Effectively Improving Your Server

[Stephen]

I've created a short essay on identifying customer groups. This method can be used to improve your server. Improving your server will help you influence the Graal Online community.

http://forums.graalonline.com/forums/blog.php?b=160
Click Here to Visit The Blog Entry (Legacy)

[Liberated]

I read it, and i'll keep it in mind when/if i make a server.

[TheJames]

Kudos.

[fowlplay4]

Due to Google's use of Java-script for the Analytic Tool, I'm pretty sure they don't want people messing around with it. In fact it's probably easier to track statistics locally and to greater depth instead of pretending your gServer is a website and sending the statistics to Google.

[oo_jazz_oo]

Well, Google's analytics api is used for website, flash, and 'gadget' tracking.

I don't think Google intends you to use the api's they make in any certain set way. Google is all about thinking outside the box.
So, using Google analytics is actually a very creative way to track information on your server.

Nice essay btw.

[Door]

This is terrible, I have no idea what you were trying to say; there's not a single point made that had any appropriate supporting details. In fact, there seemed to be just details, no points. You jumped around between topics, used information that was purely incorrect in terms of marketing, and your spelling/grammar/syntax was utterly deplorable. You don't even have a thesis.

This is an embarrassment that literally says nothing worthwhile to anyone. I wouldn't be so mean about it if you hadn't dressed it up to look like a professional piece of writing as though it actually holds some merit and/or writing skill, but I actually felt insulted as a writer. Next time, please get an editor. Hell, get someone who actually has a point to make.

[Imperialistic]

Originally Posted by Door

This is terrible, I have no idea what you were trying to say; there's not a single point made that had any appropriate supporting details. In fact, there seemed to be just details, no points. You jumped around between topics, used information that was purely incorrect in terms of marketing, and your spelling/grammar/syntax was utterly deplorable. You don't even have a thesis.

This is an embarrassment that literally says nothing worthwhile to anyone. I wouldn't be so mean about it if you hadn't dressed it up to look like a professional piece of writing as though it actually holds some merit and/or writing skill, but I actually felt insulted as a writer. Next time, please get an editor. Hell, get someone who actually has a point to make.

this is my kind of woman ^___________________^


Yes, Stephen I have to agree with the majority about this, It was really poorly thought out.

[Craigus]

Originally Posted by Door

This is terrible, I have no idea what you were trying to say; there's not a single point made that had any appropriate supporting details. In fact, there seemed to be just details, no points. You jumped around between topics, used information that was purely incorrect in terms of marketing, and your spelling/grammar/syntax was utterly deplorable. You don't even have a thesis.

This is an embarrassment that literally says nothing worthwhile to anyone. I wouldn't be so mean about it if you hadn't dressed it up to look like a professional piece of writing as though it actually holds some merit and/or writing skill, but I actually felt insulted as a writer. Next time, please get an editor. Hell, get someone who actually has a point to make.

I don't know why your being so offensive? His intent is obviously to help the community.

[Imperialistic]

Originally Posted by Crono

Since when did gralats go anywhere to begin with? Most of these are most likely leftovers from people upgrading their accounts and whatnot.

Didn't really know where it went, and if it went to the server I'm sure they could do rare contests and use it as a prize.

[Crimson2005]

I don't get what exactly you're trying to convey and what the purpose of that document is exactly, it just seems like a lot of soundbite pieces without an actual lot of substance. You massed this on UN and asked server managers to read this but there's really not a lot they can actually take from this.

[Stephen]

As the gdoc's title indicates, this is intended as a primer document and not a procedural or guiding piece of literature. YMMV

[Door]

"Effectively Improving Your Server" is not 'a procedural or guiding piece of literature'? Then you've completely mistitled this thread. But that's no surprise to me, since if I could not tell what the purpose of your piece was at all, there could not possibly be an appropriate title for it other than "Slew of Utter Crap." No, not "Primer," not "Customer Group Drill Down," Stephen. This is just crap.

[Hiro]

the very first sentence of the essay is weird and it made me apprehensive to finish it. as i read the next few lines, i could tell where you were going with this and i didn't feel the need to finish it. people from graal play differently and you should make accordance for it, allowing players to improve how they play over time

i think if you actually played graal for maybe a year on any given server you'd know enough about one group of players to improve their game play. if anything, developers don't run in the same loops as the players of their servers, and a lot is designed for developers and not for players. i honestly don't understand many of the updates on graal or why they were made in the first place because they only made things marginally better (global PMs are awesome)

if anything, i don't think you tailored this essay to graal enough. i also think some of the language is awkward at some points as you seem to change tone a lot, it doesn't read smoothly and it makes it uninteresting. i think you just need to expand, or you haven't shown us enough to make your points clearer

[Tigairius]

Regardless of the writing, I think the points made in the text were pretty clear and well-thought-out. Everyone could probably take something from this.

[Door]

Tig for God's sake, stop lying for once in your life. Please list out ONE point made in there that was supported by any details whatsoever.

[pooper200000]

The content of this piece is interesting. I would hope any potential server managers/owners would know this information before they begin development. Would a suitable summarization of this information be to understand the players you hope will play your server?

While I understand the importance of this information, I don't find it practical to create it on the consistent basis you are suggesting. Most servers are lucky to have 1 scripter, and I would guess creating a script to generate all of this information would be very time consuming. It might have been better to supply information for a server currently online that collects this information, and then to possibly explain the uses.

Is the purpose of this piece to inform or are you trying to suggest future changes? How do you intend to profile users? With a poll? (And will you take into account information that can be gathered by users that opt out of such a poll?)

I hope you plan to create more pieces to explain suitable ways to apply this information. While it is easy to suggest that group A enjoys activity C the best, it is often hard to identify the activities that make activity C interesting, and to make a new activity that will also appeal to your base.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by pooper200000

Most servers are lucky to have 1 scripter, and I would guess creating a script to generate all of this information would be very time consuming. It might have been better to supply information for a server that explains the uses.

The great thing about a project like reporting is it can be generated automatically - even the graphs (you could use Google's Graph API). So maybe someone has to make it once for one server - but he/she could make it available for all servers.

Once it's finished it doesn't have to be touched again aside from maintenance (fixing bugs) or future upgrades

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Effectively improve your server by releasing fun content.

Indeed, and that's effectively a summary of the intent. The intent is to break content into parts and identify the elements which are being consumed (purchased) the most - the presumption is if they're consuming it they are also enjoying it. This way, when you identify the elements of your fun content which people enjoy the most, you can produce even more fun content in the future.

[pooper200000]

Originally Posted by Stephen

The great thing about a project like reporting is it can be generated automatically - even the graphs (you could use Google's Graph API). So maybe someone has to make it once for one server - but he/she could make it available for all servers.

Once it's finished it doesn't have to be touched again aside from maintenance (fixing bugs) or future upgrades

So you were trying to suggest that someone make the interface and submit it to the code gallery?

[Rufus]

I don't believe that your "short essay" is applicable in any way to the audience that you've aimed it towards, which is just ironic really. I didn't understand it at all when I first read it, and I'd question whether anyone else did because it's certainly not an easy read. After looking over it a few times though, I think I've sorta grasped what you're trying to say. There's several different angles that you're trying to cover, right? Well, they're not things that particularly gel together very well, or really suit the reality of Graal.

You've focused heavily on the notion that purchase data and buyer behavior is important for deciding changes. While this might hold true for the game as a service, those that manage and administrate playerworlds on Graal do not have access to (nor the ability to create tools for) this kind of research. Managers are not involved in the pricing of the game as a product, so what exactly do you think they are going to do? If a player believes that the company is overpricing their product, it is up to the company to adapt their marketing towards those customers. The poor guys who run the servers shouldn't be forced to adapt to unprofitable decisions, especially without any effort or attention from those that make them.

I don't see why you haven't just encouraged and shown the administration of playerworlds how to actually carry out Market Segmentation and Market Research, where they might actually have the ability to do so. It would allow them to cater their content for the types of people that hold interest (or potential interest) in their server in a much better way than looking at purchase data or buyer behavior. I believe that's what you've tried to encourage in some way, but what you have actually written is something way different, and way more complicated than it ever needs to be.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Rufus

I don't see why you haven't just encouraged and shown the administration of playerworlds how to actually carry out Market Segmentation and Market Research, where they might actually have the ability to do so. It would allow them to cater their content for the types of people that hold interest (or potential interest) in their server in a much better way than looking at purchase data or buyer behavior. I believe that's what you've tried to encourage in some way, but what you have actually written is something way different, and way more complicated than it ever needs to be.

The document is intended as primer; to give playerworld managers an idea of how to effectively break up customer groups and why breaking them up would be important in the first place. I wrote it for the benefit of server managers, and as such, I went to popular servers and advertised it openly as "A message for Graal Online Server Managers".

As the document intimates, there are procedures they can apply to see improved benefits on their servers. Grouping customers doesn't just help your server make more money, it helps you identify the elements of new content players like most.

I briefly mentioned in the primer document a means of identifying qualities which interest customers. In addition, I mentioned the benefits of identifying elements and breaking the customers which are most interested into separate groups based on their preferences.

This separation (market segmentation) allows you to identify the most beneficial customers. Using this identification you can try to profile the interests of high-earning customer groups and provide new content which will interest them and others like them - new customers.



The purpose of the summary was to be concise on the overall intent of the document while catching the interest of readers. I can see it caught a few people's interest. It's important that you don't judge the information provided in the primer document based on an intentionally attention-grabbing summary. I suppose that would be comparable to "judging a book by the cover".

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Stuff

It doesn't matter if it's a "primer" or not, and your constant reference to that is starting to come across as a scapegoat for criticism. If you're going to attempt to give out advice there needs to be an obvious means of applying it. If you don't do that, your point is simply not going to be acknowledged or used effectively, like we've got right here.

What you've written is akin to a Supermarket providing "Loyalty Cards" to their customers, forming a consumer profile through their purchases. This is generally used for pricing strategies and promotions, both of which the managers of servers have nothing to do with. This is the only thing you've used as an example, and the means of classifying people does reflect the true nature of segmentation. Like in your reply right here, you're simply rubbing against a tiny portion of the characteristics in Market Segmentation, and it's really basic-level marketing. Sadly, a simple Google search on the subject would provide a more user-friendly guide to the same advice you're trying to convey. I still believe that if you showed and applied the concepts in a true Graal setting, your entire "primer" could have been so much more targeted, applicable, and valuable to everyone.

[fowlplay4]

Effectively improve your server by releasing fun content.

[Crimson2005]

This thread is unbelievable.

[Door]

No, his intent is to make himself look good. That's why I am being so 'offensive.' His little "About the Author" piece, his massing it out all over the place as well as posting, and his obvious lack of editing or direction--they all point to a pompous, self-serving attitude, not an attempt to help people making servers. He says nothing of use to anyone (and in fact, some of his information is completely incorrect), and what information he does give is disorganized and lacking any unifying point to apply toward.

This is just an egomaniac trying to get attention, and he's doing it in the complete wrong way, because he clearly does not excel in writing or making organized arguments (or any arguments at all).

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Door

No, his intent is to make himself look good. That's why I am being so 'offensive.' His little "About the Author" piece, his massing it out all over the place as well as posting, and his obvious lack of editing or direction--they all point to a pompous, self-serving attitude, not an attempt to help people making servers. He says nothing of use to anyone (and in fact, some of his information is completely incorrect), and what information he does give is disorganized and lacking any unifying point to apply toward.

This is just an egomaniac trying to get attention, and he's doing it in the complete wrong way, because he clearly does not excel in writing or making organized arguments (or any arguments at all).

I welcome any criticism or suggestions you have.

[Imperialistic]

Originally Posted by Stephen

I welcome any criticism or suggestions you have.

lol can't argue the truth!

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Door

No, his intent is to make himself look good. That's why I am being so 'offensive.' His little "About the Author" piece, his massing it out all over the place as well as posting, and his obvious lack of editing or direction--they all point to a pompous, self-serving attitude, not an attempt to help people making servers. He says nothing of use to anyone (and in fact, some of his information is completely incorrect), and what information he does give is disorganized and lacking any unifying point to apply toward.

This is just an egomaniac trying to get attention, and he's doing it in the complete wrong way, because he clearly does not excel in writing or making organized arguments (or any arguments at all).

I'm not defending him because he's my brother, but tbh I think you're being ridiculously immature about this... especially with the new signature. The signature took it way too far and makes you look like an ass. I read the blog and he's just being helpful... I think that you have these feelings towards him because Rufus does and you're just helping him out.

Originally Posted by Door

This is terrible, I have no idea what you were trying to say; there's not a single point made that had any appropriate supporting details. In fact, there seemed to be just details, no points. You jumped around between topics, used information that was purely incorrect in terms of marketing, and your spelling/grammar/syntax was utterly deplorable. You don't even have a thesis.

This is an embarrassment that literally says nothing worthwhile to anyone. I wouldn't be so mean about it if you hadn't dressed it up to look like a professional piece of writing as though it actually holds some merit and/or writing skill, but I actually felt insulted as a writer. Next time, please get an editor. Hell, get someone who actually has a point to make.

You took this way too far, too. Was it really needed to comment on the grammar? Once again, he's just being helpful. Don't be such a ***** about it.

[Door]

My suggestion is to have a clear thesis!

[Door]

Immature, sure. But not even remotely incorrect. And no, I don't have these feelings toward him because Rufus does, I happen to be friends with Rufus because we have similar interests and thought processes. This includes seeing through pompous self-inflated facades like Stephen's.

[LordSquirt]

Make love, not war.

I don't think he was trying to start anything from his post, I don't get why you're making such a big deal about this.

[Lord Sephiroth]

I only read the first two pages of this thread because Door was starting to bother me.

I don't understand what Doors problem with Stephen is. In my allbeit limited history with Stephen he's never been anything but professional and kind, though up-front and sometimes rather blunt, he's usually right about a lot of things.

Seems rather childish that the fact that he added an "about-the-author" section to his writings is what's setting Door off. And even more childish that you're so petulant that you had to go and mock him by adding it to your signature.

I won't be so cliche as to tell you to grow up, but grow the **** up.

[Door]

Originally Posted by Lord Sephiroth

I only read the first two pages of this thread because Door was starting to bother me.

I don't understand what Doors problem with Stephen is. In my allbeit limited history with Stephen he's never been anything but professional and kind, though up-front and sometimes rather blunt, he's usually right about a lot of things.

Seems rather childish that the fact that he added an "about-the-author" section to his writings is what's setting Door off. And even more childish that you're so petulant that you had to go and mock him by adding it to your signature.

I won't be so cliche as to tell you to grow up, but grow the **** up.

yo, it wasn't just his self-inflated attitude, posting this article everywhere and acting like it would save servers (nevermind the about-the-author bit, oh God why), it was the fact that he was doing all of that while the article itself was a load of nonsense. My judgment of people is based on many observations--I don't just look at intention and think that every single thing that person does is worthwhile (or the opposite) just because they originally intended to achieve good things. When even the most respectable people pump out crap, they should get crap for it.

Maybe you don't agree with me, that's fine. But this is how improvements happen. Stephen sure as hell won't be posting anything quite as bad as this anytime soon. Well... actually nm scratch that, I don't think he really cares about the quality or usefulness of anything he does, it seems way more about stamping his name on it. But who knows, maybe he's got good intentions! And somehow, that is supposed to make his crap both acceptable and impressive!

[fowlplay4]

Fun fact: Zodiac has made 145520 gralats in sales since the release of the EXP and Character Slot shop items, which only took 30 minutes to script into the game.

[Imperialistic]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Fun fact: Zodiac has made 145520 gralats in sales since the release of the EXP and Character Slot shop items, which only took 30 minutes to script into the game.

Does that go to the server of Zodiac, or GraalOnline?

[fowlplay4]

Originally Posted by Imperialistic

Does that go to the server of Zodiac, or GraalOnline?

Graal

[Imperialistic]

Originally Posted by fowlplay4

Graal

fail

[Crono]

Originally Posted by Imperialistic

Does that go to the server of Zodiac, or GraalOnline?

Since when did gralats go anywhere to begin with? Most of these are most likely leftovers from people upgrading their accounts and whatnot.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Crono

Since when did gralats go anywhere to begin with? Most of these are most likely leftovers from people upgrading their accounts and whatnot.

Yea, it's true. Most people are spending their left over. Our friendly french friends need to provide some low-volume gelat packages. I would suppose it would be a good first step in establishing an effective micropayment economy on Graal.

[Immolate]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Yea, it's true. Most people are spending their left over. Our friendly french friends need to provide some low-volume gelat packages. I would suppose it would be a good first step in establishing an effective micropayment economy on Graal.

That can already be done using mobile phones, either by call or text message. Though, it might be interesting to see other payment methods for buying small amounts.

[fowlplay4]

Originally Posted by Stephen

Yea, it's true. Most people are spending their left over. Our friendly french friends need to provide some low-volume gelat packages. I would suppose it would be a good first step in establishing an effective micropayment economy on Graal.

There's SMS payments, which get you a smaller pack. Zodiac's Item prices are based on the USD service. (1 SMS Usage for EXP Potions, 3 SMS Usages for Character Slot)

Anyway, more stats from the sales.

Purchases: 885
Graal# Account Purchase %: 56.04519774%

There's still quite a portion of classic accounts that are making the purchases as well.