Needed Tweak

[TheHatter]

There is a gap, between starting the game and actually being able to play the game. I just joined today and I spent a good 3 or 4 hours Scavenging and rolling 3 different characters to get a starter character that I could work with.

Alas, I never did. I almost came to the point where I was about to quit and give up on the game forever. If it wasn't for a very friendly player (Dakota) who happened to be close by when my frustration finally hit Local Chat, I wouldn't be here right now. The game would be uninstalled and I would never return.

The problem is, that as a new player you are stuck. No matter what skills you chose, you're stuck in an endless grind to find certain things before you can actually have fun. I was in dire need of an Old Saw Blade. I couldn't make anything useful or do anything but craft the same thing over and over for no reason, w/o the Saw Blade.... that I couldn't find.

The tweak I am proposing, as a new player, is to give new players all the tools they need to start having fun immediately. I'm not asking for anything more than a proper set of tools that would allow the player to craft better tools, or craft other things that would allow them to advance in a proper fashion. As a tool maker, I couldn't make my tools because I couldn't make the handle to make the saw without a saw and I couldn't find a saw blade to make a bone saw, once I finally got to that point. Which is where my frustration came to a peak.

Every new player should start out with a basic set of tools, that will allow them to eventually get to every tool in the game. Without this, it's just simply not fun and retention is not going to be all that great. This is a simple fix and not game breaking in any way shape or form. With the way tools seem to be designed, it seems that future releases will allow item degradation and better tools will yield better results on the products.

This is just a simple fix, that would probably take someone no less than 10 minutes, that would increase retention and decrease refunds. Ever since Dakota has given me those tools, I am well on my way to having fun and enjoying the game. There is no reason I shouldn't have been having fun from the get go.

[MrDDT]

This is planned come release with the fact that ANYONE can teach you basic skills to get you started. Plus tools and other things will be much easier to get once people are playing the game.

[TheHatter]

Skills aren't the problem. The problem is, without someone else you can't do anything. You can make this unless you have that, but you can't make that unless you have something else. A new player should be able to get started, without absolutely needing another player to give him things. The real problem here, is the Saw. I scavenged for hours, without finding anything. I couldn't do anything that was fun, and I couldn't make anything useful. My skills were terrible, which is understandable, but what's not understandable is that it wasn't fun. It's a game, it should be fun from the minute you log in. I am into things like this, everything else so far has been kosher. Ever since I was given the new tools, I've been having fun.

Edit:
I tried starting off as Woodcrafter, I think, but it was the same sort of problem.

Here's the problem.
You have tools: A, B, and C.

You have A, but you need B. You can't make B w/o C. But you can't make C w/o B.
Which is why I eventually opted for the Toolcrafter. Then I think the problem was that I needed a fairly rare part, with a very low Scavenging skill. (I did pick Scavenging as one of my starting Skills)

[Tybalt]

The Game is designed to require a social approach. The new settings that allow you to do everything is new and I am not sure if it will remain this way at launch. But you are supposed to have to rely on others to further your crafting. The way things are now, toolcrafting would be the way to go as far as solo play. I would take Toolcraft, scavenging, and Logging. These skills will give you the basics needed to get started. It will take a very long time to get all the tools and items needed playing by yourself. Or you can join up with a tribe and have them all within a very short time.

[joexxxz]

This game is designed so everyone will depend on each other. At first,..

[Xx1327]

this game isn't released, in other words still getting down basic game play, so your whines of quitting out of frustrations will fall on mostly deaf ears.

as you've obviously discovered there is a whole community online that you have access to. So do some research and ask around if you feel things are too hard.

My advice: make suggestions of what you would like to see added to the game, find a tribe you're interested in or make one, and test the crap out of the game

[TheHatter]

this game isn't released, in other words still getting down basic game play, so your whines of quitting out of frustrations will fall on mostly deaf ears.

as you've obviously discovered there is a whole community online that you have access to. So do some research and ask around if you feel things are too hard.

My advice: make suggestions of what you would like to see added to the game, find a tribe you're interested in or make one, and test the crap out of the game

Which is exactly why I made this thread. Calling it a whine, is not necessarily fair. It's completely broken for new players, without the help of someone who's been playing for awhile. The purpose of a beta, is to help better the game. To have something completely broken as it is, is not fair to new players either. Personally, I don't go around asking for help and free items. As it stands, you have to basically beg.

I understand that it is designed for player cooperation and I understand that before a recent patch, it was even harder. However, it's still impossible for a new player to make any headway w/o the help of others. Given that I never saw anyone in the entire time I played, doesn't help a whole lot either. I was just lucky that I found a nice player within earshot of me at the time.

You speak of testing, which is what I did. As I understand it, I may be one of the first players to come in since the recent changes in the starting characters. But you called my post a whine earlier in your post, which it is not. It is feedback, there is a difference.

[Deacon]

I've actually been playing by myself for quite some time now (guild wise). I wouldnt say you need to beg....but you will need to interact with people. I did some trades for tools and needed supplies, as well as did some labour for them. And that was before everyone got all the skills.

I hope they eliminate everyone getting every skill....because we'll start seeing the one man powercrafting guilds with no interaction at all, except maybe some battles. And even battles will be questionable...as one man powercrafters, usually log off when danger is near. I'm not sure how softcaps will deter the individual powercrafter.

I was gonna suggest that players even only start with one style of pattern, and be required to learn new patterns from other people, or found patterns...but I knew that would raise a mighty stink about the forums, so didnt. But if I keep seeing people trying to make the game simple...I may just do it anyway.

[TheHatter]

I've been playing & studying MMOs for quite some time now, and your idea may be good but it's just one of those things that work really well on paper. But, when they are actually introduced into the game world, it doesn't work at all.

Perhaps at later levels and further into the game, this would be a great idea. I honestly don't know, all I know is what it's like to be a new player. However, it's essential for anyone who begins playing to have fun right off the bat. Otherwise, they will just log off forever and try to get their money back. At this point it may no be a problem, but in the future it could even come to a point where it would destroy the game. If item decay was put in (I think it's in the plans?), I can't see how this would effect anything at all.... other than allowing new players to actually have fun.

Please note that the word "fun" does not mean to start off being able to do anything and everything. It simply means fun. Being completely stuck with no hope of progression, is not exactly fun. Either way, I honestly didn't mean for this to be a discussion. Just a simple report about what it's like as a brand new fresh player who knew nothing of the game, the problems that I faced, and a suggestion for the devs to take a second look at what it's like to come into the game as a brand new character with no friends. I actually tried to keep within my boundaries of a brand new player who knows nothing of the game. In retrospect, I guess I should have reported it via email.

[Xx1327]

Alas, I never did. I almost came to the point where I was about to quit and give up on the game forever. If it wasn't for a very friendly player (Dakota) who happened to be close by when my frustration finally hit Local Chat, I wouldn't be here right now. The game would be uninstalled and I would never return.

this is what i meant when i said "whine"

Which is exactly why I made this thread. Calling it a whine, is not necessarily fair. It's completely broken for new players, without the help of someone who's been playing for awhile. The purpose of a beta, is to help better the game. To have something completely broken as it is, is not fair to new players either. Personally, I don't go around asking for help and free items. As it stands, you have to basically beg.

I understand that it is designed for player cooperation and I understand that before a recent patch, it was even harder. However, it's still impossible for a new player to make any headway w/o the help of others. Given that I never saw anyone in the entire time I played, doesn't help a whole lot either. I was just lucky that I found a nice player within earshot of me at the time.

You speak of testing, which is what I did. As I understand it, I may be one of the first players to come in since the recent changes in the starting characters. But you called my post a whine earlier in your post, which it is not. It is feedback, there is a difference.

yes there are plans on fixing the difficulties faced by solo players so really its just waiting to test that out, just make suggestions to things that aren't going to be released or have been made before, also look for things you could a consider bug. it is pretty bare at the moment of players and i think much more animals(NPCs) can fix this, which is planned.

be sure to check out the FAQ in the "developer zone" and read through the updates