Poll

What is your stance on the future of FeralHeart?

I'm okay if the game shuts down
16 (26.7%)
I'm not sure what I want
10 (16.7%)
I believe we can bring the game back to life
34 (56.7%)

Total Members Voted: 50

Author Topic: The mixed future of FeralHeart  (Read 5634 times)

wolfdog01

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The mixed future of FeralHeart
« on: September 20, 2019, 04:52:07 pm »
So this could be a touchy subject for some people, but considering how many times it has been brought up by the community, I think it's about time to actually get an idea of what people see in the future of this game. Not many people post about how okay they are with the game dying, perhaps it's because most of them left. I am personally okay if the game shuts down, I've had my fun and at this point I feel like we are beating a nearly dead horse. I think ever since General was taken away the number of players has slowly been in decline and made worse by the sudden bursts of drama that we get. For example: the hacking, NoModOctober, new maps, staff drama, etc. I'll be honest, I am not online or in game a lot, but I check the forums everyday and haven't found too much action here like there used to be. Constantly 2 or more pages of new posts, long discussions over simple things just because there was a lot of people. Not many people seem to be in game anymore either, any time we get into the hundreds it is exciting which is depressing considering how booming this game used to be. Easily peaking at in the 1,000s on summer weekends and making the game crash, it was frustrating at times but looking back on it now, I laugh about it.
Now I know many people think we can still revive this game and pull it out of the pit that it is in, and maybe we can. We have xSpirit now who has already done amazing, ground breaking work. This post is not meant to discourage all of that progress and all of the plans for the future updates, this is the first time in ages that we have someone who can finally do something with the game itself. So much time and effort has been put in by him and the staff alike to keep this game running, knowing that it's almost a decade old. Although during that time trust levels have become quite unstable between the community, staff, and Raz so no one seems to really know what's happening with this game. Registration has FINALLY opened up after all of this time and that is amazing, without that the community would just continue to shrink. All of these amazing things are slowly happening but that doesn't come without the approval from Raz. The staff cannot seem to express their ideas and opinions about updates and issues with the game without the watchful eye of him. Nothing can be done without getting his approval first, which is very scary considering it is one person that has the yes or no vote on everything that happens to this game. Yes, he has kept this game going for so long, using his own time and money to keep it up, but there needs to be some form of democracy.
There are a lot of great ideas always being thrown around by the community and staff, but if there is not enough people around to implement those and others to enjoy them, is there really a point? I hate to sound harsh, but so many of the same ideas are being repeated and it seems like we are just going in circles. Everyone knows things need to change, but when will they? Is it too late? How many of these new accounts are actually new? Are these just members making more accounts? Will those joining stay for the long run? Will FeralHeart ever be as big and active as it used to be?
There is a lot to discuss and a lot of questions that should be asked, I'm not looking to change minds, but to give a space for serious conversation. I know the minority who wish for this game to pass on have stayed pretty silent for the fear of their post getting removed or getting bashed for wanting our childhood game to end. Hopefully this will give them the courage to speak up.
Thanks for coming to my Tedtalk.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2019, 03:31:33 am by wolfdog01 »

Offline A.P.S.

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2019, 05:22:57 pm »
Not gonna lie, I was very against what you said and the idea at first, but you make a very good point. I still believe the game can continue on, I hold out hope, but that's not to say it's likely.

I don't know everything that's happened. I don't understand the drama, I haven't been here since the beginning or even back when Impressive Title was originally up. But, I know people are unhappy, there's a lot we can't do, but there's a lot we can. Advertising, community reviving or reaching out, honestly just waiting feels sometimes like our best bet.

I'd hate to see this game go, it means a lot to me, even if I've had my moments where I've done or said something stupid, or felt left out and like the odd one of the bunch, and still continue at times to do those things or feel that way, but I want to stick with this game. If there's hope, the possibility of revival, the possibility of true and positive progress (let's say, registration opening back up, xSpirit and the source code), then I'm going to be right here with the game.

I think it'd be nice to have a day sometime soon where people of the community get together and go on some large spree to reach out across various platforms. Heck, real life even. Maybe put up a poster somewhere showing off the game and how to sign up. Other things could be like livestreams, posting the home page on Discord servers, or reaching out on other websites and forums (given they allow it, of course.) I know these things have already been done though, but maybe having a day everyone gets together to help promote such actions may be nice.

Rhakorra

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2019, 06:05:27 pm »
To be very honest, I wouldn't mind if the game does shut down to. We are definitely traveling as if we are in a circle: Our ideas is not going anywhere besides a simple comment "noted" and left as that. We are dead (in my eyes). There's no contest, and I strongly believe users shouldn't be hosting contest or mini parties. There's no any other activities besides presets and roleplaying. I am not trying to say its anyone fault, but overall we aren't functioning like a community should try to be.

I strongly believe if Raz doesn't want to make things fun after some fright from the hacking, NMO, and staff drama I think he should just hire someone else who is young and is willing to be active around the forums and game. As someone who grows older, you just begin to move slowly and I just believe that's Raz case. I am sure he is happily married, family, and busy with work. Overall, we need someone younger and more into gaming, or just be our server host and leave as that. I believe there is hope for FH, we just need a new leadership. If you think about it, the only active leaders we have is Sura, who is trying her best for us.

I also believe we need more updates. We don't get monthly updates or any news. We wait almost every few months to get some new update. I think someone should bring back the monthly news. Another thing to point out, surveys - something that is helpful throughout the community -. I just we should just get a thread what staff has considered. Staff should also be in the works of announcing things they are planning to add, remove, and think upon and whatnot.

Either way, I think there's alot of things that can be added to the forums: An active team, more developers, new updates (not only game updates). Just think about what Red would do...

Offline Bloo.

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2019, 09:56:58 pm »
Personally, I'd hate to see the game shut down. I don't think the game is dying, I think this generation of members is "dying". Not literally, obviously, but the original generation of FH users are growing up, growing tired, and moving on. Now that registration is open, a new generation of members will be coming in. Members like myself and the staff will be here to usher them in, watch them grow and learn the game. This game is completely new to them, they don't have an older version to compare it to and get nostalgic about.

My goal here is to watch the game regrow under the creativity and minds of the new youth. They are the new 'us' when we first joined back in 2011-2013. I want to be here for them, help them learn and give them the experiences I had. I have a lot of hope for the future of FeralHeart.


You are amazing <3

Offline turtlies

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2019, 10:07:05 pm »
I don't want Feralheart to be shut down. However, I'm at peace with that if it does happen.

I dislike the current state of FH being very uncertain in regards to its future. I want there to be a clear decision made, whether that is to let the game die or to continue supporting updates. I don't want to sound as if I'm insulting Raz or anything, but FH very much seems as if it's only in his hands---he has the final say in all matters, and no updates can go forward without his agreement (this is what I understand from staff comments, correct me if I'm wrong). Things get shaky when FH's fate seems to be up to one guy.

The game is just kinda at a stagnant point right now, and things seem a little tense. Seems like something's gotta change.


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bro what if i put my feralheart cave next to yours.. bro what if they only had one flattened bush mesh to lay on and we had to share... haha just kidding... unless...?

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2019, 07:24:07 am »
Just to make it clear, I'd hate to see the game I call home be shut down, especially after placing so much faith in it having a chance to bounce back. I care very much and will do what I can. <3
For the sake of my own health and interests, I've left FH and I won't be looking back.

Rhakorra

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2019, 08:08:35 am »
Personally, I'd hate to see the game shut down. I don't think the game is dying, I think this generation of members is "dying". Not literally, obviously, but the original generation of FH users are growing up, growing tired, and moving on. Now that registration is open, a new generation of members will be coming in. Members like myself and the staff will be here to usher them in, watch them grow and learn the game. This game is completely new to them, they don't have an older version to compare it to and get nostalgic about.

My goal here is to watch the game regrow under the creativity and minds of the new youth. They are the new 'us' when we first joined back in 2011-2013. I want to be here for them, help them learn and give them the experiences I had. I have a lot of hope for the future of FeralHeart.
That was nicely said Bloo :3

Offline Ellen11v

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2019, 08:26:33 am »
I am 100% on Bloo’s side and I wish to do the same, and give the new generation a great experience.
doing what i feel like

BirdieBeep

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2019, 02:50:09 pm »
Honestly, whatever will be will be.

I'd be a might sad to see the game shutdown however. Perhaps mostly for my own nostalgia sake and also because I do have a feeling that FH can be so much more than it is now, people just need to make the right calls. What are those right calls? That I am unsure of. A lot things can be done, things that are perhaps seen as good, but there's not much of a guarantee that it'll keep things afloat, but then again, optimism is the best survival skill one can have. I do think there is at least some hope. Now that registration opened up again, I noticed that The Grounds seemed a lot livelier and other people in maps that isn't The Grounds, if you saw, the server had 149 people online. This isn't a lot compared to it's hay days of nearly breaking the server, but considering FH has barely been able to pass 100/110, it is somewhat significant.

I agree with Valar. Morghulis, I think FH is having a harder time competing with other games. FH is well over 8 (9?) years old and it hasn't been updated in years until only recently. We've got a lot catching up to do. It's always been the community that's kept this game kicking, if it weren't the case, FH would've died the moment Kovu seemingly dropped communications. And I think if updates are being put out on the regular now and there's more stuff to gage community involvement (i.e contests), I think FH can still reach some potential.
But we'll have to wait and see, really, no one can know what will happen. We can hope for the best at the very least.
And, if it were the end. I'd rather end it on a note that celebrates FH for what it is. No drama, uncertainty and pessimism.

Offline Bawfle

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Re: The mixed future of FeralHeart
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2019, 09:52:34 pm »
On one hand. I would be pretty disappointed if Feral Heart did ever shut down. However, on the other hand, if dramas continued to up-rise when it comes to efforts between staff and community (such as the No Mod October proposal and the recent up-roar that occurred), then I would say "so be it", because if Feral Heart were to continue heading in that direction instead of improving, then the game becomes more of a place of hate and toxicity rather than all the good stuff we really love/loved about the game.

Feral Heart was a huge part of what shaped me into who I am today. I was thirteen when I first started playing this game, and now I'm twenty-one. I hold a lot of great memories inside and outside of the game that are very valuable to me. If the game were to shut down one day, the only thing I would expect and hope the game would be shut down for is an ever-inactive user-base, as it would generally make the game's server really pointless to keep up and running. I'd rather that happen than the game end on a bad note.

From the Feral Heart hacking of November 2015 to where we are now, there have been many factors that have disrupted the user-base:



•   General Chat's Closure.
In terms of the social side of the game, General Chat's closure did kill a lot of it. But then again, if it returned, would there be much of a use for it? Read on...

The vibe from General Chat was always so informal. It was easy to talk to anybody and everybody. People enjoyed that about the General Chat, and I think this is one of the major reasons why people miss its existence. Other than the informality, General Chat also served a purpose for role-play advertising. However, as far as my knowledge goes, with the Source Code in staff's possession it would be very simple to add a new chat for role-play advertisements specifically and I think that is going to be something we're going to see in future. With that said, that then gives General chat only one purpose; chatting to other users from across the map. All though this could still be beneficial to some wanting to be social whilst role-playing, you could then argue that people can just hold conversations with others in whisper or party chats.

However, I feel that is very restricting when you want to just openly talk with users, and defeats the purpose of these users wanting to talk with anybody and everybody and generally be included in an open conversation while upholding another activity away from social users that are not in local-range. An example of this would be a group role-playing one one side of a map, whilst there's some social activity going on elsewhere. I feel that General Chat's main achievement was getting users to communicate and socialise with each other more confidently and flexibly, rather than it being ease (as that sounds incredibly lazy). Hence why I spoke about the informal vibe it provided users with earlier.

With the things said above, we can't deny the fact that the chat itself was misused quite a lot. Whether it was spam or talking to a user in General Chat when they were in local range, it was still misuse. But with that, I think we do have to trust our user-base a little more when it comes to some aspects of self-moderation. If there was an in-game rule in place about misuse of certain chats, that could aid users with self-moderation to those who may retaliate to those users simply trying to guide other users not to misuse the chat and asking them to use it for its main purpose.

I'm not sure how well I worded that but if there's anything that doesn't sound right lemmi know.

**Disclaimer** I'm not saying I don't want General Chat back through saying this, I'm just giving insight.

•   The Feral Heart Hacking of 2015.
This was a fairly scary ride. Not just for those staff members that were dealing with it, but the community as well. This event lead to a week or so of the game being shut down, followed by a re-opening with a new login system in place for better security. Personally I don't think this effected the game a whole lot, it's just a little more inconvenient. But at the end of the day the game is better secure than not secure at all. The only members I think we lost during that time were those who were never able to wrap their heads around how the new login system worked. Those people being the youngest audience the game had.

•   The first ever Feral Heart Patch.
Let's be honest. The majority of the user-base lost interest of the game when the new maps took away the role-play vibe. The maps were too different for people to adjust too, and looked nothing like Feral Heart at all. That patch changed everything, and Feral Heart lost it's spark. It did a whole flip-around, even. Yes, there are new users that have joined since and probably enjoy the maps, but the thing is, FH lost the majority of it's old user-base over this mess. Even with new users joining, it's going to take such a long time to re-gain a big user-base because it's practically like doing it by scratch. The 1.14 Feral Heart got its user-base from the Impressive Title game by default. To encourage old users and new users to return, there needs to be some effort to at least re-vamp the current maps and effectively add 1.14 Feral Heart landmarks in there.

•   No Mod October.
Do I even need to explain?

•   The 2019 up-roar.
I'm not exactly sure what to call this one, but you should all know what I mean. This specific drama was created between "old staff" (the staff that left during No Mod October), and the "new staff" (the staff that were recruited after No Mod October), along with some influential members of the community who sided more with the "new staff" and their situations/experiences, rather than the "old staff". Just oof. This scared people off for sure. Long-term and short-term.



Even though FH has gone through a rough patch after rough patch, I still believe that with the right staff team the game could be brought back to life. But I don't feel confident enough with that at the moment, hence one of the reasons why I decided to reduce my activity around here to almost non-existence. But, I found this topic pretty interesting.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2019, 10:03:08 pm by Bawfle »


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