10 replies to this topic

[DodgerH2O]

Just a thought I had, reading the New Player Help section.

This game has gone far too long without a proper tutorial. Obviously we have to take matters into our own hands. All we'd need from PGI is a tutorial website/"landing page" that's prominently featured during signup/installation and probably linked to from the client. The rest could be made using links to 3rd party sites like YouTube/Twitch and consolidated preexisting forum posts. I know the Community at large is up to the task, plenty of community-created tutorial videos are out there already, and with private lobbies we have all the tools to demonstrate to new players all the situations they're likely to have questions about.

Sure, it won't be a playable tutorial, but we know how useful that ended up being.

Disclaimer: I have no intention of personally lobbying PGI or creating content for such a project, but haven't seen this idea floated for approximately 2 years, maybe it'd work now when it didn't back then.

[GRiPSViGiL]

The Testing grounds is much more valuable than a tutorial will ever be. There are countless avenues for players who want to learn and improve to do so. Most units handle training pilots and sharing tips in house.

This dead horse has been flogged way to long.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

I'd love to be able to drop in training grounds with one buddy. Right now the options are to make a private match or throw them to the wolves in the group queue.

[Green Mamba]

Old days we had a Proper Campaign as well as Instant Action games which were far better than a tutorial...and its not even close

[RG Notch]

GRiPSViGiL, on 06 November 2014 - 07:47 PM, said:

The Testing grounds is much more valuable than a tutorial will ever be. There are countless avenues for players who want to learn and improve to do so. Most units handle training pilots and sharing tips in house.

This dead horse has been flogged way to long.

Sure because brand new players will know how valuable that is and are also members of units. I'm honestly convinced that some people really don't think this game needs new players or want any.

[GRiPSViGiL]

RG Notch, on 06 November 2014 - 08:46 PM, said:

Sure because brand new players will know how valuable that is and are also members of units. I'm honestly convinced that some people really don't think this game needs new players or want any.

You act like MMOs are brand new. Anyone that is in to gaming knows they need to network on the forums or in game or with one of the several social media ways to immerse themselves. I definitely don't want people who need their hand held in order to figure out this game in my unit. It isn't that hard to take the initiative to self teach yourself any game even MWO. I don't think we lose that many people because there is no hand holding mechanism in place. The training grounds is more than adequate for anyone to learn the main mechanics of the game. you want to help players? Get yourself and a buddy with some premium time and fire up some private matches and teach the noobs to your little hearts content. Why expect PGI to do more than they already have for the new player experience?

Every game has a learning curve and if someone isn't willing to put in the time and effort to learn then I don't care if they keep playing or not.

[Mr Ikea]

GRiPSViGiL, on 06 November 2014 - 10:21 PM, said:

I don't think we lose that many people because there is no hand holding mechanism in place.

Yeah, ok, and how many do we gain, exactly, by having a steep learning curve?

GRiPSViGiL, on 06 November 2014 - 10:21 PM, said:

The training grounds is more than adequate for anyone to learn the main mechanics of the game.

they're not. not even close:

the bots are stationary
you will never experience enemy damage of any kind in the training grounds
you will never learn how to react under enemy fire
you will never learn the pros and cons of ECM/CECM and BAP/CAP
you will never learn how to conserve energy to last as long as possible to avoid overheating
you will never learn the pros and cons of standard and XL engines
you will never learn the pros and cons of different weapon types (laser/missile), or the types within those types (er/pulse)
you will never learn how to move in formation with your lance and/or team
you will never learn how to TAG enemies for your lurmboats

you have less than no idea of the game mechanics if you think the training ground are a one-stop-shop for game knowledge

GRiPSViGiL, on 06 November 2014 - 10:21 PM, said:

Why expect PGI to do more than they already have for the new player experience?

Because it's their game, and if it can't attract new players then they're out of a job.

Edited by Mr Ikea, 06 November 2014 - 10:33 PM.

[GRiPSViGiL]

Mr Ikea, on 06 November 2014 - 10:32 PM, said:

Yeah, ok, and how many do we gain, exactly, by having a steep learning curve?


they're not. not even close:

the bots are stationary
you will never experience enemy damage of any kind in the training grounds
you will never learn how to react under enemy fire
you will never learn the pros and cons of ECM/CECM and BAP/CAP
you will never learn how to conserve energy to last as long as possible to avoid overheating
you will never learn the pros and cons of standard and XL engines
you will never learn the pros and cons of different weapon types (laser/missile), or the types within those types (er/pulse)
you will never learn how to move in formation with your lance and/or team
you will never learn how to TAG enemies for your lurmboats

you have less than no idea of the game mechanics if you think the training ground are a one-stop-shop for game knowledge


Because it's their game, and if it can't attract new players then they're out of a job.

Everything you think the training grounds can't and should do is ridiculous.

That is what the noob friendly units are out there for. There are plenty of units who will just accept a warm body as a member who can and do teach those things up as best they can. Not to mention there are a lot of top tier players that stream, make guides in the new player section of the forums and host community drops in group queues. There is so much help out there that it is sad you guys are just not admitting it.

PGI needs to get the game in a state of competition with CW. The contact state of team death match is doing more harm to the game than whether the new player gets their hand held.

[Xetelian]

Just had a friend try and quit all because the cadet bonus ended and he saw the grind and say 'no thanks'. This game needs more than tutorial.

[Oto Kanon]

It's nice and all but truthfully if you want things like tutorials to be effective they need to be integrate into various aspects of the game.

A knowledge base outside the game is a start, but not really all that effective unless you fix the SEO on that to make sure it pops up on page 1 of any Mechwarrior Tutorial / Guide search on Google.

[RG Notch]

GRiPSViGiL, on 06 November 2014 - 10:21 PM, said:

You act like MMOs are brand new. Anyone that is in to gaming knows they need to network on the forums or in game or with one of the several social media ways to immerse themselves. I definitely don't want people who need their hand held in order to figure out this game in my unit. It isn't that hard to take the initiative to self teach yourself any game even MWO. I don't think we lose that many people because there is no hand holding mechanism in place. The training grounds is more than adequate for anyone to learn the main mechanics of the game. you want to help players? Get yourself and a buddy with some premium time and fire up some private matches and teach the noobs to your little hearts content. Why expect PGI to do more than they already have for the new player experience?

Every game has a learning curve and if someone isn't willing to put in the time and effort to learn then I don't care if they keep playing or not.

Like I said.