Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please read)

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kid
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by kid »

I know, sorry, was a bad joke.
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Zelknolf
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by Zelknolf »

Duck One wrote:link
I think that the question is a very different one if we don't propose that the player be allowed to grant XP, and seems to still allow all the stuff you're asking for. If they're just characters who have the powers/access as PCs, but are also restricted in some other meaningful way (like the DM team officially owns them and can take them away for any reason), we're much less in the sticky territory of trying to have player-DMs.
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Duck One
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by Duck One »

Zelknolf wrote:
Duck One wrote:link
I think that the question is a very different one if we don't propose that the player be allowed to grant XP, and seems to still allow all the stuff you're asking for. If they're just characters who have the powers/access as PCs, but are also restricted in some other meaningful way (like the DM team officially owns them and can take them away for any reason), we're much less in the sticky territory of trying to have player-DMs.
I would think that helping a new PC would help them more efficiently earn XP just by being helpful. Knowing where to find a static and maybe a trick or two in managing it would be very beneficial on its own. If I am online on my level 6 PC and I try to party up with a newbie level 1 to "help" him out, I am going to screw up all of his XP for combat. But if instead I log into my level 1 NPC acolyte from the local temple, not only will his combat XP be unaltered, but I could heal him and let him play a bit more.
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kid
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by kid »

I don't know. This is really getting close to talks about level progression (Under: Ways to help people get more XP).
Now I don't know, I find our progression rate satisfactory, but then again, i'm not a complete noob.
Ever sense I crossed level 6-7 for the first time (After 4-5 failures at lower levels) I found it fairly easy to level up, but I know that's not the same with everyone, more so noobs.

To me it seems like it would be more useful to make it feasible for low levels to group with high and get some XP?
On the other hand then we have the issue of leveling at low to zero risk...
Then again we do that anyways with static aid (only that's at least is somewhat finite).

Dunno.

Either way, if we have to choose (ignoring the tech work which may be needed to be put into each option) i'd ideally (between these two at least) probably vote for a revamp of XP gains rather than spamming our servers with pseudo DMs and/or multiple semi-PCs.
It's more inclusive (I tend to shy away from adventuring with lower levels in fear I'll kill their XP) without breaking our 1 PC per player (well, sorta, by now) and our no DM where we play.
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kid
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by kid »

Another option would be to, let's say, multiple your RPXP by some factor depending on the party size, while in the same area, or while in certain adventury areas... again, if that's even possible tech wise and not complete nonsense.

That would give you some xp reward for adventuring with a group, even if it's not directly from the monsters.
I actually think that answers most of our needs without breaking any of our rules or risking anything.
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Dorn
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by Dorn »

This is a discussion I didn't expect! :)

I feel a new character in town would probably appreciate a friendly face to help them find their way around. Similarly a new player might just like someone to point out new tricks on our user interface, and some friendly pointers in what all the words on the wiki talking about IC behaviour actually mean in game.

The recent discussion is a more fundamental change and not something I will push for now (but by all means you guys crack on!:) ). My one thought is that a pseudo-NPC is not someone that a new PC can really form a relationships with to continue on where an actual established PC may be.


At this stage, i'll take the kindly offers from the above and when I see a new character in game will connect them with one of the people above and check back in as they go. You guys feel free to PM me when you see a new GSID as well so i can try and help.
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Wynna
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by Wynna »

Excellent initiative! Just extending a helping hand to new players is a step in the right direction. I will do anything in my power on TSM to facilitate newcomer fun. I'm currently building content.

I support increasing starting gold and giving a single-use do-over token to first PCs of new players. I would suggest that they be able to roll-over this do-over token, in case they don't want to apply it to their very first PC but to the first PC that they care about, and that the do-over expires for any given PC at level 2. (Or 3?)

I disagree with player-granted XP cookies, with a need to rewrite XP scripts, and with granting a third (N)PC for mentors.
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oldgrayrogue
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by oldgrayrogue »

All ALFAns should do this with new players. The welcome mat is the best way to keep them around. Whenever I see a new player on I always send a welcome tell and a lets meet up request. Sadly the response is usually "is this server always so empty" which we all collectively need to work on as best we can as swell.
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Adanu
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by Adanu »

Those players are looking for a social server. I maintain that ALFA has never been about being a social server first. It's always been a static/campaign world with roleplaying.
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shad0wfax
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Re: Your assistance helping new players enjoy ALFA (please r

Post by shad0wfax »

The reward for teaming up with new players is that the population that we are trying to grow does grow that way.

I'd like to see the DMA increase level progression in terms of combat xp for monsters and plot XP award allowances by DMs.

I'd like to have level progression be somewhat faster for the folks willing to take risks in DM campaigns and also by hunting monsters. Note that the lethality would not change at all; there is inherent risk in hunting.

I think that rewarding players with XP for helping new players is probably the wrong vehicle to address level progression with. That said, we do hand out RP cookies fairly often when we see RP happening, and that is for all players, not just new ones.
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