Newbies and the accessibility of Planetside 2 - Page 5

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.

ShadowRatchet · 2012-07-22, 11:31 AM

I think this video explains quite nicely how a tutorial should be done.

vVRedOctoberVv · 2012-07-22, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Hmr85

They need to bring the VR back and place them in the foot holds for the newer players to the game. To help with the TK'ing they need to lock weapons while they are in the Warp Gates.

The small information screen they gave at the beginning could of been more detailed also with some better helpful advice. Last but not least they could bring back the ! icon over terminals and such that bring up info as the newer players that select them/use them.

This. When I first started playing PS1, I found the whole sanctuary environment to be appropriate. You can't stupidly hurt other people, look over here is the training room where you can play with everything and test it against various unit classes... It was perfect. We need this back.

The footholds are fine, but we need this "sanctuary" environment integrated into them to some extent, or a separate "noob zone" to mess around in before stepping through a warpgate that takes you to the nearest foothold.

Renegadeknight · 2012-07-22, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by vVRedOctoberVv

This. When I first started playing PS1, I found the whole sanctuary environment to be appropriate. You can't stupidly hurt other people, look over here is the training room where you can play with everything and test it against various unit classes... It was perfect. We need this back.

The footholds are fine, but we need this "sanctuary" environment integrated into them to some extent, or a separate "noob zone" to mess around in before stepping through a warpgate that takes you to the nearest foothold.

Got to agree, I think the sanctuary or a similar substitute would be beneficial to the game.

Rivenshield · 2012-07-22, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

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.
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.

I haven't seen the footage in question, and I commend OP for positing these questions and trying to make the user experience more accessible to the average tyro in an intelligent, informed, and lucid fashion. I'm a tech pubs guy, so all of this is near and dear to my heart.

But holy mother of fuckballs! It's hard to escape the conclusion that this individual was a sociopath *and* functionally retarded. Fortunately such people tend to be few, but we still need to distinguish between those portions of the user base that:

a) Will start doing dumb things out of sheer boredom and/or frustration -- and let's not forget that shooting at friendly vehicles in a lot of games is how you get their attention. A brief burst of gunfire can be a pro-social thing. Hey! I wanna gun for you! I need a ride! I wanna do the teamwork thing! I'm tired of running...! And old habits die hard.

b) Can't or won't read something as simple as an NDA or even a canned synopsis of the game's premise or setting, and who will wander about gunning down people dressed just like them -- a gigantic no-no in any online game. There is no cure for mouth-breathing malignant stupidity. Wherever they do occur, such pimply-faced swine should be mass-reported, TKed into oblivion, and driven from the land.

Personally I think a bright yellow Instant Action button on the lower center HUD, along with a popup confirmation window if you click on it by accident, will do wonders. Get the buggers into the fight and let them learn on the job.

Also, yes, we need the VR training range back. You wanna experiment with TTK using different weapons on different targets? Go to town!

And hotspots were, and are, a simple and intuitive way of telling people where the fighting is and how extensive it is. We need them to make a comeback. I hadn't noted the lack, but the realization of it startles me. How are small actions supposed to metastasize into the giant clusterfuck battles near and dear to us if we don't know where they *are*?

Broadside · 2012-07-22, 01:07 PM

Random question that doesn't really deserve it's own thread: When SOE says free to play, do they mean that you pay for the game but not a subscription, or that downloading and installing is free and there is no subscription?

EisenKreutzer · 2012-07-22, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Broadside

Random question that doesn't really deserve it's own thread: When SOE says free to play, do they mean that you pay for the game but not a subscription, or that downloading and installing is free and there is no subscription?

The latter. You will be able to download the game and play it for forty years straight until the men in white coats come and take you to a magical happy-place where you get lots of candy, and you won't have to pay a dime.

To SOE. The doctors still need to be paid.

Kezz · 2012-07-22, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by EisenKreutzer

The latter. You will be able to download the game and play it for forty years straight until the men in white coats come and take you to a magical happy-place where you get lots of candy, and you won't have to pay a dime.

To SOE. The doctors still need to be paid.

Of course SOE are hoping that you'll have spent all the money you would otherwise have spent on clothes, shoes, personal and domestic hygiene and extramural activities in that 40 years will have been spent in their cash shop buying funky leopardskin paintjobs for all your equipment.

Rivenshield · 2012-07-22, 05:09 PM

I have strong concerns myself about offering a free client..... but let's not derail the thread, please. It's been pretty good so far.

Tvayda · 2012-07-22, 06:03 PM

One thing I haven't seen yet in this threat was the intro of basic information that was presented during the actual installation of the game, like in PS1. After throwing in the discs and choosing where to dump all those messy files, a full screen image popped up with a paragraph or two of text and a picture or 3 to go along with it that explained the empires, the basic background of the game, and some general rules/how-tos (eg: terminal use). I'm not saying that should be the be-all end-all of PS2 tutorials but it could go a long way if done right to helping a newb get into the game in a meaningful manner that is fun for them and helpful to their empire, the NC. TR and VS newbs will be out of luck because they picked the wrong empire. JK JK, in all seriousness that and just getting thrown into battle in PS1 was how I became acquainted with the mechanics. And then I went back to the sanctuary and explored EVERYTHING that I wasn't already comfortable with. By that time I was already hooked to the gameplay and would be coming back for more (and more and more.....9 years later) that I felt fine stepping away from the action for a bit to go try the VR room and all the different weapons and vehicles.

Anyway, thats my 2 cents.

TAA · 2012-07-22, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by ShadowRatchet

I think this video explains quite nicely how a tutorial should be done.

Awesome video!

ShadowRatchet · 2012-07-22, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by TAA

Awesome video!

Thanks! Really, many developers should follow these videos in order to better understand players and what the devs may be doing wrong.