What can be done to reverse the decline?

[iAmCaffeine]

I've used site clickies plenty of times, they're not as good. Also, if you play on a Mac, site clickies are all but useless.

Just to touch on this point a bit more.. (innuendo, lol).. I realise the majority of users will have PCs, but the site clickies are horrendous if you're on a Mac. The right click is virtually essential, which is a pain in the arse.

[BGtheBrain]

*****

[WingCmdr Ginkapo]

You have to activate panels in settings as a new user. The only time you are aware that this exists is when you start seeing teammates writing in chinese characters at the end of every turn. Eventually you work out that these are the screenshots and activate panels. Even colour codes isnt that obvious, but a necessity.

BOB etc are not known by a new user so they really dont have an impact here.

[iAmCaffeine]

@caf - mac is whack

Thought you might say something along those lines, but at home a Mac is what I use. The site clickies I could live with, but the panels I've tried several times and I detest them.

[BGtheBrain]

*****

[iAmCaffeine]

@caf - mac is whack

Thought you might say something along those lines, but at home a Mac is what I use. The site clickies I could live with, but the panels I've tried several times and I detest them.

I like the panels for the auto snap. That way even on my iphone, i get the snap.

took me 3 weeks to figure out I can actually move take the main panel, and pull out individual elements. It looks pretty similar to how it was and now I can use it.

I have no strong feelings on mac or windows, mac and whack just rhyme and im weird

Yeah, the automatic snap is the only helpful thing from my point of view, but I'm in the habit of constantly snapping so much.

[BGtheBrain]

*****

[iAmCaffeine]

@caf - mac is whack

Thought you might say something along those lines, but at home a Mac is what I use. The site clickies I could live with, but the panels I've tried several times and I detest them.

I like the panels for the auto snap. That way even on my iphone, i get the snap.

took me 3 weeks to figure out I can actually move take the main panel, and pull out individual elements. It looks pretty similar to how it was and now I can use it.

I have no strong feelings on mac or windows, mac and whack just rhyme and im weird

Yeah, the automatic snap is the only helpful thing from my point of view, but I'm in the habit of constantly snapping so much.

Is that you?

[ch0rn]

Obviously, an app or improved mobile compatibility would be huge, although that is a huge undertaking.


Also, people get excited over stuff like this ... if this sparks any ideas.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/07/ ... sive-look/

[clangfield]

Obviously, an app or improved mobile compatibility would be huge, although that is a huge undertaking.


Also, people get excited over stuff like this ... if this sparks any ideas.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/07/ ... sive-look/

I don't know, they manage to develop them overnight on The Apprentice...
It's definitely the way forward though. Make it work on tablet and mobile and you'll have more players playing more games out and about, so fewer missed turns as a side benefit, which will stop annoying people...got to be a good thing.
Just don't make it mobile only.

[ch0rn]

The best way is to get more maps, more play modes, more stats, keep adding to the site. It just takes a really long time to see changes here, not complaining because I love playing here. But there needs to be more new stuff to keep people excited about it. You need to keep the people who are already here excited about new features and game modes just as much as you need to get new players. It just seems that any new changes take forever.

[Serbia]

The best way is to get more maps, more play modes, more stats, keep adding to the site. It just takes a really long time to see changes here, not complaining because I love playing here. But there needs to be more new stuff to keep people excited about it. You need to keep the people who are already here excited about new features and game modes just as much as you need to get new players. It just seems that any new changes take forever.

Actually, this exact thinking has directly contributed to the decline.

Bollocks.

[JBlombier]

Funny, I was gonna say something like that. Implementing new stuff just for the sake of implementing new stuff has a great short-tream effect, but it's fairly easy to understand why that doesn't work in the long run.

So, on another note, the Great Decline thread got me thinking why on earth I'm still here. Of course, I'm lucky to have met at least 10 CC players in real life, because of my clan. So obviously, that is an argument for sticking around, because I'll be drinking some beers with some fellow players this summer. But when I analyze my irrational choice of logging in on a daily basis a little further, it's simply that I like the game. I can't be the only one sticking around for the game, actually it must be the great majority.

So I'd (at least) suggest to stop any game related changes and/or upgrades, because the game is fine. Even when a game-upgrade seems necesarry, there are 20 UI upgrades with a higher priority.

As for the smartphone market... It seems so obvious to make CC compatible with a phone. I think there are two options, 1) bigWham is working on it, hence no announcement for the last three months, 2) bigWham has decided for himself that it's no longer worth it and left us three months ago. It doesn't take a genius to see that the smartphone is where the market is at. A good app with just a single ad in the corner of the screen, could make bW richer than most of us. I think bW is a better business man than El Jefe and Lack, so I hope he's working on it. Hope... It's all we have left!

[Serbia]

No, wham has been busy giving us Tic Tac Toe, and then not even announcing this new development. Because Tic Tac Toe is going to save this entire website, which features a game based on RISK. Rejoice, the road to recovery is paved with X's and O's!

Bollocks.

[macbone]

A mobile app at this point seems like a no-brainer. The mobile site already makes it possible to play on a mobile device, and mobile gaming continues to grow. Minecraft's mobile app, for instance, has more users than its desktop version (30 million mobile users vs. 18 million on PC in January 2015). However, having two versions of the same site seems like the hard thing, and with Minecraft, I'm pretty sure that the PC and mobile users are separate.

[iAmCaffeine]

As much as people outside of the scene dislike them, I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for my clan. Aeternus is a very close-knit group. There have been two meet-ups so far thanks to the clan, with more planned. Two guys in the USA work at the same company already, and so do two of our UK guys.

As for Apprentive mobile apps, they're pretty terrible and I imagine they have a lot of professional teams behind the scenes.

[WingCmdr Ginkapo]

If clans are a selling point of the site, then how open are they to new recruits? Attracting new players seems to be a running theme though this thread. As a relatively new recruit, its seems to me that Clans are around, but its not clear how to join or whom to join or what the benefits are!

[iAmCaffeine]

If clans are a selling point of the site, then how open are they to new recruits? Attracting new players seems to be a running theme though this thread. As a relatively new recruit, its seems to me that Clans are around, but its not clear how to join or whom to join or what the benefits are!

If you go into the clan forum there's a thread about joining/forming clans, and then there's a dedicated sub-forum for joining as well, which generally gives a good idea of what goes on. Often I have to describe exactly how clans and clan wars operate to those interested. It might be an idea for a CD to put together some kind of clan guide to give people more of an idea. This would be useful to those not in the know, especially since clans revolve around team games and unless you know people, you're more likely to be playing singles.

[xroads]

In reality, clans do help retention, as long as they dont burn out people.

Forward thinking would be to install several classes of clans. Class A, B, C. Get newbies in a class A clan ASAP, get them playing with people, develop relationships, learn the ropes.

Then once they get the hang of things they can graduate to intermediate & advanced clans

[iAmCaffeine]

In reality, clans do help retention, as long as they dont burn out people.

Forward thinking would be to install several classes of clans. Class A, B, C. Get newbies in a class A clan ASAP, get them playing with people, develop relationships, learn the ropes.

Then once they get the hang of things they can graduate to intermediate & advanced clans

No, never. Why would anyone want to bother running and organising a Class A/B clan if that's how things worked? It would be a waste of time. As it is, new players usually join a lower ranked clan unless they're exceptionally talented anyway. Whether or not they receive proper guidance and advice there is debatable, it varies from clan to clan. In Aeternus we have nurtured several players and still continue to do so; there is always room for improvement.

I think there needs to be more of an introduction and guide to clans, which could perhaps be done through Clan University. I'm not entirely sure how this is currently run, whether it's to develop players for clans or enable players within the group to start up their own clan; I believe either/or is the current format and both have been done. This would be an ideal format to expand the clan world and introduce it to those who're unfamiliar.

[xroads]

I didnt say it would be easy.

But you dont want the lower ranked clans to get wiped out every match. That is counter productive as they will get frustrated and quit.

[BGtheBrain]

*****

[xroads]

That is what I was thinking, mentors from a higher class coaching and helping the newbie clans. As long as the newbie clans dont try to get into the competitive leagues, no big deal.

[BGtheBrain]

*****

[WingCmdr Ginkapo]

the CD's could have to approve a clans ability to join clan events.

WHY THE FECK IS THERE SO MUCH BUREAUCRATIC RUBBISH ON THIS SITE