47 replies to this topic

[BadPenny]

There are many topics about what keeps us playing this game, and what HCS should do to keep the new players that trickle in interested long enough to stick around and become part of the community.  But, how often do we consider how much of this is our responsibility as well?  Tonight, while hanging out on global chat as I usually do, a brand new player came in and said "Hello".  He was warmly welcomed to a guild by a veteran player, generously buffed by another, and had lively conversation with us all.  I predict this player will join the ranks of the addicted as we teach him how to play the whole game.  This is what we did in the old days.  I remember in my first guild, helping my guild founder scope out the online players list for brand new players.  Those that went before passed down their knowledge.  Players like AzUK and Mowglik and Crace made maps and guides to help us all through.  The original USFG was Crace's creation.  It was an invaluable tool then, as it is now.  Anyway, back on point, we didn't have chat like we do now.  You had to have an IRC client to communicate in real time, or as WK does, have a Skype chat room set up for the guild.  We should be using global chat to welcome new players that pop in and encourage them, as we did this new player tonight.  It doesn't hurt us to give free advice to the new guys, and it can't be anything but good for the game.

 

 

[yghorbeviahn]

I believe a good thing that HCS can create is a new tab on our profile called "mentoring", a place where you can add ANY number of players below lvl 250, you'll not receive any prize for that, and other players can accept the same player too, so you can see if the player comes online and help easily.

That will help a lot to keep new players on the game.

[Davros81]

I believe a good thing that HCS can create is a new tab on our profile called "mentoring", a place where you can add ANY number of players below lvl 250, you'll not receive any prize for that, and other players can accept the same player too, so you can see if the player comes online and help easily.

That will help a lot to keep new players on the game.

We had the beginnings of this type of idea semi implemented into the game, however as we all know it was thought about a lot, mentoring was added, in the sense there was a list you could put your name on, then nothing further.

 

I would like to see the development roadmap actually being progressed and not just the timescales being pushed back and for random things to just be inserted into the list, which are neither critical or server any purpose. I have to say I have not seen a genuine improvement to this game in at least a year, which is very sad. Time to bring Hoofmaster back to control and run the game, under his guidance this game was flourishing, now it is in a rapid decline which is very sad.

Edited by Davros81, 04 November 2014 - 09:35.

[bloody18]

I <3 the BUFF MARKET! Even though I am closing in on 1600 I love using the BUFF MARKET! To me this is the greatest TOOL/Application added to the game since I joined back in 2010! I hated pestering people asking them if they were selling buffs. And HCS has only improved it since it was introduced. These kind of additions to the game are why I keep playing thus being important to me.

[yodamus]

There are many topics about what keeps us playing this game, and what HCS should do to keep the new players that trickle in interested long enough to stick around and become part of the community.  But, how often do we consider how much of this is our responsibility as well?  Tonight, while hanging out on global chat as I usually do, a brand new player came in and said "Hello".  He was warmly welcomed to a guild by a veteran player, generously buffed by another, and had lively conversation with us all.  I predict this player will join the ranks of the addicted as we teach him how to play the whole game.  This is what we did in the old days.  I remember in my first guild, helping my guild founder scope out the online players list for brand new players.  Those that went before passed down their knowledge.  Players like AzUK and Mowglik and Crace made maps and guides to help us all through.  The original USFG was Crace's creation.  It was an invaluable tool then, as it is now.  Anyway, back on point, we didn't have chat like we do now.  You had to have an IRC client to communicate in real time, or as WK does, have a Skype chat room set up for the guild.  We should be using global chat to welcome new players that pop in and encourage them, as we did this new player tonight.  It doesn't hurt us to give free advice to the new guys, and it can't be anything but good for the game.

good job on the newbie from last night..but all to often..i see newbie come onto guild chat...get ridiculed, laughed at, or told to go do the tutorial (without being told where to find it)..or nobody cares to help them at all....by the time i can send my welcome to them , they are gone...or most of the time, they quit within 5-15 minutes..what can we as players or the game do to keep these players past the first few minutes...is it that confusing ??  not helping is the fact that the tutorial is extremly hard to find for a new person if nobody is there to tell them, i think the tuturial should be able to be found directly under the character tab, even better would be to have it's own tab right under "world" and above "character"...not under character tab and then preferences tab..if they make it to the tutorial, many come out of tutorial and quit then..i would say over 2/3rds of the newbies dont make it past the first 15 minutes of playing...how to correct that ?? 

Edited by yodamus, 04 November 2014 - 14:22.

[yodamus]

 

 

I would like to see the development roadmap actually being progressed and not just the timescales being pushed back and for random things to just be inserted into the list, which are neither critical or server any purpose. I have to say I have not seen a genuine improvement to this game in at least a year, which is very sad. Time to bring Hoofmaster back to control and run the game, under his guidance this game was flourishing, now it is in a rapid decline which is very sad.

+ 1 million !!  super bingo !!, this is what really is hurting the game..the main things that need to be updated are severly behind and getting slower, everyday...only updating that happens , is to change the dates back to make it look good..changes that were from july are still waiting, saying the are being worked on ( does it really take 3 months to design new unique items and guild conflict medals ??)...roadmap at a standstill..behind over 5 updates....Hoofmaster was very good at keeping the roadmap somewhat on schedule...whoever is in charge now..cant keep up with a turtle..seems nothing is being done...everyone notices this...yea they say they are super busy with events...but someone still should be working on roadmap at all times...so many things to do..yet nothing seems to be getting done.., except the date changing...that is not acceptable,  new pvp/xp system is sorely needed , but at the rate of development, it could easily be late 2015 before that happens..which is very sad, bullying to continue for that long..someone is not serious about getting rid of bullying, for it to last for another year.....please please ooh please..come back to fallensword Hoofmaster and help this situation out...the game needs you..

Edited by yodamus, 04 November 2014 - 13:39.

[BadPenny]

What the Holy Bovines need to do to improve player retention is not my focus here, although I admit that of late, there have been things neglected.  Yes, we need Hoofie to peep in and pay a little more attention to us... PvP needs its revamp, but, I really don't expect anything there until next year.  There are the FS birthday and Christmas events to plan and implement after all (not to mention new content), so I'm sure that discussions about PvP are back burner for the moment...

 

What I am trying to illustrate is that we as a community owe it to ourselves to be kind and helpful to each other, new and veterans.  Part of what kept me coming back when I was struggling was the help I received from what then amounted to new friends I met in this forum and on the IRC.  I just think we've lost sight of this, and as a result, new players are getting lost, confused and frustrated, and just move on to another game.  Those are who I think we should focus on.  We don't need mentoring implemented to start doing it again.  We should do it out of love of the game and the desire to help keep it alive by helping new blood grow and get bit by the FS bug... 

[Removed18058]

i've heard from a little bird that they are currently discussing guild warfare ^^

 

sounds like some awesome pvp addittion ^  ^

 

 

and the most important thing

 

 

is to have fun with the game and with the other people playing it !

[Kedyn]

Penny, I agree with you. It comes down to us as a community to help mentor and welcome new players, returning players and current players all as one. Whether  a player is level 1, 1000 or 2000+, they should all be treated with respect, and sometimes the community misses out on that. It's part of the reason I stay out of world chat, as in my experience, there has been plenty of negativity. I'm hopeful that the community can continue the story that you mention above, as keeping people and welcoming new people in is the way to continue the legacy of this game (outside of the needed adjustments/additions).

[cyrus7]

not helping is the fact that the tutorial is extremly hard to find for a new person if nobody is there to tell them, i think the tuturial should be able to be found directly under the character tab, even better would be to have it's own tab right under "world" and above "character"...not under character tab and then preferences tab..

I believe new players are actually dropped right into the tutorial realm with the first tutorial quest clearly marked. The button in the preferences is labeled as, "If you joined the game before the new tutorial was added, you can use the button below to teleport to the start of it."  So basically that button is just for those of us who were around before it existed to go back to the starting area to mark it off our quests.

[yodamus]

I believe new players are actually dropped right into the tutorial realm with the first tutorial quest clearly marked. The button in the preferences is labeled as, "If you joined the game before the new tutorial was added, you can use the button below to teleport to the start of it."  So basically that button is just for those of us who were around before it existed to go back to the starting area to mark it off our quests.

ok..cool..thx for letting me know that...i guess then..why do so many quit after the tutorial ??  within the first 10-15 minutes of playing..what can we do to keep this from happening..

[Dowster]

I would like to mention one of the things FS has always had right is the PM and Guild chat system. The current global chat is a nice addition, but compared to most online games, the FS global is still more than the sum total of the communication methods that the game has - 5-10 lines of floating chat that flash up over the HUD and disappear forever within minutes, and not much more in guild coms or private messages.

There have been many occasions when I've been all out of stam and thing to do in FS but have kept it open and tabbed back and forth to it while playing another game in order to converse with a fellow fallen sworder who is also playing the other. So I suppose for me, what's most important is the communication, because that's what this game supports better than any other.

As I don't really see any reason to chose an online game over an offline one unless you actually want to interact with other people. This would be the part where I say that competitive pvp is the best way of interacting and making new friends aside from the act of messaging itself. As long as all is done in the interests and manner of good sport

As for most people playing the first 10-15 minutes and the never coming back. It's something that happens in any and all games online - especially as time moves on and the choice gets ever greater. If you were to stand in a starting realm on any of the big open world/sandbox games. In any given hour you would probably see over 100 people appear, run around for 10 minutes, then vanish never to be seen again. Likely they spent more time selecting hairstyles and eye make up, than actually playing the game..

Grab people, talk to them and try to keep their attention long enough to scratch the surface of the depth that FS has - efficient use of buff combos alone is a multifaceted affair. Even then probably more than half will leave after a short while spent trying to find which guild will make it easiest for them to breeze through the game without any challenge. But the good ones should stay. I hope

Edited by Dowster, 04 November 2014 - 18:55.

[RebornJedi]

Think about how many players log into the first time on their phone or tablet.. Then they go and try to walk around.. That laginfested movement would certainly put me off right away..

[wil72]

Why was Global chat introduced? To help new players. It was the primary reason for its implementation by Hoof. Details are in the forum somewhere. As for negativity seeping into GC that, I'm afraid, is inevitable. As there are so many things to be negative about, game and beyond. But helping new players, this really is a must and those that have "responsibility" within GC should be  pushing this at every opportunity. Making comments like, "anyone help a new player today?" or "how many new players were helped in GC today?". Simple comments just to remind folk WHY GC was introduced. But in the end it's down to the individual whether they help or not. And many that would/do can no longer enter GC. Might want to think about that.

 

Cheers.

 

wil72

Edited by wil72, 04 November 2014 - 23:33.

[bloody18]

Why was Global chat introduced? To help new players. It was the primary reason for its implementation by Hoof. Details are in the forum somewhere. As for negativity seeping into GC that, I'm afraid, is inevitable. As there are so many things to be negative about, game and beyond. But helping new players, this really is a must and those that have "responsibility" within GC should be  pushing this at every opportunity. Making comments like, "anyone help a new player today?" or "how many new players were helped in GC today?". Simple comments just to remind folk WHY GC was introduced. But in the end it's down to the individual whether they help or not. And many that would/do can no longer enter GC. Might want to think about that.

 

Cheers.

 

wil72

Just questions I dont know the answers to : Doesnt HCS  have chat mods for this...? Does HCS compensate someone to monitor chat and maybe help noobs..? Do they get paid in RL $$$ or virtual wacky bucks like FSP ? I am just curious as this technically is a business.. If I was the owner I would be watching from a far not just when I punched the clock.

I only ask because it would be really really smart to dedicate someone to the global chat with an agenda ( the agenda being GROWTH) This is in addition to the regular helpful player looking for guild growth or just lending a helpful hand.

 

Anyone know the answers to these questions? thanks =) bloody

[BadPenny]

Bloody, there are chat mods.  As far as I know,  they donate their time.  That's all I will say about it... 

[bloody18]

Bloody, there are chat mods.  As far as I know,  they donate their time.  That's all I will say about it... 

thanks BP  ...i still dont know if they are employed by HCS .. or if they have an incentive type program for "donations"  of time..  If it is donated time ..is there  an international  tax write off? In all seriousness  kudos to those willing to donate your time and effort to a for profit business ..without you it wouldnt just be a game

AND I have absolutely NO PROBLEM with the way things are being run just curious is all thanks

Edited by bloody18, 05 November 2014 - 03:40.

[BadPenny]

I don't think they get any compensation outside of that thrill of having a little power (at least I would be a bit thrilled) .  I know it's a job I would never want.  In any case, it's their job to police the chat and make sure chat rules are followed and that conversations don't get out of hand, not to welcome new players and show them the ropes.... I know that for the most part the mods do help new players, but I don't think they do so because it's their job, but because it's the right thing to do.

[bloody18]

I don't think they get any compensation outside of that thrill of having a little power (at least I would be a bit thrilled) .  I know it's a job I would never want.  In any case, it's their job to police the chat and make sure chat rules are followed and that conversations don't get out of hand, not to welcome new players and show them the ropes.... I know that for the most part the mods do help new players, but I don't think they do so because it's their job, but because it's the right thing to do.

Thanks BP and thanks to those who donate your time and effort to this game

[cyrus7]

Just questions I dont know the answers to

I'll answer them for you.

 

Doesnt HCS  have chat mods for this...?

In any case, it's their job to police the chat and make sure chat rules are followed and that conversations don't get out of hand, not to welcome new players and show them the ropes.... I know that for the most part the mods do help new players, but I don't think they do so because it's their job, but because it's the right thing to do.

What Penny said. 

 

Does HCS compensate someone to monitor chat and maybe help noobs..?

No.

 

Do they get paid in RL $$$ or virtual wacky bucks like FSP ?

No.

 

i still dont know if they are employed by HCS ..

No.

 

or if they have an incentive type program for "donations"  of time..

No.

 

If it is donated time ..is there  an international  tax write off? 

No.

 

In all seriousness  kudos to those willing to donate your time and effort to a for profit business ..without you it wouldnt just be a game