New idea for Public arena to get more new players to the zone.

[Connection]

WARNING: This post contains really bad english. Just try to read it :grin:

This new idea i have in my big genious mind is to get new players to the zone and get them to stay in here.

I'll try to explain how i see these things before i am going to explain the basic idea for new public.

New players starting to play:

When a new player downloads Continuum client, he first downloads server list. After downloading server list he goes to the profile and makes his uniq name. Then he looks to the zones, first thing what he sees is that TW got the most ppl and he will be curious and enter to the zone. When he enters to the zone he will be brought to the public arena with some ppl playing it.

What do they really want to do in pub?

Answer -> ACTION, ACTION! and ACTION!!! in my opinion new players dont really care about pure pub or basing at all. They just want to kill ppl as much as they can. They dont really care about who got the flag or how many time is left. All they care is about how many kills and deaths they have.

I remember when i started to play this game on year 2000, Ara show'd it to me and told me that this game owns. When i first entered to this zone i saw simple 2d ships flying around. I had no clue what to do, i entered with different kind of ships and tested what they can do. Then i started to try to kill ppl. I used 640x480 res and didnt see shit as you guys can imagine So i didnt really have any idea that there was a base that i was suppose to play, i just had in my mind that i want to kill ppl and not get killed by others.


I've noticed something really bad in the past few months. We are losing players to EG and other zones. I started to think that what do they have that we dont? Then it hit me, They got action. They got big pubs with lots of players playing in it so it'll be easy for a new player to start to play in there. Also i noticed that they havnt really changed anything so much in the past few years. EGs been the same since ages when TW has been changing all the time.

What we need to do is to focus our resources to get new players to stay in this zone. We dont really need to make these new events at all, TW got like 10000 events, why do we really need more and more? It is cool that we do have new events but we dont really need them. TW is not the same, we dont have 550 players anymore on weekends, we got 350-400. And now i really mean players, not bots.

What we need is a new pub. We need to make pub look like it's full of action so new players can feel that they really got a chance to get kills. How we can do it is to grow it. We need to grow pub so we can get more action in it. When a new player enters to a pub that got 30 players in it with 10 on spec. He doesnt really care to play in there because there isnt any action, he cant get massive killing sprees.

So what is this strange idea i have?

The basic idea is to grow pub alot. Make it like 60 player limit, maybe even more. We need 1 big pub where a new player enters and he immediatly thinks "wow, so much action, i want to be in it too!!!" When TW was down and i was in EG, EG had TW arena and they set the limit 60. i saw that many EG players came in there to play too. I even liked to play in there because there was so many ppl in the arena and playing.

So what i'm suggesting is that we need to throw our old pub system away and create a whole new one. 1 big pub with 60 players or more because new players dont care about the whole basing idea at all. So when we have 1 big pub arena, We need 1 or 2 pure pub arenas. Purepub arenas would be located in ?go purepub or something like that so we can still play some real base when we want to. Infact i think that this would server alot of our old basers because when there is a real purepub arena where no one can enter accidentally and screw the game by just being so new...


So this new pubsystem would serve New players and Old base players pretty good. After new players are addicted, they can decide what they want to do in this zone because trust me, there is so many possibilities in here we need to give the new player a good first impression of Trench Wars as they enter for the first time.

"If you are reading this, it means that you maybe did read this post. Thank You"

Thanks for reading, i hope that i made some ideas. I think that you guys will bash this right away but please think about it. I know it's hard to let go of something familiar that feels safe. I really think that this is the way how we can get more ppl to this zone and stay in it.

[Shadowmere]

EG/DSB have a map area that they all spawn to, and both of the zones have so different settings compared to TW that it seems like there's a lot of action.

Indeed having a safe in the middle where everyone spawns may seem like there's a lot of people. Might even work in TW.

But the fact there's only so few ships that are fast and can stay alive so long in TW compared to EG/DSB will make it hard for there to be 'action'.

Worth a try maybe.

As of what you said about making pub bigger, I dunno. It's rather big already at least for TWs settings.. Maybe changing where people spawn (safe zone..) and increasing player limit would indeed do something.

I don't see a problem in trying it at least for a week or so.

[SpaceHiker]

I think this is an excellent idea, and I like that it's based on a very sound premise of having more "action" in the pubs like other popular zones have. I just want to make a couple comments:

1. If we have a 60 player pub for instance, and say 50 of those players start fighting for the flag all at the same time, the lag will be insane. The reality is that we probably would never get that many people fighting for flag at the same time, but it's something to think about, too many people in one part of the map = major lag.

2. The next issue is regarding the purepub arenas that we would create: I would like us to think about having the purepub loosely based on the old bot that we used to have for the ?go basing arena. It was automatic 8v8 timed basing where when it said "A New Game Is Starting, Enter Now", you entered in the ship of your choice, and there were ship limits such as 1 terr and 2 shark, and the first person to grab the ship got it for that round. There could be improvements to the old system so that shipchanges and subs are handled smoothly and all that, but I think it would be a better experience than the current Pure Publics which become a Jav-fest and often lack leadership or even a Terrier

[Connection]

As of what you said about making pub bigger, I dunno. It's rather big already at least for TWs settings.. Maybe changing where people spawn (safe zone..) and increasing player limit would indeed do something.

Well the spawning isnt really a problem at the moment. Spawning is fine because there are different kind of ships and no one can tell where you will be spawned next. Main problem with this old pub is that there are alway 5-10 or more players in spec so it will create the feeling for a new player that it's not fun to play.

1. If we have a 60 player pub for instance, and say 50 of those players start fighting for the flag all at the same time, the lag will be insane. The reality is that we probably would never get that many people fighting for flag at the same time, but it's something to think about, too many people in one part of the map = major lag.

I agree on this, there needs to be some changing for pub map too. I was thinking like this pub would be "shoot'em up" type pub but we also need a flag. maybe create a twin base or so. Havnt really thought about it that long yet

[Ara]

Nah.. free for all is the only way to go, no bots should be commanding in pub
arenas. Increasing the amount of players has both positive and negative
sides to it:

positives:
more action
more intensity
addiction level increases
newbies are drawn into battle instantly and cannot hit esc+q as they are low on NRG

negatives:
more lag
more stress on computers (this is an old and outdated arguement)
less skill orientated (but that's why we have ?go base and pub 2 as purepub)
increased purepub arena (pub 2 would have too many players in it for pure basing)
But the purepub bot could control it, in pub 2 which is the pure basing public


and what else?

But increasing pub's activity is just a one of the ways to get new people
interested in TW. The new pub map is a step forward, but the graphics could
still be worked on, especially .lvz graphics.

One of most important things to work on is giving more detailed more easily
learned instructions on GAMEPLAY. Every player has said that they've learned
this and that command only after a year of playing. F1 help isn't serving it's
purpose. Neither is help ticker, they also need to be introduced into the
variety of Continuum as a whole, even before they enter a single zone. We
should tell them about this game as a whole, as they are looking at it, and not
just as a zone. And when they enter the zone, they should be encouraged
to use ?help more to get a "mentor". People are lazy when it comes to finding
things out themselves.

Also after they've been playing for awhile the best way to get them really
hooked is to introduce them to squads and leagues, how this could be done,
I have no idea. But getting new players involved and introducing them to the
community is a skill that other gaming companies would pay dearly for.

[Krazie_Killer]

you cannot have 20 players on each team fighting for base..

dialup users wont be able to hand the lag... they cant event handle 8 v 8 in basing, the lag is too intense..

we must ask ourselves, who plays this game?

i think alot of our users are still on dialup.

[Maverick]

Connection, I pretty much agree with your idea. Increasing the pub size might be good.
However, I don't like making pure pub a subarena as I simply won't see that working. Why not only make the pub 50 in size? Pure pub can still function fine in the second pub?

Ara, putting more graphics in the public would mean more download for new players. It might turn off new players that don't want to wait for the long download. Not really a comparison but remember that a website has about 2 seconds to convince the user to stay or go. We would seriously think about that negative side effect. Nonetheless, I also think we need something new, fresh and exciting in pub (even graphics-wise).

Isn't the next step, after new players have been playing for a while, to get them introduced to subarenas and events? (Before getting them acquainted with squads and TWD.)

[Maverick]

i think alot of our users are still on dialup.

I seriously doubt that

[Connection]

Why not only make the pub 50 in size? Pure pub can still function fine in the second pub?

It's a nice idea and i think it will work. Increasing size will show us how this thing will work. I think it will make pub more popular and more action.
All we need is some feedback from regular pubbers. I've seen almost only staff comments

[The Unliked One...]

But increasing pub's activity is just a one of the ways to get new people
interested in TW. The new pub map is a step forward, but the graphics could
still be worked on, especially .lvz graphics.

.lvz is coming, actually I started on that before the map and now it's kinda on hault. But soon I will get that goode ol' free time again so I think I can give it a go again.

One of most important things to work on is giving more detailed more easily
learned instructions on GAMEPLAY. Every player has said that they've learned
this and that command only after a year of playing. F1 help isn't serving it's
purpose. Neither is help ticker, they also need to be introduced into the
variety of Continuum as a whole, even before they enter a single zone. We
should tell them about this game as a whole, as they are looking at it, and not
just as a zone. And when they enter the zone, they should be encouraged
to use ?help more to get a "mentor". People are lazy when it comes to finding
things out themselves.

TWDev is working on the tutorial map and it have been for quite some time. It will help people understand all of the stuff you need here and it also tells why you should choose a different ship for different purposes and their roles in basing or at pub. Should give the new comers some idea what to do although many people who come here don't really know english that well... I didn't when I started and that was quite a big problem but I managed and here I am now.

Also after they've been playing for awhile the best way to get them really
hooked is to introduce them to squads and leagues, how this could be done,
I have no idea. But getting new players involved and introducing them to the
community is a skill that other gaming companies would pay dearly for.

These will probably be on the tutorial arena too

[milosh]

I see the point you're trying to make with websites only having a few seconds show their stuff, but I don't think that translates perfectly to the free MMO gaming world. Most people who are out looking to find a new game to play are expecting to have to go through a big download and a lot of red tape. One of the things that attracted me to SS was the absence of said red tape, but I was still expecting the download.

[Reaver]

I skimmed through your post connection (I'll read it all eventually) but from what I read I agree. I don't really play pub anymore but I think that increasing the amount of people in the arena to 50-60 is a good idea. Having a safe around the middle is a bad idea, people that are laming by going in and out of safe and whatnot. I'd also like to see quite a few bots go, I haven't stepped foot inside a pub since LT'ing was destroyed (except when I convinced Dock> to temporarily increase attach limit). You definitely got to the point though, when new people join the game they're interested in action, so let's stop forcing people into playing the public arena how a select out-spoken have made pub to be.

[Maverick]

I see the point you're trying to make with websites only having a few seconds show their stuff, but I don't think that translates perfectly to the free MMO gaming world.

Ofcourse, much agreed, but I only said it to keep it as a rule of thumb; something to remember when adjusting things.
MikeTheNose (I used to work with him) once said that that was one of the reasons why TW is so successful - it's login, a (relatively small) download and play.

[Maverick]

I'd also like to see quite a few bots go

I would be very interested to know what bots you like to see go and why :P

[Galaxy Turbo]

TW's focus for a long time has been basing, and it's dying now.
All people want to do is kill, so I agree with Connection.

If there was a change in pub, there would be more variation in the zone, because pub and ?go base would be completely different.

Safe in middle is a bad idea, increasing pub limit to 50-60 is a good idea now.

Krazie, I have no idea why you think most players are on dial up anymore because it definitely is NOT true.

Tutorial map hopefully should come soon, and introducing a mentor scheme for <ZH>'s to get in on would be good. This would mean recruiting a LOT more <ZH>'s (Who will in turn start wbduel/javduel games more often, another benefit).

Events will have more impact when more players know the game and understand everything due to mentoring scheme/tutorial map, and events will have bigger turnouts.

This is pretty much what will set TW right in my opinion. I stand by the belief that this game should be about action, action, and more action.