Planetarion Forums

Kargool · 11 May 2007, 08:58

I like to propose the idea of training galaxies for new players.

As it is now, many galaxies struggle with the newly created planets that sign up, then auto deletes or the person playing does not feel the game interesting. There is various results with the satisfaction the people starting a new planet gets, and also some unhappy results for the galaxy the person joins.

I propose that when creating a new planet after the shuffle there should be an option you get to get put in a training galaxy. Now, a lot of people says: no way, how are these planets gonna get learned the ropes etc. Here is where my suggestion gets interesting.

The support team can help out tutoring the new players, they can have planets in this galaxy for the new signups to ask questions. (note ofc that this galaxy needs to be in cluster 100 or something to avoid them being able to attack into the universe/ prolly scans too). They can encourage the newly signed up players to come onto irc where a #traininggalaxychannel is there for their many questions about Planetarion if they choose to go there.

After the 72 ticks are over, the planet will automatically get sendt out into the real universe, and the ones who really want to get things started will have gotten proper help and training from the support team galaxy. The current rules of inactivity gets your account deleted will still count ofc.

Wandows · 11 May 2007, 09:06

I think this is actually a good idea, let planet signup default to training galaxies (which ofcourse active players know not to pick)

The only thing i'd like to see different is the time they move to the active universe. If you combine a setup like this with a quest setup that would actually be great imo. Put in quests that explain the game mechanics reasonably well and learn the players which action has what result and don't move them to the active universe untill they completed all quests. This way you also ensure the players that do enter the active universe know the game to some extent. Perhaps some score barrier has to be reached aswell to prove you are capable of building up a reasonable planet.

are · 11 May 2007, 09:15

I like the idea in general.
As well as Wandows I see a problem with the time limit, though.
The quests are a nice step there, but I think attacking and defending is an important part of the game so interaction with the real universe should be possible both ways.
To prevent that galaxy being a farming ground way lower cap limits might be useful, e.g. 2% max roid cap, 2% max steal and similar things as well as the ships being less efficient there.
A real cool move would be ofc to state what would really have happened in a training news item so people are pushed into going into the live universe with the full stats. For those that really are unwilling to leave for a real galaxy perhaps still have a tick limit that is suitable high.

Regards,
_are_

Kargool · 11 May 2007, 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by are

I like the idea in general.
As well as Wandows I see a problem with the time limit, though.
The quests are a nice step there, but I think attacking and defending is an important part of the game so interaction with the real universe should be possible both ways.
To prevent that galaxy being a farming ground way lower cap limits might be useful, e.g. 2% max roid cap, 2% max steal and similar things as well as the ships being less efficient there.
A real cool move would be ofc to state what would really have happened in a training news item so people are pushed into going into the live universe with the full stats. For those that really are unwilling to leave for a real galaxy perhaps still have a tick limit that is suitable high.

Regards,
_are_

As i said, having them in cluster 100 where they are unreachable for the real universe is one thing. There could also be botplanets, or automated planets (shock gasp) that are there for them to attac, maybe even the support team members's planets are in a different gal where they can have fixed fleets with obvious loopholes making them possible to attack. The quest system could be to attack that and that planet after getting "scans" of them. ( Members of support team could ofc have planets in the real universe too, just not interact with the ones they have in the training galaxy)

Also gotta be aware of trying to filter out abuse of this possibility thus not making it too powerful so that people just sign in here for having a supergood start.

-Blue Moon- · 11 May 2007, 13:48

...or simply tie in the quests with the amount of time in the tutorial part of the universe (the c100s)...

i.e. they have to complete every quest in order to be moved into the active universe?

It will also help them learn what scans to request and how to read those scans and calculate breps, how to start res/con, how to attack and defend, etc...... You could go further still and find ways to help teach players how to report incommings on IRC (simple coded bot would be great)...

Then perhaps give them 24hrs protection when moving them to the real universe so that we're not throwing them completely in the deep-end.

I believe an amount of hand-holding would be good for new players and make them less... n00bish... when they enter the active universe.

Monroe · 11 May 2007, 15:58

The Dev team has discussed similar ideas, I think the main stumbling block has been the same as it has always been, finding someone to code the bot planets (appoco actually asked me to look at it once, and I can't code worth crap!) and other features that would make this viable. Personally I'm more in favor of a quick tutorial rather then a long one. Meaning some sort of 'quick game' that would teach a new player the ropes in an hour or two at the most and have them up and ready to go, including explaining the use and value of IRC.

Wandows · 11 May 2007, 16:53

The bot planets really don't have to be anything intelligent, just some planet with a default fleet (and weakness), roidcounts and planet settings that recovers itself to default after each battle/tick making sure there is enough playground for the trainees to test on.

GReaper · 12 May 2007, 03:46

This has been suggested before.

It's needed for new players. Seriously, what's the first thing you do when you buy a game? Read the manual? Never. Players want to get their feet wet and start playing without reading the boring manual.

Many games have a tutorial system, a training galaxy would be the Planetarion tutorial.

Shyne · 15 May 2007, 15:59

Like training pants for kids, training galaxies will be a pocket of excrement

-Blue Moon- · 16 May 2007, 12:41

hell, if you can't code a bunch of botplanets i'll control 20 or 30 training 'targets' for next round and and get severeley bashed by all the learning noobies. lol

i'm not even kidding :-) i'll do that - it sounds fun.

Just make sure no fleets can be sent from outside c100 (i.e. copy the code for not hitting c200 planets) and put all my 'bot'-esque planets in one galaxy in c100 (copy the code from 1:1). Then give the noobies the option to self-exile once extra for free (simple modification of the existing code, which adds them to the real universe when they're ready - RESETTING THEIR PLANETS naturally) and viola! a training part of the universe!

-tux