Echoes

[Devari]

FAF is a split off of Warbands, which was a split off of RWL. We're not exactly a derivative game anymore.

I see your point about arbitrary restrictions mixing things up, but making that the only "gimmick" would be simply boring. It's sort of like:

Reginald: "I say, old chap, why don't we add a dash of excitement to our hum-drum lives?"
Timothy: "Smashing idea, me old mucker! What have you in mind?"
Reginald: "Why, I was thinking... No, no, stop me, this is far too revolutionary for proper gentlemen like us!"
Timothy: "Oh, do tell, Reginald! I explained to you how we could defeat old Fritz by replacing his Zeppelins with footballs!"
Reginald: "Oh, well, okay, but only because you scored the winning run in our nearly-drawn Test match versus the Canterbury Choirmice. Well, you see, Timothy, I was thinking that perhaps we should drink our tea with... *gasp* *choke*... ONE lump of sugar rather than two."
Timothy: "Down boy! Old bean, that's far too bold and exciting! But yes, yes, I can envision this world - a bright new future lies ahead of us! Let us march into this amazing new world together!"

[Shadow I]

Well so far 4 people have said "Let's be original" and all 4 have completely failed to suggest anything original. It's easy to shoot down someone's ideas, but replacing them with something of your own is where it counts.

Coming up with new stuff is a great idea: GO!

If you want other gimmicks, consider changing game dynamics. Landlocks are a joke here. Maybe add an offensive edge to the game for a while and see how it goes?

I think a duels round would suck here at FAF, just because of the way people play. It would be a pointless bloodbath - who can get the most kills faster?

[Freenhult]

Offensive edge...

And you're describing a bloodbath round. Those were never really popular I'd say. Too many problems with people getting pissed off at dying so much.

The only thing we can could do ti completely reword game dynamics. Add in Cities, add in all the stuff that we talked and talked and agreed on. Thats it.

[windhound]

Haha Devi. I still consider FAF an offshoot, most of the original players and all the programmers came from RWL. Dont hate your roots!

Olde-style duels with the olde-style game setup and the olde-style players were fun.
Problem is the olde-style is mostly gone.

I think Devari's point was he didnt want -any- gimmicks Shadow... Although tweaking the game dynamics isnt a gimmick, its balancing.

And... well. Call them gimmicks if you want, but again, they work. Most of them were last min. decisions added in at the end of the round. Simple but effective.
There's also been some Redwall themed rounds based on events from the books... which is something I'd recommend for FAF, but I havnt the foggiest what its current theme is... if anything.

Maybe what FAF needs first is a theme overhaul. If you want to keep whatever it is, that's fine, but the rest of the site needs to reflect it. I go to http://frostnflame.org/ and have no idea what the theme is.
Infact, I have noidea what the site is. It appears to be some sort of game... maybe.
Would you blindly signup for a game with no idea what it was? How about downloading and running a piece of software with only the vaguest idea of what its supposed to do?

I got linked to http://www.battlemaster.org/ the other day. Its quite plain what it is... and it has over a thousand players.
Vahall's theme isnt readily apparent, but its obvious what it is and there's a nice summery on the main page.
RWL's theme, well. Sticker's working on a new theme and uploaded a beta version yesterday (old theme was slightly broken). Its clean, bit too clean. But its a work in progress.

[Freenhult]

^That.

Also, we have no flow of people. Meaning people don't pass through. Even if they played a set and were like...BORING. That would indicate that they came from somewhere, but we don't even have that. Mostly because our friendly retirement center here doesn't get out like we should. I mean, I'm 3/4s retired as it is.

[Shadow I]

Offensive edge does not mean bloodbath - it means less landlock. Bloodbaths only happen between clans, and offense is independent of clans, even if they work well together.

[The Beatles]

I think the Duels concept remained quite popular for many rounds, before people got all scientific and before the turn rate became so madly fast.

Perhaps we simply ought to let the turn rate slow down. Enough so that max turns aren't enough for a solo kill (or perhaps even a double kill), and enough so that a player can log in every other day and still not lose turns.

This, at least, for Duels. Then just the usual: 4 clans, or perhaps vary between 3-5 clans sometimes. The original Duels and many later rounds were fun because I knew all but a few of the players, and everyone knew each other, and I handpicked well-matched teams. Half the excitement came from "all-star" lineups, or at least people you knew. Sadly, the last few Duels have been nothing of the sort. All but a few players were virtual unknowns. Of course, the other side of the coin is that you can't have such a Duels round too often.

I still think one of the Survivor-type games would be fun, though we've never tried them. Some are described in the link Devari gave.

[Devari]

What's the overall feeling on a theme shift? The front page certainly needs a makeover, I think we can all agree on that; it really doesn't explain anything about the game. The link windy provided is a decent model for what a front page should look like.

Another question is, do we want to add more "roleplaying" sort of elements to the game? Does that just become tacky, or does it add genuine depth and broaden our appeal?

[The Beatles]

We could send FAF to one of those makeover shows, and watch them turn it into a bogawful unappealing garish modern mess. How's that?

[Freenhult]

I'd hit you with an orange in the face before you could fill the forms out.

We need a new Theme. I don't know what you guys are thinking, but something that has a huge fan base.

[The Beatles]

MySpace?

[Devari]

The "artist" in me blanches at the thought of picking up a theme solely for its fanbase. It's not like I have any better ideas, though.

MySpace... Isn't Facebook "the new dung" these days?

[Freenhult]

How about a show. Like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan? xD

In all seriousness... a game works too. Not Warcraft per say.

[Devari]

How about a show. Like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan? xD

I've seen that name before, but I have nooooooo clue what it's about. I don't think an anime-themed game appeals to most of our core anyway, and we do have to consider ways to get them back too.

[Shadow I]

Theme might be good for picking up a few new players who roleplay incessantly while playing the game, but if you want the old good players back, it's dynamics you have to change. A different colored homepage doesn't make the game any more interesting to a vet.