I know, it's not possible but something I've come to realize over the last couple weeks playing more on BK and now today on Fly or Die (which has had about 15-20 people on any time I've been on) is that a lot of people are turned off from DSG by low numbers of players playing live at any time. I was just wondering if we could do anything like working it out with Fly or Die to run off our server, so we could have many more people coming? Because everyone I've talked to and asked if they play on here say that they came and then stopped coming because there was never very many people on... Idk. Just a thought I was wondering if anyone else shared.
Posts:
130
Registered:
Mar 12, 2005
From:
Ames, IA
Age:
21
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 5, 2007, 4:35 AM
I was originally turned off from here because it didn't seem like there were many people around, but it has been much better. I joined about 2 years ago and at that time there were hardly ever people in the game room. I was amazed once when I was in there and there were 7, that was the most I had seen. It has been very good lately. I check my turn-based games often (that really helped me get back on the site) and the game room is hardly ever empty. I am not aware that there's been a time in the last 2 months that the game room has been empty. At the very least it's been very rare. People joining the site may think that having 5 people in the game room is really low, but it's a lot better than it has been. Dweebo has been doing very well creating and maintaining an amazing site and should keep up the good work. The only way that more people are going to come is if we tell them about the site. It's our job to tell others to come here. And that's all I have to say about that.
Heh, I think he's doing a wonderful job, don't get me wrong. Peter has been incredible running this whole thing basically off of his free time, and deserve a standing O
But there are a lot more good players out there who for some reason or another don't play here, and if we could get pente concentrated into one place (i.e. here) then that would make me a happy panda.
Posts:
1,032
Registered:
Dec 16, 2001
From:
Powell, OH
Age:
37 Home page
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 5, 2007, 3:05 PM
yes DSG has never really "taken off", it has never really gotten enough players on at one time to attract more players to come back and stick around. i bet if we could get 10-15 players on all day long for a say a month, then that number would quickly grow much higher, because all the new players that came would stick around more.
turn-based games were added actually to help keep players on the site, and maybe play more live games plus turn-based is fun, but having it help live games was part of the plan.
as i often say, i wish i had more time to work on the site, in the old days i could work on it more often. -dweebo
Posts:
126
Registered:
Jun 13, 2003
From:
The Untied Kingdom
Age:
110
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 5, 2007, 4:52 PM
It's a good topic to raise spifster. I agree with you. It has been something that put me off a lot in the past. I have an idea, let's brainstorm and think of a way to make this situation better.
The first idea that comes into my mind, is why not have a dedicated message board for unofficial meets... If, for example, people know when other players are most likely to be around, it will encourage us to come here at teh most popular times. At kurnik, they suggest that people show up to less popular games on the hour. That way if people turn up at the same time, hey presto! At the moment here at DSG, it is pretty much hit and hope, or hit and miss, which is ok for me these days, but I can see how it stops people turning up.
I think the idea of regular speed tourneys that have just started is a great idea too. People will turn up for them when they know about them. Unfortunately I have been busy or out the last couple of weekends, but having regular speed tourneys is a good way of making the site more popular. Give it time that - it might take a while to establish, but it will bring more people here.
Of course the other thing that has already been said, is the word of mouth thing. Recently more Polish players have been coming here - that's great, and I think word of mouth played a big part in that. It would be nice to have more players of all abilities from everywhere in the world playing here. The main way I think this will happen is via word of mouth. Advertising costs money, but word of mouth can be just as effective (or pretty effective anyway) over time.
duh mark, everyone knows it was actually me hosting the tournament that brought all the poles over.
and with regard to the speed tournaments, i've been trying my best to get them going whenever there's a lot of people in the room, but it's really hard to get 7 people all willing to play at the same time.
and fly or die may have more players logged in at time, but we have by far more talented players.
We do have more talent... lol. But they do have some good ones, people that don't play here, and it would always be great to expand
I don't know if this is acceptable internet live game etiquette or possible with the code or whatever, but if we could do something like talking to whoever runs fly or die and offer to host their pente server and connect the two, although since they are more ad-based there would probably be some kind of problem with that. DSG's ads are very non-invasive, while fly or die has some pretty irritating, seizure-inducing ones lol.
I agree word of mouth helps, but I also agree with what peter said earlier: if we could get about fifteen people to play on here all the time for about a month, we would see the number of active users explode. I know that even when I try to spread DSG by telling other people, they are like, well I get on but whenever I try there is hardly anyone playing. So idk... if we could fix that, somehow we would be set, imo
Posts:
1,032
Registered:
Dec 16, 2001
From:
Powell, OH
Age:
37 Home page
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 6, 2007, 2:21 PM
I agree that speed tournaments are probably a good way to encourage larger numbers of players to show up at one time.
I am trying to get that crown from karl, so I'll be showing up for a possible tournament this Friday night at 10pm.
The other idea I've heard would be to have a weekly "newbie night", for all the beginner players. Maybe some of us "experts" could be on hand to teach a thing or two. If there is anyone who would be interested in organizing something like that please let me know.
Posts:
1,032
Registered:
Dec 16, 2001
From:
Powell, OH
Age:
37 Home page
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 27, 2007, 8:56 PM
The other idea I'm been thinking about recently for improving numbers of people on DSG (and making it more fun too) would be to implement a ladder system in addition to the normal ratings.
I'm not an expert on ladders but the idea is to have a ranking of players. Your goal of course is to get to the top of the ladder. You start off at the bottom, by challenging a player that is higher on the ladder and winning you move up 1/2 way from where you are to where they are. They move down one "rung" if they lose. We'd probably do it by sets, meaning you would have to win/lose as black and white for your rung to change.
All players are required to play players that are below them every so often, otherwise the system would move them down the ladder automatically.
Most ladder systems I've heard off are active all the time, and would get "reset" every few months.
I am trying to think of a way to have a nightly ladder, where between a certain time period each night a new ladder is created and active. Whoever is at the top of the ladder at the end of the night gets to have a new crown for the next day (the ladder crown).
I have to think it through some more to make sure it would work correctly, but I think something like that would really encourage people to show up and play more, and you wouldn't have to be here for the whole night to win, so it wouldn't be like organizing a speed tournament where everyone has to show up at the beginning.
Does that sound interesting to anyone? It would be a pretty good amount of new code but I am interested in doing it if people like the idea.
Dude I tried to get a ladder going, but the only other person who showed any interest is awakening. I'm totally behind it if you can stir up some interest like I failed to.
Posts:
1,032
Registered:
Dec 16, 2001
From:
Powell, OH
Age:
37 Home page
Re: Improving DSG?
Posted:
Feb 27, 2007, 10:39 PM
I had totally forgotten about that ladder you tried to start. But your ladder was lame see, mine will be much better
But seriously, I think it has a better chance of growing because I can write the code and just start it. As soon as I win the ladder crown the 1st night and go strutting around the site with it, people will start to catch on and try to take it from me. It's all about the crown you see, it has strange powers over pente players.
I can forsee a time when 10-15 players are all waiting around in the main room just itching for the ladder room to be created at 8pm so they can quickly join and get started.
but something I've come to realize over the last couple weeks playing more on BK and now today on Fly or Die (which has had about 15-20 people on any time I've been on) is that a lot of people are turned off from DSG by low numbers of players playing live at any time. I was just wondering if we could do anything like working it out with Fly or Die to run off our server, so we could have many more people coming? Because everyone I've talked to and asked if they play on here say that they came and then stopped coming because there was never very many people on... Idk. Just a thought I was wondering if anyone else shared.
