IDEAS FOR RYZOM

One of Ryzom's oldest problems has always been how easy the game was to miss when you looked for a new MMO to play. I myself only found it at the last in MMO.com way back in the day it didn't have much info on Ryzom but i was intriged to find out more about the game, it was however the 4th or 5th game down the list of those i'd found that i wanted to try and took me over 3 months to finally get round to giving it a go.

With the population issues that have been present since Nevarx bailed Ryzom could really do with an influx of players and i've an idea on how to get a lot of visibility for Ryzom.

Steam is run by VALUE a reputable Software company that in this case provides gamers with a platform to review, preview, purchase and play a huge varity of games from FPS, RTS to MMO's. The software supports various Operating Systems and offers a huge number of gamers a chance to see what is out their to play.

If GameForge took the time to investigate Steam and see the potential for some proper marketing and gaining high visibility for Ryzom they could bring in some much needed funds and even more importantly build the server populations up and bring more life into Ryzom.

Details regarding Steam taken directly from VALUE website [http://www.valvesoftware.com/company/index.html]
"Social Entertainment Platform

Steam is our direct pipeline to customers. It began as a little sleeper project—a handy tool to update Counter-Strike—and morphed pretty quickly into the world's largest online gaming platform. Steam guarantees instant access to more than 1,800 game titles and connects its 35 million active users to each other—and to us. Through Steam, fans can easily buy, play, share, modify, and build communities around Valve products as well as titles from other independent game studios. Steam is available in 237 countries and 21 different languages."

Just look at the numbers and what they do this is a no brainer.

Thanks for your time

Waylanda
The Soul

It's VALVE not VALUE.

Otherwise i think they should have Ryzom on Valve's Steam.

It does seem that since adding Ryzom to the Apple store, that people have given it a shot who might not otherwise had heard of it. Adding it to the Steam store would likely achieve similar results. Steam might even prove a better advertisement vehicle than the Apple store, because all of the Steam users are either gamers or those purchasing items for gamers.

You are so correct. As a long time gamer I kelt hoping for a great game. It was not until Ryzom hit the Apple Store did I find it.

One way to increase visibility is for everyone to write a review somewhere. I did on the Apple Store and have encouraged others to do so.

I have copies of the download that I give to my Apple friends so they do not even have the excuse of the large file size. But it the software were put on a good looking format and had reps hand out in Apple stores I bet there would be a big jump in Atys citizens.

everyone is allowed a Typo ;)

But the point remains having Ryzom on Steam would massively increase its visibility to the Gaming community

Maybe. But a few things:
1) NEVER mention the name GameForge here again. Very bad memories for a lot of people (and you see to think they still own the place, they haven't for years).
2) Would it attract the kind of people who'd make good additions to the community, or the kind of people who're so massively present in most other mmos, the kind of people who's only interest is in griefing and otherwise harassing others?

Also, from what I know of Valve/Steam it seems more focussed on different kinds of content, not the audience you'd expect to be potential (longterm) Ryzom players. Therefore it might backfire if a lot of them tried it, didn't like it, and started spamming the web with negative "reviews".

1. Yep it's Winch gate now that own's the game (if I'm not mistaken)
2. Steam has a large subscription base so if some of those decide to check it out and  even better if some decide to stay and sign up. Ppl on steam do have credit cards and stuff already since most games there are not free. And if that would mean more ppl playing ryzom who can be against it? Communities change and evolve.

The Key point lala is that their is no maybe it would drastically improve the visibility of Ryzom it was almost as if the original designers wanted to hide the game from the gaming community as it is very hard to find ryzom unless you already know of it which is a terrible marketing strategy if one was ever really thought of in the first place.

I've been a steam user for a very long time they don't focus on any type of game but offer pretty much every type of game. From indie to FPS to driving to MMO's so i really can't see your point regarding content. They give factual information on a game ie 1 player, mulitplayer etc with no opinons, links to the official websites and sell games. That is pretty much what they do with a few added trinkets but mostly its showcase games to players.

Your point about bringing in the wrong type of player i feel is rather harsh on the gaming community in general, the people who own steam are in the majority of cases adults with credit cards as purchase is done via card

This method of payment at least shows a certain age restriction (not saying parents don't buy games for their kids but it does at least make it more likely to have older players using Steam).

Getting negative reviews would at least be a step up from no revewis anywhere and you forget that we players of Ryzom could also review the game giving it our voice as well as the discontented.

Bringing more people into ryzom can only be a good thing as the server pop is low which reduces the activities available to those who are here. The visibility would attract both good and bad gamers but then that isn't any different from no visibility and the nasty gamer still finding the game. To not market limits the number of good folks out their looking for something to play. As they say you have to take the good with the bad but to not try is stagnat the game and player base.

Ryzom needs new blood it always did.

No matter what Ryzom is not the game for everyone but if we could increase the amount of players more then at least some of them will stay for the long term. Waylanda is right in needed new blood.

This is a great idea and I fully agree with the points raised by Way.

I've been using Steam for years now (after being forced into it by Valve's Orange Box) and it has become the main gaming hub for me. It has grown far beyond a simple digital shop into more of a social platform for gaming of all kinds. Nowadays I basically don't play a game without Steam UI overlay sitting over it.

I have heard good things about the results of adding Ryzom to the Apple store not that long ago. Apparently it was a successful and benefitial step forward for the game. Adding Ryzom to Steam is nothing more difficult or controversial than that. It's just the next logical step. It would bring Ryzom the much needed exposure, in context of a massive platform that is meant for mature gaming. And you could be sure that those of us already on Steam would use the social functions it offers to their max to help advertise our beloved game.

As for the target audience of Steam... you get basically everyone from your typical retards to smart and mature folks (and they're definitely not a minority there) who would adore Ryzom and would definitely add a lot to the community, should they ever discover the blasted game. The "retard" portion of the playerbase is somewhat mitigated by the fact that you need a credit card to be able to operate fully on Steam.

So sure, the risk is there, but it is well balanced by the positives this can bring. Would you rather sit on your hands doing nothing? I think we have tried that for the first four years of the game, and we all know how well that worked out, eh?

Ryzom has been invisible for way too long, it is time it becomes a little bolder.

As you increase the number of people in any grouping or community, you increase the chances of having more idiots and jerks, just because a certain portion of the population of the world as a whole are idiots and jerks; increasing the total number will increase the numbers of each sub-group, yes, including the group of idiots and jerks. But it's very shallow to look at only that small sub-group because there are so many more who are decent people who just want a way to relax and escape the realities of day-to-day life.

However, the way each of us behaves toward the jerks (and towards each other) as they arrive is what will determine the composition of the community in this game. Be firm in the core values we expect from everyone in the community -- without displays of elitism or condescending attitudes -- and the community will tend toward those core values.

I guess to summarize, a large factor in how the community develops and changes in this game is up to each of us, the members of the present community.

You get my +1 to any advertisement idea, such as this one.

As for getting "good" and "bad" people in game. Any increase of population is better than nothing. If some trolls and jerks come along with it, let the CSR's deal with them. Ignore list and ticket system are your friends.

Not getting into this discussion, just have my +1.

Take it, take it! Before someone ropes me into the discussion!

*sits on Marelli*

That's a +1 from me and I'm pretty sure she's mumbling something about a +1 too!