Is FH Dying?

[Kuri]

The problem now is the massive log-in change. I understand that its a massive deal. But unfortunately, I've found many would-be players who just didn't play because they didn't know how to get into the game or it was too much of a hassle.

This is true, and the log-in page is kind of redundant now isn't it?

Ive noticed FH has had its ups and downs with this kinda thing. But most of the time it feels like its dying. Maybe part of the reason is that ppl get scared away from all the jerks in the game. Ya know. The ones that whisper you random falsely accusing you of something you never did CoughcoughShadowNightmareCoughcough. Or the ppl that straight up rude just cause you expressed your option. Or the ppl that report you just for sitting near them and/or talking to them. Frankly. I don't think its the game. Just the rotten eggs that play it.

It's lol to see someone make a seemingly popular character and when everyone sit near them, they spend half an hour lecturing them on how they block everyone who sits near them because they have "ungziyitiee" or something.  lol what did they think would happen?  Maybe they do it for lack of actual hobbies.

[Kastilla]

Like Ellen said, nobody knows/can tell when FeralHeart's flatline is buzzin' for real. Member influxes here and there. Newbies come and go, it's like clockwork. It has been doing that since after Kov vanished into his coded abyss. All we can do is tightly-pack together and make sure this puppy don't sink! FeralHeart has the potential to have a great future, if you're willing to believe it. Then again, there are those IT servers that basically are crafted from a broken shell of a game. Who knows if that will happen to FeralHeart in the future, huh? You can never tell.

Just gotta admit, though, FeralHeart wasn't great as it once was. It can be good to newbies, which are basically "children of the future." Some of them show good traits, but the good ones don't usually stay around...because of the other newbies/members. Heh. It's whatever, though. Just another MMORPG!

[Lucius]

The problem now is the massive log-in change. I understand that its a massive deal. But unfortunately, I've found many would-be players who just didn't play because they didn't know how to get into the game or it was too much of a hassle. I personally think the mods and admins need to find a better way of handling this or else the player count is just going to keep dropping because people just have no idea how to play.

That is very true. Few people who weren't around when the whole hacker incident happened would happen to know where to look in order to find information on how to get into the game.

There isn't a pinned topic on the forums that one would immediately see, and there isn't a Readme file that comes with the installation. There is nothing to tell me, as a player, that I have to click on the "Play Game" tab on the forums in order to connect to the front server.

As far as players are concerned, they install the game, launch it, and everything should be fine. When it isn't, they become confused. The traditional "Cannot connect to Front Server" implies that their internet connection might be wrong, but everything's fine on their end, so what is the problem? Of course, we know that the problem is that "Play Game" tab, but they sure don't.

My suggestion would be to use the "Bulletin.cfg" file, which is one of those things that the staff can modify without the source code. Put it right up there in caps, "YOU MUST LOGIN TO THE "PLAY GAME" TAB ON THE FORUMS BEFORE LOGGING INTO THE GAME". At least then, players will have instructions on what to do right from the start.

It's lol to see someone make a seemingly popular character and when everyone sit near them, they spend half an hour lecturing them on how they block everyone who sits near them because they have "ungziyitiee" or something.  lol what did they think would happen?  Maybe they do it for lack of actual hobbies.

Again, very true. I've seen this happen many times, where a person would log on with a popular character, only to then complain about how they were getting attention. If you do have an anxiety disorder, then it seems counter-intuitive to try and draw attention to yourself by not only using a very popular character, but doing it while you are sitting in one of the first maps that people have access to after leaving Lonely Cave.

I find it hard to believe that anyone with an anxiety disorder would spend any time lecturing people before blocking them in an MMORPG. I used to have social anxiety in high school; I didn't hop on WoW and say, "Oh boy, I can't wait to interact with and block all these people!".

Avoiding and minimizing contact with the source of your anxiety is the first logical instinct. If people make you anxious, then what are you doing on a game that's based entirely around social interaction with other people?

Not to mention that this game has a map maker. Don't like other people? Make a map and do your own thing by yourself, or invite the people you're friends with and trust. Pointless drama avoided.


This turned a bit ranty at the end, so I apologize, but my point still stands.

[FlyingGrass]

That is very true. Few people who weren't around when the whole hacker incident happened would happen to know where to look in order to find information on how to get into the game.

There isn't a pinned topic on the forums that one would immediately see, and there isn't a Readme file that comes with the installation. There is nothing to tell me, as a player, that I have to click on the "Play Game" tab on the forums in order to connect to the front server.

As far as players are concerned, they install the game, launch it, and everything should be fine. When it isn't, they become confused. The traditional "Cannot connect to Front Server" implies that their internet connection might be wrong, but everything's fine on their end, so what is the problem? Of course, we know that the problem is that "Play Game" tab, but they sure don't.

My suggestion would be to use the "Bulletin.cfg" file, which is one of those things that the staff can modify without the source code. Put it right up there in caps, "YOU MUST LOGIN TO THE "PLAY GAME" TAB ON THE FORUMS BEFORE LOGGING INTO THE GAME". At least then, players will have instructions on what to do right from the start.

I completely agree, 100%.

I was turned away from FH in 2016 by not knowing the "Play Game" tab, and not being able to log in on the FH forum to ask for help, I thought FH was broken. I didn't bother attempting to log into the FH forum until a year later when I tried and finally managed to log in to the FH forum. I don't remember how I found the "Play Game" tab, I think I had to click around all the tabs, not many people click around random tabs.

If I had a penny for every time I spotted a "Failed to connect to front server" topic solved by keeping the "Play Game" tab open, I'd have a lot of pennies. The "Play Game" tab needs to be known by more, and the fact that we should keep the tab open should not go unnoticed. Some people, such as me when I was looking to return, aren't reading the past help topics about "Failed to connect to front server" errors, so there had better be something plastered on the main page that tells us how to connect to the front server.

I've encountered an advertisement that looks like three tabs with one saying "Play Game" and that advertisement tab(Which is right below the real "Play Game" tab!) could be leading people away from the FH site entirely, someone I know IRL was almost led away from the FH website by that advertisement while I was teaching them how to get to the "Play Game" tab the first time. People are probably clicking on the advertisement's "Play Game" tab and then wondering why FH is still not letting them log in, and then they quit.

And there's proof that the "Play Game" tab is too unknown.

The "Play Game" tab can be tricky to figure out the purpose of until it's clicked on, maybe it should be renamed to the "Keep this tab open" tab.
People asking for help about the front server must be linked to the "Play Game" tab, there are advertisements that say "Play Game".

[Wyldercat]

I think it all boils down to users aging out of the game, with fewer younger people coming to the game. While in-game activity doesn't have as huge of a decline as you may think, the forum is... pretty dead. While it's unfair to judge 2018's forum stats as we're only halfway through the year, and 2011 was putting the forum together; there's a sizable difference in forum activity from 2012-17. While we see plenty of fresh faces in the intro boards, it's really just the same small group of rotating users active at any given time. Entire sections have died off, such as off-topic roleplay. It's kind of disheartening given how active it was when I first joined.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't say the game is doomed. Even without suggestions provided by others already, I'd say we have a couple more years left before activity gets... truly dismal.

An interesting topic, I'll +floof you for that!

[A.P.S.]

I joined FH probably a few years ago. Kovu already left but there were still plenty of people online. It was way before the new login system or the new update, too.

I think something like a readme or on the front page of the game or when you make an account would be helpful to new players. There are a ton of ads that look like part of the actual forum, but that's with a lot of websites.

Maybe people should keep an eye out on the registration and whenever it opens, try to see if people you know will sign up. Even though I tell many people about the game, it seems like because of the registration time, very few get in.

[Morqque]

Having grown with FeralHeart since 2012. I can say there has been a major decline in activity in-game. Likely due to
older members finding no interest in the game any longer, being busy, etc. And due to the decline, more people have been shying away after seeing the
barren maps. Perhaps, maybe it is due to the new patch. But I agree it is funny how they beg for updates but leave once they get it.
I personally used to play the game 24/7 but rarely do, due to being a busy person. That doesn't stop me from forum posting however.

[Jango_Fett]

Yes.

Not much else to say other than yes.

[Azorukon]

As someone who has been with feral heart since late 2011, I've definitely noticed a stark decline. In my own opinion Feral Heart has lost its spark, beginning with the leave of Kovu, I've only ever seen him in game once long ago. He essentially abandoned the game and took the source code with him, no one knows what happened to him. That being said, no updates are possible to improve the game or fix anything. The absence of the old admin team bore a hole as well, and with the limited registration newcomers are unable to join. The hacking issue which now requires people to open a separate login page in their browser has turned people away as well. The big turn off for most (mainly older players like myself) is the patch that was enacted june 2017 which changed the entire game and stripped it of it's old maps, a reset essentially. Back in FH's hayday I used to see around 400-600 people logged on a day at anytime, now I'm seeing 250 players online at MOST at any given time. It's sad, but I can see FH's end in the near future.

[A.P.S.]

As someone who has been with feral heart since late 2011, I've definitely noticed a stark decline. In my own opinion Feral Heart has lost its spark, beginning with the leave of Kovu, I've only ever seen him in game once long ago. He essentially abandoned the game and took the source code with him, no one knows what happened to him. That being said, no updates are possible to improve the game or fix anything. The absence of the old admin team bore a hole as well, and with the limited registration newcomers are unable to join. The hacking issue which now requires people to open a separate login page in their browser has turned people away as well. The big turn off for most (mainly older players like myself) is the patch that was enacted june 2017 which changed the entire game and stripped it of it's old maps, a reset essentially. Back in FH's hayday I used to see around 400-600 people logged on a day at anytime, now I'm seeing 250 players online at MOST at any given time. It's sad, but I can see FH's end in the near future.

The old maps really had something special about them. I have nothing really against the new maps, maybe besides feeling like they're a bit harder to remember where you're going and they all (except for the caves) feel very similar. But even though the old maps had some design problems, they had a sort of charm that nowadays can't really be remade.

I've been hoping more people will sign up, so I've been keeping an eye out for registration, but people don't seem very interested and it's sad to see the game end up this way. Being there were hundreds more players originally, unless it had issues back then, they could open it back up until we reached that point again.