I try to give different perspective of views about “why mod is dying and what keeps it alive”.
People are saying mod is old and players change to new games. Yes this is true, those guys are right, mod is old. Then what is the “issue” between new and old games, I try to explain a bit.
When you are playing a new game, it offers something new to learn. New features are discovered which keep players interested and new goals in game are tried to achieve. Only the time shows how long game “survives” and players keep playing it. Whereas old games are for more casual playing. Players already know basic features in game therefore can enjoy just playing it and don't have to put energy on learning new things.
cRPG is a good game/mod, people still playing it after several years. For me, cRPG is the best melee combat “simulator” and I will keep playing it until better one shows up in game market. However, strategus has been dead for +6 months, so players have to choose between EU1 and EU2. Nothing wrong with those game modes but when available choices are either battle or siege, mod unfortunately repeat itself pretty fast. Veteran players have already learned basic combat mechanism and new features are rarely implemented, the interest of playing is lacking. Learning new things and features misses totally. As in new games, goals totally miss and there are nothing to achieve (I like many others have tons of +3 items, more gold than Uncle Scrooge and produce looms points faster than can spend).
When roll and nudges were implemented, there were new things to learn. Yes, things weren't perfect and for example some 1H nudges gave free hit but still, something fresh in mod which players had to adapt.
For me if I had to choose between:
1. well balanced combat simulator without new features
2. somewhat broken balanced combat simulator with new features
I would always choose 2. Some new features, such as stamina, new swing animation etc. surely keeps mod more alive and players interested.
Here are few words for the almighty Donkey Team:
If you are still developing Melee Battleground and want to test some features how they work in action. Put them in test in cRPG. Yes, things and balance will be broken but players have new things to learn and keep interest up (I don't know if this is technically possible to do so). After all, the balance is not everything, it doesn't really matter whether +3 German Great Sword stab damage is 29P or 31P or it doesn't matter whether 1 athletics point gives +3% or 6% more running speed. Those things are trivial and really don't change the game play. It is a human nature to be interested new things and being an explorer.
Thanks for reading if you manage this far.
- Osakasa
