[Suggestion] Idea for new player experience

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by Wind_Walker, Mar 31, 2016.

  1. Wind_Walker

    Just imagine this for a second, really.

    New account? Punch in faction, gender, name and face for character. Create.

    Spawn in a rather large building. Basic tutorial. Learn how to move, aim, shoot, spot, hack generators, use terminals, take checkpoints, etc.

    At end of tutorial. Use final terminal, get warped to VR training room. Tour of the features within, show players how to test guns, vehicles and loadouts. Learn how to compensate for recoil, how to drive, how to fly. First look at what the enemy factions usually have.

    All done? Ok, hit warp terminal. Get warped to Koltyr. Still haven't ranked up yet because no XP. That's about to change. Play on Koltyr as usual, with fresh knowledge of your resources and options. Play until BR15 or until you get bored. You know, the current system.

    All this would be taught by your respective faction voiceover. VR training will still be accessible as usual. This whole thing will be once per account, with fresh alt characters having restricted access to Koltyr by having a max directive score limit on a specific character (this part's still up in the air). Players on Koltyr can leave whenever they want as usual. Players with alts that don't fit the requirement can spawn on the four continents straight away.

    This is all just an amalgamation of past "tutorials" that we've had. The basic tutorial was back when we had that survey that gave us a free gun and camo. We still have VR training, and Koltyr's the current "tutorial" atm. Why not just combine them all into one, smooth, easy to follow tour?
  2. Taemien

    I've got a better idea. Everyone that supports 'caring' for new players get together and make a group on Guildportal or whatever you guys use for that sort of thing.

    Delegate people to make new accounts to search Koltyr for newbies. Invite the Newbies to a squad and talk to them. Get them to join a newbie friendly outfit.

    Next teach them how to use terminals and get them off the newbie continent. Login to your normal character. Run them through a sort of training squad OPs type thing. Can even use the non-busy continent to make it fair.

    Be patient with them and answer all of their questions.


    This is by far the BEST option that could EVER be available. No Dev tutorial could EVER come close to this. So with that said. Why aren't you all doing this? Why are you passing the buck to developers that could be making new features that could be KEEPING vets playing instead while you all work on the newbies?

    Devs can serve Vets better than you can.
    You can serve newbies better than the devs.

    That's a fact you cannot refute.

    Now why wouldn't you want to do this? If you don't do this, then you actually have NO desire to help newbies and are just blowing smoke. I dare you to prove that statement wrong.
  3. Wind_Walker

    Geez. Apparently this is a sore spot for you
  4. Diggsano

    Why the fvk do the Players of the Game need to teach the game? A good game teaches itself trough good tutorials.
  5. XanIves

    Why do we ask the devs to balance items? Why don't those of us that think that a certain weapon is overbalanced, just switch factions and TK anyone that uses that weapon?

    Why do we have descriptions for each weapon when you could just tell each new player what each gun does?


    Player mentors are fine, and loads of people actually do seek out newer players and try to teach them the ropes. But having in-game systems that help players out is always useful, such as squads, voice chat, map drawing, and attack and defense icons. All of these things could be replicated outside of the game, but when it is impemented in the game, it makes working in groups easier and more user-friendly for the players to get into. If squads didn't exist, outfits would still probably run organized groups in teamspeak, but all of the rest of the players would basically have zero ways to effectively work together in combat.

    Why not have a system that automatically pairs newer players into a squad with a high level player who has opted into this mentor program, and the new players could check a quick review box after an hour minimum session with the squad, and they can select if they thought the squad was helpful or not. Each new player that reviews the Squad positively, gives credit towards the squad leader's Mentor ribbons, or the sort. This would incentivize older players to help newer ones out, and also gain the ability to actually receive feedback on their performance.

    "Oh, but then it will just incentivize players to lead squads not for altruistic reasons, but for cert incentives".
    Yeah, but so what? Why don't they remove all squad ribbons and bonus exp associated with being in a regular squad or platoon? As long as there is a way to leave squads, and also downvote the squad leader for not being helpful, this isn't really a problem.


    TL;DR Players being mentors is great, having systems in place to make it easier to help pair newer players with older willing players would make it even better.
  6. Taemien

    Apples and Oranges. Teaching new players is not against the rules and isn't generally seen as a dooshy move.

    Still have to do this, even with descriptions. That text doesn't tell the whole story. Nor can it ever do that with the changing meta from patch to patch, or as new strategies develop.



    PS2 actually DID have the tutorials you all are asking for. It showed you how to switch classes, how to use class abilities, how to use vehicle terminals, how to use teleporters, how to use redeploy, and how to use stuff like the gravity elevators. All that.

    Didn't work. Do you know why?

    The only people who ever did them were vets curious enough to see what the tutorial was like when creating a new alt. New players skipped them.

    This is why I hate tutorials. You either have to force them. Or you have players that skip them.

    When I bring a new player to the game. I don't want him hung up in Koltyr or a Tutorial. I want him in my squad and going. I can do alot more good than anything the dev can think of.

    Sorry guys, but the devs don't know sh-t about this game. They really don't. They know how things work. But they don't know how to use them. Not their fault. They're coding. Its their job. I doubt many of them want to play with their work for extended periods. Some do. I know Higby did (busted him a few times on Connery). But there's no way all of them do.

    And the tutorial can't show you how to use things in un-orthodox methods. The meta-game changes week to week. Keeping up with that is nearly impossible.

    I will say this though. I'm not opposed to TOOLs that help players get into groups easier. PS1 and every MMORPG has a LFG (LFS in PS1) option so that players looking for a group could let groups know about it. Think about how cool that would be? A new player focusing on say.. a medic (maybe he saw a guide that its a good way to get certs). He can post that he's a medic primary looking for a group.

    A squad can see he's a medic and would see its a Low BR, maybe even allow them to see his unlocks. And then select him for an invite and give him a role. I know what you all are going to say., No one's going to pick up low BRs to help out. That's utter BS by the way. Every open squad I've been in has been very helpful to new players asking questions. Yes there's dicks out there. But this community is actually probably the MOST accommodating to new players.

    I know there is a ton of outfits out there that love new players. Why? Because they are easier to fit into the flow of the outfit. They don't have bad habits, and they're not arrogant enough to think they 'know better'.

    The less players go lone wolfing. The more likely they are to leave the game. Sorry but that's a damn fact. This game is frustrating as hell outside a group. Even for a vet.

    Tutorials are solo endeavors. They don't, and CAN'T teach the things that are most important in this game.
  7. AxiomInsanity87


    I fart in your general direction good sir.

    Refuted!