Discussion about starting locations for new players

[Vakirauta]

What do community think - are those starting places like garden in Tindrem or Haven with safe zones and tutorials for new players are need in MO2?
Did those work in the old game?
What are the pros and cons?

Its not a suggestion, I don't even have my personal opinion because I didn't seen Haven and I started my journey before all of those were added also stopped playing before Haven. But I'm just curious how do old and new players see this for the upcomming game.

 

[Eldrath]

I think it is needed that new players are able to learn the basic mechanics of the game without being able to be killed or stolen from while doing so. You shouldn´t have to cope with someone killing you over and over while figuring out how to split stacks, how to use the different machines or any other basic functions.

For this I would suggest an extended tutorial that allows you learn about all these mechanics.

It should also include lessons on these topics:
1. full loot (getting all your shit stolen, teaching never to take more than you are willing to loose)
- bonus: you can get it back, creating a nice revenge story.
2. priest camping (teaching that you can avoid it)
3. blue blocking (if that is still a thing with the new flagging)
4. thievery
5. death, death, death

I have tested Haven in MO1 and sadly I think it falls short in teaching new players properly. It creates the illusion of safety within a very limited space without teaching you how to survive. It is basically a rather limited PvE server. Obviously there are still exploits that allow griefing, but the fact that those players have to manually be teleported from the island shows how flawed the concept is.

I predict that Haven will lead to a lot of disappointment when someone quits playing there and learns that the real game is vastly different.
EDIT: You should also keep refund policies in mind. Letting someone play PvE for 10 hours and then throwing them into open PvP with thievery etc. will lead to player wanting a refund.

A properly designed tutorial would be able to teach a new player everything they need to know and just as before you can give them a bit of starting money and equipment. AFTER it has taught them that they will die and loose it at some point.

I´m not gonna go into the whole issue with creating a safe region where you can generate resources since I made a thread on that already.

tldr:
Make a proper tutorial that teaches the real game rather than a shitty PvE server that only creates a false impression of MO2.
Give new players something to fall back on, both in terms of knowledge and material.

 

[Bernfred]

a place with high fps

 

[Zbuciorn]

It would be more helpfull to create a few well made tutorial videos explaining basics instead pve area.
Fabernum or Meduli were safe enough to make your first steps in MO1.
Some protection from stealing or being killed by others for first hours in game
would work well too.

 

[Stevetibb95]

a place with high fps

yea Bernfred i think the FPS topic is a biggy right now.

 

[Kuroi]

i think a "young system" like we can see in many Ultima Online shards can work, since we're gonna have just one character per account and i doubt people would buy a new account just for a few hours of griefing.

young system = yellow name for 24/48 hours, can't steal/be stolen from people, can't attack/be attacked by people. you get warned A LOT that if you do any of these actions, you lose the young flag.

maybe you can also add limits about skilling up, like skills locking at 50 until you lose the young flag, dunno if that may help possible griefing

 

[Amadman]

Personally I hope to see a haven type area for the steam release.

The addition of such would address two of the major issues of previous releases.

It would make first steps a little more peaceful, and it would allow them to launch different instances if too many players flood in at once.

 

[Rorry]

i think a "young system" like we can see in many Ultima Online shards can work, since we're gonna have just one character per account and i doubt people would buy a new account just for a few hours of griefing.

young system = yellow name for 24/48 hours, can't steal/be stolen from people, can't attack/be attacked by people. you get warned A LOT that if you do any of these actions, you lose the young flag.

maybe you can also add limits about skilling up, like skills locking at 50 until you lose the young flag, dunno if that may help possible griefing

Haven is a bit like this. What happened, though, was that players figured out how to use pets to kill those newbie flagged players who thought that they were safe because of their newbie status. It left a bad taste in the newbs mouth and many quit. Without that, I think Haven would have been more of a success. (Though MO1 was already fading away by the time Haven was made, so I suspect it was too late.)

I think they should have made Haven to only allow yellow flagged "newbie flagged" characters, with a dueling area added that would allow for practice duels that would allow the newbs to damage only the one they entered into a duel with.

In my opinion, the starter area should be a place to learn game systems and basic skills only, and not be entertaining enough for the average player to stay more than a few days.

 

[Kuroi]

i'm not that much into separated zones

i would prefer to start in the "original" game already with a newb flag like the one i said, in that way i could already meet people who may be willing to help newbs like me, starting to make friends who are already into the game etc... at least that was my experience in UO eheh. i still remember knowing NOTHING about UO and hanging around the city i choose and meeting this guy who helped me and became my trusted crafter

 

[Vakirauta]

i'm not that much into separated zones

i would prefer to start in the "original" game already with a newb flag like the one i said, in that way i could already meet people who may be willing to help newbs like me, starting to make friends who are already into the game etc... at least that was my experience in UO eheh. i still remember knowing NOTHING about UO and hanging around the city i choose and meeting this guy who helped me and became my trusted crafter

Might work with a tutor system which also rewards somehow a teacher (in cape for example)

 

[Eldrath]

Might work with a tutor system which also rewards somehow a teacher (in cape for example)

Access to the help chat for veterans would be good. It needs to monitored so it is not abused for political means though.

Edit:
Another point that deserves to be mentioned is city design. Both Morin Khur and Tindrem have terrible design for newbies. Long walks in open fields when you leave, few exits and everything is very spread out.

Change the design of the "starting" cities to be less of griefer heaven and it will help in the long run. It´s more subtle than a yellow flag, but probably more effective.

 

[Kuroi]

Might work with a tutor system which also rewards somehow a teacher (in cape for example)

would really be cool! hoping people wouldn't all go crazy and rush over the poor noobs ahah

 

[Amadman]

Access to the help chat for veterans would be good. It needs to monitored so it is not abused for political means though.

Edit:
Another point that deserves to be mentioned is city design. Both Morin Khur and Tindrem have terrible design for newbies. Long walks in open fields when you leave, few exits and everything is very spread out.

Change the design of the "starting" cities to be less of griefer heaven and it will help in the long run. It´s more subtle than a yellow flag, but probably more effective.

I believe that the idea of starter cities has already proven not to work. It filters all the new players into a few locations which makes them easier targets.

Spreading them across all cities makes it harder for aggressive players to effect a large quantity of incoming new players.

If they are to have starter tutorials in the world, then I think they should do it in every city so players can still be spread out. But it seems like one haven would be easier to set up.

 

[Vakirauta]

In that case some ingame encyclopedia with quick tips should work plus tutor system mentioned above. Its easier to make than whole location and will spread people arround the world.

 

[Amadman]

In that case some ingame encyclopedia with quick tips should work plus tutor system mentioned above. Its easier to make than whole location and will spread people arround the world.

Yeah, I think they was more on track with the first tutor system then they was with the tutorial and starter cities. With work of coarse.

 

[Vakirauta]

Game needs something to teach basics in a decent and accessible way to not throw out new players. With a balance for its hardcore ofc. It can be done I think.

 

[Eldrath]

Yeah, the help pages were out of date and unhelpful for 90% of Mortals time. Loading screen tips were bad as well.

Honestly you can improve the new players experience in nearly every aspect of the game without adding a PvE server. *drives agenda*

 

[Vakirauta]

Ye, after you launch the game you see just one loading screen, so it won't teach you anything. Unless you get crash... xD

I think this thread should be moved to feedback and suggestions category because it has many good ideas.

 

[Rorry]

would really be cool! hoping people wouldn't all go crazy and rush over the poor noobs ahah

This is pretty much what happened at steam release.

Yeah, the help pages were out of date and unhelpful for 90% of Mortals time. Loading screen tips were bad as well.

Honestly you can improve the new players experience in nearly every aspect of the game without adding a PvE server. *drives agenda*

I think the idea of Haven is ok, it is just not limited enough which made it into a PVE/Griefing server.

 

[Kuroi]

This is pretty much what happened at steam release.

i don't know if you misunderstood me or vice versa, but i meant that if there's a reward for helping noobs, people would go crazy and make it a challenge to help as many noobs as they can all together lol