Suggestion [Tutorial] is killing this server.

[Multitallented]

I've been standing here trying to talk to and follow new players as they join the server. I just watched two of them go back into the tutorial because it looked like an exit from central...

Let's do something about this.

 

[LightningCape]

In any game, imo, the tutorial needs to be one of two things

• Done before game starts
  • Preferable with minecraft

• Done while the game is being played
  • Hard to do with minecraft

Those are fine. However, the one thing you always want to is make sure is that the tutorial is skippable and or optional. I haven't been on in a bit (back now) so I'm not sure how the portals work.

Being sent to the tutorial myself after going through the portal I was very confused. Architecturally the current tutorial was just rushed together using previous builds (may @TheHuntedPie rest in peace) and so much so that it was literally pasted on top of the old tutorial. I mean no offence to whichever [USERGROUP=9][USERGROUP=9][USERGROUP=9][USERGROUP=9]@Admins[/USERGROUP][/USERGROUP][/USERGROUP][/USERGROUP] decided this but this has gotta go. Though I will take some of the blame myself as leading the architect team is something I have't done in a while.

Other issues with the current tutorial:

• Not interactive at all
  • Example of interactive
  • To teach people about binds put a wall in their path, give them a weak jump skill, and something to bind it to. Simple stuff

• No interest or sense of urgency to read signs/holograms
  • Signs are signs, and reading is reading. Give people a reason to read. Make people feel like learning the info will lead to cool stuff
  • Ex) Having a shaman totem built for display, interactive stuff, sounds/music..etc

Also

Get rid of Lostoul and Crafter. Let them pick their class in the tutorial. They can always reset

This is an amazing idea and should be considered.The point of LS is to teach people about the game, but the paradox is if people don't like it they assume the rest of the game is the same and leave. With this people would be able to dive right into the game playing the class that they want to, and then picking up others that they want to play later. Somewhat similar to Hearthstone. @Kainzo

• Would end LS camping (duh)
• Would shorten the level gap between newbies and vets (LS just adds 20 levels to this number)
• Help with grinding woes for newbies

So when should we start building?

 

[Carbash]

Lost soul does deter people id have to say. I like the idea of granting the class and prof in the tutorial. People can jump right in.

 

[MCderpy12]

I feel a 'prize' should be given at end of tutorial, if they answer, like 5 questions correctly

Because most new players, I know, skip the tutorial, as they want to get 'stuck in'

Then they ask a ton of questions (that were in the tutorial)

Just annoying and my viable solution.

 

[TicklesTheMighty]

I was thinking about this issue myself yesterday having just walked through the tutorial earlier this week. While I agree that it's annoying to not be able to skip it, it's intended to be mandatory in order to force new players to understand the core rules and mechanics of the server. That said I did notice a few of these issues as well:

• This much information is difficult to read and process within Minecraft.

• Reading signboards can be a pain, being asked to read multiple signboards as part of the same message and to retain all of the knowledge read there is something that I feel most new players would rather not do. I know that when I first had to go through the tutorial on one of the earlier maps I really had to force myself to focus on that aspect and resist the temptation to walk on by.

• With that in mind I feel that the in-game portion of the tutorial should be almost entirely about chat and mechanics (in as few signboards as possible) and that the rules portion should be moved to the website where it will be both less taxing to read and comprehend and hopefully more simple to administer a quiz (as MCderpy12 suggested) in order to prevent people from just glossing over the information without reading.

• It's difficult to get a feel for the mechanics of binding or the feel of playing a class without any interesting skills.

• I totally agree with the idea of giving new players usable skills to bind and forcing them to interact with the tutorial (as LightningCape suggested) and I had an idea yesterday that is very similar. I thought it would be cool to give new players a special Tutorial Class only within the tutorial that has one or two of the iconic skills from several classes and then teach them how to utilize these skills as they move through the tutorial. The skills should be named differently so that the player knows exactly which class can utilize them (i.e. Dragoon'sJump, Wizard'sBolt, Mage'sFireball) and this might give them a feel for which class/class-category that they may want to pursue in the future. Ideally we could get some target dummy villagers setup for the combat spell-based lessons. We could force them to take some fall damage to teach them how to use Bandage or drink a potion that gives them a debuff to teach them how to purge etc.

• It can be a bit confusing to figure out where to go afterwards.

• This has already been discussed above but I figured I should mention that I also nearly walked back into the tutorial before reading the signboard. This is just an architectural fix so I'll leave that to those who can make blocks look nice.

 

[MCderpy12]

How about a video tutorial someone could make?
Just post a link, it can me 5-10 mins long showing the core basics of the server.
I do know there is a 'learning the basics' video, but that is a few years old, and a updated one would be good.

Just a idea ^^

 

[Fjordsen]

How about a video tutorial someone could make?
Just post a link, it can me 5-10 mins long showing the core basics of the server.
I do know there is a 'learning the basics' video, but that is a few years old, and a updated one would be good.

Just a idea ^^

Easier to make several vids covering different things imo, though a very basic introduction video should be a thing. Actually I'm pretty sure @Ahrall did something like it a while ago for the current map.

 

[Kainzo]

The tutorial takes 2 minutes to complete. Its a forced mini-tutorial. The longer indepth tutorial is completely optional. I think granting the first class from lostsoul may be better overall.

 

[Ahrall]

That gives me an idea...

 

[Jrr_]

That gives me an idea...

Another AHRALL VIDEO!

 

[Eneokun]

I think granting the first class from lostsoul may be better overall.

It would be the most viable solution, combined with a trial. In my opinion the tutorial should stay, but you shouldn't give them a class just so.

I know that the efficiency of a method differs for each player here, I for myself did not have any problems when I started here, and I have been around just for some months.

TsiJiang suggested it somewhere before, that a tutorial where players have to proof that they understood the basics would work better (teach by force). Some kind of dungeon where players first read up the basics and later have to proof that they understand them. They could not just run through it like the most do and they would be rewarded with their class at the end. How?

After reading about the basics, they will be tested. There will be as many trial rooms as subjects taught. For each subject there will be one trial (i. e. Chat Rules, Hero System, Whitelisting, etc). In each trial there will be different paths, maybe 3 or 4, as many as you like. There will be only 1 path leading to the next trial room, it will be the path with the sign telling the right answer to the question asked. All other paths will port the player back to the beginning (or whatever the punishment of choice will be). Here, make sure that they cannot see the destination of the path by crouching or any other trickery. On this way they are forced to do it over and over again until they get the right answer, either by sheer chance or actually remembering it. But they cannot rush it on this way.

The reward at the end of the tutorial would be the class desired and a sign telling them how to choose that class.
The transfer will be for free and they will start with that class after choosing a server.
If you want it to work for the profession as well is up to you.

That is the basic idea behind it.

Most frequently asked questions of newbies:
1. How do I change my class? / How to get a class? / How can I be <class> ?
2. What is LostSoul? / It says I need to master "LostSoul" ? / Why can't I change to <class> ?
3. How to join a town? / Can I join a town?
4. Anyone want to team up?
5. How to master <class/profession> ? / How to lvl up <class/profession> ?
6. Where to go? / Where do I need to go?
7. What can I do on this server?
8. How to create a town? / How can I make a town?
9. Why can't I break blocks? / Why can't I place blocks?


Make sure that they are covered on some way.
They won't tell you what's bad about the tutorial or anything, so you have to do your own research.
Keep in mind, effort will remain pointless for the ignorant ones.

Also do not forget, that regardless of how many Guides you have, it will always be the case that questions will be ignored. You cannot find a solution for that.

It is important:
- That they know where to ask questions and how
- That they have no further problems with picking a class of choice
- That they know where to find all information necessary, in case there is nobody there to ask
- That they know where to go and what to do after spawning in a world
- That they know what the "RPG - Experience" actually is
- That they know the basic commands and if not where to find them
- That they are informed about the current town situation and how to play together