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Success Tips to Creating a Great OT [By Leftwing]

Red

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Thread created by Leftwing. I reposted it since he was not a moderator.

Are you creating a new OT server and you want it to be successful? Then I suggest reading this! Also please disregard my sarcasm and suggestions of death, I mean no offence. If this is too long then check the TL;DR, but please I implore you to read on!


Every single time I check this forum I see at least one new thread, whether it be here in the discussion forum, the jobs forum or even the mapping forum. What are these threads? Why they are the threads people create when they are starting their OT project. Simple enough right? Your going to make something and you want people to know. However, do you know the consequences to making one such thread? I bet most of you don't, or else you'd have 50+ people on your server that's hosted on a Dedicated Server you support with donations every month. But that's why I'm creating this thread: To help you!

I mentioned above that there are consequences to making such threads, however there is also benefits too. Although these benefits might seem worth the trouble, it's often not. You see, people don't realize that advertisement is a double edged sword. Previewing information, images and ideas to the public can hurt the servers potential. You might ask why? Here's why:


~ People do not realize that giving out too much information can be overwhelming to potential players.
This means: 1) Giving us too much information discourages new players from joining
2) Differing too much from the Norm can also discourage players from joining
3) Far-fetched ideas are often ridiculed and seen as a waste of time

Say someone creates a totally new server with a massive new map, massive new features such as professions (Alchemist, Tanner etc), and creates a whole new spell system. In this thread readers are bombarded by information. If you read the comments, you'll notice people saying "Sounds awesome!" and "I can't wait to play!" Congratulations, those are your only two dedicated players. What you aren't seeing are the masses in your thread. You see a select few of our community members telling you "dude, good job!" but what you are really missing is that large, core group of players you can only get by sticking to time-tested standards we see in successful OT servers all over the world.


~ Want to start a project from scratch? Think again.
I don't like discouraging people from embarking on quests of glory to create something epic, but please. You are wasting your time. Creating something large out of the gate is foolish. For one, your attention span isn't likely going to last 3 years. You will get bored, you will give up. It's happened to me, it will happen to you.


~ Trying to make a team? Why not join one instead?
I hate going into the job section and seeing someone with a thread recruiting members, yet they barely have 70 posts. We don't know who you are, so why would we want to team up with you? I can tell you that you'll get farther into the core community by joining a project that's looking for people than by making one yourself. However, if no one is currently making a project, then that's your cue to make one yourself. Just one warning: Don't try to be too fancy. I'd suggest recruiting lesser-known and newer members as well into your project. Just because your map doesn't look like Neon's work or HesteN's Scarlet Horn doesn't mean your server can't be successful. Look at most of the custom OTs that have lots of players: Their maps suck.


~ Creating some massive continent with tons of islands? Kill yourself.
I don't mean to be rude, but this is the first mistake everyone makes when starting a project. You say you want to make some massive map, you want to fill it up with every spawn imaginable, and you want to do it all in say 6 months. It's time to put the gun in your mouth. BUT WAIT! You also want a desert continent, jungle continent and ice islands! PULL THE FUCKING TRIGGER. You sir, or ma'am, have jumped into the pit of wasting your god damn time and should just out yourself from this world.

Just kidding, but please, do not waste your time. Start small. Make key spawns. Look at Real Tibia. They started with Thais. Their map size was litterally 500x500 SQM in their original version. I got to tell you, the best thing you can do is work on a strong yet small map, create interesting quests and balance the gameplay. Maps can be added on after release! Not only does this reduce development time, it sets realistic goals and attracts users. Your server is simple, yet elegant. You will be able to be active and update as you see fit.

Addition on 18/1/2012:

~ Communicate with your players!
The best thing you can do as the owner of a server is communicating with your players. Not only will just having contact with someone who runs the server keep them around, it will give them a link to the server, a reason to stay. Through communication you can learn much about what people want, why they want it and how you should modify your server. Remember that you as an owner are offering a service, a service which must be frequently updated to keep the population around. When it comes down to it this is the best way to get into the community and to make new friends, which in my experience is the best thing about OTs, it connects people.

~ Don't just observe, interact!
This goes along with the point above: If you aren't actually involved with your server and are simply just watching it grow from the shadows you are less likely to keep players around. I've logged into servers and played for weeks, never ever finding a GM or talking to someone who could answer my questions about the server. This is one problem with OTs: No matter where you are from you cannot interact with all your players at the same time inside the game, however outside the game is something that works well. By using these forums and the advertisement section you can communicate with your players even if you or they are not online. OTland itself is massive resource for your server, why not make it the hub of your offline-communication? In other words, don't waste your time making a forum requiring people to register, because people are lazy!

TL;DR
~ Don't try to create the perfect
~ Keep it simple and easy for people to play
~ Don't waste your time with a 10000x10000 map
~ Start small and update
~ Listen to your players
~ Don't bother making a team if you know people won't help you
~ Try joining other teams

If anyone has any other suggestions, feel free to post here!

Sincerely,
Leftwing


Permalink to the old thread.
 
Good advice i guess man, Like the tips for making a map, yeah start small, use something as a base though if you aren't very confident.
 
lol..
I disagree alot with u.
Haha, i like to start from scratch and no i dind't get bored after a year =)
But some tips u said were good =)
 
That's an great guide.
I'm sure that a lot of members here appreciate it.

Kind regards,
Wezzlan
 
Sad, but true ... However, the OT community was not always so, there have been times of glory... In the past (before the emergence of the first releases of the Global Map), with dedication, hard work, innovation to make unique features and the pursuit of perfection was built OTs considered some of the true legends, with a lot of players.

I have a lot of luck, because I have lived, learned a lot and made my OT during part of this time....

Nowdays if you want work hard to build something "monumental", realy... Dont waste your time with the OpenTibia, he are in decline... You must study and learn alot to build your own game not related with Tibia/OTs.
 
As I'm working on one right now, I thank you for this advice, most of the points I would have done like this anyways, but I was unsure about the map size, for example - so thank you for this advice :)
 
I thank you for this tips Red! me, as a starting person in the OT world, have been helped by this tips and it, for sure, will help me in my future :D
 
Awesome! I just realised that my map which I made 3 years ago(and edited till now) is oversized piece of c**p, other things were pretty obvious for me.
I'll just start again, what do you think about main continent with style like Kazordoon with many small caves to find? No surface, just hilly area to explore in every direction(locked with sea around of course). It 'd be good if players find all they want but would be shame if it will be too hard to find so if I make eg. rotworms and dragons easier to find and other caves/mines harder to explore would I make a success?
 
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HAha True, all of that things, u need only to have an essence for the server, i do with my friend one server, map like 500x500 or less, war server, all the time talking with the person who really like it, and what things can be changed, on the map, on scripts and another things.
What i think for do server? Hardwork, not much expensive to start, and do keep working on it, thats all, do anothers things, not be the 80%-90% of people who download and run server, Be unique.

(Sorry My bad english but can understand it.. Maybe :/ )
 
Well, I'm creating my OT since 8.1
With breaks, some ideas evolved, some changed completely
But now my only problem is that my friend who creates map cannot concentrate on the core fragments, on the pieces of map needed for low levels so teh server would start
 
Testserver!
From what I see if your server is bugged on first day you will lose your entire advertising power.
 
Hey Red!

I don't know if you remember me, but If you do I have some questions to ask you about OTS nowadays! I'm looking to make a custom OT with my brother and haven't been seeing tibia since like 8.1..

What version is best? Are ots still popular and would people prefer custom clients and graphics too..?
 
I disagree with "It's happened to me, it will happen to you." I dislike when someone says "you can't" because they couldn't. I don't mean to nag you, good advice either way!
 
Great advice, took me a long time to realize all of that lol. Always wanted something huge instead of working on something smaller and more achieveable.
 
Great advice, took me a long time to realize all of that lol. Always wanted something huge instead of working on something smaller and more achieveable.
Start small, grow big.
Create what you wanna create and it might fail and it might grow to be a huge success. youll never know
 
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