retired_ella67

Quite comprehensive, look forward to seeing the results.

retired_plasal

Yep. Never understood this line of thinking.

Anyone who is passionate enough about the game is signed up (amount of people who have access to a PC but not the internet = negligable). If people just play the unpatched one they wont enjoy it enough to sign up, or they are the kind of casual gamers who don't care how good it is one way or the other.

Whereas those of us who are here, are here because we're passionate about FM. We know where it's come from and hopefully where it is going. In fact we're the target audience. So you'd think they'd bother to ask us what we want.

In fact I'd be interested in a show of hands of all those who've taken part in the SI Focus Group. Anyone? Bueller?

If you satisfy the hardcore, the rest will come. And even if the rest don't come, there are enough to still make it financially viable.

After all, the hardcore fan who they are so keen to distance themselves from in their quest for the casual gamer dollar, are the very fans who brought the series in sufficient quantities for it to still exist.

Ho hum.
VB

Emm

The forum is only a small proportion of people playing the game - you've only got to look at the number of users registered against the sales figures of FM to see that.

Using the patch as a yardstick is a complete red herring too, as the patch will be mostly accessed through the main SI site, not via the Forums. You don't even have to go there for it as it is mirrored across other sites. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Guests?

Fair point about the patch though. I wrongly assumed that was mainly downloaded from here as the main site seems to be down so often.

retired_ella67

But . . . I would say the members here are part of the "hardcore" fan base, as opposed to the "casual" users.

Now, admittedly, there will always be more sales accounted for by the latter because as you say, they form a much larger group.

But the hardcore fans are the ones who will stick with the game through thick and thin, whilst the casual users will at some point likely move on to a different field of interest.

When a club is flying high in the league, they don't have to worry about filling their ground, but if it falls on hard times that's when they will hope that they kept their core supporters onside.

brian_121

Done, decent questions. hope to see the results soon.

retired_plasal

A great analogy.

bruno

:thup:

brian_121

edit. not sure why i quoted the number.. oops

retired_ella67

VonBlade, my point duplicates yours somewhat, you probably type faster than me.

"Focus Groups" are people handpicked by the researchers, as opposed to fans who come and offer their opinions of their own accord. (PS I'd like to know if Focus Groups have ever contributed anything to cultural value?)

retired_ella67

:thup: By the way, dane0, great work!. (Bump!)