The State of MTT

I originally intended this as a comment on the earlier post, ‘Artistless’, but it turned out rather long and I figured there may be discussion on it.  So if you’d like to hear my response to everyone claiming this site is dead, read on!

 

Please Give Up

Disclaimer: Views of Club are often controversial and do not neccessarily speak for anyone else. that said, be mature if you disagree. And if you agree, also be mature. (and club,  don’t get mad I felt the need to put this diclaimer. I just want to avoid our common warring comment issues, I still believe you have the right to speak your mind on your blog)

If I understand correctly, Mr. Tiki is still taking a loss every month. And frankly, I don’t think that is really going to change.

Basically, there are probably 500 other small websites that are bigger/better/equal to Mr. Tiki out there. Overall, the competition is too much and Mr. Tiki just fails ot have to innovation and quality necessary to compete.

So staff, you know that it is logical to say that you will never make a dime of profit on this site. So don’t. Don’t lose any more of your hard-earned and precious time and money. Spend some time with your kids/wife or something and maybe think of a different idea or something.

Because the community of this site is dying rapidly, and I probably speak for most people when i say that the only reason most of us stick around for is the community. And when that is dead, coupled with the overall slow-growing and lackluster site, is a recipe for failure.

So give up. Its not the end of the world, and it will probably save you a buck in the end.

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

-Langston Hughes

 

A Year Later. Where are we?

You may have noticed that posting has been rather slow lately. What seemed like sheer enthusiasm from everyone on the site a week again seemed to just mysteriously disappear. As has my interest in Mr. Tiki.

You may have also noticed that Mr. Tiki is a year old now. Thats all great and good now, but if you had not been told by this post or somewhere else, you wouldn’t have known it. In no place on the site has there been an acknowledgment that Mr. Tiki is a year old today. And that is a shame. More on this soon.

But first, I might as well explain why I have not been posting. First off, recently Microsoft announced Windows 7. Being a Microsoft fanboy, and having enjoyed watching Vista grow up, I am really excited about Windows 7 and its promise and features. Of course, this devotion takes time away from Mr. Tiki.

Second, I have been really busy with school. I have reports to do and whatnot. (But not more than any other point in the year.) And third, I was interested in the presidential election here in America. With that over, I should have some more free time. But all of these fail to compare to my largest reason of all, which I will explain soon.

Back on the subject of the site’s birthday. I think it is an absolute shame that the site’s management and staff are so unexcited and under confident about Mr. Tiki that they completely ignored the sites birthday. Blog post? No. New addition? No. And conveyance of the that fact of the site’s birthday? No!  The site’s birthday should be something important and something to celebrate, and staff ignoring it is a decision that does nto bode well to the future management of the site. Overall, it just basically says “We Don’t Care”.

And “we don’t care” seems to be a big message around the site recently. Just look at Wooprentice! There is still a message about the failed IM initiative that staff have so fair failed ot removed. That is somehting Neopets does, not Mr. Tiki. Its a shame that it is hapenning.

I can;t even remember when the last meaningful Kinh story was. Heck, is Kinh even still around? I sure have not seen him. It is a shame because his stories were amazing and a great asset to the site. I guess staff just not got up the effort to put them out. (Were we not prmoised a max six-week wait anyways?)

Speaking of broken promises, how about that Foggy Coast. If it ever comes out I’ll probably jump of the nearest cliff in disbeleif. Wasn’t it supposed ot be out in March? Wasn’t battle supposed ot rock and not suck? Wern’t staff supposed ot listen to use? Wern’t they aspiring to be the best in the field? Wern’t they aspiring to care and innovate and change? I guess not.

It seems ot me that the climax of this site, the time where it was at its peak, was around the week that Sputnic left. After that, everyone’s enthusiasm seemed to just slowly die down.  And as it is arguable that this site will never go anywhere, I sitll think it is viable for a small group of core users to know what hapenned. Or, you know, at least get reviews and input every once and a while. Thank you.

One thing I have been able to gather is that Sputnic wanted to improve what there was, and have a more user-oriented approach. That is what we need to do, and I agree with her. If we want to exceed, we don’t need a bunch of bad stuff. We need a bit of good stuff. Because if someone sees this site as a bunch of random gatherings of poorly-made activities and such rather than a small, bot growing, group of exceptional products, they will leave.

That was what the site seemed ot be heading to when I joined. But that was a year ago. Now we hold contests in forums, and announce results where amazing stories used to be. Now we have great stories of creepy characters on ships, but end up with cute cat baloon and glow sticks. It is not good, it is not professional, it is amateur.

Mr. Tiki is a better-than-average smattering of what you would find on virtualpetlist.com. And that is awful for a site with so much promise and potential. It is really a shame.

So, what do do now? I don’t know. Comment and discuss what should happen to this blog. Because I am losing hope faster than a McCain supporter. Because right now posting, which used to be a joy, is now a chore. I feel heavy about it, like I am forced to, rather than because I want to. I simply feel detached from the site, like I just don’t want to use it anymore. And I don’t know if I’m going to stay or not.

/random sputtering of feelings

 

Is Mr. Tiki futile?

Its seems like every time I login to VirtualPetList.com to see the announcement of yet another new pet site. And even so, it seems that with every new pet site, there is an announcement of a pet site closure.

Which leads me to think, in the endless cycle of pet site openings and closures, is Mr. Tiki really ever going to go anywhere? Let’s look where we stand: We recently reached 5,000 members (Yay!) and our member count is growing at a wonderful pace. Our content stream, however, is not growing at a reasonable pace. At the rare time when content is released, it usually disappoints and is not of serious competitive quality.

On a different train of thought, what exactly is a Virtual Pet Site? Basically, it is an RPG with some make-believe pets on the side. All-and-all, looking at all pet sites, most activities require little to no use of the pets concept at all. The “pets” in virtual pet sites are simple a feature that allows the implementation of other features. This means that the basic full virtual-pet experience can be had, as Club Penguin has done with its puffles, without the pet being a major impact on the site while providing a very similar experience.

With that in mind, we can then assume that Mr. Tiki is a small, slowly growing, RPG site with pets on the side. Take it as you will, that is a generally true statement. And, as such, Mr. Tiki is no different than the 30 billion other small, slowly-growing, RPG site with pets on the side that exist on the web. (While Mr. Tiki may be better than most.)

But luckily, Mr. Tiki does have one thing that could separate it form the rest. Potential.

 

I’m Fading Away… and so are you.

Face it. We are all bored and all fading away from this site. Boards lie dead, posts lie uncommented, wikis lie pageless, and that basically all confirms it. Basically, all our once-robust former energy for the site is being quickly depleted and focused elsewhere (For me: Travian, Twin Skies, Spore, Fusion Falls.) Really, I don’t even really feel like posting anymore.

And to me, it seems like staff to are losing energy. They rarely speak anymore, and when was the last time everyone was in Wooprentice together? A long time ago, for me. But why the loss of energy? Well, deep down, I know that secretly, this site is not going anywhere. It is revolutionary, broken, outdated, and unoriginal. I’m losing hope in the site’s ability to succeed. I’m bored. (What happened to regulars like celynhox, argeth, and such, BTW?)

So far, this site can only be described a really good amatuer pet site. It isn’t turning into what I thought it would be when I joined back in November. Then again, maybe I’m just depressed today and staff can do something to excite me. But otherwise, I’m bored, and I’m falling away fast. And so are you. *waits for attacks to begin*

 

Potential

At one time, people thought computers wouldn’t amount to anything. Why use them when what we have now works perfectly fine? Some people looked beyond the norm, and they saw potential. They saw a computer on every desk in every home completely changing the way we interact with information and the world. Look where we are now. What if that potential had not been unlocked?

 

Idiot Parents!

What?!? A rant NOT about Mr. Tiki?!? Could it be?!? Well, needless to say, my parents are teaching me the wrong lessons.  Like, remember when you wanted something and your parents said, “You need to learn responsibility before you can have insert-object-here! Get a job and earn the money, then you can have it!”. Well, my parents said that too.

You see, I want a new computer. This one sucked four years ago when we got it, and it sucks even more now. I have enough money to get the computer I want with money to spare! (Sorry guys, none of it is going to Mr. Tiki. Until the movie comes out!  There is a movie coming, right?) Cooleo, eh? Well, no. My parents are teaching me the wrong lessons and saying that even though I earned something, I can’t have it. Boo! But, there is hope…

Because, I have a way of getting what I want. So far, my method has gotten me this sucky computer, high speed internet, VOIP, and my Xbox 360! Cooleo! I just nag my parents about it for 6 months since they first say no, and soon enough, I get it! Works every time! Yay! So, needless to say, by this time next year I WILL have a new computer. *evil grin*

Now, how about that meter system?

 

Is being open so VERY hard?

Really, seriously, we are in beta bubs. Really. There are probably less than 50 of us who come on consistantly every day, is it really so hard to be open with us?

Because, really, is it so hard to explain what is going on so we are not left to assume? Is it really so hard to go out and say you acknowledge what needs to be fixed and how you are fixing it? Can you give us a BASIC overview of what you are doing?

Because (is Tictac gone?) Neopets is not open. Look where they are? Every day it seems that you guys are drifting further away from your users into the wretched Viacom-like-land. And when your own staff members seem to not know/won’t tell (most likely the latter) HOW exactly you think Power Weasel will help the site or HOW much time is going into it. Heck, even an official announcement would do! Because I’m sure the average age of those 50 active users is at least 18, I’m sure they would understand.

I see websites that give dev updates every day. I like that, I like to know that their staff are listening and acting upon their users. I like to not be left in the dark. And when I have to get snide (more than usual) to get basic info about development out, there are serious user/staff communication problems. (And please check out my little write up and people for hire on VPL.) Really

But I congratulate staff on being this much open! It is really good that you share, alas only when prompted. Do comment!

 

Adam and Donna Need to Get out of My Head

Yeah, we all know Adam and Donna left THE EBIL in 2005, but what are they up to now? Invading my brain! Well, they started a new company called Meteor Games… and here is what they wish to accomplish:

Meteor Games is committed to creating an experience that bridges the gaps between the engaging nature and broad appeal of web-based gaming, the community-focused elements of today’s exploding social networks, and the fun and depth of traditional massively multiplayer online gaming experiences.

Why, that is EXACTLY what I wished to accomplish with my hobby of Tiki 2.0! GASP! Need more ideas copied form my head? Look below!

“We are strongly against letting players buy an advantage,” says Powell. All of the microtransactions, he says, will augment the player’s looks, not powers: New houses, new clothes, new pets.

In Tiki 2.0, I planned to create a credits system which would allow users to buy strictly asthetic items for a lot cheaper than the effort of earning the TT to buy them. But wait, there is more!

So then, is this game merely lifting ideas from the lucrative well of collective nostalgia to compete with World of Warcraft? Apparently not. The game itself seeks to target a demographic somewhere in between the hardcore MMO fan and his 7-year-old younger sister. The word “tween” was mentioned, though I picked up on an obvious distaste for the term.

Are they going after my “everygraphic” now too? To shame! (I talked about this on BBMMO a bit.) Well, other than that, nothing else is the same… BUT TO SHAME FOR COPYING THE UNPUBLISHED THOUGHTS OF MY HEAD! *fist shaking*

This post was a joke, BTW. Although the copied ideas are real, really, they are. But, in general, those ideas are so basic it doesn’t amount to anything! And, there was only one post today! I can’t stand that!

 

Is Mr. Tiki irreversibly flawed?

There was an Idea Box earlier, but I really hated the idea, so it went KAPUT! Sorry. (It was really that bad.) And, no worries, this is not your typical rant!

Game design is tough, very tough. On average, it can take $10,000,000 to develop a professional game (Source: wikipedia. Take it with a grain of salt, but not too much, its bad for your kidneys).  Mr. Tiki has a much smaller staff and budget, yet against all odds they are doing extremely well! But their game design has flaws.

Are they irreversible? No, but entire parts of the site would have to be reprogrammed first. Drastically, and ways I will not list here. But, what is wrong?

If Mr. Woo wants to use and harm spirits for evil, why do wooites still have them? How come you can not see the effects of Wootropolis’s expansion? Why does the meter have little or no effect on the site? Why do the two sides not effect each other in any way? Overall, the whole sides thing is UNDENIABLY broken.

As this whole idea is the base of this game, it is pretty important that staff do it right. And I think this base, and more specifically Kinh’s outstandingly amazing storyline (Please make this a movie!), have so much potential. This games base is like potential energy, it is stored, waiting for release. But when it is, the kinetic energy can have some really big effects! But, yes, for right now the site is irreversably broken. Within the current game design, staff can do nothing to fix it completely. BUT, by fixing the meter system, it can be helped.

I’m just saying, Mr. Tiki is a very fun game, but all-in-all the whole meter and sides system is worthless right now. And fixing it would require nothing short of complete game redesign, and as it took three years to do this, it would take at least 5 for staff to redo the whole site, and that’s a long time.

But, should staff do this? Should they build a Tiki 2.0? Because if they did, the site as we know it will die. Be gone forever, to be reborn into something better that the whole gaming community could be proud of. And, at this point, we can only hope Mr. Tiki would be copied! Because then the face of gaming would change for the better!

So, should staff do it? Should they start over? Will they? My guess is no, because it is like throwing over 3 years of your life away. That would be an incredibly hard decision that I could not make. But, at the very least, they should try to make the meter system worthwhile. Doing just that would add so much value to the site! It would have a much larger ROI than homes or battle, in my opinion.

But if staff DID decide to start over, which they won’t, Tiki 2.0 would have to be planned out perfectly. The game would have to have complete plans that would go for years beyond the launch date. It would have to be cohesive and worthwhile. If they did this, I think we should be involved, because we all are different and know what we want in a revolutonary new game! Or, at least, I do!

But really, fix the meter system. It should be done. Really. Seriously. Now.

 

Magazines Totally Need To Happen!

I know, I know, our poor staff are working to get Huts out and Battle fixed (finally!), both big endeavours, but can they take a break to work on something I think could benefit the site in a big way?

Because, really, a magazines system would be relatively easy to do and maintain. Especially if they start with only one. And, overall, I think they could have a great appeal. Why? Well, Web 2.0 is a big reason! Users love to do their own content, and right now on this site that is impossible, and with this it could be added in a big way.

Another reason? I don’t know of any other site that has done this. Really, it would be completely unique. Mr. Tiki would be going into territory no other site has gone into, and that gives Mr. Tiki that much more appeal. And, as I said before, the sheer collectibility of those items could attract even more users! (Right now, on the site, there is not much to collect.)

And, another reason it is a good idea? Money! Yes, that is right, what is a magazine without ads? How much could Mr. Tiki charge for a magazine ad? Because, by simply saving over a file, staff could change out the ad and not have to deal with the old ones! Yeah! Well, it is a possibility.

Overall, I think the little effort put into a magazines system could have a really quick ROI for the staff. Yep, and it would be fun. It would attract lots of new people and be really awesome. So do it, now. Do comment.

 

A sad reality…

Could it be? Could Tiki staff have done a better job with the BBMMO points system than the Mr. Tiki meter? HECK YEAH! What a shame! Let’s compare!

We all know what the meter system is (useless, crippled), but what about the points system on BBMMO? Well, it is simple; you get points for participating in the site, which you can use to do stuff. Now, let’s compare it to the meter:

• Pervasive
• On BBMMO, the points system is effected by/effects almost everything. It is highly important to succeed on the site.
• On Mr. Tiki, the meter only effects shops and is effected by a very small list of factors. Overall, what your meter is at does not matter.

• Changes Bahavior
• On BBMMO, the points system encourages wide participation, without, I’m sure there would be much less posts, and less quality posts (props).
• On Mr. Tiki, people don’t change how they would use the site at all because of the meter.

• Community
• On BBMMO, users can see how other users have progressed in the site. There is a competition to see who can earn the mosts points in the day. Users can also give their points to others if they make good posts.
• On Mr. Tiki, users cannot see eachothers meters. The meter, which is designed to create to rival groups, has failed to do so.

• Game
• There are definite advantages to having more points in this community. Although there are no disadvantages, to make it a true game, it is not necessary. This is a community more than a game.
• On Mr. Tiki, the only advanatge is cheaper prices at certain shops. That’s it. Really. Oh, and the price increases at the other side’s shops. WONDERFUL!

So, as you can see, BBMMO did a far better job with the simple points system than Mr. Tiki did, and in a shorter time too! The meter needs to be fixed, and it needs to be fixed now.

 

This Is a Shame

For the first time on this site ever, I can say that I am bored. I was not amused before, but now I am bored. I can say my excitement with tiki is slowly fading away, and is now nearly gone. I’m having trouble posting, and you can see the definite slowdown in posts. And when was the last time we saw Miraye? Two weeks without Tiki Pulse, but it isn’t all that bad, because this site is so boring nothing happened!

God, you can only stand so much of the same thing for so long. It eventually becomes so repetitive that you bore out of it. For heavens sake, this site gets updated about once a month anymore! That’s as boring as heck! No wonder nobodies staying around! If staff have content prepped for launch, launch it already! This is beta for heavens sake, aren’t we supposed to be testing this? We aren’t even really testing anything! Staff are pretty much treating the site as a final product! WRONG WRONG WRONG!

Now, at this point, I’m sure some of you are going to whine about how rude and disthoughtful I am. You don’t, have to read this, so move along! Go, now! Skip to the happy posts! But these staff are fully grown men and women, and wealthy ones at that, they are capable of doing better, but they are not. They can also handle the petty advice and criticism of a 14-year-old blogger, my posts won’t make them need counseling. Yes, they are working their butts off, but as wealthier individuals, they can afford to hire part-time staff and develop the site more. especially with the extra revenue from ads and such.  They aren’t investing enough into the site to make it a success. Having looked at other start ups, Mr. Tiki is miserably smallest, slowest, and understaffed. And in some cases, it isn’t the youngest. Its a shame. In my 14-year-old experience, I know staff can and should do better. But will they?

At the current rate of about 20 meaningful updates a year, compared to hundreds for other sites, Mr. Tiki is so behind the curve it is a shame. This needs to change, and now. Time to get serous. I’m bored. *yawn*

 

NOT BAD TICTAC! FORGETFUL CLUB!

You were supposed to post today, and you failed. Your free expense-paid trip to to the Secret US Government Torture Chambers awaits! *ebil laugh* HAHAHAHHAHAH!

*Ahem*  If you remembered I gave notice that I would be gone most every weekend in summer (Evidence)!

 

Woe is me!

Well, its raining. Its been raining all week. And by the forecast, it will rain all next week too. Oh, and did I mention I’m under my 3rd tornado watch now this week? I thought not. Yeah, the weather sucks, it’s even supposed to rain on Saturday now!

For the longest time, it was NOT supposed to rain on Saturday, but now it is. And on Saturday, I have my big graduation party. Well, it means all day Saturday I cannot be online, at all. So no posts for me! Isn’t that sad? I expect Tictac and Miraye to try their best to post stuff!

But even so, I have family visiting and that is also limiting my comp time. Ah well, I’ll try to post as much as possible!