New Player Helpers

[General Naga]

The issues with new players vs. existing players and how to help new players get into the game quickly has come up recently and I was wondering what methods of introduction/training do you like in games?

For example:

Purely as a hypothetical what's people's views on additional HUD information for new players? Do you find it useful in new games? What sort of thing do you like to get help with?

In the simplest form that could simply be labels on the different elements of the HUD or a far more extreme version would be things like a simple health bar for new players to help them relate how health is displayed in the game to something they are used to reading health from in less realistic games.

 

[CanadianSquirrel]

I just think that, Launching the game you should have a few options to check/uncheck; Tutorial, advanced HUD, etc
That would help the new players but still be skipable for the experienced players

That tutorial would show people what HUD does, what teamwork adds to the game and helps you win, and much more things... Not to much chit chat because people would just skip it and get right into a battle

Cordialement,
Squirrel

 

[Nate]

although it may be difficult to do maybe some additional tactics can be taught through a brief single player tutorial. Showing flanking and teamwork as well as how the different classes play. Also not to restrict players but maybe to play some of the more specialized classes (NCO, sniper, medic?, and at soldier) one should have to play through the tutorial in order to do so. It would only be a little hassle for experienced players but would greatly reduce the problems that new players have when they jump in as a special class only to be completely lost in how to play as that class.

 

[General Naga]

Not a bad idea to require training to take specialist roles - experienced players might be spared repeating it by linking it to a player's account rather than once per install.

Similarly could apply to any other new player helpers.

An advantage of your idea is it gives no advantage in-game so it can't be abused by people to get an edge.

 

[hannibaldinski]

I think there should be something like trainings or sp with bots or something. Where you can try things out.

Only thing what i dont like are forced tutorials... i know how to shoot. But for example a special medic system for healing players, is a tutorial pretty handy. And players learn quick. I must say i like to discover things when i play.

 

[General Naga]

Discovery is part the fun that's true but what about the other players who would really like the tank to be providing support rather than being wedged between buildings because the driver hasn't tried driving one before?

Just playing devils advocate you understand

 

[hannibaldinski]

I see your point. But then we should look in to how difficult it will be to drive a tank in TW.

 

[General Naga]

Naturally it should be accessible to players but I was attempting (badly) to suggest that things such as knowing the widths for vehicles is a matter of trial and error and combat isn't perhaps the best time for experimenting

 

[hannibaldinski]

Well, tanks and forests aren't the best combination .

What about weak and strong points of a tank?

 

[CanadianSquirrel]

Talking about how Hard it is to drive a tank, that just gave me a genius idea: Why driving with W-A-S-D as usual when you could drive like a real tanker with 2 different keys, like gas and backwards for each tracks, that'd add some serious realism to TW

-Like Q-A are for left track and ED are for right track, so if you press Q and D you'll turn on a penny.

Corialement,
Squirrel

=Edit: I believe the Churchill had a steering wheel though

 

[Nate]

Although we don't want to burden veteran players and new players too much with tutorials and tests I think it is better to waste maybe 45 min of your time to go through an arbitrary course (only for special classes and roles) than to have someone waste a very necessary role just because they don't know any better.

Also it wouldn't hurt to demonstrate to some how a tank is better in an infantry support role than a "sprint to enemy base and get blown up" role. haha Ive seen it happen many a time in many a game

Edit: when I say tests i mean like...
Showing AT soldier the vulnerable parts of a tank
Showing a Sniper the best targets to take out
Showing a tank operator how to stay close with infantry and provide support
Showing a Squad leader how to issue commands or place firebases.

Really anything that isn't common knowledge or is a special skill is all that needs to be told. Plus each game operates differently so even veterans of other realistic shooters may be surprised by the differences in TW.

 

[Moody]

There's always the typical loading screen tips and whatnot that actually do help a lot for new players. I like the idea of having players go through some quick course of how to use special weapons. Maybe bring up a warning notice when you first start up the game that lets people know that they have to qualify with those weapons to use them in game (so that people don't find that out after they get into a match). This would especially apply to medics, MMGs, squad leaders, and tank crews.

I think that a manual and set of tutorial videos that can be accessed through the main menu would also be useful.