How to Overcome the Learning Curve

Hi,

When you first play a new game, the learning curve can be overwhelming. It’s especially true if you don’t have a strong friend group, which I would say is most players.

One feature I believe would be beneficial for intrepid to introduce is that a new player has a special indicator, maybe a gold star, for the first 10 hours on a new server (10 account hours on server). This allows people who have extremely helpful personalities to reach out to those new players, offer them gear and bags, and even try to recruit them, which is a good thing. The more connections you can form with the player, the better the retention.

If you think someone’s suggestion has validity, like it.

What else?

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Songcaller

Chat Restrictions don't stop Gold Sellers. Dedicated Gold Sellers are seen regardless of chat restrictions. What chat restrictions do is limit the connectivity in a game which is all about connectivity. IS have a pragmatic approach to Gold Sellers and in Everquest they managed to filter out Gold Sellers without limiting the chat for normal players.

I don't believe a chat restriction should apply based on level. There are better ways to apply chat restrictions.

Edit: While I can accept few people want level 1's spamming the chat, the level filters i referred to were the level 15 limitations seen in some games. I don't condone Gold Selling, Gold Buying or Third Party Levelling.

Plateau

Caeryl

Wandering Mist wrote: »

Neurath wrote: »

I think it would be good if there is no level barrier to the chats. Some MMOs force you to reach a certain level before you can use the chat. I believe most of those are P2W Models. I don't think we need invulnerable new players or flagged new players. I rate immersion quite high in terms of gameplay and differentiating new players doesn't add immersion, it separates the new players from everyone else.

Chat restrictions are to help stop gold sellers spamming the chat channels on level 1 characters.

This is done in Ashes by having no global chat. Guild chat is as close as it’ll get, but no sensible guild is gonna waste a spot on a lvl1, played-for-two minutes character.

Sure some bots could spam a starter area, but I don’t see a world in which at least one GM isn’t managing those areas on their server to stamp them out.

Songcaller

leonerdo wrote: »

I actually think the sprout icon (indicating a new player) is one of the biggest reasons for FFXIV's friendly community.

How long does the sprout icon remain? I wasn't aware that the sprout icon still applies at max level (I've assumed it does because you mentioned groups and people complaining people can't play their classes).

We won't know how toxic Ashes community is until we go live. Some people won't accept sprouted players at all, some people would assist sprouted players and obviously some groups will be full of sprouted players at first. You've made valid points and appreciate the in-depth analysis.

tugowar

@leonerdo your post is great. I’m just reminding people of brevity with that signature.

Plateau

Nagash

tugowar wrote: »

Ok, so this forum thread so far:

"How do we help retain new players? here's one idea"
"that's a super shit idea, I hate it!"

Welcome back to the forums did you miss us

Songcaller

leonerdo wrote: »

In any case, it lasts a decently long time. In a way, I suppose it's a double-edge sword, because once you lose the sprout icon, people assume you've been playing long enough to know what you're doing.

It is good one can end the sprouted icon. I'd prefer something like a Title which goes along with progression. I do like titles. I would love to see funny titles, not just high profile titles, like The Bumbler, The Wanderer, The Fool etc. I think it would add flavour to the levelling process and heighten proficiency at the same time. Though this isn't the title thread lol. I'm not one for stats and titles being mixed.

I'm rather shocked that you have to complete so much before the sprouted Icon disappears naturally. The beauty of Ashes should be groups of people will progress together so people should be able to play a class in group dynamics.

I'm not sure where we are up to in terms of progression but I heard a while ago you can't solo to max level or if you do it will take a very long time. It would be better if the sprout icon appeared when you are new to an encounter rather than just playing through the standard material. However, in my old Raids people were always asked if they've done it before and when people reported they were new, the tactics were honed and reiterated and the new players managed the content. I've died many times in new encounters but its the learning curve with the ultimate punishment. I've also done well and not died in new encounters.

It depends how complex the encounter is and a sprouted Icon won't always dictate when I will die or not. Even with a wealth of experience we all died at tier 4, 5 and 6 raids at first. Its all about nailing the tactics and strategies. I do love to be a pathfinder and I do love funny titles. In terms of Raid progression it is easier to fight new encounters with the relevant armour sets, but again, deaths were frequent on tier 1 raids before tier 1 armour was gleaned. I get excited by the thought. In Ashes much of the Armour will be crafted though so we may see gateways where Armour will dictate who will be allowed to raid and who will be shunned, rather than experience.

winner909098

tugowar wrote: »

To Wandering Mist's comment, why not just make someone PvP immune for the first 10 hours of their account?

what if someone creates an account, but then has work or school?

Dayuhan

winner909098 wrote: »

tugowar wrote: »

To Wandering Mist's comment, why not just make someone PvP immune for the first 10 hours of their account?

what if someone creates an account, but then has work or school?

Make it the first 10 hours of online activity then.

winner909098

Dayuhan wrote: »

winner909098 wrote: »

tugowar wrote: »

To Wandering Mist's comment, why not just make someone PvP immune for the first 10 hours of their account?

what if someone creates an account, but then has work or school?

Make it the first 10 hours of online activity then.

that would work

Cold 0ne FTB

Idk about you guys but I will be saving up vacation days for when this goes live and will put a solid set of hours into it then.

Dayuhan

However, I think what new players really need is not so much a free pass but a way to safely practice and learn how to use their character's skills. The placement of target dummies, at player starting locations, for weapons training, and NPC provided tasks, to learn the rudimentary steps necessary to improve trade skills, would be adequate for this purpose. This allows the new player time to make the necessary adjustments either in their game settings, or learning curve, to be effective with their entry-level weapons and skills.

Cold 0ne FTB

I am not sure if a tutorial has been developed yet but I am sure they will provide one. I myself would love it if their are target dummies in game.

Plateau

Noaani

Dayuhan wrote: »

winner909098 wrote: »

tugowar wrote: »

To Wandering Mist's comment, why not just make someone PvP immune for the first 10 hours of their account?

what if someone creates an account, but then has work or school?

Make it the first 10 hours of online activity then.

The issue with this is that it means that for $15, people are able to spend 10 hours transporting materials as they see fit, with no potential for attack.

Any kind of PvP immunity is easily exploited.

HazardNumberSeven

Gank the new players. This will help them feel included in group activities on the server, and familiarize them with the guild/grouping systems and their importance. Keep ganking until they figure it out. You're helping, good job. You're a pillar of the community.

Axarashi

Sorry to react to a 2-year-old forum post, but a nice addition to the game for new players could be special quests which need to be completed by a team consisting of an experienced player and a new player.

These quest(s) reward both players very useful items (like potions or such) on the condition that they complete the quest(s) as a team. Either player can ask in the world chat to team up, or there can be a type of "matchmaking" mechanism for which players can sign up at the quest related NPC. Once a "match" is found (experienced player + new player), both will be asked through a pop-up window whether they want to teleport to a "starting location" (this is so that players can leave the quest related NPC to engage in other quests or matters while waiting for a match). If "no" is selected (could be because a player is busy and/or has changed their mind), they will simply cancel participating in the quest until they apply at the quest related NPC again for matchmaking.

Going offline while waiting for a match should automatically result in cancelling the "matchmaking".

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