More players=More new inventions

[Achilles]

I just wanted to post this, and it is not specific to any new invention, it is just a commentary.

The players of Spacetrace love it when people join up, and want to see many people enjoying our fine game. To that end, we have tried many different methods of recruiting, such as votes at game sites, invite-a-friend, and such. We have also tried to find ways to keep new players, such as the n00B helpers, and Space Academy.

When we get a boost in numbers, we also get a large amount of new inventions. New players like this feature, and I must admit that I was fascinated by it when I first started playing.

The problem I see, is that when an unbalanced or overpowered invention comes up, several older players immediately bash it, calling the maker of the invention stupid, wanting to know his name, and just plain embarassing him. Why?

We all know that the inventor must be brand new. We should reward him for trying to become a part of the game. Why tell him he is an idiot? That is certainly no way to keep new players. How about if we explain nicely what is wrong with the ship, so they can learn? That way, the inventor will not feel so stupid, and just may appreciate your negative comments, when they are put in a positive way.

You don't have to listen to what I am trying to say. This has been going on for a long time in the Spacetrace community, and I wonder how many people have left the game due to negative comments and general n00B-dislike in the forums.

I am on break right now, but I hear that we are up to about 350 players. Thats great! Thats almost double what it was a month ago. Lets make the new players feel welcome, it's their game too. And that means, welcome to create ships, too.

[Metody I The Evil]

Hmmm... Well, let's put it that way:

The so-called *stupid* inventions are caused by the belief of the author that inventing a ship will immediately add it to the production screen. (The same *belief* in the voting system can cause multi-forum-accounts - to get votes for an invention )

So, the way to discourage a large part of the *inventors* is to explain them three simple things:

1.) Inventing a ship is NOT the same as to research it.
2.) There's a 95% chance that the invention won't be implemented by the time the evolution ends. (which prevents the *situation - based* ships )
3.) The forum-status on an invention has next to none influence over it's implemenation.

I must confess that I haven't used the ship-inventing-wizzard in ages, so I ain't much *in touch* with what it's interface has to offer as a warning on those 3 things. Errr... so... if there isn't a warning, it should be added, if there is - it should be made more clear

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[Skyfreak]

i welcome every player, and that rules

[satan666]

i hope this topic is viewd by new people 2 cause they have to know this

[steven1982]

Good that you say this achilles i agree with you (although i have been guilty of what you say) you are totally right.

Greets

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[mackman]

Like myself most of us veterans have done what he says I agree also we want players to stay not think we at spacetrace are a bunch of asswads so sorry to all the newer players for being so critical.

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SBR A former -TO- empire member.

[Guest]

I don't have a password for the forums, got to figure that out.

Well I am a newbie. For some reason I think the inventors of ST did so because they were unhappy with some things in Utopia. Well, I played Utopia ever since it was invented and I too wasn't happy with some things. And boy, inventors, did you do a good job!

Just one thing and thats why I dare to reply to this entry:
yes, I am a newbie. As such, I am not the most skilled player. However, I am respectful and polite and thus I believe I increase the gaming experience of everyone who deals with me. So why on earth are vets to arrogant? (of course I mean only these who don't read this threat ) . Trust me, you are not a better person than noobs just because just because you play longer and in my experience in a little while I will be among the best players. Thats not arrogance thats just my experience. I will still be polite and respectful.
Now I understand that newbies are annoying. I myself don't enjoy much to explain the subtleties of a game to someone who doesn't have a clue. So just ignore them, they'll figure it out. Just pppppppplease, don't be so freaking patronizing?

Thank you

[Dutchbatter]

I am quitly too, and you have totally right Achilles.

If this our comment stops noobs playing ST, than we have to stop with our negative comment.

Mabey only vote, not good try another one. But no negative comitment.
And mabey say why the ship is not good.

[darklim]

Maybe put a warning when you invent a ship?
Like: Ships with super power or copy of the existing ship cannot be added?

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[Guest]

I think what's extremly important to atract more new players, is that communication between players has to become easier! Because if u don't have possibilities to do so, by using a chat programm, then No0b's (like me) don't know what's important when creating ships (or playing in general). There is lot's of No0b help in this game but it's not directly with other player's. For example: if a Kid wants to know if you can get more MP or something and messages a other Player for help. Than it somtimes takes days for reply because he dosen't know that the red star means offline or because they live in diffrent time Zones. So it's impotant that some kind of chat room with AIM or something is made because the chatroom that we have at the moment is not very efficent for slower and unexperienced users! It would be better too use a more common programm.

But hey I'm a No0b I might be completle wrong, so what's your oppinon?

[JaM]

I think that that is good. There are ingame messages for n00b helpers. We have a forum with a great archive. There is a channel #spacetrace at irc.gamers-irc.net and a java applet is at the ST website where you can easily connect that. And I doubt that AIM is easier then an irc java applet for AIM you still have to download another program do some configurations.

[Guest]

im another anonymous.
not everyone has and wants IRC and those other things, and that chat thing strangly kept crashing my pc after i tryed it.

[Guest]

Hey it's the anonyme guy from befor with the long text about communication. U see the thing with AIM or ICQ is that these providers have been tested very often, are reliable, user friendly and easy to download (even with a 56.6K Modem). Unusual Provider like IRC make things seem kind of fishy and people who are new with this game or with online-games, probably don't want to download it out of fear of Virus and similar. Wich gives us the problame again that people can't communicate and No0b's keep on thinking "What the f*** is going on in this game"? Althoug I really have to admit if u look in the Forum u can get a lot of info's, u just have to have the patience to look.

P.S. AIM is downloaded and installed just like IRC the only diffrence is that it's quiker and easier to handel you don't need any extra programms or anything to run it except Windows or whatever, and no konfigs are not needed for AIM.

[Guest]

It's me again.
Also an alltanitiv to a chat programm could be a Worldwide open chat room like http://www.chattalk.de if the spacetrace crew are interested they can check it out. It a great site since all u do is pick a user name and log on. A slight disadvantage is that it's in German but if u want i can write them an E-mail and ask if they will bring out a English version.

[promethius2]

Thats another thing, when i first joined i found it impossible to get a forum account i didn't know how to do it.
I had to get my friend to do it.
Perhaps some guidelines to help n00bs.

[steven1982]

Please dear n00bs trying to ask questions and to find ways to communicate, look in the topic n00b help under n00b-helpers, there you will find a list of players in this game, with all a great deal of experiance, who have commited theirselves to help n00bs by answering all their questions, they can also be recognised by the star they have behind their names. You can ask them anything about the game. I am a n00b-helper myself, and i must say that i haven't received much questions yet, so please make use of the forum and n00b helpers if you cannot or will not use IRC.
We are there to help you, so do not be afraid to ask.

To help you a bit, i will paste the list of n00b helpers here, just search for one of them in your comlist, and send them an ingame message with your question.

Bloodraven of The Dark Forest
Dutchbatter of Auronso
Gravedigga of monster jam
Lumberjack of Fangorn Forezt
Morgoth Bauglír of Utumno
Rough Riders of the Old Frontier
Sacrifice of IDLA
Shade of Capetonia
Weylyn of Valcorra Secundus



Greets

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[ This Message was edited by: steven1982 on 2004-10-02 16:16 ]

[ This Message was edited by: steven1982 on 2004-10-02 16:18 ]

[JaM]

[Guest]

Hey that's not true Chattalk doesn't run on java I#m one 100% sure because I was always abel to use chattalk but i first had to download IRC java aplet whatever to be able to use IRC.

[Guest]

Soory i made a mistake.
What i wanted to write was:

Hey that's not true Chattalk doesn't need on "java-whatever"!!!! I'm one 100% sure because I was always abel to use chattalk even without the applet but i had to download IRC java aplet whatever to be able to use IRC

[Weylyn]

Eerm, I never downloaded anything, and it works fine with me. Try changing your browser settings to allow JAVA applets.

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