How to better aid the new player.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

I am hereby requesting both new and old players contribute ideas for how PlaneShift can do more to aid the retention of new players. Once several ideas are forwarded I will take them and put them into a poll to see which options are favored and do what i can to either implement or have implemented the features that the community and devs think might help most.

[Waylander]

Make sure they know what they are getting into right at the start.

Not necessarily in the tutorial (That will most likely get skipped over) but somewhere before they actually get into the game.  The first time logging into an account for instance.
They should know it's all about RolePlay.

[Parallo]

They should know it's all about RolePlay.

I second that.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

The tutorial CANNOT be skipped. Next!

[Parallo]

That wasn't being suggested.

[Waylander]

By skipped over I meant read over.  Players will likely just be looking for how to move on in the quests and will skip over most of the text.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Minks]

The Death Realm still seems to discourage many newbies. (When I started, it made me quit for a few weeks.)
So how about letting the first ... lets say... 3 deaths resulting into a respawn rather than ending up in the Death
Realm? Combined with a warning "Next time, you'll be in deep excrement."

Best,
Minks

[Dajoji]

Many newcomers don't really know where to find the information they need. True, most of it is there already but they are sort of frozen. Many don't know how to use /tells and other useful commands and won't think of going to the help window and maybe there should be a pop-up that summarizes what the tabs and menu buttons are. Something harder to miss. Especially regarding petitions, help, shortcuts, options and the help tab.

Also, the progression system is kind of complex for a newcomer and they won't experience it in the tutorial (afaik), so maybe the first time they access the Stats and Skills window or try /train on an NPC they could get another pop-up with a clear explanation of how it works.

And of course, something about the possibility to edit their descriptions and write something unique about their character. The sooner they do this, the better.

[Suno_Regin]

Well, when we have all of these random spawn points...when they get out of the tutorial, it pretty much leaves them saying "What do I do now?"

There needs to be more...flow, help them get started, give them a little more advice on how to roleplay with NPC's near the starting area saying "hi" to them and other such things so that they would use what they learned in the tutorial to try and talk with that NPC.

[Liadan]

The Death Realm still seems to discourage many newbies. (When I started, it made me quit for a few weeks.)
So how about letting the first ... lets say... 3 deaths resulting into a respawn rather than ending up in the Death
Realm? Combined with a warning "Next time, you'll be in deep excrement."

Best,
Minks

That seems like a good idea to me. But some may get the idea that if you die there is no consequence. So why not apply the 'curse of the death realm' to them when they respawn, but without going to the death realm. They could always crawl to the nearest tavern and rave there until their stats go back up.


Oh, this is probably going to be redundant, but having separate help channels. Where newbs can voice their questions and like the help channel, volunteers man it OR another possibility players can lend a voice or too. This would be out of character of course.  I know there is a newbie section on the forum, but if your computer is like mine...running your web browser and the client can really...tie it into knots. It would also help with the issues of people re-posting questions that have already been answered.

But I have to say it: everyone who has been playing for awhile, should create a new character and RP being new. Nothing gives you more insight than this. I know when I first started I had no idea where i was. Questions were running through my head, "where am I, what do i do to get in-game money, how do I find those sewers that the forum was talking about...THERE"S NO ONE AROUND TO ASK!" But probably more important, how do you role play? Sure the tutorial gives you some idea, but it's like being told how to swim, then tossed into the deep end. You may be treading water, but how DO you start to swim?

[Piker]

Tough one.. it's been a long time since i started, but i remember my first issues were with finding trainers and places. Not entirely sure how possible it is to code something that would show new players around?

Next is it possible to have everyone start with at least level 1 in a weapons skill and the relevant weapon in their inventory? On the same theme a basic skill in mining would be a good start too.

Finally.... I agree the tutorial can be a great tool for starting players off, but could it be made to run off server, client side? The frustrating crashes or npc inactivity (i know they're rare at the moment, but still sometimes....) could be avoided and the tutorial run seamlessly before launching the new player into the "real world" we all know and love.


*Edit* The resurection of the "Helpers of Yliakum" guild  . They were fantastic at getting me started in game. Once they got me going, i learned about roleplay and made my game time much more fun. I miss them so...

[Duraza]

By skipped over I meant read over.  Players will likely just be looking for how to move on in the quests and will skip over most of the text.

I agree there. I went through the tutorial and if your a new your most likely going to understand what you have to say everytime someone speaks without really reading what they say. The tutorial is great but only if they take the time to read it. Maybe to keep them focused a bit try making them have to respond in different ways (like when you start getting asked questions by the kylros in the tutorial's end). Possibly have them answer questions that may help them form their own characters. For example when talking to the dwarf that teaches you about smithing she might ask:

"Do you think you might like to become a crafter?"
or
"Do you see crafting as a skill your character will want to learn?"

Asking questions like that between the information to break it up into small sections might help someone keep focused and actually read the tutorial through.

[bilbous]

In regards to Suno's suggestion, perhaps instead of how the tutorial ends it could ends with a suggestion to look up a specific npc such as Harnquist for the Hydlaa bound or Brado for the enkis. You could then build in responses to frequently asked questions to these characters.

Also having Character Points left unexpended in creation might allow you to get into the training method in the tutorial as it could translate into progression points to spend. New  characters could be told that any one of the tutorial npcs will train one of their zero level skills for free.


As for the death realm goes you could have them spawn in the DR the first couple times give them 30 seconds or so to look around and then receive <insert gods name here>'s mercy respawn them in Yliakum with appropriate messages indicating this will not last.

[Liadan]

Just thought of this...perhaps an 'information' NPC? Similar to what bilbous suggested for Harn or Brado, but not related to any other task?

and at the end of the tutorial, make a statement saying, if you have any questions regarding the game, feel free to ask X, which can be found at Y. So now they only have to ask, if they don't know, where Y is. which is a neutral ground for issues with RP-ing.

[Anumesa]

Helping newbies get together is another idea. I remember when i first started, i found several newbies like myself and it made figuring everything out a lot less frustrating. When we were totally stumped, several veteran players helped us, but a lot of the learning we figured out ourselves. Being by yourself in Yliakum as a newbie is rather frightening


Im not sure how this could be incorperated game-wise but maybe not have unique instances for newbies in the tutorial. That way they have the opportunity to make friends before entering the actual game world. Then maybe an NPC can add a line about /tells and group so they know how to find each other upon leaving the tutorial..