Archived Alternate Introduction To Regalia

[Conflee]

Hello! I will keep this suggestion brief as, well. I'm tired and it might not make any sense if I let myself ramble on.


My basic suggestion is simple, and comes in a few parts:

One: Expansion of the Harbor

Despite my belief that Regalia doesn't need another Housing District at the moment at all, I am also of the opinion that a larger Harbor would be good. The 'ideal' location in my opinion would be if the peninsula north of the Bastion was cut out using World Painter and some quick chunk stuff (I forget what its called right now but you can set WorldPainter to save over a world but only change selected chunks) and widening the river in general to be more impressive and passable for ships, and turning the land in front of and around the Flower District, and the New Ithanian District, into a higher end harbor with some slightly scummy criminal alleys dotted inside.

Two: Introduction of the Consuetudines Officium

Also known simply as the Regalian Customs Office. Whether Point One is used or not, this Office should be located on a port. If Point One is used, then in the new, fancier harbor. If not, in a small additional area of the Trade District south of spawn. When players first enter Regalia, they will spawn in the Customs Office. There will also be a /tp that leads to it, and an option to go to it directly from the RPhelp tp. Once in the Customs Office, there would be a few simply quests, basically walking new players through some very basic lore. The Harbor Master would ask them their name (telling them to use /nick use), race (which also prompts them to click a link to the race page), and occupation (with a few examples like smith and tanner etc). Nothing too in-depth, but the idea is to introduce players instantly to the wiki, and the idea that their character is a person and not just them.

Beyond this, there would be some Roleplay areas inside the Customs Office, such as a small cafe, where players who are so inclined could hang out, roleplay casually, and try to get newer players who show up into the basics, such as telling them how to quest, set nicknames, use chats, etc. I would say make it interconnected to RPHelp, with a cart in the area for new players to go there, and a cart to go to spawn so they dont get lost so easily, etc.


Three: Rewarding Helpers

This point is a bit obscure, and experimentally inclined. But essentially, on top of simply including casual roleplay areas in the Customs Office and asking players to sit around helping new players, introduce a system that rewards this. As an example, players who staff notice are in this area often and are being helpful might get a lore item reward similarly to how Game staff are rewarded for answering tickets. Like, a "Guide's Guide to Guiding" book, and some other simi-comical simi-compliantly existing items. There would, of course, have to be handed out manually, with casual checks every now and then to ensure players aren't abusing alts in the system with IP checks, but otherwise it would be a good way to encourage veterans to assist the next generation of Roleplayers.



Side Notes: Stuff

New players would need to be given the option to go straight to spawn pretty much right from the beginning, to avoid disrupting things too much. I also, obviously, don't have access to any of the many many statistics that Massive gathers to determine whether this would be worth testing at all. However I think it could be worth testing. Afterall, if it doesn't work, it could simply be changed so there is a cart to it in spawn and new players go back to spawning where they normally do, with minimum loss and more data to use for the future.

 

[Zacatero]

The Harbor Master would ask them their name (telling them to use /nick use), race (which also prompts them to click a link to the race page), and occupation (with a few examples like smith and tanner etc). Nothing too in-depth, but the idea is to introduce players instantly to the wiki, and the idea that their character is a person and not just them.

Click to shrink...

I'd bet that could easily be introduced as a quest. And it sounds like it would be a good introduction to the city.

 

[HoshiWomp]

Ooo!~ I do like these ideas! =)

 

[Proudbucket]

Quests are difficult for completely new players
Small number of signs might work better.
1) Add a couple non-clickable guard NPCs next to a door and a signs that reads "vampires will be arrested".
With that simple sign you just showed new players how guards are supposed to look like, you taught them that there are vampires in the lore and that they are ilegal in the city.

2) Add a room that with a sign that reads "trade registration". Inside there is a bureaucrat NPC and several bookcases each with a sign of a trade on top.
New players might get the gist of the room and understand that they can take a job.

3) Add a few waiting rooms with signs like "Elves & Yanar", "Orcs & Varran", "Ailor"
Then add a few NPC's with appropriate skins.
New players might not know what a Yanar is but they know what an elf is so by discrimination they would learn that the green guys are Yanars, that the cat people are Varrans and that Ailor are normal human.

 

[Conflee]

Quests are difficult for completely new players
Small number of signs might work better.
1) Add a couple non-clickable guard NPCs next to a door and a signs that reads "vampires will be arrested".
With that simple sign you just showed new players how guards are supposed to look like, you taught them that there are vampires in the lore and that they are ilegal in the city.

2) Add a room that with a sign that reads "trade registration". Inside there is a bureaucrat NPC and several bookcases each with a sign of a trade on top.
New players might get the gist of the room and understand that they can take a job.

3) Add a few waiting rooms with signs like "Elves & Yanar", "Orcs & Varran", "Ailor"
Then add a few NPC's with appropriate skins.
New players might not know what a Yanar is but they know what an elf is so by discrimination they would learn that the green guys are Yanars, that the cat people are Varrans and that Ailor are normal human.

Click to shrink...

Perhaps just adding a sign that says "Right Click the harbor master to begin" or something would work as well, but I also like the idea of adding NPC guards in guard skins, and maybe having a warrant on the wall for vampires. And especially the subtle skin lineup. Making a few seating areas, and putting people in them to match, along with maybe making the seating have some subtle story telling, like, having the Ailor have nice lavish couches and the Elves and Varrans having just, some shitty benches in the back away from the fireplace, and then a broken table in the Orc/Mair area of course lol.

 

[FireFan96]

One thing I observed in like the 4 times I sat in the RP tutorial lobby (so nothing to describe the "norm") is that new players walk past the signs already.

We know that you should click NPCs with a purple name since we all know MassiveQuest, but a new player does not, so would pay no heed to it.

I do agree that

Small number of signs might work better.

Click to shrink...

because the less info to read, the better. players don't need to learn about some concepts (like magic) since they wouldn't know about them anyways. removing some world building signs and just keep the basics is ideal.

The current sign system does a good job, but has room for simplification.

 

[Reaganism]

Players who approach other players are helped already. Players who don't would be as lost as they are right now. The introductions hall needs an update, but I can't really see a reason why more effort should be done. Or to be precise, I see it'd be little change for most.

 

[Proudbucket]

I should say that when I joined massive I was really new to multiplayer.
I didn't know how to even open the chat and type a message much less how to type a command, I also didn't know the quest system... I didn't know that purple names were quest givers and I was unable to complete the intro quest that, at the time, was at the lobby.

I say NPCs are useful for a lobby as decorative objects but adding a quest where you have to answer simple questions is not going to work for many players.