There should be a interactive tutorial for newbie players:
What does mean "Interactive tutorial"? Interactive tutorial is step by step guide for newbie players (next only "ppls"), which tells the ppl how the game works and what he should do to start with every aspect of the game. The existing in game "Tutorial" is more than insufficient, but it can be rewrited to interactive tutorial.
How should it work? When ppl starts the game first time, the Interactive tutorial will pop up to him without the "close" option (mandatory). Every step will explain how buidlings are working, how to research and what for, how to build fleet, which ship for which task will be needed and how to do fleet save.. Ppl must complete all steps of this guide to be fully independent to play. As any mandatory tasks could demotivate the ppl, each step must reward him. It is very important, that the reward will be not a resources (newbie ppls dont fully understand the prize of resources, so it will not motivate them). The reward should be an animated form of that, you had to do. For example, first step can be "build the solar plant to maintain energy for your colony" and the reward will be short video sequence how the solar plant starts up for first time and produce the energy for your colony (this makes a feeling of "own child" and will ppl tie with the game more than before).
Advantages:
+newbie players will know what to do without lurking on forum for guides
+newbie players will not leave the game within first month of play
+newbie players will be motivated to staying in the game
+game popularity
Disadvantages:
-for most sofisticated interactive tutorial system ppl help will needed (source code of tutorial can be downloaded to everyone, who wants to help)
Some adds here :
BigBlackBird: Player wants to play, not to read, thats a holy fact. The interactive tutorial is a compromise. It is offered to ppl with maximum care with immediate benefit which will ppl take as fun and would be adventurous for him.
This will be for newbies ppl only. Those who knows how to play, or have just created new account on other uni, can disable this feuture via game options menu or support.
Ivagone: "Stop trying to wrap people in bubble wrap - unless you are intending to smother them, because that is what you will do." This is not a argument, you obviosly dont know adolescents very well. I do not know how it is in Australia, but here in Europe they would eat you whole, either your shoes.. Please stop argumenting, that this game is good as you are not able to see from different view as your your own. If we want to make this game popular, we need to sacrifice something. If you give a newbie ppl a link to crowd of guide, they will close it for sure. But if you can teach them to play with some wisdom and respect to theirs will, they will reward you with loyalty.
"Teach people to learn - it will serve them better in the long run." Yes, teach them, but force them to it will be the same as let them go.
HamsterHunter: We both are a minority ppls. When we came here and we read all what can be find on the forum and internet wikis. We helped ourselves, because we are not so lazy. But we are something like relics from old era. Ppls wants to have all immediately in first day, if they must do something for it, they will not stay. Developers knew this, so they give as many achievments to game as it can hold. And they softly lead the ppl at beggining, so they are rewarded with every step they move. This is sofisticated system how to keep the ppl play theirs games only by changing the way how to approach today ppls personality. And i assure you, it is working at 100%.
Becasue today ppl are not bad, they are only lazy and leisure by this all kind technological boom. All is delivered to them by one click of computer mouse. Therefore, if we want new ppls, we must adapt.
Crimson King: -This will be for newbies ppl only. Those who knows how to play, or have just created new account on other uni, can disable this feuture via game options menu or support.-
"The tutorial would more likely cover the basics, but for more advanced strategies one would be better off looking at guides anyways."
The interactive tutorial can do anything what you want to teach ppls, with no border. Anything can be teached via interactive mode (picture - description). Advance "wisdom" as how to decelerate aliance attack is not necesarry to put in tutorial
"It might reduce the number of players who quit from a lack of basic knowledge about the game, but it will not stop players from quitting altogether."
I dont know how about you, but for me it is at least a good start
"While word of mouth is an effective form of advertizing, it only goes so far. Getting OGame's name and ads out on mmorpg sites can do more than word of mouth."
The much effective form of advertising is that, which is doing herself. I mean, how many ppls are here on *.org? 10 000, 30 000? All of them are potentional advertising carriers. If Ogame will achieve a title "popular game", all of those ppls can double that ppls amount number. Now, i personally will not recommend this game to someone as i know he will not play it more than 1 month.
"..that Gameforge will not open the in-game tutorial to public editing."
As i have wrote it before, you can download the source, edit it at sb'.s discretion. After you will change something, modify something, or add something, MOD must aprove it.
What does mean "Interactive tutorial"? Interactive tutorial is step by step guide for newbie players (next only "ppls"), which tells the ppl how the game works and what he should do to start with every aspect of the game. The existing in game "Tutorial" is more than insufficient, but it can be rewrited to interactive tutorial.
How should it work? When ppl starts the game first time, the Interactive tutorial will pop up to him without the "close" option (mandatory). Every step will explain how buidlings are working, how to research and what for, how to build fleet, which ship for which task will be needed and how to do fleet save.. Ppl must complete all steps of this guide to be fully independent to play. As any mandatory tasks could demotivate the ppl, each step must reward him. It is very important, that the reward will be not a resources (newbie ppls dont fully understand the prize of resources, so it will not motivate them). The reward should be an animated form of that, you had to do. For example, first step can be "build the solar plant to maintain energy for your colony" and the reward will be short video sequence how the solar plant starts up for first time and produce the energy for your colony (this makes a feeling of "own child" and will ppl tie with the game more than before).
Advantages:
+newbie players will know what to do without lurking on forum for guides
+newbie players will not leave the game within first month of play
+newbie players will be motivated to staying in the game
+game popularity
Disadvantages:
-for most sofisticated interactive tutorial system ppl help will needed (source code of tutorial can be downloaded to everyone, who wants to help)
Some adds here :
BigBlackBird: Player wants to play, not to read, thats a holy fact. The interactive tutorial is a compromise. It is offered to ppl with maximum care with immediate benefit which will ppl take as fun and would be adventurous for him.
This will be for newbies ppl only. Those who knows how to play, or have just created new account on other uni, can disable this feuture via game options menu or support.
Ivagone: "Stop trying to wrap people in bubble wrap - unless you are intending to smother them, because that is what you will do." This is not a argument, you obviosly dont know adolescents very well. I do not know how it is in Australia, but here in Europe they would eat you whole, either your shoes.. Please stop argumenting, that this game is good as you are not able to see from different view as your your own. If we want to make this game popular, we need to sacrifice something. If you give a newbie ppl a link to crowd of guide, they will close it for sure. But if you can teach them to play with some wisdom and respect to theirs will, they will reward you with loyalty.
"Teach people to learn - it will serve them better in the long run." Yes, teach them, but force them to it will be the same as let them go.
HamsterHunter: We both are a minority ppls. When we came here and we read all what can be find on the forum and internet wikis. We helped ourselves, because we are not so lazy. But we are something like relics from old era. Ppls wants to have all immediately in first day, if they must do something for it, they will not stay. Developers knew this, so they give as many achievments to game as it can hold. And they softly lead the ppl at beggining, so they are rewarded with every step they move. This is sofisticated system how to keep the ppl play theirs games only by changing the way how to approach today ppls personality. And i assure you, it is working at 100%.
Becasue today ppl are not bad, they are only lazy and leisure by this all kind technological boom. All is delivered to them by one click of computer mouse. Therefore, if we want new ppls, we must adapt.
Crimson King: -This will be for newbies ppl only. Those who knows how to play, or have just created new account on other uni, can disable this feuture via game options menu or support.-
"The tutorial would more likely cover the basics, but for more advanced strategies one would be better off looking at guides anyways."
The interactive tutorial can do anything what you want to teach ppls, with no border. Anything can be teached via interactive mode (picture - description). Advance "wisdom" as how to decelerate aliance attack is not necesarry to put in tutorial
"It might reduce the number of players who quit from a lack of basic knowledge about the game, but it will not stop players from quitting altogether."
I dont know how about you, but for me it is at least a good start
"While word of mouth is an effective form of advertizing, it only goes so far. Getting OGame's name and ads out on mmorpg sites can do more than word of mouth."
The much effective form of advertising is that, which is doing herself. I mean, how many ppls are here on *.org? 10 000, 30 000? All of them are potentional advertising carriers. If Ogame will achieve a title "popular game", all of those ppls can double that ppls amount number. Now, i personally will not recommend this game to someone as i know he will not play it more than 1 month.
"..that Gameforge will not open the in-game tutorial to public editing."
As i have wrote it before, you can download the source, edit it at sb'.s discretion. After you will change something, modify something, or add something, MOD must aprove it.