IDEAS FOR RYZOM

I searched and I get the impression there are a lot of complaints about the website, however, I couldn't find anything specific (I'd rather play the game than spend more than twenty minutes searching for a thread). I thought I'd add a new player's perspective on visiting the site.

Frankly, it's a disaster. I have to disagree with others saying it looks outdated, it simply looks like a fan site. A few glaring notes:

The features page; It's really an overview and does little to inform the reader of the actual in-game features. Some of it, yes, but for the most part, the reader is left in the dark. You have to search the internet for information on what is actually under the hood.

In addition, it says that the setting is more than two thousand years into the future, except that the date given is only five hundred and twenty years advanced from today.

Documentation is nonexistent. This game has survived for seven years and yet no one has bothered to make a decent play guide to help new players to understand the complexity of the game. I can't imagine any game with a dedicated and active base like this one wouldn't have player created guides. The team seems to have an active communication with their customers, why not ask them to contribute?

I think fixing those specific issues would have a significant and positive impact on potential customers. If people don't get past the website, they won't play the game.

I hope this is taken in the spirit in which it is offered. So far, I'm enjoying my time in game. There are a few things that I don't like, but that comes down to individual tastes rather than any flaw in the game. All in all, it seems like a really deep game and the community (those I've met to date anyhow) is top notch; Very helpful and well behaved. I'd even go so far as to say that I'd not think twice about allowing my children to play this game.

Regards, An Fiach

I know this is only a minor thing, but there's no reason to assume that Atys year 2557 corresponds to Earth year 2557. Maybe they're counting from the creation of Atys and that creation was in Earth year 2100.

As for the rest, I've not needed the website in years so I cannot judge it from a new player perspective anymore. :)

However, asking players to write guides for it seems like it might be a good idea. I know there are many player guides already hidden away on guild's forums - the promise that the best guide will feature on the official site could encourage even more players to help write guides.

I had considered that point regarding the dates. Unfortunately, there is nothing that indicates to the reader that this is the case, and so a person naturally reads it as a reference to the Gregorian calendar. This is easily solved by prefacing it with a reference to the planet's timeline. For example: "More than two thousand years after the first settlers arrived on Atys." or " More than two thousand years after the establishment of the first Matis Empire."

I know it seems trivial, but it's the little things that can influence a person's impressions of the game.

Regards

There were several guides on the original forums.Unfortunately they were not moved here. There was a starting guide for diggers and a jargon one to help newbs learn Atys speak. The original is
http://forums.ryzom.com/forumdisplay.php?f=8, Perhaps that will help. As to the date I just considered Atys as a seperate universe with no relation to ours.-Kilgoretrout

I have to agree with this.

Ryzom is legit, but I think what is really hurting it is the website.

I realize that the publisher doesn't have a ton of money, but a good website is not very expensive. It seems that an updated website would be a very cost effective way to promote the game.

First impressions are important, especially in today's visually driven gaming culture. It wouldn't hurt to package something as great as Ryzom into an attractive box. Not simply to attract shallow people who only care about pretty graphics, but to show that it is a game worth playing.

As it stands, the website looks like a third party forum board, and what is communicated to the public is that the publisher isn't very proud of their game. Ryzom is shooting itself in the proverbial foot.

The sad/funny thing is the current forums are a result of ppl complaining about the appearance of the original ones. I personally had no problem with the original and only moved here when forced.

I'd agree the current main website gives very little actual game info. Its basically a powerpoint presentation dumped onto a single page. The problem it seems is that everytime the website is redone all the info is completely changed and/or moved somewhere else. making it very hard for anyone to know where anything is.

The Chronicles website is full of info like the lore-timeline and the chronicles, but it seems unkept, and hard for a new person to access easily. And still doesn't get into actual game play where the official manual from what i remember is lacking too or just confusing. One of the GMs i think once made a comic version of a Silan walkthrough i remember that was very good.

I've never been bothered by the Atys date, probably because i'm not very ethnocentric.

Silan walkthrough is here together with the official manual:
http://www.ryzom.com/en/pdf.html

Hmm, the manual was created and last modified in 2004-09-02. Even back then, it seems they gave up on the rest of the Ryzom and settled for a much simpler story?

Heh the copy on worldofryzom.com is a newer version of the official manual i think. It has a fewer newer chapters for fame and outposts, and an expanded lore section. 

Maybe a little description of the manuals is needed? Seems a bit strange to have separate  US and EN  manuals with out saying why.

+1 for relifting the website