We should not let...

[Tannar]

I agree with girlyboy: A newb having fun is more likely to come back than a newb not having fun.

Suggestion: make a game for newbs. I made the following suggestion in February and would like to bring it up again.

QUOTE (Tannar @ Feb 7 2010, 01:39 PM) I also would like to share an idea for a combined marketing and community event on the occasion of the anniversary.

I was thinking about arranging a staged game for newbs in which the focus is not really on competition between the teams but on telling a story and introducing new players to the gameplay of Allegiance. The two (or more) teams would consist of one commander, one narrator, several experienced players and as many newbs as possible. The whole game should stick to a script known to the experienced players beforehand. The narrators comments on the situation and builds up an atmosphere corresponding to the faction, pointing out goals and motivations.

We could reenact an important event of the Allegiance storyline, for example the first contact of the human race with aliens.

The gameplay would be much slower than on a regular game to give newbs time to feel comfortable without changing the structure of a "real" game. Of course the newbs don't really learn about how the game is normally played, but I like to see it more as an advertisement than a training lesson. And it is an event media might report about, giving us visibilty.

I am perfectly aware that this kind of event is probably terribly boring for established players. But it may be a nice one time event, a good introduction for newbs and possibly a nice opportunity to get some video material. Nevertheless it would require much work and commitment from the community and I am not sure if it is possible to find enough manpower for even one such event.

Everything I have said is up for discussion.

This was an idea for a one time event, but perhaps something similar could be done once a week, e.g., Saturday at SGT.

As this a lot of work for a weekly event I'd suggest to make this kind of game without script but with a similar focus. Give newbs a "real" game, but at their pace. Get as many experinced players as possible to lead but let the newbs do all the work: Scouting, miner defense, miner offense, bombing. Get them fun tech, invite them to TS or mumble, organise them in wings, communicate to the other team to arrange for targets and let the newbs have a good time and experience teamwork.

I also think that this kind of game could give a better impression of what makes Allegiance special than main games where everything is hectic and some people are grumpy.

[vogue]

i remember when i first started this game, my goal was simple. To blow stuff up, its not these complex role playing games that made me stay but rather the thrill of going around hunting other people and watching them blow up when i killed them. Then when I started playing more I decided to actually learn the game instead of just running around in an int the entire time.

[MrChaos]

QUOTE (neotoxin @ Jul 24 2010, 10:43 AM) Back the $#@! up.

The $#@! is THIS @#(!, MrC?!

I'm a whore and well the British accent.... *sigh* *jots down a note to bring flowers, candy, and some liquor on Tuesday*

[that_bloke]

QUOTE (vogue @ Jul 24 2010, 01:06 PM) the thrill of going around hunting other people and watching them blow up when i killed them.

THIS is what i love about ALL multiplayer games!, and it's even better than doing it for real cos you get to see them all annoyed afterwards, which is always less fun in reality cos you get brains on your shoes.

Shooting real folks in games and then watching them being all disappointed and pissy amuses me no end.

Paintball is even better, cos not only are they hacked off at you, but they are also in physical pain due to your superior skill / luck / ability to stack.

hee hee!

[link120]

QUOTE (that_bloke @ Jul 24 2010, 05:11 PM) THIS is what i love about ALL multiplayer games!, and it's even better than doing it for real cos you get to see them all annoyed afterwards, which is always less fun in reality cos you get brains on your shoes.

Shooting real folks in games and then watching them being all disappointed and pissy amuses me no end.

Paintball is even better, cos not only are they hacked off at you, but they are also in physical pain due to your superior skill / luck / ability to stack.

hee hee!

Real men do army.

[FreeBeer]

QUOTE (k10xbai @ Jul 24 2010, 09:34 PM) Real men do army.

Real women "do" the army, too. That's where little grunts come from.

[ryjamsan]

QUOTE (FreeBeer @ Jul 25 2010, 01:10 PM) Real women "do" the army, too. That's where little grunts come from.

By far the best comeback in the history of ALLEG!!

[Kumquat]

QUOTE (Tannar @ Jul 24 2010, 03:57 PM) I agree with girlyboy: A newb having fun is more likely to come back than a newb not having fun.

SOMEONE HAVING FUN IS MORE LIKELY TO COME BACK THAN SOMEONE NOT HAVING FUN?!? HOLY $#@!ING @#(! BATMAN STOP THE $#@!ING PRESSES!

[Jimen]

Also, noob retention isn't the issue behind the shrinking playerbase, because noob retention has been poor for more or less the entire life of FAO. In fact, given all the things y'all have been doing to improve the newbie experience over the last couple of years, I wouldn't be surprised if newbie retention is the highest it's been in five years! Why is the playerbase shrinking? Because you morons are driving off all the goddamn vets!

[Bard]

QUOTE (Jimen @ Jul 25 2010, 03:00 PM) I wouldn't be surprised if newbie retention is the highest it's been in five years!

Not at all true between the time I showed up and now.

There were fewer newbies by FAR because you could only play if you could forward ports on your router (so noone at most colleges, noone with a crappy dsl/cable modem, noone with super-controlling roomates or parents, a very large swath of potential players, really) but retention of said newbies was MUCH better, percentage wise, because those who got in and could actually PLAY got much heavier attention due to their being both more vets and far fewer new players.

Once the port forwarding restriction was lifted, we got a gigantic influx of people including a lot of complete morons and under-13's who couldn't be arsed to listen to ANYONE. This had a lot to do with vets getting up and saying "$#@! it." because the forums were clogged with idiocy and despite the massive push towards a "vet only" server, it was vetoed.

Add into that a gigantic rash of newb and voob hatred being taken out on EVERYONE who joined and the enforcement rules increased, bans were applied to ANYONE who booted a <4 without PM'ing BV with a valid reason and Pook got fed up with a bunch of people and pulled the plug, not necessarily in that exact order due to some overlap of long-standing events so we lost a bunch more vets who were tired of Pook telling them to "go pound sand".

New player retention as a percentage of all new player accounts is not up from january of 2006 but new player accounts that can actually get into NOAT since port forwarding was removed as a requirement most definitely is.

That being said, I do think you have a very fair point about departing vets. It really, REALLY hurt games as a whole for a few months after friday the 13th but games actually recovered by a fair margin too when newbie booting was cracked down on.

Personally, I blame the introduction of #mutiny for killing *MY* fun in many pugs and I say that has someone who almost never commands. It's just no fun to see a team finally off to a decent start after a long time in NOAT and then have multiple #mutiny attempts followed by a retaliatory boot as soon as a commander loses a con or a miner ESPECIALLY if they aren't the opening ones.