Official Training Guild/Academy for New Players

[DezNutz]

Honestly, I see this discussion to be a waste of time. We are trying to address an issue without actually knowing why these players stop playing. Any discussion on trying to correct why they stop playing is futile especially if no one has actually asked them why nor received a response, which isn't going to happen since they stopped playing.

If any discussion is going to occur in regards to when a player first starts the game, it should be retrospective. What do you know now, that would have been helpful to know when you first started playing? Updating the tutorials to include relevant information that previously was only gained via playing the game for some time could help new players to consider staying; however, there would be no guarantee that it will do anything without knowing why players stop playing.

[PFH]

Most training guilds are easy target for "pirates" because they keep away from combat since they want to protect new players since those players have no respect twoards new players and they aim them. At one point I said that people kept me in the game and not gameplay mechanic and mayn other confirmed same. Then admins gave new mission of posting on forum which is good step and I say it should be direction where other tutorials should go aswell. Someone proposed that admins make mission where they plunder ship from NPC player to introduce that mechanic to players aswell. I know that it is possible on marquess mission but many don't achieve that mission. I saw players leave game after they lose ships so that mission can explain them why that happen and how to pervent it. There are million other ways but most people don't bother presenting them because it is often filled with spam and it ends up in trash.

+1 to that

[Sir Thalius Hayle]

Honestly, I see this discussion to be a waste of time. We are trying to address an issue without actually knowing why these players stop playing. Any discussion on trying to correct why they stop playing is futile especially if no one has actually asked them why nor received a response, which isn't going to happen since they stopped playing.

If any discussion is going to occur in regards to when a player first starts the game, it should be retrospective. What do you know now, that would have been helpful to know when you first started playing? Updating the tutorials to include relevant information that previously was only gained via playing the game for some time could help new players to consider staying; however, there would be no guarantee that it will do anything without knowing why players stop playing.

Your not obligated to participate, Dez.

Admin has asked EVERY PLAYER to put together a wish list, and protocol is to discuss it first, suggest it next, then create wish list with link to suggestion threads. Just doing as I was asked. I enjoy the game very much, and I want to see it grow. Just trying to help by putting forth suggestions on issues that I see from my perspective. If the thought does not get implemented, so be it. If it is a bad idea, so be it. But perhaps out of the discussion something may come that could help on the issue of new player retention.

There is a LOT of information to digest in this game, and a lot of depth to this game that is hard to see at the beginning. As has already been mentioned by a few, and as was true for me as well, the social interaction in the beginning was a large factor in my early enjoyment of the game. I enjoy text based games like this though, games that make you work and think. I believe there are a lot of younger players out there that are initially overwhelmed by all that is in the game early on.

A training academy of sorts that new players start out in, being in community where social interaction is there with their peers from the start, working through tutorials and quests together under the encouragement of certain motivated experienced players is where my thoughts are at the moment.

I am eager to discuss the subject and hear from more experienced players that may have thoughts on the issue though. If you have any different ideas or suggestions on how to help with the issue, I'm eager to throw your thoughts into the mix as well.

Honestly though, and with no hard feelings- If this thread is still seen as a waste of your time, please don't waste ours.

[PFH]

Honestly, I see this discussion to be a waste of time. We are trying to address an issue without actually knowing why these players stop playing. Any discussion on trying to correct why they stop playing is futile especially if no one has actually asked them why nor received a response, which isn't going to happen since they stopped playing.

If any discussion is going to occur in regards to when a player first starts the game, it should be retrospective. What do you know now, that would have been helpful to know when you first started playing? Updating the tutorials to include relevant information that previously was only gained via playing the game for some time could help new players to consider staying; however, there would be no guarantee that it will do anything without knowing why players stop playing.

Your not obligated to participate, Dez.

Admin has asked EVERY PLAYER to put together a wish list, and protocol is to discuss it first, suggest it next, then create wish list with link to suggestion threads. Just doing as I was asked. I enjoy the game very much, and I want to see it grow. Just trying to help by putting forth suggestions on issues that I see from my perspective. If the thought does not get implemented, so be it. If it is a bad idea, so be it. But perhaps out of the discussion something may come that could help on the issue of new player retention.

There is a LOT of information to digest in this game, and a lot of depth to this game that is hard to see at the beginning. As has already been mentioned by a few, and as was true for me as well, the social interaction in the beginning was a large factor in my early enjoyment of the game. I enjoy text based games like this though, games that make you work and think. I believe there are a lot of younger players out there that are initially overwhelmed by all that is in the game early on.

A training academy of sorts that new players start out in, being in community where social interaction is there with their peers from the start, working through tutorials and quests together under the encouragement of certain motivated experienced players is where my thoughts are at the moment.

I am eager to discuss the subject and hear from more experienced players that may have thoughts on the issue though. If you have any different ideas or suggestions on how to help with the issue, I'm eager to throw your thoughts into the mix as well.

Honestly though, and with no hard feelings- If this thread is still seen as a waste of your time, please don't waste ours.

+1

[Astragek]

Well said Thalius, no need to participate in a discussion you deem to be a waste of time. Because you just went against your own thoughts by wasting your own time anyway. A discussion thread is just that... A discussion thread. No need to be a **** when players are actually getting involved and think of ways to improve the game, even though the idea might not be solving the issue. I'm just happy to see more and more people actually participating in discussions, even newer players, all in the name of improving this great game. That's never a waste of time!

[DezNutz]

You all obviously failed reading comprehension in school. Read my entire statement.

[DezNutz]

Honestly, I see this discussion to be a waste of time. We are trying to address an issue without actually knowing why these players stop playing. Any discussion on trying to correct why they stop playing is futile especially if no one has actually asked them why nor received a response, which isn't going to happen since they stopped playing.

If any discussion is going to occur in regards to when a player first starts the game, it should be retrospective. What do you know now, that would have been helpful to know when you first started playing? Updating the tutorials to include relevant information that previously was only gained via playing the game for some time could help new players to consider staying; however, there would be no guarantee that it will do anything without knowing why players stop playing.

Your not obligated to participate, Dez.

Admin has asked EVERY PLAYER to put together a wish list, and protocol is to discuss it first, suggest it next, then create wish list with link to suggestion threads. Just doing as I was asked. I enjoy the game very much, and I want to see it grow. Just trying to help by putting forth suggestions on issues that I see from my perspective. If the thought does not get implemented, so be it. If it is a bad idea, so be it. But perhaps out of the discussion something may come that could help on the issue of new player retention.

There is a LOT of information to digest in this game, and a lot of depth to this game that is hard to see at the beginning. As has already been mentioned by a few, and as was true for me as well, the social interaction in the beginning was a large factor in my early enjoyment of the game. I enjoy text based games like this though, games that make you work and think. I believe there are a lot of younger players out there that are initially overwhelmed by all that is in the game early on.

A training academy of sorts that new players start out in, being in community where social interaction is there with their peers from the start, working through tutorials and quests together under the encouragement of certain motivated experienced players is where my thoughts are at the moment.

I am eager to discuss the subject and hear from more experienced players that may have thoughts on the issue though. If you have any different ideas or suggestions on how to help with the issue, I'm eager to throw your thoughts into the mix as well.

Honestly though, and with no hard feelings- If this thread is still seen as a waste of your time, please don't waste ours.

I will participate and provide my opinion however I choose. Additionally you (and SDK and Astra...) clearly didn't read further than my first sentence, and/or understand what I wrote.

As stated by you, this suggestion is an attempt to help new players stay interested in the game. You believe that social interactions via an automatic but temporary placement in an "official" training guild lead by experience players will help keep players in the game. The inherent problem with your approach is that you don't actually know why most of those players are not continuing to play the game. Trying to create a way for players to stay in the game without knowing why they don't want to continue playing is a proven waste of time. As the likelihood of knowing why they stopped playing or trying to contact them and getting a response as to why they stopped playing are slim to none, it is better served to simply look in retrospect of your own joining on the game and make a request that would add to the tutorial system that would provide knowledge and insight to the game that didn't exist when you joined.

[Sir Thalius Hayle]

I will participate and provide my opinion however I choose. Additionally you (and SDK and Astro...) clearly didn't either read further than my first sentence, or understand what I wrote.

As stated by you, this suggestion is an attempt to help new players stay interested in the game. You believe that social interactions via an automatic but temporary placement in an "official" training guild lead by experience players will help keep players in the game. The inherent problem with your approach is that you don't actually know why most of those players are not continuing to play the game. Trying to create a way for players to stay in the game without knowing why they don't want to continue playing is a proven waste of time. As the likelihood of knowing why they stopped playing or trying to contact them and getting a response as to why they stopped playing are slim to none, it is better served to simply look in retrospect of your own joining on the game and make a request that would add to the tutorial system that would provide knowledge and insight to the game that didn't exist when you joined.

You are right Dez, we are all incompetent. Sorry for responding according to what your language seemed to imply you were communicating.

And I did read over your entire response, as I value any input given, even from the sides that disagree. And without disparaging those with whom I disagree or who disagree with me.

As for your premise that the suggestion is a waste of time because we do not know exactly why the new players that leave don't stick around, I find it illogical that because we lack certain information, no suggestion can or should be made.

The suggestion was made based on information we do have however, as looking in retrospect I, and it seems some if not many other players, have stuck around in the early game, at least in part, because they connect socially in a community early on. Thus the suggestion to start them out with that along with tutorials and quests.

Personally I found the tutorial sufficient for learning how the game works, although perhaps improvements could be made in the area of voodoo training, plundering of ships, and blockades and such. That is a different subject though, as with all of that in place I would still make the current suggestion for new players to start out in some sort of a guild-like training academy.

It was the social interaction with my mates in Ravenlocke that made the learning fun. I almost did not accept the invitation though, as who can tell when they are new to a game like this as to who can be trusted or who is worth partnering up with. Learning on my own would have been frustrating and challenging, and I am mature enough to work my way through such things. I would imagine that many of the new players are younger, and tend to favor social interaction over not having it, all of which played into the thought process behind the suggestion.

Having said all of that, I hope you can see the suggestion was made using the info I do have and will move forward based on info that is added, not on the bases of that which we don't know, as the unknown and unobtainable can't be figured into the equation.

If you have info to add, please do, so this conversation can be productive and not feel so much like a verbal arm wrestling match.

[DezNutz]

I never said that a suggestion can't be made, I'm all for game suggestions to include those that help new players learn the game better. I said making a suggestion based on helping new players to stay in the game is waste without knowing why they are leaving. Your suggestion assumes that social interaction would make a difference, however, you have no actual data to back that conclusion that says players are leaving due to a lack of social interaction. Additionally, there is no guarantee that your suggestion would make more players stay in the game. A suggestion would be better served if you simply aimed to improve the tutorial system based on your experience. What do you know now that would have helped you if you were starting as a new player? Suggestions based on such would help new players learn the game better, but there would be no expectation of it making players stay in the game. You can't make that expectation without knowing why players don't stay. Which is why I said suggesting a feature on that premise is a waste of time.

[Mack]

I think most people just dont want the slow pace of the game there are so many games that you dont have to wait for hours or days to make a move. But thats the game thats one thing i like, most things on here dont happen really fast.. and most people are probably overwelmd when they realize the scope of time it will take to grow large and just give up.. i almost did