Can we make a @help tag?

Icky · Post by **Icky** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:18 am

Edmond wrote:QUOTE (Edmond @ Jun 13 2009, 06:29 PM) I plan to keep playing.I don't don't plan to keep playing because I don't understand the game objectives." I don't understand the game mechanics." I don't like the other players (especially spidey)." I don't like being sexually harrassed by insects or cartoon sandwiches" this is not my style of game." I am a consumer whore and the grafix do not roxxors.

fixed

cashto · Post by **cashto** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 2:38 am

Edmond wrote:QUOTE (Edmond @ Jun 13 2009, 03:29 PM) Do we have any stats on why newbies don't stick around?

Well, we've never organized a focus group or anything, but there's been plenty of newbies who have writen "you suck, I quit" posts over the years. Of course we tend to laugh at them ...

So, unfortunately that only leaves speculation as a means to ascertain motives. If I were to guess, I would to say the biggest reason why someone would leave who would otherwise like this game and would be good at it, probably has to do with the Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest, authoritarian "take Cadet or STFU noob", and perpetually-insulted "appreciate all the work we do for free you whiny ungrateful bitch" attitudes of the community.

ImmortalZ · Post by **ImmortalZ** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:23 am

I think I saw someone post some stat in some locked away forum that said 9 out of 10 newbies leave.

sambasti · Post by **sambasti** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:25 am

For the reasons cashto states, that really doesn't suprise me.

<-- Is a member of the CareBear Camp

Adept · Post by **Adept** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:53 am

I'll be posting the 2nd part of my advert & newbie retention idea soon. I've been busy with RL.

Cadillac · Post by **Cadillac** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:45 pm

/me stares at the thread

/me checks whether this is Allegiance or Hello Kitty Online

Picobozo · Post by **Picobozo** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:43 pm

Cookie Monster wrote:QUOTE (Cookie Monster @ Jun 14 2009, 07:45 AM) /me stares at the thread

/me checks whether this is Allegiance or Hello Kitty Online

Hello Kitty online probably has a better newbie retention rate. I also doubt giving people hugs and putting stickers on lunchboxes has the same frustrating learning curve.

Being a newbie in Allegiance is like running a gauntlet of frustration. You have the confusing gameplay that you pretty much have to go to school for to learn just the basics. Then you have to dodge @#$%@#s that aren't good enough themselves to win a game, so they'll take every opportunity to blame a newb for their bad day.

I think when you have a statistic like a 1 out of 10 retention rate you can safely say that there is more to be done to help these people try to learn and enjoy the game. I've tried to get several of my friends and family to play this game and none of them have enough time or desire to enter the cadet program. A more casual form of guidance that can be found during a game on most or all of the running games would go a long way to help in this area.

cashto · Post by **cashto** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 6:24 pm

Picobozo wrote:QUOTE (Picobozo @ Jun 14 2009, 08:43 AM) I think when you have a statistic like a 1 out of 10 retention rate you can safely say that there is more to be done to help these people try to learn and enjoy the game. I've tried to get several of my friends and family to play this game and none of them have enough time or desire to enter the cadet program.

To be fair, there are a lot of reasons why newbies don't attach to this game that we have no control over:

It's not cutting-edge graphics.It's not an immersive fantasy RPG.You don't get earn experience points / unlock new weapons and abilities over time.Leaderboard is a sucky accomplishments system.They're fickle gamers and experiment with a wide variety of games, never diving into one deeply.For whatever reason, alleg just isn't their sort of game.

With that said, there definitely are a number of players that WOULD like this game and WOULD get good at it over time, but are getting turned off by a) the idea of having to go to school to learn to play a game and b) the pissy hardass attitudes of certain elements of this community.

Icky · Post by **Icky** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:04 pm

cashto wrote:QUOTE (cashto @ Jun 14 2009, 02:24 PM) With that said, there definitely are a number of players that WOULD like this game and WOULD get good at it over time, but are getting turned off by a) the idea of having to go to school to learn to play a game and b) the pissy hardass attitudes of certain elements of this community.

I've seen various iterations of this argument for a long time. My $.02: that's the way the community is. Allegiance is not for the easily butthurt. It may be good that we don't coddle the newbies TOO much. I'm in favor of having more active designated help for new players, but I don't think we would be doing ourselves or the new guys any favors by making this a happy sweet fun community where cuddly bunnies poop flowers and everyone holds hands and sings songs. Natural selection seems to be doing it's job.

Picobozo · Post by **Picobozo** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:55 pm

Icky wrote:QUOTE (Icky @ Jun 14 2009, 04:04 PM) I've seen various iterations of this argument for a long time. My $.02: that's the way the community is. Allegiance is not for the easily butthurt. It may be good that we don't coddle the newbies TOO much. I'm in favor of having more active designated help for new players, but I don't think we would be doing ourselves or the new guys any favors by making this a happy sweet fun community where cuddly bunnies poop flowers and everyone holds hands and sings songs. Natural selection seems to be doing it's job.

The suggestion for this program was not to slap people on the wrist for having bad attitudes. It was to help new people. I don't see how being available to answer a new player's question is coddling them.

For instance I see many people making ignorant arguments here as if they are gods gift to the game, but still make a lot of newbie mistakes in every game that I see them in. Maybe @Help can help the voob population as well.

If this was to be implemented I would say that @Help would not have any enforcer rights. In my eyes, when a player puts on an @Help tag it's a sign to a new player (or Voob) that they are making themselves available to either answer the question or directly show them in game.

This can also open the door to new events held by @Help in open games where newbies/voobies/whoever can join and ask questions and see things being demonstrated in a non hostile environment by people who are ready and willing to help.