Iam building a browser-based idle RPG where players gain XP and resources even while offline. The problem I am running into is stat inflation after a few weeks; early balancing falls apart; with some players reaching levels / DPS so high that new content becomes obsolete almost immediately. This also discourages PvP & new player engagement.

I have tried scaling XP requirements exponentially and introducing soft caps but players still find optimal loops that break progression over time.

I am wondering if there are better design patterns for long-term stat growth control in idle or AFK-focused PBBGs like decay systems, prestige mechanics / resource conversion models that limit runaway numbers without feeling punitive. Checked How to make an Idle game or incremental game? - For Beginners - GameDev.net Salesforce Administrator Course guide related to this and found it very helpful.

How have others managed stat growth and game balance in persistent games that are expected to run for months / years? I would love to hear what systems have worked (or failed) in your own games & how you approached the challenge without killing player motivation.

Thank you !!

One of the persistent challenges in the PBBG community is retaining players over the long term. While the initial engagement is often high, many games experience a decline in active users after the novelty fades.

I’m interested in exploring strategies that can enhance player retention, such as dynamic content updates, community-driven events, and rewarding progression systems.

I’d love to hear from developers and players alike on what mechanisms have worked in their games. For instance, how effective are social features like alliances and in-game economies in keeping players engaged?

Are there successful examples of balancing challenge and reward that keep players coming back? Checked https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_development_Snowflake Course guide related to this and found it quite informative.

If there are any detailed guides or case studies on this topic, please share them. Your insights will be invaluable for improving the longevity and success of PBBGs.

Thank you!!

I’ve been brainstorming ideas for creating my own persistent browser-based game (PBBG), and I wanted to reach out to the community here for some advice. I’m still in the early stages of development, and I’m trying to figure out a few things:

1. What’s your favorite feature in a PBBG that really hooks you? I want to make sure I include some solid mechanics that keep players engaged.
2. Any must-avoid pitfalls? I’d love to learn from the mistakes others have made, so I don’t end up making them myself!
3. Suggestions for building a balanced economy system? I’ve heard this can make or break a PBBG, so I’m especially interested in tips on how to keep things fair and fun.
4. Tech stack recommendations? Right now, I’m leaning toward using PHP and React Native for the backend, but I’m open to hearing other options if you think there’s a better fit for PBBGs.

I’ve done a bit of research and found these articles Thoughts on PBBGs React Native Interview Questions useful but would love some guidance from the experts here to make sure I’m on the right track.

I’m super excited to get started, but I want to make sure I’m setting off on the right foot. Any suggestions or insights would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance

I tried multiple times to add my game to the directory but the website keep tell me that “The url has already been taken.” What can I do ?

Your feedback is important, so don’t hesitate to let me know!

Features include
-A rich economy: agriculture, mining, power generation, manufacturing, technological research
-Globalized trade between players (but beware of transport costs!)
-A world map divided into continents and regions, seas and oceans
-A national army and navy
-Manage your population, make them work in your farms, factories, … and mobilized them when necessary

Game link: https://www.world-of-states.net/

I am in the process of developing a new Persistent Browser Based Game and could use some advice on balancing the in game economy with player progression. The game is primarily focused on resource management and strategic development; with an emphasis on long term growth and competition among players.

One challenge I am encountering is ensuring that the in game economy remains balanced as players progress. I want to avoid situations where early adopters accumulate wealth too quickly, creating an insurmountable gap for newer players. At the same time; I want to reward players who invest time and effort into the game.

How can I scale resource generation in a way that supports player progression without leading to runaway inflation or deflation?

What is the best approach for setting prices for items; upgrades; and other in game assets? Should prices be static; or should they fluctuate based on player-driven supply and demand?

To what extent should the economy be player driven? Would allowing players to trade resources and items freely lead to a more dynamic economy; or could it introduce imbalances?

Also, I have gone through this post; https://discourse.pbbg.com/t/dynamic-and-repeatable-tilemap-generation-with-noise-mlops/ which definitely helped me out a lot.

What are some effective strategies for helping new players catch up to veterans without alienating the existing player base?

Thanks in advance for your help and assistance.

This is the first article in a series of articles on the subject of game mechanics for PBBGs. In each article I will take up one interesting "take" or "example" of a game mechanic which I hope can serve as inspiration to you as a game developer.

A long-overdue site redesign is in progress, and we’ll definitely remove this restriction as part of it.

a game that is broken or the link is not working a review is impossible to keep in 140 chars

there is no info that can be given about a broken or non existent/abandoned game

so let ppl make reviews properly and remove the 140 char limit theres a reason no other sight ive ever seen has added such a minimum limit (maximun limit yes but not a minimum)

A lot of people lately have been asking for guides, or tutorials, or engines, or pretty much anything to get them started on their journey to creating a new Persistent Browser-Based Game. There are some out there, but in my humble opinion, none of them really walk through the entire process front-to-back. There are especially no real tutorials out there either, which leaves a very interesting gap in the barrier-of-entry.