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Ossian 
Forum Warrior
Joined: 12 Oct 2010
Status: Offline
Points: 456
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 Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 13:13 |
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Wee Ashley's thread has brought some fresh impetus into the game. It has, at the very least caused other players to think about how to improve upon it.
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abstractdream
Postmaster General
Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Location: Oarnamly
Status: Offline
Points: 1857
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 11:50 |
 Brandmeister wrote:
I know this viewpoint frequently draws objections, but I believe newbs should build armies immediately. The combat system has moderate complexity, and hunting animals is quite entertaining. It also opens up all sorts of harvesting and equipment possibilities. Between hunting and trading, my early Illy experience was quite enjoyable. The usual advice of focusing on building up resource production may seem practical to bigger players, but it's also super boring.
I taught the latest CAVE rookie how to make his first million in a week. His pop is 450, with a new settlement. Making that first bit of coin is very rewarding, and it allows a lot of flexibility in your options once you can purchase all the items and resources that interest you. It's a lot more engaging than leveling your clay pit for the ninth time in a row. I think people forget that sometimes. |
I built armies as soon as I could. If I had taken the general GC advice to wait, I may not be playing today as the bordom of building is just a total snore fest for me. Killing a few animals was fun but I can see how it may even be the "right" thing to do now that there are Cotters and Hides.
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Bonfyr Verboo
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Deranzin
Postmaster
Joined: 10 Oct 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 845
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 09:09 |
WeeAshley wrote:
No offence taken. My brilliant Texas Holdem idea was pretty decisively shot down. Mainly because I agree that there are lots of other priorities. I think it could work way down the road - when I'm in the ground and my children inherit my accounts.
If something like this is ever implemented I think the key is using existing in game resources to bet. Because you're right, I can't play on those free sites with everyone shoving all in every round. |
Well, the idea of a res casino is not bad (it might have had some legal problems though), but there remains the problem of its actual complexity ... it is not as if the illy DEVs could suddenly come up with an illypokerstars tour, though it could have been a nice promo in the real pokerstars.eu ( join the game and win a free ticket to a 5 euro tourney for registrants  ).
It is a fact that the boredom is the mother of most inventions (does anyone think that the fellow that invented the car, enjoyed walking ?  ) and the cause of finding things to improve, but we should keep our suggestions relevant to the game itself and fairly easy to implement if we are ever to see them done.
For example the new quests system is going to arrive soon, along with the Broken Lands and this will give a boost for the new players.
Another idea I just though of could be "EXPLORATION/DIGGING"
Have you ever played Zelda Link's awakening .?. I think most gamers have and in that game you had a shovel at one point where you could dig-dig-dig everywhere ... most of the times you found nothing, but rest assured there were people that dug EVERYWHERE and they unearthed a couple of good secrets.
So, why not here as well .?.
You send your caravan for a day or more if you like and it creates a dig site ... the longer the caravan stays the higher the chance of returning with something of worth or unearthing a rare mineral/herb patch which was previously not there. ;)
This idea is : - Easy to implement
- New players can participate in it
- You can find cool stuff and it is like a local mystery to be solved
- It is easy to tweak and add many things on it like digging/exploring to embetter the bonuses of a sov square
- Digging could cause negative results too, so there will be a risk and a sense of adventure too !
My, this is actually good ... I might create a new topic for it ... 
EDIT :
I did a new topic for it : http://forum.illyriad.co.uk/exciting-and-easy-to-implement-idea_topic4783.html
Edited by Deranzin - 17 Feb 2013 at 09:48
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Kumomoto
Postmaster General
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 2224
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 04:26 |
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I actually completely agree with your post, Rill. Although rather than being given a box of Sand, I'd say newbies are sort of dropped off on a beach... ;)
But I think there is probably room for more new player focused quests, etc (an area I am woefully ignorant in).
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Brandmeister
Postmaster General
Joined: 12 Oct 2012
Location: Laoshin
Status: Offline
Points: 2396
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 03:19 |
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I know this viewpoint frequently draws objections, but I believe newbs should build armies immediately. The combat system has moderate complexity, and hunting animals is quite entertaining. It also opens up all sorts of harvesting and equipment possibilities. Between hunting and trading, my early Illy experience was quite enjoyable. The usual advice of focusing on building up resource production may seem practical to bigger players, but it's also super boring.
I taught the latest CAVE rookie how to make his first million in a week. His pop is 450, with a new settlement. Making that first bit of coin is very rewarding, and it allows a lot of flexibility in your options once you can purchase all the items and resources that interest you. It's a lot more engaging than leveling your clay pit for the ninth time in a row. I think people forget that sometimes.
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Sisren
Forum Warrior
Joined: 03 Feb 2012
Location: PA, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 446
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 02:59 |
Rill wrote:
... Essentially, we as players, individually and in groups, define how Illy is "supposed" to be played -- thus creating numerous interpretations of the game and ways of interacting with it.... |
Mostly in groups. The individual interpretation holds little to no effect on the net.
You can be an individual here, just like everyone else.
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Rill
Postmaster General
Player Council - Geographer
Joined: 17 Jun 2011
Location: California
Status: Offline
Points: 6903
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 02:43 |
Uh, I think you mean the Human Statues mystery. I'm glad you're enjoying it though.
In terms of the new player experience, I think a lot depends on the alliance that new players join. If you have an alliance that's active and doing stuff, then you might be less bored early on.
I think what you are saying is that it shouldn't be dependent on the alliance one is in, that there should be game mechanics that engage new players rather than depending on the community to do so.
I am somewhat ambivalent about this. On the one hand, increasing player retention is a good thing. On the other hand, one of the charms of Illy, at least for me, has been the degree to which the developers create a world and then leave it to us to create a culture (or cultures) within it. Essentially, we as players, individually and in groups, define how Illy is "supposed" to be played -- thus creating numerous interpretations of the game and ways of interacting with it.
I think having too much for new players to do could take away from the ... spaciousness ... that I think is so important (not space on the map, but space to define what the game is).
In many ways this requirement to define the game makes Illy much more demanding than other games of its type, but I see that -- and not particular game mechanics -- as essential to the depth that Illy is. We don't get a blueprint for a sandcastle when we join Illy -- we're given a box of sand that we can do with what we will.
I am guessing that there will be numerous people who want to dissect this post to claim that I am advocating for this or that way of playing or denigrating this or that way of seeing the game. Others will claim that there is only one valid and legitimate way of seeing Illyriad and that to contend anything else is just misguided. I would like to politely request that people remember that the original post deals with how new players experience the game, and ask people to focus on ideas and principles rather than on personalities.
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WeeAshley
Wordsmith
Joined: 06 Feb 2013
Status: Offline
Points: 173
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 01:08 |
Brandmeister wrote:
Ashley, this is a slow paced game. If you want something interesting to work on, I recommend the Statues mystery. You need a level 7 Consulate (3h total build time) plus the advanced spy research (17h of research time). Use the published sets of coordinates to visit the statues. When you get broken inscriptions and clues, solve the mysteries yourself instead of using the cheat sheet. That will occupy several hours of your time. I enjoyed both the challenge and the reward of doing it on my own.
Other things to explore include the Temple of Reason, the Steamtastic Brewery, the Heart of Corruption, the Misted Lands and the Fortress of Shadows. |
Heya Brand!
Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. I'm probably through the worst of the new player experience now anyways. I was hoping that this thread would be less about me and more about ideas in general. Specifically for the new player experience (since that's the only experience I have!)
I'm not attacking Illyriad. I want to make it better! The new user experience is a key part of the game that most people tend to forget rather quickly. I'm here for the long haul, I just want to start giving a little back right away. (Not to mention, I'm not managing 10 cities - just 2 - one is a day old, so I have all kinds of time while waiting for these progress bars!)
I'm actually just over half way through the "Steamteastic Brewery" Mystery. It's the only mystery I can speak on. I have 10 spies that I send out all over Elgea. It takes about 2 to 3 days for them to get to a location and return. These kick-ass uber spies it gives you are awesome.
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WeeAshley
Wordsmith
Joined: 06 Feb 2013
Status: Offline
Points: 173
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 00:45 |
DeathDealer89 wrote:
Well if you have that many problems with this game, try and different one. |
Thanks for the suggestion DeathDealer89! I hope I didn't offend you. I hate it when people go through my points one by one and refute them. That wasn't my intent, I really appreciated your post.
I like Illy. My problem isn't that I don't like Illy. My problem is that this game is so damn exciting with so many different possibilities that I want to dive in and play it, get involved, do some stuff. But I can't.
Take a game like Eve-Online - another game that relies on skills researched over time. Out of the gate you can still fight, trade, gather resources, and build in quantities that are well balanced between your level of skill and your level of reward.
Illyriad doesn't have that balance yet. The thing that holds you through the first while is the promise of it's potential, not the actualization of it's play.
Hope we can come up with some awesome ideas to address that!
Edited by WeeAshley - 17 Feb 2013 at 00:45
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WeeAshley
Wordsmith
Joined: 06 Feb 2013
Status: Offline
Points: 173
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Posted: 17 Feb 2013 at 00:40 |
tansiraine wrote:
Well come in to GC get to know people and socialize. There is plenty to learn from the Vets and then tend to pop up at the strangest times in GC. Now that the war is winding down GC will most likely go back to a fun place and a place to get some great info on the game
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I play around in GC from time to time. It seems fine enough for a global chat, but I wouldn't say its engaging (yet?). Most of the time general chats are full of arguments won by whoever gives the wittiest one-liner mixed in with some poor english and trolling attempts. I'm not saying there isn't the occasional break through - but I dunno - GC doesn't seem to me to be what to pin the new user experience on.
I'll be more open to it going forward though.
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