So I've heard back and forth about if BlockWars is popular enough to be a featured game and have a little theory on it.
From looking at the numbers, Blockwars CTF seems to have a peak between 120-180 players depending on the day of the week. I've heard constantly for years that BlockWars is dead but the numbers are good.
One problem is that in non-peak times, BlockWars loses more players than other games so even 10pm, BlockWars can drop down to 30 players while other games like tower defence is on 50 even though BlockWars is higher at peak times and I think this has the same problem.
My theory is because of how lobby filling is compared to other games, players perceive the game as more "dead" due to how players trickle into the game.
Say for example, SkyWars: The game works off an elimination style so players leave games one at a time, and therefore join new games one at a time. But BlockWars works off a team style game so once a game is done, many people leave and join the next game at the same time.
Say for example, you are waiting for a game and players join one at a time once every 5 seconds, and fill a 16 player game in 40 seconds, and another game, you wait with no one joining for 40 seconds when 16 people join at one time. In situation one, you are constantly reassured that players are around and are joining but in situation two, there in no reassurance and you are much more likely to leave the game thinking there is no one to play it with. Both situations fill up in the same time but there is a difference in player reaction.
This has a greater effect in non peaks hours as there are less games going on so statistically, there are fewer intervals of people joining and a longer perceived wait time.
Ps: I think this affects games like minerware less as there are less dedicated players playing many times in a row, so players joining from other games in smaller groups so it is more like situation one.
A possible solution to this problem is have more reassurance, possibly messages with games with a small amount left on the timer could be put in chat. So like the message "A game of BlockWars is about to finish in 30s or less, players are coming soon" could be put in chat so players know there are people coming.
Anyway that's my crappy conspiracy theory, please comment what you think.
From looking at the numbers, Blockwars CTF seems to have a peak between 120-180 players depending on the day of the week. I've heard constantly for years that BlockWars is dead but the numbers are good.
One problem is that in non-peak times, BlockWars loses more players than other games so even 10pm, BlockWars can drop down to 30 players while other games like tower defence is on 50 even though BlockWars is higher at peak times and I think this has the same problem.
My theory is because of how lobby filling is compared to other games, players perceive the game as more "dead" due to how players trickle into the game.
Say for example, SkyWars: The game works off an elimination style so players leave games one at a time, and therefore join new games one at a time. But BlockWars works off a team style game so once a game is done, many people leave and join the next game at the same time.
Say for example, you are waiting for a game and players join one at a time once every 5 seconds, and fill a 16 player game in 40 seconds, and another game, you wait with no one joining for 40 seconds when 16 people join at one time. In situation one, you are constantly reassured that players are around and are joining but in situation two, there in no reassurance and you are much more likely to leave the game thinking there is no one to play it with. Both situations fill up in the same time but there is a difference in player reaction.
This has a greater effect in non peaks hours as there are less games going on so statistically, there are fewer intervals of people joining and a longer perceived wait time.
Ps: I think this affects games like minerware less as there are less dedicated players playing many times in a row, so players joining from other games in smaller groups so it is more like situation one.
A possible solution to this problem is have more reassurance, possibly messages with games with a small amount left on the timer could be put in chat. So like the message "A game of BlockWars is about to finish in 30s or less, players are coming soon" could be put in chat so players know there are people coming.
Anyway that's my crappy conspiracy theory, please comment what you think.
