Outfit Recruiting Tools Feedback via Higby

[Hamma]

https://twitter.com/mhigby/status/301747702457307136

Thoughts?

[dorgo]

Send out a short local message, maybe within a couple of hundred metres.

Outfit message board that can be read by anyone/

[EVILPIG]

Honestly, I'd like to see the whole process removed from in game. An example is World of Tanks. In WoT, if you want to join a clan, you have to go to their official WoT clan page and apply. The acceptance is done via the WoT site. By changing it to such a method, you'd completely eliminate "zergfits" who mass invite anyone they see without an outfit tag.

As for in game tools, not a big fan of those either. If we had a Sanctuary, then there could be some kind of billboard. You could even make it so that outfits could be looked up in game and you could apply that way. Either way, remove the ability to spamvitate and you remove most of the complaints about zergfits.

I'll add to that that if you added an in game interface for applying to an outfit, you could simply add something to the "Q" function when looking at a player. Maybe an Info option where you could pull up info on that character. Add to that info a link to their outfit info and then add an Apply option.

[Graywolves]

Starcraft 2 is doing something with HotS

They have this social window that includes social groups and clans. When viewing one it provides their graphic/logo and a page for description and rules. Then you can also apply for it. I don't know the entire details but I imagine applicants can be viewed on a page by officers and accepted in.

That would be cool.

[NapalmEnima]

For players:

Sortable outfit list, with columns for "average X, Y, and Z" for a given outfit. Maybe let the player pick which stats to query. MBT K/D, A2G rocket accuracy, whatever. % of members logged on in the last week. % inactive in last month. Date outfit owner last logged in. Date someone who could invite people into the outfit last logged in.


I'm not so sure giving total membership numbers is a good idea. Maybe allow players to filter by size category (perhaps match "enemy activity levels" from the map), but not sort by it.

For Outfits:
Ability to set a "list blurb". Like an MotD, but only for their outfit "advertisement" in the outfit list.
Flags for activities (air, ground, infantry) that are filterable by outfit seekers. "I want to see outfits that checked only air", "I want to see outfits that checked all three", etc.

[DirtyBird]

I think you also need the option for players to be able to tick a box to mark themselves as looking for outfit or not.
If you choose to play casually alone you shouldn't be subjected to an outfit invite every few minutes.
You can always change that when you are ready to join an outfit.

[Wargrim]

One thought i would like to add:

Even if an outfit is not recruiting, it would be nice to have some sort of profile page other players can look at that tells them something about who you are, what you do, and how allies can contact you for possible cooperation, or how enemys can contact you for challenges / events.

If i could click on the outfit tag of enemies that killed me and get a short information about who they are, that would make it more personal and interesting, right now i can really only get a rough picture on the top outfits on my server, all the small ones are a mix of random tags that tell me very little.

[Rolfski]

I've said this multiple times because I think it could be awesome:


Give new players the option to experience what it's like to be in multiple outfits before deciding about it.
Give outfits the option for new players to have them experience what it's like to be in their outfit.


If you combine these two, consider facilitating an "Eve University" -like platform that helps new players learn the game and deciding which outfits to join while providing at the same time an excellent recruiting ground for outfits: Planetside Military Academy (http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=50039)

[robocpf1]

-Players should be able to mark themselves as "Looking for Outfit" or not, so outfits that are trying to recruit don't harass them. However, I believe "Looking for Outfit" should be the default option when a character is first made.

-Create an interface to allow outfits to post a description of themselves and mark themselves as "Recruiting" or not, and detail their recruitment procedure. Other info about the outfit (hard data like membercount, etc) could also be included at the outfit's discretion - the outfit would be able to choose what info to display, but they couldn't alter that information. (Select from dropdown list)

-Allow players to submit an application to the outfit via this interface.

-Outfits can then process the player's application on their own terms.

-Players could have an "employment history" (call it "service career" or something), similar to EVE Online, where outfits can see what other outfits this player has been in, for how long, etc. For me, I'd love to see if they have other characters in other empire outfits, but then again since the game is F2P that's too easy to get around anyway.

-Players can apply to multiple outfits at once, but that information should also be available to the outfits themselves. For instance, I may see a player that's only applying to my outfit, or to my outfit, AT, NNG, and DARK - I'd like to know.

-Regardless of that last point, once an outfit has accepted an application and the player has also accepted membership, notification should be sent to any other outfits the player applied to.

-If the player decides to cancel the application, there should be a notification for that as well.

-Generic plug for more outfit ranks and the Last Online column.

-Outfits should still retain the ability to directly invite a player into the outfit. I don't see any downside to this with the above additions in place.

[Dkamanus]

A simple Outfit recruitment List.

I have a LOT of "friends" who were people that wanted to get inside the game, but didn't knew even the basics of PMing me. Having such a list would give players a way of applying in-game, and freeing us a lot of problems, while directing a LOT of players towards a common goal.

Have the outfit leader put up a small 300 character text about the outfit, a title, and let them know which tag hes applying to. Once you fill in the application, the leader has either to accept or deny the application.

[PurpleOtter]

A way to advertise that a particular Outfit Platoon/Squad is accepting guests on request. I guess what I am saying is give us more options other than Locked/Open Squads. The best way to recruit is to actually play the game with the person and learn if they are a good fit. This goes both ways!

Potential recruit searches the available squads flagged for recruitment, then clicks a button that messages the leader that they would like an invite. Definitely need to be able to search by outfit and other criteria like microphone required and or TS info/use.

[OCNSethy]

I think you also need the option for players to be able to tick a box to mark themselves as looking for outfit or not.
If you choose to play casually alone you shouldn't be subjected to an outfit invite every few minutes.
You can always change that when you are ready to join an outfit.

I like the way you think Bird... great idea!

[KiddParK]

Not only LFO.. but the original LFS was a great way to find willing people who wanted to be in a squad, and from there we'd work with them, get them on teamspeak, and eventually recruit them. LFO is nice, but I'd just as soon like to see LFS back in game as well.

[Figment]

In game application forms. Having to go outside of the game is a lot of hassle for players with a poor rig.

[Tatwi]

Really simple guys:

Ask the Everquest II folks to port their guild management system and UI to PS2, because it's already the best in the industry. Hands down, the best. No need to reinvent the wheel and SOE absolutely should use it in EQN, so... may as well use it in PS2 as well.

Don't know what I am talking about? Play EQ2, join a guild, stand in awe.




Here is a great blog post that describes all the features of the EQ2 guild system. Note that it has a "looking for guild" feature, to help recruit new members.

http://www.epicslant.com/2009/09/everquest-2-does-guild-management-right

[SGOniell]

How about we just penalize people for spamming their outfit recruiting messages? I'm sick of seeing the same 3-4 outfits spam Command and leader chat with recruiting messages.

[Hamma]

Cool suggestions so far :D Outfit Numbers will be in the API.