wow that is such a bomb idea... never even crossed my mind.
I would like to see a push "back to the basics" per se... I think that as additions have been made, it has made the game so much more complicated and the learning curve is simply too high.
I would like to see the Elite server with salvage down to less than 10% (preferably 0). Then I want the ELITE server to be the FIRST option when registering. Thus if someone registering doesnt change the server then they go straight to the elite server.
Here is the reason I want this to happen. It is not because I want more players on Elite, although I do want, it is simply because I truly believe that more new players will stick around and play when all they have to learn is how to build a ship, instead of how to set mines/replicate/get cp/build planet/ etc.... THEN once they get comfortable playing on elite and learn the basics there - then we can introduce them to MAIN and they will alrdy know the basics...
doesnt that make much more sense?
I thought that it might be nice to have a civil talk about the game for once..
On to your post.
The main reason we keep losing players is there is just too much to do and get good at, and then it simply becomes a grind. Many returning players have had a huge adjustment period before being able to come out and legitimately play.
ELITE as the main server that players start off at, I like that idea a lot. If players see the basics to everything right away, maybe that'd be better. That way you aren't being blasted with "Ooooh, encryptions?! Sounds cool--WOAH, A GALAXY? --HOLY CRAP, I CAN GET PLANETS. Wait, how do I do this?", but it becomes more of "Hmm, could you help me design my first few ships? Alright, sick. Should be able to figure it out from here..."
Salvage, I assume you mean on the defender's part? I agree, should be 0. Rewards for a successful attack should be higher on all servers in my opinion too, but..The salvage spoonfeeds people too much. Hundreds of players active at a time, that's how it was long ago, and they didn't have nearly as much help.
~My ideas..well, okay, some basic ones~
Lower the rewards on all servers, as it's just draining the pockets. Raise it when we have more people donating and playing. Offer more benefits in a gold account, so that more people will buy it. Hell, I only use it for the 20% discount, which doesn't much matter after the first few weeks.
Advertise more, as this game is not as highly recognizable as it could be. A higher player base will come from spending more time and money on advertising, thus increasing revenues, ideas, fun, etc.
I understand Emi has his ideas about the game, and I understand he has other games, and others he wishes to make. In my opinion though, for a full success, he needs to spend much more time listening to players, helping them towards ideas both he and they will like, as well as reinforcing and enforcing the rules of the Terms of Service.
Not to bash Emi though, as there are a lot of things I like about this game, there really are. I mean, for instance, the level of depth this game brings to the table simply by the ability to completely design one's own ships, is astounding, and there is no other game I know with that. The math is complex when first starting, but you get the hang of it and any high school kid should be able to do it. The formulas are out there, for sure. That is definitely one of the biggest things worth advertising in my opinion.
EDIT: Lol, yes, Sat. Totally what it is.
My thought process behind that was merely that it would be kind of cool, and would open up, hopefully, a whole new variety of options. That was ages ago, though, and I only used that as an example.