Hello Everyone.
I'd like to preface this thread by stating that this project was fueled primarily by curiosity, and that I'm not attempting to make a negative statement.

Everyone knows that the game is less popular than it was in the past, but it's hard to put a numerical value to that statement. Is it 50% less popular? 20%? 90%?
A couple of days ago I struck on what I thought was an interesting idea... When you see the LS portal you see the number of players online, but are those players slashing? skilling? logging on for the first time, playing for 5 minutes, then never playing again?
That didn't seem like a good barometer to me. I wanted to know how many invested slashers we have, and how many there used to be.

So what I came up with is this:

The proficiency ladders list the 50 characters with the highest profs in the given category. Profs = time invested in LS. Now nothing against skillers, and absolutely nothing against casters, but in order to simplify things I only looked at the 5 main weapon ladders in each core. Sword / dagger / club / staff / axe. I took the 250 entries in the 5 ladders and viewed the players who own those characters. I put each of these players in one of 3 categories.

Active = these players have logged in within the last 30 days AND have at least 1 MQ this season.

30+ days inactive = these players have not logged in for at least 30 days OR have not reached an MQ this season.

1 year+ inactive = these players have not logged in within the last year.

Here are the numbers:
In case you are wondering... some players have characters on multiple ladders. This is why there are not 250 players listed for each core.

Softcore:

Active = 32 (17%)
30+ days inactive = 52 (27.66%)
1 year+ inactive = 104 (55.32%)

Total = 188 players

Hardcore:

Active = 28 (19.86%)
30+ days inactive = 24 (17.02%)
1 year+ inactive = 89 (63.12%)

Total = 141 players

Yeah well... Prof. Ladder doesnt mean too much actually. we've had 300 and more active player each day

Seems like a poor measurement to not include casting or skills, considering i have logged in every day for at least 6 months gaining 26 muting, 16 light prof, 320+ climbs and not enough in melee skills

EVERYTHING on this char for below signature was done this season and yet I won't be on any of the melee ladders

This post was edited by harmacintyre on Apr 28 2016 12:05pm

Its not meant to be comprehensive I picked weapons because there are only 5 main categories. Im guessing one day I'll get bored and do the charms but I'd be willing to bet that the numbers are similar.

In fact it stands to reason that a greater number of players who invested in casting have quit since LS's hayday... There have been more than a few nerfs to the detriment of casters.

and I think prof is a good measurement. Players who've achieved a place on the prof ladder have invested a good amount of time in the game. I think its enlightening.

This post was edited by ItsLotd on Apr 28 2016 12:21pm

well i cast every class or use heavy weapons when i played. its abscured imo.

You guys logic really good

Title says "Small peek" and thats what it is.

I'll do the casting ladders in the next few days to make those of you who feel the omission is critical, but if you think it'll skew the numbers very far in either direction... Well I guess we'll see but I can't think of any reason it would.