Round length - too long?

[Maxi]

I have the feeling that rounds are too long. People seem to 'burn-out' quickly, and after talking with other players, it seems especially hard to keep playing the last two weeks - people are looking forward to the next round. Two and a half months is Imo too long, and personally I think reducing it to two months could be beneficial. I'm not sure if there's a particular reason for the 2,5 months that we're using at the moment, so I'd like other opinions and discuss about it.

I don't think it would affect Azzer's income much, or at least not negatively. The income from the last few weeks of gamecash would drop (37 or so BC's just for this weeks' GC :/), but it'll be balanced out by the extra p-units that will be bought if the round is made a little shorter. The thing is, are people willing to pay an extra p-unit a year (from 4,4 rounds a year to 5,2)? I'm not entirely sure as to what it would do for the more 'casual' players and players lower in the ranks. New rounds would give more chance to new players as well; more rotation of the playerbase in alliances, more chance to get recruited, a new chance for everyone to start from scratch and fight for the top. As most players would agree, it's the first couple days that give you the little 'thrill' of the round, as well as the flakwars, first 'ranged LET' wars, and fights for the value ranks. Two months would still be more than enough time to for the rank 1 to strengthen it's position or for other alliances to organise a resistance or fight for rank 2-5. (Seems to be a certain 'rhytm' in rounds - alliances fight, those who 'die' early grow back up again and fight once again with the other survivors)

What's your opinion? Shoot. :!:

[tomtree]

i agree with shortening the round to two months, seeing as i tend to hit the half way mark into a round and my activity drops dramaticly. The first 2 weeks are always the most fun, :D

[CLem]

I don't really care how long a round is, the real issue that I have with the game now is that even after you put in a huge amount of activity at round start and have an awesome team you still won't win because wars are dragged out and it is a "norm" to have gang rape on whoever is at the top. The game took up a lot of time before injury and other stuff were introduced, and it seems like it requires even more commitment these days no matter if you are going ftw or not, that is my "burn out" reason.

[Nitrous]

I think it should be shorted to 2 months. There are a few reasons I could give but I cannot be arsed, and it'll mean I have to write more. :lol:

[f0xx]

Rounds should be longer I think. Give people a bit more time to rest and recharge the batteries for next round. Also 2 months seems a bit too short time of a glory...

[dafe]

id say too long, 2 months is a nice time...looking at current stat of round where most is allready decided so its basicly just sitting out time, and it has been like this in the past, last few weeks are allways a drag and a bit boring

[Cyrus]

i voted for back to 2 months, but if injury and all that shizz went, id say make the round longer...witohut a doubt.

[Nitrous]

i voted for back to 2 months, but if injury and all that shizz went, id say make the round longer...witohut a doubt.

I agree, if we went back to L/F bounty system (I know we won't but IF), I would want it to be a lot longer.

[Illumination]

I said shorter, but it is very biased due to my favorite part of the round being the start. I love developing, flak wars, the first glimpse at alliance ID lists and the new friendships that form:) By the end of two months, I think a winner can be declared (no matter the rules of the round:P) and Im ready to start again (or at least thats how it used to work!).

[BlackWolf]

This is hard question...
In one way yes rounds are too long.
In other hand i wouldnt pay P-unit for much shorter rounds.
In the end, how much people would apresiate rounds if those would be much shorter? Would rounds count for anything anymore?

I rather suggest something extreme.
Shorter rounds... 1.5-2 months. 1 P units & BCs would be doubled to 2nd rounds (i mean if you buy on first you get free on 2nd)... and to top of that 2 weeks between rounds!!
During those 2 weeks would be unoffical train or so world for free and people could buy worlds and arrange some real good battles if they like.

I see it could achieve 2 things.
1. Rounds would be shorter and more intensive.
2. Longer brak would give people more time to recover from rounds and give more for next round.
And on top all of this would happen without risking that rounds become too short and doesnt mean anything anymore.

[wrath]

i'd prefer longer rounds

sure i get bored about half way through but then after a week of boredom i try and get closer to the top

learning how to do new tactics and stuff the i run out of time right at the end and then its havoc

[Bunion]

Longer rounds means I can try more routes and only pay for one p-unit per round.

Then again, I'm new so not tried many routes yet :D

[CFalcon]

I can see positives and negatives for both lengthening and shortening, and can't really make up my mind what would be best. So I voted for shortening, because that's what I personally would prefer. Nothing beats the round start. But whether that's what's best for the game I don't know.

[TheNamelessWonder]

From a player's perspective, I think 2 months is about the ideal length. 2 1/2 is just a bit too long.

From Azzer's perspective, I wouldn't want to shrink it.

[Darryl]

From a player's perspective, I think 2 months is about the ideal length. 2 1/2 is just a bit too long.


the thing is, it has been cut back time and time again, it was 3 months previously, and before that, even longer, and every time, things went a bit stagnant until the end and people asked for it to be shorterned, and people always will.

I think it's psychological, as soon as we get towards the end and wars slow down a bit, instead of going and picking a new fight like people would earlier in the round, people think "Meh, it's nearly over anyway, why is the round so long?!?", I think this will always occur, unless Azzer just ends the round whenever it gets boring, but that would obviously lead to far too many problems with people moaning about how they've been robbed of p-unit time.

Keep it as it is, the playerbase can keep the rounds alive if it chooses to.

[Maxi]

I can see positives and negatives for both lengthening and shortening, and can't really make up my mind what would be best. So I voted for shortening, because that's what I personally would prefer. Nothing beats the round start. But whether that's what's best for the game I don't know.

Exactly how I feel. I'm quite surprised, didn't think it would be *this* significant. 7 keep as is, 29 shortened. Must mean something after all... But is it really the fact rounds are too long, or is the 'burn-out' due (mostly) to other things. So much involved, it's kinda hard to draw a conclusion. :?

[Melnibone]

Sorry guys to go off-topic but something just struck me as genius

During those 2 weeks would be unoffical train or so world for free

This would be an ideal time for those changes that occur so that people can play with the new changes, Azzer can get real ingame feedback, 2 weeks would be long enough to catch most bugs and everyone starts on a level playing field with their plans????

[BlackWolf]

Well i would be for longer perioid between rounds anyways... I think one week is too short. This is very very draining game. It would give people some time off. I know this is income question too for Azzer, but i think it might pay off anyways.

[Maxi]

If you'd add two weeks or more between rounds, relative new players won't be back after those, likely. I doubt they'd note the new start date of a random online game who just 'finished' in their agenda. Unless ofcourse, they're hooked. But that means first getting way more new blood into the game. ;)

[moorer]

Well i would be for longer perioid between rounds anyways... I think one week is too short. This is very very draining game. It would give people some time off. I know this is income question too for Azzer, but i think it might pay off anyways.

Wholeheartedly agree with this one, Bush is a very time consuming game, a longer break would give people time to rekindle their energies for the next round.

[vlad]

Money is involved, and some people can spend quite alot of money in a round. Yes, i've seen alot of people buy weekly game cash every week. Now, when you have money like that involved, and the average time to develop (not the top 100-150 people), the round lengths arent that bad, as some people can spend a good while developing, then hardly any of it actualy playing.

[Darryl]

If you'd add two weeks or more between rounds, relative new players won't be back after those, likely. I doubt they'd note the new start date of a random online game who just 'finished' in their agenda. Unless ofcourse, they're hooked. But that means first getting way more new blood into the game. ;)

I thought that, but the "training round" in between which BW mentioned should make that redundant

[No-Dachi]

This is hard question...
In one way yes rounds are too long.
In other hand i wouldnt pay P-unit for much shorter rounds.
In the end, how much people would apresiate rounds if those would be much shorter? Would rounds count for anything anymore?

I rather suggest something extreme.
Shorter rounds... 1.5-2 months. 1 P units & BCs would be doubled to 2nd rounds (i mean if you buy on first you get free on 2nd)... and to top of that 2 weeks between rounds!!
During those 2 weeks would be unoffical train or so world for free and people could buy worlds and arrange some real good battles if they like.

I see it could achieve 2 things.
1. Rounds would be shorter and more intensive.
2. Longer brak would give people more time to recover from rounds and give more for next round.
And on top all of this would happen without risking that rounds become too short and doesnt mean anything anymore.

Another thing this might accomplish is keeping people around; who would waste a round with free P-units?

[DarkSider]

I think with shorter rounds ppl will take it even easyer after initial rush since it puts even more importance on round start and also everybody gets more used with "Meh, next round". Players should be somehow determined to "live the moment" and do something about the current round, stop abandoning so quick, and think of next round already.

[Crumpet]

I don't think it has **** to do with round length. It wouldn't matter if you could actually kill people >.< Injury has made everything so damn slow.

[TehPantz]

I like it as it is atm. The first two weeks are the funnest, the middle is kinda boring, but then it gets fun again. I like the cycle going for it right now. And its nice to have the rounds almost line up perfectly with my school terms :D

[Yeadon]

Definatly reduce to 2 months. Currently too long.

[Nevaes]

It seems as though a large number of players have really shown interest in the shortened round length. I say Azzer does it for the next round, and he opens a thread for it. People can voice their opinions on the shortened round as we are playing it. Not like it would be hard to randomly decide,"Hey, the two month round is going back to two and a half." at mid-round. But, I am all for the shortened round, as many people have said... it's the beginning of the round that people want to play. After the first few weeks, my activity drops. All the interesting stuff kind of disappears if you are in the lower end of the player base, or in a lower alliance. Only the higher alliances get to enjoy the round longer. <33;

I say two month round.

Nevaes

[Max]

I'd love a slightly shorter round, as again my favourite part is the round start. After that my activity drops, like many others. Definitely keep tabs on opinions as the round goes on, to see if people would like it extended of course :)

[Enrico]

I voted for a shortening. The rounds tend to grow a bit stale in the end. And shorter rounds would mean more diversity in metagaming.

As for P-units. Either the cost could be dropped to 4BCs if not.. people could do well in trying out new routes once in a while, and plenty of routes are playable without P-units, so their yearly cost would stay the same.

But I'd say maybe drop the cost down to 4 BCs for P-units, and make it 2 month-rounds.

[Gooner-fan-deano]

i agree