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<H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: Matthew Mihaly <<A HREF="mailto:diablo#best,com">diablo#best,com</A>></LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Sun, 19 Sep 1999 12:14:54 -0700 (PDT)</LI>
<LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI>
<LI><em>Sender</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu">mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu</A></LI>
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<PRE>
On Sat, 18 Sep 1999, Petri Virkkula wrote:
> While I was calculating BatMUD's statistics for first half of
> 1999 I started thinking how to measure success of a mud. The
> thinking was triggered by the statistics report I wrote and
> that is also included below. My interpretation of our
> statistics was that our players play more that they used to
> be, but at the same time the player base smaller than it used
> to be.
>
> The questions that I thought about (and almost sent to the
> list) were something like:
>
> - is peak or average online players a good meter for a mud
> - which is better, growing peak player count or longer play times
> - is it enought that existing players like the mud, or should
> we seek (actively) for new players
I've thought about this quite a bit too, though it's a bit different for
pay-muds. In my case, non-paying players are only useful insofar as they
contribute to the community being larger. So, I suppose I could decide how
successful Achaea was in terms of revenue, but then I have to ask myself
if the competence (or lack thereof) of our marketing and general business
development strategy should be counted in the success of the actual mud. I
guess it should, if you are using any sort of player-base as a term of
success.
But do pure numbers or pure revenue equal success? For instance, take a
movie. What if a movie is incredibly well received (like, say, last year's
Hurly Burly with Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey and so on), but doesn't do that
well commercially? Is it a success? I'd certainly say so. So, perhaps
awards or top reviews from established gaming sites should count too. I
think though, that in the end, you can only measure the success of your
mud by your own terms. If your goal is to get a large player base, then
you are successful if you do that. If your goal is to get rich, and you do
that, then your mud is successful, etc.
--matt
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev maillist - MUD-Dev#kanga,nu
<A HREF="http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev">http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev</A>
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<LI><STRONG><A NAME="00392" HREF="msg00392.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></STRONG>
<UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> "Petri Virkkula" <pvirkkul#iki,fi></LI></UL></LI>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00342" HREF="msg00342.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Dundee <a href="mailto:SkeptAck#antisocial,com">SkeptAck#antisocial,com</a>, Thu 16 Sep 1999, 22:39 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00349" HREF="msg00349.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Fri 17 Sep 1999, 02:11 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00367" HREF="msg00367.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Matthew Mihaly <a href="mailto:diablo#best,com">diablo#best,com</a>, Fri 17 Sep 1999, 17:48 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00392" HREF="msg00392.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Petri Virkkula <a href="mailto:pvirkkul#iki,fi">pvirkkul#iki,fi</a>, Sat 18 Sep 1999, 01:18 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00407" HREF="msg00407.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Matthew Mihaly <a href="mailto:diablo#best,com">diablo#best,com</a>, Mon 20 Sep 1999, 01:20 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00336" HREF="msg00336.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Thu 16 Sep 1999, 23:16 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00354" HREF="msg00354.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Fri 17 Sep 1999, 14:48 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00362" HREF="msg00362.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Fri 17 Sep 1999, 17:49 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="00373" HREF="msg00373.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Attracting players</A></strong>,
Ilya, Game Commandos <a href="mailto:Ilya#gamecommandos,com">Ilya#gamecommandos,com</a>, Fri 17 Sep 1999, 17:48 GMT
</LI>
</ul>
</LI>
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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