so I understand the plans for a new hunting area were denied and this is the place to rant.

Now I maybe its just me but it seems to me the thing that lets communities stay alive is the ability to continue to gain exp. Otherwise they just wander off and go somewhere else one or two people at a time or more.
I for one have quit playing more than once because the community I knew vanished from the town in large sure some may still have been there as alts but what do I care the alts they move in aren't the people I knew.

I for one would like to complain that there are tons of fluffy little things being developed and added into the game that few people will actually use and do not help keep the communities together. how about the development teams actually focus on HUNTING areas so people can stay and still level. Without community there is no point in playing a role playing game really.

Please reconsider our hunting area and give us a new one I know you gm's might think adding boats will patch things up but thats very short sighted. noone is going to take a 15 minute to half hour boat trip to another town then again back to the rest. theyd have to turn around and go right back because their head would be empty.

The only thing that will happen with boats is maybe people will come back for a night or two more often but two days in 2 months is not a community.

Please give us higher level hunting!

>I for one would like to complain that there are tons of fluffy little things being developed and added into the game that few people will actually use and do not help keep the communities together. -WARLORD1871

The fluffy little things are being developed by GMs who are not able to code major projects such as hunting grounds, profession-based dev, etc. Those people who can do the big projects are few and far between. It is like asking the guy who just painted your house to build your new addition complete with plumbing and electrical.

I'll take that challenge. Estimates only, but I'd say anything that could draw 100 potential new (old / returning) clients and extend expected game play 7 months to 2 years for the player base is revenue worth pursuing.

I may be totally wrong here, but if this were my show to run and given the constraints faced, I'd be looking at

1) A major implementation (like monks) to draw in new / old / return members, boosting bottom line and increasing projected longevity. (See the effect of AdvGuild.)

2) A couple of moderate implementations sought for by players to make the game interesting -- lores / spells / twice annual events / premium - platinum - shattered point utilization / new hunting areas -- to keep interest from waning.

3) A pocket of smaller implementations - cobbling enhancements, alchemy enhancements, invasions, new creature launches -- to cater to specific needs.

4) Thirteen to fifteen smaller merchant / vendor related activities -- spinners / room order / raffles -- to encourage frequency increase in game.

5) (And here's a gap) A moderate effort to ease gameplay -- formal adoption and support mechanisms for Lich's go2 and narost functionality springs to mind; map oriented navigation! Whoda thunk! -- to retool the game to current potential client expectations without a lot of overhead.

Seems like a lot of this is in play, and some of it is even player driven. But yes -- I'd argue monks have a place in the scheme. So too, though, do new hunting areas. It is -- as always -- a question of prioritization and resources.

Doug