Discussion for new character restrictions to the city-states

[Nyr]

This thread is for discussion for this announcement.

[RogueGunslinger]

Yeah baby!

I'd like to think my constant harping on this a few months back had something to do with this.

[ShaLeah]

Now the races!

[QuillDipper]

Does this affect their origin choices as well or do they have free reign there?

[Cutthroat]

Seems like a good way to encourage newbies to get a better foothold in the game.

[Nyr]

Now the races!

That one is more complicated.  It certainly can be done, but even negative interaction in a city-state (someone beating down a newbie elf/breed/dwarf verbally or physically) is interaction.  Right now this is a first step to monitor.

Does this affect their origin choices as well or do they have free reign there?

You can be from anywhere, you just have to start in Allanak or Tuluk for the first PC.

[Brytta Léofa]

Nyr, do you have stats on what people HAVE been picking for their first character?  Race, guild, start location?

[Nyr]

Nyr, do you have stats on what people HAVE been picking for their first character?  Race, guild, start location?

Not on hand.  I've submitted a request for more data in our current tools to Morgenes, so whenever that gets done, we can start monitoring that more easily.  In the past we've had to run it manually against logs.

[Brytta Léofa]

Righto.

(I'm curious how many people play "hard" races/guilds for their first character, and whether it works for them.)

[PriestlySiren]

I like this. I see way too many people pick something random on their (painfully obviously) first character and do badly with it.

[seidhr]

Speaking anecdotally, you see a lot of ill-advised first characters.  City elf merchants from Red Storm, that sort of thing.

Hopefully, this will help cut down on that.

[Jeax]

Agreed.

A first character doesn't need the additional pressure of trying to know what it's like in one of the sub-culture locations (like the Labyrinth). It usually ends up not being done well...a second PC would do much better at it.

This is a +1.

[Rahnevyn]

Every time I see a new player submit a really well written application.... for a city-elf... in Red Storm.... I get sad.

[Wish]

This is great.

[Lizzie]

Excellent decision, thanks!

[X-D]

Good idea.

But cutting down on races or guilds, even if only for first PC would drive people away...already does somewhat with the low selection they have with 0 karma.

[Nyr]

But cutting down on races or guilds, even if only for first PC would drive people away...already does somewhat with the low selection they have with 0 karma.

You mean people that otherwise would play the game don't because they can't play whatever they want right away?

[RogueGunslinger]

But cutting down on races or guilds, even if only for first PC would drive people away...already does somewhat with the low selection they have with 0 karma.

You mean people that otherwise would play the game don't because they can't play whatever they want right away?

Yes. One of the things that turned me away from Arm the first time was a lack of options. Don't ask me why, but seeing that I could play 21 different races in some other MUD was appealing...

God I was a dumbass. But I came back because those other muds were vapid, shallow pieces of shit.

[Dalmeth]

I tend to see less of a drive to help new players and more of an admission that most of the game sucks.

And it's never going to be fixed.

[RogueGunslinger]

I tend to see less of a drive to help new players and more of an admission that most of the game sucks.

And it's never going to be fixed.

This is an incredibly narrow-minded view. Just because certain places aren't for everyone doesn't mean they should be changed or deleted. Just because a certain race/guild isn't popular doesn't mean it doesn't have its place.

[Nyr]

I tend to see less of a drive to help new players and more of an admission that most of the game sucks.

And it's never going to be fixed.

What makes you think that?

[RogueGunslinger]

I think he's in the same mindset of people who think a large portion of the game should be destroyed/wiped out, and the player-base should be more consolidated. Which I disagree with just because I think consolidation can happen without outright removal of large swaths of the game.

[Cutthroat]

I tend to see less of a drive to help new players and more of an admission that most of the game sucks.

And it's never going to be fixed.

Players have known for years that other areas besides Allanak/Tuluk are touch-and-go with regards to activity. New players don't have the advantage of knowing that and assume an even distribution of activity in every starting area. Some of them may end up rolling their first PC in the Labyrinth, Red Storm, or Luir's and end up not finding any interaction and/or dying quickly. A bad first experience for a new game, to be sure.

A lot of new players go to helpers asking where to start, but a lot more probably jump into the game with both feet. There's nothing wrong with that, but they could do with a bit of guidance so that they get the most interaction possible for their first time in-game. Interaction leads to help with the game, and getting hooked on it.

[spicemustflow]

Not liking it. While both Nak and Tuluk have plenty of attractions, the first area that sold me on armageddon was the 'rinth. I may be peculiar in that regard, but there you go.

Just like with races. Playing a human is motherfucking strongly recommended, but it shouldn't be enforced. It's better to die playing what you want then live playing some shit like human.

[X-D]

You mean people that otherwise would play the game don't because they can't play whatever they want right away?

Not so much that, more like what RGS said.

When you log into a mud for the first time or even check the docs and you see that 1 race is available and 2 classes...Well, you move on. Just having the choices is a draw. That is why all muds that advertise make sure to put in that ad, how many races, how many classes, and often how many skills/spells. Now I know that Arm is not like most of those other muds, but to most people, tiny selection equates to nothing to do in game either.

I know that races other then human tend to be too hard for new players...But if you see how many people do make first PCs a race other then human to start then you see the number of people who would likely move on without ever trying the game if they were restricted to human to start.