I know it is an older thread, but I'd like to add why I don't play my clanned Seanchan now that I've returned after a break.
I wanted to play Seanchan too ages ago, I was playing it for some time. It had a cool continent, and the SIG for smobbing and similar activities, it looked like a closely knit community, that may have actually been better to learn on than the LS back then. That was the goal on that side that I was progressing towards. With some PK but not as a priority. Then the continent was taken away. And the regiments. Then the continent was given back in a limited version. And now the regiments seem to be back, but it is hard to get in due to lack of players I'd meet at the times I play.
This shows that the side is not stable. There are things I'd like to try and play, but I am not sure I want to invest in a side, that may again happen to be something totally different in a year.
The lack of purpose is a huge problem, just like redesign of not only the primary SW pk zones, such as EF. We no longer have a normal access from Illian to Amador for example. Everything was done to centralize pk more to the north, specifically in Andor. And it worked. But at the price of losing reasons to be Seanchan or to fight Seanchan.
It feels as if there was no Conquest going on anymore. Seanchan won some lands, and are now pking mostly in Andor, no? So, what is special about it? They are content with being just another neighbour in the southwest? That is definitely not the Empire as we know it from the books.
What I think might be done about it and could attract people:
1:use the war system to rekindle the SW pk. Make incentives for people to PK there. It could revive the clans there too. One week promote Seanchan vs Tarabon, then Seanchan vs Bandar Eban, then let them attack Tear, Illian, Mayene. Rinse and repeat. Why is this not working? Is making War happen too hard? The Seanchan is at war by default, it's the whole Empire's rp, so there could even be "fixed" schedule of the Wars rotating. With bonus rewards, perhaps some added mob city raids, etc. (Btw do we still get city raids sometimes?)
2:While I hear, why some people want to discourage solo playing, remember that it is a small side and many people play at worse times with low activity. If you discourage solo or very low number activities, you discourage some people from playing completely. Without people enjoying Seanchan and having stuff to do even alone, they won't stick around to attract more. I think some of the daily quests and similar ideas are a step in the right direction. More smobs and activities for solo players and small groups might even attract more LS there, therefore generate PK. I can easily imagine SW becoming the main region for players in some timezones, if it becomes more low numbers friendly, while the north and center of the map would remain the most popular during the more populated hours.
3.Consistency in the decisions, especially regarding clans. Reintroducing the regiments is imho a great thing, but why are they not like before, a sort of "Ajah" system, where you start in the general army and then join a regiment at some rank? Why are the regiments now the competitors of the IA? That's simply wrong, and it damages the wonderful sense of unity that used to be typical of the Seanchan Side. Morats are meant to be special and aside, but the regiments are part of the army while still having their own identity.
zeek wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:23 am
As far as SW Pk, I don't know what we need to do to revive pk. I always thought the sw zones were fun and well designed. I've had a lot of fun in those zones on all sides. I think there's a numbers issue that's not working in our favor. I guess the bigger question is how could we attract new players and that's another rabbit hole/black hole all together
got to have people to participate, good and bad. new and old. If 50 new people joined the game we'd see more SW pk. Is what it is. How realistic it is to capture that many new players I'm not sure. It's not realistic at all in it's current state, because we don't have a plan as a community/staff/game to attract new players in a way that we can measure and improve on.
We are now getting more new players and there will probably be a bigger wave now that the tv series will air. But it won't help the Seanchan even if we get a crowd of 50 people. Right now, some key elements are missing.
Stop the "experienced players only" nonsense. Make it normal to start either as LS or Seanchan. No need for huge zone changes etc, but make there some statting area (a few rooms with saplings suffice with the easier and prerolled stats). Put there some ingame guidance on the basics of the game.
Support activities for few players. Only then you'll get people to stick around even with just one or two other Seanchan, or even alone. Therefore increasing the probability more people will join them without fear of being alone there too after 5 mins.
And to motivate the older players, the various new incentives to play after Mastering look really good, but perhaps Seanchan Remorts might be possible?
