 |
|
|
|
Sunday, December 5, 2010 - 06:14 pm  This will be the next chat of the year. The next one will be announced on the forum.
| |
| Sunday, December 5, 2010 - 06:14 pm [14:56] * Jozi has joined #jozichat [14:58] (Jozi) hello. Ready in two minutes [15:02] (Laguna) You there? [15:02] (Jozi) yes ready [15:04] (Laguna) We'll start and hope others join us in the meantime. [15:04] * Retrieving #jozichat modes... [15:04] * Laguna sets mode: +m [15:05] (Laguna) Hi, Jozi. Since our last Jozi Chat, one of the largest changes was introducing unlimited free membership. [15:06] (Laguna) Can you tell us what you expect from this change? [15:06] * Genie has joined #jozichat [15:06] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Genie [15:07] * Laguna sets mode: +o Jozi [15:08] (Jozi) we expect more players who will not worry about paying and who will have a better opportunity to try and play. we expect many of them to decide to become full members later and we already see this taking place although it is very early and they have no real reason to do it now. [15:08] (Jozi) We think that the whole process of regitration, initial steps, choice of a country and help to beginners should be revisited. [15:08] * The has joined #jozichat [15:09] (Jozi) we will do this shortly and hope to improve the first impressions and keep more of the people who visit the site to check what it is. [15:09] (Jozi) done [15:09] (Laguna) Thanks. [15:09] * Laguna sets mode: +v snozzled [15:10] (snozzled) Hi Jozi. Please would you give us a glimpse behind the scenes at W3Creative? How many people work on the game and in what roles? How is the game designed and built? [15:11] (Jozi) w3creative has currently 7 employees. most are vetrans of a previous company I have build in the 80s and 90s and left/sold/merged into a different company in 1999. [15:12] (Jozi) we are all software developers and created one of the largest 4GL languages in the market at the time (supernova). [15:12] (Jozi) at this time, we are part time consultants, I am doing some management consulting and help start ups in get started and obtaining financa. [15:13] (Jozi) others are designers and senior developers earning the company the money needed to run the game. [15:13] (Jozi) so part of our time is outside the company, and part of it is on the development of SC. [15:14] (snozzled) the game is written in supernova still? [15:14] (Jozi) one person created the maps and anothe the war engine. three people are involved in the game features and related use interface, pages etc. [15:15] (Jozi) I am managing and designed the economic model and the large excell sheets that are driving /describing the model. [15:15] (Jozi) doe [15:15] (Jozi) this is to say: done [15:15] (snozzled) interesting, thanks! [15:15] (snozzled) when's the new world starting? [15:15] (Jozi) some ofd the functions are written in Supernova, generating the screens etc. [15:16] (Jozi) the processing and simulation engine is written in C and same for many processes, trading, loans, corporations etc. all maintenance functions are also written in C. [15:16] (Jozi) the new world: [15:17] (Jozi) we want to lkook at the initial steps of membership and improve before the world starts but: [15:18] (Jozi) we have purchased a new, beig server to replace the portal and when installed, we will purchase another as a backup. This will free up two large servers that we will use to run WG and FB [15:18] (Jozi) and then gradually, move worlds over while upgrading the OS version. [15:19] (Jozi) when all done, it will leave us with two servers and one will be used for a new world. we have backup systems and this process will end up upgrading all these servers. [15:19] (Jozi) done [15:20] (snozzled) last question from me: The game Terms&Conditions don't explicitly ban bots, which is unusual. Oversight or choice on your part? has it caused any problems? [15:21] (Jozi) first oversight, then added to a list of changes we will implement shortly. we are just too busy. thanks for remonfing me. [15:21] (snozzled) thanks Jozi! done. [15:21] * Laguna sets mode: -v snozzled [15:21] (Laguna) And we have no one in line. [15:22] (Jozi) on the time line for the servers: [15:24] (Jozi) we expect the new portal tomorrow. It will take a week or so on part time work to install and test everything on the new OS version. after that, probably tow machine moves a week. we will anounce short down time periods for these upgrades. [15:27] (Laguna) Done? [15:27] (Jozi) yes done. oops [15:28] (Laguna) Soren posted this question in the forum, in case he couldn't be here. [15:28] (Laguna) 1. Eliminate country purchasing of goods and let the population buy them directly. [15:28] (Laguna) -The population will buy the highest quality it can afford under the economic circumstances. [15:28] (Laguna) -These circumstances will be figured from a combination of the employment rate, salary level, demographic of workers (for example, a high tech economy would get bonus here), and the welfare index. All these will figure into where in the range of 100-250 quality a country's people will buy its goods. Obviously, people want the best quality they can afford... afford being the operative word. [15:28] (Laguna) -The purchasing of these goods is then taxed by the country as sales tax [15:28] (Laguna) PROs: adds importance to the welfare index, good employment, and rewards careful corp choices. It also cuts a cost and turns it into a stream of income [15:28] (Laguna) CONs: May be hard to implement/program [15:28] (Laguna) Neutrals: The cut costs and gained income will be partially offset by strengthening one's indexes. In order to get more out of this, you would have to spend more to raise your welfare, thus creating balance. [15:28] (Laguna) ---- [15:29] (Jozi) I saw it. I don't kow what it means. The population should purchase? how is it supposed to happen? [15:29] (Laguna) Do you know what indiference curves are, Jozi? [15:30] (Jozi) the popualtion does purchase but someone needs to do it for the population so the country places the orders, based on the consumption that is computed every game month. [15:31] (Jozi) we can set automatic quality for purchases but I am sure many presidents don't want us to decide the quality they get and pay for. [15:32] (Laguna) [15:30] (The) The population buys goods direct and leaves the government out as the middleman [15:32] (Jozi) at this moment, purchasing of food at a high quality does not make sense. we plan to add incentives for high quality and then, I am sure, presidents will purchase high quality. [15:32] (Jozi) it does make sense for corporations, to a limit and for weapons and ammo. [15:33] (Jozi) having high quality influence the welfare index is of course a great incentive. [15:33] (Jozi) done [15:34] (Jozi) i read it again: [15:34] (Jozi) I think that high quality should increase the welfare index. pro: it will increase productiuon levels in corporations. [15:35] (Jozi) against: it will increase the cost for the country. [15:35] (Jozi) this is very easy to implement. [15:35] * Rob has left #jozichat [15:36] (Jozi) adding taxation, will make it very complex and does not add much to the game. we have too many complex features. [15:38] (Jozi) laguna, [15:38] (Laguna) Yes? [15:38] (Jozi) how does the population purchase directly? and how is government being kept out of it? [15:38] (Jozi) done [15:40] (Laguna) I did not make the suggestion and I have little opinion about which market circuit should be in place. [15:42] (Laguna) I asked you if you knew what indiferences are, because that would be the way one would decide how much a person (or population) would buy of each good. [15:43] (Laguna) Done. [15:44] (Jozi) I don't. we are computing the purchases, based on a model that knows about what people spend their money on, based on their income. [15:44] (Laguna) And their preferences? [15:44] (Jozi) as income changes, the purchasing pattern changes and with pricing changes too, the amount of products they order fluctuate. [15:45] (Jozi) quality is not there yet and will be added when it has an influence on other indexes. [15:45] (Jozi) done [15:46] * Laguna sets mode: +v The [15:47] (The) Hello [15:47] (The) this working now? [15:47] (Jozi) hello again [15:47] (The) Thanks for taking my question [15:48] (The) I would like to see the cost of population sales lowered [15:48] (The) from 3 to 5...This would encourage economic growth, and hopefully more wars [15:48] (The) i ment 5 to 3 [15:49] (Jozi) why do you think it is too high. we tend to think that it is too low... [15:49] (Jozi) adding 1 M people, enables you to build two additional corporations [15:49] (Jozi) and these corporations are capable of earning a lot for the country. [15:49] (The) More people will speed up the game [15:49] (The) and speed is what this game needs [15:50] (Jozi) what we do want to add is a professional army [15:50] (The) personally i don't want to add any army [15:50] (The) i want to add more players, and players that stay with the game [15:50] (Jozi) this will reduce the number of people you need. [15:50] (Jozi) same here. [15:51] (Jozi) I am not sure this has any relation to the price of population. [15:51] (The) lowering the price of population is more valuable that the devaluing of the game money going on now [15:52] (The) from the 460 coin rate to the current 370 rate [15:52] (Jozi) why is 3 gold coins so different from 5. Is it really a reason not to expand? [15:53] (The) For me now, but i am not your normal player [15:53] (The) but for many yes [15:53] (Jozi) the value of game money increased recently. It is not cheaper to purchase gold coins for the money you earn (and of course, you get less for your gold coins). [15:54] (Jozi) population used to be 5 GCs x 460B = 2.3T per million. [15:54] (Jozi) it is now 5 x 360B = 1.8T per million. [15:55] (Jozi) it depends if you look from the player who earns money or one who needs money to support the economy. Take Laguna .... [15:55] (Jozi) done [15:56] (Laguna) I'm confortable. [15:56] (The) Veterans making money...i agree with what you are saying. But new players are looking to put more real money into the game to buy population [15:57] (Jozi) the first two levels are easy. You can use the 100 gold coins to purchase 10 millions in population and 18T in cash. [15:58] (Jozi) new players is an issue. [15:58] (Jozi) we give them presents when they start, adding money, population and gold coins. [15:59] (Jozi) we are now planing even more of this to make their lives easier and give them more gold coins [15:59] (Jozi) when they achive something or login etc. [16:00] (The) Perhaps give newplayers 30-50 boosters. These boosters give them the ability to buy cheap population [16:00] * Keto has joined #jozichat [16:01] * Keto Quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client) [16:01] (Jozi) I preffer helping them in this way than reducing the price of population. It should be clear that population is your main asset. I would rather have it at 10 GC per million and increase the intro presents they get and the level awards. [16:02] (Jozi) maybe such booster can help. we will see what is easir to implement. more into presents or such boosters. [16:02] (Jozi) I mean intro presents. [16:03] (The) I think you will have more long term players if the player has a few countires with 40 to 50 million population. Also more players in that population rang will increase the number of wars. [16:03] (Jozi) done [16:03] (The) done [16:03] (Jozi) you might be right. We will think it over. [16:03] (Jozi) done [16:04] * Laguna sets mode: -v The [16:04] * Laguna sets mode: +v snozzled [16:04] (snozzled) "we have too many complex features." hmmm... Are you ever tempted to significantly dumb down the game to appeal to a much larger user base, or is the complex detail an essential part of its design ethos? [16:06] (Jozi) Don't worry. we have no such plans. but you see people struggle with the education and employment levels. [16:07] (Jozi) we have introduced automation to peoplke who want it and we may go into more depth in helping them even more [16:07] (Jozi) but we do not want to make these auto fuctions the greatest players around. [16:07] (Jozi) done [16:07] (snozzled) It sounds like the size/complexity/speed of the sim is limited by the need to run it all on a single server e.g. recent change reducing the number or corps per world. To what extent is the gameplay design constrained by hardware / software architecture limits? [16:10] (Jozi) not any more at all. at the start we hardy manged 3 months per day and had to skip one from time to time, with manual interventions. this is all gone and we can do what we want. the number of corporations is a problem. too long to run indeed and keeping it limited removes a potential problem. [16:11] (Jozi) but the numbers make it hard for players to manage. we want smaller numbers and very big and succeful ones. smaller number of public corporations but eccelent ones, high profits and high value with a much higher quality levels. [16:11] (Jozi) the new server generation we brin in will remove any future reference to processin time. [16:11] (Jozi) done [16:11] (snozzled) What would you do different if redesigning the game for a modern environment, in terms of both the technology available and the way people use it? Distributed simulation? User interface for mobile devices? [16:12] (Jozi) maybe mobile devices although we think that many people will move to I-PAD like devices. [16:13] (Jozi) more continous features rather than the n-times a day simulation. [16:14] (Jozi) less clicking of course and a dashboard like interface where you see where action is needed. I know our wish lists. [16:15] (Jozi) any ideas? [16:15] (Jozi) done [16:15] (snozzled) lol. lots of ideas. any job vacancies? :-) [16:16] (snozzled) Thanks for taking the time to talk Jozi. done. [16:16] * Laguna sets mode: -v snozzled [16:16] (Laguna) We have no one else in line. [16:16] (Jozi) thanks for being here. [16:17] (Laguna) I will ask a question. [16:18] (Laguna) With the advent of free membership, the possibilities for multiplaying increase. For one reason or another, others might find worthwhile to create and explore several accounts. [16:18] (Laguna) What will and can be done to hinder this? [16:19] (Jozi) we have already added some. someone was starting accounts and buying a weapon for a lot of gold coins on a space station, accumulating gold coins. [16:20] (Jozi) we have now prevented it. we will keep checking for strange accumulations and transactions and act. [16:21] (Jozi) it is only interesting for a multi, if they can win within a day. they don't want to do a lot of work on multiple accounts. This is where we can make it harder and they will give up. [16:22] (Jozi) I am sure there will be some misuse but we always had it. the question is: will it be more now? I doubt it. [16:22] (Jozi) done [16:22] (Laguna) [16:21] (The) Free accounts. How long can a player have a freee account? [16:22] (Jozi) don't forget, you don't get gold coins for moving levels. This is a setback for mulies. [16:23] (Jozi) multies. [16:23] (Jozi) the free account is for ever unless they never login and the account will be closed. [16:24] (Laguna) How long? [16:25] (Jozi) we in fact did not decide the exact number of days of inactivity. It is programmed but not set yet. [16:25] (Jozi) what do you think? [16:25] (Laguna) Two months. Even on vacation people log in once in awhile. [16:26] (Jozi) two months without a login? this is quite long! [16:26] * Laguna sets mode: +v snozzled [16:26] (snozzled) related to multis: games with a mechanism that allows for real life trading of in-game assets e.g. your new virtual assets packaging mechanism, are plagued by 'gold farmers' using cheap labour / bots to make assets to sell for real money on ebay. [16:26] * Laguna sets mode: +v The [16:26] (snozzled) Combating this can be time consuming and expensive. Do you think it will be a problem? [16:26] (Jozi) we are now mailing from time to time if a player does not login. (free members). [16:26] (The) 2 months is too long for a free player [16:27] (Laguna) We don't have the problem for worlds ove crowding. [16:27] (Laguna) over [16:28] (Jozi) snozzled: you need to explain how this is done. I am puzzled. [16:28] (Laguna) Remember when I said you should play other games?... [16:29] (Jozi) 2 months is too long for free members. we think about a month or 6 weeks. [16:29] (The) i agree 30days [16:29] (Laguna) Any period is about as good as any. [16:29] (Jozi) I remember. but how to make money in SC in this way is unclear. [16:30] (snozzled) pay some kid in china a few USD/mth to play the game with multi accounts, bundle up their population/assets/whatever and sell on ebay for more than you payed the kid. multiply by lots of cheap labour and you a) make real money and b) trash the gameplay. [16:31] (Laguna) That's right. Free members can't earn GCs now. [16:31] (Laguna) How much game money do they earn from their gifts and all? [16:32] (Jozi) Do you have evidence that anything like this is taking place? we see where traffic come from. china is not staring, for sure not in full members. Free members will hardly make any money and cannot exchange into gold coins and cannot use that function. [16:32] (Jozi) we see unusual traffic from cambodia, Vietnam ... but again, not many full members. Must be US citizens doing it... [16:33] (Laguna) lol... [16:33] (snozzled) I'm not saying it's a problem now, just that you seem to be changing/adding the game mechanics that may enable it, so be careful. [16:34] (Jozi) $ 1 US? come on... and then they can't exchange. you must be extremely smart to do this and if you are, you have my blessing. If it becomes large scale, it will pop up on our exception lists. [16:35] (Laguna) I remember a similar speech... and then came an exception. [16:36] (Jozi) I thought it was going on as we speek. we will of course keep an eye. we log many exceptions and get daily emails from the system with hints about strange changes and values. [16:36] (Jozi) Laguna, remind me please.. [16:36] (The) I hope the next exception is "We have too many paying players, we need to add two more worlds" [16:37] (Jozi) we have enough space in this computer farm to add many servers. [16:38] (snozzled) just use cloud servers to scale, you don't need to even buy hardware these days. [16:38] (Laguna) Look at that, I saved the thread. [16:38] (The) What is the average player age for simcountry? [16:40] (snozzled) The: what makes you think users give their real age? :-) [16:41] (The) They don't..I'm still 29 [16:41] (snozzled) or their real nationality, although at least you can reverse lookup the IP to deduce that. [16:41] (Laguna) We have a lot of +100. [16:42] (Jozi) average I don't know. should look into it. we see many professionals and we receive emails with some details on what they do and their experience. Many students, some older people who are playing a lot, some families and husband and wife duos. [16:42] (snozzled) I'd love to see the occupation distribution too, bet it's mostly accountants, computer geeks, economists and such :-) [16:42] (Laguna) Players who quit because of their wives? There are lots of those too. [16:43] (The) I'm an accountant...and my wife hates when I play [16:43] (Jozi) we get some requests and questions on using two accounts from one IP number and mothers who ask what this is and if it can harm their kid. (far too young). [16:43] (snozzled) or players whose wives quit them because of the game... [16:43] (The) i play at my office mostly [16:44] (Laguna) Those are the hardcore players. [16:44] (The) the econ side of the game is great for accountants and financial industry players [16:45] (Laguna) Ah. That reminds me of another question I had: [16:45] (Jozi) we don't know thereal age of course. many are from afganistan because the country is at the top of the list. [16:45] (Laguna) What is the marketing strategy of the game? [16:46] (Jozi) we had some cases you all know, of sick people and disabled and I have some very special mails from such people and stories of what the game did for them. [16:47] (Jozi) we are advertizing on Google, mainly in the US but also in the US and Canada and Australia off and on. [16:47] (snozzled) any plans to translate the UI for other markets? [16:47] (The) Try putting an add in the CPA Journal [16:47] (Jozi) google is changing rewcently and we need to do more work to update our campagins. we have started this a couple of weeks ago and have a consultant helping us from time to time. [16:48] (Jozi) the idea is to increase the marketing, optimize it and mainly, increase the number of daily regitrations. [16:48] (Jozi) I will look at he CPA journal. don't know it. [16:49] (snozzled) it will always be a small niche game because of the complexity, but with so many users on the 'net it should be possible to fill a few more servers. Do you have a target size in mind? [16:49] (Jozi) we love regitrations and registrations too. [16:50] (Jozi) I agree. just a minute , the phone [16:50] (The) Accountants have boring jobs counting other peoples money. This game is a great escape for them (Like me) [16:51] (Jozi) the nish is small but we have not reached it at all. [16:51] (Jozi) we could have 50 or 100 more players and even then, it will be relatively small. [16:52] (Jozi) we would like to have many more players per server with a higher percentage of full members to allow us to increase the number of worlds. [16:52] (Jozi) It will be nice if we could have everyone here do this 100% of their time. It will move forawrd much faster. [16:53] (Jozi) done [16:53] (snozzled) hire a user interface design person, it's better than advertising. [16:54] (Jozi) I don't know about better but we do need more of that for sure. [16:55] (Jozi) done [16:55] (snozzled) can we get more monthly .csv data to play with in our spreadheets? I'd love all companies/countries data exported regularly. [16:56] (The) War Engine: What percentage is this update complete now? [16:58] (Jozi) come up with specific fields you want. mail us and we will add if possible. (most is possible). [16:58] (snozzled) cool, thanks. [16:59] (Jozi) we have not changed the war engine recently. The changes in the C3 wars is outside the real processing of the war. We are planning the next four war levels for the coming weeks. also some work underway on the auto response units that will include stealth bombers, to use in smaller units, by the C3 country to response to attacks during war. [17:00] (Jozi) done [17:00] (Jozi) running out of time. [17:01] (Laguna) We better end now. [17:01] (Laguna) We've been at it for two hours now. [17:01] (The) thank you [17:01] (Jozi) I enjoy chatting with you and there are even some ideas to think about but I will have to leave soon. have a meeting in Amsterdam in less than two hours. [17:01] (Laguna) Thanks for comming, Jozi. [17:01] (Jozi) thanks for being here. we can setup a new chat? Laguna? any suggestions or do you want to mail? [17:01] (The) try cafe casablanca in amersterdam...great karaoke there [17:01] (Laguna) I will e-mail about the next chat. [17:01] (Jozi) thank you Laguna [17:02] (snozzled) thanks [17:02] (Jozi) casablanca it will be. [17:02] (Laguna) lol [17:02] * Laguna sets mode: -m [17:03] (Laguna) Later, Jozi. [17:03] (Jozi) loos good. [17:03] (Jozi) looks good.
| |
| Monday, December 6, 2010 - 04:24 am ??? Snozzled Laguna and Jozi Do it later on, Im to tired to wake up at 7am
| |
| Monday, December 6, 2010 - 04:40 am lol what u talking about barren its like 3-4am when these chats happen for me lol and see what happens i dont go and the chats dead... lol im kidding if i was serious that be major arrogance lol
| |
| Monday, December 6, 2010 - 05:28 pm I stayed home and watched it on TV  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3KFxMaUQM lol
Good question/Good answer
|
