It should be VERY easy for players to get started quickly on the server, if they do I believe that there would be a better chance at them staying long term. 1. I think once a player has passed the guest quiz there should be a second, non-optional introduction. This explains the economy and rupies, how to make them, and how to access oreshop and also promote player shops that are to a certain A+ standard. So first quiz turns your name yellow and second rewards whats listed below. 2. Start players with 3000 rupies (or an appropriate increased amount). After the intro tells them how to look at their savings /money and how to look at others /money <name> they will see since they passed the test they have a higher starting amount of rupies. This way the player can die many times over trying to setup and acclimate to the server. I believe if they finally set up or find a partner and can afford iron armor/tools to help accomplish this then they will be more likely to stay. With voting thats about 4000 rupies on starting day and that will get you a long way. ________________________________ Also, I think this is just the start of this thread. Anyone who has suggestions for how we could increase our population would be great for everyone. I'm building a town so I really would like some PVP competition.
There is a plugin on Bukkit called Quests. No idea if it is any good but maybe it or something similar could be utilised to give new players set tasks/ learning missions to complete for rewards while they get familiar with the server. Maybe even restrict them to the spawn map where they can't do any damage until they have passed the minimum challenges. Or maybe that's counter to getting new players to stay? Does that make it more fun or more painful to get involved? Considering some can't even be bothered getting through the quiz. Maybe that's where a mini-game hub comes in. Attract the casual players and maybe get some staying on and moving on to the rest of the server.
The problem with the second quiz, is that it could be abused rather easily unless there's a system in place so you can't do it more than once.
I like the increased amount of rupies It is kinda hard to start off with only 1000, and also new players wouldn't exactly know that you can vote straight away
tree, believe it or not, the creation of "boom towns" if you will helps the server a ton. i have seen it happen multiple times my self. and why i said boom town the towns bring everybody in. a perfect example of this happening is Sisu.When sisu was created it accepted everyone. all the new guys felt welcome and wanted to build there etc. while they were building they met people in the town; they became friends and boom. they stayed on the server... this may not be the best explanation as i cant focus atm idk why. but our player base went from like 15 max to like 40 in one week, and when sisu died so did the player activity