EDIT: Also the suggested settings are not written in stone, change it whatever you deem would make the bot game most appealing.
Concise description:
Have new recruits play their very first game against the whamBot the following settings:
Game Type: Standard
Map: Classic
Spoils: Flat Rate
Reinforcements: Chained
Round Limit: None
Round Length: 24 Hours
The really basic and simple settings that would match closely the rules by which they might play their board game of Risk. Have a game automatically setup after account creation and have the new recruit automatically join with an explanatory PM deposited in their inbox.
Specifics/Details:
I've read this interesting post by Mr Changsha, entitled: Why CC's Membership is (actually) Declining I've since been reflecting on the challenge of getting new comers to stay and play awhile.
A new player comes along and wants to play a few games, the very last thing most of them want to do is wait long periods of time for the games they have joined to acquire more players and get started. I refer to player Srdjan91 whom has joined two games In the first game that Srdjan91 joined, he/she was the last player to join and thus the game has initialised, with someone other than Srdjan91 as the starting player. The other game that Srdjan91 joined was waiting for another player to turn up, which I duly supplied in the form of myself. Unfortunately it would appear that Srdjan91 is not a patient individual and is now missing turns in both these games. Sadly it seems that Srdjan91 will deadbeat out.
We can't give them access to speed games because as regular players already know, speed games are a privilege for premium members only. Instead lets give them the next best thing and have the new recruits automatically entered into a basic game on classic. The bots take their turns immediately after the human player has finished, which neatly side steps what is probably the two biggest hurdles to new comers, 1)time spent waiting for the damn game to actually start and 2)time spent waiting to take my damn turn!
How this will benefit the site and/or other comments:
- New players will get a feel for the game straight away against an *adequate* opponent in the form of the whamBot.
- When they do progress to playing other humans the experience of playing a game or two with the bot will encourage them to come back and play rather than fade away never to be seen again.
- This will have the knock on beneficial effect of keeping games moving instead of being clogged up with New Recruits that get bored quickly and decide never to play again, because they can decide in the games Vs. whamBot if this site is really for them.
- With more players staying here to play instead of moving on, the broader player base will provide more competition and fill up games faster that are still waiting to start.
- Additionally, if more players are active on this site that will hopefully lead to more premium purchases when said extra players decide that the limit of 4 active games is too restrictive.
P.S. As for the particulars of the explanatory PM, perhaps an invite to join the Society of Cooks could be inserted somewhere? The forum is a good way to retain players on this site in my opinion, lets use it.
