First Join Experience

[Holsje]

I'd like to list a vew suggestion I think could be improved to make new players rejoin the server.



Replace the register screen with some important commands and keep it short. Why?
They don't want to read a wall of text of how to register, they want to play.
They don't know the server, they don't know if it's worth it to register

I'll just be an annoying bitch: Ingame register.
People find it too much effort to start up there browser, go to sa-mp.nl and register. Now when they've registered they have to verify the mail. And now they have to wait a while and they can finally play. And any progres they made to that point is lost..

Also something to add for new players:
An x amount of money so they can get started (buy props etc.)

I very much dislike the option boxes, it takes you out of the game. At some points (e.g. ammu) it's fine. 
But when I type /help I would just want a textdraw in the chat. (This could be only me)
However even if I'm the only one who hates the option boces, I would still like to be able to see the text appear in the chat (So I can read it later on instead of being forced into the box again)

It might also be nice to give an admin notice whenever it's the first time an unregistered player joins (For example the IP is not known in the database at the point). 
This so that admins know to give that player a bit extra care.

Is it possible to save some camera spots? 
So that players can get a tutorial if they type something like /tutorial (And then choose a tutorial).
For example, if they want a tutorial about teleporting, show them the ways of geting around by a few screens with nice textdraws.

Now when we had the player for x amount of time on our server we can give him some more detailed information about registering in the chatbox (so without making him go out of the game)



These are just a few suggestions from the top of my head, I'm sure there is more for us to do to keep players on the server. Share it!

[TEF]

I absolutely love that this topic was created, Holsje! Thank you! Now, allow me my own opinion...

Replace the register screen with some important commands and keep it short.

I think it is important to give some useful advice (such as /help, /commands, etc.), so I would agree with the spirit of this suggestion.

I'll just be an annoying bitch: Ingame register.

Someone with more knowledge will have to chime in here, but I don't believe this to be a worthwhile concept to realize. Would it provide more ease to the player? Absolutely, but is this really a problem as it stands? Would we really see as much of an increase for the amount of effort that would be put into changing how the website and game server have been linked for over ten years? I am uncertain about that conclusion.

Also something to add for new players:
An x amount of money so they can get started (buy props etc.)

I had a little rant on IRC about this, but basically: Las Venturas Playground has already completely overhauled its economy to enhance replay value and increase effort needed to be ludicrously, obscenely rich. I agree with the current $10,000 starting amount (perhaps an increase to $25,000), but any more than that and we are talking about exponential growth that the economic change was meant to curb. It is not meant to be incredibly easy to make money. At the moment, players can make money through minigames, killing other players, buying properties, betting at the casino, hunting for the bag of money, and even standing idle on the ship. We also offer players spawn weapons, teleportation, and vehicle spawning (soon). Yes, getting more weapons and ammunition (along with teleportation and /taxi, this is where most money truly goes) is something to be gained from giving more starting money—but really, we want to encourage playing on our server, and a good way to do that is to have a little grinding necessary to make enough money for the better properties, which in turn will yield higher returns, which of course will lead to a mansion in Las Venturas.

I very much dislike the option boxes, it takes you out of the game. At some points (e.g. ammu) it's fine.
But when I type /help I would just want a textdraw in the chat. (This could be only me)
However even if I'm the only one who hates the option boces, I would still like to be able to see the text appear in the chat (So I can read it later on instead of being forced into the box again)

In my own opinion, I feel as though the boxes are actually a remarkable improvement over having the helpful commentary in the main chat. Why would it be in the chat, where reading becomes a hassle if you don't read quickly? It is definitely better to have the boxes to allow the new player the time necessary to sift through everything they need.

It might also be nice to give an admin notice whenever it's the first time an unregistered player joins (For example the IP is not known in the database at the point).
This so that admins know to give that player a bit extra care.

I would agree insofar as it is possible. Although, to be fair, administrators should be actively helping each and every player as often as need be. Have fun yourself, of course, but do remember to make everyone's experience as wonderful as your own.

Is it possible to save some camera spots?
So that players can get a tutorial if they type something like /tutorial (And then choose a tutorial).
For example, if they want a tutorial about teleporting, show them the ways of geting around by a few screens with nice textdraws.

I love the idea of tutorials! Having a step-by-step guide in-game would be remarkably useful.


Overall, Holsje, I really do agree with most of what you are saying. We should make new players feel a bit more welcome on Las Venturas Playground, and I feel your suggestions would help in a lot of ways. I do not yet have anything else to suggest myself, but I will be certain to post back when I do!

[Halsey]

I love these ideas, especially camera spots!

[Holsje]

Someone with more knowledge will have to chime in here, but I don't believe this to be a worthwhile concept to realize. Would it provide more ease to the player? Absolutely, but is this really a problem as it stands? Would we really see as much of an increase for the amount of effort that would be put into changing how the website and game server have been linked for over ten years? I am uncertain about that conclusion.

I understand it might be a lot of work, however people don't quickly open there browser to register in a game, to then verify the mail to be able to keep the stats. (However losing the stats they had untill that point).
However, having those stats is a reason for people to join back in the server. Because in a new server they would have to rebuild it. To a lot of people some, for others very unimportant, stats are a reason to play a game.
I'm sure that there are plenty of people that do not wish to open there browser, go to a site etc. just to register on a server they only just joined..

I had a little rant on IRC about this, but basically: Las Venturas Playground has already completely overhauled its economy to enhance replay value and increase effort needed to be ludicrously, obscenely rich. I agree with the current $10,000 starting amount (perhaps an increase to $25,000), but any more than that and we are talking about exponential growth that the economic change was meant to curb. It is not meant to be incredibly easy to make money. At the moment, players can make money through minigames, killing other players, buying properties, betting at the casino, hunting for the bag of money, and even standing idle on the ship.  We also offer players spawn weapons, teleportation, and vehicle spawning (soon). Yes, getting more weapons and ammunition (along with teleportation and /taxi, this is where most money truly goes) is something to be gained from giving more starting money—but really, we want to encourage playing on our server, and a good way to do that is to have a little grinding necessary to make enough money for the better properties, which in turn will yield higher returns, which of course will lead to a mansion in Las Venturas.

I don't think the starting amount should increase, 10k is fine to just call your taxi and join a minigame.
However I don't think it's a good start to make MORE money. You want people to be able to get started to make there money, and then when they've gotten into it you make it harder along the way to get more and more.
I don't think about a huge amount of money, just something like 500.000 so they can buy there first pair of spawnweapons and armour and they can buy the first property to make some more money.

In my own opinion, I feel as though the boxes are actually a remarkable improvement over having the helpful commentary in the main chat. Why would it be in the chat, where reading becomes a hassle if you don't read quickly? It is definitely better to have the boxes to allow the new player the time necessary to sift through everything they need.

I never thought about the slower readers, this also because you can use page up to get to the previous page of the chat (However new players obviously don't get that).
However personally I don't like that those boxes take me out of the game, and I love to have those commands (possible at a page up) in my chat. Because I'm not going to remember ALL commands in one read.
But I have no clue what the best option would be here , definitely look at the text layout though, formatting makes it way easier to read.

I would agree insofar as it is possible. Although, to be fair, administrators should be actively helping each and every player as often as need be. Have fun yourself, of course, but do remember to make everyone's experience as wonderful as your own.

I hope to see more of you sharing your ideas and opinions!

[Diablo]

I agree with Holsje about giving a good amount of starting money to players who register.I consider it as an incentive which will encourage new players to stick to LVP. No matter how much easy it is to make money,people are always lazy and they will just ask money to others rather than earning it themselves.We are talking about first join experience so they should get the feeling that it's nice and easy in here,especially when you register immediately.

When new players get an amount like 500k to 1 million,it will help them to play well for some days without facing money issues.Eventually they will run out of money but by that time,they will have a general idea how LVP works and will feel attached to it,thinking this is a good server to play.However we can't say the same about the first time they join with low amount of money.If they find it hard to manage things,they will leave without playing enough time to know how LVP works.If they get a notification saying you will get x amount of money and such if you register,they will be encouraged to do it. So I don't think it's a big deal enough to ruin economy and such.We want players to like here afterall rather than finding things difficult so it's not so bad.

[Xanland]

What is everyone's thought if we had given players $ 20million in the past on their first join? Would that have been still fair?

[Madlaggz]

Reduce the heavy overload of admins and staff sharply. Nobody wants to be on a server where 20-25% of the players have admin rights and frequently use godmode, hands out rocket launchers and the like - snitches in private chats and so on. Thats an unfair advantage; play the game. You do not need an admin per fifth player! These 'engaged members of the the community' should be engaged in gangs and wars making shit happen on the streets; not engaged in the overprivileged class of static RP-minded admins - that is a both a burden and a bore to the community.

[Joe]

@Holsje, Diablo

The economy has been divided by 20 to not only provide for the expansion of funds, but to also make money more valuable. Thus, the $10k you receive at spawn is equivalent to $200k in the old economy. What this permits any player to do, on spawn, includes using the dive, cardive, taxi, teleport, and carteleport commands; purchasing inexpensive properties; purchasing any amount of nitrous; inviting another player to the fight club 10 times; purchasing weapons (not necessarily spawn, but regular weapons); joining a race 20 times; joining any minigame 40 times, etc.

The majority of these activities can be used in some way to make money, which gives players a purpose, especially in times of lower player count. On top of killing, racing, gambling, and minigaming, you can earn money by exporting cars or doing other challenges such as finding the bag of cash, doing reactiontests, etc. You can earn money on the ship if you're too lazy to do any of the various activities on the server to make money.

Also, there's a command (/borrow) that allows a player to withdraw another $20k ($400k old currency equivalent) from the bank and use this newfound $30k to build themselves up by buying spawnweapons or properties. A lot of thought has been put into this new economy, and the prices of all of the basic server functionalities have been more than fairly adjusted to align with the new spawnmoney/earnings. If you were to argue that houses are expensive, you would be correct. However, they are supposed to be a symbol of wealth, not welfare-based subsidized housing passed out to anyone who wants a place to stay.

Finally, as an administrator, you are free to take anyone you like under your wing, and do what you think promotes the safe, enjoyable, and fair server that we strive to maintain. If you think that the server is more enjoyable without the hard work and satisfaction of getting to such a level of wealth that you can afford to max your spawnweapons, have a house, and a personal car—by all means, our crew are welcome to help out any new players that they would like to.

[Deer_Hunter]

Replace the register screen with some important commands and keep it short. Why?
They don't want to read a wall of text of how to register, they want to play.
They don't know the server, they don't know if it's worth it to register

I believe most of the new players don't even read these start up messages, tbh even I miss to read em.
Yup I support the idea.

I'll just be an annoying bitch: Ingame register.
People find it too much effort to start up there browser, go to sa-mp.nl and register. Now when they've registered they have to verify the mail. And now they have to wait a while and they can finally play. And any progres they made to that point is lost..

Every day many young lads that can barely say a word or two in english join this server. Those definitely need some time to understand how this whole web-site thing works. In-game registration would be much easier solution and it's a common thing for most of the sa:mp servers!

- Now, I don't really know if this is possible but, could we automatically register on the web-site once we have done it in-game??

Also something to add for new players:
An x amount of money so they can get started (buy props etc.)

Tbh I like it as it is now, cos it's really challenging!

I very much dislike the option boxes, it takes you out of the game. At some points (e.g. ammu) it's fine. 
But when I type /help I would just want a textdraw in the chat. (This could be only me)
However even if I'm the only one who hates the option boces, I would still like to be able to see the text appear in the chat (So I can read it later on instead of being forced into the box again)

Now imagine a server with 100 players, that would be completely impossible to read it at once. We aren't any close to this number alright but still, chat goes crazy from time to time, I think the option boxes are the best solution we got.

It might also be nice to give an admin notice whenever it's the first time an unregistered player joins (For example the IP is not known in the database at the point). 
This so that admins know to give that player a bit extra care.

This sounds very cool, good idea.

Is it possible to save some camera spots? 
So that players can get a tutorial if they type something like /tutorial (And then choose a tutorial).
For example, if they want a tutorial about teleporting, show them the ways of geting around by a few screens with nice textdraws.

Totally.

[Xanland]

I'll just be an annoying bitch: Ingame register.
People find it too much effort to start up there browser, go to sa-mp.nl and register. Now when they've registered they have to verify the mail. And now they have to wait a while and they can finally play. And any progres they made to that point is lost..

Every day many young lads that can barely say a word or two in english join this server. Those definitely need some time to understand how this whole web-site thing works. In-game registration would be much easier solution and it's a common thing for most of the sa:mp servers!

- Now, I don't really know if this is possible but, could we automatically register on the web-site once we have done it in-game??

I have talked with multiple people about this including our developer who does the most, Russell. There was some earlier discussion about doing website-stuff via an API from in-game, but that solution is not great either. The answer I have got from Russell is that even that is way too tricky, even technically he also says that there is too much risk and if we would ever going to do it - which is never - he would be the only one able to do it.
When I have asked for a final-like decision on if we are going to implement in-game registration, the answer I got was - expected but unfortunately - not a yes.

I do suggest however to keep on brainstorming on other things which are related to a first join experience. Talking about that, I do like Holsje's tutorial-idea!