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[SUGGESTION] Newbie server resurrected |
Gejaheline
Fleet Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 19, 2005
Posts: 1127
From: UGTO MUNIN HQ, Mars
|  Posted: 2008-10-14 12:57
With added wild speculation! I'm perfectly open to ideas, suggestions and what-not, and I'm not going to cry if someone says "no this will totally not work, I shoots you down", but I think it's probably something worth discussing.
As it is, and yes I know the MV needs work and there are lots of bugs that need sorting, there's not really a safe place for brand new people to try out the game. This is not a simple game, and getting killed by dreadnaughts constantly probably doesn't help to retain new players, for a variety of reasons.
So. My suggestion is essentially to bring back the newbie server. However, not a newbie server as in 483, which was a rank-locked scenario server, but a mini-MV environment, with perhaps a similar (but much scaled-down) layout to the epsilon server: each faction has two or three worlds, and a midpoint system to fight over. Add to this some small gaifen and AI pirates to practice against when there aren't any humans, and you have a place where new players can immediately jump in and fight, build, transport, or bomb without being afraid of being killed by the menaces that inhabit the proper MV.
One of the issues I see, of course, is that GAs would turn up, kill everyone, and farm the AIs, leaving nothing but a charred wasteland. While pres for killing weeny AIs is basically insignificant to people of significant rank, it doesn't take much of a stretch of cynicism to imagine it happening. One solution would be to prevent people above a certain rank from gaining any pres in the server, and/or rank-locking the place. I don't think outright banning higher ranks from the server would be productive, since people may want to hang around and help out the newbies.
Thoughts, anyone?
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Doran
Chief Marshal
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 29, 2003
Posts: 4032
From: The Gideon Unit
| Posted: 2008-10-14 16:49
newbie and admiral arent going anywhere, they're just down temporarily while faustus gets the major kinks out of 1.5/mv cluster model
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Gejaheline
Fleet Admiral
Galactic Navy
Joined: March 19, 2005
Posts: 1127
From: UGTO MUNIN HQ, Mars
| Posted: 2008-10-14 17:38
Presumably they'll be exactly the same as the old ones, though?
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Eledore Massis [R33]
Grand Admiral
Templar Knights
Joined: May 26, 2002
Posts: 2695
From: tsohlacoLocalhost
| Posted: 2008-10-15 09:17
Quote:
| On 2008-10-14 17:38, Gejaheline wrote:
Presumably they'll be exactly the same as the old ones, though? |
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I'm thinking single scenario, with linked gates from and to the MV.
But yes it will return in some form of the other.
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DS Discordion
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Julian Delphiki
Fleet Admiral
Joined: June 19, 2002
Posts: 171
| Posted: 2008-10-24 08:18
After helping a newbie in the MV last night, I find that it is not a question of if it should be back, but when. Im sure anyone will help make maps(if anyone can in 1.5 yet) since I know that they need to be remade for 1.5.
Its simple, new people cannot earn prestige now that the mv is built. When it was just starting in the first week or so, and there were empty planets they could bomb infantry and cap planets, but now they cant even do that without someone disabling the defenses(legally of course).
Also, on that note.. Infantry regenerate way too fast for single bomb slots. While 2 neutrons at once(or 2 mirvs at once) will kill inf within the blast radius, 1 neutron then waiting for reload and another usually takes at least half a salvo or more to kill an infantry.
Sure, if you have friendly players on at the time and on the faction the player is on, they can get prestige. Last night ingodragon was in Sirius while we were playing with the luth. Knowing an inty would be popped before he got any pres, suggested bombing/capping but couldnt find any planets without def.. So with a couple ships defending us(outta their boredom), I got my aggy and made a tech shortage so he could neut the inf, while Abbot supped him. This is when i realized how weak the bomber corvette is(I know it needs to be, but we need something for new players to do). Got him close to Ensign, which is good since at ensign he can build and once u can build ur set on the path to promotions..
But if we were to have the newbie server back, even a little 1-3 star mv cluster newbie with a few planets per system, new people would have others on their same level that they can fight and learn with. Would need to old Captain prestige limit(cant gain if ur above captain, not blocked completely) so veterans dont go in newb farmin, obviously.
Until the current state of Dreadspace is balanced out for all ships, new people dont really have any way to get to ensign without a bit of help(which is good in a way because it encourages teamwork, but teamwork is rather rare when it doesnt involve prestige gain). Even if its just one map that resets every 2 hours, its better than nothing at this point. Please make DS noob friendly again(without making 483 again)
Also, remind new people not to activate their trial until they have enough stats for ensign(or at least til they play a couple of days). This will help them since they wont have to be a midshipman for half of their trial. Also since they wont still be figuring out the basics while their trial is used up.
[ This Message was edited by: Julian Delphiki *P2* on 2008-10-24 08:24 ]
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Drafell
Grand Admiral
Mythica
Joined: May 30, 2003
Posts: 2449
From: United Kingdom
| Posted: 2008-10-25 04:07
We are working on the integration of the newbie "starter" environment into the MV.
The final version should involve a combination of AI and scripted game devices/events to ensure that building is controlled and available for the new players.
[ This Message was edited by: Drafell on 2008-10-25 04:08 ]
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It's gone now, no longer here...Yet still I see, and still I fear.rnrn
rnrn
DarkSpace Developer - Retired
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Julian Delphiki
Fleet Admiral
Joined: June 19, 2002
Posts: 171
| Posted: 2008-10-25 09:07
Quote:
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On 2008-10-25 04:07, Drafell wrote:
We are working on the integration of the newbie "starter" environment into the MV.
The final version should involve a combination of AI and scripted game devices/events to ensure that building is controlled and available for the new players.
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Thank you for the update Draf  Nice to know its being worked on, rather than just discussed.
DS devs are unique, they actually listen to valid requests. Thanks for all ur hard work(as I know u all have real jobs and just do this for free)
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Lord Raiden *Super Sup*
Grand Admiral
Interstellar Cultural Confederation United
Joined: March 23, 2002
Posts: 91
From: London
| Posted: 2009-01-21 01:47
i don't see why vets are not allowed in the newb server to show new players how to play, however being above Lt Commander i can no longer go in there and show players how to play and teach them like i used to..
but why not limit the fight mode to Lt Commander but those who are above that rank set in to observer mode with the ability to speak like normal in chat/team/yell etc etc and also to view a players hud so they can help a player learn through guidance rather then being forced from entering the server all together.. i myself don't mind going into the newbie server and helping players for a few hours a week hell i used to before i ranked up sometimes i had to stop subscription just to teach new players...
any thoughts on that idea?
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DarkSpace Member Since 2002
Quote:
JBud:
Collision detection is funny huh? amazing how it can detect a tiny pcannon projectile hitting you, but a whole planet? nothing is there!
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Fattierob
Vice Admiral
Joined: April 25, 2003
Posts: 4059
| Posted: 2009-01-21 13:14
.......I'm pretty sure you can go in the newbie server. it just restricts your rank to lt. cmdr
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Lord Raiden *Super Sup*
Grand Admiral
Interstellar Cultural Confederation United
Joined: March 23, 2002
Posts: 91
From: London
| Posted: 2009-01-21 13:49
nah won't even let ya connect to it..
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DarkSpace Member Since 2002
Quote:
JBud:
Collision detection is funny huh? amazing how it can detect a tiny pcannon projectile hitting you, but a whole planet? nothing is there!
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Sixkiller
Marshal
Courageous Elite Commandos
Joined: May 11, 2005
Posts: 1786
From: Netherlands
| Posted: 2009-01-22 04:31
I just joined the newbie server and spawned a ship. It works fine, it just limits the ship you can use to the rank limit. So it works fine.
You probably weren't able to join because you joined one of the other servers within 2 minutes prior to joining newbie.
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