What REALLY needs to be in the newbie school - and why?

[Chalgyr]

The subject covers most of this one. If we were to add something to the Newbie School - what would it be? If we have useless info to take out, what should it be. Anything you'd like to see done differently in there to help new players? What have you seen done well elsewhere to help newer players out?

Thanks!

[Tylon]

Newbie tick channels are annoying.

I think the best of the newbie schools establish a goal/reward dynamic early on, then carry that into the "real world" seamlessly. Also realize that over the years the mudding community has evolved. While there needs to be an introduction for basic commands, I would wager that 9 out of 10 genuinely new players visiting here know the basics already. As such most new players are looking for an emersive experience that immediately gets them involved, rather than a "this is the school, this is the real game" situation.

The best newbie schools are the ones where you don't realize you are being taught something.

What are some things every new person asks about? What makes KoTL a unique experience? These things should be at least hinted at during their first 30 minutes here. There's no way to cover everything because there's so much KoTL has to offer, but at least point at the helpfiles.

Newbie tick channels are annoying.

Off the top of my head, things that really ought to be touched on:

-Questing, multiple questers and token types, sayto command and meaning of (T)
-Kingdoms
-Religions
-Leveling, Tiering
-Stats, Death stat loss
-Roleplay, rprewards, convert
-Runestones, tattooing
-Gemstones, socketing
-Customs
-Augmenting
-Races, Race modifications
-Casting circles, memorize
-Gold/silver having actual weight

Newbie tick channels are annoying.

Also we need to tap into the psychology behind people valuing their time. If you login and listen to a diatribe in the first 5 minutes from the newbie school, you haven't really made any effort. If you login, immediately get thrown into killing a few pests and complete a simple "Go kill this mob, come back" quest... you have made some effort and are more likely to value your character. Then let them kill some more, maybe send on a longer quest and so on. If you ease people into using their time and effort, they are more likely to value the character they have created. Perhaps even introduce some uncommon drops to make their character feel unique and special.

Lastly there needs to be seamless integration between the newbie school and the outside world. A good way to accomplish this would be for there to be a few quests that lead them back and forth between the school and the realm. For example, a Mesilena character gets sent by a newbie school mob to talk to Rhioon, who asks you to go kill something in the newbie school and bring back some drop. You bring it back, Rhioon gives you some quest tokens then introduces you to the quest request system.

Newbie tick channels are annoying.

[Thalia]

You do realize you can turn off newbie hints? Just type:

> HINT

[Thalia]

One of my favorite newbie schools was actually set-up as a school -- multi-floor, multi-room. The room names told what lesson was taught in that room.   I think it was right off of the main town square/recall point.  It wasn't a mandatory thing to do, but optional, highly encouraged.... I think you got nudged a few times if you didn't go through it.... or maybe you had to do it to get beyond the basic hunting areas??  But you were definitely "in town" where you could interact with seasoned players, not segregated.

The lessons were some times given by someone talking, some times by reading a book or writing on the wall/blackboard.

A lot of things were set-up so you could try them -- like the interaction we have with filling a waterskin.

And you could go back to the schoolhouse to re-read things, it wasn't just a one shot through.   Now that I think about it, the upper floors might have had commands related to advanced commands, so you might even have been encourage to go hunting or exploring the game after going through the rooms on the first floor.

[Elendil]

One of my favorite newbie schools was actually set-up as a school -- multi-floor, multi-room. The room names told what lesson was taught in that room.   I think it was right off of the main town square/recall point.  It wasn't a mandatory thing to do, but optional, highly encouraged.... I think you got nudged a few times if you didn't go through it.... or maybe you had to do it to get beyond the basic hunting areas??  But you were definitely "in town" where you could interact with seasoned players, not segregated.

The lessons were some times given by someone talking, some times by reading a book or writing on the wall/blackboard.

A lot of things were set-up so you could try them -- like the interaction we have with filling a waterskin.

And you could go back to the schoolhouse to re-read things, it wasn't just a one shot through.   Now that I think about it, the upper floors might have had commands related to advanced commands, so you might even have been encourage to go hunting or exploring the game after going through the rooms on the first floor.

I like that idea, Thalia....I like it alot  .  If it is doable, why not give that idea a whirl, Chal?  And I agree, typing "hint" is very simple and does the job beautifully.

[Daklore]

The problem with hint is, it's not exactly known right off--yes, one of the hints does tell you how to disable hints--but not everyone -likes- having hints blasted at them every X seconds. Perhaps teach them the hint command to enable it, rather than have it auto-enabled.

[Algorgon]

One of my favorite newbie schools was actually set-up as a school -- multi-floor, multi-room. The room names told what lesson was taught in that room.   I think it was right off of the main town square/recall point.  It wasn't a mandatory thing to do, but optional, highly encouraged.... I think you got nudged a few times if you didn't go through it.... or maybe you had to do it to get beyond the basic hunting areas??  But you were definitely "in town" where you could interact with seasoned players, not segregated.

The lessons were some times given by someone talking, some times by reading a book or writing on the wall/blackboard.

A lot of things were set-up so you could try them -- like the interaction we have with filling a waterskin.

And you could go back to the schoolhouse to re-read things, it wasn't just a one shot through.   Now that I think about it, the upper floors might have had commands related to advanced commands, so you might even have been encourage to go hunting or exploring the game after going through the rooms on the first floor.

I like this idea too. Especially being able to go back to the school to brush up on things. Or do things that you forgot to do. I know when I went through the Newbie land I forgot to get the faceplate and I couldn't go back to get it. And the ability to go back for more advanced topics is cool too. I'm sure that I'll have lots of questions about things too. And I know I've made comments on this too, but how about a Map room. That would be handy to have.

[Chalgyr]

I think there's a lot of value in the idea Thalia's bringing up. Here was another idea that was sent to me on the MUD:

I think it should be fun, I think they should have an option of getting 'one' 'soulbound' or 'owned' object, albiet a mini legendary light.  (owned) or weapon or shield.  That can enhance their gameplay and roleplay.
I also think the school should be different for each starting area, but meet in the middle.

I also think it should be different for each race.  (that would make it fun and appealing)

I think there should be more quest like features other than just 'follow this' 'kill this' 'say this'.  With I mobs, like someone saying, hey talk to me! over and over until you say 'hi' to the person and they give them a quest..
just like any other quest.


Basically the newbie school should involve atleast one quest and explain how questing works, give an example mini quest gear that isn't awesome but is cool.
The newbie school sould require ten levels too, as a quest, to show you how to level up.

The newbie school should show you how to bank, should show you how to heal.  Show you how to roleplay.

SO when someone graduates newbie school they understand how everything works.

(you can make it more knowledgeable or less knowledgeable as time goes)
YOu could also have newbie college
and have people at 200 go to it, and get a custom piece of gear, and learn how to augment, etc.
Just some fun ideas.

basically if someone graduates, they shouldn't be as confused as they are.  They should learn about resistances,  ac, spells, how to join a religion, benifits of having something GMed,  benifits of using RPXP.  How to rank up, benifits of ranks.
Everything.

[Daklore]

I think there's a lot of value in the idea Thalia's bringing up. Here was another idea that was sent to me on the MUD:

I think it should be fun, I think they should have an option of getting 'one' 'soulbound' or 'owned' object, albiet a mini legendary light.  (owned) or weapon or shield.  That can enhance their gameplay and roleplay.

No. Just no. Sye, quit thinking about legendaries for your alts. Sheesh. Anything similiar to a legendary is still a legendary, that should only be available through stones.

I also think the school should be different for each starting area, but meet in the middle.

I also think it should be different for each race.  (that would make it fun and appealing)

I think there should be more quest like features other than just 'follow this' 'kill this' 'say this'.  With I mobs, like someone saying, hey talk to me! over and over until you say 'hi' to the person and they give them a quest..
just like any other quest.

This is doable now, with the talkscript, but wasn't really a reality back then. Retroactive addition of talkscript should be considered regardless of newbie areas or not. Then again, that's all upto the original builders about what they want in their areas, of course(most of them are yours, fuzzbutt >P)

Basically the newbie school should involve atleast one quest and explain how questing works, give an example mini quest gear that isn't awesome but is cool.
The newbie school sould require ten levels too, as a quest, to show you how to level up.

If you don't know how to level up... you're doing it wrong. Levelling up is the simplest function of any RPG. If you know even -one- thing about an RPG, it's that you level up by killing things. We don't need to show them how to level up...

The newbie school should show you how to bank, should show you how to heal.  Show you how to roleplay.

You can't teach someone to RP in five minutes. It's something you have to learn through genuine interaction. You can give them the general rules, but you can't teach them -how-. RP is like acting. You can teach people how to act, but you have to litterally -show- them how to do it in person, and interact with them multiple times over multiple hours to teach them. Some people will pick it up quicker, most will flounder. It's not something the newbie school can teach succinctly.

As a result, no mud actually -tries- to teach newbies how to RP. None I know of. They teach them the rules of ic and ooc boundary, the rest is up to interaction with the playerbase.

SO when someone graduates newbie school they understand how everything works.

(you can make it more knowledgeable or less knowledgeable as time goes)
YOu could also have newbie college
and have people at 200 go to it, and get a custom piece of gear, and learn how to augment, etc.
Just some fun ideas.

... No

basically if someone graduates, they shouldn't be as confused as they are.  They should learn about resistances,  ac, spells, how to join a religion, benifits of having something GMed,  benifits of using RPXP.  How to rank up, benifits of ranks.
Everything.