Ask YC: Advice on my Startup, Star Empire Elite

[curiousyogurt]

http://starempireelite.com

So, I came back from Startup School, and decided that I would take a shot at developing a web app. I got to thinking about Ron Conway's comment that there is room in the web-based game space. And so, for my first web-based project, I decided to adapt an old gaming classic - Solar Realms Elite - for the web. It is quite minimal right now, and there is certainly lots of room for features and improvements. A few questions:

1. Where do I go from here? I would happily sink more time into it, but I would like to find out whether the idea has legs.

2. What suggestions do you have for the design? I know the design needs work; the game is essentially a series of forms in a certain sequence. But I'm not exactly sure where to go next. I'm looking for some simple improvements (I'm going for a retro look).

3. What suggestions do you have for gameplay? I've got lots of ideas about where to go, but I want to make sure they appeal. In the near future, I want to implement the possibility of defensive and offensive alliances.

4. Any other comments, much appreciated.

[curiousyogurt]

One other question: I am using authentication through Facebook and Twitter. Not having to manage accounts (recording e-mails, making forgotten-password functionality, &c.) allowed me to focus on the game itself.

Do you think this authentication method will cut down the number of people who will play the game? Or could not having to sign up, specifically, make people more likely to play?

[tropin]

Absolutely. There's no way I'm giving you any password.

You should check the number of visits that go to your web, get to the login screen and then drop out of the game.

[curiousyogurt]

Ah, but the way the authentication works, you are not actually giving me a Facebook/Twitter password. You actually log in through their systems, and then they let my website know that you are authorized. I never get the password information.

I use the same system used on http://decafsucks.com/login. The authors suggest (perhaps some bias here) that one of the reasons decafsucks.com has had success is they were able to avoid asking for yet another password, and instead piggy-backed on Facebook/Twitter.

Do you think assuring users that I don't get the password (you can see this when you click on one of the login options) is enough, or should I get to work on a separate authentication system?

[tropin]

Sorry if nobody likes this (by the downvoting) but it's the way things are.

Is exactly the same problem with the authentication in AppEngine applications. We never see the passwords, just Google telling us this person is really this user, but people don't care about the details, we just don't want to share our passwords.

Note that I myself have to use this scheme and even I didn't check your web just because of the authentication problem.

This makes me remember to tell you one more thing: don't ever expect your users to read anything you write on your web.

EDIT: Also, it's a bit silly, but try to put some screen captures to get more conversions, even if it's a text based game.

[mkrecny]

The simple, text-based UI is refreshing. Reminds me of a cleaner-looking Utopia (the game).

[curiousyogurt]

I guess one of the things I'm wondering is whether there is room for a game that is text-based. On the one hand, I like the semi-retro feel, since it is based on a classic game. but on the other hand, I'm wondering whether a text-based ui will prevent the game from getting any significant traction.