I suggest a command that shows how many people are logged in. Not who, just how many. Perhaps also how many per nation as well - no real reason not to include that information if this is implemented, since with the count and the online graph you could derive it anyway.

This could also be incorporated into the comm tab or something.

I don't see how this could cause any harm. If having fine-grained information is somehow considered too much, however, it could be rounded to the nearest mod-5 or so, with a ten minute delay or whatever.

But as far as I'm aware, nobody had issue with knowing how many people were online back in the days of /msg IRC active. It was just knowing who was online that was problematic for some.

I think the devs have an issue on this Rin : )

We used t have this, and now we don't. Perhaps they tired of the self-defeating cycle of "Oh there's only x people logged in, guess I won't bother right now."

Other than the behavior I described above, what would be the benefit?

after I type this I'm going to punch myself for congratulating the devs, but...

Removing the Active Players List was to date the smartest business move they've ever made (possibly the only smart move :/ ), even if it was 4 years too late.

The APL turned new users off, was exploited mercilessly by players, and generally detracted from the fun and danger VO has to offer.

Now, if they'd just try like, adding content or something, or fixed a bug or two, wow, they'd be on a roll.

The exploition was with the list, not the count. I agree about removing the list being a good idea.

As for the possibility of turning off new users when they find out the size of the active player base: they can already get that information by asking on 100, with varying degrees of accuracy.

Regarding people opting not to play when the game is low on players: they can already check the active player graph on the website to see whether the game is in an inactive phase.

I can see where having precise numbers could be undesirable. I'm not looking for a precise count, just something that would say "40-50 players online during the last 15 minutes", updated every quarter hour. That way individual logins don't really influence the count.

But if I'm underestimating the sensitivity of newbies to population numbers, that's fine. I don't want it badly enough to damage VO's appeal.

I'd rather have the count of players willing to go through Latos H2 instead : )

The active player list was removed because losers who spent a long time trying to find some of the people in the APL started to cry when it took them too long. They then got pissed at the list because it couldn't have been because they themselves were retarded, so they started a movement on facebook to remove the APL and for some reason it was removed.

Honestly though, if someone really is having one of those "I don't want to get killed by rats" moments it is easy enough for them to just not go where the rats are which they still do now. It was honestly one of the best tools provided by the game but alas, it is because of the oppressors that we cannot have nice thing.

I agree with the apl going away being a good business move. it should never return. People who feel they need it are weird

If it is of some comfort though for those who cant live without it go on irc and type @online in the relay channel and my tracking bot will tell you who has spoken on 100 in the last 30 min.

ZOMG! a bot! BAN BAN BAN BAN!!!!!!!!!1!!!111!!!!eleven!!!!!!!!!!

yer bloody bot sux if it cant tell me who's willing to go through latos H2 : )

Just put a rough number under the player graph.