New Player Retention is Our Responsibility

[Nuclear_Elvis]

I appreciate the responses so far, but clearly some clarification of wording is in order. "Our" is a collective term, and it wasn't pointed at any one individual here singularly, nor was it only pointed at Players -- the "Our" includes the entire DDO community to include the Turbine/DDO Dev's as well (please re-read my post and you'll see this).

"Responsibility" definition from Websters--
": the state of being the person who caused something to happen

: a duty or task that you are required or expected to do

: something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required, etc."

Not all aspects of the definition apply, but feel free to read between the lines (or on the line!) here.

Here's an analogy for you. Team-sports. Basketball. Free YMCA court down the street. You want to play ball, but the YMCA will close if the gymnasium does not have enough participation and there is also risk of closure due to potential negative activity that has occurred in/around the basketball court. You show up, sign a paper to prove you're there, pay no money, play ball with 9 other people (it's a 5 on 5 game, after all). You play fair, the others play fair, some players were newbs, some experienced, all is well, YMCA stays open another week.

You show up the next week. Teammate offends other players (or ball-hogs or ignores all other 4 players on his team), you don't confront the offending teammate, so as result the other players walk off the court, game over, not enough players for 5 on 5, so everyone goes home. Similar thing happens the next week, except this time there's player(s) breaking the rules without owning up to it, and you do nothing again, and as result players leave the court again. You could help gather some players up to play ball during the week but decide to wait until the next weekend. You try to go back, but the YMCA closed due to lack of use.

It was only a team sport, and you were just there for free. Sure, you didn't lose money, but you have lost something, and that something had value to you. Others may have lost something as well.

Who's responsibility was it to help keep the YMCA open - only the donors? YMCA management?

[Lonnbeimnech]

My main problem with running into new players is the fact that korthos is split into snowy and sunny. I see them in chat and I can offer some help, but actually running with them, just doesn't happen.

[Nuclear_Elvis]

My main problem with running into new players is the fact that korthos is split into snowy and sunny. I see them in chat and I can offer some help, but actually running with them, just doesn't happen.

See my technique and solutions here in this other linked thread.

[gravisrs]

One rule we can start with: Stop calling noobs noobs.

[MisterCanoeHead]

"responsibility" definition from websters--
": The state of being the person who caused something to happen

: A duty or task that you are required or expected to do

: Something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required, etc."

None of the definitions apply, but feel free to read between the lines (or on the line!) here.

ftfy

[Impaqt]

I appreciate the responses so far, but clearly some clarification of wording is in order. "Our" is a collective term, and it wasn't pointed at any one individual here singularly, nor was it only pointed at Players -- the "Our" includes the entire DDO community to include the Turbine/DDO Dev's as well (please re-read my post and you'll see this).

"Responsibility" definition from Websters--
": the state of being the person who caused something to happen

: a duty or task that you are required or expected to do

: something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required, etc."

Not all aspects of the definition apply, but feel free to read between the lines (or on the line!) here.

I commend you for your attitude, but no matter what way you slice it, you are wrong. I do what I can to help new players. but I have no responsibility to do so. It is Turbines responsibility to provide a game and an environment that attracts and entices new players to the game.

Here's an analogy for you. Team-sports. Basketball. Free YMCA court down the street. You want to play ball, but the YMCA will close if the gymnasium does not have enough participation and there is also risk of closure due to potential negative activity that has occurred in/around the basketball court. You show up, sign a paper to prove you're there, pay no money, play ball with 9 other people (it's a 5 on 5 game, after all). You play fair, the others play fair, some players were newbs, some experienced, all is well, YMCA stays open another week.

You show up the next week. Teammate offends other players (or ball-hogs or ignores all other 4 players on his team), you don't confront the offending teammate, so as result the other players walk off the court, game over, not enough players for 5 on 5, so everyone goes home. Similar thing happens the next week, except this time there's player(s) breaking the rules without owning up to it, and you do nothing again, and as result players leave the court again. You could help gather some players up to play ball during the week but decide to wait until the next weekend. You try to go back, but the YMCA closed due to lack of use.

It was only a team sport, and you were just there for free. Sure, you didn't lose money, but you have lost something, and that something had value to you. Others may have lost something as well.

Who's responsibility was it to help keep the YMCA open - only the donors? YMCA management?

someone must be tasked to be responsible for the YMCA. If there are players causing issues, it would be THAT persons responsibility to deal with the situation. Boot the trouble makers, enforce time limits.

Anything other players would do would be 100% voluntary.

[Ametrine]

Ultimately the only thing you can do is run a pug or two a day, if every player did this then there would be a more lfms than you can count and be friendly about answering questions. On any given night on Sarlona there is a ton of people on be almost no lfms, people just running with buddies or guildies I suppose.

[Zephea]

See my technique and solutions here in this other linked thread.

Great post.

However I disagree with your point on responsibility.

Here are some things I can choose to be responsible for : being nice to other players, being inclusive of other players, encouraging others to be nice and inclusive of other players, fixing up the documentation and direction given to starting players outside the game.

Here are some things I am obviously not responsible for : advertising the game, fixing up the starter areas, fixing up the documentation and direction given to starting players within game.

Things that I think I *have* to be responsible for as opposed to choosing to be responsible for: in DDO, nothing.

[Ametrine]

Another thing that I feel hurts the game and new players is raid timers. In the past veteran players would run groups through raids teaching them along the way. Now a new raid comes out, veterans buy a pile of timers, run it into the ground in few days getting what they need, then never run the raid again.

imo raid timers was one of the worst things ever to happen to ddo

[Nuclear_Elvis]

Great post.

However I disagree with your point on responsibility.

Here are some things I can choose to be responsible for : being nice to other players, being inclusive of other players, encouraging others to be nice and inclusive of other players, fixing up the documentation and direction given to starting players outside the game...

What you just described matches the third definition of Responsibility -- you are doing what is morally right in being nice to other people. Regardless if this is DDO or a coffee-shop, you are taking on that Responsibility in the way you are carrying out your life.

Try to expand your mind on this one (and for many of you...) -- far too many are trying to shift all forms of Responsibility toward the physical/technical here, as if all that matters surrounds the aspects of business/software/coding. And- far too many still take the "Our" to mean "me" -- "Our" includes all of us to include Turbine execs/devs.

[crazycaren]

One task I specifically have to run many new-to-game players through upon graduating to The Harbor - doing a "Bag Run" to get 4 x free bags and a Wide Quiver to help them with Inventory Management. My opinion, this could/should be considered a Tutorial II for players to take on optionally upon entry to Harbor (but that could be a PC2015 issue).

What are your thoughts on Player Retention, especially New Player retention? Without new players being retained, the game won't thrive, in my opinion, and even if you want a totally solo game life here, it is still in your interests to help with this since the game's mere existence may ride on it.

Thoughts/criticism?
NE

I like your suggestion for a second (optional) tutorial!

[Nuclear_Elvis]

Have you played with any brand new players lately?

People who are responding things like giving things brand new players in Korthos ... well you can't. Unless you roll up a character that doesn't leave the Korthos area....

Yes, all the time. In fact, yesterday I quested with 2 x new-to-game and 1 returning-to-game player who are all now members of my guild.
My normal technique: I maintain a static level 3 Drow Cleric in Wayfinder who is ready to meet/greet and quest with any new-to-game players first arriving in Korthos-1 (and do all Korthos quests shy of Misery's Peak so it stays in Korthos-1). Within my first week of starting a guild I had established that, and I encourage all Guild Leaders (and at least one recruiting officer in their guilds) to consider doing something similar.
This is of great benefit to a combination of new/returning/rerolling players in the guild, and partly why my guild membership has spiraled (we may cross over 50 members soon, at least 20 were new-to-game in the last 3 months).

My main has stagnated at level 20 even though I want to take him to level 28 and Epic Reinc., but I have found it to be very enjoyable to socialize with players in this game more than just trying to achieve some "number" whether that is DPS, XP rate, or level. It's an MMORPG after all, and as I keep saying: In a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, are you helping it to be Massive? helping it to be Multi-Player? helping it to remain Role-Playing? And if "No" to any of those, exactly why are you Online? Single-Player First Person Shooters would be more appropriate!