[MUD-Dev] attracting players

[Par Winzell]

Mud Imp writes:
 > I seem to be the worlds worst at being able to attract players. I've done
 > everything that looks obvious. put ads on the message bases, listed the
 > mud on the lists...asked what players I have to recruit...And I still have
 > few players..yet I know there are muds out there that seem to have so many
 > players they almost have to turn them away... What am I missing here that
 > others have found? Anyone? 

In my experience, captivating your user with energy and excitement is one
of the key elements. You have to present a fascinating world, populated with
fascinating people and places. Precisely what fascinating means varies much
with the player, of course -- don't take the word to mean you have to sell
them anything. But like a good movie trailer, you need to instill some kind
of desire to see more, and with a text Mud, that means what you need is a
strong writing style and something worth writing about.

Critical mass is key. Not until you have a society to join will people join
who are looking for a society. Many successful Muds I've seen start as some
friends playing around a bit, having fun in some somehow inclusive fashion
so that new players feel welcome to join in. Many things can go wrong in
those early stages. An admin that hovers over the sole player like a hawk
is pure poison.

Finally, I advise that if you anywhere in your game write...like...this...
that you waste no time rewriting them without the excessive periods. They
signal precisely the oppositeof the mood you want to convey -- sluggishness
as opposed to energy.

Good luck!

Pär



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