New player, Ideas to entice them to stay.

[silisav]

Another thing that would solve population issues is cross-server questing like in Wow, meaning lfm is unique and people from all servers can join the same quest. I am not sure however if it is worth the time/effort/money and even if the games old technology allows this.

[Saekee]

I am up for doing a website that handles that. I work as a web developer anyway so I can do it as a small project on my free time. Depends on what we are gonna include, I would like to avoid a database so that it is easier to maintain.

that is a kind offer. Mellicat, a former forumite here, had tried to set up a special new player page in the DDO wiki. I think there is where it would function best. She started it but was perhaps too am itious so it plopped. But if someone felt like taking it on, I think Shoe or someone else there could guide them. I do not know how to edit wikis although I have tried.

Well, if someone were to take this on, they ought to create a special thread here called, ‘help me create a New Player wiki page’ for ideas and links etc.

That said, there are many things that we are suggesting that the devs need to do. They are getting the paycheck

[Captain_Wizbang]

That said, there are many things that we are suggesting that the devs need to do. They are getting the paycheck

Awesome offer indeed. All of these external sources are fantastic, but the issue starts when a new player enters the game.

The player base can't change the source of the OP, I am still of the mindset popup videos, (short ones) Animated NPC's like the screenshots I posted are the answer.

Here's a simple thing to do to measure how much weight this thread should carry...... Go to any server, korthos, harbor, marketplace, and send a PM to a new player asking if they need help. Show them some stuff. Use a guest pass for something, even if they're lvl 1,2,3 etc... just let them tag along in a quest above their level to show them more than could experience at that time. Ask them pointed questions about any difficulties they have run into.

Most of the feedback you'll get is about the UI. Lack of game driven direction.

Look, we all have spent countless hours learning this game, I am NOT suggesting giving anyone an easy button to the HUGE learning curve we have. I am suggesting we give new payers a path that is easier than we all had with the use of the technology they see in other mmo's.

As I proposed, have interactive NPC's that are like the djin, a dragon, Harry, ANYTHING that draws attention to itself on a grand scale.

As I proved my point with the use of the birthday cake djin, new players came up to it and tried to interact with it. By not using the current form of a humanoid looking NPC and using the fantastic beings that we have on hand, we generate TONS of enthusiasm, and the desire to see more. Add overlays vs the tips that popup on right side of screen and I guarantee the new player will learn more from a 30 second video than text.

[Annex]

DDO really needs server wide channels for Advice, Trade, and General. In every MMO I try, when I get stuck, I ask questions in Advice. I monitor Advice and General chat, learning things from the back and forth between other players. The current DDO channel system prevents the vast bulk of helpful veterans from reaching new players and makes idle conversation almost impossible. On at least some servers, that creates the impression of a dead game. It also severely handicaps Guilds trying to recruit. This problem was fixed in LOTRO over three years ago.

[Cantor]

DDO really needs server wide channels for Advice, Trade, and General. In every MMO I try, when I get stuck, I ask questions in Advice. I monitor Advice and General chat, learning things from the back and forth between other players. The current DDO channel system prevents the vast bulk of helpful veterans from reaching new players and makes idle conversation almost impossible. On at least some servers, that creates the impression of a dead game. It also severely handicaps Guilds trying to recruit. This problem was fixed in LOTRO over three years ago.

Thelanis is the worst for channel isolation.

[Enoach]

When DDO first came out to the public it had a whole starter area (Now the backdrop of the Crystal Cove Event) that had Tutorial Quests specific to skills/learning how to do something.

Areas I remember...

1. Rogue Tutorial - Learned to pick locks, learned how to spot, search and disable traps
2. Fighting - Learned how to equip a weapon, swing and even tumble
3. Setting up Spells for classes that can switch spells
4. Buy a weapon - Yes we learned to buy weapons.

I truly believe having an area with tutorials for basic adventuring skills could go a long way in retention as the initial stumbling block is the learning curve.

---
As far as the new and longer term players mixing, this is a tough area to work. The reason is the gap in gear and knowledge. Most when new and left to their own devices tend to look at everything - check out all the dark corners etc. But if they get into a group that is more for speed, they can miss many things that can help them as they start but after they have been in the game for awhile you have excess of and don't need.

Maybe the LFM needs a setting to indicate the mindset - like "Don't Blink" to "Wake me when you are done taking 10 searching this room"

[Annex]

When DDO first came out to the public it had a whole starter area (Now the backdrop of the Crystal Cove Event) that had Tutorial Quests specific to skills/learning how to do something.

Areas I remember...

1. Rogue Tutorial - Learned to pick locks, learned how to spot, search and disable traps
2. Fighting - Learned how to equip a weapon, swing and even tumble
3. Setting up Spells for classes that can switch spells
4. Buy a weapon - Yes we learned to buy weapons.

I truly believe having an area with tutorials for basic adventuring skills could go a long way in retention as the initial stumbling block is the learning curve.

That was before my time. I wonder why those things were removed.

As far as the new and longer term players mixing, this is a tough area to work. The reason is the gap in gear and knowledge. Most when new and left to their own devices tend to look at everything - check out all the dark corners etc. But if they get into a group that is more for speed, they can miss many things that can help them as they start but after they have been in the game for awhile you have excess of and don't need.

Maybe the LFM needs a setting to indicate the mindset - like "Don't Blink" to "Wake me when you are done taking 10 searching this room"

Oh Khyber, I assume any Heroic group posted on Hard, Normal, or Casual was made by a new player. All the veterans play in Reaper Mode with the occasional Elite. Sadly, the runs posted on Hard, Normal, or Casual rarely seem to get any members, even when something like, "I am a new player and need help", appears in the LFM. I hope I am wrong.

On numerous occasions I thought to stop what I was doing and join one of those low difficulty groups. Invariably, I turn away because I lack a character at the right level of decide I want to push my Avatar a little further in what time I have. DDO is such a strange group game in that respect, the way it spreads everyone out.

[systemshaker1941]

I am stumped as to why SSG does not devote resources to new player retention.

SSG doesn't even devote resources to OLD player-retention. I quite paying a sub over a over a bad experience with support; they couldn't even muster up so much as an apology. That is how few ****s they give.



That being said, there are loads of simple things they could do to aid new player retention.

*Update korthos items - the reward gear in korthos is WOEFULLY outdated.

*Speed up leveling a little - this was discussed earlier, but the game really doesn't start to get fun until mid-levels. At this point in the game's lifespan, there's really no good reason not to cut some XP from first-life early heroics and make the climb from 1-10 pretty quick. Figure, veteran players are TRing, so leave 2nd and 3rd lives alone, and people making alts are probably using iconic or veteran status.

*Pawn Brokers - honestly need to be removed entirely at this point. They were an early bandaid to deal with the lack of an auction house, but are confusing for new players.

*How about introducing a game guide system? Many other MMOs have them. Veteran players volunteer to show newbs the ropes. Give the veterans some shinys as rewards(cosmetics, pets, etc). Provide an item that "de-levels" a veteran player so they can run content with low-levels, they proved this was possible with the Rose Tinted Glasses. Just need to provide them for a few level ranges. Even better if they can make it so it down-powers your equipped gear so you aren't having to carry around a bunch of other stuff.

*Organize volunteers to host teaching raids - there's already guilds that do this just to be nice, but there's no good reason why the community managers can't organize volunteers to do it more often and for specific raids(chronoscope, comes to mind). Similar to the guide program, provide incentives.

It would also be nice if they could make the in-game support slightly less toxic, thats not vital for NEW players...

[Hafeal]

That was before my time. I wonder why those things were removed.

Not removed, redone.

When Korthos was introduced, they "moved" the old training grounds and locked the doors.

The old training grounds can still be found though! They are part of Crystal Cove. The 3 doors along the dock (not the tavern) are where you would enter to do the different skills Enoach mentions. Maybe if they unlocked those doors you would still find those tutorials inside.