Question about keeping players around?

Discussion in 'Bukkit Discussion' started by JSmooth101, May 6, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Offline

    JSmooth101

    Hello!
    My question today; How do you keep players coming back to your server?

    Our servers been open for a little over three months now, and have had an issue with players coming back. We have reach around 2,000 unique players, and see around 20-30 unique players a day. The problem is, a majority of those players do not return.

    We offer a Factions/Raiding server (3 months opened), and recently just opened an OP Prison. We offer mini-games, a dedicated staff (Owners put in 10-12 hours a day), a friendly environment, and an overall unique experience.

    I am looking for ideas/suggestions on how we can keep players returning to the servers, instead of playing for a few hours, and not coming back.

    I do understand that this takes time, and that almost all servers end up closing due to this issue. The servers have made enough money to be opened for more than a year. We have more than enough time to do what is needed to build our community. We do this for the players and would like to expand the player base to make the game more enjoyable for others. We also plan on opening a "Kit PvP" in the near future.

    Our peak hours are from around 3pm-9pm est. We can see anywhere from 10-30 people online.

    Thank you for taking the time to look over this,
    -Jsmooth101
     
  2. Offline

    nlthijs48

    JSmooth101 One thing to keep players around is to give them some personal attention, you don't have to give them free diamonds or something (that could also just scare them away) but just be interested in what they build. Also give them tips about commands they can use, I for example often say to new players that they should use '/sethome' at their house so that they can teleport there. Those little things seem to help keeping new players around.

    Also be sure to answer all their questions about the server or how things work, but if you are 10-12 hours a day online I'm sure you already do that. Next thing I can think of, don't punish a player with a ban straight away if they use a bad word one time, just ask them to stop using bad language in a friendly way and most players will react good to that. A thing like jailing a player or only muting/kicking a player could also work out if it is not a big violation of the rules. If a player is really annoying (using bad word, threatening other players, advertising, etc.) you have to step up and ban or tempban them, other players also don't want those around.

    A next thing that seems to help is getting players on Teamspeak, I don't know if you have a teamspeak server, but if you do then be sure to advertise it in the chat sometimes. If you talk to someone on Teamspeak and get to know them a little better (and they get to know you to) then there is a higher change that the player will stay playing on your server.

    These are things I found out in the last 2 years while first being a normal player, then a moderator and since a year or so an Admin on the same server.

    I hope some of these things help you.
    -NLThijs48
     
    DrPyroCupcake likes this.
  3. Offline

    JSmooth101

    nlthijs48 I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
    The only thing that you listed that we do not do/have, is a Teamspeak server. We will be implementing one in the next few days.

    We are still in phase where a majority of the players want staff, and are not happy if they do not obtain it.

    Once again, thank you for the Teamspeak idea :)
     
  4. Offline

    nlthijs48

    JSmooth101 Glad to help you. A teamspeak server will also help you to give instructions to your staff and to keep them focused (and to just talk to them for fun).

    Players often ask for becoming staff, just say have enough staff at the moment but that they can always post a application in a section of your forum. On my server we have teamspeak as requirement for becoming staff because communication with the moderators is very important. You simply can't make everyone staff so just try keep it to how many you need and how many you can handle and manage.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page