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I think the 'big' problem is the cost of getting started on the server.

And, by cost, I'm not talking monetary - but time and effort.

Especially since we're now in the DarkRP category (though I think generally in gaming this is a trend), people have come to expect an easy ride.

When they join a new gamemode, the player may have no idea what they're doing, won't have fun, won't bother putting in the effort to learn the ropes of the gamemode (that only a handful of people are playing), and go play something else with a lower opportunity cost like Fortnite, or some other server.

Add to that the fact that they might not have the textures, or the server may be lagging, or there may be no one on the server, and it's not hard to see why people don't want to play here.

This is not me saying that we should become closer to other gamemodes, or simplify our gamemode - it's the acute complexities within ours that make it stand out.

But I think Fearless needs to focus on making it easy for players who want what we offer to get started.

One way this could be done is to explain how the gamemode works to new players through videos.

For example, when you spawn in for the first time, a professionally made video plays that explains to you the ropes of the gamemode, how to make money, how to traverse the menus, and what there is to actually be done.

Though it's not the solution to all of FL's problems, I think a concrete, clear and engaging explanation would be a good start with increasing the player conversion rate from a 'newly joined' player to a potential 'player'.

It would make players who are actually looking for a cityRP experience excited to play, and actually put a step in place to capture the player, and prevent them from logging off and never coming back.

Once the actual game mode has been explained properly and you've captured the player's interest, you move them from the 'newly joined'  to 'potential player' category.

There's no way of making a player stick around for months or years if you can't get them to stick around for a couple of hours or days.

From this point improvements regarding making the gamemode work better, making sure the player stays, are the most important.

For example, updates, events, fps fixes, gamemode change, promoting clans, new map etc.

These things provide long-term enjoyment to move them from a 'potential player' to a 'player'.

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As a case in point, a few weeks ago a new player came up to me and started asking me questions about how to do x and y.

What would he have done if I wasn't there? Probably log off and never come back again.

But my explanation only likely kept him around for a few hours or days, as the other problems with the gamemode probably killed off any long term potential for him to play.

But there wouldn't have been potential for him to stay (which is what we want) if I didn't explain to him how to play.

My explanation moved him from 'newly joined' to 'potential player', but the problems with the gamemode likely stopped him from moving from 'potential player' to 'player'.

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So, in summary, I believe focus has to be put on moving players from 'newly joined' to 'potential player' through proper explanations.

You've captured their interest.

Then, to robustly move them from 'potential player' to 'player', work has to be put into refining the gamemode, and providing long term engagement with events and organisations.

Until it is clear to new players what the heck you're supposed to do, strategies to keep longer term players engaged won't work to the fullest effect.