Interesting website forum stats

[ThisIsDeutch]

Well, the new year of 2019 is upon us; although we are a few weeks away, it is most likely that very little will happen here to change anything.

So, I thought it would be interesting to look at the stats of this year, as well as previous years http://forum.arcanewonders.com/index.php?action=stats

2018 has been the worst year in forums history: there have been only 288 new threads, and 3886 new posts! Compare that to 2014, when we had 1513 new threads and 17746 new posts- yikes....

So where does this leave us?

Mage Wars, the game, is not dead- as long as people will play, the game will still be considered "alive". However, for all intents an purposes, the community is fractured and nearly non-existent. The last 3 years of arguing about it doesn't change the fact that the development of Mage Wars Arena is done and Arcane Wonders have let it go, and nothing the community does will change anything about it. Arcane Wonders has simply killed it, while leaving it on "life support" with the Academy expansions. It doesn't help either that community management is non-existent and that all the information we receive comes from online merchants instead of the actual company making these products.

In regards to these forums, I think that it's fairly straight forward: this site is basically used for Mage Wars, and as such the survival of these forums are based on the success of Mage Wars- that is fairly clear considering how most of these senior members of these forums haven't posted for months or even years. And as the Dice Tower Essential games have been quite bland, there hasn't been any activity on that part of the forums- basically abandoned for all intents and purposes. The community now relies on 5-10 people who lurk and sometimes post, with no clear future in sight.

These numbers will only decrease into the new year. Thanks to everyone for having made the last few years so engaging and interesting. However, continuing on posting on these forums is like feeding hay to a dead horse: you are just ignoring the cold hard truth

[zot]

note that there are a lot of people who play who have never heard of this forum let alone post here. and some who used to post may have reverted to just reading rather than posting.

I know for myself, 2018 has been a crazy year for being busy, and not able to play as much as I would like. perhaps same is true for others. looking forward to 2019 and the events.

winter war at end of jan
origins in june
and gen con in aug.

[ThisIsDeutch]

winter war at end of jan
origins in june
and gen con in aug.

Here’s hoping that the 10 people who go to tournaments are able to change the tide 

[iNano78]

Still lurking, if not posting.

Still holding out hope that one day they’ll publish (a) Lost Grimoire v2 (remaining promos, maybe a few more Trample or other interesting cards; perhaps more dragons?), (b) alt-Forcemaster vs alt-Wizard (surely some development work was done for this expansion years ago), (c) a “mounts” expansion (as cut from Paladin vs Siren), (d) Battlegrounds 2: Arch-enemy (same comment as (b)), and (e) an Elementalist for Arena - even if just the mage art card & abilities.

[kayofkayos]

Still lurking, if not posting.

Still holding out hope that one day they’ll publish (a) Lost Grimoire v2 (remaining promos, maybe a few more Trample or other interesting cards; perhaps more dragons?), (b) alt-Forcemaster vs alt-Wizard (surely some development work was done for this expansion years ago), (c) a “mounts” expansion (as cut from Paladin vs Siren), (d) Battlegrounds 2: Arch-enemy (same comment as (b)), and (e) an Elementalist for Arena - even if just the mage art card & abilities.

A Lost Grimoire v2 with the remaining promos and an expansion with a pure frost mage would do it for me. That would be amazing.
I was kind of late to the party and was first introduced to arena this year in september, but I was hooked instantly. Without a doubt the best game I have ever played.

[Grimstringer]

yep, mage wars has huge design space, it's a same it will remain a space by the way things look.


my opinion on academy has changed since last year, which i thought it was a waste,because they really do dig different playstyles with the mages ,even if many of the cards are bad in arena,others are great. so i started buying into it. (wont buy them twice though, that's a rip off )


but yeah, pretty dissapointed with how the things have turned out, since this is in my top 3 games (the other is war of the ring  ,and netrunner, which is not supported by the makers anymore (god's will.)


i do lurk, and log into the forum often, to see if anything interesting is posted, but since it's empty most of the type i dont have anything to post aswell  : )

maybe if everything goes great for the company they will restore mage wars arena to it's former glory, even for us the little niche market that exists but loves it

[ThisIsDeutch]

maybe if everything goes great for the company they will restore mage wars arena to it's former glory, even for us the little niche market that exists but loves it

If they keep on releasing games like "Speechless" then no, I'd say that they're going to have to shut down in 5 years time. No company can survive with so much momentum lost and wasted on utter nonsense 

Still holding out hope that one day they’ll publish (a) Lost Grimoire v2 (remaining promos, maybe a few more Trample or other interesting cards; perhaps more dragons?), (b) alt-Forcemaster vs alt-Wizard (surely some development work was done for this expansion years ago), (c) a “mounts” expansion (as cut from Paladin vs Siren), (d) Battlegrounds 2: Arch-enemy (same comment as (b)), and (e) an Elementalist for Arena - even if just the mage art card & abilities.

It's pretty much confirmed that there is no longer development going on for Arena or Domination sets.

Mage Wars Arena is dead- no more sets will be released. And no, "Academy" does not count, and I doubt that they'll be releasing more sets in a couple of years time.

[arxiducs]

Hi all!!
I read the stats with optimism.
259 new members in 2018! Under this weather!!!
I would say the game and community are resilient!! 

[arxiducs]

Also, highest "most online" ever in 2018!
Is it me, or the community is increasingly clustering around this forum?

[wtcannonjr]

Also, highest "most online" ever in 2018!
Is it me, or the community is increasingly clustering around this forum?

Here and on BoardgameGeek as well.

New players continue to show up on that forum asking about what expansions to buy next and how this rule or that rule interacts with XYZ.

It seems the growth model for this game is more about word of mouth, than a heavy marketing/promotion buzz.

[iNano78]

Nothing has toppled Mage Wars Arena as my favourite board game of all time. Still trying to pull in new players, despite the lack of support. Just because it isn't a "living" game with new expansions every few months doesn't mean it isn't among the best games ever designed.

[ThisIsDeutch]

Just because it isn't a "living" game with new expansions every few months doesn't mean it isn't among the best games ever designed.

Well that is a very subjective point of view of looking at things.

What about I turned your statement around: Just because Tom Vasel no longer considers Mage Wars to be one of the greatest games of all time, does it mean that this game no longer holds any value to other people?