Time...

[High Roller]

Hey guys,

Been gone from dis server for almost a year now. What happened to the server? Looks like it really went down the tubes, seems no one plays on it anymore.

-Roller

[iGenerator]

Hey, welcome back.

This seems to be the same thing everyone who leaves seems to say when they decide to come back, and I've thought about the answer, well a few actually.  One is the most obvious, people leave slowly over time due to sheer boredom, or lack of change.  Others are simply not seeing the opticraft name as much as they used to, I credit most of this to the lack of classics ability to get new players. (At least the first 20,000 members most likely came from there).

I do find it ever so ironic though that the ones who contributed to the rut we are in now question the state we remain in as a community.  This doesn't apply to any specific person but I have heard countless times "What happened to this place?" by people that left it in the dust.  What needs to change is our ability to get new people, everyone doesn't want to play our version of vanilla minecraft anymore.  They sure as hell don't want to get a dulled down version of a gametype we remadied a year after they asked for it either.

Most of all the suggestions made to improve the community need to be considered in a legitimate light to bring in new possibilities, because we all see the current way is not the best way.

[Hasan (Tabooti)]

Agreed with Gene. I'm not going to point fingers, but I'd encourage a strategy to seek & resolve existing issues.
And things don't change themselves, if you want something different; work to make it happen.

[SalsaInABowl]

At least the community is still filled with amazing people

[morgosin]

Agreed, Something has to happen. And someone either isn't caring enough about it. Or is to stuborn to do anything. I know there are limitation, but just leaving the elephant in the room, isn't clearing up any floor space.

Start listening to suggestions. try them out. at this rate its going to die. Mojang is to busy with their 2 new games to care about mine craft as much. So we have to make it what we can.
Vanilla sucks okay. its dull boring. and way to easy. the most you can do is build something cool. But what happened to hours working towards a goal, a stat to say hey I have more (...) then you do! what happened to redstone innovations. what happened to creating new ways to do things. With the currant way the server is. its grinding iron/ gold selling it. and building things that no one will ever see/Building cities that will never be occupied.  People can "Live" in as many cities as they want, but its not truly living there.

I know Optical doesn't like other people's plugins. but maybe, just maybe. He can put his pride aside and do what's best for the community.

Maybe take a took at mod packs, take a look at interesting mods. take a look at adventure maps, and creative server idea's. Opti was build on classic, the precursor to creative. Yet the server that sprouted from it. Is anything but easy to build what you want.

No one WANTS to grind for hours on end to maybe have enough wool to finish their project.
No one WANTS to grind for hours to have a shit ton of money that you can't do anything with.
NO ON WANTS!!! A plain smp server anymore, its god damn boring as hell and if you can't see it. Then there is a serious problem that needs addressing.

There I said it. I'm not afraid to either, this goes for Nick as well. all of the suggestions that I have seen recently have been instantly shot down. DO SOMETHING!!!!

[Duinis]

Yeaah. Get new things happening, cause right now the server is basically an interactive social media site

[Wone]

Yeaah. Get new things happening, cause right now the server is basically an interactive social media site

Which I prefer more than generic social media site.

[khoiboy51]

Agreed, Something has to happen. And someone either isn't caring enough about it. Or is to stuborn to do anything. I know there are limitation, but just leaving the elephant in the room, isn't clearing up any floor space.

Start listening to suggestions. try them out. at this rate its going to die. Mojang is to busy with their 2 new games to care about mine craft as much. So we have to make it what we can.
Vanilla sucks okay. its dull boring. and way to easy. the most you can do is build something cool. But what happened to hours working towards a goal, a stat to say hey I have more (...) then you do! what happened to redstone innovations. what happened to creating new ways to do things. With the currant way the server is. its grinding iron/ gold selling it. and building things that no one will ever see/Building cities that will never be occupied.  People can "Live" in as many cities as they want, but its not truly living there.

I know Optical doesn't like other people's plugins. but maybe, just maybe. He can put his pride aside and do what's best for the community.

Maybe take a took at mod packs, take a look at interesting mods. take a look at adventure maps, and creative server idea's. Opti was build on classic, the precursor to creative. Yet the server that sprouted from it. Is anything but easy to build what you want.

No one WANTS to grind for hours on end to maybe have enough wool to finish their project.
No one WANTS to grind for hours to have a shit ton of money that you can't do anything with.
NO ON WANTS!!! A plain smp server anymore, its god damn boring as hell and if you can't see it. Then there is a serious problem that needs addressing.

There I said it. I'm not afraid to either, this goes for Nick as well. all of the suggestions that I have seen recently have been instantly shot down. DO SOMETHING!!!!

Supported. Maybe not mods because referring to the original reason because its advantageous but also because not everyone knows how to do mods *nudge nudge wink wink* But plugins really would improved good 'ol opti. Smp is yes vanilla and boring. If you want plain survival play singleplayer. Opti is more fun when we are having fun not just building house after house mansion after mansion

[Mattkkk12345]

Yeaah. Get new things happening, cause right now the server is basically an interactive social media site

Which I prefer more than generic social media site.

But this is a game, not an intentional 'social' thing. Of course there is a community, but at the end of the day, we're all playing a game.

[Mr_Mr_Mr]

Most of all the suggestions made to improve the community need to be considered in a legitimate light to bring in new possibilities, because we all see the current way is not the best way.

Every suggestion I see gets shot down, there is literally 0 suggestions being added nowadays. Either because of the lack of a dev or nick just says no. It's virtually impossible to get one suggestion added, we're at a stand still nobody wants to get us out of. Honestly, open dev apps, maybe someone in this community is somewhat decent at java and will code us a simple plugin. Hmmm maybe they don't seem like they're experienced enough, well give them a chance and let optical look over it, honestly... open your minds to change, people (mostly directed to the admins).

[SalsaInABowl]

Most of all the suggestions made to improve the community need to be considered in a legitimate light to bring in new possibilities, because we all see the current way is not the best way.

Every suggestion I see gets shot down, there is literally 0 suggestions being added nowadays. Either because of the lack of a dev or nick just says no. It's virtually impossible to get one suggestion added, we're at a stand still nobody wants to get us out of. Honestly, open dev apps, maybe someone in this community is somewhat decent at java and will code us a simple plugin. Hmmm maybe they don't seem like they're experienced enough, well give them a chance and let optical look over it, honestly... open your minds to change, people (mostly directed to the admins).

This.

I have found that a common reason for people leaving is people rage quitting because their mod app didn't get accepted.

[Hasan (Tabooti)]

I see things a different, surely change is something that could potentially be something good. But what kind?

So far we've had a lot of changes on this server, largely ones that prevent exploitation (although late) such as the reduction of melon prices after their exploitation, the banning of redstone clocks that have damages server performance. Other changes that have come to this server could be largely awarded [mostly] to the community, with people organizing bright new independent ideas that rely on voluntary participation such as the seasonal events, or private competitions. However, the underlining issue is the fact that activity stagnates, becomes dull, and people lose interest. I'll leave the upcoming paragraphs with some points that I've made. Feel free to think of anything you'd like to add.

I encourage you to debate these points, and provide examples to support your statements. I'll add everything into this paragraph, so we could organize our thoughts, and put up a conclusion we could agree upon.


paragraph 1 - good
-Spoiler plugin
-Financial exploitation reduction
-Free protection granted to large creations


paragraph 2 - bad changes
-excessive mods that change the style of play
-changes that would lose the existing 'customer base'
-reckless choosing of mods, despite public favoritism
-consequences of not changing 

paragraph 3 - potentially good changes

-Trade-driven economy
-Simulation of conquest/victory (Perhaps optional non-destructive war, that results in a monetary victory. Ex- losers pay winners x amount of money + loot from deaths)
-Roleplay

Conclusion.
Opticraft should...

[andersad]

Okay, Im just going to lay out my thoughts. I, honestly, have phases. Some days I love Opti, others Im bored out of my mind. One of the reasons I left Opti before is because the boredom was more prominent. Right now I absolutely love opti and its community. But... What about others? As the normal process of time, we WILL gradually lose players. And at our surrent rate we are losing more than gaining. Obviously, we are doing something wrong. We need to explore our opportunities or even make something new and original that could attract more players.

[Duinis]

Yeaah. Get new things happening, cause right now the server is basically an interactive social media site

Which I prefer more than generic social media site.

But this is a game, not an intentional 'social' thing. Of course there is a community, but at the end of the day, we're all playing a game.

Cause it used to be a game, but there's been nothing new for so long people really only go on the server to chat with other people. At least that's the way I see it. Might not be. iunno

[FNVcourierjon(SigilStone)]

Most of all the suggestions made to improve the community need to be considered in a legitimate light to bring in new possibilities, because we all see the current way is not the best way.

Every suggestion I see gets shot down, there is literally 0 suggestions being added nowadays. Either because of the lack of a dev or nick just says no. It's virtually impossible to get one suggestion added, we're at a stand still nobody wants to get us out of. Honestly, open dev apps, maybe someone in this community is somewhat decent at java and will code us a simple plugin. Hmmm maybe they don't seem like they're experienced enough, well give them a chance and let optical look over it, honestly... open your minds to change, people (mostly directed to the admins).

Yes you make a good point.  There are some suggestions that get added, but it only seems to be "important" people that make them.