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We've been featured in the Top 8 Linux Games of 2007 article that's recently made Digg.
http://digg.com/linux_unix/Top_8_Linux_Games_Of_2007
Personally while I don't think the game is ready for real advertising, I think this kind of publicity is great... for one, I think most of the Linux gamers who would take interest in this article, are likely to enjoy VO more in spite of its evelopmental state than gamers on the other platforms. I hope we get some new long-term members out of this.
http://digg.com/linux_unix/Top_8_Linux_Games_Of_2007
Personally while I don't think the game is ready for real advertising, I think this kind of publicity is great... for one, I think most of the Linux gamers who would take interest in this article, are likely to enjoy VO more in spite of its evelopmental state than gamers on the other platforms. I hope we get some new long-term members out of this.
In other news, the nation selection screen still leaves something to be desired for the Serco....
54 players -- 20 Itani, 8 Serco, 26 UIT
Pretty typical of peak time, I know... but it's 2 am right now, and 44 of those 54 are new players... only 3 of the new players are playing Serco.
54 players -- 20 Itani, 8 Serco, 26 UIT
Pretty typical of peak time, I know... but it's 2 am right now, and 44 of those 54 are new players... only 3 of the new players are playing Serco.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/slime73/Picture4.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/slime73/Picture5.jpg
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/slime73/Picture5.jpg
The community should really brainstorm on why Serco is such an unpopular choice; the vast majority of new players make the choice without reading the backstory and for some reason Serco doesn't call out to them.
From what I can tell, there is a widespread subconscious "reaction" to the color red that says "ew, stay away, this is dangerous or bad", and another one to the color blue that says "oooh, pretty..."
In some of the larger, more developed areas of the world, it can possibly be blamed on the old cold war analogies, but... I dunno.
It IS worth asking the devs why the colors were assigned as they were, assuming they remember.
I too am glad to see lots of newbies that seem to enjoy the game and want to stay, for the record.
In some of the larger, more developed areas of the world, it can possibly be blamed on the old cold war analogies, but... I dunno.
It IS worth asking the devs why the colors were assigned as they were, assuming they remember.
I too am glad to see lots of newbies that seem to enjoy the game and want to stay, for the record.
well, usually in a game the bad guys are red and most people wanna be the good guys.
Make them all neutral colors and I bet you'd get more serco.
Or, make the training missions all happen nationless, and put in a nice slow burn explanation of each race in the first tutorial, acclimating new players to the 3 nations and what they offer (currently, nothing), then, following the first tutorial, have them choose their nation.
Or, make the training missions all happen nationless, and put in a nice slow burn explanation of each race in the first tutorial, acclimating new players to the 3 nations and what they offer (currently, nothing), then, following the first tutorial, have them choose their nation.
Everyone wants to be an elvish hunter...
I think the lack of a unique ship style for each race probably influences this some too. If someone saw a Serco ship they wanted, they might pick that race as a starting point to get it.
I made my decision based on the backstory, personally, didn't care for the Serco.
I made my decision based on the backstory, personally, didn't care for the Serco.
Newbies don't want to get their butt kicked so they join the biggest team, which happens to be Itani.
However, those new to VO but old school pros, will be drawn to Serco for the challenge!
Nature has it's way of keeping order. It just takes time...
However, those new to VO but old school pros, will be drawn to Serco for the challenge!
Nature has it's way of keeping order. It just takes time...
I chose Serco because I like red... the first time I ever created a char in VO.
There are ships limited to each nation's space, Promethius for Serco's, Valkyrie for Itani and Various mauds for the UiT's. More variation would be nice though.
Like Toshiro, when I chose I did not choose Serco, I chose the red team cos I prefered that colour.
Anyways, nice to see a few new users about.
Like Toshiro, when I chose I did not choose Serco, I chose the red team cos I prefered that colour.
Anyways, nice to see a few new users about.
I'm a gamer so when i started a long time ago, in a galaxy, far far away... sorry i digress, i did read about each nation. I chose the Itani because i didn't want to be totally neutral, like the UIT, but i did want to be apart of the "war". The Itani did seam like the good guys in the whole conflict. And there might be more UIT players but there are always less Serco on at any given time. Why would anyone choose, for their first character to be in the minority?
Could it be that the Itani are just first on the list so thats why that nation was chosen? If the devs could just change the order thier might be more Serco.
I started a poll here:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/1/16665
JB
Could it be that the Itani are just first on the list so thats why that nation was chosen? If the devs could just change the order thier might be more Serco.
I started a poll here:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/1/16665
JB
Luckily, the Itani are not the 'good guys' in this conflict. In fact, no-one is. It's just not easy for everyone to perceive that, I think.
Actually, NYC-Phog, the biggest team is the UIT, as shown by the graphs. Sometimes the Itani, and even the Serco, become the majority for a while, but it never lasts long.
Holy crap. I'm surprised the forums aren't spammed. It's like the beta, all over.
I think I'm going to log online for the first time in a year...
I think I'm going to log online for the first time in a year...
Part of it is the language.
Itani nation vs. Serco DOMINION.
Sounds kind of "bad guyish" even though it's not.
I don't know what else to give them to boost their allure though. They already have the best ship in the game. We just need to make them seem less like the aggressors. Make the Itani seem less like the victims. I think people join the Itani because they like the idea of being an underdog. Only problem is that with the numbers the way they are, it's the Serco that are the underdogs. They just don't seem like it until you step in game.
Are the devs looking into this at all? Because I don't think this is something that's going to go away when we get more people. This could be something quick and dirty too.
Itani nation vs. Serco DOMINION.
Sounds kind of "bad guyish" even though it's not.
I don't know what else to give them to boost their allure though. They already have the best ship in the game. We just need to make them seem less like the aggressors. Make the Itani seem less like the victims. I think people join the Itani because they like the idea of being an underdog. Only problem is that with the numbers the way they are, it's the Serco that are the underdogs. They just don't seem like it until you step in game.
Are the devs looking into this at all? Because I don't think this is something that's going to go away when we get more people. This could be something quick and dirty too.
like how the Rebels in starwars were actually the good guys
"like how the Rebels in starwars were actually the good guys"
I'm sure that if given a choice, people would all choose the Rebels over the Imperials, just because they already know this much. However in this case, it really makes a difference, because players are making this choice before learning anything about who's who in Vendetta.
I'm sure that if given a choice, people would all choose the Rebels over the Imperials, just because they already know this much. However in this case, it really makes a difference, because players are making this choice before learning anything about who's who in Vendetta.
I think it has to do with the nature/background of each race. Think about how many villains in SciFi culture have been half-human, half-machine: the Borg, Darth Vader (speaking of Star Wars), the Terminator, heck even the machines in the Matrix. Anything that seeks to modify the human organism for the sake of power is almost always the villain in pop culture. The Serco fit the cyborg archetype. They're a gladiator race.
The Itani, however, are a race of pseudo-spiritual, Far east Tao masters. I forget how a new player is introduced to the backstory, if at all—but if they don't read the online backstory, and there is something that gives the Itani away as a race of psychic martial arts masters (think about what makes the Matrix, and Neo, so fricking awesome: he can manipulate the world around him, but his only goal is peace and harmony, albeit with a little ass-kickery), then they fit the peace loving, but if you attack-them-they-could-still-kick-you-with-their-psychic-Kung-Fu hero archetype. Oberon from the backstory is Mr. Miagi. Everyone wants to have the power, yet always be attacked first—this gives them a reason to pull out their awesome powers and put every attacker to shame. It makes retaliation justifiable, even for a pacifist (look who's talking!).
Sercos always shoot before the Itani. This makes them the villains. Itani are the peaceful, super-powerful but pacifistic alien race, Sercos are the dominating, super-powerful violent cyborg race. It's more in vogue to by a psychic Kung-Fu master than an over-testosteroned (sorry to the Serco Fems), xenophobic cyborg.
(Though the interesting thing about the Itani is that they've got the Order of Akhan side, which balances out their "hero" character—they're the shining hero with a dark past.)
Note: I'm not saying this is what the Sercos/Itani ARE—I'm just saying this might be the impression people get according to the character of each race, and why one may seem more appealing over the other. Of course it changes from person to person, but I'm speaking in terms of pop culture generalizations. If you read the backstory, these archetypes are obvious, even stereotypical, though the devs did a really great job weaving the whole thing together. The story was what originally convinced me to play. Yet it also convinced me to play the Itani, not the Serco (I do think that the backstory is biased, yet I also think that's part of what makes it interesting—maybe if the Order of Akhan had a greater presence in the game, people would be less sure about the Itani).
Also: first post in… two years? Yes, I lurk here occasionally. Don't know if I'll play again… kind of watching to see how the game develops. Awesome stuff over the last year devs!
The Itani, however, are a race of pseudo-spiritual, Far east Tao masters. I forget how a new player is introduced to the backstory, if at all—but if they don't read the online backstory, and there is something that gives the Itani away as a race of psychic martial arts masters (think about what makes the Matrix, and Neo, so fricking awesome: he can manipulate the world around him, but his only goal is peace and harmony, albeit with a little ass-kickery), then they fit the peace loving, but if you attack-them-they-could-still-kick-you-with-their-psychic-Kung-Fu hero archetype. Oberon from the backstory is Mr. Miagi. Everyone wants to have the power, yet always be attacked first—this gives them a reason to pull out their awesome powers and put every attacker to shame. It makes retaliation justifiable, even for a pacifist (look who's talking!).
Sercos always shoot before the Itani. This makes them the villains. Itani are the peaceful, super-powerful but pacifistic alien race, Sercos are the dominating, super-powerful violent cyborg race. It's more in vogue to by a psychic Kung-Fu master than an over-testosteroned (sorry to the Serco Fems), xenophobic cyborg.
(Though the interesting thing about the Itani is that they've got the Order of Akhan side, which balances out their "hero" character—they're the shining hero with a dark past.)
Note: I'm not saying this is what the Sercos/Itani ARE—I'm just saying this might be the impression people get according to the character of each race, and why one may seem more appealing over the other. Of course it changes from person to person, but I'm speaking in terms of pop culture generalizations. If you read the backstory, these archetypes are obvious, even stereotypical, though the devs did a really great job weaving the whole thing together. The story was what originally convinced me to play. Yet it also convinced me to play the Itani, not the Serco (I do think that the backstory is biased, yet I also think that's part of what makes it interesting—maybe if the Order of Akhan had a greater presence in the game, people would be less sure about the Itani).
Also: first post in… two years? Yes, I lurk here occasionally. Don't know if I'll play again… kind of watching to see how the game develops. Awesome stuff over the last year devs!