A glorious suggestion from Teh Bacon on how to attract people.

Skutch · Post by **Skutch** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 5:45 pm

I must say that I think Bacon and badp are on to something.
I generally count myself one of the few who actually READ at least the intro points in any manual to electronic stuff before I start fiddeling with the knobbs, and I still find it to much "reading" to play today.
As I have had prior experience of game play, though I just sucked during the SOVroute days (I still suck btw), I knew I could enjoy gameplay without reading everything first. I know that it is supposed to help, and yes it does, but only if I am interested in what is beyond the text.

Less text and more pic's/video will, in my humble opinion, attract more new people to try and download the game and start playing it.

Going with the story (or a new one). I must confess that I have not spent to much time reading the DATANET section of the community, mainly because there is so much other BASIC things to read in order to not be podded or booted instantly (I'm still only halfway through Cadet I week 2). But I have always been intrigued with compelling storys as background for games, even if graphics suck (which I don't think alleg graphic do).
What if you could join the IC forces to try and preserve humanity against the Belter pirates BIOS mad scientist as you start playing. Later you can defect to join the pride struggle of the Belters for freedom, or enlist as a MERC for Rixian, Dregh etc.
Say as instead of AFS I sign up as a newbie in IC, togehter with trainers and volunteers I spend my first month playing "squad" type games aginst a varying array of foes introducing all of the other factions. I then graduate after fulfilling X requirements and is then ready to join a squad.
Today as I understand it, the squad system and play it resembles the NFL football league or similar, right? Totally weird for me as a European, but I think I understand the concept.
If I could alternatly join a faction as well and play faction games? Perhaps balancing games would need to be handled differently, like BIOS get 5% more players against IC.

For those interested in faction games, sucking would hopefully be a less of an issue as joining with the faction struggle is more important.
As a sports jock in a team, sucking less is more important as I'm otherwise make my team lose. You see the difference?

Sure pick up games would not always be one side playing IC, or could this be encourage during parts of the year?
Yes, there are a lot of holes in what I am suggesting, but maybe something of it could be worth considering.

I like the thoughts on more pictures and less text. I would like to voice my support in actually using the factions within this.

And now to something completely different
IC logo, military music playing
-Hi, Im colonel Winthrop and I am proud to introduce you to the Iron Coalition (Man in strict gray uniform speking with IC logo behing himself)
- We are the ultimate protectors of humanity, with superior engineering and dedication by our pilots (In game vids of IC ships one by one, formation flying, pic of smiling pilots)
- Fighting the fierce BIOS to prevent them to genetically engineer us in to absurd supermen (in game vid clips of IC exploding BIOS ships)
- Denying the Belters to throw civilization in to anarchy (in game vid clips of IC exploding Belters ships)
. "continues to present the other adversaries with in game clips of their ships and bases"
.
.
- Would you like to join in our struggle and get in with the big win? Sign up with the Coalition today (Man in strict gray uniform speking with IC logo behing himself)
Pic of questionmark, text appearing in front, "to whom do you offer your ALLEGIANCE?

And of course similar clips could be made for each faction highligting why "they" are right in their struggle for supremacy.

End of weird ideas, ducks for flying objects.

sambasti · Post by **sambasti** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:07 pm

Something important I have found in my @Help days:
We need a really basic tutorial about what an online game looks like. The current tutorials teach you how to fly ships, but when a newbie goes online, they are still clueless. A 2 minute video showing what can happen in online play, activated with a "this is my first time" button in the Free Games screen (where the MOTD is) would really help. Most newbies don't know how to switch ships, what they are supposed to be doing, and usuall don't even know how to dock and switch stations. Basically, a short video of what to do online would help.

I imagine it going something like this:
Newbie starts game, an intro pops up with an introduction to alleg (the look cool intro). Afterwards it suggests to first-timers that they should head over to the tutorial section. Once the newbie goes to the free games button, there is the button that leads to the lobby and a button that says "First Time Online". This button would lead to a quick tutorial about what happens online.

badpazzword · Post by **badpazzword** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:09 pm

sambasti wrote:QUOTE (sambasti @ Dec 12 2009, 07:07 PM) A 2 minute video showing what can happen in online play, activated with a "this is my first time" button in the Free Games screen (where the MOTD is) would really help.

Also this. No need to display it ingame: it could simply be played as the game is downloaded.

Sushi · Post by **Sushi** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:14 pm

What we need is a big contest between Fighters and Interceptors. A War, as it were, with a perk to be assigned to whichever collects more kills...

string · Post by **string** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:32 pm

[/quote]
http://tehbacon.host56.com/altAllegIndex.html

badpazzword · Post by **badpazzword** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:40 pm

Bacon, your host mistook your attempt to remake the allegiance homepage as a phishing attempt.

refill · Post by **refill** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:04 pm

Never never never use yellow fonts!!! It screws up the brilliant lo-fi version.

Gandalf2 · Post by **Gandalf2** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:11 pm

Sambasti makes good points. Most of us have been playing so long, we can't remember what it's like to be brand new.

Also, on the front pages I could only see this as the subject line for this topic... "A glorious suggestion from Teh..." but I knew the next word was Bacon

Adept · Post by **Adept** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:39 pm

BACON!!!

I take back my harsh words in the other thread.

Let me comment to this.

YES!

No that's not right...

HELL YES!!!

Put back the in game music. Put back the intro video, and let's make more ourselves. Allegiance is hard to get into, and we need to show people atmosphere, and glimpses of what it can be like.

I've heard that the reason these forums are hidden is bandwidth, and the same is behind taking all the "non essentials" away from the intallation package.

Well screw that! I'm willing to donate so we can include the music and the intro, and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

raumvogel · Post by **raumvogel** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:48 pm

Affirmative!

Let's post fresh information of how to donate,and what payment methods are accepted,and the reason for the donation drive.