28 replies to this topic

[Foxmustdie]

This might be posted in the wrong section of the forums and for that I apologize first hand.
I came here to write about the new player expirence, and make some suggestions as how to improve it.
When I first started playing the game I was really frustirated by my first mech, I sank a lot of C-bills into my first mech, almost all of the C-bills I earned during my first 25games. I bought all kind of useless things tried several build, and tbh it frustirated me a lot. I did a lot of mistakes and I learned from them. I liked the game however, I loved mechs, because I did so even before playing this game. So I farmed and farmed till I was able to stand back up and actually build some decent mechs.
I recruited 2 of my friends who eventually stopped playing. They've did exactly what I've done, bought a mech that seemed appealing to them and sank a lot of money into them. instead of going through what I've been through, they thought it was too much of an effort, and quitted. One of them told me "50k c-bills per match. I need at least to play another 80 matches to be able to buy an engine for my mech" it's not fun to get dominated for 80 matches just to be able to buy an engine, and it's about 50k that I've made and what they've made after the 25 matchs. I think that this problem should be addressed and looked at seriously by the developers, and I hope they do, cause I love this game, and I hope that it grows larger, attracting those who love mechs and those who will love them after experiencing them.

Here's a couple of solutions that I'd like to suggest:
-Increase C-bills for new players.
-Allow complete refund for parts bought for a mech for a certain time.
-Tutorials into how to build a mech, armor distribution, and role suggestion mech's.
-Reduce C-bill cost by 50% for first mech bought.
-Reduce C-bill for first engine bought by 50% after 2weeks of play time.

I have nothing to gain from writing this, I am a novice pilot who tried to recruit my fellow friends, but the game was too harsh for them. Please help new players enjoy this game, I don't want to see this game only played by MW players, cause I believe that it can so much more, just go easy on the players at start, make them see the beauty of the game.

[Levon K]

Pro tip: Invest a little cash, skip the grind, spend more time enjoying the game than chasing the carrot.

[Koniving]

-Increase C-bills for new players.

New players are earning nearly half a million for their first few matches and the total comes out to 7,900,000 or more depending on their performance.

-Allow complete refund for parts bought for a mech for a certain time.

This could make sense especially for mistakes. Example allow parts to be sold back within the same day for the full purchasing price so in case if someone accidentally sells their Jenner, they can just rebuy it without having to harass support. Complete with a warning of course about it.

-Tutorials into how to build a mech, armor distribution, and role suggestion mech's.

http://mwomercs.com/...raining-grounds <--refer them here. There are also many other players who have made tutorials. I personally deleted mine some time ago with the illusion that u.i. 2.0 would be here much sooner. I have been having trouble getting motivated to make new ones.

-Reduce C-bill cost by 50% for first mech bought.

So everyone can buy and outfit an Atlas from day one? Hmmm. Nah.

-Reduce C-bill for first engine bought by 50% after 2weeks of play time.

This could help.

-----------

What's actually being done?

Over the next few months, the trial system is being removed entirely as is the cadet bonus. In its place will be a mandatory tutorial series followed by a lump sum "sign on bonus" upon the completion of your training. "Concepts" suggest that there would/could be a 'helper' that would assist you in your choice for a first mech but this concept might have been abandoned in favor of "more detailed information in ui 2.0 and community assistance" via possibly a "new player help chat lobby."

We'll see.

Edited by Koniving, 04 November 2013 - 08:56 AM.

[Kain]

Yes new players have a very steep learning curve.
At the moment new players are expected to learn and search for tutorials/help in an active way, The game does not provide any good help for new players, and is missing a lot of explanation.
The ingame movement tutorial is a joke..

The C-Bills grind is indeed very real, but understandable for a F2P game, and you can still buy a nice mech with your cadet bonus, but if you buy an assault mech with that money, you wil still have to grind a couple of c-bills to get your mech in shape.

But I still need to introduce my (non-mechwarrior-fan) friends to MW: O, but I'm still waiting for a good new player experience for them and a reason for them to keep on playing (UI2.0 & CW)

Edited by Kain, 02 November 2013 - 10:25 AM.

[mailin]

If your friends have teamspeak, it becomes a LOT easier to walk them through various aspects of the game. Also, the players know how difficult it is, which is one reason why we have such an active community on the forums here. I'd rather introduce people to this game sooner rather than later, because once CW is introduced, there will be even more to try to figure out. Just my 2 cents.

[Foxmustdie]

Levon K, on 02 November 2013 - 10:19 AM, said:

Pro tip: Invest a little cash, skip the grind, spend more time enjoying the game than chasing the carrot.

Well man believe it not, I had counted every C-bills I made my first few matches thinking that ER-PPC would solve all my problems. Enjoying the game? I was doing around 50dmg each game fealt useless, and was utterly being stomped. I do see what your saying now that I have played the game for so long and stopped bothering counting my C-bills. However, as a new player it gets quite frustirating. So what if he bought an Atlas, let them learn and expriement without feeling like the game is punishing them for the decisions they made. I'll be honest I hate the fact that I introduced my friends to this game, cause now they hate it, so I recommend that you don't do the same mistake that I have made, until this is fixed and addressed properly.

Edited by Foxmustdie, 02 November 2013 - 10:53 AM.

[Levon K]

Foxmustdie, on 02 November 2013 - 10:44 AM, said:

We'll man believe it not, I had counted every C-bills I made my first few matches thinking that ER-PPC would solve all my problems. Enjoying the game? I was doing around 50dmg each game fealt useless, and was utterly being stomped. I do see what your saying now that I have played the game for so long and stopped bothering counting my C-bills. However, as a new player it gets quite frustirating. So what if he bought an Atlas, let them learn and expriement without feeling like the game is punishing them for the decisions they made. I'll be honest I hate the fact that I introduced my friends to this game, cause now they hate it, so I recommend that you don't do the same mistake that I have made, until this is fixed and addressed properly.

I don't think I started using PPC's until I had 1500 matches under my belt. Very difficult to use until you get good at the game.

[scJazz]

Dear Foxmustdie,

This game doesn't even roughly approximate the pure complexity and shall we say "evilness" of EvE. If you want to run around blasting stuff play CoD.

I don't say this to disparage you or your friends.

This is a complex game, with complex rules, in a complex setting. Every one of us who plays it could grab a SMG in CoD and get all pew pew.

As a F2P game obviously (like every other F2P game) there is the ability to grind less by using Premium Time. It costs less than $15 a month. If you add in a $30 Hero mech then the CBs flow like water. $45 invested and all the C-Bill issues that you mention go away. This is less than the cost of boxed titles!

In many senses your comments about being easier on the mistakes newbs make are valid. Then again... you and your friends could have done as I did, 6 months ago. Create an account, download, read 100 posts, jump on TeamSpeak NA server, ask questions, make newbie posts in this Sub-Forum, find Koniving, jump on his TS, and roflstomp all the other newbs I was being teamed up against.

You do not have to eat cake if you are willing to put in effort!

Edited by scJazz, 02 November 2013 - 10:57 AM.

[Foxmustdie]

mailin, on 02 November 2013 - 10:36 AM, said:

If your friends have teamspeak, it becomes a LOT easier to walk them through various aspects of the game. Also, the players know how difficult it is, which is one reason why we have such an active community on the forums here. I'd rather introduce people to this game sooner rather than later, because once CW is introduced, there will be even more to try to figure out. Just my 2 cents.

I really hope that they integrate some sort of bonuses to their leveling system, like a onetime discount on double heat-sinks upgrade once you hit level 10, or something. So that players can get to see the effect of these add-ons Almost all of the good builds have double heat sinks, and for a new player the cost and how useful it is, might not be noticed till later in the game.

[Foxmustdie]

scJazz, on 02 November 2013 - 10:56 AM, said:

Dear Foxmustdie,

This game doesn't even roughly approximate the pure complexity and shall we say "evilness" of EvE. If you want to run around blasting stuff play CoD.

I don't say this to disparage you or your friends.

This is a complex game, with complex rules, in a complex setting. Every one of us who plays it could grab a SMG in CoD and get all pew pew.

As a F2P game obviously (like every other F2P game) there is the ability to grind less by using Premium Time. It costs less than $15 a month. If you add in a $30 Hero mech then the CBs flow like water. $45 invested and all the C-Bill issues that you mention go away. This is less than the cost of boxed titles!

In many senses your comments about being easier on the mistakes newbs make are valid. Then again... you and your friends could have done as I did, 6 months ago. Create an account, download, read 100 posts, jump on TeamSpeak NA server, ask questions, make newbie posts in this Sub-Forum, find Koniving, jump on his TS, and roflstomp all the other newbs I was being teamed up against.

You do not have to eat cake if you are willing to put in effort!

I don't think that every player is as smart as you, and I don't think what I have suggested would turn this into a CoD. I am sure that many would be willing to invest into this game if they were made to love it, rather than being pushed to buy a hero mech, before even being satisfied with your first mech. If people aren't satisfied with the game from first mech experience how do you expect them to invest in the game, I don't see how what I suggest would hinder that, it might rather encourage them to invest.

[Rascula]

Foxmustdie, on 02 November 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

If people aren't satisfied with the game from first mech experience how do you expect them to invest in the game, I don't see how what I suggest would hinder that, it might rather encourage them to invest.

Your quite right, and you have some pretty good ideas and would help retention/interest of new players.

However, some of us learnt it all the hard way and because we are manly men < well I am at least!> we feel a touch bitter about making it easier for the new guys strutting their stuff on the block, We want to see you learn the game by being thrown in with all the sharks to see if you sink or swim.. and on top of this get some satisfaction from giving you our hard earned advice on these boards!

Seriously though, its tough being a new player on MWO and us players who frequent these boards do try and help as much as possible.. directing any newbies to the forums here is the best thing you can do until PGI figure out what they want to do about the <really> steep learning curve.

Edited by Rascula, 02 November 2013 - 11:37 AM.

[Foxmustdie]

Rascula, on 02 November 2013 - 11:36 AM, said:

Your quite right, and you have some pretty good ideas and would help retention/interest of new players.

However, some of us learnt it all the hard way and because we are manly men < well I am at least!> we feel a touch bitter about making it easier for the new guys strutting their stuff on the block, We want to see you learn the game by being thrown in with all the sharks to see if you sink or swim.. and on top of this get some satisfaction from giving you our hard earned advice on these boards!

Seriously though, its tough being a new player on MWO and us players who frequent these boards do try and help as much as possible.. directing any newbies to the forums here is the best thing you can do until PGI figure out what they want to do about the <really> steep learning curve.

It's always fun to apprehend enemies in the battlefield, this is probably duo to builds and experience of enemies your fighting against. However the scope of this problem is beyond the scope of what I like or what you like. It's about the growth of this game, PGI needs to look through their records, and address this issue seriously if the numbers in their database shown great drops within the activities of the new players/accounts being created. I have noticed that all those I recruited dropped the game, however I might be an outlier. Maybe the majority of the new players are macho tough men who can't be shaken by taking a baseball bat to the back of their neck. I don't know that's why I am worried, cause I like this game. However, even those machos men could use a little push and direction before taking off on their journey.

Edited by Foxmustdie, 02 November 2013 - 11:53 AM.

[Aym]

Levon K, on 02 November 2013 - 10:19 AM, said:

Pro tip: Invest a little cash, skip the grind, spend more time enjoying the game than chasing the carrot.

Glad no one flying MY flag is as helpful as this. The OP bought the Overlord package, he payed his "little cash."

[Roosterfish]

Fox, I do like your 2nd, 4th, and 5th suggestions.

I put in the suggestion forum here that XL engines should be made available for MC but it got no play.

The Cadet Bonus already in place provides enough space bucks to out fit a mech with all the bells and whistles if you do a bit of research before buying it. Part of the problem is people that don't read up before starting that the Cadet Bonus is only for 25 matches, then you get put on slave wages.

There's tons of guides on building mechs. Lots here on this forum, check out Mech Specs that's my favorite and they're a good bunch there, and just search MWO mech builds on youtube.

This game is terribly harsh on new people, PGI basically just slathers them down with bacon grease and throws them to the starving wolf pack. New players need to realize the fancy mech will only take them so far, they'd do better starting with a reasonable mech and actually learning to pilot it like a champ before going all out.

[Wispsy]

Just wait till they introduce tonnage limits so even if you do find a friend to play with only one of you can use your mech...the other will have to trial medium to not be overweight lol. Going to be so funny...the rage...the tears....I SPENT 8 HOURS GRINDING OUT THIS MECH WITH CADET BONUS TO NOW NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT AND HAVE TO SPEND 20 HOURS MORE GRINDING TRIALS TO GET A WORSE MECH TO PLAY WITH MY FRIEND LET ALONE GET IT AN ENGINE. Just imagine how long they will stay....

[Levon K]

Aym, on 02 November 2013 - 11:58 AM, said:

Glad no one flying MY flag is as helpful as this. The OP bought the Overlord package, he payed his "little cash."

Learn to read bro. He's talking about new players, not himself.

[scJazz]

Foxmustdie, on 02 November 2013 - 11:09 AM, said:

I don't think that every player is as smart as you, and I don't think what I have suggested would turn this into a CoD.

Again I'm not trying to disparage you or your friends... but absolutely everyone who has ever played a game knows that your first choices are important for the min/max route. Like EvE, probably the most unforgiving modern game ever, this game doesn't coddle the youth. On the bright side you can't lose CB in this game as opposed to EvE. Your earnings are NEVER negative.

In the same spirit most of what you have suggested is along the lines of... "whoops newb screwup in the min/max game".

Discounts on... engines, mechs, full re-imbursements, etc.

Again, this isn't CoD where the playing field is level. Nor is it EvE where even undocking could cost you plenty.

This is MWO where... you can freely mess about with Trial Mechs for 6 hours (8 min per match x 25) and earn enough to fit the largest mech available... the Atlas.

From the tone and nature of your posts my clearest insight is that... the min/max route is not sufficiently clear to persons who do not invest time in reading the Forums and getting on TS. In other words it is not reactive but proactive and none of us who play or PGI has attempted to reverse this state.

At the risk of being rude... too bad. L2P. Newb!

Seriously, all the data is available... if you don't want to use it... that isn't PGI's fault nor is it the fault of this community.

New Players' has a response time measured in 10s of minutes, if not seconds.

Ask you will receive... just as I did 6 months ago.

[Foxmustdie]

Roosterfish, on 02 November 2013 - 12:03 PM, said:

Fox, I do like your 2nd, 4th, and 5th suggestions.

I put in the suggestion forum here that XL engines should be made available for MC but it got no play.

The Cadet Bonus already in place provides enough space bucks to out fit a mech with all the bells and whistles if you do a bit of research before buying it. Part of the problem is people that don't read up before starting that the Cadet Bonus is only for 25 matches, then you get put on slave wages.

There's tons of guides on building mechs. Lots here on this forum, check out Mech Specs that's my favorite and they're a good bunch there, and just search MWO mech builds on youtube.

This game is terribly harsh on new people, PGI basically just slathers them down with bacon grease and throws them to the starving wolf pack. New players need to realize the fancy mech will only take them so far, they'd do better starting with a reasonable mech and actually learning to pilot it like a champ before going all out.

Many say research builds before buying a mech, however ask yourself this how many people actually played this game and did enough research before buying their first mech. How many bought their first mech while knowing whats a hard-point. Eventhough I do agree that reading does help, however some don't do so until they feel that they are trapped, after of which they may consider; restarting the game using a different account, endure their mistakes and carry on, or hate the game, and go back to playing another game of which gave them more pleasure for the time they spent.

[Foxmustdie]

scJazz, on 02 November 2013 - 12:46 PM, said:

Again I'm not trying to disparage you or your friends... but absolutely everyone who has ever played a game knows that your first choices are important for the min/max route. Like EvE, probably the most unforgiving modern game ever, this game doesn't coddle the youth. On the bright side you can't lose CB in this game as opposed to EvE. Your earnings are NEVER negative.

In the same spirit most of what you have suggested is along the lines of... "whoops newb screwup in the min/max game".

Discounts on... engines, mechs, full re-imbursements, etc.

Again, this isn't CoD where the playing field is level. Nor is it EvE where even undocking could cost you plenty.

This is MWO where... you can freely mess about with Trial Mechs for 6 hours (8 min per match x 25) and earn enough to fit the largest mech available... the Atlas.

From the tone and nature of your posts my clearest insight is that... the min/max route is not sufficiently clear to persons who do not invest time in reading the Forums and getting on TS. In other words it is not reactive but proactive and none of us who play or PGI has attempted to reverse this state.

At the risk of being rude... too bad. L2P. Newb!

Seriously, all the data is available... if you don't want to use it... that isn't PGI's fault nor is it the fault of this community.

New Players' has a response time measured in 10s of minutes, if not seconds.

Ask you will receive... just as I did 6 months ago.

As I said, I am not suggesting that this game should be like CoD or like EvE, to each it's own. I am merely saying that I see room for improvement. I will not gain anything from this, however, this maybe a good step towards increasing the population of the game. I haven't seen a F2P game where your forced on a tough decision in the first 2 hours of gameplay, a decision that can either break or make your game, where you need to go and research and measure your options, I think that is not right, and should be addressed. I am not saying this cause of what I think only, but from what I have observed from those who are around me. I maybe right or wrong, I am merely giving my opnion, and I'd like to hear from you guys what you think

Edited by Foxmustdie, 02 November 2013 - 01:01 PM.

[MadCat02]

Foxmustdie, on 02 November 2013 - 10:04 AM, said:

This might be posted in the wrong section of the forums and for that I apologize first hand.
I came here to write about the new player expirence, and make some suggestions as how to improve it.
When I first started playing the game I was really frustirated by my first mech, I sank a lot of C-bills into my first mech, almost all of the C-bills I earned during my first 25games. I bought all kind of useless things tried several build, and tbh it frustirated me a lot. I did a lot of mistakes and I learned from them. I liked the game however, I loved mechs, because I did so even before playing this game. So I farmed and farmed till I was able to stand back up and actually build some decent mechs.
I recruited 2 of my friends who eventually stopped playing. They've did exactly what I've done, bought a mech that seemed appealing to them and sank a lot of money into them. instead of going through what I've been through, they thought it was too much of an effort, and quitted. One of them told me "50k c-bills per match. I need at least to play another 80 matches to be able to buy an engine for my mech" it's not fun to get dominated for 80 matches just to be able to buy an engine, and it's about 50k that I've made and what they've made after the 25 matchs. I think that this problem should be addressed and looked at seriously by the developers, and I hope they do, cause I love this game, and I hope that it grows larger, attracting those who love mechs and those who will love them after experiencing them.

Here's a couple of solutions that I'd like to suggest:
-Increase C-bills for new players.
-Allow complete refund for parts bought for a mech for a certain time.
-Tutorials into how to build a mech, armor distribution, and role suggestion mech's.
-Reduce C-bill cost by 50% for first mech bought.
-Reduce C-bill for first engine bought by 50% after 2weeks of play time.

I have nothing to gain from writing this, I am a novice pilot who tried to recruit my fellow friends, but the game was too harsh for them. Please help new players enjoy this game, I don't want to see this game only played by MW players, cause I believe that it can so much more, just go easy on the players at start, make them see the beauty of the game.

All triel mechs are horrible biggener traps . That alone tells me how PGU feels about new players .

I think they do it on purpose so people have space to improve