You know, I have thought for some time about why our game is slowly going by the wayside and I would like to bounce a few things off you folks.

In trying to figure out why new players that sign up don't stay around very long I have come up with a few ideas. Of the new players that have signed up in the last couple months, how many are still here and active? I have no clue, but I would venture to say there are not near as many as there were to sign up.

Why could this be? I know that when I started or start any new game, I am first trying to figure out what the game is about and how to navigate around in the site. What does what and why. Did our new players, before they got a chance to really figure anything out, get killed in a war? WHo knows. Did theytry and work their way thru the intricacies of the game on their own? Did they hang around for a set and something happen that turned them off? Did they receive any personal contact from anyone in the game that offered not only to help, but to welcome them into the community?

When I started, back in 2002, I did a lot of the same things. I tried to figure outthe game on my own and made many mistakes. I got frustrated with the complexity of it all and almost gave it up. I was in DaB for over a year before I was ever warred. I know what you guys are going to say, "it is a war game". That is not my point. Yes there is a war aspect to the game and it cannot nor should it be written out of the game. There is a need for it. But as has been pointed in a conversation I had with Calvin this morning, it is hard to get your members to show up for a war chat these days. Last set, even LoR had issues with war chats.

What is this telling us? Does it say that there are those that would like to see the game without wars? Who knows, Does it tell us that maybe the older players are not as into warring as others in the community? Who Knows. Does it tell us that the new player we recruit either don't know enough or don care enough about warring that they choose not to participate? Who knows.

I just think that when new players come in they should be offered the opportunity to learn how to run a state before trying to be warriors. I know there are those who will argue with me on that, but lets just look at things objectively. Does a new player really understand all the ins and outs of being in a war when they don't even understand running a pure strat?

I remember when the first thing you taught a new player was how to make his state profitable and balanced. That is not being understood or conveyed to knew players anymore. There is an art to building a good state and everyone here knows that a good state can either net or war should th need arise. Everyone has all these ideas for changing the program to make wars this or that, I don't think that is the answer. I think that a new player should be reached out to and offered help and friendship before making them show up for a war chat. It is just my opinion that we as a group need to start making sure that new players are comfortable in their position with their states and how to build one before they are required to restart in the midst of a war.

Now before I am railed against, stop and think fo ra minute how many of the things I have said are actually the truth and how much of it is BS. I am not, I repeat NOT, saying that wars should be ended or changed, I am only saying that maybe some of the new players that join are being killed before they really understand what they are doing. That is frustrating as hell, I know, it happened to me.

Comments?