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Envisioning the future of zOMG! 

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Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:51 pm



I'd been considering making a thread of this sort directly in z!F for a while now; currently, though, I'd like to see if we can't get the discussion started a bit before I move it over. I think it'd be easier to take the thread seriously if it brings a number of ideas along with it - not to mention the fact that they may help spur some insight that we would otherwise miss out on.

Anyhow, Site Integration is where they're currently focusing their attention. Which means it might be wise to focus a little of our attention there as well. This thread is simply for presenting and discussing suggestions relevant to integrating zOMG! (its features, its plot, its characters, etc.) into the GaiaOnline mainsite...


Quote:

  • zOMG! Random Event
    Red Kutai

    It's simply a random event, much like Giftboxes or Trunks, except an animated (probably an OMG, simply because they're iconic) that 'drops' gold or orbs. This produces the feeling we get in zOMG!, that animated are everywhere, without really distracting significantly from the mainsite. Additionally, putting a handful of orbs into the pockets of those who don't normally play zOMG! might be enough (for some small portion of the population, at least) to drag them into the game occasionally.

    Thard_Verad
    For the random OMG event, it should grant a "??? Loot" item. Opening it would grant the gold, orbs, or even a rare recipe. If the game expands enough, the ??? Loot could even have items related to elemental effects. Possibly something completely unique, though that would be a giant RR4 Taunt in the face of some players who suddenly can't get every in-game thing.

  • 'Join me in zOMG!' link
    Thard_Verad
    As some have stated, there should be a "Join me in zOMG!" option for your My Gaia page friend list. This would launch the game and auto-select the server where your chosen friend is playing.

    Atrash the Squidmonger
    Ways to know where your friends were, that worked. A catchy button to just join them right then would be nice. If nothing else, a chat option between people's profiles and them in zOMG would work for it.

  • zOMG! Manga
    Thard_Verad
    I think a second zOMG-themed Manga would be a large step in the right direction. Hopefully, that's what the current story update is doing, but we'll have to wait for the rest of the pages. If this one isn't "it," then the real one should make use of additional members of the game's supporting cast. (Katsumi, Gustav, Caruthers, Jaques, etc.)

  • Linking whispers to on-site Messenger
    Quintafeira12
    I like the "join me in zOMG!" button coupled with whispers from main site. That'd allow me to check up and crew up with anyone with just the toolbar, and well, to that, this is mfw: blaugh

  • In-game Notice updates
    With_the_Broken_Smile
    When I play ZOMG I hate having too mamy windows open and normaly close others. Not to mention I get so busy and just don't bother to look at others. What I would like is some sort of notice pane in ZOMG. So I can see if one of my friends come online and pm me. I hate explaining why when I was online, I never responded..lol

  • Keeping zOMG! dialogue up-to-date with mainsite plots
    SykoCaster
        One of the things I could see being relatively easily addressed is NPC dialogue.
        Give NPCs a Current Events keyword (i.e. "What's up?") that talks about the current goings-on within Gaia at the time.
        It'd be small, and NPC dialogue is easy to change, but I think it'd make a difference.
        Give players a bit of insight, and deepen the scope of Gaia's plots.
        For example, talking to Ian, you might find out that he's happy Gino's left on a voyage, and is wondering what Sasha's been up to.
        If you talk to Butterfinger Bart, you could find out that the reason the Boardwalk is so slow to open, is because of Gambino's death.

        And really, major events should be reflected in zOMG!, as well.
        Even if that means changing Quest dialogue.
        As far as any zOMG! NPC is concerned, Gambino is still alive and kicking.
        I believe there's still a reference to Santa being a cow, too, in Bill's Ranch.

        What would be better, even, is if current events were reflected by (simple) quests you could do.
        For example, Nicolae could offer a simple collection quest for supplies for a "vacation" he's planning on taking.

  • Equippable versions of in-game items
    Quintafeira12
    Well one thing that wanders about once in a while is making some zOMG! items be equipable as well other than the in-game usage. Like, making rings have a few poses, and the Buddy Summons appear animated besides your avatar.

    I personally would rather have recipes for those poses than force the developers to work on poses for every single ring. As for the second idea, it'd bring much attention to the game, far more than most other suggestions. The issue is it's probably a bit late to implement this now. Some could cry foul play at the addition of such a feature on limited items, not to mention, the amount of work that it would be to implement it

  • Orb Shop
    Atrash the Squidmonger
    An orb shop (so we could sell orbs for various items), as a more visible way to encourage people to want to get orbs to gain from stuff.

  • Mini-event connections to mainsite
    Atrash the Squidmonger
    Maybe some mini-events (but less common, perhaps, to not distract from the site too much) with site-side parts. Getting a Grucken cure pill from places on the forums, for example, when a Grucken event pops up.

    Site notification of some minievents (again, not too common). For example, Landshark appearing, with the note "Landshark has been spotted in Gold Beach - fight him!" - clicking on it takes you to the right instance for it [might want to put up some system that tells people what level they should be for the events, or else just have low level events on the list, so it's not just slaughter]).

  • Introducing zOMG! mythos elements to the mainsite, and vice versa
    Reglare Excile
    The only ideas I got so far about it are random zOMG stuff on other Gaia parts.

    Example would be a Landshark trap on fishing which will eat your current fishes caught.

  • Recipes with other Flash environment ingredients
    Quintafeira12
    One of these was very obvious: Making Epic Recipes that require components from other games.
    It'd bring incentive for zOMGaians to play those other games in case the epic recipe fluxed out too much of the components and inflated its price. Playing those other games with some long term reward in mind makes it more likely they would give it a chance. If this happens with tiles and tickets, since some people are crazy enough to want one of those Gaia-Tan cushions, it can happen with epic recipes as well.
    The reverse, making people from other games want to play zOMG!, is simply done by putting a small requirement of orbs, as well. Orbs are soulbound, so you'd only get them trough zOMG!

    If a desired recipe for a fisher has a bunch of fish the person already had, and a few loot items he could afford, then he'd still need to play zOMG! for those, say, 20 orbs that shouldn't take too long to gather. In the process, there's a chance this person get interested in the game.
    The same logic goes for the other games. Who knows, maybe someone on zOMG! will find the fishing leader boards appealing, or cybering mingling on towns a blast.

  • Links from zOMG! to important mainsite locations
    Atrash the Squidmonger
    Some more simple links out to other games and features would be handy too (if they opened up in a window over the play area in the same tab and all, that would be neat - but more complicated and not worth it for most things). Have a tutorial NPC mention the forums as a place to discuss what's happening in the world (the z!F forum to begin with, but it would point people a bit towards the whole forums). Marketplace could definitely have its place - all of the stores. Perhaps a dynamic billboard/tv/etc. (just a simple image that could be changed - preferably not baked in so that it has to be changed in zOMG updates, rather than just switching an image quickly somewhere else) that links to special events - the latest manga - the latest rig...

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:26 pm



I suppose it might be worth re-posting the one small idea I had, some time ago.

It's simply a random event, much like Giftboxes or Trunks, except an animated (probably an OMG, simply because they're iconic) that 'drops' gold or orbs. This produces the feeling we get in zOMG!, that animated are everywhere, without really distracting significantly from the mainsite. Additionally, putting a handful of orbs into the pockets of those who don't normally play zOMG! might be enough (for some small portion of the population, at least) to drag them into the game occasionally.

I posited the idea to [ JK ], once, and he seemed to like it - but if there's anything we can do to build on it, that'd be wonderful... sweatdrop

Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger


Thard_Verad
Crew

Dangerous Genius

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:36 pm


I think a second zOMG-themed Manga would be a large step in the right direction. Hopefully, that's what the current story update is doing, but we'll have to wait for the rest of the pages. If this one isn't "it," then the real one should make use of additional members of the game's supporting cast. (Katsumi, Gustav, Caruthers, Jaques, etc.)

As some have stated, there should be a "Join me in zOMG!" option for your My Gaia page friend list. This would launch the game and auto-select the server where your chosen friend is playing.

For the random OMG event, it should grant a "??? Loot" item. Opening it would grant the gold, orbs, or even a rare recipe. If the game expands enough, the ??? Loot could even have items related to elemental effects. Possibly something completely unique, though that would be a giant RR4 Taunt in the face of some players who suddenly can't get every in-game thing.
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:11 pm


Thard_Verad
I think a second zOMG-themed Manga would be a large step in the right direction. Hopefully, that's what the current story update is doing, but we'll have to wait for the rest of the pages. If this one isn't "it," then the real one should make use of additional members of the game's supporting cast. (Katsumi, Gustav, Caruthers, Jaques, etc.)

As some have stated, there should be a "Join me in zOMG!" option for your My Gaia page friend list. This would launch the game and auto-select the server where your chosen friend is playing.

For the random OMG event, it should grant a "??? Loot" item. Opening it would grant the gold, orbs, or even a rare recipe. If the game expands enough, the ??? Loot could even have items related to elemental effects. Possibly something completely unique, though that would be a giant RR4 Taunt in the face of some players who suddenly can't get every in-game thing.

I did consider pushing the random drops up farther, to include loot, recipes, or even CL 1.0 rings, but I didn't know how acceptable that would be (or, rather, at what rarity that would be acceptable). I also considered having tiers, like the Giftboxes (Brown, Blue, Pink) - either with an OMG, OMFG, OMGWTF progression, or a Fluff, OMG, Landshark one (just for the effect of having a Landshark pop out of your forum page whee ).

I'm not sure, on unique 'drops'. I mean, part of the focus of Site Integration is to lead zOMG! players onto the Gaia mainsite (the other half, of course, being leading Gaians into zOMG!), but I don't really see how it stands to do that without being exceptionally frustrating (i.e. dropping effectively uncraftable recipes, in-game). Perhaps, though, there's a way to work it out...

Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger


Emyre

Wheezing Warlord

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:26 pm




      Along the lines of the "Join me in zOMG!" button, linking Whispers to the on-site messenger would be nice.

      I have some other things, but I'll post them in the morning.
PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:33 pm


SykoCaster


      Along the lines of the "Join me in zOMG!" button, linking Whispers to the on-site messenger would be nice.

      I have some other things, but I'll post them in the morning.

That reminds me, actually - someone suggested in the Repository for a Notice Pane in zOMG!, so players wouldn't have to exit the game to check their notices. I don't know how much that would really be of use (since most notices only refer to things pertinent to forums or Guilds), but I suppose it'd be nice to be able to get the updates, regardless. Maybe... sweatdrop

EDIT: So as not to completely ignore your suggestion: that sounds like it may be a little complicated. But I really have no clue what systems both of the messengers run on, so it may be simpler than it seems...

Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger


Emyre

Wheezing Warlord

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:51 pm


Red Kutai
SykoCaster


      Along the lines of the "Join me in zOMG!" button, linking Whispers to the on-site messenger would be nice.

      I have some other things, but I'll post them in the morning.

That reminds me, actually - someone suggested in the Repository for a Notice Pane in zOMG!, so players wouldn't have to exit the game to check their notices. I don't know how much that would really be of use (since most notices only refer to things pertinent to forums or Guilds), but I suppose it'd be nice to be able to get the updates, regardless. Maybe... sweatdrop

EDIT: So as not to completely ignore your suggestion: that sounds like it may be a little complicated. But I really have no clue what systems both of the messengers run on, so it may be simpler than it seems...


      JK did say it sounded feasible if they got main site support.
      Inclusion might get it attention, with might get said support.
PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:00 am


Well one thing that wanders about once in a while is making some zOMG! items be equipable as well other than the in-game usage. Like, making rings have a few poses, and the Buddy Summons appear animated besides your avatar.

I personally would rather have recipes for those poses than force the developers to work on poses for every single ring. As for the second idea, it'd bring much attention to the game, far more than most other suggestions. The issue is it's probably a bit late to implement this now. Some could cry foul play at the addition of such a feature on limited items, not to mention, the amount of work that it would be to implement it

I like the "join me in zOMG!" button coupled with whispers from main site. That'd allow me to check up and crew up with anyone with just the toolbar, and well, to that, this is mfw: blaugh

DrQuint
Vice Captain

Girl-Crazy Ladykiller


Atrash the Squidmonger
Vice Captain

PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:22 pm


Ideas I really like (most mentioned already, or just ones I've heard or thought up):

Random animated popping up, dropping orbs (and/or some other stuff too, although orbs seem the best, given that loot and recipes are pretty devalued and rings would have to be pretty rare).

Ways to know where your friends were, that worked. A catchy button to just join them right then would be nice. If nothing else, a chat option between people's profiles and them in zOMG would work for it.

Another manga or a mention of stuff in a manga (like people fighting things with rings).

An orb shop (so we could sell orbs for various items), as a more visible way to encourage people to want to get orbs to gain from stuff.

Ring animation poses. Having them require rings would be potentially handy.

Maybe some mini-events (but less common, perhaps, to not distract from the site too much) with site-side parts. Getting a Grucken cure pill from places on the forums, for example, when a Grucken event pops up.

Site notification of some minievents (again, not too common). For example, Landshark appearing, with the note "Landshark has been spotted in Gold Beach - fight him!" - clicking on it takes you to the right instance for it [might want to put up some system that tells people what level they should be for the events, or else just have low level events on the list, so it's not just slaughter]).

Notifications, and more shops and games accessible in game (either as a window that pops up over the playing field, or even just opening up another window).

*10 seconds later Edit*
More ideas!

Guild or clan rooms in game (there was a thread about this awhile back, but I don't remember what it was called), allowing for in game bulletins of clan/guild stuff, the occasional animated fight in an area slightly customizable by the guild (could choose/buy different wall decorations, objects, etc.), and player made "quests" (only of the basic kind Kill X number of Y animated, go to N screen in an instance or map, get Y amount of L loot drop from game drops - the quests would be run on money the guild people put in for them, as kinds of contests, and would dole out a certain amount every time a person completed the task until it ran out of rewards [so you could make high payout ones where it was a race to complete the mission, or low steady ones that everyone could do - or low single reward ones, or high payout steady ones]).

Having marketplaces or other customizable places in game might work too.
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:14 am




      One of the things I could see being relatively easily addressed is NPC dialogue.
      Give NPCs a Current Events keyword (i.e. "What's up?") that talks about the current goings-on within Gaia at the time.
      It'd be small, and NPC dialogue is easy to change, but I think it'd make a difference.
      Give players a bit of insight, and deepen the scope of Gaia's plots.
      For example, talking to Ian, you might find out that he's happy Gino's left on a voyage, and is wondering what Sasha's been up to.
      If you talk to Butterfinger Bart, you could find out that the reason the Boardwalk is so slow to open, is because of Gambino's death.

      And really, major events should be reflected in zOMG!, as well.
      Even if that means changing Quest dialogue.
      As far as any zOMG! NPC is concerned, Gambino is still alive and kicking.
      I believe there's still a reference to Santa being a cow, too, in Bill's Ranch.

      What would be better, even, is if current events were reflected by (simple) quests you could do.
      For example, Nicolae could offer a simple collection quest for supplies for a "vacation" he's planning on taking.

Emyre

Wheezing Warlord


Reglare Excile
Crew

Friendly Warlord

PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:36 pm


The only ideas I got so far about it are random zOMG stuff on other Gaia parts.

Example would be a Landshark trap on fishing which will eat your current fishes caught.
I forgot about the other stuff I thought of.
PostPosted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:57 am



I was originally planning on giving this a week or two before transplanting it into z!F - however, the conversation's died down a bit, so it may be time to move it over and gain some additional input. Unfortunately, z!F is currently very focused on the gold nerfing issue, so I don't think it's really the right time to try and draw attention away from it.

I would like to move the thread on a Friday, as that's when z!F gets the most visitors (for obvious reasons). That means either today, or we wait a week. If we've got more to add in (I'll see if I can't think of something to spur some more discussion), it'd probably be best to wait until some of the gold nerf hype has (hopefully) passed - but I'd hate to see the poor thing sit here dead for another week before we do anything with it. whee

So, in hopes of spurring a little extra discussion: one part of "integration" that we haven't focused an awful lot on, thus far, has to do with directing attention between Gaia and zOMG!. That is to say, making zOMG! players want to use Gaia, and making normal Gaians want to play zOMG! (and I do believe we have users that do each, exclusively - though there are many more exclusive-Gaians than exclusive-zOMGaians). Most of the suggestions we've posed thus far work fairly well at either giving Gaians incentives to play zOMG!, or simply making it easier for them to start - but is there anything we have to give back? Are there any particularly clever ways that zOMG! could encourage players to use the Forums, participate in mainsite events, etc.? I think it may significantly improve Gaia's opinion of zOMG! if they were to realise how they could use it to benefit the rest of the site, as well as to benefit itself. The importance of Site Integration has to do with making this one big community, so even if we don't have as much to offer, it's still only fair that we try - no? And who knows - if it works well enough, Gaia might finally see the value in actually advertising the game, to reach that audience they normally miss...

Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger


DrQuint
Vice Captain

Girl-Crazy Ladykiller

PostPosted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 1:01 pm


Red Kutai

So, in hopes of spurring a little extra discussion: one part of "integration" that we haven't focused an awful lot on, thus far, has to do with directing attention between Gaia and zOMG!. That is to say, making zOMG! players want to use Gaia, and making normal Gaians want to play zOMG! (and I do believe we have users that do each, exclusively - though there are many more exclusive-Gaians than exclusive-zOMGaians). Most of the suggestions we've posed thus far work fairly well at either giving Gaians incentives to play zOMG!, or simply making it easier for them to start - but is there anything we have to give back? Are there any particularly clever ways that zOMG! could encourage players to use the Forums, participate in mainsite events, etc.? I think it may significantly improve Gaia's opinion of zOMG! if they were to realise how they could use it to benefit the rest of the site, as well as to benefit itself. The importance of Site Integration has to do with making this one big community, so even if we don't have as much to offer, it's still only fair that we try - no? And who knows - if it works well enough, Gaia might finally see the value in actually advertising the game, to reach that audience they normally miss...


One of these was very obvious: Making Epic Recipes that require components from other games.
It'd bring incentive for zOMGaians to play those other games in case the epic recipe fluxed out too much of the components and inflated its price. Playing those other games with some long term reward in mind makes it more likely they would give it a chance. If this happens with tiles and tickets, since some people are crazy enough to want one of those Gaia-Tan cushions, it can happen with epic recipes as well.
The reverse, making people from other games want to play zOMG!, is simply done by putting a small requirement of orbs, as well. Orbs are soulbound, so you'd only get them trough zOMG!

If a desired recipe for a fisher has a bunch of fish the person already had, and a few loot items he could afford, then he'd still need to play zOMG! for those, say, 20 orbs that shouldn't take too long to gather. In the process, there's a chance this person get interested in the game.
The same logic goes for the other games. Who knows, maybe someone on zOMG! will find the fishing leader boards appealing, or cybering mingling on towns a blast.
PostPosted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 6:44 pm


Some more simple links out to other games and features would be handy too (if they opened up in a window over the play area in the same tab and all, that would be neat - but more complicated and not worth it for most things). Have a tutorial NPC mention the forums as a place to discuss what's happening in the world (the z!F forum to begin with, but it would point people a bit towards the whole forums). Marketplace could definitely have its place - all of the stores. Perhaps a dynamic billboard/tv/etc. (just a simple image that could be changed - preferably not baked in so that it has to be changed in zOMG updates, rather than just switching an image quickly somewhere else) that links to special events - the latest manga - the latest rig...

Atrash the Squidmonger
Vice Captain


Red Kutai
Captain

Benevolent Codger

PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:50 pm



Alright, alright - this thing's sat idle long enough. One last discussion point, in hopes of spurring some interest before I move this into z!F.

The goal of integration is to increase the traffic between zOMG! and the mainsite. Can zOMG! handle the additional traffic? If not, what can be done to help it do so?

Things like glitch fixing and the tutorial repairs - anything else? I know it's trangential to integration, at best, but these are the things that are going to make integration work - without them, it's not actually going to benefit Gaia or zOMG!. Ideas?
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z!magine

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