Play an immediate game on the homepage

[JBlombier]

A little while ago, there was a brilliant suggestion by catnipdreams in the What can be done to reverse the decline? topic.

I want to highlight this part of her post, because I think it is an excellent suggestion:

When you first hit the home page, you can instantly play a Classic standard speed game (one at a time), with bots, no log-in, no username, nothing at all to do except play instantly? And you can keep coming back, and play as often as you like, but just Classic speed with bots. Nothing else, no other settings, no other maps, no real humans, no userid/log-in. At least half of the home page is taken up with this free game, and when you click on it, you get it full screen, so you don't have any confusing options (and no ads!). Then once people have been able to casually play the free game, and they are used to it, and they are hungry for more, then they can sign up, wade through all the options, and whatnot.

Concise description:
Described in quote.

Specifics/Details:
Described in quote.

How this will benefit the site:
I believe this will make new users interested in what CC has to offer. There are complaints all over the place about the site being far too difficult to figure out. New recruits just wanna play a game of good ol' Risk and when that gets their attention, they might consider signing up for the more advanced settings CC has to offer.

A new recruit doesn't want over 200 maps and over 20 different settings. A new recruit wants to play Risk and if they can't play it within 5 minutes, they're off to the next. I believe this suggestion is an absolute must-have for CC.

- JBlombier

PS. I asked catnipdreams if she wanted to post this herself, but she couldn't be bothered (who can blame her ) and said I should go ahead with it.

[jmyork82]

I think this is a great idea!

+1000

[catnipdreams]

PS. I asked catnipdreams if she wanted to post this herself, but she couldn't be bothered (who can blame her ) and said I should go ahead with it.

That doesn't sound quite right - what I really meant was that I don't look at the forums often enough to follow up on a suggestion, and that a more active forum visitor could actually respond in a timely fashion. I'm responding in a timely fashion because the OP kindly sent me a PM about this. I do care about CC, really, I do... My thanks to JBlombier for both the kind words about my idea, and the follow-up here!

[Arama86n]

Sounds like a good idea.

[InnyaFacce]

This Is An AWESOME Suggestion !!!

[owenshooter]

really cool idea... why not? the black jesus approves...-Jésus noir

[jigger1986]

Great idea, would like to see this implemented. I just came back after 6 months and even I was a little confused and felt out of place with the options and layout. I can imagine that a new player would take one look, not find what they want and try another google search.

[codierose]

Great idea, would like to see this implemented. I just came back after 6 months and even I was a little confused and felt out of place with the options and layout. I can imagine that a new player would take one look, not find what they want and try another google search.

welcome back.
cool idea

[Silly Knig-it]

Wonderful idea.

And then maybe players would stick around for a guide game or two where we could actually talk to them and then they might stay on the site.

Great, great idea.

[Kevi]

yes I agree +1

[MagnusGreeol]

- Wicked Awesome idea Catnip!! This would also relieve alot of the Guide wars from those who sign up and disappear. Have them try Homepage Rage before thèy actually sign on and encounter bots and Guides.

- Way too cool an idea for it like not to happen asap!

\MGM/♎

[bigWham]

I actually do agree it is a very good idea.

What few would know is that there is already something in place that is very close to this. Essentially, certain new visitors get offered a "Play Game Now" button, and this auto-creates a Guest user and then gives them the choice of a few simple game options. One of the options is Bots or Humans. If they choose Humans it uses the Guide program to join players up very quickly, and either way the game starts very quickly.

This has been very successful as far as converting new visitors into players.

But, there is a problem, and a reason why I haven't taken the concept further to something like you are suggesting.

Basically, the type of player that needs the game to start immediately, is just not a good fit for CC. They very rarely end up staying, and in fact rarely end up even playing more than 1 move. By which I mean, more rarely than a typical random new visitor that took the trouble to sign up. So, overall, this concept has not helped CC.

However, I do still like the idea... but it needs some sort of twist to give it long term value to the site.

[JBlombier]

Basically, the type of player that needs the game to start immediately, is just not a good fit for CC. They very rarely end up staying, and in fact rarely end up even playing more than 1 move. By which I mean, more rarely than a typical random new visitor that took the trouble to sign up. So, overall, this concept has not helped CC.

However, I do still like the idea... but it needs some sort of twist to give it long term value to the site.

Thank you for your input, bigWham. It helps a lot!

I have no immediate solution for the problem you mention, but at least we have something to chew on for now.
Anyone an idea to fine-tune this suggestion into something that can keep players to actually stay?

- JBlombier

[catnipdreams]

I actually do agree it is a very good idea.

What few would know is that there is already something in place that is very close to this. Essentially, certain new visitors get offered a "Play Game Now" button, and this auto-creates a Guest user and then gives them the choice of a few simple game options. One of the options is Bots or Humans. If they choose Humans it uses the Guide program to join players up very quickly, and either way the game starts very quickly.

This has been very successful as far as converting new visitors into players.

But, there is a problem, and a reason why I haven't taken the concept further to something like you are suggesting.

Basically, the type of player that needs the game to start immediately, is just not a good fit for CC. They very rarely end up staying, and in fact rarely end up even playing more than 1 move. By which I mean, more rarely than a typical random new visitor that took the trouble to sign up. So, overall, this concept has not helped CC.

However, I do still like the idea... but it needs some sort of twist to give it long term value to the site.

Hmmmm.... I became addicted to Risk on a different site, so when I first signed up for CC, I was motivated to go through the learning curve to become comfortable with playing on CC. If I had found CC before having the experience on the other site, I likely would have abandoned my first game after a move or two as well. CC games are significantly more complicated (and confusing to a newbie) than the Risk games on the other site.

I think growing CC has to include introducing the game to Risk newbies. Hence a simple game, freely available without signing up, on the home/landing page. I don't see the need for a twist, but perhaps the free game needs even more simplification?

One thing that the other site does is offer optional interactive bot coaching for moves. I actually read the instructions, so I knew what to do, but, apparently there are many people who just jump in and try to play. Maybe if the intro game had detailed interactive instructions, with dialogue balloons and pointing arrows, saying what to do next, that would help newbies get through a game? Perhaps the games are being abandoned because people have no idea how to play, or what to do next, and leave because they become frustrated?

[IcePack]

I think we've done the interactive coaching previously / maybe even currently (I've been out of beta for awhile).

[bigWham]

I think we've done the interactive coaching previously / maybe even currently (I've been out of beta for awhile).

Correct. It did not work. In fact, some people expressed annoyance with it because "they already knew how to play risk" but more importantly, it did not help conversions.

New players are given a relatively guided experience through their first game. The majority of them know how to play Risk, because that is why they found us, usually... so they are not totally bewildered by the concept. Many changes were successfully implemented to improve the conversion to start game, start turn, second turn, etc. However these efforts ultimately did not improve conversion to ongoing player.

After a massive amount of experimentation and thought my ultimate conclusion is that:

1. Mainly people leave because they just aren't interested in what they experience,
2. What they are looking for is something more "glamorous", with animation and sound and the like - more in the direction of the Conquer game in "Other Games"
3. They are not usually looking for something that is an ongoing experience, rather a quick game. We can provide a quick game (and in fact do, since newbies can play a speed game initially), however this has not really helped us because even if they like the experience they disappear after it. In other words, stretching to meet the needs of the impatient doesn't seem to help our cause.

[dakky21]

After a massive amount of experimentation and thought my ultimate conclusion is that:

1. Mainly people leave because they just aren't interested in what they experience,
2. What they are looking for is something more "glamorous", with animation and sound and the like - more in the direction of the Conquer game in "Other Games"
3. They are not usually looking for something that is an ongoing experience, rather a quick game. We can provide a quick game (and in fact do, since newbies can play a speed game initially), however this has not really helped us because even if they like the experience they disappear after it. In other words, stretching to meet the needs of the impatient doesn't seem to help our cause.

1, 2, 3. People wouldn't leave if they could play the games right away in real time with other opponents, graphics and sound have nothing with this. I'm having this talk almost every day in live chat, where New Recruits (which played some games against bots) ask how to play a game in real time (speed games)...

My suggestion is to give each New Recruit 10-15 credits to use when they register, and another 10 when they finish their 5 games. One speed game = one credit.

This site badly needs an experience system. Ranks are cool, but today people want to advance in experience, and get rewards based on it....

1 Speed game = -1 credit
1 Speed game Win = +1 credit
1 24h game win = +1 credit

Everything stays the same. Premiums don't have those.

Registration on site = +10 credits
Play 5 games = +5 credits
Play 10 games = +5 credits
Play 20 games = +5 credits
Play 30 games = +5 credits
Win 15 games = +10 credits
Leave 30 Ratings = +5 credits
10 forum posts = +5 credits
100 forum posts = +30 credits
10 wall posts = +3 credits
100 wall posts = +10 credits

Continue as you wish.... THAT is what is needed, an incentive to play more and use site more in all sections.

[Streaker]

Saying this as a gamer:

Dakky is right. You need to give players 'short term' incentives and awards linked to this.

Silly example:

I play this free shooter through Steam, and for the Holidays they 'offer' an item you can attach to weapons:

-play x hours, item 1
-play x+5 hours, item 2
-play x+20 hours, item3

These items give NO bonus, no credits, it's all just visual. No worth. Yet the drive to accomplish the mission makes me go back to that game every time.

A lot of games offer this kind of experience, and it's addictive.

[concrete]

Saying this as a gamer:

Dakky is right. You need to give players 'short term' incentives and awards linked to this.

Silly example:

I play this free shooter through Steam, and for the Holidays they 'offer' an item you can attach to weapons:

-play x hours, item 1
-play x+5 hours, item 2
-play x+20 hours, item3

These items give NO bonus, no credits, it's all just visual. No worth. Yet the drive to accomplish the mission makes me go back to that game every time.

A lot of games offer this kind of experience, and it's addictive.

I agree 100%. I have read post in different threads for the past year or so about how to bring more players into CC. Best thread yet

[jmyork82]

I think dakky is on to something there. Allowing freemiums greater access to speed games by rewarding them credits based on achievements could help bridge the gap a bit.

OR

Another twist would be to allow freemiums 5 tokens to play speed games that regenerate every 24 hours or a certain set of time. Kind of like how Candy Crush does with their lives. If you win a game, you win a token back and when you run out of tokens, you have to wait for them to regenerate. A player may even enter into a normal game or two just for when they decide to come back.

Either way, this idea can definitely be explored.