Vote for Allegiance

[SP4WN]

QUOTE (batman @ Mar 3 2007, 02:53 AM) But is there anything else we can do, like handhold newbies and give em some survival skills? Are there vets who would be willing to help train the newbies each day on a newbie training server? Is there some other way to formalize this type of thing. Or is it best to remain informal in our retention effrots? Does this informal approach contribute to our low retention rate? Is there a history to newbie traning efforts?

I am asking these questions seriously.

was on the cadet and newbie server the other day, jus to help out some newbs and generally have a less hectic game(I need a wind down sometimes)
Anyway, we where trying different things and basically showing everyone the ropes, everyone appeared to be having fun, then the com(was an @ACE, but cant remember who) decided to try a galv run with us all. I led out and camped an aleph uneyed and waited for the rest of the team. The comm explained step by step how to load the Galv, use the station transfer point and then launch and meet me at the aleph. We all sat there and when we knew it was time to go we all went in screamin, vc '3, we hit the tele, other figs started to rip in as we got in range, I explained to the pilots on the run to strafe as they were galving to avoid taking damage as much. We took out the galv, with really no effort of mine as I was just there to watch, and returned to base then proceeded to do the same tactic again. It worked again, with myself getting podded this time as usual by a defender, the whole team was buzzing about it, and two people even said that was the most fun they had since they started playing Allegiance. We ended up losing the game due to BOG HTT'ing every run(not a dig). But were still in high spirits after the game. The whole run was executed better than I have seen in a PUG before, and im not joking it was near perfect.

The whole point is that if good people are willing to spend time on the cadet and newbie server we will definitley retain more players and be able to teach them more than enough to enjoy themselves when they hit the main server rather than sitting there spamming a busy comm for orders on what to do.

As I have said before I am willing to do this and Batman was the only other person who said he was willing to aswell. I also know that some people have semi-ruined this idea/approach due to "crashing" the servers and whoring the newbs, which im sure is no fun for any of them(the only person sick enough to enjoy gettin podded is maself).

I think we need a more direct approach in regards to gaming, the cadet program is awesome and as everyone knows I only passed last month, I think the only thing that may be missing is the cadets playing together, maybe at a scheduled time on the weekend with someone/multiple being there to help. I know the Cadet advisors are really busy, thats why we would probably need to have extra personal to deal with the added strain.

If anyone thinks I am speaking out of turn I apologise in advance and feel free to stick your boot where my sun doesnt shine /mrgreen.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="mrgreen.gif" />

Spawn /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[apathos]

I would like to make some suppositions on this topic; someone feel free to say whether you think they are accurate/need modified/are wrong.

1. Many (not all) people that come to Alleg are also players of many other games, online or no.

2. Most of these people are familiar with learning curves and bad players.

3. I'm pretty sure even our small communities "bad apples" look pretty nice compared to other's.

Questions stemming from these:

A. Given that people are expecting to learn, and that they understand they may encounter a bad apple, what makes our game so difficult compared to others?

B. What do other games with intricate tech trees, multiple factions, and incredible strategy do to bring their players up to speed?

C. What other possible way is there to make this process smoother for new players?

D. Is it possible that our expectations are too high?

E. If there is any kind of a problem with high expectations, what is the most effective way to transition between various learning levels.


It is my contention that we have a chicken and egg problem. New players don't stay because 80% of the community expect these players to be at 75% of their skill level in just a few weeks, when it took these players 7 years to get there. (I made those numbers up). So we would need to set up areas where these people can "learn the ropes" in a more relaxed setting, for instance in newbie, post-newbie, pre-voob, voob, and vet servers. But we can't set up more servers until we get a playerbase to warrant it. And we can't get a larger playerbase because--new players don't stay.

Short version: We need a place for new players, but we need a bigger playerbase to justify it. Which requires new players.

Otherwise, the best we can hope for is trickle-in that out paces trickle-out.

Anybody want to lay the egg?

[FlingPu]

I'm betting that retention is a 7 year old issue, with many suggestions, problems, strategies, setbacks, and things tried.

Myself, I can look at my own gaming history and I already know the possibilities for fallout. I love this game so I'm trying to avoid them. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> If I had pick some previous ones... It might be drama, burnout, or looking up and my real life has been impacted too much to ignore. It's definitely not the learning curve. I started playing this game because I saw a challenge.

My complains for the month that I've been here. They are few...Stacking which is largely player controlled.Drama. Hopefully I don't have to explain this. It's probably my issue. Lets just say it was alot to get used to wondering in from the outside.ELO. Somedays I don't like the ranking system. Maybe this is a side effect of stacking.

[jess_i_74]

This topic screams split.


A. They simply do not realize how much material there really is in the game, and the wide variety of tactics. Once they learn those tactics, they still need situational awareness to apply those tactics at various times. That plus a competitive environment with a high average skill level spells trouble. Plus, many of them are more used to games like CS where dying is quick and respawn is also quick.

D. Yes. They almost certainly are. But it's difficult(impossible?) to ask a playerbase to calm down and dial things back a notch -- people playing to win (and most people do) don't have the time to explain things to newbies when text is slow, and they need NANS IN OBLIVION RIGHT NOW OR BE BOOTED.

E. Maybe find a way to focus the newb server? It's difficult, yes, but what about some sort of teachers (yes yes, discussed over and over again) that would never have a kb over 21, only use one gun on all ships, never fly a base-killing ship, and wouldn't command? Just there to give newbs a nudge in the right direction, so to speak?

[ImmortalZ]

If people would just take a bunch of newbies to another server, start a game and actually teach them basics, and do this regularly (once a day during primetime? once every two days?), we'll have a surge in retention.

[vadvaro]

QUOTE (ImmortalZ @ Mar 2 2007, 10:22 PM) If people would just take a bunch of newbies to another server, start a game and actually teach them basics, and do this regularly (once a day during primetime? once every two days?), we'll have a surge in retention.

this sounds like a pretty sound idea. kind of a mentor or basic training thing.

[Flander]

QUOTE (Dabby @ Mar 2 2007, 10:22 PM) Hey Flander, who are you on Dom? And your callsign in Allegiance? It'd be cool to see a familiar name in-game.

My callsign's eRush. Rush from the Dom boards.

Hey Rush /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
I am Aisha in Dominion.

[Jjb273]

QUOTE B. What do other games with intricate tech trees, multiple factions, and incredible strategy do to bring their players up to speed?[/quote]

Other games do not involve multiple aspects.
RTS games are RTS games, Team fortress classic is a "team game" but it's FPS.
If you put together FPS (not only FPS but also a "loose" and "strange" kind of FPS, because flying a ship is difficult, not much like changing weapons in CS) and the strategy of RTS games, it makes 2 levels of difficulty.
Other games focus on one aspect, this game has many aspects and you have to know what you are doing in every aspect.
IMHO

[batman]

I split off a topic called game marketing and player retention. Thought this might help the discussion.

[Papsmear]

Still posting once every day!