There are some games that are so easy that there's no sense of accomplishment. Those games usually don't last long, but they can get a lot of players for brief times.

There are games on the other end of the spectrum that are so time consuming and monotonous that it feels more like work then an enjoyable game. These games also don't last long unless they have a dedicated following.

I think most of us can agree that Obsidian falls into the later category, unfortunately we have lost most of our dedicated players.

I think Obsidian needs a new core player-base. Lets face facts...most of the previous core of players got to where they were by some form of cheating......no matter how much we (myself included) deny it and refuse to admit it, the fact is that only a handful out of thousands of people would be willing to go through the monotonous grind that is obsidian......this (i believe) is also why our numbers are so crappy right now....the manipulation of the system is gone, and playing the game as it's designed offers very little motivation to continue without some other players.

With that said, we need some way for players to feel like they're manipulating the system, but the admin has to be aware of it, and encourage it.

Someone has probably mentioned this before (it's not a new idea)....but I'd like to suggest variable skill gains biased on the number of people online.....between 1 and 5 people online skill gains can be 4X as fast as they are now....between 5 and 10, 2X as fast, and anything over 10 would be normal.

I guarantee numbers will go up....and stay up....and Obsidian will have it's new core.

Oh...we also need a new dedicated IRC channel....most of the old core could be found in IRC any time of the day or night....when IRC went, so did a lot of the core.

not trying to put this idea down, but your saying the less amount of ppl the better the gains? isnt that counter productive? if someone sees there is 10 ppl on they will go crap i dont want to train now.

i think if your going with ways to change skills around to make it faster here are some other options(and yes some are takin from other type shards-ones with ppl on them)

1)build a training area where afk is allowed but skills can only go to like 50 and only certain skills can be trained in this way. or maybe after that you can earn 1 hour afk training in area with every 2 hours real training( if there is a way to judge that). but a bunch of chars all at 50 skills are no biggie. of couse this can be tweaked be numbers.

2) special newb events that are only for new players that are auto run and designed that when taking place you gain alot faster skills(having different events for different skills) this is alot of work but its a good way to have fun while you train and gaurantee they arent afk. plus be a good way to maybee make some gold or have prize at the end like....if you complete the mini quests or events so many times you would earn a deed to a small house...things to get started. cuz lets face it, the only way to get anywhere training wise is to sit in front of skeleys for HOURS on end most noobs cant even go down despise 1 there in cove till they are 30 hours training on skeleys first.

3) since this is a playerbase discusion too, i think deco needs to be upted to a new lvl. on most shards ive treid, there are pvmers pvpers and decoers(lol) i am not a decoer but so many ppl would spend SOOO much time trying to get deco crap its like ppl buying black clothes here. or that the best rare ddrop on shard is a DYE TUB right now. all of this can be tied into pvm so that say all earth golems have a chance to drop a certain specail plant or something(lol idk)
and we all know..more ppl pvming the more pking.

4)i REALLY think if there are more items for ppl to get( yes weps too ) that are different and cool the more ppl will try to go out and get them.

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Falin(ROT)-Bully
Galen Soulhunter(Deamons)-Money maker
Cutler-Worker Bee
Hook(Daemons)-Mild mannered reporter/Tamer
Mr.Obvious-SUPER Crafter

For a new player base to come back, I'd say we need new items, new weapons, more decoration items, easier skill gains (no one wants to sit at there computer for hours upon hours training a skill).

i think classes just need to be fixed i believe that would bring back alot of the old players, and with the old players who are already dedicated would come the new players seeing the numbers of old players online even getting the numbers up to 10 online at any given time would be an accomplishment.

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Ankhesenamun
Dedo Serenity
Fisherwmn
Ruby Estella
Enchantress

I disagree with one point of this post, i dont think that the reason older players don't play anymore is because now they can't munipulate the system. I think they don't play anymore because it isn't even the same game anymore. PvP used to be based on timing and skill now it is based on training the right combination of taming and fighting skills to have the greater amount of shrunken/summoned creatures. You might as well just allow the taming and shrinking of dragons. Taming itself has become basically a useless skill unless it is used as just mentioned. Crafting anything is so beyond complicated now it makes my head hurt. And involves hours and hours of labour to get minimum results. Hunting has becme more annoying then anything that could even be remotely considered fun as if you step in a dungeon you are basically swarmed by every monster on that level and because getting hit takes stamina you get stuck and you can't move. Older players played the game when it was fun. Now it is not fun so they don't play. Period.

ive never lost stamina from getting hit... although like everyone knows loot is f-ed and hopefully will be getting fixed i dunno i think its still fun just wish there was more people on and item drops werent so hard to get...

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Johnny Mother f***** Cash

Belg... Just about everything in your post is wrong... lol...

_Venom_ wrote:Belg... Just about everything in your post is wrong... lol...

How so? Explain.

theres already power hour!

shhh guys

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king of the run on sentence.

belgarion wrote:PvP used to be based on timing and skill now it is based on training the right combination of taming and fighting skills to have the greater amount of shrunken/summoned creatures.

lol, whens the last time you had a real pvp fight? The bear spamming was nerfed

belgarion wrote:Hunting has becme more annoying then anything that could even be remotely considered fun as if you step in a dungeon you are basically swarmed by every monster on that level and because getting hit takes stamina you get stuck and you can't move.

I dont really see how hunting is any different...If its boring get a buddy to join. The only reason you should lose stamina is if your wearing armor your not proficient in, so umm, no?

1. Well it has been a while since i played at all nevermind pvp but from what i saw at that time every fight consisted of bears or snakes or cold turkeys and crap like that that is not pvp to me.

2. I never said hunting was boring. I said it ws annoying. As an example hythloth level 2 just stepping in there means you get swarmed by ike 5 or 6 monsters right away. And most of them are insane to try and kill by themselves.