State of the Game Survey

[kollomods]

I totally stole this picture from the actual kollo ads for Stockholm, eeey

Hello hello, your friendly mod Rica here with a fresh State of the Game Survey! Kollo has been around for about six months by now and I'm eager to hear what you think of the game, what you'd like to see more of and if there's anything you're not so keen on. I'm running this show completely solo here so feedback is extremely important to me. Your opinions will help me guide the game to a better spot moving forward and that's something I could never do without you.

Feel free to use the suggested talking points below if you need some guidance. Anonymous comments should be enabled if you don't want to put your name to it. You can also email kollomods@gmail.com if you want a more private conversation!

Administration

• What do you think about how the game is run in general? Does it work? What needs changing?
• How do you feel about the application process? Are monthly apps working out? Is the app format working out?
• How do you feel about the activity check? Do you feel like you're informed about when the check-in is? Do you feel at risk of missing it?

Events and gameplay

• How do you feel about the events in Kollo? Are there events you'd like to see more of? Less of?
• How do you feel about general gameplay? Do you feel engaged in the game? Why/why not? What could improve?
• Do you feel like you have the information you need to play freely? How can this improve?

Miscellaneous

• Do you have other concerns regarding the game?

Comments

[burntviolet]

What do you think about how the game is run in general? Does it work? What needs changing?

Looks good! The day ratio definitely helps keeping up with threads and backtagging into infinity. I feel like I don't miss much even when I get back to it few days later. It runs so smoothly I'm kinda shocked one IC month is almost done and it's been six OOC months already. Absolutely wild and I like it.

How do you feel about the application process? Are monthly apps working out? Is the app format working out?

I think it all works out! This game always needs new meat and making apps monthly will guarantee for new people every month. The format is simple enough, it gives off the idea of how a player writes their character without having to write loads of OOC info or link up already existing sample threads.

How do you feel about the activity check? Do you feel like you're informed about when the check-in is? Do you feel at risk of missing it?

No issues here either! I see you @ people when they're about to miss AC on plurk and that's very considerate of you. Never felt at risk to miss it, myself, even on a busy day.

How do you feel about the events in Kollo? Are there events you'd like to see more of? Less of?

This is somewhat complicated. The mingles are easy to write a top level for but sometimes I get the feeling they're going to be a bit repetitive in the long run. I feel there's a lack of supernatural elements upfront, although they've been presented as a thing that exists here. An event or even just a regular mod post centered around the Unseen or other bizzarre things would be fun to thread out, even if it's something mild and cute.

How do you feel about general gameplay? Do you feel engaged in the game? Why/why not? What could improve?

There's freedom to do creative things within reason and the fact you can interact with so many colorful NPCs makes for a warm and welcoming game that has a lot of options. Slow pace aside, I don't think proper engagement is a thing that lacks in here.

Do you feel like you have the information you need to play freely? How can this improve?

As I said above, I think there is enough info to go by and work freely with! The FAQ looks detailed for first time players, too. There is care put behind the lore. Whenever I decide to be more creative and come up with a post, I will most likely work well with what I've got here.

Do you have other concerns regarding the game?

I mainly worry that this game is not being advertised enough, at least not outside plurk! A shout out on RPA or EMP once every month would likely get some people interested in apping. I'd love to have new players here but I don't see much of it happening without getting Kollo out there!

Dunno if I made any sense here, this is my first time giving proper feedback to a game and I hope it's fine enough.

[dispare]

What do you think about how the game is run in general? Does it work? What needs changing? and
How do you feel about the application process? Are monthly apps working out? Is the app format working out? and
How do you feel about the activity check? Do you feel like you're informed about when the check-in is? Do you feel at risk of missing it?
I have seen no issues here!

How do you feel about the events in Kollo? Are there events you'd like to see more of? Less of?
My answer here is basically the same as part of Elie's, in that the supernatural things that are OOCly stated as being A Thing don't seem to really be touched on in any way IC outside of implications that they're there. I would be particularly interested in there being occasional events or a full-on plot involving them in some way.

How do you feel about general gameplay? Do you feel engaged in the game? Why/why not? What could improve?
If my lack of basically anything is anything to go by, I have had difficulty with things here, but this is less of an issue with the game itself and more of an issue with me; I'll stick around as long as I'm allowed to, but I have trouble maintaining any interest when things are mostly or pure SOL (and came in here knowing that it could be an issue for me here, so my lack of activity really is just my own fault), so this kind of ties into the above question as I personally feel like I need something more than just the daily mundane.

Do you feel like you have the information you need to play freely? How can this improve?
There has been no lack of information! The only problem I've had is the one I stated above, and again, that's not you, that's me.

[readystopwatch]

What do you think about how the game is run in general? Does it work? What needs changing? How do you feel about the application process? Are monthly apps working out? Is the app format working out? How do you feel about the activity check? Do you feel like you're informed about when the check-in is? Do you feel at risk of missing it?

I think this is all running great! The day pace is great and you’ve been great at keeping people informed!

How do you feel about the events in Kollo? Are there events you'd like to see more of? Less of? How do you feel about general gameplay? Do you feel engaged in the game? Why/why not? What could improve? Do you feel like you have the information you need to play freely? How can this improve?

Overall I really enjoy the game. I’ve had fun playing with everyone and l really like the setting and relaxed pace. I wouldn’t mind a few more events, particularly more supernatural ones like everyone else mentioned or things slightly more high stakes even if it’s something as non threatening as a power outage or lots of rain for a change of pace. I really enjoy the mingles and they feel like the fit well within the setting of the game! And you do a rest job with the variety of NPcs who keep things interesting and make the world feel more fleshed out as well.

Do you have other concerns regarding the game?

Not really! I think it might be a nice idea to advertise it if most players feel like they want to since it could be a fun way to introduce new characters but I think it runs fine with a smaller crowd as well.

[betteralready]

What do you think about how the game is run in general? Does it work? What needs changing?

I really love the day ratio; I think it fits well with the kind of more laid-back feel of the game. It definitely helps me to feel more comfortable backtagging things into infinity!

How do you feel about the application process? Are monthly apps working out? Is the app format working out?

I really, really love the letters. It's such a unique way of spinning things and I agree with the sentiment expressed on the app that it helps get a unique look at the character. I do say that maybe have some kind of space in the app where someone can make notes OOC that may not necessarily get addressed in-letter? That might just be stating it outright on the page that people can do that (if that's something you want to do!)

I do think the current schedule for apps works out well.


How do you feel about the events in Kollo? Are there events you'd like to see more of? Less of? and How do you feel about general gameplay? Do you feel engaged in the game? Why/why not? What could improve?

Echoing a lot of what's been said by others above! More events, especially of the more supernatural variety, might not go amiss. Obviously based on my tagging pace I am not averse to SOL, but I might feel more inspiration to tag more often if there's more of a feeling of things 'happening.' So maybe prompts? I don't know if that's quite the word I'm looking for, but having more things happen for characters to react to? I think we're definitely on track with the various mingles/weather/hinting at the lily levels, but there might be more that could be done there. That might also help encourage people to post more often so there's more action on the comm itself.

Do you have other concerns regarding the game?
(Didn't have anything re: AC/information.)

Just wanted to say, overall, that I love it here! I definitely want to do more here but also don't want to feel like I'm spamming the comm so I hope we can find a way to breathe life into things so we see more posts, be that through events/prompts/lightning strike inspiration/etc. Thanks for being so on top of it and creating this fun little sandbox.

Connected side note (and feel free to PM/Plurk if you don't want to reply here) : Once he feels a little more "settled" (I think in-game he's only been here a couple weeks at best?) Archie is going to want to try and do a community theater thing. If that jives with any ideas you might have/you have any suggestions on how to facilitate that, please let me know!

[kollomods]

Doing a community theatre thing would be amazing! If you want to set this up ICly you're always welcome to talk to an NPC, or we could hash something out through PM if you need some help to organise it!

[forever_jack]

Sorry for taking so long to respond to this - it's been another crazy week!

Administration - I think you're doing an admirable job single-handedly and have no complaints whatsoever. Especially when you mailed me to remind me to check in - that's spectacular service! :-D

Events and gameplay
Events - As others have said, I would like to see some events that go beyond the party mingle. I mean, Jack and I love a good party mingle, but they're not getting great engagement and something different might work better. Now that we've been here a while it might be nice to have something with a little danger that they can get their teeth into.

Gameplay - I am really enjoying the game and the interactions but I am a little concerned about the lack of tagging. Considering that I have about a tenth of the time available to tag that I used to, it amazes me on a daily basis that I am probably the most active player in this game! And while I really don't have a problem with the speed of most threads, and the fact that it allows me not to feel guilty when I don't tag for a day or three either, I do feel that it makes it hard to keep up with the day-week system. Slow tagging is not a problem at all in PSLs (I have private threads that have gone on for over a year, set within just one evening) but in something like this I feel it makes it difficult to get a thread anywhere near far enough along before several days have passed in-game, which makes following up a thread really awkward as you then have to account for what you've been doing in that time. It also means there are characters I've interacted with and never seen again but who haven't officially dropped, and it makes it really hard to know what they've been up to, especially housemates. Are they still there, would they have been interacting with my character, etc.? I mean, at least, even if they'd just posted a closed thread at a mingle or something, then Jack would be able to say he'd seen them around, even if he hadn't interacted with them.

I'm probably overthinking all that, and take things far too realistically, but you did ask and that's how I feel! :-D I wonder if there would be some way of keeping the relaxed feel of the game but prompting people to post more, even if it's just closed threads, so we can get a feel for what they've been up to?

That said, at least the premise of the game - that they've pretty much all come here for a break from something bad - does allow for the idea of people holing themselves away alone for a while!

Information - I too would also really like some sort of mod-led event to inspire use of the supernatural elements of the setting that no-one's really explored yet. For me personally, I find it really, really hard to start exploring things like this without storyteller-type guidance, because I just don't seem to have the right kind of creativity to extrapolate from the facts given and take them further. This is not specific to this game; it's been the same in every game I've ever played in. I am the sort of person who does tonnes of research if I can, e.g. for a historical or real geographical setting, or even on in-canon information etc., but when things are coming from the brain of one person I can't do that and, the way my brain works, I am terrible at working out where something is supposed to be going unless it's spelled out to me. (You've probably realised this already! :-D ) So this is not a dig at you in any way but, as far as I'm concerned, I need a lot more guidance before exploring anything like the water lilies or the Brook Horse or whatever.

Anyway, tl;dr - I love the game, love the setting, love the characters, just feel it needs a little more oomph. :-)

Anna

[forever_jack]

And because I just re-read what I wrote there, can I just reiterate, I'm not having a go at anyone for slow tagging. I am definitely a slow tagger myself these days, and I totally understand it. And it's not a problem *at all* in a PSL situation. I just get frustrated in a game where there's a calendar to keep with.

And I probably worry far too much about making things realistic and believable. I should probably just let it go and enjoy the stories and character connections! :-)