How many of you see new players login and shortly suicide. Or a new player gets started and a large plyer just thumps on them and they suicide shortly after that.

I'd say most of us have seen this. New players can easily get overwhelmed with not only the new features of the game, but with just the general game play. We're looking for good players to try and jump in and mentor the smaller players and help teach them the ins and outs of the game. This will not only help a new player, but will also give you either an ally in the future or a nice target once they mature a bit.


One thing we have talked about is to have official Mentors. People that we notate with a flag in their profile that will show up with a special M or emblem next to their name and a new player can feel safe contacting them with questions. And that player will actively contact new players to help them start out. Now help inst giving them credits, the best help you can give anyone is just good information. No one learns when its just given to them.

Any other ideas or suggestions are welcome, this is still in the planning discussion stage, but in the mean time, help a noob guys!

Come to NZ and join my classes, at lunchtime computer room is full and most are on AATraders. I am working with them on playing in teams.

I also have noticed the number of suicides and just spoke to my lot yesterday about it. The other area is messaging and using the shoutbox, trying to teach them some good protocols on use.

Cheers

PS don't forget what tournament you would like next. Don't post that in this post but in: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3081

Mentors are very good idea for new or nonexperience players. And for this difficult game if great feature to future.

But will be only one central mentors for all games {Main game} or every game will have their own mentors? Choosed by admins from good and experienced players, who would want to be a mentors?

We all should want to be mentors. As the more players we can help and keep from quiting the game, the more people we will have to play against. I don't mind losin to better players. But in order for players to get better they could use the guidance of the players that have grown with the game.

Mentors could come from anywhere. As long as a game admin thinks they will treat players fairly they can PM us who they think will be good. Perhaps we have a rating system that a new player can rate the mentor on weather they helped or harmed them or not... this might help maintain a good level of trust of that mentor or not. Have the ratings option cutoff after a player rises past a certain level.

I'd be fine being a mentor. Anything to get more skilled players in the game.

This is a really good idea. This game may be addictive, fun, and free, but it's also very daunting to a beginning player. I remember that I had a million questions, and I even went so far as to read the server code to get straightforward answers. My first few planets starved to death, I was podded more that once with no understanding of how to avoid it, and some basic game mechanics made no sense. More-casual players are never going to go on to become contenders if they can't get good answers and guidance.

I think the documentation should be rewritten. I know the FAQ linked to the login page is hopelessly outdated these days. I'd be willing to contribute, but it would nice to have it be a community effort. After all, it take no special skills other than a knowledge of the game and literacy.

I just read that phpFreeChat supports multiple rooms. Why not post a link in the interface for a help chat, similar to an IRC #help channel? Shouts are kinda obtrusive and slow for newbie help.

I wouldn't mind being a mentor. I've helped out a bunch of new players. I don't mean to brag, but I helped out Patience a bit when he started Well I think it was him, but he had loads of AKAs. If anyone is asked for help but is too lazy to give it, just direct them to me.

The problem is, who is gonna know anyone is in that channel to help someone? The global Chat is usually pretty empty as it is.

If there was an indicator somewhere saying how many people were in the chat rooms that might help. with out someway of knowing if anyone is in there, even if we made a separate room, the user would sit there wwondering if anyone was going to show up.

Someone mentioned an IRC channel, we had one of those a few years back, but no one ever used it. We created our own chat room and there are times it gets used but someone has to be in there to drive users into it.

So, basically, it's not a technical problem, it's a social problem...

I'm just brainstorming here, but why not notify designated mentors by PM, email, or javascript alert when someone joins #Help and it's empty? At least that way someone knows. Or just show a link (link the aatraders.com main site) with the number of people in a help channel or the global chat on main.php.

Sure that would work too, but first we need to implement some kind of Mentor code in order for us to get that far. Currently both PJ and I am on different projects. He's trying to get out a new ADODB Lite and Template Lite version, and I'm workin on a few paying jobs right now. Once he gets freed up on that, then we can start workin on the mentor code stuff. Nothin like having alot on your plate

Tarnus... have you emailed those who quit to ask them why?

No, but maybe we need to do a survey when someone suicides. That might be interesting for feedback.... Been too busy with RL work right now, as you can see I didnt even have time to play in the tourney.

I really like the ideas put forward so far here. I've noted a few months have past since this topic surfaced. I'm playing in the main server game, and I see it still has not been implemented to date.

I just want to chime in and say "Yeah, what HE said. And him too!" I hope this idea doesn't fall by the wayside, forgotten.

Not forgotten. The top guys just need to be a little more diligent. May have to shake em up a bit so they will start again

But never fear asking a top guy any questions. Most of em are very helpful.