New User Experience Feedback:

[WitchOnaRampage]

Different ways of connecting will reach different people, eh.

Btw, in checking out the portal to the tutorial and the original spawn-in site, I discovered the mini-trampoline there. It's such fun!

 

[WitchOnaRampage]

@RagingDragon5 Top effort on getting the Welcome Book together, nice one.

It's good to provide new players with information, it's even better to teach them how to find it for themselves. So it would be great to see a bunch of shortlinks to the wiki added into the book.

@RagingDragon5 and @Kainzo have you discussed a routine procedure or schedule for reviewing the book and keeping it up to date? It already has out of date info in it.

 

[RagingDragon5]

@RagingDragon5 Top effort on getting the Welcome Book together, nice one.

It's good to provide new players with information, it's even better to teach them how to find it for themselves. So it would be great to see a bunch of shortlinks to the wiki added into the book.

@RagingDragon5 and @Kainzo have you discussed a routine procedure or schedule for reviewing the book and keeping it up to date? It already has out of date info in it.

Not sure how he wants to do it. If he wants me to update it every month or so, I wouldn't mind.

 

[Eneokun]

EDIT: Ooops, they aren't quite working yet. Looks like the commands might need a little tidying up.

@WitchOnaRampage did you try /bookrules get WelcomeBook too? It works totally fine. It was misleading so I honestly thought it was /bookrules only which is wrong.

@Kainzo if you haven't done it yet, could you add the hc.to/commands list to the auto chat messages too? The commands list is helpful, but not everyone knows about it. I've modified the list a bit, added commands and colors. The list also contains important general commands for newbies now, including the WelcomeBook command.

 

[Kainzo]

Witch did you try /bookrules get WelcomeBook too? It works totally fine. It was misleading so I honestly thought it was /bookrules only which is wrong.

@Kainzo if you haven't done it yet, could you add the hc.to/commands list to the auto chat messages too? The commands list is helpful, but not everyone knows about it. I've modified the list a bit, added commands and colors. The list also contains important general commands for newbies now, including the WelcomeBook command.

Soon, anyone will be able to edit the wiki - We're working on merging the previous wiki over to the new wiki. @Witchonarampge is in charge of this

 

[Kainzo]

@RagingDragon5 Top effort on getting the Welcome Book together, nice one.

It's good to provide new players with information, it's even better to teach them how to find it for themselves. So it would be great to see a bunch of shortlinks to the wiki added into the book.

@RagingDragon5 and @Kainzo have you discussed a routine procedure or schedule for reviewing the book and keeping it up to date? It already has out of date info in it.

We can probably have the "entire" book on the wiki -- same formating and just edit and replace it whenever necessary.

 

[Eneokun]

@Kainzo another thing: Would it be possible to add the current server's texture pack to the Ressources tab on the website? It's a quite frequently asked question, that people want to download it manually, also for Singleplayer. And of course, if you know how you can just put the pack from the server's into the ressourcepack folder, but for some people this seems too complicated and I think a download link would be the easiest and fastest solution in general. Maybe you could enable the access to http://herocraftonline.com/downloads/ ?

Also would it be possible to add the hc.to/sanctuary and hc.to/aegis maps to the tab as well? I'm sure some people and especially new players would love to see this, since none of them know about the online map, until they actually ask about one.

 

[WitchOnaRampage]

@WitchOnaRampage did you try /bookrules get WelcomeBook too? It works totally fine. It was misleading so I honestly thought it was /bookrules only which is wrong.

I put a more detailed post about what I found works and doesn't work in the August patch notes.

 

[Mistyckle]

Have been looking through the getting started section to see how it lines up with tutorial things:

small note/edit:
On section with Combat Classes and Profession, it still lists the class change fee as 250.

As memorable as my first trip through tutorial was lol I think it might be confusing to some. There's a lot of infos packed into there. Perhaps bite size bits of information as the player plays would be better, with basic bits at the beginning to help them get started.
Am thinking, the first time they find a soul~ it somehow explains it onscreen like "Congrats, you have just found your first soul. This is currency in HC. You may exchange it for money at the Exchange in Central."
Whenever MMOs introduce new concepts like this, like your first drop or what to do~ it's in little bits of text or little basic beginner quests


when they max LS or Crafter, a link to a class guide will be there (and have vid tutorial?) on it or send them to an npc in central that explains it and tells them how to choose

Simple, basic, bites along the way, but try to get some visuals as some don't really read these days

 

[Irishman81]

Have been looking through the getting started section to see how it lines up with tutorial things:

small note/edit:
On section with Combat Classes and Profession, it still lists the class change fee as 250.

As memorable as my first trip through tutorial was lol I think it might be confusing to some. There's a lot of infos packed into there. Perhaps bite size bits of information as the player plays would be better, with basic bits at the beginning to help them get started.
Am thinking, the first time they find a soul~ it somehow explains it onscreen like "Congrats, you have just found your first soul. This is currency in HC. You may exchange it for money at the Exchange in Central."
Whenever MMOs introduce new concepts like this, like your first drop or what to do~ it's in little bits of text or little basic beginner quests


when they max LS or Crafter, a link to a class guide will be there (and have vid tutorial?) on it or send them to an npc in central that explains it and tells them how to choose

Simple, basic, bites along the way, but try to get some visuals as some don't really read these days

Changed the class info on the wiki, thanks for the note! @Ahrall is doing guides on each class, I'm pretty sure he hasn't finished all the classes yet, but I may be mistaken

 

[Kainzo]

Simplifying the Tutorial (and making it much shorter and easier to rush through) --- did I miss anything?

• Cover currency / chestshop usage (granting a free item to the user to sell for 1s to test out how chestshops work)
• Cover selecting a Heroes class (With quest to allow selection for Combat class)
• Different between PVE / PVP and RPG servers (Perhaps a 3-box'd room with info on each)
• Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)
• Land Ownership / Protecting Chests

 

[Irishman81]

Simplifying the Tutorial (and making it much shorter and easier to rush through) --- did I miss anything?

• Cover currency / chestshop usage (granting a free item to the user to sell for 1s to test out how chestshops work)
• Cover selecting a Heroes class (With quest to allow selection for Combat class)
• Different between PVE / PVP and RPG servers (Perhaps a 3-box'd room with info on each)
• Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)
• Land Ownership / Protecting Chests

Maybe near the end include a couple short links to guides and the wiki, just in case they have more questions

 

[Mistyckle]

Simplifying the Tutorial (and making it much shorter and easier to rush through) --- did I miss anything?

• Cover currency / chestshop usage (granting a free item to the user to sell for 1s to test out how chestshops work)
• Cover selecting a Heroes class (With quest to allow selection for Combat class)
• Different between PVE / PVP and RPG servers (Perhaps a 3-box'd room with info on each)
• Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)
• Land Ownership / Protecting Chests

This and irishman's suggestions are good

I'd also just do short blurbs at the beginning on very basic server rules with a linky to TOS and rules

Kain's covers the overall concerns and questions I hear most people asking.

 

[WitchOnaRampage]

Simplifying the Tutorial (and making it much shorter and easier to rush through) --- did I miss anything?

• Cover currency / chestshop usage (granting a free item to the user to sell for 1s to test out how chestshops work)
• Cover selecting a Heroes class (With quest to allow selection for Combat class)
• Different between PVE / PVP and RPG servers (Perhaps a 3-box'd room with info on each)
• Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)
• Land Ownership / Protecting Chests

Great list.

Plus:

• Many links to the wiki - teach them how to fish, I mean, how to find information for themselves as they need it.

• Cover selecting a Heroes class (With quest to allow selection for Combat class)

Here's an idea:

• Have NPCs wearing the class skins from the wiki
• Click on the NPC to be changed to that class so you can view the class's skills.

Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)

• Chat System (The global channels and chat etiquette)

• Add players to Tour chat as they exit the tutorial.

 

[Pugglez_]

I think one of the reasons new players aren't really using /ch tour much to ask questions is that few other people tell them not to. I've seen other players tell new players to not use /ch tour for asking questions and instead use /ch help. Yes, it's true that /ch help is also used for asking questions, but after asking a question and getting an answer from /ch h, it opens up for more questions. After asking more questions, apparently to some people they appear to be "spamming" in /ch h so they tell them to also get out of /ch help. Maybe it's just me.

 

[Pugglez_]

Of course, I still answer their questions and assure them to not be ashamed of asking questions in /ch help or /ch tour. I also don't really wanna call out the people who tell them to get out of /ch h through public chat or private message and telling them that they're being "rude," I guess.

I've also spoken to some new players and they tell me that they don't like it when they get called out and told to leave a certain channel, yes they do know that they made a mistake by chatting in the wrong channel, but they still don't like getting called out. Especially in a attitude like "Get out of /ch help" and they still don't get told which channel exactly they should be using so they don't type in the wrong chat again.

 

[WitchOnaRampage]

I think one of the reasons new players aren't really using /ch tour much to ask questions is that a few other people tell them not to. I've seen other players tell new players to not use /ch tour for asking questions and instead use /ch help. Yes, it's true that /ch help is also used for asking questions, but after asking a question and getting an answer from /ch h, it opens up for more questions. After asking more questions, apparently to some people they appear to be "spamming" in /ch h so they tell them to also get out of /ch help. Maybe it's just me.

Yes, this has been happening. It's unpleasant. Of course players will be discouraged from seeking information if they're made to feel foolish for not knowing what they don't know...

Of course, I still answer their questions and assure them to not be ashamed of asking questions in /ch help or /ch tour. I also don't really wanna call out the people who tell them to get out of /ch h through public chat or private message and telling them that they're being "rude," I guess.

I've also spoken to some new players and they tell me that they don't like it when they get called out and told to leave a certain channel, yes they do know that they made a mistake by chatting in the wrong channel, but they still don't like getting called out. Especially in a attitude like "Get out of /ch help" and they still don't get told which channel exactly they should be using so they don't type in the wrong chat again.

I've felt distressed watching it happen and have spoken up a few times to opine that Help and Tour are exactly the right places to be asking questions, and that there is no shame in not knowing something (although not wanting to know is something different).

After that I tend to send a private message to the help-seeker so that they have a private place to feel free to ask questions, and also to protect myself by avoiding confrontation in the public chats.

How to deal with this?

The best way isn't by regulation, but rather by setting the culture. This means having the most visible voices in chat being friendly, welcoming, open, relaxed, patient, happy, playful, accepting ...

And really, the best people to be establishing that culture are the senior staff.

@Kainzo @Admins @Moderators

 

[Kainzo]

Yes, this has been happening. It's unpleasant. Of course players will be discouraged from seeking information if they're made to feel foolish for not knowing what they don't know...



I've felt distressed watching it happen and have spoken up a few times to opine that Help and Tour are exactly the right places to be asking questions, and that there is no shame in not knowing something (although not wanting to know is something different).

After that I tend to send a private message to the help-seeker so that they have a private place to feel free to ask questions, and also to protect myself by avoiding confrontation in the public chats.

How to deal with this?

The best way isn't by regulation, but rather by setting the culture. This means having the most visible voices in chat being friendly, welcoming, open, relaxed, patient, happy, playful, accepting ...

And really, the best people to be establishing that culture are the senior staff.

@Kainzo [USERGROUP=9]@Admins[/USERGROUP] [USERGROUP=12]@Moderators[/USERGROUP]

I agree, we're attempting to change the culture of Herocraft. Less sarcasm, more helpful, generally nice attitudes - this isnt something that can be easily enforced. The community breeds upon itself and if everyone appears like an asshole, people from the get go will think its appropriate or encouraged.

 

[RagingDragon5]

I agree, we're attempting to change the culture of Herocraft. Less sarcasm, more helpful, generally nice attitudes - this isnt something that can be easily enforced. The community breeds upon itself and if everyone appears like an asshole, people from the get go will think its appropriate or encouraged.

What I also feel that should be taken into consideration for newer players is more special events. The pvp tournaments we have monthly is nice, but it excludes the newer players (not intentionally but it does.) Events will help keep newer players attracted to Herocraft, becuase it takes off the focus of how much grinding they need to do. We should try to get more and new events rolling out. I feel like 2-3 events per month and 1 huge event every 3-5 months would be a good number.

 

[Kainzo]

What I also feel that should be taken into consideration for newer players is more special events. The pvp tournaments we have monthly is nice, but it excludes the newer players (not intentionally but it does.) Events will help keep newer players attracted to Herocraft, becuase it takes off the focus of how much grinding they need to do. We should try to get more and new events rolling out. I feel like 2-3 events per month and 1 huge event every 3-5 months would be a good number.

We do need more special events, @Xanipher and the @Event Team - should have enough power to hold these