & Announcements for Wurm Online

[atazs 965]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:23 PM, _hyena said:

Delete all servers start fresh, 3-4 server 1 pvp. Ignore cries, harvest cash.

This would probably be the best long term solution for the game. And i'm not even trolling. At the very, very least the entirety of Epic should be removed. Nobody would miss it.

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by atazs

[Finnn 3,337]

17 minutes ago, atazs said:

This would probably be the best long term solution for the game. And i'm not even trolling. At the very, very least the entirety of Epic should be removed. Nobody would miss it.

 

troll.

[Vorticella 961]

It's astonishing that so many seem to think closing servers would solve anything. @Krister, please don't take these suggestions seriously. It has come up again and again and it's clear from reactions that it would cause far more problems than it would ever solve. (At least for PvE, I can't speak for PvP as I have no involvement there.) We see plenty of comments that all the servers feel "used" and that there's nowhere left that really feels like wilderness. I travel a lot and can absolutely see how a new player would feel like they have to settle for the leftovers of former players. Removing servers is not the answer.

 

To address the "used land" problem I suggest introducing an erosion/rewilding mechanic to gradually return abandoned areas to a natural state. New players and those looking for a fresh start would feel like they are venturing into wilderness, instead of trying to find their place in a secondhand landscape full of awkward terraforming on abandoned deeds. All those abandoned areas are also a reminder that many players have come and go, and that may not be a good first impression for newbies.

 

People want to spread out and have their space and they should be allowed to do so. But it should also be easy to come together when we want to, and I think many if not most players would agree that travel in wurm is tedious and often frustrating. More ways to reduce travel time would help immensely here. Things like craftable portals to travel quickly between deeds on different servers. Being able to bring a mount with the karma teleport will make a big difference already. Super looking forward to that update

 

Other ways to bring people together could include things like bonuses for deeds with more citizens, or some kind of proximity bonuses while doing things near or with other players. There have been interesting ideas for mentorships and other ways to encourage interaction between new and old players. We need positive incentives that bring people together in the right way and inspire community building; not mechanics that force interactions or physically push people together by limiting space.

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Vorticella

[Revnik 87]

34 minutes ago, Vorticella said:

It's astonishing that so many seem to think closing servers would solve anything. @Krister, please don't take these suggestions seriously. It has come up again and again and it's clear from reactions that it would cause far more problems than it would ever solve.

 

Because fragmenting the player base across 15 or so servers is a good idea? These days 500 concurrent players is a good day. Divide that between the vast number of servers, and considering how many are multi-boxing, and we might as well play solo. Its crazy how we keep doing the same thing over and over, do not see results, and then people still resist thinking up a logical way to consolidate servers... Astonishing.

[Quiksilver 46]

Just waiting for someone to lock this thread because "no longer of any benefit to leave open" or it is "breeding arguments and negativity"...

 

 

[Homestead 328]

1 minute ago, Quiksilver said:

Just waiting for someone to lock this thread because "no longer of any benefit to leave open" or it is "breeding arguments and negativity"...

 

 

 

Or....

 

Because it has all be said last month.....

 

And the month before, and the month before, and the month before.......

[Vorticella 961]

2 minutes ago, Revnik said:

Because fragmenting the player base across 15 or so servers is a good idea? These days 500 concurrent players is a good day. Divide that between the vast number of servers, and considering how many are multi-boxing, and we might as well play solo. Its crazy how we keep doing the same thing over and over, do not see results, and then people still resist thinking up a logical way to consolidate servers... Astonishing.

 

Can you elaborate on this vision a bit more? I'm curious about specifically what you think would be accomplished by removing land and forcing people closer together, aside from creating massive drama and driving people away. Constant bickering over resources and landscape changes would keep the GMs very busy. New players complaining that there is nowhere to settle. Lost revenue from all the erased deeds, and fewer people having their own deeds if they are forced to live on someone else's land due to lack of space. Long time premium players who quit in anger. How do you imagine this would play out in any way that isn't a disaster? I'm genuinely curious.

 

There are countless ideas for bringing people together that don't require an apocalypse. As I said before, improving fast travel options and providing more incentives for players to gather would be good places to start.

[Miretta 1,415]

I was last night having an idea, that the highway route system, could be used to create a sort of train system in wurm aka: like wagoners, but instead of transporting goods it would be transporting players (and could still include players physically just like on rails moving along) 
 

[Stinboi 367]

7 hours ago, atazs said:

I said this before, and i'll say it again. The biggest way Wurm can make money is seasonal servers like Jackal was. Period

 

We get a relatively large number of players both returning and new when a new server gets released.

 

The problem is is that most of those players  leave after, leaving the server empty and the community spread even more thin. A drop off in numbers is expected in every game after the initial "launch" so this is nothing new. 

 

This is what seasonal servers would solve. A new server with unique rewards, titles, cosmetics, unique gameplay and gameplay mechanics that gets wiped every say 6 months. Objective and PvE based, more "Hardcore" survival server that requires the community to work together. Kind of like Jackal was. 

 

tldr: if you want money, less stagnation, more players, and more events then BRING BACK JACKAL AND IMPLEMENT SEASONAL SERVERS

 

well Wurm lost all their "steam players" a few month after release thats not normal.

Other then that i agree that Wurm need some kind of regular event, something to make players log on and keep premium

 

i Said it many times before that Wurm has very little to offer, and all this talk about increasing revenue worry me becouse i get the feeling they focusing on drawing more money out of existing players, i think it will be hard for wurm to increase their playerbase without comming out with regular and exciting content, and with that i dont mean more mindless grind

In many ways what Wurm has done the last 20 years is amazing, but theres no doubt its been focusing on quantity instead of quality, could remove 80% of the skills and people wouldnt notice, so many useless stuff.

single devolepers that working on their free time get more done then the wurm devs do, 

 

1. maintain content allready in game(f.example you should change the loot from treasure hunting now and then to make it more exciting and not just release and leaves it)

2. Seasonal event in some kind.

3. follow up your own words and roadmap(we still havent heard anything new about stuff that was announced 2-3 years ago)

4 more frequently updates(i mean 2023 was a year where you would focus on the little things/bugfixes and what have we got now that we are half way there? able to dye carpets?)

 

logged on earlier today and 258 people was on, i cant remember i have seen so low numbers ever before.

 

I do fear that we are seen the start of the end for wurm, things need to change soon, expecially now when a few wurm replacement games is in devolepment.

[Stinboi 367]

7 hours ago, Finnn said:

troll.

i do agree with him, i wouldnt mind that, offcourse if we would keep skills and "special things"

[Ringhai 30]

53 minutes ago, Stinboi said:

3. follow up your own words and roadmap(we still havent heard anything new about stuff that was announced 2-3 years ago)

That's true, visibility of roadmap is important. I think Star Citizen devs faced similar drama and they created https://robertsspaceindustries.com/roadmap/progress-tracker/teams. Even simple public Trello board would work. I personally don't mind if something is delayed, if there is visibility.

[Zerobyte 291]

3 hours ago, Miretta said:

I was last night having an idea, that the highway route system, could be used to create a sort of train system in wurm aka: like wagoners, but instead of transporting goods it would be transporting players (and could still include players physically just like on rails moving along) 
 

This! Please!

[Finnn 3,337]

I'd rather see portal system than wurm-bus, opportunities to abuse it are way lower.

 

 

[demondan 1,865]

7 hours ago, Vorticella said:

It's astonishing that so many seem to think closing servers would solve anything. @Krister, please don't take these suggestions seriously. It has come up again and again and it's clear from reactions that it would cause far more problems than it would ever solve. (At least for PvE, I can't speak for PvP as I have no involvement there.) We see plenty of comments that all the servers feel "used" and that there's nowhere left that really feels like wilderness. I travel a lot and can absolutely see how a new player would feel like they have to settle for the leftovers of former players. Removing servers is not the answer.

 

To address the "used land" problem I suggest introducing an erosion/rewilding mechanic to gradually return abandoned areas to a natural state. New players and those looking for a fresh start would feel like they are venturing into wilderness, instead of trying to find their place in a secondhand landscape full of awkward terraforming on abandoned deeds. All those abandoned areas are also a reminder that many players have come and go, and that may not be a good first impression for newbies.

 

People want to spread out and have their space and they should be allowed to do so. But it should also be easy to come together when we want to, and I think many if not most players would agree that travel in wurm is tedious and often frustrating. More ways to reduce travel time would help immensely here. Things like craftable portals to travel quickly between deeds on different servers. Being able to bring a mount with the karma teleport will make a big difference already. Super looking forward to that update

 

Other ways to bring people together could include things like bonuses for deeds with more citizens, or some kind of proximity bonuses while doing things near or with other players. There have been interesting ideas for mentorships and other ways to encourage interaction between new and old players. We need positive incentives that bring people together in the right way and inspire community building; not mechanics that force interactions or physically push people together by limiting space.

 

The rewildikg mechanic was used back in I think 2009 or earlier and was an absolute disaster so I would suggest for it to not be brought back again 

[elentari 2,660]

3 hours ago, Stinboi said:

logged on earlier today and 258 people was on, i cant remember i have seen so low numbers ever before.

I felt that today too. Not even 300 players today, trade chat was mostly dead.

[TheTrickster 2,296]

5 hours ago, demondan said:

The rewildikg mechanic was used back in I think 2009 or earlier and was an absolute disaster so I would suggest for it to not be brought back again 

No, A rewilding mechanic was used.  That particular one not working doesn't mean the concept is unworkable.

 

See here

 

https://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/184866-decay-and-land-restoration/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by TheTrickster

[Ekcin 2,443]

I also can only dissuade from any "rewilding". Terraforming should be left to players, not algorithms. It is a completely irrealistic idea that new players in general are so eager to spread out into untouched wilderness where they get instantly eaten by mobs. I recall my newbie times when I felt under siege from mobs for months, and made my travels along settlements and guard towers, grateful for every deed offering entrance, safe pens, inns, and beds. And archaeology also is a way to get acquainted with the long (or in NFI not so long) history of Wurm.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Ekcin

[Vorticella 961]

3 hours ago, Ekcin said:

I also can only dissuade from any "rewilding". Terraforming should be left to players, not algorithms. It is a completely irrealistic idea that new players in general are so eager to spread out into untouched wilderness where they get instantly eaten by mobs. I recall my newbie times when I felt under siege from mobs for months, and made my travels along settlements and guard towers, grateful for every deed offering entrance, safe pens, inns, and beds. And archaeology also is a way to get acquainted with the long (or in NFI not so long) history of Wurm.

 

Rewilding is just about fixing the jagged, blocky landscape left behind after all the buildings and structures have decayed away. I'm not suggesting increasing decay rates on structures or fences, and there would be no changes to archaeology. The idea is a gradual reversion of terraforming in areas that haven't been used in so long that everything built or crafted is long gone. Just pavement and terraforming left. All of the servers are full of places like this, and there's no safe refuge in them. Leftover terraforming sometimes even creates extra hazards with abrupt changes in terrain like dirt walls, pits and trenches.

 

Terraforming also creates an illusion that land is in use when it's not. Then, when one realizes how much of the land that appears taken is actually abandoned, instead of feeling crowded the world suddenly seems like a ghost town.

 

This process would be gradual, and since deeds fall all the time there would always be ruins in various states of decay to stumble upon. The difference is the whole map wouldn't be covered in them, and players looking for a fresh start can find plenty of fresh land to start on.

 

We regularly see comments about the land feeling overdeveloped and the idea of server wipes or new maps comes up again and again. At the same time we see complaints about the population being scattered across too many servers. Refreshing abandoned areas solves both problems just by making better use of the land we already have.

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Vorticella

[Quiksilver 46]

As hyena suggested...I think the server wipe isn't actually a bad idea, condensing the fractured player base over to large maps, 1 PVE & 1 PVP...fix and reset the economy. I wouldn't mind starting fresh lands, if they would let you bring whatever characters (including skills) you want over. I can't really think of a different way to do it. Honestly, the game needs it...it's been 17 years, way too many servers...they should merge all the players. I feel like there are 3 big problems:

1. New players - learning curve.
2. Getting casuals to commit.
3. End game content.

Number 1 can be handled by giving new players an expedited way to catch up (like 200 skill points to apply post completing tutorial)...as well as dun dun dun overhauling the tutorial. The developers should take notes from this...

 

 

 

...two things I would call out. First please make the journal meaningful! Make it step the player through building their first house. Change the journal to achievements or something--basically where when the player finishes it, they are able to 'play' the game. Second, you cannot play Wurm without the Wiki. Now, like everyone else here, it is our bible. But holy chit...again 17 years!!! Shouldn't this game be a tad more accessible than 'referring to the player ran wiki' to do anything...no?? Maybe just maybe, make the game a skosh more intuitive? You don’t need to hold our hands, but WTB some better tooltips or error messages! Literally rolling my eyes.

 

Number 2 is kind of connected to the first one...but I think the Jackal servers are a logical solution for this. This would help streamers as well. It doesn't only need to be only combat related. Give new monthly content where players would have the ability to earn things (like a tabard or statue on the main servers) for completing an expedition. You could even start with the appropriate skills to complete the content (whatever it is). Maybe win a fishing tournament--find the lunker!? Something casuals and streamers could do but would also add to the 'hardmode' for classic Wurm players.

 

Number 3 is a huge problem...because there is nothing for established players to do other than projects (which, I understand, can take years--is anything ever really done?). But come on, the rifts are a joke (weird times, Fo priests always win, 3+ hours to complete). And good luck killing a rare spawn. I have no issue with things like Dragonscale taking 6 months to make, but I gave up trying to complete a set. 25g to buy? Ok... Will you please squash the '10 players controlling the highest end content in the game'? Absolute joke.
 

[_hyena 17]

The way I put it was very brutal, you said it much better.

 

It's something many of the existing player base aren't going to like, I think the majority would cry yet still continue to spend money and play on the new servers because there isn't a replacement for wurm. Not to mention the 'existing' player base isn't much to begin with.

 

Fresh start 2 pve servers tops imo (cadence/harmony sized, lots of coastline like cadence). One pvp server perhaps look into curving body stats down a bit more so entry level pvp 2 years down the track isn't watching a progress bar for 6 months first. Couple more incentives to skill up on pvp rather than portal in only for pvp action. Include PMKs.

 

All this combined with a fun skills/misc stats high scores and an ingame shop loaded with skins would make for a very profitable couple years that would fund development into additional content for years after.

[Finnn 3,337]

How is any of that a problem?

 

If people wanted to be playing packed like cattle next to each other, wouldn't you *think*, they would?

But reality seems to disagree with you? How could that be?

There's no content to experience which promotes any kind of bonuses to playing together with other people, none.

You kill a wolf, exp splits, you call for guards, guard does nothing but leech exp, still npc sponges majority of the exp...

 

There's no natural and reliable way to regenerate resources or get to any raid content, besides rifts which more often than not happen at terrible times, traveling to other server's rifts is connected to mechanic limitations and frustration from travel, wiping affinities, navigating for hour(s) into more or less known lands(takes some focus and oh my gawd.. takes also constant use of external maps, because proper tracking of your location and player made infrastructure in-game is not a thing).

 

So if @_hyenais trolling hard, and several troll along, why should we read any of that and consider what you "have to say"? (It's rhetorical, the "?" ending is meme) 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Finnn

[gnomegates 1,429]

1 hour ago, Quiksilver said:

As hyena suggested...I think the server wipe isn't actually a bad idea, condensing the fractured player base over to large maps, 1 PVE & 1 PVP...fix and reset the economy. I wouldn't mind starting fresh lands, if they would let you bring whatever characters (including skills) you want over. I can't really think of a different way to do it. Honestly, the game needs it...it's been 17 years, way too many servers...they should merge all the players. I feel like there are 3 big problems:

 

So, I spend $300 in the store for some silvers, I use that silver to purchase some in game items and put upkeep on my deed and the such. Your merge idea deletes all my items and deeds, thus deleting my $300 I just put into the game....Ya that is not going to fly. There are people who put thousands of dollars into this game each year, and have for many years, and your suggestion is to just wipe it all clean and start over. 

 

Part of the charm to me for the game has always been the wide open spaces. A merge onto 1 server is just going to bottle neck everyone into small congested areas. I know myself and many others who are not interested in that kind of game play. People already complain about not being able to find a nice place to deed, new and returning people complain about it often. Now everyone is out hunting in the same areas, trying to harvest the same resources, fighting for what scraps they can find. No thank you. Many players enjoy the hermit lifestyle, and a merge to 1 server is going to remove that ability.

[Tukodama 316]

A server wipe would be a great way for me to finally try some of the other games sitting in my inventory.

[wipeout 1,355]

1 hour ago, Quiksilver said:

As hyena suggested...I think the server wipe isn't actually a bad idea, condensing the fractured player base over to large maps, 1 PVE & 1 PVP...fix and reset the economy. I wouldn't mind starting fresh lands, if they would let you bring whatever characters (including skills) you want over. I can't really think of a different way to do it. Honestly, the game needs it...it's been 17 years, way too many servers...they should merge all the players.

 

Yes lets do a repeat of jkh and mrh's deletion that rolf did in the past which caused wurm to drop in player count that it has NEVER recovered from that is a great way to keep a game like this alive by deleting all progress that anyone has ever made all the history everything all gone and for what? Something that jackal can offer instead? Just bring us Jackal 2 and 3 and so on it will solve so many issues that the newer crowd of people seem to run into now with their desire of more maps.

Plus it would make me happy as i want to ride a weta again

But a wipe would mean that most players would just quit for good as history has shown

[Quiksilver 46]

56 minutes ago, Finnn said:

How is any of that a problem?

 

The problem is--if this game continues down the path it is on, one day we are going to try to login and the servers will not be there. I've invested as much time and money (IRL) as the next Wurmian. I'm not sure what game you guys play because 'the charm of riding through open spaces' is marred by the deeds of players who no longer play or people who put 20 slope roads everywhere.  Wurm was innovative in 2006...adding a canoe in 2023 for new players is not going to cut it. These ideas may not be 'cool' but something needs to change...in a big way. The problems I listed are real and any successful game has solved most of them. /shrug

Edited July 6, 2023 by Quiksilver