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Jun-28-2008 08:39

There have been some recent events on this game that warrant some concern. It’s no secret that there has been a lack of interest. Much of this may be attributed to the release of Shades of Mystery. If that is what people want to play, far be it from me to tell them not to play it.

That being said. I am still a paying customer of Sleuth Noir. As a paying customer there are some things that I expect. Ben has done a decent job at keeping the server up and running. We had a slight issue earlier in the week with not being able to travel and Ben did a great job of addressing the issue and getting it corrected. He always has done a great job of taking care of things. He has not however kept the game fresh and interesting. We recently had the expansion of the USS Sleuthetania. There was a buzz before the initial launch of it and we couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us.

Well what did we get? The opportunity to pay $20,000 to get on board of a ship and do nothing more than play cases. Sure there are some new characters and new items along with 2 new “coming soon” links. That’s it! I can’t help but to feel disappointed in the way this has played out. Two weeks later, the links are still coming soon and the interest of the boat has already gone away. I know I have no plans or reason to get on the boat and be cut off from my agency completely. I don’t know this for a fact, but I think a lot of people are disappointed with the boat as well and some may even be irritated and feel cheated by the whole development.

Maybe I’m being a bit harsh and we are missing some secret that still needs to be unlocked on the boat, but if people aren’t playing, the secret will not be unlocked. I know that Ben is just one person and can only do so much. He has a lot on his plate right now with running both SOM and Noir. I’m sorry, but SOM means absolutely nothing to me as I don’t play over there.

Jul-14-2008 17:40

In general. I'm just using the above as an example...

I don't doubt the validity or inventiveness of the program created. I don't wish to nay say the idea or stunt creativity. I'm not saying don't do it, or people not to participate.

What I am 'asking' is: 'is this part of the answer to the problems that we've become so keen to discuss'?

When you sit and ask yourself 'does a program that saves me 20 or so clicks really:

enhance my gaming experience, or indeed
speak to the nature of the game itself?

I wonder what sort of answer you come up with?

When you sit and ask yourself 'does a program that tries to find a short cut to an answer which has stood the test of time, bloody mindedness and luck, really:

enhance my gaming experience, or indeed
speak to the nature of the game itself?

I wonder what sort of answer you come up with?

Pehaps if and when the game goes open source, these are the kinds of questions a community / ideas committee might need to ask itself.

The difference between those changes which 'enchance' for overall community gaming pleasure, and those changes which 'enhance' for personal player gain.

Like I said I don't wish to detract from the ingenuity of the programming involved OR the willingness of people to participate, I just thought it was a good example of what might come up in the future in terms of 'change' and 'change'.

Jul-14-2008 20:14

I can only speak for myself.

For me it have been the no. 1 reason why I have been able to stick with this game this long, that I have been able to do a program that have saved me from repeating clicks as of routine.

I used it mainly on cases in the beginning, and noticed what I did each time I was solving a case that needed no real brain activity. That part I automated. The other part I left for having fun. I am sorry to say that to me the game is not about being patiently enough to repeat clicks, but what braining activity it's able to create for me.

I have to say that I do admire the patience of all of you who have the will and patience and time to solve as much cases as it needs to get above 5 mill xp, without any automated tool to aid you.

Having a tool to aid you don't really change the gaming experience, it's just giving you the ability to save some clicks, if it's so that you find repeating those clicks might become so routine that they wear you out, or stops you from doing something. It's not solving any of the problems this thread is about. If I had believed so, I would have offered this program at a much earlier time.

Jul-15-2008 05:02

Oh I meant to say I'm intrigued what Ctown has up his sleeve certainly sounds interesting :)

Maybe we could get another AVH going to raise morale. I know for a lot of people it's new content they want but in the meantime that doesn't stop us from doing little things to bring back the old spirit. We could arrange big prizes for the winner and runners up etc.

Jul-15-2008 07:09

Well Ms. Helen, we do have another AVH coming up here, but thats not what I have in mind, something comepletely different that's never been done here. Still working out some of the kinks but an announcment will be coming very soon. Just have a few more things that I need to look at before I announce it. Hopefully I'll know more by the end of this week! I bet I have most of you wondering by now. Some of you already know! ;-)

Jul-15-2008 07:19

It looks to me that sleuths who burn out and leave tend to do so because of the pressure of constant competition. Either they begin to fall behind and lose heart or (like VS) they become so untouchably awesome that being the bestest loses the adrenaline rush it once held.

It makes me wonder if new competitions is really a long term solution. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a short term fix, but when AVH's eventually get old we'll all be having this conversation again.

Jul-15-2008 07:39

I think people who are here, are here because they like to solve mysteries. Not because they get a kick out of games that just requires you put inn much stress and time, and even demand that you have certain strong motoric skills. So I think the high scores and the treasure hunts, and even the AVH's are kind of at the side of the target. They are all that kind of things where just putting in more time and repetitions of actions will make it favorable for you.
I dream of some kind of either competitions or other things, that will tickle my brain, and make things favorable if I am able to do something smarter.
I somehow think that there are more brain capacity than really time and patience among the community.
Well, Jesse, this was perhaps just another way to say that I do agree with you ;-)

Jul-15-2008 16:49

Don't get me wrong Jesse I'm not saying it's a long term solution. I merely mean to say, whilst new things are worked on etc we may as well work with what have ....so to speak :)

Jul-15-2008 17:18

If a player gets burned out by treasure hunting, they can always do the Arch Villan hunting. I don't know why I got burned out on Sleuth, but I have a feeling that happens with most games. Maybe Sleuth isn't getting that many new people now that there is new Sleuth, so we see a bigger emptyness in this version.

Jul-15-2008 17:35

I agree with you Ms. Helen, while new things are being worked on, other things will be great to keep those of here busy, interested and most important, keep us having fun.

I'm looking forward to the next tourney starting and to ctown's idea. :)

Jul-15-2008 21:14

What if........for a moment we stop thinking about ourselves.

What if....admin. made New York more interesting for unsubbed newbies.

What if....there were some type of contest where if they(unsubbed newbies) gained certain items or skills or points they would win a subscription.

What if.... after they won that subscription they had a choice of agencys to join.

I enjoy helping newbies and I'm sure most of you do also so instead of trying to apease ourselves why don't we try to increase our community. Perhaps the enthusiam we currently lack can be found in the sleuths we have yet to recruit.