Why is the community population declining?

[GTB]

Part of the problem is there's no other freelancer servers run by MS anymore to help support interest in the game to jump on. In fact, about the only server worth jumping on now to play the game "online" is yours. All other servers running the same DISCO mod have less than 10 players on them for the most part, many are even worse for numbers online. As you say also, it's a very old game and not many places sell it now, most get the game via Torrent download. And those who might be interested in FreeLancer, played it to death many years back when new and MS servers was around.

As for this server itself. Thing is, once you've earned enough to fly and test the best CAP ships e.t.c, you kind of lose interest in it after that. There's not much left to trade for earning credits to buy, only the RP side of things remains to keep you interested then. Sadly, same with all games, once you've done what you wanted to do and get, you just lose interest.

I've had numerous breaks from FreeLancer over the years, some lasting years before playing it again. A lot of the new players you'll get, are not new players to the game as such like myself. They come along and test a new mod for a while, after not playing freelancer for a long time. But it's only a matter of time before they get bored and take another break.

[ryoken]

Ok let me use another example. Take WOW World of Warcraft. What do you think would happen if Blizzard suddenly said we are wiping entire server, and everyone starts from scratch?
I do not play Disco alot anymore, as i do not have time. But when i do, i like to jump into my Traders, or Lib Dread, or even my fighters. They time needed to restore even 2-3 chars would cost me weeks of playing with the time i got, and that is just to buy, and rep my snubs. I just would not find it worth my time to do it.
Also with complete wipe, IMO that means all factions gone, and all bases gone. Do you really think alot of players would stick around after so much effort over years were just taken away?

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[Anaximander]

If it was WOW, people would break down and cry, seek counselling and so on; but that's because the player base consists of 10 year olds with mommy's credit card.

I think it could be fun to re-build; it would be more fun to do trading again when there's a purpose to it. As some new player who just left wrote, you can get the "best ship" within a week of grinding. Snubs are dirt cheap and do quite often provide the most entertainment, it wouldn't take more than an hour or two to get into a proper transport and have enough credits to get a fully kitted Sabre. From then on you can do a few traderuns a week, and in a month's time you'd have enough for an armored BS. It's much easier making credits in 4.86 than it was in 4.84 and 4.85.

But it's probably not gonna happen though. Blodo wrote in a different thread that drastic things like credit loss on death and so on would require the support of the vast majority of the community, and I figure a server wipe would be the same story. And I figure most wouldn't want it.

[Croft]

I can understand people wouldn't want to let go of hard earned ships and equipment or characters that they've RP'd through some interesting stuff, there's no denying the value to us perhaps not in credits but in time.

The real question is, are these things worth saving on a server in decline or are they worth sacrificing on a gamble to improve it?

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Jimmy The Rat | Croft's Feedback | The Rat Pack

[Lythrilux]

The real question is, are these things worth saving on a server in decline or are they worth sacrificing on a gamble to improve it?

I for one, would probably leave if that happend.
I may have not played for long, but whenever I am flying my ships, I feel proud of the effort I have put into earning them. No matter how bad my actual flying skill is.
Then again, i'm a newbie, and I'm one person.
My opinion probably doesn't matter as much as others.

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[Anaximander]

Then again, i'm a newbie, and I'm one person.
My opinion probably doesn't matter as much as others.

Of course it does.

[puppytaste]

[quote='Anaximander' pid='1309162' dateline='1363180776']
He's not the one knocking out the server, apparently.

Ah my bad, I read the thread he put up the same day the server crashed. It seemed to me like he likely had something to do with it, clearly being someone who hates this community apparently. But I go back to what some of you had mentioned about being able to acquire the 'best' ships with almost no hassle. Maybe a new ranking system is in order, so that you really do have to put a big effort and not just a lot of credits into buying that Zoner Nephy. I've only been around for 4.86 but I had heard that such mechanisms existed in the past, where the only way you were going to get that big ol dreddy was though good role-play and making a contribution to the overall game play. I also want to bump my an idea from my previous post about promoting the game more, starting within with the close to 12,000 members registered with the forums. I doubt Disco has 12,000 active players right now, maybe we can get a few old boys (and girls ) back somehow.

I'll close with a brief testimonial about myself and why I play here.

I used to hate online games. Especially any of that WoW garbage or anything related to the fantasy genre. It seemed like no matter how good I was at anything I'd take it online and get killed in every match, every battle, every day. So I crawled into a hole for over a year and modded the crap out of x3 until it broke my compy xD. Realizing that I couldn't go any further with that game (Its basically RPing with yourself, you set your own goals to 'beat' that game, I don't recommend it unless your the kind of person who has a huge model train set in the basement that nobody's allowed to see) I set out to find something a little more fun. Ala, freelancer. I played the vanilla for 2-3 months before I even looked at modding it. Then after I got disco I played single player with no story for another 2-3 months. My expectations were that as soon as I pressed the multiplayer button I'd be thrown into a world where I'd be dead in less than 5mins in my starflier, Expecting pirates and douchbags at every corner. But when I took that plunge I couldn't believe how wrong (and right ) I was. I've never seen a gaming community where the average person, no matter if they were LNS or Rouge or whatever, wanted to help new players build themselves up and get good. Just to better the overall community. Most other games you just get told to 'slot off' and the 'get out of here n00b' mentality. But Disco is different. I found acceptance here for all players of all skill levels, as long as your contribution is positive, you're supported. I'm an English teacher (in training) and I lack the words to describe the majority of you. I'd do anything in my power to keep this thing going for another 10 years. Its too great and unique to just give up on. (I'm going to stop here before I get all tear'd up)
But kudos to you all, I've never felt like I've belonged to a online community like I feel here!

Thank you!

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[Ursus]

Why was Cam banned, anyway? I just noticed one day he had a strikethrough, went searching through the sanctions and found nothing. Mystery ban is curious ban

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Discovery 24/7 Negotiating Tactics:

[Croft]

Ah my bad, I read the thread he put up the same day the server crashed. It seemed to me like he likely had something to do with it, clearly being someone who hates this community apparently. But I go back to what some of you had mentioned about being able to acquire the 'best' ships with almost no hassle. Maybe a new ranking system is in order, so that you really do have to put a big effort and not just a lot of credits into buying that Zoner Nephy. I've only been around for 4.86 but I had heard that such mechanisms existed in the past, where the only way you were going to get that big ol dreddy was though good role-play and making a contribution to the overall game play.

Limiting caps is a hot topic, some favour regulating them other prefer free choice, a quick search through the forums will yield at least a dozen threads on the matter.
Both sides of the debate have valid points though seldom few touch on the heart of the matter, structure. Folks get closest to it when discussing official factions and their rights, bonuses etc. Right now we have no restrictions on what ships people can buy, only their use is regulated by ID and ZoI which requires someone to catch them, provide evidence and report the wrongdoing so folks have almost no accountability, so long as they tiptoe within the rules.
That system doesn't sit well. To me structure is the basis of all roleplay, the very term means to assume a role and play within it's boundary. In my opinion it's this lax of structure that has made Disco backslide towards Freelancer's arcade shooter origin. To reapply a solid framework to this mod would require everyone to start again which as you've seen very few are in favour.

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Jimmy The Rat | Croft's Feedback | The Rat Pack

[Anaximander]

Why was Cam banned, anyway? I just noticed one day he had a strikethrough, went searching through the sanctions and found nothing. Mystery ban is curious ban

Camtheman is on a permanant ban for in-game cheating not for being a loud tool.