All new accounts start with 1000 points

One of the things I hear from newbies is that they’re not happy with the beginning selection of races. I tell them they can app for a good race, but they don’t seem enthusiastic about that since they’re not used to the community quite yet. I think if somebody creates a new account, they should automatically be bonused 1000 points, then have to earn them on their own from there. Just to give them kind of a leg up when they’re first starting, mostly.

I meant to make this in the brainstormatorium but w/e it works here too.

Wisdom. Make this happen.

I can see the good side to it, but do they really deserve it and will it be abused?

I’d be happy if new people selected a human or one of the myriad of other free races we currently have on offer to begin their Lotj experience with. Theres no guarentee they’d play one of the free races properly let alone one that costs points. The whole points system was put in as a rewards program for people putting time into their characters and participating actively within the community, all of this can be achieved with a little bit of effort.

Would i as a new player like to have a step up? Yes. Would i as an established player who nevers seems to get points like to see new people get undeserved free stuff? No.

If they want a specific character set and they’ve got their head on straight(know how to mud/rp) then just point them to the apps page, its there for just that reason. Though the apps process might need to be loosened a bit to allow more people a chance.

I don’t really see why whether or not a new player “deserves” a free, easily expendable leg up when they first begin matters. Is your argument basically that you don’t know how to accrue points so nobody else should receive a bonus? I don’t understand.

I am interested in this idea and would like to see what the pbase has to say.

The question shouldn’t be does a new player deserve the points, but will it give them an opportunity to see what points can do and then motivate them to get more into the game? It would almost double the available races at the first character creation or let them buy some levels to get into the game faster. Strongly support.

That’s a great point. I crunched the numbers

Free races: 16

Races available with 1000 points: 34

This is one way to address the problem of a lack of diversity in the free races currently available, but why not just make more races free?  A number of races have gone from free to cost this Timeline and only a few have come down to free.  There are a number of seemingly good races that currently cost points that are very underplayed, including:  Falleen, Sluissi, Sullustan, Givin, Devaronian, Lannik, Bith, and Kubaz.  In particular, I think we need more free “combat oriented” races.  Why not open these races, or others, up?

The problem with giving new players a certain amount of points and thereby giving them a one shot opportunity at a “points race” is that new players are probably going to screw up leveling or RP’ing and want to make a new char, decide the following day they want to try something different, fly into a sun, pick a fight with Andvari, etc.   Then they are going to be tempted to make a new account and get themselves in trouble.

I concur that a few races would benefit from going free.

Off the top of my head: Toong, Zeltron, Falleen, Mon Calamari, and Quarren.

I see both sides to this. But as far as ensuring new players stick around, this is a great way to go about it. It will help newbies get into the game a little faster and make them feel a little more welcome.

1000 points is hardly anything. But to a newbie, it’s a lot. It is 18 more races as Wallydo showed. It also will teach the newbies how our system works a little bit faster.

Let’s do thisssss

I’m ok with this idea. I would not have used the points when I was new, but it would open up plenty of options for new players that seem pretty legi.

Eh, There are only 2 “good” uses for the point/app requirements.
One is to manipulate the race distribution and the other is to restrict access to “problematic” races, things that improves the game for everyone (Unlike premium reward races which are IMHO just an outlet for the mod/sperg favoritism that plagues all muds).
Free points make both of the good restrictions, effectively, impossible and can only slightly combat the bad.

Basically, this idea is terrible, but so is the whole idea of people “deserving” unique content.

If this was implemented I’d be worried about people not playing the races properly, especially new players. I think that was the reason point restrictions were put in place, aside from stopping metagaming.

I don’t see it as being too big of a problem, the races that fall in the 1000 or less are pretty standard star wars races if you ask me. I always wookipedia races that I’m about to create even if I’ve played them 100 times before to give me a little inspiration.