How to get more players ...

[timtadams]

and the 10 people that still use IRC will log on to chat to hug and cry.

Could I hug you and cry when this happens? Cheers.

Sure. If you need a shoulder to cry on I guess I could log onto IRC, just for you

 

['Tiger']

My love for you has increased by 1030034124210353259432532456%!

 

[Dax]

I think this is literally the only thoughtful, constructive, and feasible idea ever suggested in this thread aside from leaving the game to rot. I'd upvote.

 

[tobapopalos]

Good idea. So good that I can't believe nobody thought of it before

Thumbs up from moi.

 

[Garrett2]

Because the gaming sub is all about the next multiplayer game and circle jerking about EA hate. Which EA does deserve the hate.

The reason I haven't suggested even though I thought about it, is that it wouldn't bring azzer back.

I'm not saying it's not a good idea, I'm saying that it will be a small flux of players for a round or two then it will be over again because the game gets 0 support from it's creator / admin.

If azzer was here, I'd have already done this. But I do appreciate this being the most down to earth and realistic suggestion to date.

 

[tobapopalos]

But given that Azzer isn't around, a bit of free advertising in whatever form can't hurt. Even if it won't save the game permanently, it could make it more fun in the meantime.

It's not like it takes much effort to post on reddit. And it doesn't matter what your personal opinion of redditors is, or whether it's all about the next gen games and ea hate. The fact is that any new player is an improvement no matter their intelligence, personality, personal hygiene or political preference. After all, they can't be more retarded than the people already here.

 

[Garrett2]

After all, they can't be more retarded than the people already here.

agreed. but it was more of an inside joke at the /gaming sub to which i subscribe. i love reddit. been on it for a few years now. it's awesome.

someone else can make the post though, because i refuse to bring someone else to this game while there is no support for it.

 

[Garrett2]

Garrett, you're right about /r/gaming, but we could also post to /r/games which is taken a lot more seriously. We could also mention that the creator of Bush was one of the modders who modded the new Sim City so that it could be played offline. I'm sure that will grab the attention of /r/gaming seeming as it screwed over EA.

I wasn't actually aware that Azzer wasn't around anymore. What happened exactly?

I don't know what happened. That was during the 2+ years I took off. Also, nothing is stopping you from posting. You certainly don't need anyone's permission. I'm simply not going to post about it. Feel free. Take all the accolades and karma from doing something.

 

[Dax]

No, I totally back it. The sim city point is a fantastic one also, I'll add. Maybe it will reinvigorate Azzer to assign a new caretaker mod if the playerbase see's another resurgence worthy of electing somebody.

Ogluk for admin!

 

[Obstacle]

Im a bit late to this thread but oh well...

I think the problem with the lack of players isn't because text based games are a thing of the past. I also don't think its a problem of players having to be contactable, as I've never been that much of a hardcore player but I've always still enjoyed playing. I think its because this game literally gets no advertisement or exposure. Ive just come back to Bush after a long break and noticed a decline in players, but it doesn't surprise me because I've never seen this game advertised anywhere.

Has anyone thought about doing a post about Bush to Reddit? It might be worth posting about the game to the gaming subreddit which has thousands of viewers. Ive thought about doing it myself but i don't think i'll do the game justice in terms of explaining how it works etc. And for those who know how Reddit works, we could up vote the post to increase the visibility and hope it will reach the front page where everyone will see it.

Any thoughts?

Very good idea. Tho I agree it isn't because it's a text based games. Text based games are still a huge market, there are some MUD's out there that have a larger user base than some of the lower end MMORPG's. Some browser based games have a huge following as well. But yes without advertising, things generally die.

 

[Dimitar]

I have an idea how to get more players. It may seem a little extreme and somewhat unrealistic, but if people stopped being arrogant little ****tards, that'd probably be a good start.

Honestly, how are we expecting to expand the playerbase when we're offering the most hostile of enviroments? I know this may seem as a gripe, as an offtopic post, as the personal view of a "hurt" player.

But really, I've not played seriously in around 2 years I think. This round my average online time is 1.31 hours/day. I've not sent out a single attack. I've not teched past stunbots and hacks, and I joined an alliance which had 6 members at the time.

The point of the above is to show how little I care about what happens to my ID, but I still managed to get utterly frustrated at the douchy tactics being used in the game. I won't mention any names, as I think anyone on the forums probably knows who did what, or has the ability to find out within 5 minutes.

So yeah, this really was just a gripe in the end, I suppose. I already regret writing this. But my point is, if everyone wants a bigger playerbase EVERYONE should chip in. It's even in that god awful (lolpun) book called the Bible: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

Apologies for the spam of sorts, I felt this was the only place to put this, without making a new thread. My signature makes up for everything though.

 

[Yeadon]

I think we need to get the game advertised on certain websites.

Could we all start by sharing the game? Google+, Twitter...etc..?

I guess every little helps.

 

[Obstacle]

I have an idea how to get more players. It may seem a little extreme and somewhat unrealistic, but if people stopped being arrogant little ****tards, that'd probably be a good start.

Honestly, how are we expecting to expand the playerbase when we're offering the most hostile of enviroments? I know this may seem as a gripe, as an offtopic post, as the personal view of a "hurt" player.

But really, I've not played seriously in around 2 years I think. This round my average online time is 1.31 hours/day. I've not sent out a single attack. I've not teched past stunbots and hacks, and I joined an alliance which had 6 members at the time.

The point of the above is to show how little I care about what happens to my ID, but I still managed to get utterly frustrated at the douchy tactics being used in the game. I won't mention any names, as I think anyone on the forums probably knows who did what, or has the ability to find out within 5 minutes.

So yeah, this really was just a gripe in the end, I suppose. I already regret writing this. But my point is, if everyone wants a bigger playerbase EVERYONE should chip in. It's even in that god awful (lolpun) book called the Bible: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

Apologies for the spam of sorts, I felt this was the only place to put this, without making a new thread. My signature makes up for everything though.

I was one of the ones that picked on you to bribe those delicious stunbots. You never showed hostility, but your alliance mates.. That is a different story. One of them was particularly -l33t kid- and I could see how that could turn off a newer player.

 

[mynamespat]

(did not read)

put damper on multi-accounting
activate azzer (I know I read about health problems and am sorry...)
Be nicer to new players - quit making top 2/3 clans all of the active user base...

at a certain point, some of you need to quit worrying about winning ... start worrying about making game more fun for the inexperienced/ people with lives. Not everybody can be on stand-by to send defense 24/7... Personally, I have always refused to be contactable.

 

['Tiger']

Or everyone just quit the game and live their lives.

 

[Slavi]

they will all go away and come back until somebody burn the server ... amin

 

[timtadams]

I was one of the ones that picked on you to bribe those delicious stunbots. You never showed hostility, but your alliance mates.. That is a different story. One of them was particularly -l33t kid- and I could see how that could turn off a newer player.

Thats because the game breeds hostiliy. The fact that a battle often means a week worth of hard work and time can be obliterated means that incoming is automatically interpreted as a highly hostile act. Add to the mix defenders already worn down by defending previous incoming, and you can understand the patience of people wearing thin. It takes character to play this game in a fun and friendly way. While I dont think vulgar mail is in any way justified, remember that you as the attacker are the one initiating this hostility, and maybe you should not take such mail so seriously.

The game also promotes hostility for the sake of it. The attacker knows a person has put effort into sustaining their army, and so wiping it out has significant impact, like it has a real effect. It is basically a big stroke of the ego.

That said, you would be delusional for thinking that bushtarion is somehow extra-ordinary in this regard, that most games don't harbour similar levels of hostility. Go play CoD and have people rage at you for camping, hacking, and being 12 years and better than them.

In other words, the community isnt the problem. The self inherent hostility isnt the problem. It was and still is the lack of exposure. Though I think the game has reached a point of no return. And the current levels of cheating dont help.

 

[Dark_Angel]

I was one of the ones that picked on you to bribe those delicious stunbots. You never showed hostility, but your alliance mates.. That is a different story. One of them was particularly -l33t kid- and I could see how that could turn off a newer player.

Thats because the game breeds hostiliy. The fact that a battle often means a week worth of hard work and time can be obliterated means that incoming is automatically interpreted as a highly hostile act. Add to the mix defenders already worn down by defending previous incoming, and you can understand the patience of people wearing thin. It takes character to play this game in a fun and friendly way. While I dont think vulgar mail is in any way justified, remember that you as the attacker are the one initiating this hostility, and maybe you should not take such mail so seriously.

The game also promotes hostility for the sake of it. The attacker knows a person has put effort into sustaining their army, and so wiping it out has significant impact, like it has a real effect. It is basically a big stroke of the ego.

That said, you would be delusional for thinking that bushtarion is somehow extra-ordinary in this regard, that most games don't harbour similar levels of hostility. Go play CoD and have people rage at you for camping, hacking, and being 12 years and better than them.

In other words, the community isnt the problem. The self inherent hostility isnt the problem. It was and still is the lack of exposure. Though I think the game has reached a point of no return. And the current levels of cheating dont help.

You realize you're replying to a post from nearly a year ago? That guy might even be dead.

You need to work on your time management.

 

[timtadams]

Yes I know. Someone bumped the thread and I was bored at the time.

 

[timtadams]

OK, I admit it, I have been drafting that response for a year :/