Suggestions to ease "n00b-itis"

[Raubvogel]

Here are some thoughts that might help ease the learning curve of the game for newbies.

-How about a kill, and/or score minimum before they can enter the MA? Make them get 3 kills, or some set score before they can log into the MA. Or course, you also need a max limit so they don't stay in the TA and club baby seals.

-What about a tutorial of some type. I remember in FA there was a tutorial you could go through offline and it really helped. It had text prompts that took you through all the steps from selecting your plane to taking off, to dropping ordnance, etc.

-How about adding a Bitmap to the clipboard that has a keyboard map? You could just pull down the box, select keyboard and see all the key functions.

Just some thoughts.

[Seeker]

How about some instructional films (Leph? Ripsnort?) included in the base download?

Your first take off and landing preferably on a C.V? (Interface navigation, plane selection, throttle, wep, gear, flaps, refueling)

Your first Jabo attack? (Weapon selection, weapon arming, seat position/gunsight selection)

Your first level buff drop? (Introduction to the norden sight and gunning)

And some kind of shortcut/button to it in the aces high start up menu folder.

[38isPorked]

#1 hell no. You'd be denying access to the MA.

#2 Its called TA and Offline Mode. Face it, if you dont know how to take off, chances are you can't read either. All the keys for the game are not only clearly and easily outlined in the keymapping function. If the wiz kids dont know that you need to turn the engine on and throttle up to take off..well... i'll leave it at that.

#3 Good idea. That can easily be done. Just make the list in a BMP and put it up there with the field maps. Add the DOT commands in there as well.

Seeker's film idea would be great.

However, the n00bitis is rarely seen in "what key does this" or "how do I do this" questions. Its more in the "let me take off you $#@$#@%$#" and "why am I dying when I shoot the green guy! Dammit this suxs" thing.

It would be good to put an "Aces High Lore Checklist" bmp outlining the answer to these things.. put it right up there with the field maps.

[pbirmingham]

Originally posted by Raubvogel:

-How about a kill, and/or score minimum before they can enter the MA? Make them get 3 kills, or some set score before they can log into the MA. Or course, you also need a max limit so they don't stay in the TA and club baby seals.

Better yet, how about a 31337 4R3|\|4!!!!11111  Where only the 1337est killz0rz in the BEST CLANS ^H^H^H^H^H SQUADS would get to fly!!!!!11!!  NO LLAMAS!!! LOL LOL LOL!!!!!!

(Yes, I am deriding your idea.  I think it's bad in the broad overview, and in the details as well.  There are good people, solid team players, who haven't gotten the hang of getting kills, and some pretty scummy guys with high scores/kill totals.  Besides, it's wasy to get three kills if Runny agrees to fly straight and level in front of you, which he'd consider if this abortion managed to be born.)

[Raubvogel]

I think a tutorial would be a good thing. Kind of like the ones they use to walk you through the real time strategy games. From what I've read (never been in it), the TA is not very conducive to learning. The offline mode is ok, but there's no mechanism to answer questions or explain anything.

I like the idea if having a bitmap of key functions very much. I think it would be easy to implement.

[Raubvogel]

Runny, I think you missed the point. I'm not talking about any kind of "elite arena." It would not take much for guys to get 3 kills in the TA before they come to the MA. If you give them a small map with close airfields, it wouldn't take any more than 10 or 15 minutes to do. And, it wasn't a well thought out plan or anything, just a thought I threw out to get suggestions and hopefully encourage some more ideas. Comments are welcome, but improvements and better ideas would be great.

[pbirmingham]

Good response.  I was being nasty, and you were more civil in response than I deserved.

In that case, I think that greater in-flight help would be great.  That clipboard is really handy -- I wonder if it would be hard to keep an in-game manual on it.  It would reduce the number of questions, but...

Most of the complaints I've heard have more to do with bad manners, than with simple ignorance.  People don't seem to get irritated because a new guy doesn't know how to drop bombs; rather, blood boils when the newbie is a jerk when asking about it.

I don't know how to fix that.  I guess the best bet is to answer the polite requests, and ignore the rude ones.  Hopefully the rude people will catch a clue.