Conquer Club

be more specific like this. At first the new recruit will be put through a "training scenario" in a game, obviously there will be rigged dice. So the player can be told the defense and offense dice. however they will also learn how to use the control panel how to pm and how to post in the forum

anything more to add?

New Recruits are only allowed to play other New Recruits.

learning through mistakes and interacting with human players are often considered quite effective, but I wouldn't see any harm in this being an option

What about a simple map (like 10 territs) that can be played against neutrals so show how the mechanics of the system work? Maybe make one that looks similar to the geography of the earth, and then a few with odd geography and introduce rules like bombardment, one way reinforcement, and other odd map items.

Playing against Neutral is not AI, so simple to implement. You would only have to make a mechanism to allow the game to proceed when there is only one player (victory condition is player must own all territs).

I'm not saying people can't learn for themselves, but lots of other sites/games have the idea of an "incubation room" for new players before releasing them into the wild.

Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.
New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.
This will improve the following aspects of the site:
1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

A good idea. There needs to be a place to PUT the tutorial where the new users would see it, however. Perhaps an auto-PM telling them about it?

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

I like this suggestiong, (Cook's forum or Strategy section would be good places), but if you want it read, you need to use the form.

That is, the template that first appears when you click "new post" in Suggs and Bugs.

I remember awhile ago, a year or so(around the time we had the banner comp.), someone suggested something similar. I believe the result was a few videos by players and someone said they were working on a flash of it. Not sure what happened to that, but it's a great idea indeed.

How about non-point tutorial games vs. CC servers?

PLAYER57832 wrote:

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

I like this suggestiong, (Cook's forum or Strategy section would be good places), but if you want it read, you need to use the form.

The problem here is that if someone doesn't ever go to the forums, they don't know about the Cook or Strategy forums.

why not make it a mandatory viewing, b4 the 1st game is played?

and that idea about practice games against a computer is a great idea too.

jefjef wrote:How about non-point tutorial games vs. CC servers?

First, good luck getting a bot that can teach someone the intricacies of CC. Second, before someone suggests that SoC should take in all incoming recruits for a few learning games, they WILL be overloaded if they do.

Woodruff wrote:

PLAYER57832 wrote:

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

I like this suggestiong, (Cook's forum or Strategy section would be good places), but if you want it read, you need to use the form.

The problem here is that if someone doesn't ever go to the forums, they don't know about the Cook or Strategy forums.

I believe all new people are now given pms about this.

At some point, you can offer the spoon, but they have to pick it up themselves.

Woodruff wrote:The problem here is that if someone doesn't ever go to the forums, they don't know about the Cook or Strategy forums.

I'm pretty sure that when the Society of Cooks went public, lack installed an automatic PM to send to players when they finished their 5th game telling them about the Society. I'd have to go dig through conversations about the changes to find proof, or you could ask a Society Mod.

Night Strike wrote:

Woodruff wrote:The problem here is that if someone doesn't ever go to the forums, they don't know about the Cook or Strategy forums.

I'm pretty sure that when the Society of Cooks went public, lack installed an automatic PM to send to players when they finished their 5th game telling them about the Society. I'd have to go dig through conversations about the changes to find proof, or you could ask a Society Mod.

If so, I would think it should be given when they FIRST join... with perhaps the addendum that they need to play 5 games first.

Actually, the more I think of this particular idea, the more I think it just won't work. I am going to suggest a competing suggestion

Woodruff wrote:

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.
New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.
This will improve the following aspects of the site:
1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

A good idea. There needs to be a place to PUT the tutorial where the new users would see it, however. Perhaps an auto-PM telling them about it?

I like this.... especially in conjunction with the auto-PM idea

Long ago we tried to make a tutorial---however it fell flat because of the sheer magnitude of the everything. Perhaps a user-started or user-driven initiative could get off to a better start?


--Andy

AndyDufresne wrote:Long ago we tried to make a tutorial---however it fell flat because of the sheer magnitude of the everything. Perhaps a user-started or user-driven initiative could get off to a better start?


--Andy

is there some way that you can auto pm new players? because then perhaps you could have someone or some people running the tutorial and then the pm would direct them to it and tell them a couple other basic things about the site.

We already have a few Auto-PMs sent out. If I recall correctly:

Upon first Joining Conquer Club (the user is also brought to an introductory page explaining the website I think)
Upon first Promotion
Upon Joining a Speed Game

There may be a few others as well. Lack has the info.


--Andy

AndyDufresne wrote:We already have a few Auto-PMs sent out. If I recall correctly:

Upon first Joining Conquer Club (the user is also brought to an introductory page explaining the website I think)
Upon first Promotion
Upon Joining a Speed Game

There may be a few others as well. Lack has the info.


--Andy

So then what we really need is to set up either an area of the forums or somethign that can be used to give this new tutorial....and then tell them about it or direct them to it.

AndyDufresne wrote:We already have a few Auto-PMs sent out. If I recall correctly:

Upon first Joining Conquer Club (the user is also brought to an introductory page explaining the website I think)
Upon first Promotion
Upon Joining a Speed Game

There may be a few others as well. Lack has the info.


--Andy

andy could you be so kind as to go into more detail, I tried to pm lackattack for more info on the subject, but received a message that the web master does not accept messages from the great unwashed.
thanks

slowreactor wrote:

jefjef wrote:How about non-point tutorial games vs. CC servers?

First, good luck getting a bot that can teach someone the intricacies of CC. Second, before someone suggests that SoC should take in all incoming recruits for a few learning games, they WILL be overloaded if they do.

I agree that a true automated tutorial, would be difficult. However, what about a MUCH simplified version of the cook's training classes?

That is, while they certainly teach how to play standard boards as well as basic strategy, not everyone wants to go through that process before they just start playing. Also, while those who are able and willing to teach real strategy are few, most people are happy to explain "here is how bonuses work on this map", here is how a bombardment works, etc".

What about creating a forum only for new people, with games begun by volunteer mentors who will play AND teach while playing (no need to wait to play yourself, etc). The limit would be 2 games on any map. IN fact, I would go further and have a smattering of maps with different play styles (some with bombardments, a conquest map, some of the unusual maps like Arms Race!, etc.) Volunteers could agree to keep open maps with either 1 vs 1 or 4 players. After 2 maps, the person would have to enroll in the cook's classrooms to learn more.

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

I might be misunderstanding what you mean by "features".

I think it would be great, for example, if new players could find out about the "clickies" and so forth (even though they are not officially a part of CC), how fog works, etc.

However, I think a real automated tutorial would just be too complex. (though maybe not....)

PLAYER57832 wrote:

Woodruff wrote:

PLAYER57832 wrote:

azezzo wrote:Suggest that C.C. create a tutorial of all the great features that are available, for new players as well as for all the casual players here.

New players should be made aware of plug ins and add ons as well as how different game options increase the degree of difficulty.

This will improve the following aspects of the site:

1)player retention, fewer new players would quit out of being taken advantage of(farmed)
2)fewer reports of cheating and abuse made by players who know nothing of clickable maps
3)this would help create a more even playing field for all members

I like this suggestiong, (Cook's forum or Strategy section would be good places), but if you want it read, you need to use the form.

The problem here is that if someone doesn't ever go to the forums, they don't know about the Cook or Strategy forums.

I believe all new people are now given pms about this.
At some point, you can offer the spoon, but they have to pick it up themselves.

Hmmm...my son just joined the site, but he didn't get that PM. Perhaps it doesn't happen until sometime later?

EDIT: Ah, I see now that Night Strike says it happens after five games. Why not do it upon joining?