Helping them n00bs.

One thing I’ve noticed about the Academy is that it doesn’t seem to account for all the class ranges. I’ve been through it a couple of times (and I could just be missing them) but I think you should be able to get a couple of levels in every class before you leave…Piloting too. There’s a cap on the diplomacy quest in there, so claiming someone would just sit in there and level full, well that can be taken care of easily.

As Fishy and others pointed out, there should be other things in there too besides just random skill gains. When I first learned how to pilot, I was being taught over IM by the person that recruited me to come play here. I shot back and forth past the target planet for like 30 minutes before they remembered to tell me to slow down. I’ve been here for 4 years now and I still forget how to use the datamem functions just because its entirely too complicated for something so simple (well ok I’ve learned how but I often mistype what I want). Showplanet’s helpfile talks about resources, but how would you know as a new player that you can do more than just that? I’d think a lot of the stuff thats in the TIPS could be added to the Academy in some manner. I hate the random tips thing flashing up because I usually have to scroll back to read it because I’m in the middle of something else. Especially if I’ve forgotten how to turn ooc off (do we tell them how to do that in the Academy?) because its spamming me with stupidity.

I also vote we just put Kresk in the Academy and let him teach all our future LOTJers <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Yeah, the guide prog did more harm than good, constantly had to go unstuck people and fix the guide and such. Walldo did some work on the academy, moving some of the rooms in that hub around.

Maybe it should be reorganized like a table of contents for a tutorial.

Like, the first room has a welcome message and some introductory stuff, and then lists:

Movement
Speech and Action
Levels and Skills
Combat
Piloting
Roleplay
etc.

and then typing that word takes you to the start room for that section (works like the turbolifts in ships), and you go through the section and at the end of the section you go back to the table of contents.

Have a short hall with all of the ‘basics’ covered in each room, like what Fishy said. Then have it lead into the station proper, so newbies can run around and get a feel for how quests work and stuff.

Anyone that has difficulty understanding what the problem is please create a character and go through it while acting like you know NOTHING. Only do what you are told..and assume nothing. Example: How many times do a type ‘lang learn basic’ ? I would just type it one type and move on. That would prove quite annoying later on in the academy, right? Or if not the academy…on comnet 0 ? This is one example. I know there is also at least one moment when you need to give an item you don’t have to someone..and you have no idea where to get it from.

INB4 help explore.

EDIT: On that note….would I even go one to the next room after typing it?

That’s EXACTLY what I was looking for, thanks <!– s:) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:) –>

Something like a &quot;Question&quot; channel would be good, only usable by people with less than x hours on their account. The &quot;Answer&quot; channel would only grant every person online one chance to answer for each question asked. So if one person replies and it isn’t in depth enough someone else can add in their take and any modifications that the original answer didn’t provide.
I’d say anyone with the newbie flag but as was mentioned, some people are retarded and would make a new character just to bypass ooc being turned off. You could just have it as a separate channel thats always open and just run a Nazi approach on it. Misuse it once and you lose the ability to be helpful indefinitely and get fined points, seeings how its against the rules to mislead newbies and the such.

What would be the point in only allowing them to give one answer and cutting them off?

It’d only allow other people one chance to give the answer, mostly to stop it being used as an alternate means of ooc when ooc is either shut down or other people have it turned off. Theres alot of people out there who don’t have any of the ooc channels on because of the innate bullshit on it so it’d curb excess usage. We all know theres people out there that would abuse it given the chance so i’d prefer to see it countered before complaints start. Its there to help the true newbies, not as a chat channel.

I put a ‘TYPE NORTH TO CONTINUE’ message in the first room
I changed the language tutor message to say you need to type ‘lang learn basic’ several times
I changed the ‘hub’ room to be a bit more simple. I took out the clothing/equipment shops and moved them east.
Added a guide mob to the hub that explains the different options.
Created a map of Banvhar Space station
Working on recoloring Banvhar so it isn’t so drab
I made the Station an actual Space Station in a sector. There are now small trainer ships people can fly around to get the basics of flight. (still under construction)

I’m going to see about adding that newbie question channel. Something like ‘ask’

The new academy looks awesome! I walked around and explored it and I think it’s definitely easier to follow. And I’m really happy to have a guide back <!– s:D –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!– s:D –> …Even if he does pick his nose.

The spiced-up student in the vents will still ask for food, even if he’s too full to take it. Also, players who are completely new to mudding will probably not know how to give the noodles to the student. They ‘give’ command is discussed, but the ‘approach’ command isn’t until you get to the ‘new to lotj’ part. Either an extra sentence in the room where you get the noodles, the room where the student is, or even a room echo if you enter the room with the student holding the noodles, would probably help out a lot. OR, if you want approach to stay in the lotj part, you can just have the student say something like &quot;cool, drop them here&quot; if you have them in your inventory and then have the mob pick them up. I don’t know. Something.

The ‘channels’ room may be a good time to direct newbies to help IC, since you start talking about IC and OOC channels there.

OTHER THAN THAT.

I like it a lot (especially being able to fly around). =]

Help Files.

Now I don’t mean that the help files are obscure, or that they don’t exist. I mean that as a newbie browsing the help files can be a challenge all in its own. Most of them are not linked to related commands, or lack a full command list for that function.

Now I wasn’t new to muds when I stumbled upon LOTJ, but I was new to its layout and style.(Mainly played circle/duki based hack n slash/PK style muds) The first thing I recall, and even now after being gone since the start of the first TL, is just the commands in general. You can easily stumble around for 15-20 minutes trying to figure out the command for what your doing. And if you find said command, still not be able to complete the function your trying to do because your missing two or three other commands, or because what your trying to do isn’t what you think it is. For this example I’ll say the message terminals and the like. If you type help mail or something like that it gives you the helpfile for making notes or mail or messages on datapads with datamem ect ect. But what if I’m trying to do something that requires to note(I believe its note, the muds down and I’m tired so bare with me) commands?

Now you just say well do help &quot;a&quot; and read the help file. Well thats all good and well if I’m looking up how to use kill, or kick. But what if I’m trying to learn how to pilot a ship(bad example, seeing as piloting does have a helpfile that lists MOST of the commands you need) Just because I can learn up how to turn off and on autopilot doesn’t mean I’ll know I have to type pilot to access half of the other commands, or how to check the ships read out.

I personally think that by linking help files to other help files we could greatly help new players start to understand the game more themselves and not have to hope that an available RPC member is on, or that someone helpful is on OOC. Just tag an ‘ SEE ALSO A B C D E F G’ at the end of some key help files. That way the new player can go oh, alright. So I type pilot, thats what this does and its related to launch, auto pilot, ect ect and that is what those do ect ect once again.(once again, I know piloting for the most part is a bad example as the basic commands are listed together in one big chunk, though I have noticed that some commands are still missing that are related to piloting but not to say perhaps flying the ship. Like how to use the intercom system, perhaps a few combat commands mainly for the larger ships.. anyhow you get the idea)

Also I think if we added more ‘Category’ help files. Help files that don’t deal with a command, but perhaps an overview of what this is, say if they hear it over 0 and are like WTF mate, and a list of maybe one or two commands associated with the category(I do believe there are a pretty good number of these that I’ve seen, mainly though they tend to be the class helpfiles and such) Now as to ones we can add.. I’m drawing a blank, the muds down and I can’t recall too many off the top of my head. But I’m sure some past or present RPC members might be able to think of a few just based off questions they get on commands or how to, ect. I think cargo running is one I had trouble with, and I had to bug the RPC to sit down and walk me through it the first time, also some things that engis do like modifying a ship ect ect..

Last point before I wrap this up.

Another big issue I’ve noticed when trying to get friends or fellow mudders to switch to LOTJ, and even a big one that still somewhat haunts me to this day is RP. Alot of people play on either RP optional or non RP muds, and even if they did RP and such its a bit daunting when your completely new to a mud to just run out and try and make friends.

When I first started if it wasn’t for finally joining a clan, I wouldn’t have met anyone, mainly because there is little to no random RP encounters(exmaple person a is just hanging out, person b walks in and says hello or nods or something and then sticks around long enough for person a to even respond). Case and point i’ve seen since I’ve been back is just random troops running up, yelling halt, scanning you then running off..

Now I’ve kinda racked my brains on this subject and I can’t really figure out a good solution to this problem that would work consistently. The only Idea I have on this subject is perhaps when someone rolls a new character give them the option to join a ‘Newbie’ clan. Now as far as the storyline goes this clan wouldn’t exist, It would show up on showclan ect ect, but it would be merely because we are using the hard codded clan setup. Allow people to join this clan freely without needing a member, and excuse it from the multi-clan rules. That way players who have been around the block and have a character whos a freelance eng or just a screw around character can join and they can kill some time taking characters around and show thing things, or just answer questions without spamming OOC or needing a Newbie channel.

Also perhaps allow this clan to also pay out like a normal clan to help newbies get a small start up capitol going. Case and Point I found was a tip that popped up saying to train your stats before you lvl skills in case you get lucky and get a stat bonus.. well if the only way to get money besides begging or catching a generous player who just dumps credits on you is to lvl skills or join a clan.. but what if you want to join Clan A, but you can’t find someone on to let you in.. well now your just kinda in limbo. Or what if you just don’t want to join a clan just yet..

Also might help out with paying for player training. Seeing as most players charge for combat/medical ect training, and sometimes they ask a price that isn’t that easy to scrape up if your new and don’t have your connections or just the general know how of the mud.

EDIT:
Perhaps make the clan more of an academy, in game sense? and include it in the time line then if you like? Seems there could be some interesting ways you could go with that as well.. seeing as a newbie may or may not have a vast knowledge of the star wars universe ect ect, but they do now understand how to use the basic mud commands(movement, say, ect) due to going through the current newbie academy. Giving them a chance to get caught up on the current goings on the TL, the various main Clans, perhaps even some instruction that focuses on their main skill choice?

A couple of us on the current RPC were discussing the possibilities, potential, pros, and cons of maybe making a clan that would basically run the Newbie Academy and Banvhar. It would be people who could be around to assist the newbies who need assistance as well as giving them a first taste of roleplay before they hit the big galaxy. We’re still discussing the particulars about it, so I’m not gonna promise anything. I would like to get a few Immortals (namely Eliana and Walldo) with those of us who were discussing it to see where (if at all) we could go with this.

EDIT: While I am well aware that part of the responsibilities of an RPC is assisting the newbies and the oldbies alike, this would definitely be something that could help streamline it a bit as well as lessen the frustration some people feel when they try to ask on OOC only to get ignored by the pbase in general.