Originally Posted by
an|on
Let's begin by defining what Utopia is. Many would be quick to give an answer consisting of keywords that are readily indexable by a search engine, but that is a bit reductionistic to describe something so complex in such simple terms. The true definition, will depend entirely upon who is defining it.
For the vast majority of users, the UI is Utopia. The User Interface is how every Utopian, whether a seasoned veteran who has been here since its inception or a completely new player stumbling into our world for the first time, views and interacts with the game. Being a data driven (aka text based) game, it is paramount that this interface be both functionally and aesthetically gratifying to the player by leveraging current development standards.
Updating the navigation system as well as making relevant and contextual information glanceable is the kind of functionality Utopia needs to improve the overall user experience. Though some may hold fast to what is familiar, the learning curve for new players is made that much more difficult simply because of poor design. The current system of navigating pages within the game for bits of information is a much more cumbersome process than actually playing the game. In essence, the more elements that can be logically arranged, the better.
For the core base of users, the community is Utopia. There is no doubting that the continued existence of Utopia is due largely to the dedication of longtime players who continue to enrich the game by creating apps/tools, guides, and generally expanding its knowledge base. They have been, from the very beginning, the vanguard of Utopian ideals by which all developments are measured. As such, the inputs of the community should be highly valued to preserve its esprit de corps.
For developers, the API is Utopia. Development of an API is of particular importance as it is key to the overall longevity and scaleability of Utopia. If the plan is to grow Utopia back to its peak user base and beyond, we first need to develop an infrastructure capable of scaling to larger influxes of activity. An API will enable developers to build better apps and tools while greatly reducing server loads (and by extension costs) as Utopia expands across platforms to reach a wider audience.
The Genesis Server will be a great testbed platform to experiment with functionality, game mechanics, and potential changes to be rolled out to the standard server in subsequent Ages. It'll give developers a chance to try new ideas and work out the kinks before deploying to the greater community. This will help to ensure that only successful features and mechanics are implemented into the core Utopia experience.
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Pay to Win | Never.
Engage to Win | Always.
Pay to Customize | Yes.
Customizations could be a viable income stream that would benefit players (end-users) and developers alike. Given a clean and properly documented API, developers are far more likely to dedicate their time and talents to maintaining and improving the Utopia codebase.
Pay for Functionality | Questionable.
The balance between hardcore/casual/new players is central to the growth of Utopia's user base. Depending on the advantage functions provide, they can be construed as Pay to Win if not properly balanced. The end goal should be to provide a full set of standard functionality to all users, with additional granular controls for kingdom management to Monarchs and Stewards.
Donate to Development | Yes.
Utopia should be a community funded and developed project. Community sourced development roadmaps with tangible goals, actionable metrics, and project milestones should be created and updated regularly to track progress and help encourage contributions. A persistent donation link should be implemented to allow donors access to a secure payment gateway such as Stripe/Bitcoin.
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Let's start a dialogue about the future of Utopia.