A thread for discussion of the Refer-a-Friend contest [Gotta recruit 'em all!!!]

[Akaramu]

I wish I had gaming friends.

I wish I had gaming friends whose english is good enough for Armageddon. And who have time.

[Taven]

I haven't attempted this. Despite having lots of friends who like creative writing, none are especially fiction writers, and even my dorkiest of friends doesn't have the will power to play Armageddon. One of my friends did make an account with the intent to play (I was shocked!) but I don't know if she did, and that was before the contest anyway. I have another friend I might be able to get to play, but she is worried about getting addicted, and is also slightly intimidated by it. I find it interesting that the two people I may have a chance to get playing are both female.

[Talia]

I'm makin' a list, I'm checkin' it twice...gonna find out who wins somethin' nice...

Yes, there WILL be a winner (or two or three). Get your friends in here, help them make an account and a character, help them play! You too could have a chance, still.

[bcw81]

I've noticed a recent bout of newbies getting into the game recently. >.> Time to get out my bone swords and get me some new boots.

[Marauder Moe]

Yeah, seems our latest TMS/TMC voting campaign has been going pretty well.

I'd recruit friends, but I've already tried with all the ones that are even remotely open to this sort of game.  One made an account/character a while back, but didn't play more than a day.   

[Talia]

We've had a bunch of new accounts this month where the newbie says their friend referred them, but then didn't put their friend's account name; and also the referring player has not sent in a request letting us know they referred their friend. (About 23 new accounts like that.) I would love it if you guys would let me know of friends you've brought in, if you haven't already done so. (Yam is actually the only one who's let us know so far.) When the contest closes I'll judge based on the information I have at the time, so if you haven't told us...well, you can't win.

[Wasteland Raider]

All 23 of those are mine.

[Talia]

All 23 of those are mine.

Also I can unilaterally and arbitrarily disqualify you for SMARTASSITUDE. Without warning!

[Wasteland Raider]

If I can get that as my GDB title, SOLD!
(okayreallyI'llstopderailingnow)

[Desertman]

I'd recruit friends, but I've already tried with all the ones that are even remotely open to this sort of game. 

Same here, I got onto vent with all of my friends playing League of Legends and tried to slowly convince all four of them that they needed to make Arm characters.

I was not successful. But I tried. Instead they convinced me to play League of Legends until late into the night for about three days straight....kind of went the opposite direction there.

[lordcooper]

Maybe we all need to start accosting random strangers in the streets?

[Bacon]

I got a couple to try. One just couldn't get into it being text based. The other played off and on for a couple years but got pissed off about something that happened and quit.

[Hot_Dancer]

...I told a few of the guys at work about a difficult scenario one of my characters was dealing with in the game.

.. I told them there was no pictures and it was text based, that you typed out what your persona did.

...

Then they laughed at me.

[maxid]

I've brought a few people here, but it was before the contest.  Mostly recruiting from other nerd forums, and the like.  It's a pretty niche market.

[AreteX]

I think the main problem with all of the friends able to perhaps play Arm is they lack the time/willpower to learn a new, somewhat complicated and foreign system.

We're asking people who are busy(some of us) to go backwards in technology(so it isn't shiny and new!) and learn a new system that requires alot of typing(also not new) and reading(omg!) to play a game that requires invested time and often does not bear fruit until quite a bit of time has been invested.

Also, its very hard to describe how things work.  Showing people by example is always best but there is no way... for instance, like League of Legends, to invite friends to a game versus the AI and show them the ropes.  The person starting is thrust into a world where they might be self-conscious about being a newbie, roleplay in general, and completely confused and overwhelmed with text(if they're not used to MUDs) and the environment itself/documentation and all of it.

Its a really big commitment and looks very overwhelming to alot of people upon first glance.

I have a suggestion and it requires work but I think it MIGHT be worth it in the long run?  Its a separate server:  It allows players who have played for a certain amount of time to log into Armageddon RECRUIT Port and have basic admin abilities.  This would be creating generic, already created NPC's in a limited fashion and taking control of them.  It would allow a new player that has been recruited with an approved character to log into this Recruit port.  It would let the veteran friend escort them through a series of events that are somewhat scripted, but get their own flare added by that specific friend(who in turn KNOWS what the new player would enjoy) and can cater it in that direction.

For Example:  A 25 room area.  Its 4 rooms where someone starts(after waking up) and walks, then falls into a sewer.  Its 15 rooms of a maze-like sewer.  Then it's 6 rooms to escape.  The veteran player would have access to create rats, speak with the player on an OOC level, perhaps IRL even, across from them.  They would also have access to a sewer horror, or making room echo noises to make it creepy.  The new player would only be able to move so fast/so far with a delay to movement larger than normal so they don't rush through rooms.  They could read descriptions, have a bit of an "experience" before joining the real game.

This would allow people to give a fun, walkthrough to their friends that has flare as opposed to, "Hey, yeah, make a character but I can only show you the ropes so much because you'll be on your own..."  "Oh, you ran around Allanak for thirty minutes, lost and confused and now you're that idle-PC inside the Gaj tavern who went linkdead cause you couldn't figure out where to quit?"

I think a walkthrough area like this would go an incredibly long way in producing a lasting impression that convinces the person to play, with assistance, through a few of these areas and once they get the basics, move on to the REAL Armageddon.  Also, this area would in no way be related to real Armageddon, or have ANY of the real rooms so players would not learn anything OOCly(the ones with NPC/basic admin).

Just a few thoughts.

[Nyr]

I think going for easy fixes, changes, or gains should be attempted before shelling out money, time, and other resources to set up a new server (then more resources to monitor it and make sure it is not being abused).

[Yam]

Yeah. That sounds like overkill and I doubt it'd be utilized.

I peeked over my friend's shoulder while he was in the newbie area and it seemed like a good introduction.

The introductory information on the main site is kind of impenetrable for some people I've talked to though. Especially those that have never played a mud. The quickstart guide could probably use more prominent link, facelift, and some more general information about muds, clients, and connecting.

[AreteX]

Its all good, I guess it might be overkill.

But then again:  We had one person claim to recruit someone.  There were three prizes and only one claimed.

When you recruit someone to any other game it's a bit easier.  You log on, create a new character because shit, you've wanted too anyway and now you have an excuse.  You play along the newbie quest-line with them, you say, "Hey, isn't that PRETTY!  Look at those spell effects!  Yeah!  We got that stupid beetle!"

You talk on ventrilo.  You laugh.  You joke, you look at the pretty effects.

Armageddon is a bit different.  You have to engage the imagination enough without causing too much frustration upon first entering to balance it out enough to peek the person's interest so they keep coming back and get past that "WTF" new player phase.


You have to realize I suggested that only because I want to see Arm thrive and have a consistent, good playerbase.  I really dont know how much time/money would have to be invested into something like that, but if it worked in consistently recruiting people then I would be happy to donate some of my own time to create areas, something I've enjoyed doing in the past for other Muds.

MUDs were my first voyage into online gaming aside from Tradewars and other BBS doors.  I just want the BEST mud I've played to continue onwards, with new meat for the grebbers.  Thats all   I will keep on trying to get my friends to play, regardless.

[Morrolan]

I have tried to recruit my gaming friends for years. One bit, but he simply did not have the attention span necessary for Arm. He does love to hear the stories, though.

I would love to have a survey-monkey for new players based around literacy, with questions like:

How many books do you read a month?

• None
• Less than one
• One to four
• More than four

Are you published writer?

• No
• Writing is a hobby
• I am working on it
• Part time
• Full time

What are your favorite genres?

• Science fiction
• Fantasy
• Historical romance
• Non-fiction
• Mystery
• Other

What is your current level of education?

• High school
• Undergraduate
• Master's degree
• Doctorate
• Professional degree

What is your planned level of education?

• High school
• Undergraduate
• Master's degree
• Doctorate
• Professional degree

Then we could track outcomes over the course of playing. Who stays? Who gets bored? Who rises to leadership positions or staff?

Yes, this would be very cool. Very cool, indeed.  

[Karieith]

Dragging someone kicking and screaming onto this game has been both the best and worst decision I have ever made. Still, the benefits have paid out in spades. I no longer want to murder gently caress my dorm mate and we now get along incredibly well.

I would like to turn this game in to the nearest Templar for being a witch, can you point me the way, Nyr?

[Yam]

murder gently caress my dorm mate and we now get along incredibly well.

goony goon goon

[Fathi]

Wait, isn't gently caress word filter-speak for...

... What exactly did you want to do to this dorm-mate, Karieith? 

[Maso]

I kind of think revamping the website and making the navigation system and information a bit easier to follow and find would help retain folks that at least get to the point of looking at the site. The 'new to online games' should probably be more prominent for starters, and link out to all the basic info. And should possibly be called 'New to Muds?', someone who plays Halo isn't going to consider themselves new to online games...but will be baffled by Muds...