Player Retention

[Rella101 527]

PRP

Player Retention Project!

 

 

Good day fellow Lord of the Crafters, today I bring to you an issue we have a lot lately.  PLAYER RETENTION.  

 

The history of player retention has been up and down, we once had a mentor system that worked for a while, but people would start ganging up on new players, or get it just for the tag in the end.  This way I’m going to suggest, could bring it back, or may not.  However I’d love if everyone could help me here and offer a hand in their own ways to give these new players a fighting chance on a very deep server.

 

The issues most new players I’ve seen have is, people tell them to type /notnew, they’re bandited instantly, people believe they’re alts, they don’t know how to rp yet.  They literally have no chance to get started, and no one really helps.  There’s a few people, that take them under their wing, but this is what I suggest, and what I will be doing.

 

If you take a new player, get them on discord, teamspeak, or even just do pm’s.  Let them know you’re here to help!  Tell them not to fall for the /notnew trick, and then go up to them.  Teach them how to Rp, give them all the commands they need.  Have them join the help chat, and even teach them the basics of rping, thus you don’t actually force an emote, you do an attempt.  As many new players struggle with this.

 

Next, get a room with all the crafting tables, take them through and let them read everything, give them some wood or something to help them do their first crafting timer.  Bring stone for hoes, and for sure, give them a stack of hay bales.  New players starve extremely quick, and if you can teach them how to farm, and how to make their own food, they’ll have less of an issue upon the server.

 

Teach them how to use banks.  Remember if you die you lose a portion of what you carry, make sure they deposit their funds safely in a bank!

 

Get them to a settlement.  Remember they don’t know where anything is, with the destruction of Jburg many new players will go there by accident, instead of going to maybe a small barony, or to Kburg.  I’d suggest a few settlements for each race especially humans, step forwards to make their settlement new player friendly.  Many new players stop because they just don’t have a place to put their things, it’s not fun at all.

 

DO NOT BANDIT THEM.  If they’re new, DON’T DO IT.  I understand, it may be hard to know if they’re new, but actually ask if you have a suspicion.  They’re brand new to the server, and having them be bandited within the first five minutes isn’t even funny.    If you bandit them maybe two weeks in, don’t force them to /d20.  This just leaves a sour flavor, and please I see ban reports going up on new players, if they have an issue, and they do something.  Don’t instantly jump to a BR, find whoever first welcomed them and talk to them about it.  The player is more likely to listen to this person, and that person will most likely take their time to explain the flaws.

 

Monitor their first rp, if these people haven’t rp’d yet anywhere, set up an RP with someone.  I did this once with Nekko, he stood there and allowed two new players to interact with him, and learn the rp system.  I see these players log in daily now that they have an understanding, and THAT is what we need to keep LOTC alive.

 

If they’re super interested in magic, maybe a mage could show them what it’s like or interact with them.  I’m not saying give them magic off the bat, but allow them to see, that we do have it on the server, and what it’s like to see it cast.

 

DEFINITION OF A NEW PLAYER:  A month, they’re still adjusting, give them a month before telling them to remove the tag, or let it be removed on it’s own.  However if they’re under a month, take it easy on them, get to know them.  If you bandit them maybe two weeks in, don’t force them to /d20.

 

----------------------

 

What I need from you:

 

Make a room in the tree, put all the crafting system in there, and put a sign that says “Do not use for long periods of time.”  If there is already something like this at spawn, please show me so I know where to take the players.

 

Please everyone give me a few settlements that i can bring a new player to, and allow them their first RP on this server.  The owners of these must be accepting that they will get an influx, and not everyone will stay, but those that do, will need to be watched and helped.

 

Food, I’m going to ask for everyone that new players are given a stack of hay bales.  If you want to donate to this cause, alright!  

 

Teach them the combat system, show them how to pick up a player if they accidently knock someone out.  

 

If they’re even still two weeks old, make sure that they’re on their feet, remember at a month something becomes a habit, if we can keep their attention this long, we’re doing something right!  

If they’re super interested in magic, maybe a mage could show them what it’s like or interact with them.  I’m not saying give them magic off the bat, but allow them to see, that we do have it on the server, and what it’s like to see it cast.

[Raomir 1855]

when did everyone become so incompetent? they're new players not 3 year olds

[Fawb 557]

11 minutes ago, Raomir said:

when did everyone become so incompetent? they're new players not 3 year olds

Perhaps you were never a new player in Axios, but it's incredibly unforgiving and confusing when you first spawn in this map. There is very little guidance as to where you should go, what you should do etc. The OP offers proof that new players stay around if people show them the ropes and I can confirm this as without people showing pity to my noob tag I would have quit the server.

 

New players need  advice and direction to show them how the server works. If we just dismiss them, hoping they try and work it out themselves, we lose them to the complexity of LotC's plugins and roleplaying enviroment.

[Taketheshot 3834]

I agree to alot of these points. People need to be alot more welcoming of new players. I can remember way back when I joined. 20 mins in I was robbed by the Orenian army and promptly executed. As I have grown as a player and began to take a part in a major group of players I found myself doing much the same to new players. I stopped and realised. Why are we such ***** to new players? Alot of us older players forget that we were once in theit position. I get that it's roleplay but I agree with Rella. It really is sad when new players are instantly bandited. They don't know yet how the world works and where to avoid. I myself have been guilty of this in the past. We really need to be more supporting of new players and help them through the transition phase.

 

[ski_king3 0]

9 minutes ago, Raomir said:

when did everyone become so incompetent? they're new players not 3 year olds

 

Ah yes, I'm sure as a player of four years you have a solid perspective on how confusing this server is to people who haven't been on a roleplay server and taken a bunch of time to understand all of our custom plugins. Right...

 

We should have more efforts to help new players. I appreciate you Rella.

[func_Soap 410]

The home of noobs server-wide is getting back on it's feet with the city of Aleksandria, with a history of decent noob retention time, I think we could get them sorted out like we used to!

 

Srsly though, how ba-a-a-ad can we be, how bad can we possibly be?

[6xdestroyer 1610]

You almost made me take an arrow to the knee -1

[Guest Guest]

Instead of holding their hands like children, how about we work on making the server/map a lot more intuitive and easy to get into. Right now I have no idea how to get to most places and I've been playing for a while.

[_Jandy_ 3519]

 

 

[Vaynth 3005]

The AT already has a program like this going on with our player assistance project, that has yet to commence fully. But I absolutely love how detailed this is, in which it tells all the different ways one could help new players. Amazing job with writing this.

[Raomir 1855]

18 minutes ago, ski_king3 said:

 

Ah yes, I'm sure as a player of four years you have a solid perspective on how confusing this server is to people who haven't been on a roleplay server and taken a bunch of time to understand all of our custom plugins. Right...

 

We should have more efforts to help new players. I appreciate you Rella.

 

22 minutes ago, Farles said:

Perhaps you were never a new player in Axios, but it's incredibly unforgiving and confusing when you first spawn in this map. There is very little guidance as to where you should go, what you should do etc. The OP offers proof that new players stay around if people show them the ropes and I can confirm this as without people showing pity to my noob tag I would have quit the server.

 

New players need  advice and direction to show them how the server works. If we just dismiss them, hoping they try and work it out themselves, we lose them to the complexity of LotC's plugins and roleplaying enviroment.

I spend alot of time working with new dwarf players and helping them out, when i joined the server no one helped me out i found it all out myself and look, i've stuck around for four years. I agree the current Cloud Temple is dog shiet, and needs to be reworked and made simpler, dunno who's idea it was to make it so complex, not even I can maneuver it. But I feel as if we're worrying too much over this, those who are interested in the server stay and those who arn't typically don't, wether they recieved help or not. I've "helped" about 20 newbies, and found that no matter how much effort i put into helping them out, giving them a head start or w/e those who want to stay would've stayed wether i helepd them or not. So I honestly think this is not neccessary. What needs to happen is a better and simpler CT needs to be made. And also get rid of the rule that prevents people from using LC and having people RP in a city.

[Archipelego 2188]

I always do my best with this. I've helped a lot of people with the professions system.

[Rella101 527]

24 minutes ago, _Jandy_ said:

 

 

 

18 minutes ago, Vaynth said:

The AT already has a program like this going on with our player assistance project, that has yet to commence fully. But I absolutely love how detailed this is, in which it tells all the different ways one could help new players. Amazing job with writing this.

 

I just signed up to help out, I didn't know there was that thread before.  However even if I don't get accepted, I will be doing the PRP <3 if I am accepted, I will still act out the PRP.  This way newbies I catch can get guided through.

 

Also thank you Vaynth for the praise, as well as everyone else that likes the idea.

 

I have Two settlements willing to help with the PRP, if you catch a human new player Mondstat is willing to take them, as well as for Humans, Elves, and Dwarves they can go to Aleksandria, Courland 

[Fawb 557]

18 minutes ago, Raomir said:

 

I spend alot of time working with new dwarf players and helping them out, when i joined the server no one helped me out i found it all out myself and look, i've stuck around for four years. I agree the current Cloud Temple is dog shiet, and needs to be reworked and made simpler, dunno who's idea it was to make it so complex, not even I can maneuver it. But I feel as if we're worrying too much over this, those who are interested in the server stay and those who arn't typically don't, wether they recieved help or not. I've "helped" about 20 newbies, and found that no matter how much effort i put into helping them out, giving them a head start or w/e those who want to stay would've stayed wether i helepd them or not. So I honestly think this is not neccessary. What needs to happen is a better and simpler CT needs to be made. And also get rid of the rule that prevents people from using LC and having people RP in a city.

I'm 100% sure that the LotC you joined 4 years ago was much less complex and intricate than the one we have now. You are right in saying that the players who want to be on the server will persevere and find their way. But what about the players that dont? The newbs who haven't got a set goal in mind when they join the server are simply overwhelmed. Even if we do not need to hold their hands all the way, we still need to help them overcome the starting confusion that all new players go through.

[Nathan_Barnett36 1564]

Be quiet rella and get me a horse!!