We need to make the game fun. If it's fun to play, then people will stay to play it, and the player count will rise.
Right now, how it goes is that a noob will download the game, and then more than likely quit, because its either boring, they get confused, etc. If it's fun, people will play it more, get hooked, and become a active player. And thats what we need. Exposure.
Because when we get exposure, we get more people that (hopefully) are skilled and sign up for admin, making zone a better game with better admins. Which in turn allows more content, which brings in new players, and the cycle repeats. That's what I see.
Sorry if im wrong about any of this, its just how i see this all, and my proposal to a possible solution.
TL;DR: Make the game fun so people dont quit. This could get zone more devs to work on the game, and make it more fun for the players.