The Return Thoughts

[Thom]

The Return Thoughts

I'm going to try to sum up all the ideas I've come up in the past 3 years that I've being banging my head for activity rise. Unfortunately I can't recall all of them i had them return but can't locate them. Upcoming suggestions are the general idea and are in an order on purpose:

• Establish a RP standard: Prepares the server to withhold a future activity temporary boost, deliberately or not boost.
• Temporary Playerbase Boosting Roleplay Methods: Original and Regular Events with upper goal: happening within RP economic and execution boundaries, happenings that the masses can participate to with rewards not money-focused (rare cars, bikes, boats, items etc.) and will boost the activity momentarily (other parameters are here to make sure the activity is not gone).
                        ^ Or any idea that can temporarily sparkle the playerbase
• The Activity Triangle: A healthy cycle/base of fundamental group interaction to lay out a base so that independent groups can stand on their feet.
• Fun and Consistency: Must be only well organized not forced.

Establish a RP Standard

It is of great importance in my opinion, especially in a barely active server, especially in an unofficial town perimeter of RP (Fort Carson) to establish a RP standard for people as a productive substitution to driving around aimlessly. The original idea was to be placed in Market, Los Santos, but I think in Fort Carson it will be even more efficient. The idea is to take advantage of the outdoor space as 1-3 outdoor cafe/bar or restaurant for three reasons:
1. Map blimps attract players
2. Thus, a player with no RP opportunity can go make small talk with someone there or at least with the waiter/waitress and sit alone for a while make a stop, go with friends or meet the regulars or go AFK.
3. I believe in the immediacy and interactivity of this.

We should have minimal outdoor mapping (lag reasons) or one small portion of the town, maybe a square or a segment of the main road to have. It will sparkle some business interest hopefully and some healthy rivalry between opposing outdoor cafes. The business owners must be professionals so this whole thing is executed beautifully.
As a result:
1. We will have established a RP minimum.
2. Easier interacting between the people of the town
3. We'll have a "famous" place. A place where it is common for people to visit often cause it's the famous place, duh! Every town has its famous square, or road or famous bar.
4. Activity gives birth to new activity, driving around aimlessly or sitting still on our own properties kills the fun or patiency to wait around for something to come up.

Requirements:

• Further organization of the project
• Light Mapping
• Professional and Active Owners or at least Staff

Temporary Playerbase Boosting Roleplay Methods

• Events within RP economic and execution boundaries: Argonath Event Team's Vision basically that due to activity I could use some help with. The idea is an event business that is supposed to be profitable (so it makes sense to exist RPly it can't stand financially to be volunteering) I have AET and I would want only in theory to be profitable. The events should be unique ideas that anyone can take part of with their character and have event fun within mass RPs too. Check topic for more!
• Any other RP boost ideas that we must do once we're prepared to keep the majority of any playerbase boost we may see. Cause the server has proven many times we can't win the re-visitors for good.

Requirements:

• Active group of people with effectiveness and consistency to raise the playerbase when deemed so.
• Preferably, promoting RP

The Activity Triangle
On top of an active outdoor life in Fort Carson already active playerbase should come to terms with the situation and settle in my opinion. Everyone is out there trying to be a taxi driver, mechanic and uniqueness it's nice and should exist but I think we have to settle and combine our powers in creating an active Police-Organized Crime again. So my suggestions is to strengthen the SAPD and focus on 1-2 criminal group(s). It's not that we're not enough players to have some action going again, it is that we're all veterans and we want to do our own thing and have forgotten about settling than anyone else's vision but we're all under one bigger vision, Argonath's. And with a bunch of people trying independent projects that lack numbers because we're split into many small groups/ideas or lonewolfing.

It's everyone's right to RP the way they want, but I deem it very important to have some strong groups to have stronger footing to uniqueness and independency. Bottom line I don't think we can afford not combining and not settling for more common-ground type of groups.

Groups should be rewarded with other things than money like: Territory, setting a rp standard for them like "most trustful dealers" for the public to be obligated to go by etc..

Requirements:

• Willing people

Fun
The idea is not supposed to be mechanic-robotic kind of way to manually repair the playerbase number. We must make sure that the server has some natural interaction going so people will be motivated to stay once attracted to join, join in the first place and visit more oftenly even when the activity isn't at its best. For that we need to lay out a base for a course of actions to be independently functional.


Summary
So basically the idea is, to have an independent functional cycle of RP interaction while countering being idle due to nothing going on and bringing people with events or happenings only when something is prepared to not let them go again.

[Thom]

Unison is vital, if you want to help strengthen argonath of samp I encourage you to drop your own positive supported or negative feedback so that we can further discuss and analyze opportunities and methods.

Being idle about a member reaching out with some ideas to help the situation isn't going to lead us nowhere near a solution, it doesn't mean replying to this topic binds you to my idea, we shall discuss and we shall break down my idea or anyone's ideas as far as we can to have a fullproof plan.

If you'd like to consider yourself involved you should be involved. We should view any discussion opportunity for the server's best interest as an opportunity to both give a sign that we're here, we're present like an attendance check and to examine the situation.

So those who are present and want to be I'm really interested in what you have to say, suggest and correct. It's not only my interest but a necessity in my opinion to be involved as we're the remaining minority of active and potentially active players. We've tried remaining idle, we've tried leaving it up to a HQ maybe it's time to not go down the easy road to have it done for us, we are this community and we should behave so. So, who's here?

[JDC]

Wonderful topic, thank you for making it. We need more players contributing ideas like these, as well as giving feedback to refine them and make the ideas even better.

The more input we have from players, the more SA:MP HQ will be able to put together to help players revive the server.

Establish a RP Standard

It is of great importance in my opinion, especially in a barely active server, especially in an unofficial town perimeter of RP (Fort Carson) to establish a RP standard for people as a productive substitution to driving around aimlessly. The original idea was to be placed in Market, Los Santos, but I think in Fort Carson it will be even more efficient. The idea is to take advantage of the outdoor space as 1-3 outdoor cafe/bar or restaurant for three reasons:
1. Map blimps attract players
2. Thus, a player with no RP opportunity can go make small talk with someone there or at least with the waiter/waitress and sit alone for a while make a stop, go with friends or meet the regulars or go AFK.
3. I believe in the immediacy and interactivity of this.

We should have minimal outdoor mapping (lag reasons) or one small portion of the town, maybe a square or a segment of the main road to have. It will sparkle some business interest hopefully and some healthy rivalry between opposing outdoor cafes. The business owners must be professionals so this whole thing is executed beautifully.
As a result:
1. We will have established a RP minimum.
2. Easier interacting between the people of the town
3. We'll have a "famous" place. A place where it is common for people to visit often cause it's the famous place, duh! Every town has its famous square, or road or famous bar.
4. Activity gives birth to new activity, driving around aimlessly or sitting still on our own properties kills the fun or patiency to wait around for something to come up.

Requirements:

• Further organization of the project
• Light Mapping
• Professional and Active Owners or at least Staff

Many good RPs and experiences are born organically out of small talk and random encounters, yes. Across FC, players generally flock towards 1.) the Church at the east, 2.) the Motel at the north, and 3.) the small park-like place with benches outside the FD and Hospital at the west (though rarely and to a lesser extent than the first two). This is the reason I mostly stay at the Church (and sometimes, the Motel) when not busy elsewhere in the map. Aside from a priest having the Church as his default 'hangout' spot, players see my blip and come to me for different kinds of RP. (e.g. to give confession, make small talk, sell things, etc.)

But none of them are analogous to Pershing Square back in the old days, a clear "central" place within the central city/town (LS), as they are spread out across the town. The Motel and Church more closely resemble GS9, a place where you could expect to find people hanging out, but not exactly a "default hangout" place for everyone.

That being said, a town square would be nice. Remove one house or block around the center of the town, slap a small park on it, and you have a hangout place. If any of you have a map in mind, you can send it to Brian or Jake (Jake being our current remaining Mapper), or apply as a Mapper yourselves.

With regards to the Staff, we do discuss internally on how to improve ourselves, including on our activity. But it would also be nice to receive some help/feedback/helpful feedback from other players, if there are other ways we can support you. (Of course, please keep in mind that constructive criticism does not include nitpicking, dragging others down, or pointless complaining; Staff are also players like you, just with more responsibilities)

Temporary Playerbase Boosting Roleplay Methods

• Events within RP economic and execution boundaries: Argonath Event Team's Vision basically that due to activity I could use some help with. The idea is an event business that is supposed to be profitable (so it makes sense to exist RPly it can't stand financially to be volunteering) I have AET and I would want only in theory to be profitable. The events should be unique ideas that anyone can take part of with their character and have event fun within mass RPs too. Check topic for more!
• Any other RP boost ideas that we must do once we're prepared to keep the majority of any playerbase boost we may see. Cause the server has proven many times we can't win the re-visitors for good.

Requirements:

• Active group of people with effectiveness and consistency to raise the playerbase when deemed so.
• Preferably, promoting RP

This is something that I try to do along with the events that I personally organize, although in the past month it has taken a backseat to me juggling a major IRL work project and putting together my own ideas of how I can contribute to Argonath. I personally started with the kind of mass events that we are familiar with (DDs, parties, hide-and-seek). Khm did give a suggestion to try and organize events in a more RP manner (e.g. inviting players to an event through word of mouth, phone calls, etc.), and this is something I want to adapt as it also builds on the RP aspect of things.

Regarding the income of an event business/team, some of my expenses were offset by some personal donations. But logistically speaking, it would be very hard to raise revenue entirely through RP means, so realistically I see businesses being supported by both RP and non-RP means — possibly including state/HQ support — as the best way to move forward given our resources. (e.g. playerbase)

The Activity Triangle
On top of an active outdoor life in Fort Carson already active playerbase should come to terms with the situation and settle in my opinion. Everyone is out there trying to be a taxi driver, mechanic and uniqueness it's nice and should exist but I think we have to settle and combine our powers in creating an active Police-Organized Crime again. So my suggestions is to strengthen the SAPD and focus on 1-2 criminal group(s). It's not that we're not enough players to have some action going again, it is that we're all veterans and we want to do our own thing and have forgotten about settling than anyone else's vision but we're all under one bigger vision, Argonath's. And with a bunch of people trying independent projects that lack numbers because we're split into many small groups/ideas or lonewolfing.

It's everyone's right to RP the way they want, but I deem it very important to have some strong groups to have stronger footing to uniqueness and independency. Bottom line I don't think we can afford not combining and not settling for more common-ground type of groups.

Groups should be rewarded with other things than money like: Territory, setting a rp standard for them like "most trustful dealers" for the public to be obligated to go by etc..

Requirements:

• Willing people

Temporarily setting aside (at least some of) our own kinds of RP will be a bit of a sacrifice, but I believe it is feasible. Perhaps convening a body of group leaders (both criminal AND law enforcement groups) can be arranged to OOCly brainstorm on storylines we can pursue RPly/ICly? Specifically, just the plans but not the outcome/result; the outcome should still be decided by how things proceed RPly/on the ground.

As for rewards for groups, I am on board with this and would like to hear ideas from others on how the HQ/Staff can motivate, support, and reward the groups who contribute positively to our community.

Fun
The idea is not supposed to be mechanic-robotic kind of way to manually repair the playerbase number. We must make sure that the server has some natural interaction going so people will be motivated to stay once attracted to join, join in the first place and visit more oftenly even when the activity isn't at its best. For that we need to lay out a base for a course of actions to be independently functional.

At the end of the day, Argonath is supposed to be fun. Yet with the situation our community is in, we players — especially those who are Staff and/or group leaders — will have to put in some hard work to revive things, which is not always fun right away. Not instantly gratifying. But in the long run, it will pay off for all of us as we rebuild the community we love, where bringing in more people results in more fun as well.


That being said, I also call on others to reply to this topic with your own ideas. Rebuilding is going to be a collective effort and we have to all be in this together. No one can do it alone; not the event organizers, not the players, not the Staff, not the HQ.

[KenAdams]

A good topic indeed! I totally agree with your points, plus all the players need is the motivation to play. And that motivation doesn't come by checking how many players are ingame, it comes from within, it comes from the love all of us have towards this Community. Everyone has their own grudges, but for achieving a greater goal together, it becomes necessary to let go of them, and hold the hands together for the betterment of the community.

Establish a RP Standard

It is of great importance in my opinion, especially in a barely active server, especially in an unofficial town perimeter of RP (Fort Carson) to establish a RP standard for people as a productive substitution to driving around aimlessly. The original idea was to be placed in Market, Los Santos, but I think in Fort Carson it will be even more efficient ...... We should have minimal outdoor mapping (lag reasons) or one small portion of the town, maybe a square or a segment of the main road to have. It will sparkle some business interest hopefully and some healthy rivalry between opposing outdoor cafes. The business owners must be professionals so this whole thing is executed beautifully.

Requirements:

• Further organization of the project
• Light Mapping
• Professional and Active Owners or at least Staff

I generally hang around the Church and at the Collin Doughnuteria & the Motel area, yes. Sometimes I walk on foot, approaching people and roleplaying with them. The activity and the spirit of roleplay generally begins with small talk. The players have multiple options around the town, and nobody feels 'left out'. Famous places can't be defined in words, they are set up by the people and their activities around the places.
Not gonna lie, the mapping around Fort Carson kills my FPS, A LOT!   Or maybe its the vehicles..
I do agree that there should be light mapping in the town, high mapping sometimes makes playing impossible.

Temporary Playerbase Boosting Roleplay Methods

• Events within RP economic and execution boundaries: Argonath Event Team's Vision basically that due to activity I could use some help with. The idea is an event business that is supposed to be profitable (so it makes sense to exist RPly it can't stand financially to be volunteering) I have AET and I would want only in theory to be profitable. The events should be unique ideas that anyone can take part of with their character and have event fun within mass RPs too. Check topic for more!
• Any other RP boost ideas that we must do once we're prepared to keep the majority of any playerbase boost we may see. Cause the server has proven many times we can't win the re-visitors for good.

To be honest, events can't just thrive on RP means, support from the HQ is necessary. JDC did host an event few weeks ago, and the players seemed to enjoy it! Future events will be a success too, if supported by us - the players and the HQ.

The Activity Triangle
On top of an active outdoor life in Fort Carson already active playerbase should come to terms with the situation and settle in my opinion. Everyone is out there trying to be a taxi driver, mechanic and uniqueness it's nice and should exist but I think we have to settle and combine our powers in creating an active Police-Organized Crime again.
.....
.....
And with a bunch of people trying independent projects that lack numbers because we're split into many small groups/ideas or lonewolfing.
It's everyone's right to RP the way they want, but I deem it very important to have some strong groups to have stronger footing to uniqueness and independency. Bottom line I don't think we can afford not combining and not settling for more common-ground type of groups.

I honestly believe that one should have the freedom to roleplay by themselves, without any intervention by others. But yeah, sometimes a temporary shift will be good, as long as it doesn't completely turn out to be a Cops v/s Crims place. These things shouldn't overshadow one's personal taste of roleplay.

Fun
The idea is not supposed to be mechanic-robotic kind of way to manually repair the playerbase number. We must make sure that the server has some natural interaction going so people will be motivated to stay once attracted to join, join in the first place and visit more often even when the activity isn't at its best. For that we need to lay out a base for a course of actions to be independently functional.

Fun is indeed necessary, even if it isn't fun in the beginning, it will be fun when everyone agrees to contributes, when everybody works collectively for getting a bigger goal.

It isn't late, yet; but it will be late if we don't come together now and help make this place bigger, better, and greater.
I hope others share their valuable opinion as well.

Regards,
Mike.

[Nathan]

I like this thread (even though I cannot participate on the server currently).

At the end of the day, I think what it comes down to is focusing on user retention and letting active players drive the direction of the server. I used to be one of those "Argonath Vision or Die" type of folks - but what is clear to me now is that every community should have the freedom to evolve to what the players want it to evolve to. Giving the players a voice and taking actual steps to improve the overall state will lead us to a better path.

[Thom]

To be honest, events can't just thrive on RP means, support from the HQ is necessary. JDC did host an event few weeks ago, and the players seemed to enjoy it! Future events will be a success too, if supported by us - the players and the HQ.

https://www.argonathrpg.eu/index.php?topic=125079.0 Have a look at this, funded by businesses trying to advertise themselves through events, a RP idea of mine realistic extension of AET