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+---- Thread: *AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention (/showthread.php?tid=44215)
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*AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - ElMerchanto - 03-17-2023
Introduction:
Hello everyone! I appreciate this is somewhat unusual for Media, and I'm not posting it to make money so don't mind if it's ineligible. But I recently spoke to HO and was asked to post my proposal publically to gather impressions.
A little bit of context, I work professionally in Game Design, and specialise in gameplay systems, balance & user retention loops. One observed problem is that the ISFL has a relatively high inactive user rate, especially amongst newer users, but tends to retain more competitive minded players quite well. As casual & moderate players are the lifeblood of every game, I thought about ways of helping the league in this sense. Anyway, here is my proposal:
The Proposal:
Basically currency rewards (in this case TPE is our primary currency) should be an inverse curve that implements diminishing returns based on effort expended.
Our issue at the moment is to play anywhere near efficiently the barrier to entry is significant. That's great for players like me who will max earn regardless, but ultimately we should make up the minority of players.
With all those people we see go inactive, one of the leading causes will be witnessing the effort required to achieve even a moderately "powerful" player and going, to be blunt, "fuck that". This is a fantasy roleplay game at heart, players want to be great football players for their team.
So anyway yeah, the Activity Check should be the most rewarding weekly activity. This follows a common theory in game design where your initial / casual rewards are the most intense in value, and then value diminishes progressive when a player decides to "grind" the game, as the kinds of players who will grind will do it anyway. Think about like daily quests in any MMO like WoW or Destiny, they're relatively fast to complete, and by far the most lucrative thing you can do timewise.
Making the easiest reward also the best means that the "minimum engagement" or really, minimum effort, is much more appealing to players. Someone who goes inactive obviously won't bother to do ACs for 2 TPE a week, it's not even enough to upgrade a stat in the 70s after two weeks. They'd take an entire ISFL career to even hit the DSFL cap.
However, if a player can check in once a week, receive a notable boost to their player and actually feel the changes their minimal effort is making, they are much more likely to enjoy the game on a casual basis and feel like a genuine contributor to their team, which in time converts many of those players to more "hardcore" style players, as they are drawn in by the leagues social & communal elements, and want to contribute even more.
tl;dr: There's a reason why games have an easy mode. Making the AC lucrative gives players who would otherwise quit, an "easy mode" to play on, without devaluing the extra effort of hardcore players.
It also plays into more advanced design stuff like currency exposure / getting people addicted to gameplay loops but thats more the dark arts stuff.
Proposed Solutions:
1. The Activity Check rewards 8 TPE, remove the 3 TPE PT.
This is my personally preferred & suggested solution. This results in average weekly TPE gain increasing by 3, which is something to be concious of. However, for lesser enfranchised players, that is a strong positive. This makes the AC exciting, and an ultra rewarding weekly check in to keep players active & make them feel like true contributors. It's worth noting players chosing to complete all additional tasks & earn training would still earn 60~% more than someone simply doing the AC.
2. The Activity Check rewards 5 TPE, remove the 3 TPE PT.
If we want to keep average TPE gain the same for whatever reason, this is a much milder alternative. I personally believe there is space to increase the average, but this implements a lesser version of the same theory as above for those who don't wish to rock the boat. The main benefit here is we get rid of the dull 150 word task for all players.
3. The Yabba Dabba Doo Option - AC to 8, Keep the 3 TPE PT
This is also fine (read: great), but I initially didn't include this as I figured veteran players would panic at the increased TPE per week, which actually models fine really.
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - Akoustique - 03-17-2023
Ooh man, this is a really interesting proposal. That being said, I'm a little torn about getting rid of the "dull" PT as you say. I think it offers a chance to flesh out a player and get more attached to them, since, like you said, this boils down to a fantasy roleplay endeavor. In games like D&D, who wouldn't enjoy an opportunity to add more interest and backstory to their character?
It also hurts a bit in terms of affiliated leagues, like PBE and SHL. Getting rid of the PT would mean that players who are in those leagues would no longer be able to use an affiliate post from here.
That all being said, I like the idea of the AC being increased, since you make a lot of good points about it increasing activity and engagement!
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - ElMerchanto - 03-17-2023
(03-17-2023, 11:46 AM)Akoustique Wrote: Ooh man, this is a really interesting proposal. That being said, I'm a little torn about getting rid of the "dull" PT as you say. I think it offers a chance to flesh out a player and get more attached to them, since, like you said, this boils down to a fantasy roleplay endeavor. In games like D&D, who wouldn't enjoy an opportunity to add more interest and backstory to their character?
It also hurts a bit in terms of affiliated leagues, like PBE and SHL. Getting rid of the PT would mean that players who are in those leagues would no longer be able to use an affiliate post from here.
That all being said, I like the idea of the AC being increased, since you make a lot of good points about it increasing activity and engagement!
This is a good point I considered - the main negative is the loss of affiliate links, but it seems like links largely come in rather than going out (purely observational).
Ultimately, I concluded those who want to flesh out their characters backstory can still do so via paid media which benefits them. We could even do double media themes to encourage roleplay-style entries.
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - aeonsjenni - 03-17-2023
I like this, maybe what could be done is:
AC: 2 -> 4
Weekly training: 3/5 -> 2/4
PT: 3 -> 2
Which would slightly inflate TPE earnings as point tasks are not done during the offseason, so maybe adjustments to offseason tasks could be made, but still puts less stress on weekly training and point tasks in favor of AC's? I don't hate the point tasks and I like that you can post affiliates from other leagues.
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - UptownCord - 03-17-2023
I quite like the idea of diminishing returns and can get behind making the AC a more important part of earning TPE, but for what it's worth I enjoy the weekly point tasks and would be sad to see them go. I think the option should still be there for players who want to put in the work to earn TPE, and to be honest, 150 words doesn't take all that long. 5-10 minutes isn't a big deal when you have a whole week to get it done.
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - ElMerchanto - 03-17-2023
(03-17-2023, 11:49 AM)UptownCord Wrote: I quite like the idea of diminishing returns and can get behind making the AC a more important part of earning TPE, but for what it's worth I enjoy the weekly point tasks and would be sad to see them go. I think the option should still be there for players who want to put in the work to earn TPE, and to be honest, 150 words doesn't take all that long. 5-10 minutes isn't a big deal when you have a whole week to get it done.
For sure, I mean the strongest implementation of this really is AC to 8, keep the PT. I don't really see anything wrong with that just didn't want people to panic at +6 max TPE a week heh.
I've edited the proposal to include this as an option as it seems to be a recurring feeling
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - zaynzk - 03-17-2023
Im mixed on this since I can see the pros and cons, but glad to be seeing some discussion about retention from newer users
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - Painted - 03-17-2023
I'm all for your proposal 2, most because that will be way more likely to gain any traction as the TPE psuedo-cap is important to many. The other reason I like it is for the same reason you said, less "work" for the league. Removing it can let people better focus on the other aspects of the ISFL, rather than a task that more closely resembles homework than something rewarding or engaging, in my mind.
The biggest push back you may also see is that by removing the PTs, now the PT-pass becomes obsolete and that may deter people from getting league jobs. At least that is a point that gets brought up a lot when we talk about TPE task reform. So just something to consider, as a lot of us are as well haha!
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - Air Crou - 03-17-2023
If you make me pay less for the PT pass, then I'll gladly take option 1. That extra 3 TPE a week will help casual earners to be on par with max earners, with the only differentiation of it being EQ. However, that extra 3 TPE on the AC can be removed from EQ, making it cheaper, and easier to be a max earner. Over the 8 weeks of the season, it's an extra 24 TPE. Over the 8 seasons a player has before regression, that's an extra 192 TPE. That helps players fight regression, possibly bringing that 14th season to the forefront, which I am 100% behind. Option 1 please!
(03-17-2023, 11:53 AM)Painted Wrote: I'm all for your proposal 2, most because that will be way more likely to gain any traction as the TPE psuedo-cap is important to many. The other reason I like it is for the same reason you said, less "work" for the league. Removing it can let people better focus on the other aspects of the ISFL, rather than a task that more closely resembles homework than something rewarding or engaging, in my mind.PT-pass now becomes OT-Pass and is 2m, with that other 4m sitting comfy on your bank. It's a win-win imo.
The biggest push back you may also see is that by removing the PTs, now the PT-pass becomes obsolete and that may deter people from getting league jobs. At least that is a point that gets brought up a lot when we talk about TPE task reform. So just something to consider, as a lot of us are as well haha!
RE: AC Modification Proposal to aid Player Retention - wizard_literal - 03-17-2023
(03-17-2023, 11:40 AM)ElMerchanto Wrote: 2. The Activity Check rewards 5 TPE, remove the 3 TPE PT.
If we want to keep average TPE gain the same for whatever reason, this is a much milder alternative. I personally believe there is space to increase the average, but this implements a lesser version of the same theory as above for those who don't wish to rock the boat. The main benefit here is we get rid of the dull 150 word task for all players.
I'm not sure whether I'm for or against this idea as a whole, but I don't think removing the 3 TPE PT is ideal. Avoiding TPE inflation is likely the best course though. I'd personally take the 2nd proposal and modify it like so.
AC +4 TPE
$500K Weekly Training +3 TPE
$1M Weekly Training +4 TPE
Point Task +2 TPE
That keeps the total the same, while lessening the gap between the Weekly Training tiers which also helps the more casual player.