2-week trial players...spin off from Frustration thread

[mthrockmor]

First, I don't want to hijack the "Frustration" thread so I am starting this one, though very much related to the other thread.

The other thread deals with caps on arenas and the impact on the game. One thought that developed that a few seemed to agree with is an outreach effort to the 2-week trial players.

Let's face it, we are all in this together. If everyone leaves who do we get to shoot down. In order to grow this community we need to retain fresh meat, so to speak. One idea was to have the icon for 2-week trial players a different color. I really like this idea. It allows us to reach out to these players and give them some coaching.

Also, many squads are actively recruiting and would welcome new players. We should keep a list of these squads per country to actively help recruit. As an example, I'm in Loose Deuce and we won't take new players, but we would be happy to give pointers and connect them to squads that are recruiting.

We could also consider some version of Trainers, maybe we call them logisitics officers. They actively reach out to 2-weekers and get them in uniform, so to speak. I would gladly volunteer for this.

The more 2-weekers we keep, the more veterans stay around, the larger and stronger the community, the more action we all have.

What other ideas are there? How do we get these ideas to HT? Is Skuzzy going to ban me from the boards...again!? haha

Boo
Loose Deuce

[Raptor]

How much coding would it take to do a offline "Walkthrough" that players are required to perform before coming online? When asked how we heard about AH at the start, the "I am a returning customer" option could exempt you from completing it.
Something simple that teaches players how to take off, fly from point a to point b, shoot a drone flying straight, and land.

[GNucks]

How much coding would it take to do a offline "Walkthrough" that players are required to perform before coming online? When asked how we heard about AH at the start, the "I am a returning customer" option could exempt you from completing it.
Something simple that teaches players how to take off, fly from point a to point b, shoot a drone flying straight, and land.

I don't know about requiring players to do that. I say let them try online first if they really want to skip tutorial, after a few augers and humiliating shoot-downs they'll be all over the tutorial if they really want to get any better.

Perhaps the game could automatically remind any trial player that there is an offline training course every time they die online until they complete the tutorial? Just a little server message in the buffer, that's all I think would be needed.

[The Fugitive]

There are already MANY players that try to help out the new guys. Of course for every 1 guy trying to help there are 5 Aholes giving the guy a "Alt F4" answer.

I had suggested a training arena that must be passed before allowing people into the MAINs. 4 or 5 missions that run them through some basics of taking off, straffing with guns, landing. Others with buff runs, or GV obstical course to teach the controls to drive. Nothing to demanding, and something that could be mastered in an afternoon. Many games have a training "chapter" to teach you the controls and basic game play.

[icepac]

We definately need a stick thread with screen shots of stick configuration and scaling other than default settings that get a new player closer to optimized.

I think a lot of issues new players have is related to stick setup.

[PFactorDave]

I had suggested a training arena that must be passed before allowing people into the MAINs. 4 or 5 missions that run them through some basics of taking off, straffing with guns, landing. Others with buff runs, or GV obstical course to teach the controls to drive. Nothing to demanding, and something that could be mastered in an afternoon. Many games have a training "chapter" to teach you the controls and basic game play.

That's all well and good, but do you really think that learning the controls is the difficulty that two weekers struggle with the most?  Do they fail to subscribe after their trial because they couldn't figure out the controls, or how to shoot at a building, or even land?

No, they don't subscribe because they get shot down over and over and don't know why.  And they learn quickly that they aren't "wanted" by the player base.  They are harassed, called all kinds of fun names, given the Alt-F4 gag everytime they ask a question, and told that they must go to the TA because they suck so bad.  They go to the TA...  Guess what...   They log in to the TA, and unless they are very lucky, there is no Trainer in there.  So, from their perspective they've just been the victim of another Alt-F4 style gag.  Think they will go back to the TA?

I think that motivating Squads to get involved is what needs to happen.

Imagine a two weekers improved experience if they are paired up with a squad who is willing to show him how to manuever to avoid a HO, how to merge, how to dodge a guy coming down from a large alt advantage.  Plus, on top of all that, he immediately gets introduced to some folks in the game.  Folks that he knows will answer questions.  He'll ask a lot more.  Learn faster.  And definitely enjoy his 2 weeks more.

While a few canned missions to teach the controls wouldn't hurt, I doubt they will do much to convince a two weeker to subscribe.

[Blagard]

Personally I think the icon colour for trial players is a bad thing. They are marked / flagged up, as a newbie and there are simply too many idiots around who would target them and put them off. How would you like it to be marked as different ? Whatever the good intentions, the idea IMO would be more likely to put people off. By all means allow trial players to chose being marked differently, but don't make it a default.

One way to help would be to update the trainers pages and provide general help pages. - These should be promoted in a more positive way so that people don't have to go looking for them. Out of date help pages may quite possibly put a new player right off because they don't help, they hinder or miss-direct. Perhaps help films in friendly (or familiar) formats would help, such as windows media player etc.. The film viewer should be avoided as a novice guide although the more advanced ACM are fine on the viewer for established users.

Perhaps a clipboard with relevant information for any trial player can come up before they attempt to set up a trial account and during the trial period. I would like to think that you want new players to get good use out of that two weeks trial. Common sense advice like advising them to learn some of the basics off-line first might help. I have no idea what happens at the moment so it's just an idea.

We are all very different. Some people like to jump straight in, others like to be shown a structured introduction. It's not possible to find one solution for all, but you can give people choices.

[GNucks]

That's all well and good, but do you really think that learning the controls is the difficulty that two weekers struggle with the most?  Do they fail to subscribe after their trial because they couldn't figure out the controls, or how to shoot at a building, or even land?

No, they don't subscribe because they get shot down over and over and don't know why.  And they learn quickly that they aren't "wanted" by the player base.  They are harassed, called all kinds of fun names, given the Alt-F4 gag everytime they ask a question, and told that they must go to the TA because they suck so bad.  They go to the TA...  Guess what...   They log in to the TA, and unless they are very lucky, there is no Trainer in there.  So, from their perspective they've just been the victim of another Alt-F4 style gag.  Think they will go back to the TA?

I think that motivating Squads to get involved is what needs to happen.

Imagine a two weekers improved experience if they are paired up with a squad who is willing to show him how to manuever to avoid a HO, how to merge, how to dodge a guy coming down from a large alt advantage.  Plus, on top of all that, he immediately gets introduced to some folks in the game.  Folks that he knows will answer questions.  He'll ask a lot more.  Learn faster.  And definitely enjoy his 2 weeks more.

While a few canned missions to teach the controls wouldn't hurt, I doubt they will do much to convince a two weeker to subscribe.

I think the reason I stayed after my trial was because Chewie took me under his wing very early on, for a while I was just another dweeb in a horde of NOE dweebs, but I wasn't left to myself and I had guys who were eager to back me up or give me pointers with just a click of the channel button. I agree with the notion of making new players feel welcome.

[gyrene81]

blagard did a good job pointing out the various issues a new player faces...by far the largest problem is the current player base...no names but we all see enough stupid crap on the text buffer every day...new people don't know and don't care who you are or how elite you are when they're starting out, they're trying to figure out what to do. i'm willing to bet there has been more than 1 new person who did something most people learn not to do and got a nasty pm out of it. and new people absolutely don't want to know what your sociopoliticalreligious expert testimony is either.

[ROX]

Some HUGE things that would help the 2-week trial offer new folks:

A)  If smarty-buttocks folks would stop saying "ALT + F4" to everyone with a new player question

B)  If smarty-buttocks folks would stop saying "Hey NOOB--go to the Training Arena"  (it's not always staffed 24/7 world-wide)

C) If experienced players see a new person asking obvious "new player" question like--"How do I start my engine?",  "How do I get my joystick to work?", and "How do I keep from stalling all the time?" To do some one-on-one mentoring.


It's not hard at all to find a clear text/VOX channel and get them to go there and walk them through the "everyday easy's".  You are not only saving them from always doing it on green, you are helping someone new with what I'm pretty sure everyone agrees is a pretty steep learning curve for planes, and almost as bad for gv's and gv/gunnery skills.  

What are ya afraid of?  They might shoot you down someday?  

Besides, you just might be helping a future squaddie who has natural talent.

[SPKmes]

How many here tune to the help channel...perhaps as an added to some of the above mentioned
when on a two week trial the motd pops up with information about this channel and it is tuned to the first " / " text channel ( would need to be brief as many will just want to jump on and go..as is noticed) ...this may then help to keep the country channels clear and give a clear in site to a new player Then a more experienced player could pick up and show the ropes if they have the time or just keep it to the help channel...

I know I've been tuned to this channel before...(not for some time now) so not sure how much use it actually gets these days. People could even direct them to this...I for one will have this tuned from here on in.

???   just chucking it out there

[Blagard]

Perhaps HTC can one way or another, invite people to say what was it that brought them to the game in the first place and what was it that made them stay. Equally, what did people find off-putting in the beginning.

A Poll would be one way, but you need effective questions to make that work. Picking comments from threads such as this would be a good starting point.

I joined because I have an interest in all things flying
I enjoyed being in a squad even if the squad later moved away - I remained because overall it works for me so continue as a lone wolf
I did not like getting shot down by the aircraft I never saw and certainly not trying to get up at a capped field! - These days I usually see the one who shoots me and I enjoy defending as long as I can take one out before I die!

The social aspect of the game is a major plus - If a newbie gets to join the right sort of squad early on it may make all the difference. PFactorDave's idea to motivate squads to help is  a sound idea, I am just not sure how we can make it happen. Perhaps some way for online people with authority to invite being highlighted in the roster when they are looking to recruit ?

[Lusche]

How many here tune to the help channel...perhaps as an added to some of the above mentioned

I am about 2/3rd of my time.

And most time I do spend there trying to explain players how to tune to a different  (=country) channel because they are using it just as a chat channel (quite often in vain). On the other hand they can't really expect to find any serious help there much of the time.

[AAJagerX]

I really like the icon color idea.  It'd have to be seen by fellow countrymen only though.  Otherwise, they'd be meat to the slaughter.  

In an online situation, a 2 weeker (bearing a highlighted icon) would be approached by many squads looking to recruit a new member.  Once in a squad, they'd be privy to all sorts of info that regular players view as "common knowledge".  New players are just that...  New players.  There is no common knowledge, and unless you luck out and find someone that will take take you under their proverbial wing, you're in for a long and frustrating road to gain such knowledge.

Now, couple the 2 weeker icon idea with a short tutorial that would be available during the player's trial period and voila!  You've got a new player that knows the basics and is a good candidate for recruitment by a squad.  Once in a squad that they're comfortable with, the new player will gain friendship and camraderie, making the decision to sign up as a paying member that much easier.  

Very few people that are new and get accepted into a squad or community will want to "abandon" such ties at the first sign of frustration due to the learning curve.  The new players would have that "Ah-Ha" moment much more quickly.  The confidence that they'd build would also encourage better ACM and fights, being that they think that they actually have a chance to win a solid 1v1 fight in the MA, rather than thinking that they have no chance and the best option is to fly with a large group or run away from any fight where there's the slightest risk of losing.  

All in all, a new player having a highlighted or slightly different icon, coupled with a short tutorial of the basics of the game would help immensely with player retention IMO.  
 


 

[Sloehand]

I remember...

I did a little reading, but it was a lot to take in and I was excited to see what cartoon airplanes would look and fly like, especially against other people (this was my first online game).  I got in a plane and took off which was fairly simple.  Saw another aircraft in front of me with a green icon so I followed him.  Didn't know there were three countries or at that time, green meant friendly, but he didn't both me so I didn't bother him, just enjoyed the countryside and the experience of "flying".  All of a sudden another plane showed up, with a red icon.  He and the green guy started flying around each other, I stayed out of the way.  Red guy killed green guy, then headed for me.  I tried to fly around him, but died quickly.  Probaly a good thing since I didn't know exactly how the may worked, where I was, and what I should do to get home.  Tower was a familiar sight.

I recount this, my first flight in Aces High to focus on the need for some small info blurb (MOD) for newbs that they can't avoid the first time they fly and tells them they are in a three-way war and that they take-off and land at green bases.  Green guys are countryment, red are one of two enemies, etc.   Further it could list that they have options to go to the TA to learn, as one of the green guys to help, etc.