News: AGN Instant Action: MLG Fall 2012

Hamma · 2012-11-08, 01:41 PM

http://www.planetside-universe.com/n...-2012-2906.htm

sylphaen · 2012-11-08, 02:18 PM

Phantomdestiny · 2012-11-08, 02:31 PM

if the new players don't understand they game then ps2 is gone suffer a lot

Rago · 2012-11-08, 03:30 PM

Great Work ! I appreciate you Heart-engagement on ps !
I like the AGN !

HEy Smed just said in it´s Twitter that we will have a Way to Try weapons before you Buy em ! Nice news.

Mox · 2012-11-08, 04:13 PM

The new player experience is indeed a critical point.

If there would be a real sanc SOE could setup a tutorial and a VR there.
I still dont understand why they hate the sanc so much.

Hamma · 2012-11-08, 04:56 PM

Thanks guys

Good to hear on the try before you buy.

Mod · 2012-11-08, 04:58 PM

I believe the stated reason for that is because it takes players out of the combat areas too much and slows down overall gameplay.

Back on topic, nice edition of the AGN IA, and well done for trying to steer lots of new players in the right direction. Hopefully it will get many new players coming back for launch.

Aaron · 2012-11-08, 05:27 PM

Man, I've really never truly considered how significant this is for new players. I've always known how to play Planetside. My big brother probably introduced it to me all those years ago. New players, on the other hand, have never even had to comprehend this type of genre. It's simply played differently than any other FPS/MMO out there. It's like a 4th dimension.

I think the quickest way that SOE can get new players to wrap their minds around this game is to have in-game video tutorials created specially for new players. Let's face it, there's some education that needs to be done in order to get efficient at finding the fight. You didn't just join a room when you clicked "Play," you entered a world.

sylphaen · 2012-11-08, 05:49 PM

If anything, I think players should be warned.

Warned that PS2 has a learning curve.
Warned that starting is rough.
Warned that some attention and thinking on their part is needed to get started.

So if they reach combat and get utterly destroyed and r**ed from all sides in a losing battle at a frontier outpost and get a 3/28 K/D in less than 10 minutes, it's normal. And they won't feel bad trying again, knowing it gets better after some battle experience.

I watched my friend's brother (a BF3 teenager) try PS2 and he was in linear mindset most of the time. He did not realize he could get flanked, encircled, ambushed in his base, etc... Nor that he could do it too.

He has been so used to playing in a box that he lacked spatial awereness. think he did not realize how large and fuzzy a front could be.

It is indeed the 4th dimension!

DirtyBird · 2012-11-08, 05:59 PM

Excellent show again, couldnt agree more.
Been concerned about new players for ages.
I'm playing with long term gamers and even they are getting frustrated about not knowing what to do in PS2.
We have squads up to help them and give direction and an objective.
New players are so important to the longevity of the game.

I think outfits can help out as well, even the mass recruiting zergfits.

sylphaen · 2012-11-08, 06:05 PM

There goes an idea !

What about a system tagging new players as beginners ? And some key to make it easier for them to request and find help ? And a way to stand out for people willing to help ?

A mentor/newbie matching system.

GuyFawkes · 2012-11-08, 06:28 PM

Great work, and addressing what is my number 1 concern for the game over and above everything else.

I watched a youtube video by BuzzCutPsycho where he gave the reasons for constantly inviting new people to his outfit, and everything he said made sense. An outfit that stops recruiting is a dying outfit, and the same simple principle applies to p2.

The problem I see is that if you have pop ups or links to external videos, peoples reaction is to clear clutter from their screen. I think the overlord/lady voice they use in game could be used more functionally. A familiar voice instructing players '' welcome soldier to the terran republic, please move to the equipment terminal to your right just in front of the spawn tube'' and so on. ''Theres a major battle going on at the crown right now and we could use your help, open your map by pressing 'M' and select the crown and use your instant action''
This could be a constant thing toggleable as an option in the settings. The new player isnt being drawn away to any virtual reality area. The voice, unless you toggle it off in options, would automatically kick in every time someone spawns in the warpgate.

Vanir · 2012-11-08, 07:38 PM

Way back when I first got Planetside 1, the thing that really helped me out the most in figuring out the game was the training program that was installed with PS1. If it wasen't for that I would not of known what to do or where to go. PS2 needs to have something similar.

SixShooter · 2012-11-08, 09:41 PM

Good episode

.

I have a friend that got into beta promptly stopped playing because he was bored and could not figure out where the fight was or how to do anything. Fuck tank spam, balance issues, meta game or whatever, the new player experience is going to be more important than anything to get people to play for more than 20 minutes before quiting forever.

People logging in for the first time are not going to have Hamma and Jennyboo around to hold their hand and show them the basics. This is a pretty big issue that will be critical to the longevity of the game.

Hamma · 2012-11-08, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by sylphaen

What about a system tagging new players as beginners ? And some key to make it easier for them to request and find help ? And a way to stand out for people willing to help ?

A mentor/newbie matching system.

Honestly in an FPS this just sounds like an opportunity to grief. This community already has it's fare share of people who get off ruining the play experience of others.

Originally Posted by GuyFawkes

I watched a youtube video by BuzzCutPsycho where he gave the reasons for constantly inviting new people to his outfit, and everything he said made sense. An outfit that stops recruiting is a dying outfit, and the same simple principle applies to p2.

This isn't entirely true for outfits. Mine has been together for well over 10 years and gone many years without recruiting new players. Perhaps we are different though, our goal isn't volume or numbers it's quality over quantity and fun play with friends and making sure we know everyone personally.

For the game though I agree 100% if new players aren't joining and sticking around we end up with smaller fights and SOE ends up with less money because people never play long enough to buy items on the store.