Stan Rogers wrote:If the primary objective is to get better player retention among new players, I'm sure you have considered a Pirate's Glory Lite?
An alternate world where the player does not have to work their way up into prosperity and big ships/fleets but rather, a world where a new player is presented with a gift of 10-20 ships of their choice to plunder or trade with and turn them loose in a new world where they get to enjoy the benefits of long term investment Without the time needed.
A very limiting but enjoyable game world a player learns the importance of danger, gc, trade and plunder, skirmish- the whole thing all from day one but there must be a big choke or limiter.
Maybe the ships given can only go to lvl 5 so the strongest ship would be a lvl 5 sotl. No credits, stipends, no voodoo, ship or credit market.
Perhaps bequeath a limited voodoo pack that can be experimented with but no presents/wives/ trading of such. Again, just enough to wet the appetite for the real version.
No resources should be allowed to migrate out of this new world to Avonmora.
Soon, the players who enjoy what they learned are clamoring to get into Avonmora where they start just like everyone else with the tools to be somewhat successful.
When the new player gets to some benchmarks, to go any farther, they must join the Avonmoran world where they start the same as any other player except they now are armed with the knowledge of what to do to make a living.
JMHO on how an alternate world would help the game in general to enhance new player retention
I like this and agree. Specific missions to help them learn the basics. Ship building, trade, plunder, voodoo. Make it easy for them to see the advantages and disadvantages of certain actions. Give it a limited time frame and show them the clock. this will keep them focused on accomplishing certain things. Right now we have a 1000 turn protection for beginners. In the new world maybe make it 2 week.... maybe 1 month. I know several games that have something similar and i serves 2 purposes. It holds attention and gives goals to accomplish, and it trains players in the basic game mechanics.
Mugiwara wrote:only problem with your suggestion is when a new player will adjust to easier and faster version of avonmora they wont excited to play for long duration of same game. first show slow one and second faster one can be appealing but for fast to slow its not same sadly.
I disagree with this Mugi. As Stan Rogers said "limiting and enjoyable." Limit the game play to specific areas. Once they advance they will be immersed with the full aspects and mechanics. Limit the initial map to 6-10 ports. Give them a basic fleet or 4 or 5 fleets. Limit the types of ships they can build/acquire during this period. But list all ship types. Those not available to them display "locked until mission complete."
+1x10 Stan Rogers.
