86 replies to this topic

[Sarlic]

...That would be improving the new player experience.

Imo, this one is one huge issue we have now. This needs immediately attention.

1. Cons of the current system:

• Any new player who does not know anything about the background of Mechwarrior is soon to be quitting because of the hard learning curve.
  
• Trial mechs are horrible. Period.
  
• Why bothering come back when the rewards are very slim and the whole game screams 'grind'.
  
• Overpriced modules, other costs and more is not good either.
  
• The grind for GXP is low for the risk you need to take in Trial mechs.
  
• Lacking Information...information...information. Smurfy says it all really.
  
• Probaly more, but i cant name them all. Biggest issue are known.

2. Sarlic's idea of improvements:

• Forums guides is a great first start. But we need a more usefull combat tutorial in-game. Not stationary mechs. But a true combat simulator to simulate certain combat situations. Moving mechs. And a small comic video about the background of Mechwarrior. How did Mechwarrior and all started? Make it short.

• Give the recruit a one month (or fill in your time here) acces to all kind of mechs and weapons to get used to see their prefered playstyle after the cadet bonus. Without any costs inflicted.

• The trainingsground should be able to start and simulate every combat situation. From basic attacking to flanking. With any prefered build or anything else while the one-month access is still running.
  
• We need a self learning UI system. No more annoying pop ups from this horrible UI. If anything its better then to whole re-design the whole UI (which may be expensive), is to make the UI learn or remember actions.
  
  

  

  
  
• Introduce masterypacks and bundles after recieving cadat bonus. Give the pilot the option to master one of the following at reduced costs.
  
  

• There should be a in-build learning centre. People should be able to just as Steam to overlay a simple help centre to look up any things they may have forgotten. Such as simple weapongroups, what those little graphical icons means at your crosshair and so on. A simple overlay to call when advice is needed.
  
• Lower the prices of modules and GXP grind.

3. Sarlic's idea of a special reward system

• After each public match, wheter it's in Puglandia (Solo que) or the other que, more experienced players can help the 'greenie' by giving him extra points in form of c-bills, GXP, and perhaps even a premium points. In other words: You are rewarding and judging the greenie's role in the match.
  
• It is also possible to be the greenie's tutor. In that case the rewards are higher.

Now, how would this looks like? Fortunately i have made a small mock up for you:

Introducing 'Deep Link'

• To prevent abuse such as ALT accounts being 'leveled' or unit members who give the 'unit greenie' 'free bills' without having to do for it other players are able to Deep Link the recruit for a interrigation.
  
• Who, when and which player did give him rewards? Specifically 'How many times in what period?' Either can be short or the long term.

A recruit can recieve extra's up to 8 times per month from the same guy.

Introducing 'Bounty hunting'

• Players are able to put a bounty on somebody's head for being toxic or inapprociate behaviour. A bounty is active when atleast 24 players have put a bounty request on the pilot.

• Bounty does not count when the guy is on the same team. Instead the pilot who wears the bounty get very minimal incomes untill he or she is rewarded again by other players for contributing to a team.

• With a active bounty on your head, other players who kills you gain a extra reward to give out to new players. The split is 50/50. 50% of the reward goes to the killing blow, the other goes for any new player who you want to reward for their actions.

4. Formulas?

Math formula's and so in i leave it up to PGI.
I am just here to give out some basic idea's to work with.

Or the community could provide realistic and acceptable formula's to make it work for both parties. For the veteran, but also for the 'greenie'.

Remember:
a whole system rework would be ideal but it would be probaly too expensive. I am not sure if PGI is willing to do that. These costs have to made back somehow.

Instead we would have to work with the current system...

Final notes
Thoughts? I want to hear feedback from you. I think the idea's are pretty do-able and should improve the new player experience. I will add more under community added suggestions to improve the current new player experience.

Keep it civilized folks.

Thanks alot for your time and reading.

Edited by Sarlic, 19 July 2015 - 01:12 AM.

[Novakaine]

The best training aide would be to allow new players to drop in the training ground with a friend.
That's the only real way to train someone.
After the cadet period is over toss em to the sharks.
Experience is the best teacher.

[Sarlic]

Novakaine, on 29 March 2015 - 10:13 AM, said:

The best training aide would be to allow new players to drop in the training ground with a friend.
That's the only real way to train someone.
After the cadet period is over toss em to the sharks.
Experience is the best teacher.

While true. But that's how to learn to get used to the mechanics. My point is also to soften up the learning curve in terms of the economy.

More experienced player should reward the lesser experienced player.

Forgot to mention that each experienced player can reward a small amount of their income to other recruits.

But as far your response goes: it's also time consuming, i think it would fit more if PGI implented more scenario's. Basic attacking, flanking and reading. Perhaps even small roles. Instead of stationary mechs. You gain already huge experience by playing your first multiplayer games after the learning grounds.

What do you think of the rest?

Edited by Sarlic, 29 March 2015 - 10:23 AM.

[A Large Infant]

Novakaine, on 29 March 2015 - 10:13 AM, said:

The best training aide would be to allow new players to drop in the training ground with a friend.
That's the only real way to train someone.
After the cadet period is over toss em to the sharks.
Experience is the best teacher.

Without getting too heavyhanded with my opinion, I disagree. There is evidence this game is hemorrhaging players pretty hard. Retention of players should be a major focus. Some of it will require a better experience for newbies. Some of it will require charming the founders back with legitimately addressing longtime concerns.

[Burktross]

I like everything except for the bounty system, really. Screw over people you disagree with, and nerf their payout to boot... Nahh.... I'd pass....

Edited by Burktross, 29 March 2015 - 10:20 AM.

[Xione87]

Sarlic, on 29 March 2015 - 09:30 AM, said:

Some excellent ideas Sarlic, though I'd like to comment on the bounty concept:

I like the idea where players can earn a bounty on their head, but penalizing their income just screams 'potential abuse' to me. Can you imagine a player group known for their toxicity (not naming any, but check EVE online ) joining this game in mass numbers and just putting bounties on the heads of every decent player not with them?

Perhaps bounties could just be limited to high-scoring players. Something like: for every 3-5 matches where a player is the MVP on their team they get a bounty. The bounty gets cashed in the next time they are killed.

[bobobobobiy]

The free access period would ruin the game for me, imo. Instead of grinding mechs, I would just keep making new accounts to play mechs I wanted to play.

Making trial mechs better would make the new player experience 50x better.

TK'ing really needs some work. Not just killing, but damaging as well. Maybe give the players the option to punish people for team damage, or forgive it.

Also, the economy needs some major work if PGI wants to keep new players interested in the game. Researching modules takes a ton of GXP, which new players won't achieve easily. Actually buying packs of mechs needs to be a bit cheaper ($55 a la cart, are you serious?).

Edited by bobobobobiy, 29 March 2015 - 10:28 AM.

[Sarlic]

Burktross, on 29 March 2015 - 10:20 AM, said:

I like everything except for the bounty system, really. Screw over people you disagree with, and nerf their payout to boot... Nahh.... I'd pass....

While it may sound a bit harsch. Some pilots needs to tamper down. While it's already pretty hard to get atleast 24 different people to put a request for the bounty system, it's also a pretty effective way to hunt toxic players down for a short amount of time.

It's not about disagreeing with people, its about being toxic and or even inapproociate behaviour. It's only visible for the opposite. Not your own team.

But if you have a better suggestion or even a change to it, i would love to hear from you.

Edited by Sarlic, 29 March 2015 - 10:28 AM.

[Burktross]

Sarlic, on 29 March 2015 - 10:26 AM, said:

While it may sound a bit harsch. Some pilots needs to tamper down. While it's already pretty hard to get alteast 24 different people to put a request for the bounty system, it's also a pretty effective way to hunt toxic players down for a short amount of time.

It's not about disagreeing with people, its about being toxic and or even inappeociate behaviour.

But if you have a better suggestion or even a change to it, i would love to hear from you.

My concern is its possible abuse. I'm O.K. with a bounty system, but if we have one, I'd prefer there not to be an unavoidable income nerf.

[Sarlic]

Burktross, on 29 March 2015 - 10:28 AM, said:

My concern is its possible abuse. I'm O.K. with a bounty system, but if we have one, I'd prefer there not to be an unavoidable income nerf.

Perhaps i need to rethink about it as well.

Xione87 got a fair point as well.

Remember it is just a very basic idea to work it out. But i like the idea to have some sort of bounty system.

[Johnny Z]

Sarlic, on 29 March 2015 - 10:17 AM, said:

While true. But that's how to learn to get used to the mechanics. My point is also to soften up the learning curve in terms of the economy.

More experienced player should reward the lesser experienced player.

Forgot to mention that each experienced player can reward a small amount of their income to other recruits.

But as far your response goes: it's also time consuming, i think it would fit more if PGI implented more scenario's. Basic attacking, flanking and reading. Perhaps even small roles. Instead of stationary mechs. You gain already huge experience by playing your first multiplayer games after the learning grounds.

What do you think of the rest?

Great topic. The idea of a sim in online gaming is what sets this game apart and what players have wanted for way, way, way to long. These are not cheap machines, they are super expensive and I feel the prices should go up.

In a linear lvl grind players cant do lvl "50" content until they grind that high, they cant fight lvl 50 players until they grind that high.

This game a player can be in the fight against lvl 50's no problem. There is no grind. Only for top end gear that gives that extra edge in a fight and cosmetic gear and ranks etc.

This game has that going for it. Others dont.

Let players spend the time and creds and in some cases MC if they want a massive bay of mechs all fitted out.

+1 for mech sim

[A Large Infant]

I, too, am very skeptical of the bounty system. Amazingly, and perhaps due to the nature intellectual property and the nostalgiors it garners, griefing seems to be at a minimum in this game.

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

IMO, needing to "level" up mechs for heat and turning and all that is the #1 reason being new sucks. A close #2 is not having radar dep. Nothing in the world is more discouraging to a new player then feeling like you suck, but really its the %90 penalties to all your mech stats. How do you expect a new person to undertand how much thier mech really sucks compared to someone else in the exact same chassis? Especially when they have NEVER piloted and elite mech. I have several IRL who joined this game and boy, do i feel frustrated just WATCHING. Like when you KNOW they woulda got up that hill, made that turn, or got that extra shot without overheating. When you KNOW that with radar dep in that trial spider, it wouldnt be so UNFAIR.

[EvilCow]

I like the idea of a bounty system, it could make things a bit more interesting.

The bounty hunter should "accept" the task however and have credits for each successful kill. Accepting a task and failing should produce a small loss.

[RoboPatton]

Some good ideas, some like bounties could work with some tweaking. I'm afraid the only real answer is going to be giving a starter mech(s) to new players. There should be a choice between several, maybe even rotate it. At least set them up w the variants so they can master one, and lighten up the grind. Give them enough in Cbills to do a couple of upgrades.

The nerf to income is brutal. Put it back to where it was just after beta. There's plenty of mechs. This will have little bearing on your "hardcore" fans, who have almost everything anyways.

Edited by RoboPatton, 29 March 2015 - 10:45 AM.

[Sarlic]

Grisbane, on 29 March 2015 - 10:44 AM, said:

like it except the bounty idea.. all it takes is a troll clan to start up and half of the community will have bounties on their heads.. with the minimal income issue.. MWO will die quick as no one will want to play for peanuts or have to constantly deal with clearing a bounty.

Yeah. Good point. Perhaps we need a better ruleset. But we got a basic system that could work. Everything is basically there without to have to re design the whole system.

Edited by Sarlic, 29 March 2015 - 10:47 AM.

[Armorine]

I'm liking it all except the bounty part it needs a rethink. As a former eve player(thinking about returning) I can say for a matter of fact if a systems simple it will absolutely get abused. Seen it way too much.

That being said a proper training set up is problem number one. I tried this game just after cw came out. I got stomped hard bt premades. There was no learning curve it was just straight ass kicking and it kept me out till recently when I had a few days free to sit down and really learn. It was harder cause my first mech was a dragon -5n. Not a newbie friendly mech at all. We really need to sit with the devs and force the problem to a solution that retains players. If my first mech had been a thunderbolt or a battle master I would have had a much better time learning anything but the dragons. Don't get me wrong I love my dragons(have a lot) but they are not brawlers and they don't play like mw4 dragons.

[Sarlic]

Armorine, on 29 March 2015 - 10:48 AM, said:

I'm liking it all except the bounty part it needs a rethink. As a former eve player(thinking about returning) I can say for a matter of fact if a systems simple it will absolutely get abused. Seen it way too much.

That being said a proper training set up is problem number one. I tried this game just after cw came out. I got stomped hard bt premades. There was no learning curve it was just straight ass kicking and it kept me out till recently when I had a few days free to sit down and really learn. It was harder cause my first mech was a dragon -5n. Not a newbie friendly mech at all. We really need to sit with the devs and force the problem to a solution that retains players. If my first mech had been a thunderbolt or a battle master I would have had a much better time learning anything but the dragons. Don't get me wrong I love my dragons(have a lot) but they are not brawlers and they don't play like mw4 dragons.

Good point.

[Johnny Z]

It would be nice if they gave some idea what they are doing for the new player experience.

This game is so bereft of some kinds of content(npc's, story, other cool stuff) im hoping I can do the new player experience to.

Awsome game, but they havnt put the warrior in Mechwarrior yet.

[TyphonCh]

I really like the bounty idea. It would definitely make things interesting for comp players dropping solo as well , if everyone recognizes him, BAM, bounty... Should be more players to place a bounty. maybe 50, like an invisible tally. That way you won't have a bounty EVERY game, and get targeted first EVERY TIME. Plus side, it could cut down on team killing, and other troll players considerably. Handing out the c-bills to newbies for the kill is redundant imo.
EDIT: Nerfing any players income is bad. Very bad

Also, the idea to let new players try any mech and build out unhindered for the first 25 games (or more. I didn't learn SFA in my first 25 games, lol) has been floating around for awhile. I'm sure they could figure something out. +1 for this. It would really help though, and could be a great concept if implemented properly

Edited by Team Chevy86, 29 March 2015 - 11:10 AM.