Full game rebranding on 3.0 (mobile finally??) #savethewest

[Symbiote]

Folks, morning.

I am a classic player that stopped playing the game by 2013 when I got a real computer to play real games and all the browser games I played were already getting saturated to me. Went back to playing it just recently and am very happy to see the game still lives on, but for how long?

Back in my days I wasn't really a hardcore player, just a simple worker but of all the browser games I was playing this was undoubtely my favorite one and saw no flaws on it when I was a kid. 10 years have passed, I'm back at it again and now I can see many issues that could easily be fixed all at once in a complete revamp of the game, the so-called The West 3.0. But there is one thing, the main issue that without solving it no improvement is worth pursuing: THE GAME. HAS. TO GO. MOBILE. THE GAME HAS TO GO MOBILE!!!

I'll give some data to back up my point: "As of May 2023, 67.81% of the total web visits are currently mobile, compared to 32.19% coming from desktops."; "For 2021, it has been projected that mobile gaming will account for 52% global gaming market share, and the PC market share will drop to 20%."; "85% of Americans own a smartphone. Almost half of U.S. adults report that they can't live without their smartphones.". Point being: migrating to mobile would have costs, yes, but the improvement on the quality of gameplay and access to a new port could potentially bring in plenty of old and new customers to the game. Do not cope with "b-but there is the mobile browser" because it sucks and this is just a lazy excuse. Really, I have not the slightest idea of how much this may cost, how much time will take to develop it and if the game will even continue existing before the idea get executed. As said before, I was out for 10 years and even then the game still exists. It resisted the time test but this may not be forever as people will eventually give up without novelty. But I have hope, and so should you my dear reader.

My main contribution to this topic on imagining how a recreation for the 3.0 version could look like is that I'm willing to search for, do some curation on it and compile ALL the good ideas that have been discussed every since the 2.0 launched, I mean it. This can potentially take one to two years of research and I would do monthly updates on the discussion here in the forum to share and improve the concepts for all the aspects the game can explore. I see much potential for this game and I'd be really sad to see it wasted for mere lack of will and demand for improvements. If we are still around after all these years is because the game mean something to us and this cannot go into oblivion. It would be a major loss for the community, all because Inno would not take in consideration the wishes of the remaining userbase and just kill already this zombie of a game.

Is my cry for help and attention to the problems of the game a dead topic? Are we really just waiting for the inevitable day the servers will be shut down? This cannot be. I'm willing to push foward to spread awareness and promote the game revival but I'm not doing it if I'm the only person wanting this to happen. We'll not get this to happen before 2025 but if we don't bring the discussion up to a tone Inno can't ignore then we are all maintaining a lie, harnessing the last drips of nostalgia we can extract from this game before it expires.

Be real to me, is this a repeated topic and it's over? I'll still continue to play until I don't anymore, either because I got bored or the servers do shut down definitely. Can The West be saved? If there is the slightest chance then we must take it, for this may be the last we have. I'm betting all-in on it and am inviting you to do the same.

Please contribute to the topic either to motivate us or just to shove in people's face the fact that the game is indeed in terminal state. If so, let us then start the funeral discussion in here. The destiny of the game is in the community hands only, your choice.



inb4 doomsday thread

 

[ra1g]

impossible.

unless inno allocates a full dev team to work on this game, it is not happening

 

[Swedankz]

Going the same was as other Idle games with either release TW on an App and/or release on Steam is honestly the only way to keep the game alive.
Idle games are pretty big nowdays but they require you to as i said either have an app or being on steam or people won't play it.
Not releasing an App or on steam gonna kill this game, just look at the saloon chat, the saloon chat is pretty telling about how many are still playing the game right now for an example only 70 people in saloon 1 chat on colorado.

 

[Symbiote]

No matter if people will notice or not, I will brainstorm here my ideas for the game. Not organized, just random rants about stuff that bothers me.

LORE - QUESTING

Do you know The Old West Tale? The lore from the game? I bet it has one but no one ever cared to read quest info, just the required objectives. Neither I did. For a simple concept of a idle game, being lore-rich could potentially increase the gameplay making it more appealing to involve yourself into the story and not just setting tasks. I am not into american history and I do not have the knowledge from the Old West Era, but what is the current year of the game? For the next step the game should go foward in time, a few years before the end of the Old West and getting into the Progressive Era. How would a fast-foward look like?

Main Character Lore - You
Who are you? How come you to be the [class] you are today? Today the game introduces that mainly through the class questline, which should be incredibly long and requiring certain levels to proceed on it, being the most long and most important quest for your gameplay. The minutiae of traits and unlocks will be discussed another time, let us talk about lore for now.

In the future you are an orphan raised by a farmers elderly couple in a small village, this being the starter zone where you go from Greenhorn to your preferred class once completing the rookie questline, granting that cozy Greenhorn Set. The starter zone would be like a separated map from the main map where you learn the basics from the game in a controlled environment, setting you for the adventures that comes ahead. I again will not get into very small details, just a wide view of the idea. The last quest is when your adoptive father dies from illness, you go out to pray on church and afterwards you receive a kept letter from your mother left by Henry Walker, the man who brought you as a baby to your adoptive parents (you were never aware of this fact) directing you to meet him at his saloon in (server name). After a long ride of 30 minutes to the main map (the concept of it being an idle game should be stated at start) you reach one of the few random founding towns scattered on map (you should be at any town to accept quests just like regular quest givers outside the saloon) and you discover that Henry has died not long ago. I believe making it an assassination case could provide a very good questline for John Fitzburn, now Marshall, to investigate the case and making a bridge between the old lore and the new lore. Who are your real parents? Your old character. The old character, in one of his many adventures, has met with a charming stranger, they had a case and the unwanted result is you. You are left by your character parent for he/she thought his/hers adventures too problematic and potentially endangering his loved ones, thus vanishing without notice and the only one who was aware of his/hers whereabouts was Henry, entrusted with the letter he was meant to explain for you once you arrive in town, but you are late. What is the relation of this to Henry's death? You must now help the townies solving their tasks in order to finally discover more about your true identity.

Saloon - Nathan Walker; Sophia Roalstad and Piano Player
Police Station - John Fitzgerald, Apprentice Sheriff, Cellmates and Notice Board
Local Press - Editor, Reporter and Notice Board
Bank - Manager, Clerk and Notice Board
Far Tribe - Waupee, Chief, Chief's daughter and Tents
Post - Postmaster
Church - Father
Cemitery - Undertaker
Hotel - Hotelier

Saloon - Nathan Walker, early 30s
Nathan is Henry Walker's nephew who inherited the business as Henry did not have children himself. For his uncle died under very suspicious ways this unnerves him, fearing for his family and friends safety. Who could have Henry, such a friendly face and caring folk, as a foe? He had no riches nor disputes. What if... what if he was hiding something dark under such a bright semblance? The town is strangely unmoved by this fact, acknowledging the occurency but avoiding stating it. What is this town hiding?

Saloon - Sophia Roalstad, early 20s
Sophia is Maya Roalstad's little sister who grew as gorgeous as her and now works with Henry's nephew. Lively and daring, Sophia has plenty of acquaintances, some being friendlies others hostiles due to her strong personality and unmatching looks. While Maya left the county to live with a wealthy railroad manager, Sophia has stayed and her vast list of contacts can help you on your many ongoings, if you help her first of course.

Saloon - Pianist - Vladmir Kowalski, late 50s [I will use make-up names as a filler only]
An odd looking one, with an eerie semblance making you suspect he has something to do with Henry's assassination but a brief conversation and you realize this man nobility, he would never harm the man who granted him a fixed job, entertaining the saloon. While many people dismissed him, left with only quick tasks as he is somewhat frightening, Henry saw through his appearance and explores the virtuoso skills he has on the piano. As the melody tone of his songs were uplifting, after Henry's death you can subtly notice something off now. While he used to sing sparingly and after shifts, now he only plays as requested solely on duty. He is relatively new in town and had Henry as his only friend, and while he sees Nathan only as his boss he is somewhat friendly to you for you don't seem bothered by his sinister looks. He trusts you to finish some of his unfinished tasks, maybe related to the saloon's ruckus.

Police Station - Marshall John Fitzburn, late 70s
John is the sheriff we all are used to know. Now older and with less fierce, the justice flame on his heart is still always bright. Not even the many years of experience can help him solving his best friend death but he believes your relation with the earlier adventurer that helped him back in the day can help solve the mystery. After a few jobs he entrusts you enough to reveal more about your past, telling all he knows about the adventurer prior to you. As the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you are as hyped as the one before you, and John can clearly see that. Help him solving this uncommon case and other duties.

Police Station - Sheriff Maxwell Caulfield, early 30s
A hasty one, he is obviously trying his best to impress John. He tried being a Soldier but the General thought him too weak but also too smart for the forces, and what he lacks on strenght he compensates very well in his marksmanship and intelligence, so he was directed to John to work with him. Although anxious for being a novice, he takes his function serious and dilligently. He can get a helping hand, and John believe you two can go along well and asks you to support him.

Police Station - Cellmates
Always three slots and a fourth for specific quests. The three men/woman are: The innocent; The criminal; The suspect. You can choose whether to prove them guilty or innocent, the sentence varies from bail to death penalty. You must decide if you help them out of honesty or shambles their case for your benefit. Condemning the innocent and sparing the criminal will give better rewards at the cost of moral guilt for the player. The suspect is ambiguous.

Police Station - Notice Board
Daily tasks relating to PvE or PvP.

Local Press - Editor Caroline Roosevelt, early 40s
She is the head of the local The Western Star branch, she is not from around and don't know much of the people other than hers reporter who do is from town. She was told by John not to make Henry's case public to not interfere on the investigation.

Local Press - Reporter Daniel Cleveland, early 20s
A young one with a natural curiosity, he tackles from the most insignificant stories to the most intriguing ones, being very prompt to investigate Henry's death but restrained by his boss. He assists the Sheriff Maxwell in some cases as he aspires to be a detective someday.

Local Press - Notice Board
Meant to substitute the task paper pinned on saloon. Gives the most XP.

Bank - Manager Dominic Rearden, early 60s
A man in his 60s, comes from a very poor background and grew up in life all based on his hard work and smarts. He is also new to town as he was assigned to run the local bank and finds something uncommon in Henry's files. He is not sure about this and needs your help.

Bank - Clerk Catarina Vasquez, late 20s
A woman in her 20s very prone to maths, accounting and management. Works under her boss orders and has access to several files which she needs help dealing with.

Bank - Notice Board
Same as the other one, meant for daily tasks. Gives the most $.

Far Tribe - Waupee, late 60s
Waupee left the town years ago to take his grandfather place as a Shaman, trading letters eventually with Henry until they stopped coming. Concerned and sensing the old adventurer son/daughter is now coming to start his/hers quests, he sends Maiara to meet the new adventurer and bring him to the tribe.

Far Tribe - Chief Songaa, early 40s
Songaa is the leader of Waupee tribe, a natural pack leader as you can see by his build and leadership aura. Angry looking, not much prone to talk and don't trust strangers, but if Waupee trusts you he trusts you too. The tribe needs help dealing with enemy tribes and settlers and you might be just ideal for the task.

Far Tribe - Maiara, 16y [this is a Brazilian native name meaning "wisdom"]
Chief Songaa's daughter. When she was born Waupee noticed something unique on her and decided to give a greater attention to her upbringing. As a baby she was taken to a spiritual clearing in an unmarked place for a ritual, left alone with only supplies and a mysterious necklace inherited by Waupee from his grandfather and gifted to her. After three days and three nights they came back for her, she was unharmed and now her hair has white lines mixed with the natural black and her eyes become glowing grey at certain moments. As she grew she developed natural understanting of plants, medicine and a deep connection to animals and nature. Waupee teaches her on nature and Songaa teaches her on survivalism. She is a healer and can speak to animals but this is developed later through gameplay and questing.

Far Tribe - Tents
Same as the boards but the rewards are mostly buffs.

Post - Postmaster Roberto Gaspardo, early 40s
Deals with telegrams across the towns, is constantly making sure letters arrive in time and packages are sent. Kept some strange letters Henry was receiving, they are coded and some are even stained with tears or blood. Sender is unknown.

Church - Father Garcia, late 60s
The town priest who offers spiritual aid for penitance. He restrictively keeps the secrets townsfolks vent at the confessional, but a certain stranger told disturbing things for him that left him distraught. For only the Lord is allowed to judge our sins, he never told about it to anyone... until the young adventurer mentioned by the stranger arrives in town. He has something to tell you and you only.

Cemitery - Mortician Ludwig Braun, early 70s
A retired surgeon. What started as a morbid interest in human physiology now serves as a helpful skill to deal with corpses, a Charon for the deceased. As someone apathetic after seeing much, Henry's death is something even he has never seen in his years of study. No physical trauma, no chronic disease, no poisoning... what could have killed this man? He has more details about the body he found in Henry's bedroom, details he did not dare to share for their troubling implications. He will assist you after he get some confidence in you.

Hotel - Hotelier Samantha Flowers, late 30s
The hotel keeper, provides beds for travellers, merchants and else. Does not negates a place to sleep as long as you have the money for it. As the regular customers are the known faces or friendly strangers, she does remember a different, mysterious one who was there around the time Henry died. She has his given info, although probably fake they can give a hint for the investigation. He left some personal items as he vanished during the night Henry died, one being a coded letter with the same writing as the ones found by Gaspardo in his post.


These quest givers are meant to introduce new characters to the towns basic buildings, for i noticed John and Henry hoards most of the quests available. The main quest, mixed with the class quest, is marked orange. The secondary quests are yellow and the event quests are green. The quest rewards are scaling with level and not fixed. The quests are really damn long, with medium to long questlines and plenty of tasks required, being hours of work or many products. Today you have no incentive to do quests other than the ones that grants skill points or attributes who are very quick to complete. Big quests have little rewards not worthy the time you could spend doing jobs or else. The saloon quests are mixed, the press quests are for XP, the police office quests are for consumables, the bank quests are for $ and the tribe quests are for skill points/attributes/buffs.

My conclusion: quests should be time consuming and lore rich. Everything above is just a glimpse of the idea that the next character is the old character child and the main plot of the game revolves around your parent and Henry's death.



Thanks for reading uwu

 

[Rigs]

Very nice idea, but for better game experience inno needs to spend money and change their p2w/p2p 2014 game with 1update/decade into modern era game and updated regulary, where you can play for free and still compete fairly against premium players.
Anyway, we can only dream about it, they just dig for extra few easy money, and tbh inno looks like they don`t even care about player base or even CMs ideas, I can bet any amount of cash for that. For e.g we`ve got lvl250 and upgrade system as major updates in the last 10years, adventures are the same from beta and new worlds are active only few months.