Newbies and the accessibility of Planetside 2

EisenKreutzer · 2012-07-21, 06:31 PM

Please don't start discussing the NDA-breaking video that spawned this thread. This discussion is not about the video, the guy or the NDA.

A recent thread, rightly closed by the mods because it referenced a breach of the NDA, managed to come up with some good points that warrant further discussion.

Specifically about what kind of experience Planetside 2 gives to complete newbies currently, and how that experience can be improved.

SurgeonX posted:

From the dev's perspective, this is actually quite interesting.
Without knowing it, this guy is performing a think aloud usabilty test.

He doesn't know what he's supposed to do.
He doesn't quite get the PvP aspect, and is concerned about where he gets quests from.
Discovers classes by clicking through each one.
He clearly doesn't get that everyone he has seen in the Warpgate is on his side, or he just doesn't care.
He wants to try out all his weapons straight away, even if it means team killing to do so.

Of course, the most pressing feedback should be how to solve the problem of what to do about bell ends who, within their first ten minutes will immediately team-kill, kill-steal and fire at Gal's because they haven't been picked up.

Definitely need a weapon lock in the WG though.

To which I replied:

This guy, not knowing what an NDA is aside, is actually the perfect beta tester. He doesn't know anything about the game or it's mechanics, he has no forehand knowledge about the game, and is in essence a blank slate. Thousands of players just like this guy will hear about the game, download it since it's free, and encounter the exact same issues he is encountering.

If we get lots of guys like this into the beta, the end result will be a smoother, better experience for newbies when the game is launched.

It is clear that currently, the game isn't very accessible to a completely green player. With no background from PS1, and not having followed the development of Planetside 2, a new player gets lost and confused by the way the interface is currently set up, the intro screen, faction selection and the way a new player is first introduced to the game world.

What can be done to remedy this? How could the game best communicate what kind of game it is and what it is about to a complete newbie, in as efficient a manner as possible?

Stardouser · 2012-07-21, 06:36 PM

I have seen multiple people who are in the tech test and who are not PS1 vets saying "where is the combat" and "where is the teamwork".

Now, as for where the combat is, I'm not sure if I would want more notification than PS1 gives or not. Too much help from the game is bad.

As for where the teamwork is, the squad interface window, for example, has GOT to be very accessible. That's one of the things the people I've seen talking about it have said - where is the squad join button?

However, at the same time, there does need to be some kind of tutorial that sets expectations. A lot of the teamwork needs to be accomplished through VOIP coordination and NOT the game telling you exactly where to go, that needs to be communicated.

And they better figure this out or there's going to be a lot of hair pulling by people who want PS2 to be their savior from other games.

WiteBeam · 2012-07-21, 06:36 PM

I think a little bit of background on the factions play styles would be helpfully in the beginning where it talks shortly about their history.
Also, a VR room and maybe some training like PS1 has.

exoteror · 2012-07-21, 06:38 PM

I am glad this has been brought up as it seemed an interesting discussion based on what we have seen.

The guy for a start needed information about the play styles of each faction, for all he knew it was simply their colour that was different and not weapon speeds etc.

To get the guy into battle I think a way point type system to certain terminals and then a way point leading to the most focused battle might be an option but at the same time overwhelming.

SixShooter · 2012-07-21, 06:39 PM

VR training and weapon locks in WG would go a long way to solve this. Of course you might need to have live weapons in the footholds so you can shoot your way out if you need to. If no weapon lock the at least no friendly fire in the WG.

WiteBeam · 2012-07-21, 06:41 PM

What does this guy being clueless have to do with running the game on his spacific hardware though? This is the tech test, not beta.

EisenKreutzer · 2012-07-21, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by WiteBeam

What does this guy being clueless have to do with running the game on his spacific hardware though? This is the tech test, not beta.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

This thread isn't about the NDA-breaking video or the guy who posted it. It is about the issue some of us see with the accessibility of the game. The devs might have plans for it, they might not, but it certainly cannot hurt that the community discusses this. Who knows, maybe we might bring to their attention something they haven't considered yet. Can't hurt, atleast.

Aurmanite · 2012-07-21, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by WiteBeam

What does this guy being clueless have to do with running the game on his spacific hardware though? This is the tech test, not beta.

Please don't ruin this thread by being a whiny bitch.

TheDAWinz · 2012-07-21, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Aurmanite

Please don't ruin this thread by being a whiny bitch.

I second this

WiteBeam · 2012-07-21, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by TheDAWinz

I second this

Cute.
Now can you two grow the fuck up and take my question seriously?
Your whole argument in the other thread was that it doesn't matter if he was a vet or not. So how is this any different? The tech test is only about different hardwares stressing the game. If not, then you might as well call this beta.

The Degenatron · 2012-07-21, 07:33 PM

There's a good argument for the good ol' staple of gaming: The Introductory Tutorial Walk-Through.

There's no shame in having one, and it would solve all of the problems new players have. If they choose not to follow the intro, then they are at fault.

That said, an intro is something that comes late in the development because you need to have things set in concrete before trying to build the intro tutorial.

p0intman · 2012-07-21, 08:22 PM

All newbies need to have this hammered home:
This is a PVP game. There is NO pve. There is NOWHERE safe save for the warpgates. You can and WILL be shot at anywhere else, for no reason other than you are not of someone else's faction. That IS the content of planetside. I nearly had a blood vessle pop in my head when I heard him say 'Where are the quests?!'. The answer to that is simple, THERE ARE NO QUESTS.

Littleman · 2012-07-21, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by p0intman

I nearly had a blood vessle pop in my head when I heard him say 'Where are the quests?!'. The answer to that is simple, THERE ARE NO QUESTS.

I called it in another thread: some of our newbs WILL be the MMORPG hoppers. Many gamers don't do research, so when MMORPGers jump into this game, they could be expecting another point and click fest that hand guides them with exclamation marks.

These people you don't really need feedback from... they're just lost. They saw "MMO" and wasted an invite that could have gone to someone that at least knew which genre PS2 belonged to.

Hamma · 2012-07-22, 10:24 AM

The mission system among other game systems will eventually solve the issue of new players figuring out what/how to do things. That stuff simply is not in the game yet.

EisenKreutzer · 2012-07-22, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Hamma

The mission system among other game systems will eventually solve the issue of new players figuring out what/how to do things. That stuff simply is not in the game yet.

I completely agree, that is a vital piece, which we will see in action come beta.