Open Letter to:

Sysops, Players, Forum Users, Trade Wars Fans


In the past week I have read a lot of posts here in this forum and elsewhere in the TW's Universe. I have read post after post of hate speech, bashing, flaming and personal attacks on people in the most unprofessional manner.

I would like to take this moment to reflect on a community that welcomed me as a new player and a new Sysop in 1996. Back then people wanted to play and most were willing to help with pointers and technical support to the game that made things easier to start playing.

Where are we now? It's now 2012 and nothing about this game is welcoming to new players (in my opinion). Should Trade Wars be a game that lives in the past? Or should it be opened up to a new generation of players who can enjoy the game as I once did?

When I announced that my server was back online 4 people came to play. 2 are still playing as we speak. They are old players who I have known since my last server was open.

Should I keep my server running on a dedicated server with 20mbit cable service for free? In the past I would have said yes. At first I had my doubts after seeing all the hate and discontent in the forums.

I have decided to use Facebook http://www.facebook.com/darkstarbase to expand Trade Wars to more than just the existing "Trade Wars Underground" I am going to promote my server and the game to a new world.

I would like to see a "Rebirth of Trade Wars" and I for one will spend my time not only bringing the game to a new generation but see that the new generation is not flamed, bashed, discouraged or humiliated into not playing this game.

My server will be open. I will support Trade Wars the game.

I welcome other and future TWGS sysops to join me.

I also welcome your comments and suggestions.

Jim

aka Darkstarbase

If this were Facebook I'd be hitting the like button.

I believe many of us who read the forums will help new players with the game and with aspects such as scripting if they post questions. I haven't seriously played in a game for a very long time and have even lost my desire to script, but I read the forums as many do and will still help when I can. I believe there are several ex-players similar to myself in this situation - we are here, you just don't see us.

I think you are heading in the right direction on promoting the game, and if I ever get the itch to play again I will have to give your server a try. It takes a while now to get a player base established, but with bang announcements and your FB page, it should grow.

               / Promethius / Enigma / Wolfen /

"A man who has no skills can be taught, a man who has no honor has nothing."

Thank you Promethius, I offer some of your edits on my server. You gave me many suggestions back in my early days. I and many people have appreciated your advice and dedication to this game.

As for posting bang info, I am still waiting for sysop access on this forum. Been days now...

Sorry, Darkstarbase, I didn't know you were waiting. I'll get that set right now.

And thank you for your devotion to this game. Not many come to this forum, but I can assure you that there are many, many people who share your feelings about TradeWars. Maybe they'll never seriously play, but they have fond memories of it, and like to step back in time now and then. I don't allow the public face of TradeWars (the negative one, at least) effect my decisions about the game, because I know that it is not representative of the broader community. You shouldn't let it get you down. Thankfully, it is still possible for people to make of this game what they want it to be. And that's what most people do. It may be difficult to bring together a group of strangers to enjoy a competitive game today, but there are many sites where groups of friends get together to relive the "good ol' days" for awhile before moving on again to the many other diversions of today. And that's good enough for me.

I stopped playing because you removed game A, not because I don't like your server. I think you said the first games you banged were only there for a server shakedown and subject to removal, so I wasn't upset. The main reason I haven't been back is that I only have time for one game at a time. (Especially since the state of TW in 2012 is that 1,000 turns is considered low.)

There's a lot of competition for very few active players now. I'm reminded of something I learned in Introduction to Microeconomics: small competitors succeed by specializing. What can you do with your server that's original, or what can you do better than everyone else? If you can't answer those questions, then it's probably time to either wrap it up, or make yourself okay with having a disappointingly small number of players. But I think you can answer those questions. I don't remember you from the old days, but you seem like a smart guy.

As Mongoose just said, the days are likely over of having 30 individual players logged into the games you host. Half a dozen now days and you're doing well. Actually, having two people actually compete is a good turnout!

Darkstarbase was probably the first site I adopted and played at when I first returned back to TW. Not only did he have a great website, he helped me get mine started by not only hosting it for a time, but also helped me figure out how to get some of the logs and edits posting to my games. One of the few that did it at the time, and became a model for me. He also was very helpful when I had questions about actual game play.

I for one will join him in promoting TW on facebook, and in other ways as they become available. Thank you Darkstar for your positive attitude, and energy.

RP

Thanks RP..

Do you still use the HTML export program that was used to put game data on a website?

I dont have any of my old batchfiles anymore and Id like to be able to export data again.
I forget the name of the program that I used for my batchfiles.

If you have it please send me a copy? Thanks