Dying or just a bad time?

[KDawg]

Ever since the Gangs update our playerbase has taken the biggest hit ever. It was different for EvoCity because right after I reverted everything, it was right back at being a full server / decently populated after 2 - 3 days.

 

Now, after we switched hosts and wasted money in many ways that I thought would be a great investment it turned out that is not the case. I made a huge leap and I was expecting to take a playerbase hit but not like this. What is / went wrong?

 

I don't think I changed anything that would turn people away. I have only added content and fixed bugs and tried to appeal to everyone. Removed stupid rules and cut back on a lot of unecessary things. We now have a type of progression system, the server runs more smoothly than ever, everything accessible, there is always a huge update every month or less along with many smaller updates, I communicate and do everything I can to keep this server alive but our player base just... doesn't find it appealing? I don't know, maybe people liked when we had 20 mods that would help you with every little issue you had? Maybe people liked having insanely OP weapons like the lightsaber, force emitter, some kind of speed swep. I haven't tried to make it seriousRP but I have tried making the server more appealing RP wise.

 

Why do you think I idle on my server for 10 hours a day? Because each and every player counts. I was expecting this summer to be insane but it seems it's insane for all of the wrong reasons.

 

Suggestions, comments, ideas? Don't take this as a "Omg hes closing down the server", that wouldn't happen unless we average 2 - 3 players for a solid month.

[�Bob�]

its just the weekend of the fourth, a lot of people wont be playing.

[Glaze]

The reason the playerbase took a hit in the first place was because the IP changed. Not everyone who plays regularly checks up on the forums everyday. People assumed that the server had died and maybe went to look for another.

 

I expect that the playerbase will recover, just give it a bit of time.

[I am very smart]

its just the weekend of the fourth, a lot of people wont be playing.

 

I agree.. Alot of people are on Vacation.. I'm going to disney tommorow to watch the fireworks at the magic kingdom and won't be back till Thursday.

[[DMA]Texashockey2015]

Add back all the fun sweps aka lightsabers, pissed babies, chess, checkers, ect.

[Helen Keller]

We are definitely in a bit of a rough patch, its not just this weekend that its been like this. While the server is a lot of fun and I enjoy it quite a bit. I do suggest you add some things that would catch a new players eye and make them think " hey this is cool I think I'll play on here regularly." I think one way to do this is to add some more " fun sweps " I understand that the lightsaber added a lot of server lag but that was just one example of  a fun swep that made me want to buy a vip membership. You might not have to add back lightsabers but just maybe add some things like that. Maybe you could add things like  chess/ checkers, or maybe add some really cool custom weapons to go onto default classes. I'm not really sure on these things but I personally think fun sweps or fun things to do on the server would without a doubt benefit our player base.

[�Bob�]

have people start with more money, like in the server title put like 30k start! or some shit. make it flashy.  Its just a rough patch, we will recover

[Sus]

This rough patch definitely started when the server switched hosts. Of course people thought the server died. We might have to add more content that really does appeal to people. Although we recently got the Gang System, people probably want something more interactive. Something that takes time and thought. If we add content that makes the server even more fun (For instance Tyrant's idea on the Hacker Job with a thought process needed to complete it), it could possibly attract newer people. What I've seen on many servers, people enjoy OP SWEPs. Adding more of those to default classes may give VIPs and regulars a better experience, and stay.

[Cullen]

its just the weekend of the fourth, a lot of people wont be playing.

 

I agree with Bobo for this weekend. 

 

Also, I hate to break the news, but I think what brought our playerbase up was popular youtubers would come onto the server and if there is a lot of funny things going on the server.  I feel that would increase the population for the server, but if the server supports these popular youtubers then the server goes to shit.  For example, I've never heard of HogwardsRP throughout my whole Garry's mod experience and when a popular youtuber (AKA Zuthar13) went on the one server (that most of the staff play on) and started to experience most of the funnyRP shit that went around the server. <- The server exploded and now it is most of the time  really hard to get into the server.  This is a 85 slot server also. 

 

I think if you work on this event system and it could make the server a lot more fun or funny, maybe we will see the increase in population.  When the staff hold moderator and admin events, this helps lighten up the server.

[Blacnova]

As much as it kills me to say this: I think fining is turning people away, they join the server and want to become a part of the community so they go and raid the bank to get rich, cop comes in and fines them for 50k-100k which for a new player with no money equals 10-20 minutes in jail. Then they leave because that don't want to wait. Sadly I think this could be a contribution to lack of players.