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Hi there, newb here =)

Just some comments on a newbie's POV. Though this thread does look old, I chose this since it seems the most appropriate place to post it in. (Yay my first post).

Start of Ramble: And yet, I still find this game though, very hard (not that I'm 3-dimensionally challenged - I love space sims) because everyone expects everyone to know what to do, no room for errors, nothing. I understand that attitude for a clan/squad game given the competitive nature of people. But in pickup games, I'd expect more leniency.

I've also experienced the problem of no one wanting a newbie on their side, or having more newbies than the other team, etc. And don't give me that "go to a newb server" crap, most of the people there just run around dogfighting. I wanted to learn tactics and teamwork, and there's nothing like watching vets in action to learn. And when it happens on a big game, with lots of players, it does get fun to watch and be part of the team. As long as I'm told what to do, I'm good. And yes, I've signed up for @cadet and I'm just waiting to be part of the next batch.

But before that, what do I do? Jump into a game of course.

Frankly, I'm getting bored. No one gives you good rep if you're a newbie, and being pushed around like a leper isn't really much fun. I've encountered friendly people of course, (from the top of my head.. there's DreamWalker.. Monkage.. ArcAngel...), but the attitude I generally get is "go join the other team newbie" or "don't join yet, we need more vets on this side, join once it's 'even'". Understandable, but it's getting tiring waiting for a chance to play when people are prejudiced against Tenbones(0). I've waited as much as 30mins before joining a side.

Little Story: Just to end this rambling, I just came from a 5on5 pickup game where a newbie suddenly stopped donating. Then I could see the vets get on his case immediately, telling him to donate or he'll get booted. After a few seconds the newbie replies "How do I start donating?". And after that, he gets the boot. And the best part was, the vets were actually laughing at him after they booted him. Then the vets start threatening the one remaining newbie to enter the "turret" or he'll be booted. I could see the newbie was trying to understand but there's not much to really understand when they all kept on screaming "enter the turret or we'll boot you". I had to PM the newbie myself and direct his ship to the dock.

End: Of course there are bad apples, and there are good apples. And the good apples are really fun to be with. I'm getting my friends to join this game since they're into this kind of game as well, and I know I won't be a newbie/noob/voob forever. But really, I thought I've been through very unfriendly communities, and a lot of multi-player games, but this is the first time that I hated being a newb.

A brief background on me: I'm 21 years old, fresh grad, and love games of all genre's. I'm not new to the whole RTS-FPS or teamwork stuff. I love Rainbow Six, Battlefield 1942, and games that require people to work together, well especially squad-based games. (Still trying to get X-com Apoc to work on WinXP.. damm DosBox won't help me do it). I'm pretty competitive and believe that learning by doing is the best thing to do. I'm also the guy that reads the manuals, all the help tips, and forums before even jumping into a game just to make sure I'm not lost. And I love to sleep /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

If the newbie in question wasn't warned and given proper instructions on how to donate before being booted, the comm in question will get a ban.

Just another point I want to pass on - certain times - dead times, there are pointless games going on and on. Don't get discouraged from this. If someone is giving you a bad time, report him to an @Alleg or PM BlackViper on these boards (he's the Head of Enforcement).

Stick around and don't let this incident discourage you. We are trying to reduce problems like this as much as possible.

Welcome to Allegiance!

I know the newbie was warned, for like 10 to 15 seconds. I can't say if he received any PMs or directions. But the last sentence I saw him type was "how to donate?" and he gets booted. And then the vets start laughing about stupid newbies. The best way to get people into the game I say. The best. And this wasn't the only incident. I don't know but when you're a newbie, you just seem to be more aware/sensitive of it. Maybe it'll fade once I get used to the anti-newbie atmosphere I'm getting. Ironic when there seems to be a great project aimed at newbies (the @cadet).

And thanks for the welcome, I hope this game doesn't die, I just got started playing and I now can see why newbies get so discouraged. It's not the difficulty of play, it's how difficult the other players make it for you. The best part is that you're on the SAME TEAM! XD

Tenbones, really do not get discouraged! Maybe I was lucky until now and I only met the nice people of the community (maybe I play at weird times, I do not know) ... but up until now I feel, that what you have noticed are more the exceptions as the regular behaviour of people on the servers..

ps: I am aslo a newbie.. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Just so you know, Tenbones, in order to stop donating you have to hit a difficult-to-find button called "stop donating". To start donating again, all you have to do is hit one button in the same place.

So if you give someone 30 seconds warning after they have stopped donating and then at the last moment they claim they don't know how to do it, either they are a Downs-syndrome six year old or they are just full of @#(!.

Not that I don't agree, the comm should have explained how to donate. 99% of the comms in the community would have. Sometimes the real @#$%@#s come out in the late night small games because nobody is going to stop them from doing whatever they want.

Ordering a newbie onto a turret and threatening a boot is probably newbie hostility too, which will be another ban for that commander.

Yes there are bad apples, but we do our level best to punish bad behaviour and encourage positive behaviour towards new players.

There are a lot of noobs who vets praise for their WILLINGNESS TO LEARN BY ASKING QUESTIONS.

there is currently a (0) who will ALWAYS BE ALLOWED AN ANY TEAM I AM ON..WHY???? he uses TS

plain and simple. TS

You dont know what TS is?? REALLY???? Can i borrow the rock you are living under for a few minutes to beat it into your head???

Alot of vets do not answer questions due to the sheer amount of time it takes to type out a response whereas a noob with TS will get an answer immediatly and can follow up on that immediatly.

If you are a noob and WANT to learn the game, dont join cadet, get TS you will learn alot more faster and gain alot more respect.

i will get flamed for the above statement, but i stand by it. I am on TS ALWAYS IN GAME. Do i EVER hear ' oh that guy is good, he joined cadet'?? no, but if a noob is on TS, OMG!!!!!!!! this guys is loved, HE IS ASKED TO JOIN A TEAM.

Now back to CADET, yes, join cadet, it wont hurt you, it does show a commitment to learn the game, but if you want to EXCEL, get TS. It wont make yo ua better pilot, but you will learn situational awareness, and you will get a better understanding for the flow of the game.


ok now for the noobs still asking what TS is.

TEAMSPEAK!!!!!
http://www.goteamspeak.com/index.php?page=downloads

while at it get TSO - TEAMSPEK OVERLAY, it allows you to see the name of the person talking.
http://www.teamspeakoverlay.com/

i will not give the server address here, do it in game, and you should will see the vets suddenly want you on their team.

I advance the proposal for a ONLY VET server, so that people that just can't stand noobs can play among each other.
I'm a false noob (ELO sc**wup wth old account) and i CAN'T join the noob's server... so what do i do?

Mindraker wrote:QUOTE (Mindraker @ Jan 30 2007, 06:25 AM) We've heard it all before...

"Newbies join yellow!"
"No, join blue!"
"We have enough noobs on our team!"
"Stacked!"
"Join a newbie server!"
"This is a squad game only!"
"***New recruits have arrived!*** and the newbie's name just blinks... and blinks... and blinks... and continues to blink... while the veterans and experts get accepted..."

... and it actually goes downhill from there. Folks, if you want more people playing this game, you need to have a better attitude towards your newbies.

i dont blame them! holy @#(!, if you have all the vets on one side and your trying to even the teams? HELL YEAH ID TELL THEM TO JOIN THE OTHER TEAM EVEN IF I WASNT PLAYING
squad games is specifically for squads and @cadet, MAYBE TO OBSERVE WITH PERMISSION
most everyone is trying to help newbs, i do
teams get stacked because the general newb title gos to 'NEWBIE(0)'
from what ive heard, its gotten a lot better, let it go, please

QUOTE We just need a simple 1 page newbie guide, at least to clue the newbies in, then they can go do other things. 1 page newbie quide, quick and simple, easy to find and read, we don't have that yet, something easy, quick.[/quote]

#1 - Play the training missions. Sure, they're kinda long and kinda slow - but they teach you everything you need to know to play Allegiance, from firing weapons to managing cargo to sending private messages in-game.

#2 - Realise that the training missions suck and they don't teach you much at all.
They're like learning everything you need to know about how to drive a car ... and not a single thing about the Road Code. Here's the short version of "the Road Code":

To win a game of Allegiance, you need to destroy the enemys' bases. To do that you need superior
technology. The main goal therefore is to defend your miners and escort your constructers; and to do
your best to destroy the enemy's miners and constructers.

#3 - The F1 menu in-game has recently been updated. Use it, it answers a stupidly large amount of questions you may have.

#4 - Learn to read the mini-map
Everything your team can see is displayed on the mini-map, if you know how to read it. One of my personal pet peeves is noobs informing the team that "There is 2 fighters in Eleesh and 1 Scout", or an "Enemy outpost in Aegis" - yes, thankyou, I can see that; shut up and stop cluttering the chat please.
This and this are two crash courses on the Allegiance Academy that teach you how to use the minimap.

#5 - Know your floating items. There are 4 types of items in space.
Powerups (a lightning symbol) - These things repair, rearm, refuel, and reenergise your ship. They do not make you 'M0r3 L337'.
Cash (a $ symbol) - $500 donated immediately to your commander. Great to pick up if you have nothing urgent to do.
Unresearched tech (a T symbol) - If you bring this item back to base then it becomes available to the entire team ... once the appropriate techbase is built. Pick these items up and bring them home
Researched tech (a + symbol) - It's just debris at this stage. You could pick it up if you wanted. ie an ammo clip if you 're almost empty.

#6 - Read through the Crash Courses on the Allegiance Academy, and join the community-run Cadet Course (you get a private subforum with other Cadets and Instructers).

#7 - Don't spam Voice-chats
It's really $#@!ing annoying!

#8 - Don't ask for ships that cost money!
The team Commander controls all the money, if he decides it's a waste of money to give you a bomber to go fly circles in, then don't keep pestering him for one!

#9 - Don't stop donating to the commander so that you can afford a ship that costs money!
It's a bit of a mystery really, how noobs find that 'Stop Donating' button so quickly ...
Less of a mystery is how often they get kicked out of the game for using it.

#10 - Don't follow orders blindly.
As a noob, you will have a number displayed after your username, starting at zero and going up to 5 as you progress in ranks. At 6, it disapears. The point is, seeing that number a lot of players will view you as their personal slave and will spam you with orders, to attack this guy - no wait, pick up that item - actually, goto this random waypoint - No! Attack this other guy on the other side of the map!
Ignore most of them. If unsure, simply ask what the point of following the order is.
Always follow the ones that come from your Commander though!

#11 - Radar signature and Scan range.
You will be spotted by the entire enemy team when you come within the scan range of any of their ships or stations. This range is modified by your Radar Signature. At 100% sig, you will be spotted at their default range. At 200% sig you will be spotted at TWICE their default scan range.
A basic scout has a scan range of ~2400m. A basic bomber with sheilds and missiles mounted has a signature of ~250%. It will be spotted at 6000m!
Being sneaky and unmounting missiles and shields can be important! Never fly near someone who is trying to be sneaky without being sneaky yourself.