Spiral Knights - A new player's perspective

A new player's perspective

2 replies [Last post]

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 10:13

Rika-Eternal

Technically I'm not a new player, I just made a new knight, but it taught me a lot about how the changes OOO have affected the early game experience. In short... it's amazing. I know they get a lot of hate (some deserved) for the "paywall" moving from energy to fire crystals/orbs but this really benefits the new player. I made my first knight before missions were added, and without mission rewards and with mist energy it took me awhile to get to T2. I wasn't really "hooked" by the game yet, and T1 wasn't very interesting, and the late game content just seemed very... unreachable. It was discouraging.

Two days ago I came back to the game and made this knight, and I played straight through missions to JK. The new intro is fun, the free accessories when I made my knight added personality, and I was able to get a handle on the story. This is the first time I've had to stop and "grind" for orbs at all (To pass my 3* HoH check), but it's still moving along rather quickly. The weapons and gear that you get as mission rewards have the basics covered, so I can invest my time and money in the stuff that I really want. And even once I hit that real "grind or pay" wall, I'll be far enough in the game to have content that I can enjoy running with my friends while I slowly progress. I guess... I just feel like it might have been a fair trade. I don't know if OOO could increase fire crystal/orb drop rates and still make money, but, if they can't, then I definitely prefer this to the energy system. And the battle sprites are awesome... seriously, I love them.

From a business standpoint, it makes more sense to hook as many new players as possible and force the grind or pay on veterans. Especially with their user base dwindling, attracting new players has to be a focus. And on that note, it makes me so sad to see so many fewer people around now then when I played a few years ago, because the game is (overall) so much better! Does anyone have the actually numbers on SK and OOO? Like profit, stock prices, user numbers, ect? I suppose I should look into it myself if I really want to know, the data has to be available somewhere.

So... that's it. I'm certainly not saying their saints, but restarting the game kind of changed my view on our corporate overlords. I thought it might be worth sharing, and that maybe some of you might want to make an alt and play through the early game to see what you think.

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 10:28

Thinslayer

Grand Strategy

Maybe SK is using a two-step strategy:
1. Secure whatever new players are acquired
2. Secure veteran players

Proof:
1. All the changes thus far (new players)
2. Arcade Redux, Tortodrone (veterans)

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 11:17

Bopp

response

Thanks for posting a pleasant thread. People have said all of this before you, but it's nice to moderate all of the complaining with some praise.

sad to see so many fewer people around now then when I played a few years ago, because the game is (overall) so much better! Does anyone have the actually numbers on SK and OOO?

I haven't seen any specific revenue/profit numbers on SK. I don't expect Sega/Three Rings to break down its revenue and profits that specifically.

On Steam you can see a measure of player population. I don't know exactly where, as I don't use Steam. Also, that measure reports only Steam numbers. The numbers have been fairly constant, except for a few massive spikes, for example at Steam launch. Judging the population by Haven and the Arcade is also not very accurate, as missions and guild halls are not counted there. What I can say is this:

* All games enjoy a popularity spike early, as many people try them. Later, their true population of players (and churn) can be seen.

* I still see tons of new, guildless, low-ranking knights in Haven every day.

* As an individual player progresses, he will think that players are deserting the game, just because his friends are deserting the game, just because they have finished the game (or gone on hiatus). New content is not released often enough to hold players indefinitely. Many veteran players take breaks between releases. The individual's friend list is not a good measure of the community.

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A new player's perspective