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helper system in DS |
Mylith Grand Admiral Faster than Light
Joined: July 19, 2011 Posts: 507 From: Hivarin, CD+36*15693
| Posted: 2012-08-20 15:06  
I'm posting this here because it's not really a game suggestion and more a community suggestion.
I feel that DS could benefit from a helper system like some other games I've played. I've seen many new players who don't have important information(they don't know how to transfer ships) or, more often, have information that is horribly wrong told them by some random person(infantry have to be on hold to capture ships). Helpers could help retain more players, and that's what DS really needs(more players).
Moderators/developers do a good job of answering question when they get online, but they don't have the time to spend guiding a new player through the process of spawning, combat, capturing ships, and all the other stuff you can do in DS. Also, helpers could probably help people through common technical problems(DS not starting, not connecting properly, etc.) when a dev/moderator is afk.
Helpers wouldn't have many(if at all) privileges over the normal player. At the most, maybe clan mode turned off to instruct people that want to play different factions. Helpers would have to be active and have been a member for at least a year(can be changed).
This could probably be done unofficially, but if it could be an official system that would be totally awesome.
Thanks for reading,
Mylith.
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Blackjack [DBL] Grand Admiral Faster than Light
Joined: February 25, 2011 Posts: 344 From: The land of venomous reptiles.
| Posted: 2012-08-20 23:03  
Very interesting idea. The main issue will be an issue that comes from any games involving factions. Bias. There will always be people that think X is much better than Y and vice versa. Would their names have a special colour like there is for admins?
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Taelon Marshal
Joined: December 26, 2011 Posts: 255
| Posted: 2012-08-20 23:37  
I like this idea, i can remember when i started playing, i have no idea what was going on.
This mightve gave me more patience.
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Brutality Marshal
Joined: May 25, 2009 Posts: 659 From: Alaska, USA
| Posted: 2012-08-21 03:31  
Not sure if such a system is needed. I personally don't mind helping out newer folks and showing them the basics, and I know quite a few players that do it as well. I think that if there was a reward for it, people would take advantage of it. Just my ten cents.
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Boerenkool Marshal
Joined: December 18, 2007 Posts: 218
| Posted: 2012-08-21 05:36  
yeah the ones that help people alrdy do that now. i donno about privileges cause you dont rlly need em to explain something. and a different colour suit, well....a new person wont know what that means.
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Mylith Grand Admiral Faster than Light
Joined: July 19, 2011 Posts: 507 From: Hivarin, CD+36*15693
| Posted: 2012-08-21 08:29  
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On 2012-08-21 03:31, Fatal Brutality wrote:
Not sure if such a system is needed. I personally don't mind helping out newer folks and showing them the basics, and I know quite a few players that do it as well. I think that if there was a reward for it, people would take advantage of it. Just my ten cents.
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On 2012-08-20 15:06, Mylith *CO* wrote:
Helpers wouldn't have many(if at all) privileges over the normal player. At the most, maybe clan mode turned off to instruct people that want to play different factions.
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@Brutality: A helper system would allow you to continue what you're doing now, while allowing new players to find you instead of having them wonder who knows something and go to a random server and /y "hey, how do I do this?" and possibly getting bad information from someone.
A tag at the end of helper's usernames would probably be in order, though(such as playerxyz(helper)), but that could be done with the name change option. [ This Message was edited by: Mylith *CO* on 2012-08-21 08:29 ]
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Died~2000~Deaths[+R]*CC* Chief Marshal Army Of Darkness
Joined: February 08, 2010 Posts: 540 From: Spokane WA.
| Posted: 2012-08-21 08:44  
maybe a certain icon at the beginning of the said helpers name and post helpers in the forums with a list of volunteer in it. like there name and faction. i.e Died~2000~Deaths[+R]*CC* Kluth. volunteer icon (of devs choosing ) at the beginning of there name.
[ This Message was edited by: Died~2000~Deaths[+R]*CC* on 2012-08-21 08:56 ]
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Fattierob Vice Admiral
Joined: April 25, 2003 Posts: 4059
| Posted: 2012-08-21 11:15  
I remember some other MMO's had a system where you could flag yourself as a "new player helper" and new players could see a list of them and send any of them questions.
I think such a system might be a good idea here, but the issue is making new players aware of such a feature if we were to implement one. Maybe add a button next to the "staff" button in GCQL for it. I guess the MoTD works too
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P2. Marshal *Renegade Space Marines*
Joined: December 08, 2005 Posts: 140 From: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| Posted: 2012-08-21 12:49  
Sorry, i write without malice.
I think one of the problems we have, the manual is obsolete.
Is too big.
Is too old.
There is not a simple instructions to play. The new player need some simple instructions.
I know, is difficult write a new manual or other.
With many players trying to help, i think a good idea, even more than helpers, is prepare a new manual more simple, direct with participation of all the volunteers.
Later devs can read and correct big problems.
In this way the new players had less problems.
We can't forget the players not like read the manuals. They need simple instructions for begin.
And do not forget that the manual should also be in other languages if they are to play for all the world. Like German - French - Spanish etc.
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Mylith Grand Admiral Faster than Light
Joined: July 19, 2011 Posts: 507 From: Hivarin, CD+36*15693
| Posted: 2012-08-21 13:06  
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On 2012-08-21 12:49, P2. wrote:
Sorry, i write without malice.
I think one of the problems we have, the manual is obsolete.
Is too big.
Is too old.
There is not a simple instructions to play. The new player need some simple instructions.
I know, is difficult write a new manual or other.
With many players trying to help, i think a good idea, even more than helpers, is prepare a new manual more simple, direct with participation of all the volunteers.
Later devs can read and correct big problems.
In this way the new players had less problems.
We can't forget the players not like read the manuals. They need simple instructions for begin.
And do not forget that the manual should also be in other languages if they are to play for all the world. Like German - French - Spanish etc.
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http://www.darkspace.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
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P2. Marshal *Renegade Space Marines*
Joined: December 08, 2005 Posts: 140 From: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| Posted: 2012-08-21 13:29  
[/quote]
http://www.darkspace.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
[/quote]
Sorry, is the same in other location.
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Brutality Marshal
Joined: May 25, 2009 Posts: 659 From: Alaska, USA
| Posted: 2012-08-21 16:06  
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On 2012-08-21 11:15, Fattierob wrote:
I remember some other MMO's had a system where you could flag yourself as a "new player helper" and new players could see a list of them and send any of them questions.
I think such a system might be a good idea here, but the issue is making new players aware of such a feature if we were to implement one. Maybe add a button next to the "staff" button in GCQL for it. I guess the MoTD works too
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could also add somthing a little something maybe to the new to darkspace stuff that pops up when you first start up GCQL. Just a thought.
Edit: p2. is right in a way. We need to make the wiki(more informative than the manual) more visible to new people so they have a place to go if there isn't a person availble to answer questions. [ This Message was edited by: Fatal Brutality on 2012-08-21 16:08 ]
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PokeYourWaffle Marshal
Joined: October 10, 2010 Posts: 112
| Posted: 2012-10-04 11:04  
Reviving the topic!
+1 to the helper idea. Usually new players are a bit intimidated by the game and just people in general. Having a dedicated helper system to get these players started will certainly help get more players into the game. If this does go through and you need helpers I would be happy to volunteer, I usually get on every day after school for 4-5 hours. I don't think that people need to be rewarded for this, or it might turn into something to exploit.
[ This Message was edited by: PokeYourWaffle on 2012-10-04 11:08 ]
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Scorched Soul[+R] Marshal Pitch Black
Joined: November 14, 2005 Posts: 378 From: USA, NJ, Princeton
| Posted: 2012-10-04 11:41  
I feel like every time one of these pops up I volunteer to take part but it never goes anywhere, but here are my thoughts on the matter at the current time.
The manual is entirely outdated and bloated as of whenever the last time I looked at it was. On the other hand I feel that there is something about learning everything through trial, error and questions that 'earns you a seat at the table' here. This has been a problem at least as long as I have been playing the game but the people who are going to stay long term tend to stick it out and those who are lacking in the indomitable will department fall by the wayside usually after the first hour or 2 of playing.
The reason I say this is because I used to head over to the newbie server whenever I was all alone in the MV and see it there were any newbies who were willing to learn the ropes from me. 9 out of 10 of the people I taught, and 10 out of 10 of those that I remember, didn't seem particularly interested in any information that did not answer their question in the most curt manner imaginable. As I would start to explain why we do things a certain way or how that fits into the big picture they tend to go off and get blown up.As a result, I tend to focus on answering questions, when i see them, before anyone else can as a matter of personal pride, and am overjoyed when people as "why?".
My suggestion is to make a group that you can send /send messages to with very clear instructions on how to send such a message splashed all over the the lobby and game when you log in so that when people want to ask questions they can ask them privately directly to someone who will give them the best information at their disposal as quickly as possible. So much the same way you can /send c to talk to your clan mates you can /send H or /send Helpers to send questions directly to any helper who is logged into GCQL.
[ This Message was edited by: Scorched Soul[+R] on 2012-10-04 11:53 ]
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SaturnShadow™ *FC*(Angel Of Darkness) Marshal *Renegade Space Marines*
Joined: February 03, 2007 Posts: 310 From: UK
| Posted: 2012-10-04 12:36  
To be fair what DS needs is a comprehensive tutorial that tells them all the details from the basic's of piloting your ship, fighting, the unique abillities of each faction, jumping (includes select a point for jumping) bombing, building supplying, and what the buttons do, also they would be taught the ways of maual targetting and weapon detonation etc have all the newbies on one server (i know kinda going back to the type of newbie server we had in the old day) where they would listen to a voice and read the text of the training they would get (in some games tutorial you also got some voice talking to ya while you run through the tutorial) and also have some sort of level cap in the server (again like the newbie server we used to have) maybe like to cap them to only getting most of all the bronze badges or something like that.
thats my 2 Pounds worth
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