Graal has an accessibility issue
 

I was talking with my real-life friend who is in school working toward a PhD is the classical music field. In the past he has sent me samples of video game music he's made for fun and I've realized he is very talented beyond what I've seen anyone on Graal be able to create. This friend and I have had many long conversations about video game music as we are both big fans of the sound work done in games like Earthbound and Zelda.

I was explaining to him that I am managing an online game project that he could possibly contribute to. The conversation eventually got to this:

So with most games, I could just send a link and they would arrive at the website and download the game, and that's it. But after checking out the Graal website I realized that creating an account and getting online to the actual game is such a confusing nightmare that I don't even wish to give the link to people. It's embarassing and what will happen is that most people will give up, not subscribe, and move on.

If you don't think this is a factor in Graal's declining playerbase you are insane. This is the reason.

2 things could be done to solve this problem (and none of it is difficult):

- Make a better website, and if you can't do that, revert to a previous version of the website. Make sure it is clear and easy to understand how to download the client and play the game. (do players still have to subscribe? I don't even know anymore. If I'm confused then imagine how new players feel.)

- Advertise. That's it, just advertise. This could not be easier, considering most of the advertisement could be free ads placed on the Facebook client. Also you can pay facebook to advertise for you, it's a win-win. I'd almost be willing to pay for some of this out of my pocket because it's such a no-brainer.

Graal really surpasses the boundaries of logic :(

someone in the community prob has to do it

someone needs to spend some rupees

I recently made a more concrete offer to redevelop the website which included a detailed portfolio of some of my previous web work, showing a wide variety of HTML5 functionality as well as some more conventional sites. Among the clientele I had carried out this work on behalf of were Coca Cola Enterprises, MTV and the UK Home Office. There were also some basic ideas listed as to how I would develop the site or what technologies/framework it would use.

As of yet I have again not received a response but I know the email was read within half an hour of me sending it and at least some of the links were opened.

got any samples for us plebs?

I can provide links in private, some can't be posted publicly..

Still no response including to a follow up email. I can also tell that Skype messages I sent haven't even been read.

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I'd be willing to show these examples to those within Unixmad's inner circle if a new Graal website is something they'd like to see actually happen. It took a few hours just to put together some of this for previewing purposes.

that's a shame ;[

gogo

i can't imagine how much potential money they have lost from just that sht website

all bout dat iDevice bruh

It's not something I'm working on yet, but I do have plans in the works for a Graal2001 website that looks and feels more like the classic Graal website. The funny thing is that the original few website designs were actually appealing enough to hook me as a new player, and I know it will help bring new players. The only problem is the Graal site and client, so I will try and host a better way for players to procure the client in fewer clicks if possible. Like I said though, no work has begun on this idea yet.

I've also tried bringing up these points again, the first of which I'd suggest is the most crucial:

But everything is falling on deaf ears as per usual. I don't believe a single word of any of the promises I've heard in recent months anyway, it's clear to me that it was just a lame attempt to deflect away blame, but even if I did believe it, this black-balling of ideas/proposals wouldn't be adding any credence.