The New Guide - Are you kidding

[Coffee]

Can confirm that I can not ban them.

This means you tried, right? What was your plan for if it worked :D

[joeblogs]

The new guide looks like some high school students end of term assignment.

[Darkmoore]

It's the imperfections that make things beautiful..

[Goodwitch]

The new guide looks like some high school students end of term assignment.

thank you for your feedback :) now let's try this a little more constructive :) what would you like to see changed?

It's the imperfections that make things beautiful..

like an amish quilt :) but in all seriousness we do want it to become as perfect as it can be in time. I am sure someone of your skill set has some helpful ideas ?

[joeblogs]

thank you for your feedback :) now let's try this a little more constructive :) what would you like to see changed?

It's not the content but the design. That website is not a place where people will want to spend time browsing, it looks like something right out of 1997. It will not attract a new generation of players, but rather appeals (maybe) to the older generation of players already here. The key to revitalizing the game is just that - revitalization - make it look better or spend some limited funds to get someone to design a proper layout that can be easily customized. Even a basic wordpress blog can look better than that with some simple tweaks. In short, keep the content, change the design.

[Sephi]

joeblogs, thing is, most of us are those oldies. So we need younger ones to give us design ideas. Even sketches is ok, coding can be fixed. Also I can tell you, 1997 looked way worse :D check these ones http://royal.pingdom.com/2008/09/16/...-in-1996-1997/

Thanks however for coming back and clarifying, much appreciated and we are in the progress of at least getting a mobile version up with the thanks of a new member.

[Goodwitch]

It's not the content but the design. That website is not a place where people will want to spend time browsing, it looks like something right out of 1997. It will not attract a new generation of players, but rather appeals (maybe) to the older generation of players already here. The key to revitalizing the game is just that - revitalization - make it look better or spend some limited funds to get someone to design a proper layout that can be easily customized. Even a basic wordpress blog can look better than that with some simple tweaks. In short, keep the content, change the design.

anybody can say "i don't like that", what we need is people to tell us what they do like. It's a community project. It will change rapidly.
Tell us what you think would look better, which areas should change, which colors, fonts etc etc etc

You are correct, when designing we were aiming to bring back nostalgia reminding current players of the old guides the game used to have.
Not to keep it this way but to remind people why they started playing, what it was that drew them in and kept them here.
Now the object is to bring it into the future without losing that same allure it had back then.

[joeblogs]

anybody can say "i don't like that", what we need is people to tell us what they do like. It's a community project. It will change rapidly.
Tell us what you think would look better, which areas should change, which colors, fonts etc etc etc

You are correct, when designing we were aiming to bring back nostalgia reminding current players of the old guides the game used to have.
Not to keep it this way but to remind people why they started playing, what it was that drew them in and kept them here.
Now the object is to bring it into the future without losing that same allure it had back then.

The problem is that the guide aims to attract new players, no? By being reminiscent of the original 'theme' of utopia it only serves the current community. It needs to be something that will attract non players, which will involve something new - something that doesn't look dated. Basically you need to sell the game to players who don't play, not to those who do.

[Goodwitch]

The problem is that the guide aims to attract new players, no? By being reminiscent of the original 'theme' of utopia it only serves the current community. It needs to be something that will attract non players, which will involve something new - something that doesn't look dated. Basically you need to sell the game to players who don't play, not to those who do.

exactly...so tell us what you think will do that. tell or show us what "not dated" looks like. tell us what people would be looking for now. be as specific as possible

for example there are mini videos in the works that will be added to show the actual screens and where to click what. like sephi mentioned cell phone compatibility is being worked on as we speak.

we want and need your input

[StratOcastle]

I'm happy. I looked. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean we can't get along.

I use to read books like the Dungeonmasters Guide. I'm hoping the detractors aren't referring to the stark themes I see in a lot of sites. I like a little warmth in my reading. Ghetto sunset anyone?

[StratOcastle]

Overall, let me say this: Utopia is a modern classic.

If it was a classic guitar you have to ask yourself, what do I change?

Well, you might make things more ergonomic
Without changing the classic lines

You might go with more efficient metallurgy in the hardware
Without changing the tone

You might find more economic means to shape the wood
Without screwing the mojo

A classic doesn't cater, it stands on it's heritage. I think the devs can walk the fine line of keeping the exclusivity of excellent play and still gain numbers through logical ergonomics. The quality of the player base can influence the type of player the game attracts. Sure, it's for every walk of life; but for the decerning, patient gamer who truly wants a challenge.

[Palem]

This means you tried, right? What was your plan for if it worked :D

I'm not sure "tried" is the operative word. The button to give infraction points isn't there.

But if there was a button and I had pushed it, I would have just removed the infraction and tell them that I just had to see if I could lol

[smercjd]

The problem is that the guide aims to attract new players, no? By being reminiscent of the original 'theme' of utopia it only serves the current community. It needs to be something that will attract non players, which will involve something new - something that doesn't look dated. Basically you need to sell the game to players who don't play, not to those who do.

Actually that's not entirely true. There are over 100K older players that are attractable first. They are 1) more likely to play anyway and 2) the current guide's nostalgia and imperfections are more likely to attract them. Then THOSE people are more likely to invite others.

Suggestions

1) Someone mentioned something about it not looking too great on mobile? If there's any way to improve mobile...that is basically the world we live in today. Without that, it might be tough. But that goes for not just the guide, but the game itself needs to be mobile friendly.

2) There are some definite ways to look at things that work and sort of grab from them (Take clash of clans or some other popular mobile game). Find some of the reasons those become so addicting or easy to use. Of course some of it is obviously visual and if we're avoiding that with Utopia, then look at the other things about Utopia that make it addicting. [For many, it's the build/growth progression initially, then it opens into the fact that you're not alone!]

Honestly Clash of Clans is sort of like the mobile version of Utopia w less numbers and more colors. However, there are plenty of people that are more attracted to the numbers than the colors and will be happier with Utopia.

EDIT: That moment when I realize what I just said was sort of like what Strat0 just said a couple posts back...just in a much less artistic way.

[MeIkor]

I am sorry to say, that I do not like this new guide for several reasons.

I) Design aspects.
1. I think the contrast between background color and script color is too hight in the dark theme. The light theme is ugly imo. The navigation bar looks out of place. The color combinations do not look pleasing.
2. Lists like spell lists would be probably better readable in tables.
3. Pictures look out of place. The backgrounds of your pictures do not fit with the background of your page. There is no theme, no picture design that corresponds between pictures themselfes or between pictures and utopia themes.

II) Content.
Short: Too much text, hardly any relevant informations to understand the game, out of place strategy guides.
This guide is a mix of a noval about the world of utopia and strategy guides. You read a strategy guide after you learn how to play a game. Otherwise the strategy does not make sense to you.
You notice that people wrote this guide, who already know the game.
Someone who does not know the game does not want a strategy guide, but perhaps a table of military units that compares the strengths of different races.
For example: Your Military: "100% elites - The strengths of this strategy depends on your race but running this strategy as an attacker, such as an undead or an orc, would be suicidal and would be a detriment to your kingdom."
-> If you do not know the numbers concerning elites and specialists, nothing about dynamics of an utopian war, you do not understand anything.

Look at thedragonportal.eu/guides/30/ -> races and personalities for example.
You get a fantasy themed introduction and some tables with easy informations. That is enough and especially these kind of tables are missing in the actual guide.
If you want to, create a strategy guide, but dont put it in the guide for beginners, please.

[Korp]

Smerjcd it's Okey to have negative criticism as wełl. That's how you improve things. Besides there never was 100k players maybe 70-80k provs spread over two servers.