Recruiting

[Pirro]

How can FK appeal to more people and increase the number of players currently playing, while also luring back old players and encouraging existing players to keep playing?

If I could wave a magic wand and change ONE thing, I'd instantly increase the player base to the point that there were 50 to 75 people playing simultaneously at any given hour.

There's definitely enough structure in place to support many more players. So, in an attempt to gather some data on how to bring them in and keep them, here's an informal survey:

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

-------------------------------------

My answers:
1) Through a sibling
2) I was vaguely familiar with the FR setting (through Baldur's Gate) -- this was a nice way to play with much more of the world.
3) Variety -- I like coming up with new character concepts. (I might just have a short attention span.)
4) Over the past few months life has simply gotten much busier, so I've found that I rarely can log on long enough to get in any significant RP.

[Lysha]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) An ex boyfriend
2) The roleplay and how involved everyone was
3) Making friends and being able to continually play and have endless outcomes rather than a constant grind. I.E. World of Warcraft
4) moving, loss of internet, and the occasional burnout

[Gwain]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

My answers:
1) I was looking for an online information file for Helm before Wikipedia existed.
2) Mindlessly killing things in the Baldur's Gate computer game can only be done so much, I liked interacting with other people in a free and easily accessable enviroment.
3) Its free, it can be played anywhere as long as the computer has access to the internet and some form of Telnet protocol
4) My life is very busy, moreso than it has been in many years. I do my best to be active and do not have the time or resources I once had for the mud.

[Aveline]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1. I found a game I could play in class that looked like I was doing some furious note taking! *all of you still in classes, do not follow my example!*
2. I wasn't hooked initially. I had a very hard time learning the game and how to play, but I got my roommate hooked on it. After a few months of her playing it, she taught me how to play and I really enjoyed being able to interact with everyone.
3. I think what has kept me playing is the friendships I've made, ICly and OOCly.
4. I play much much less than I used to just because I do not have the time to devote to the game anymore. Things have changed in my life. I'm still here as much as I can be though.

[Briek]

1. Pure chance, wasn't looking for anything like it at all and just found it
2. That you could play in a world with very few boundries, not at all linear like a normal playstation game or what have you
3. My pen and paper group had gone downhill, I like the fact that you can jump online and have that kind of experience instantly.
4. I don't think I have ever in my time on the game had a big absence, but I definately do less hours than I used to, for two reasons, work and study.

[Nysan]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) There's a flashback... Was working as an imm on a star wars mud and was hunting around for a change of pace for days I didn't want to be a star wars blue-glowy person.

2) First FR mud that was anywhere close to source materials and was easy to get started here.

3) 3 reasons: 1. One of the very few muds with a staff that hasn't annoyed me through self-interest, favortism, or other failings of others muds I visited over the years. 2. Gilain, no seriously, this is the best place to play a dwarf as a dwarf and not a small human. I am not sure I would still be here if I didn't start old Gilain way back when. 3. You are not a soul-sucking MMO.

4) Yes, quite a few periods I didn't play. But, I started playing FK over a decade ago... a few breaks are expected due to RL, needing a break cause I played too much, illness, ect. Still here though and likely will be til I get banned or finally forget where I am all together.

[Melusine]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) All the cool kids were doing it... seriously, tons of people in my social circle started playing. We're talking about Lukon/Estriana, Mariela, Caelyvar, Amalia, and a couple more that I can't remember right now. But they stared, so I gave it a try... and now I'm the only one of them still playing. I'd played a mud before for quite some time before I hopped to this one, so was familiar with the format.
2) The little map up in the corner, the awesome VTness, the variety of elves/races. It was my first real experience with FR, though I'd heard of it before, and I loved it all.
3) My obsessive nature for the most part. But also the fact that I've had tons of fun on the game. I've met great people, and gotten to experience so many wonderful characters, and meet people who became OOC friends. I love you guys! <3
4) I haven't really had any prolonged absence. Within the past few weeks my hours have been a little less than usual, but that's because of RL keeping me far too busy. But no great absence since I first started, really. Maybe during a vacation or something, but I don't remember anything specific.

[Duranamir]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) Looking for a better mud than the one i was playing used mud connector i think (it was a while ago).
2) FR background is always one i loved from pencil and paper.
3) Quality of RP and friendly atmosphere.
4) Real life is the limiter, it does rather interfere with playtime . i do have times when i am more in the mood than others but still playing 10 + years after starting.

Duranamir

[Algon]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) I guy I was working with at the time came in and was raving about this new game he had found. At that point in time I had never even heard of a MUD. But I decided I would give it a shot.
2) Initially, the people. I had never really RPed at all until this game. But the first time I walked into the square and actually had a conversation with someone...yeah from then on I was hooked.
3) The way that the game was never the same. Sure you have the hack and slash part of training that I started out doing. But once I learned how to balance this out with Rp, It made them game so much more enjoyable.
4) I did have a prolonged absence for a couple of years. It was a couple of different things for me. I had been playing for like 5 years almost everyday. Then work was becoming more and more time consuming. So Something needed to go while I got things settled down. But I am now back and as excited as ever about playing

[Dapher]

1) My younger brother's friend introduced him, and then he introduced myself, and my other brother.
2) The initial hooking was the ability to play a game with both of my brothers at the sametime. We could play together, against each other, or completly avoid each other. Part of it may have been the "Oh, mom and dad hate us playing, lets do it!" Sadly it was somewhat of a competition and still is (of course I always did win and still do)
3) I love the people, and the RP. There is always something new to do. You can always find someone in the ms of Waterdeep, or if you are feeling aggrivated and just want to bash a few goblins the Frienly Arm Inn is always close. The fact that I read almost all of the R.A. Salvator about Drizz't made it easier to understand the basis of the game. And yes, I have a ranger of Mielikki just like Drizz't is. I know, I am lame lol
4) The only prolonged absense was due to boot camp, as well as more military transfers and things of that nature. Also the code changes without warning, the skills/spells/prayers being changed, things being removed. So many things have lost thier value it is becoming hard to keep interest.

Though I would like to remind people. I was far too young when I started. My brothers and I did stupid stuff, and if made it unenjoyable for other people. When looking at ways to recruit we should keep an eye on the age group that we want. Kinda like a minimum maturity type. As you can tell we matured and we still love the game.

[Cret]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1. Old mud, Faerun/Rauvyon was going under. Alot of players moved from there to here. I followed!
2. The amount of people willing to Adventure/Rp and the diversity of Rp styles. Quests that took inginuity. A staff that was willing to help.
3. The people. Ive gotten to know several people well and kept OOC touch with them.
4. The people. The game seems to be quite cliche'y some times. People often go and hide to avoid people so they can rp with their friends or grind alone.

[Liandria]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
Like Cret, friends playing rauvyon pointed me this way.

2) What initially hooked you?
IMM and Staff are actually friendly and don't get furious with you for offering suggestions. More players on normally than in rauvyon.

3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
The interactions, IC and the things that hooked me

4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?
My prolonged absence was due to negative interactions OOC with FK players.

[Pirro]

Not many clear patterns yet, but word of mouth seems to be a great way to introduce people to the game.

[Dovan]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
TMC. It's why I vote on it daily. I just couldn't do Everquest anymore for various reasons. I remembered playing Gemstone 3 back in the day (pay for play MUD once it left AOL) and missed the simple rp / interaction had without graphics.

2) What initially hooked you?
TBH, the players and the depth of things. The religions really intrigued me a lot and how much there was to it.

3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
You know, I could hack and slash and grind exp all day long. Whoop dee, I can do that anywhere. It's the people that keep me coming back for more. I've had a few different rp's with the same people and still it's diversely different just either by them slipping into a new character or me. It's weird, maybe I'm adapting to them or they to me. But it's never the same.

4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?
My only absence (6-8mo) was when my wife had medical issues and was on bed rest. Even then I snuck in some, but not like I've come back to. Other than that, it's only been medical to keep me way, nothing else.


I'd just like to touch once more on TMC. Seriously, that's going to be how people find us. When I was looking, FK was in the top 20. I really didn't look past that. If we can keep our ranking up high enough, I think we can draw in fresh blood. It takes a minute ya'll... just do it.

[Brar]

Thought it would be fun to reply to that

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
A friend told me a friend of his and her husband was going to make a FR mud, as a long time imm on another RP FR mud I came to take a look.

2) What initially hooked you?
The areas and the friendly player base and the rp.

3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
the quality of RP, the changes and evolutions done to the MUD and the friends I made on the game (even found my wife on it so it speaks by itself)

4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?
Too much real life involment with some peoples from the game which mades it impossible for me to play as I wanted to without real life consequences.

[Raona]

Hey Pirro, thank you so much for initiating this topic, it's a great idea!

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
I started pencil&paper roleplay as a kid, with the original single-box D&D (and Top Secret and Star Frontiers...ah, memories!). I kept playing until college, when I no longer had time for it. Later in life I really missed it and spent a year trying to find/join a pencil&paper group, but those few I liked were just too logistically challenging (too far away, met at times that didn't work for me, etc.) So I set out to find an online way to play and learned about MUDs from Wikipedia. That led me to a list of MUDs (I forget which list), and I tried several, based on reading the reviews of the top 20. (Thankfully, FK was IN the top 20 at the time, or I might well have given up on MUDs altogether!)

2) What initially hooked you?
FK was easily the best (truly) free MUD I found, for someone interested in roleplay. (I wasn't keen to put down money as I wasn't sure I'd enjoy online RP, so I stuck with free-to-play MUDs.)

3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
FK is immersive, challenging, and allows one to jump into great RP when and if you have time to do so. I can play for an hour at 5:30am in the morning, before my family is up...well, sort of. I can't often get into immersive RPs that way, unfortunately.

4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?
Since finding it, FK has been my primary hobby/form of recreation. My time for it varies greatly, though, as I have a challenging job in academia and a two-year-old son. Since becomming a father, the only time I really get a chance to *play* is during the summer, when I can take some time off from work.

I'm proud to say I brought my sister (Amalia), and a few other friends to FK (who's alts I try very hard not to learn), and that they in turn have brought on board many others. I'm sad to say that most of them have left, some for something new, some because of negative experiences/frustrations. It's my view we have a retention problem - we don't keep some of the best players that come our way, and we do nothing to follow up and find out why they left. It might be worth doing; we may not change in response to it, but we are in the dark about the problem right now, I think.

[Dustin]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?


1) Co-worker
2) Freedom-You don't have to move from one mindless quest to the next. You can develop your character as you see fit. Imagination lets you make your character look the way you want.
3) Same Freedom
4) a) Difficulty finding the right way to complete some tasks. I need to use object X to complete task Y. I go to the right place with the right object but can't complete it. Gets a little annoying. Turns out I held object X in right hand instead of left. (OK, not a real example, but hopefully you get the idea.) Past level 10 can't get rez'd unless you have someone fetch you and when you don't have friends that play, that can be a real bear. Have had to start new characters a few times, and speak of the devil am about to do so again. Got killed by giant because I didn't realize that lag had kept a command from going through so when I went NE again I went twice and got whacked by a giant.

[Hrosskell]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1. I met an old player, Teepo, in an AOL RP chatroom when I was a very young man. He encouraged me to come check it out if I was interested in a more structured RP environment.

2. The structure. I had never seen a MUD, and exploring a place that I had (what seemed at the time) limitless boundaries and a vast amount of space that wasn't charted by a Brady Games strategy guide seemed so enchanting.

3. The people, the quests, a deep desire to understand the mechanics of the game. I tested out a few other MUDs when I first started--a close friend of mine that plays here was actually an IMM on another MUD and I looked at it for a while. In my heart I knew that this place was the bee's knees.

4. Real life. This game is a game that I have come to respect again, and I think subconsciously I was afraid to committing to it, so I ran away when my real life got more demanding.

This thread has a lot of potential. I think the playerbase can really reach out to other people who might enjoy gaming and roleplaying and suck them in and make them as in love with this fantastic realm as we are--we just need to figure out how. I also think that it would require a consciousness and effort on behalf of the entire community to continue to show excellent RP to new players, as well as assistance with getting comfortable with the way the game works.

[Tolomon]

I'm new to FK, but I thought I'd contribute anyway. For my intro post, see here.

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

1) The Mud Connection - others have mentioned how valuable this site is. It's the only way I would have discovered FK as I don't have any friends geographically near me who play RPs (tabletop or otherwise).
2) The fact that I could play a D&D-like game without having to sell the idea to my wife (loud geeks at our house every Thursday night wasn't something she really cared for). And the group that I used to play with have all moved away/lost interest in playing D&D. Everyone wants to play, but no one wanted to DM.
3) Don't think I've reached the "longer term" yet. I'll let you know when I get there.
4) In other games, the typical problem for me is burn-out. It usually happens when I get stuck in a plateau of some sort (leveling takes forever, quests require large well-organized parties, grinding to get the next crafting level, etc.). I would try to grind through these plateaus, but without the proper role play or significance, it's just a grind. I one time crafted 250 pieces of the same armour simply because I knew it would get me to the next level (and I had collected the materials in an afternoon). Without RP'ing the crafting out to make some epic piece of armour for an IC friend, it was just a grind. So often times, I would just leave for a period of time and return when I wanted to get away from RL and had the time.

It's my view we have a retention problem - we don't keep some of the best players that come our way, and we do nothing to follow up and find out why they left. It might be worth doing; we may not change in response to it, but we are in the dark about the problem right now, I think.

I agree with Raona. If you truly want to understand what's causing the player-base to disappear, you need to follow up. When I played a MMO, I left due to burnout. A member of my guild contacted me and asked why I stopped logging on and if I needed any help in-game. I was shocked that someone took the time to ask what had happened. So I returned and managed to work thru some of the burnout issues I had had. I think that's one of the best ways you can prevent diminishing numbers, make the player truly feel like they belong and are wanted.

EDIT: The URL I had was bad. Should be fixed now.

[Maybel]

1) How did you find out that FK exists?
2) What initially hooked you?
3) What kept you playing in the longer term?
4) If you've had a prolonged absence in the past (or now play much less than you used to), what caused it?

!)From a friend who scoured some list... it was back in 2001 or sometime...

@)How new and vast it was. Learning something new almost every time I played... and STILL do!

#)Oh... the friends I have made along the way... I <3 them!

$)My prolonged absence was 2 parts, one was I went back to school and had no net... then I started playing A LOT! Then... divorce, custody battle, work, raising a little one, moving really kept me away, I still popped on when someone needed to be faithed, but when I started playing again, I found how how addicting it once was