tutorial for new players

[alpini13]

would it be possible to have offline a trainer.  as in, a new person picks a plane offline in trainer mode.  a voice comes on and highlights a small keyboard letter E and tells him how to start the engine. and that sort of thing. same for landing and using flaps etc.    and so for basic flight,it would be like having a person telling AND showing him what to do.  useful tips on using the e6b or map would also be included.  i think this would help a new person learn the basics.        OR  just put a large yellow sign on their plane in the main arena that say "STUDENT FLYER"

[guncrasher]

I think it would be cool if new players by default could not be shot down but at the same time, they couldnt shoot anybody else down either.  that is just to get them used to flying without being bait for everybody else.  change the id to a different color and have it for the first 20 or 30 flights with the option to not have it at all.  they could shoot but not damage anything.



semp

[Lone82]

just put a large yellow sign on their plane in the main arena that say "STUDENT FLYER"

  Make the only skin available to 2 week trials a BRIGHT black and yellow checkerboard 

[earl1937]

would it be possible to have offline a trainer.  as in, a new person picks a plane offline in trainer mode.  a voice comes on and highlights a small keyboard letter E and tells him how to start the engine. and that sort of thing. same for landing and using flaps etc.    and so for basic flight,it would be like having a person telling AND showing him what to do.  useful tips on using the e6b or map would also be included.  i think this would help a new person learn the basics.        OR  just put a large yellow sign on their plane in the main arena that say "STUDENT FLYER"

  Your idea certainly has merit! One other thing I have suggested is this: When someone downloads the game, several in game ID's come up with their email addresses and the new person can contact them for 1 on 1 instructions. I would be willing to give 3 or 4 hours a week for this purpose and I am sure there other players in here that would do the same. I realize we have a training corps here in Aces High and maybe AH should announce that upon downloading the game. I know we have links on the home page, but for what ever reason, a lot of people don't seem to take advantage of the information which they relay about the game.
Just little things which most of us take for granite, like setting hat switch positions, gun converge settings, fuel load outs and bomb loads. And if a player is really new to flight sim's and has purchased a "stick", getting it set up to use properly can be a chore for some.

[The Fugitive]

When I was out of work I had started an interactive flash animation tutorial with the idea of getting the basics across. It was a lot of work so it got shelved when I got a new job. Another project that will never get done

[Arlo]

I know it's .... um .... MechWarrior ..... but they did a pretty good job in this regard:

http://mwomercs.com/game/training-grounds

[wpeters]

I think it would be cool if new players by default could not be shot down but at the same time, they couldnt shoot anybody else down either.  that is just to get them used to flying without being bait for everybody else.  change the id to a different color and have it for the first 20 or 30 flights with the option to not have it at all.  they could shoot but not damage anything.



semp

Like the idea but I think they need to be allowed to shoot and damage. There was nothing better to build my confidence when i start than to actually shoot down a plane.  And admitt if you are shot down by a newb u were doing something wrong... Everthing else give +10 especially the not shooting them down and the bright checkered plane

[Zoney]

I think it would be cool if new players by default could not be shot down but at the same time, they couldnt shoot anybody else down either.  that is just to get them used to flying without being bait for everybody else.  change the id to a different color and have it for the first 20 or 30 flights with the option to not have it at all.  they could shoot but not damage anything.

semp

-1

We have this, in the training arena. Unless, maybe there was some indication on their ICON that they were in "Practice Status".  Also, if you give them the option to "turn it off", I would not want this to be possible during a flight, only in the tower or O'Club.

Generally I don't like the idea much possibly because it smells like the rules some of our kids now play sports by where there are no winners or losers.

[DubiousKB]

-1

We have this, in the training arena. Unless, maybe there was some indication on their ICON that they were in "Practice Status".  Also, if you give them the option to "turn it off", I would not want this to be possible during a flight, only in the tower or O'Club.

Generally I don't like the idea much possibly because it smells like the rules some of our kids now play sports by where there are no winners or losers.

GAWD I HATE THAT!!!!!     Life is'nt given to us as those "lovey-dovey" hippies would have children believe...

For me, i only chose to get help after jumping into the "action" of main arenas. I certainly would have gone through a tutorial if presented to me upon first starting, something in game as opposed to "look at all this help that's available, just go find it!"

I'm torn on the can't be killed and can't kill... Only if the new player would get a message letting them know when they would have a kill - ie they don't need to put all their ammo into a target only to be unsure if that would have been sufficient to down the enemy aircraft.

Sadely, Zoney, we'll need some hand-holding in this regard, IF ONLY, to help retain subscribing players. That two week trial is critical for the rest of us to attempt to secure that new player as a seasoned veteran who, like many veterans here, will contribute and grow the community.

[bustr]

Two things can happen to remove the "lovey dovey" from this.

Once AI in the AvA has been worked out. First the TA can incorporate AI enemy for student training where the trainer can fly along side the student giving pointers. Setup airfield attacks specifically to teach wirbel shooting. Setup tank scenario to teach tanking and so on. This may well be a scenario where the trainer puts up a custom arena with AI missions loaded up and works one on one in a Training Custom Arena. This is less ego damaging than starting out against human beings.

Offline AI training missions will become standard issue with the game download, such that the player only need choose the number and types of enemy to contend with.

The AvA staff could have easy mode nights for the Trainers to introduce students to full scale war. ON those nights the trainer and student could have avatar that say only "Tr" and "St". Other live players would need an icon to separate them from the AI for the Trainer and Student along with the Trainer being able to talk to all live player icons in the game to ward them off or say it's OK by their trainee to go at it.

A mature AI program would eliminate any need for lovey dovey where the MA shark tank is concerned.

As for streaming tutorials imbedded into the game. The millennial generation is probably the first who spends more of their time listening to and watching tutorials\manuals than any PC equipped generation in history. The downside is most don't have any clue how much it costs to create active content tutorials and how that impacts a small businesses bottom line. The internet is full of companies with the resources to make everything streaming media and create the illusion of it being simplistic to provide it as the standard of doing business. Quality is no longer the standard versus providing the least painful way for the millennials to immerse themselves with the product while they are glued to their tech devices. Quality then becomes the promise of the next patch or full product release.

Aces High does require a bit of effort and actual reading of text. Or the very painful jumping into the deep end from day one while pushing all of the buttons to see what happens school of learning. Sounds like why sports were neutered and made coed until Jr. High.   

[Lusche]

-1

We have this, in the training arena.

The problem is: The TA is empty most of the time. If a new player follows the sound advice of "GO TA" given on country channel, he won't find anything there that would actually help him.

[DubiousKB]

The problem is: The TA is empty most of the time. If a new player follows the sound advice of "GO TA" given on country channel, he won't find anything there that would actually help him.

This is why I opted to jump back into Main Arena and try to emulate other players.  If you want to be good at something, find someone who is great, and emulate them.

[Arlo]

Emulation is oft overrated. 

[Zoney]

The problem is: The TA is empty most of the time. If a new player follows the sound advice of "GO TA" given on country channel, he won't find anything there that would actually help him.

Maybe that is the game's fault but I think it is more our, (the players) fault.  I have never told anyone to "Go to the TA", but I have asked many new players if they would like me to go with them to the TA if they would like some help.  It costs you nothing but a little time.  Most of the time I start the conversation, I don't wait for them to ask.  A Quick PM "Hi, it looks like you are new and seem to be struggling a bit, would you like some help?"

[Arlo]

You're a good man, Zoney Hartmann.

This, also, is one heck of a recruiting method.