Can we make a @help tag?

[Adept]

I know I suggested this a few years ago already, but I've had more time to think about it now.

Both me and SaiSoma have ideas and channels we can use to advertise Allegiance, and potentiall bring in a lot of new players. Sai made a good point about not wanting to do it before Allegiance is more ready for it. More accessible for new players and more reliable in working (well) right from the install.

Here's one thing I think would help:

I'd like there to be a @help tag for volunteers, so we don't have to waste the @allegs time with basic things. Where the @alleg is a position of some power and responsibility, the @help tag would only give you the job of helping our new players and ansvering questions, and the permission to play at the newbie servers.

For the latter part we need two things:
a) Only square, responsible guys who will not go whore on the newbies to have the @help tag.
b) To make double sure, it is best to tweak Allegskill (or is that TAG?) so that games on the newbie server do not count.

***

I'm willing to put some of my time into this, and I know there are others who feel the same.

[spideycw]

They can join cadet which accomplishes the same thing imo

[Adept]

I mean the very first things. In the first days, even in the first day you get to Allegiance.

I'm also anticipating there being more newbies at once sometimes. I think we lose a lot of people who never really get what the game is about, and helping them over that first step would help a lot. Of course pointing people towards the awesome cadet program would be an imporant part of it.

Btw spidey, you have the forum reflexes of a mongoose!

[sgt_baker]

QUOTE (spideycw @ Jun 3 2009, 10:58 PM) They can join cadet which accomplishes the same thing imo

Despite what you're inclined to believe, Spidey, the vast majority of newbies are effectively transient players who don't return because they don't understand the game.

@Help is a good idea in that it provides an obvious source of help to the newbies. (@Alleg doesn't mean anything to the average newbie)

Edit: tyop

[sgt_baker]

And, for that matter, @Allegs are a rare sight at the moment.

[sambasti]

I would agree to this and volunteer for one as well. I have made a few small, one teamed games to teach newbies basic skills, and I would like to be able to help through official means. I think this would also really help the quality of PUGs.

[spideycw]

QUOTE (sgt_baker @ Jun 3 2009, 06:09 PM) the vast majority of newbies are effectively transient players who don't return because they don't understand the game.

What do you base that on? Over the say 20 people I have tried to get interested in Alleg over the years 19 of them didn't give up because it was too hard to learn or they didn't understand but because of people's attitudes towards newbies.

Anyway I don't disagree that an @help tag is needed - though I think cadet sessions start often enough to address these problems and when in doubt a newbie typically pms a commander or someone with a tag of some sort. Exactly what sort of help would these people provide?

Also over my many years of playtime I have seen many of the people here today come in as 0's ask for advice on all chat - get that advice and stick around - all without someone with a fancy tag. What numbers of new people would be flooding in and is it worth it to set up something new to cope with them?

[Cadillac]

You could either do this or actually increase the Cadet staff to make it useful.

[spideycw]

Despite what you are inclined to believe Cadi the majority of Allegiance players think that is a bad idea

[juckto]

QUOTE actually increase the Cadet staff to make it useful.[/quote]
Please elaborate.