What happened to the playerbase?

[Nighthawk17]

Hey all,

I recently came back to the mod after a few years, built a new gaming rig and was really excited to get back into PR. I'm happy to be in it again and some cool new content, however I have noticed the playerbase seems to have dropped down? It seems that there is generally only one close to full server most nights (HOG) and very few to no one in other servers. So based off that a little below 100 to 150 on at once. Even tonight on a Friday night sadly about the same except one other server had like less than 50.

This is a sad deal, because while we all know PR was never massively popular it had a decent playerbase for what it was. Used to be like average of 300-400 on at a given time.

Maybe I'm missing something here but I sure hope that its not that scarce nowdays. Especially that this mod has come so far and looks to still have active development that even the best is yet to come.

Any thoughts or anyone maybe fill me in some more on whats going on? Thanks much

If you remember the player numbers before, during and after 1.0 release it sheds light on this.

Before 1.0, there weren't crazy numbers of people but still more than now. Most players were achieved during 0.9-0.98 patches. After 1.0 release there was a big influx of players, which soon left and numbers very quickly went back to old number or less.

Why? Because 1.0 was a big disappointtment and a massive mistake from developers. They changed many things for the worse and very drastically so, ruining several aspects of the gameplay previously liked during 0.98.

Every big patch since, people came back to see if it normalized, but it went down the same road and now we are left with many underpowered or simply broken things and low playerbase because no old player liked the mod anymore. All we have left is a few old players and the rest arabs, russians and asians, which never contributed much to decent teamwork on this mod due to their language issues or simply preference to stick to their own circles.

[PatrickLA_CA]

People didn't leave because they didn't like 1.0 Most of the ones that left expected 1.0 to be something absolutely new. There are always people that come back after an update and stick around for a week then leave. It's normal.
You can't expect many people to look at PR and immediately see it for its gameplay while there are games out there that offer them a "super-realistic experience", at least when it comes to the graphics. It takes some time to see PR for what it really is and if those people do not have someone to show them around and keep them interested in their first few weeks, they'll probably leave.

[Filamu]

because no old player liked the mod anymore.

News to me. I should tell all my old PR friends.
Good that you came to tell us

[Wicca]

I'm still here, after all these years... Might be why people left

[XSHADOWGX]

I'll say it! since you cowards won't have guts to say it!.

WE NEED BLUEDRAKE TO START PROMOTING PR AGAIN.

I know FreeCandyVan was toxic, but it was a necessary evil for the greater good that is PR.

You're welcome! xox

[transpilot123]

I dont think that we need Bluecake or FCV...

This is a vid about PR in one of the biggest game magazines in Germany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdAefZjilpk

We need more of that from other countries too + 1.6 release

[Outlawz7]

I dont think that we need Bluecake or FCV...

This is a vid about PR in one of the biggest game magazines in Germany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdAefZjilpk

A video using Bluedrake videos.

[transpilot123]

A video using Bluedrake videos.

But that video has way more views of maybe new players than Bluecakes fanboy clips.

You could PM a Slovak games magazine to use your vids?

[AusbilderSchmidt]

I'm still here, after all these years... Might be why people left

Me too... Best Game ever since BF2

[Wicca]

If we are to make a marketing push, someone has to be incharge of it. They need to develop a strategy, and split that strategy up into measurable objectives and achievable goals.

[transpilot123]

If we are to make a marketing push, someone has to be incharge of it. They need to develop a strategy, and split that strategy up into measurable objectives and achievable goals.

Either we need someone who has very good connections to media or someone with business experience.

[CAS_ual_TY]

Once a certain threshhold of "marketing" has been reached EA will start knocking at the door.

[PatrickLA_CA]

Once a certain threshhold of "marketing" has been reached EA will start knocking at the door.

And it won't be nice.

[FFG]

Once a certain threshhold of "marketing" has been reached EA will start knocking at the door.

EA & Dice are aware of PR, and have been for years.

[CAS_ual_TY]

Of course they are, I know that. That doesnt mean that they would like PR hitting the bell too much.

[Chuva_RD]

And what money do they can get from PR? maybe $20 from monthly donations will be enough for them? Playerbase is less than 3k, gameplay framework is being used by Squad (however it is far from PR but nonetheless). The engine is old, graphics are moderately ugly, the game is not offered in Steam or any of its analogs. There are nothing - from idea to implementation - that they can squeeze for themselves.

Investment in PR-type game from their side won't be profitable also because they make mainstream games for wide audience, and PR itself doesn't interfere, so why do they need to pay attention to PR at all? It cannot interfere at minimum because scales of PR and of leading EA projects differ greatly, cash is on big new projects, not on old mods.

[parch]

I don't believe it's about the money. PR is still using assets from original BF2, yet it's standalone now. This creates a precedent and I'm sure EA/DICE would be forced to react somehow if PR got too much publicity or got published on Steam.

[Wicca]

Which assets except the engine does PR use?

[Suchar]

Buildings

[SShadowFox]

so why do they need to pay attention to PR at all?

Haven't you heard that AAA game corporations are evil and don't want to allow small communities such as ours to have a bit of fun.

Seriously, a good marketing campaign involving some large YT names wouldn't make EA unleash their dogs at PR. I'm sure that EA is fully aware of all copyright violations PR commits, if they wanted to strike they'd do it now that we're small, not wait for the mod to get some new traction.