Corona Player Retention Ideas

Being that VFK is seeing a much higher volume of activity with so many old players popping back in, I think that we should give them a reason to stay.  With so many people coming back, it feels incredibly nostalgic back to the old days where we had host events every day, and other fun things to do.  Now, it seems that we just have a bunch of chores to do with all of these tedious tasks.  Tasks are not going to keep old players around. 

Instead, I want to propose that we do some fun things over the next two weeks.  

  •  Plague/Pandemic Antiques ----- THIS ISN'T MAKING A JOKE OUT OF THE CORONA VIRUS.  This is just something that's actually happening in the world right now.  
- Here, I would recommend just a few antiques.  Two days, half an hour each day, 6 releases per day with 2-3 items per release, some of them being repeats.  We could do things like the plague doctor outfit which would be unisex, two pins, one with the face of a plague doctor, and then one with a microscope sample of a virus that moves.  A painting could be just a blown up version of the pin and then just some furniture pieces in a black/purple/grey scheme. 

  • Host events 
- I think that since so many people are quarentined to their homes, having more host events would show that VFK cares about retaining new members as well as old members who came back.  I understand that our community is rather small, and that the staff size is also rather small, however, I'm sure a lot of us would even be happy with recolors of some old items 

Comments

  • PlagueDoctor

    This could be the painting!!!! 
  • I'm not sure I agree with the antiques idea (and I love the task system), but I do agree with the point of this post. Even if we couldn't do a "large" scale event, maybe hosting speed typing or trivia or something during the afternoon/evening hours with scavenger hunt items as prizes, much like we do at the garden party? Or a space blitz contest? I know this is an off year for that, but it'd give us something to do--or move up the garden contest towards the end of march, and not after Easter?


  • I feel that would be disrespectful as people are losing their lives all over the world. Can't we come together and just enjoy and be grateful we have VFK help us through this time. I hope more people find VFK and stay.


  • Tillie said:

    I feel that would be disrespectful as people are losing their lives all over the world. Can't we come together and just enjoy and be grateful we have VFK help us through this time. I hope more people find VFK and stay.



    I'm not sure if I'd say its disrespectful. VFK is about history. That is what the game is based off of. This is a part of our history now. As is the time period in which the plague doctors were a thing. It doesnt always have to be the negative of things to be seen. Take a negative and put memories and meaning behind it. I know for many that yes it's a hard time, but theres no reason to not be able to make something good happen out of a bad situation.

    As for just being grateful that we have vfk, I'm sure we all are. However at the same time, VFK has been rather stagnant for years now to the point where we arent retaining players because theres nothing going on in the game. If we dont bring in new ideas and more activity we will never be able to retain a playerbase larger than what we already have.
  • I would personally love an antique event, but the longer the better lol. I love how much time antique shops take up, even though it feels like they go back so quickly!

    Some other ideas:

    - Building competition, a new theme that we've never done before would be really cool!
    - Themed events around epidemics. I agree with Joey, VFK is about history, always has been. There could be quests, host prizes, etc themed around the various epidemics we've had in the past. Or maybe, if people were too afraid it would offend others, we could do some kind of scientific microbiology themes.
    - Scientific membership bundles

    Literally anything to keep me busy, pls quarantine is killing me LOL!


    1
  • FracturedMemories said:

    Tillie said:

    I feel that would be disrespectful as people are losing their lives all over the world. Can't we come together and just enjoy and be grateful we have VFK help us through this time. I hope more people find VFK and stay.



    I'm not sure if I'd say its disrespectful. VFK is about history. That is what the game is based off of. This is a part of our history now. As is the time period in which the plague doctors were a thing. It doesnt always have to be the negative of things to be seen. Take a negative and put memories and meaning behind it. I know for many that yes it's a hard time, but theres no reason to not be able to make something good happen out of a bad situation.

    As for just being grateful that we have vfk, I'm sure we all are. However at the same time, VFK has been rather stagnant for years now to the point where we arent retaining players because theres nothing going on in the game. If we dont bring in new ideas and more activity we will never be able to retain a playerbase larger than what we already have.
    People are dying!
  • Tillie said:

    FracturedMemories said:

    Tillie said:

    I feel that would be disrespectful as people are losing their lives all over the world. Can't we come together and just enjoy and be grateful we have VFK help us through this time. I hope more people find VFK and stay.



    I'm not sure if I'd say its disrespectful. VFK is about history. That is what the game is based off of. This is a part of our history now. As is the time period in which the plague doctors were a thing. It doesnt always have to be the negative of things to be seen. Take a negative and put memories and meaning behind it. I know for many that yes it's a hard time, but theres no reason to not be able to make something good happen out of a bad situation.

    As for just being grateful that we have vfk, I'm sure we all are. However at the same time, VFK has been rather stagnant for years now to the point where we arent retaining players because theres nothing going on in the game. If we dont bring in new ideas and more activity we will never be able to retain a playerbase larger than what we already have.
    People are dying!

    They are, but it's also part of what's happening around the globe. It's in our lives. It's part of our history now.

    We had a carnival theme with animals trapped in cages. Animal abuse. It's something we see all of the time.

    We had a membership based on the wild west where people shot and killed each other because somebody bumped into them.

    We had memberships based around the birth of jesus, a man who was murdered and nailed to a cross having a brutal death. None of this stopped vfk from having events based on tragedy.

    Vfk was, and still is about history and modern day historical events. We have pins that honor war veterans who died. We have benches in the game that memorialize people who played the game and passed away.

    Death is an every day thing in everyone's lives and it molds history as we know it and gives way to new life and ideas.

  • FracturedMemories said:

    PlagueDoctor


    This could be the painting!!!! 
    I like this so much. :D


    ABOUT: Signed up: February 2017 Miss Clue only: March 2017 Regularly playing the kingdom: April 2017 hehehehehe...... Came for MISS CLUE, stayed for VFK <3


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  • We'll have agree to disagree on principle. 

    That said, I'm always up for a day of antiquing. 
  • I think some people are taking this idea wayyyyyy too seriously. I think you've got a great idea here! So many of us (myself included) are stuck at home and I'd love to see more events in the day time. And yes, I like the pertinent theme! I'm not sure what the staff situation looks like (if they're able to work from home/if they're still going in) but as long as it's not too much added stress on them I think this is a wonderful idea! And also I LOVE these tasks so like they can make as many more of those as they want!!!
  • Space or Scientific antiques could be a thing, if VFK didn't want to do pandemic antiques--it is still space month after all. :)
  • I'll have to disagree 100%, sorry.  If you had a loved one who died due to COVID-19 (or if you got it) I doubt having fun on VFK with an event labeled with 'COVID-19' or such would be 'fun'.  Or 'productive'.  People come on game to -get away- from real.  Not to be REMINDED of it.  It's disrespectful and in very poor taste.  And I've seen too many people in game treating the COVID-19 situation 'lightly'.  Having playful fun with it.  VFK is escapism.  Hey, I'm as sarcastic (or morseso) than the rest, but I wouldn't joke about COVID-19.  I have 2 family members who work in healthcare in a major US city.  Every day.  And I pray they come home uninfected. Every day. 

    Poor taste.  If that's the only thing to 'stimulate' activity, then the world really is doomed (sarcasm to the left there).  And if I hadn't seen people in game acting like COVID-19 is fun, poking fun at it, etc., maybe I'd feel differently about it.  Maybe if you or a loved one had it, you'd feel differently about it.  Always take a walk in someone else's shoes.

    But this is more or less not an option to begin with, as staff plan events in advance.  Nothing personal, Fractured. I like ya.  Just a bad idea, and that's just imho and 2 cents ;)  Stay healthy man.

    Flame

    You'd be surprised what you can do with the short end of the stick
  • Flamanar said:

    I'll have to disagree 100%, sorry.  If you had a loved one who died due to COVID-19 (or if you got it) I doubt having fun on VFK with an event labeled with 'COVID-19' or such would be 'fun'.  Or 'productive'.  People come on game to -get away- from real.  Not to be REMINDED of it.  It's disrespectful and in very poor taste.  And I've seen too many people in game treating the COVID-19 situation 'lightly'.  Having playful fun with it.  VFK is escapism.  Hey, I'm as sarcastic (or morseso) than the rest, but I wouldn't joke about COVID-19.  I have 2 family members who work in healthcare in a major US city.  Every day.  And I pray they come home uninfected. Every day. 

    Poor taste.  If that's the only thing to 'stimulate' activity, then the world really is doomed (sarcasm to the left there).  And if I hadn't seen people in game acting like COVID-19 is fun, poking fun at it, etc., maybe I'd feel differently about it.  Maybe if you or a loved one had it, you'd feel differently about it.  Always take a walk in someone else's shoes.

    But this is more or less not an option to begin with, as staff plan events in advance.  Nothing personal, Fractured. I like ya.  Just a bad idea, and that's just imho and 2 cents ;)  Stay healthy man.

    Flame
    I appreciate your opinion, however, I do have three people who I'm pretty close with who have the virus.  I know full well what it's doing.  However, I wouldn't say I'm poking fun at it or using it as a disrespectful moment and because I am seeing what they're going through, I'm seeing what they're going through and thus, walking in their shoes by being told what it's like.  

    Some people have different coping mechanisms for dealing with issues like this, and, like I said, I think that VFK has brought tragedy into the game time and time again and nobody has ever said anything about it thus far.  

    Plus, I think it is still an option (; I worked up a lamp last year and it was made within three days, identical.  The staff are much better at things than we give them credit for.  But, like you said, nothing personal, Flame! I like you too, we just have differing opinions on this one!  
  • Yeah, it's cool, Fractured.  What defines us is our ability to disagree civily, yet still remain friends.  Thanks for the response, and again nothing personal.  It's a good discussion.

    Flame

    You'd be surprised what you can do with the short end of the stick
  • edited March 2020
    Can we think of happier things we could do? More of us are spending more time on VFK as we self quarantine, Fractured is right, plus old players popping in and hopefully new players ( VFK you should advertise). But in a time of such uncertainty and stress, plus the stress of feeling restricted in our movement, I think fun things/events that keep us busy and our minds/hearts light are what is called for.
    You must have to have some great ideas, I see them so often on the board! 

    @FracturedMemories that painting is very very cool. Maybe for Halloween when our thoughts are turned to the macabre? To your point VFK has ventured into some tragic things in the past. They are the passed and we are removed from them. I just think NOW is not the time. 

    I have one idea - how about new game awards. I'd love to see BIRDS game give out framed antique paintings of the ones we see in game. Those beautiful old James Audubon paintings! Maybe they could make your painting and similar for Sleepy Hollow game award. Some realistic Alien and or NASA posters for Space Pirates? How about an updated red and blue checkers hats? 

    Antiques related to Spring? IDK, thoughts..
  • I agree 100% @Tillie !

    We need more events, yes, but I think we should go with more light hearted things. Because yes, while people deal with stress differently, I feel like having such a "dark" theme now would put a lot more of us on edge and not cheer us up, which is what VFK is for. If you want to go with the historical route--there are other things to focus on (nursing, doctors, science etc) other then the pandemics.
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