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dark acacia · 12-09-2012, 09:47 PM

1. If you have a tutorial area and want to retain new players, you really should do something that gets them hooked into the game and excited about playing while teaching them game stuff.

One MUD I tried actually put the player into the action with a scripted plot and very credible danger, and it covered the whole gamut of opening doors and using commands and combat. Sadly the rest of the MUD was nearly dead. If you have an engaging tutorial, I won't care if I have to learn all over again that I have to 'open chest' before I can 'get key from chest' for the ten millionth time.

I've just said that it should really be engaging, but it should only engage the player to a level of excitement and activity comparable to the rest of the game. If you have new characters sit through Mission MUDpossible and then the rest of the game is the same farming monsters you see everywhere else (especially if it's one of those train/practice MUDs with the same darn trip and dirt kicking skills), it's kind of a letdown.

2. It should have reminders of how mechanics work for the true MUD newbies, but it shouldn't be 20 minutes of forced explanations from some NPC old sage that veteran MUD players have to sit through.

3. It shouldn't be an info dump of your game's lore. I found over the years of MUD-hopping that I could not possibly care any less about game lore unless AND until it pertains to role play. When I try a new game I want to see everything about the game that makes it worth my time. If you want to introduce players to your lore and not make them tl;dr the whole thing, work it into your exciting tutorial.

12-09-2012, 09:47 PM	#4
dark acacia Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 263	Re: Newbie Areas: What To Incorporate? 1. If you have a tutorial area and want to retain new players, you really should do something that gets them hooked into the game and excited about playing while teaching them game stuff. One MUD I tried actually put the player into the action with a scripted plot and very credible danger, and it covered the whole gamut of opening doors and using commands and combat. Sadly the rest of the MUD was nearly dead. If you have an engaging tutorial, I won't care if I have to learn all over again that I have to 'open chest' before I can 'get key from chest' for the ten millionth time. I've just said that it should really be engaging, but it should only engage the player to a level of excitement and activity comparable to the rest of the game. If you have new characters sit through Mission MUDpossible and then the rest of the game is the same farming monsters you see everywhere else (especially if it's one of those train/practice MUDs with the same darn trip and dirt kicking skills), it's kind of a letdown. 2. It should have reminders of how mechanics work for the true MUD newbies, but it shouldn't be 20 minutes of forced explanations from some NPC old sage that veteran MUD players have to sit through. 3. It shouldn't be an info dump of your game's lore. I found over the years of MUD-hopping that I could not possibly care any less about game lore unless AND until it pertains to role play. When I try a new game I want to see everything about the game that makes it worth my time. If you want to introduce players to your lore and not make them tl;dr the whole thing, work it into your exciting tutorial.