Saying that access to learning materials and related things is the problem that keeps newbies from staying with the game is like saying there has to be a law passed to make rednecks smarter while you hide in your gated community. Before 2009 newbies didn't read anything past finding out how to start the engine and get the gear up. They relied on following the missions around and listening to us in the missions.
If learning materials was the answer, anyone by age 10 can read the AH online hand book, look at the clipboard and get into the air. We had sqweekers doing just that up to 2009.
We lazy self indugent vets are the reason the newbies don't stay, and the ones who do won't fight. Because most of the moderate team oriented players willing to create fun left as the fortunes of our economy got bad. And because our community became a 24x7 cess pit of woe is me the newbies are killing this game, I can't find any fights and Hitech is a "bleeping something" because he killed our game.
You guys are the only vets left in the game, and universally you have some truly foul attitudes about the game, Hitech, and other players. So the newer younger players who stay, are just following what you are showing them to do.
Who, exactly, are you talking to?
Perhaps it would be best if you just threw out the names of the players in question instead of casting a net over all the 'vets', so as not to cause any undue confusion. Right now you're painting with a pretty broad brush.
You know as well as I do that if you're not one of a handful of select members, no-one's going to join your missions. And if you're a knight - even if you are one of those select people - most times you won't get enough signed up to matter. I've tried in the past. After the 50th or so time of being ignored, I gave up. But yeah, it's our fault.
Speaking of POTW - my countrymen! I love your squad and its members. That being said, I'm not exactly seeing much in the way of POTW missions in my timezone. And by not much I mean pretty much none at all. At least not enough to be memorable. But yeah, it's our fault.
I routinely salute my opponents, PM them suggestions, and offer assistance in the TA/DA when I feel they might benefit from it. To date I haven't been taken up on an offer yet. I'm sure that's my fault too. Perhaps I should stop being lazy & self-indulgent, get off my butt, and go take some charm lessons. Because while I'm not sure why no-one seems interested in learning, I know now that it's surely my fault.
Alchemists are still running missions like clockwork, yes? Just like they always have. I was an alchemist for about a week when I first started. It is a great way to get noobs in the game. It's also a great way to learn to horde & ho (If that's your thing. It wasn't my thing so I left early.). They have the opportunity to teach new members the ropes, and instead they teach them gameplay tactics which further undermine everyone's fun but theirs. I guess it's their fault for not running missions right. Or maybe my fault again for allowing them to run them wrong?
Even if everything you assume is true - that it is all our fault - I don't think your plan of chastising everyone into complete agreement is going to work. So while it may be cathartic, this exercise doesn't have much hope of changing the current state of affairs. But by all means, give it a shot. I suggest we start with the aforementioned Alchemists, since they likely have one of (if not the) highest missions participation rates in the game. You get to browbeating them, and I'm sure that before long they'll be raising our newbie chicks up in a proper environment.
