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[Victor Morson]

This isn't some mirror-universe version of my "Balance at the Top" thread, where I was suggesting that game balance should be something PGI consults with expert players with. No, this is to address the newbie problem PGI mentioned, without just merely giving our opinion on why (Failed trial 'mech systems, interface, etc.)

What I propose is that another type of testing take place - again, an AAA industry standard practice, perhaps even more than top-player balancing - is to take players that know either nothing of the game, or is passingly familiar with past games at most, and make them play the game - from scratch - for a day.

The result? If you invite some people over regular test sessions - including varying level of gamer (from casual to expert) - I absolutely guarantee you would start catching the issues that drive people away from the game, be it trials or something else. Actually having them in-office to monitor reactions while playing and speak with them afterward on a one on one basis would help PGI see a drastic amount of what is going wrong at this level of play currently.

Perhaps PGI already does this (I know families were involved early on), but to really do it, you have to "blind drop" someone into the game and not really answer their questions until after they've completed their day, because otherwise you ***** the whole process and won't get accurate representations of the new customer/gamer.

Anyway, if PGI wants to know what's going wrong on the bottom and don't want to take the forum's word for it (that the TM system + lack of tutorial is a newbie-killer, among other things), and wants to see how to get new customers interested right now, I highly advise they consider doing this.

MANY little interface things you take for granted in countless games came from these types of testers. There are tons of things that you can figure out with enough experience that none the less are frustrating and act as a barrier-to-entry for new players.

I want this game to be successful. For that, I stand by both these threads: Test the interface and starting stuff with new players, balance weapons with feedback from the pro players. With PGI weighing that input, the result is that everybody wins.

EDIT: It actually censored the word t aint? Yeah I know that's slang in some parts of the world, but it's got pretty solid legitimate meanings too, heh

Edited by Victor Morson, 24 March 2013 - 08:15 PM.