[777devil777]

Keeping players isn't as easy as it seems. Generally with the average server, someone who plays on there may only be on for a single day - if not just coming on to see if they like the server then leave.

Wtb Work

The first easy thing to keep players, is to give them work. Blizzlike servers can do this pretty easily with the 1-70 grind but funservers can be a bit harder. If you make a mall with eveything they could ever want, what will they do after?

You shouldn't expect people to buy from the mall then go to straight PVPing. As great as PVP is you can only make a good PVP area once there are players constantly on.

A server I saw had a level grind for 70-99 with blizzlike exp. What they did was make quests for each leveling zone. "Go kill 15 of these, and 8 of those. I'll give you [Sweet PVP upgrade] and [Zomg 5levels]". The thing to note, was that two good 70s could kill a 99. Leveling was just a fun way to make your char stronger for pvp (And a great way to keep players from leaving if nobody is at the arena at that time).

Whoa, cool

Players come to servers that are customized. It is a simple and true fact. And generally (With the exception of chrispee's and knaur's) you need to change alot of things around to get a good server.

Tips: A mall in shattrath? Too many people go there anyways.
Secret troll village? Its really not that secret...
Why not make your own area? Using game objects you can build and entire zone with everything right down to flowers on the ground. New stuff is cool stuff. No other server has your exact custom zone.

Don't stop there! You could make a mall under the sea as long as you have some sort of script to give everyone water breathing! Spawn a big area in the sky with vendors! Or make vendors a challenge to get to! Maybe to upgrade your tier you need to pass a obstacle course, or possibly customize your own raid with vendors hidden behind bosses!

Events

Events are a great way to have return visitors to your server. Keep a calender on your site with dates for events. How about making a GM morph into a creature that must be killed? -Important- Do not make the event "First to get Killing Blow wins!". I suggest giving a event coin to everyone who was there instead (Especially to be nice to the healers).

Proggression

Players want to feel like everything they do makes a difference. If they spend a hour trying to beat a obstacle course, give them something! A tabard with stats or some really good bracers?

If you have a custom instance, how about making coins drop off every mob which can be traded in for custom gear? Remember: Progression means getting stronger, cooler, and above the rest. Make custom gear look good.

Ooo Shiny

You are a admin. You can do anything as long as you put time into it. I suggest using game objects alot. you can even get shiny lights over all your vendors, or portals, or any points of intrest.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Now some of this may seam like common knowledge, but for the amount of servers I see with instant 70 and nothing else... Y'know.

[Cursed]

Ill give you 2x for this great guide... Keep it updated please

[Skype]

well done, a lot of common sense there, but it's nice to have it said out loud

[NWeaver]

Sweet! Thanks alot mate. Really helped.

[shortyboy395]

uber, made me feel stupid XD

[DrPieper]

Yep, your right.
It is hard.

[Fiegn]

Nice, but I find it hard trying to get members in the first place D:

[Moffeman]

this is nice,

now i can keep players :P

[runiker]

I would like to add a few comments to it as well.

make some end game content (chain quest) or somthing that gets you great gear

toss in some wow ( some gear that cast spells a player would not normaly have will be fine)

Make some pre-made events maze oc like said but also somthing that you can only get to when a gm spawns the portal and portal goes away in 3 hrs...

Take some time and customize the non-used areas

There are several places that can be used for some fun stuff....
(map 44, sfk, zf, zg and zf all non-instance)

If you are so bent on having a mall why not make a mall for only lvl xx to go with a chain quest that gives you item to get there a great place for this type of mall is gm island. (no server should ever use gm island for a gm mall)

Last but not least add a custom pvp game, areana or whatnot
a great way to do this is with some flags and some mobs who drop pvp tokens and stuff (tons of pvp tokens can trade in for better then average gear)

p.s. always update and customize the server nobody likes the same old server even blizz knows this one and is always updateding (those stuipid patches)

[Fiegn]

Custom Content i've added:

Custom Donation Island
Various Donation Vendors
Various Quest Chains - Donation and Normal
Balanced T7 Quest Chain with custom bosses for each peice.
Custom items on Normal Boss Drop
Made Onyxia more suitable for Level 70's including editing her Drops.
Made PvP NPC's
and loads more.

Players:
0

[runiker]

Originally Posted by Fiegn

Custom Content i've added:

Custom Donation Island
Various Donation Vendors
Various Quest Chains - Donation and Normal
Balanced T7 Quest Chain with custom bosses for each peice.
Custom items on Normal Boss Drop
Made Onyxia more suitable for Level 70's including editing her Drops.
Made PvP NPC's
and loads more.

Players:
0

Try posting some ads like the one part on mmowned here
or also try wow-v and other top wow sites....

[xpkz]

Very nice guide seems to be very useful +rep for you

[xxx]

Great work and ty for links

[Zotie]

Very nice. I added a custom instance and im working on one..... Its very time comsuming but it has a great pay-off.... Im just trying to get off hamachi but i dont want to fork out the cash for a dedicated server... Can someone please help?

[TheZaronz]

This guide is pretty nice but i would like to warn

Where this guide says make your area by spawning lots of stuff,
Dont' do that it will creat massive lag!

And the thing player hates most is much lag and downtime