Topic: The "Alpha Ring"

Greetings,

By now if you've been paying attention to the forums, you should know I'm a "returning veteran."  When I first logged in, I noticed one thing over others that stood out, as being dangerous to the game.

Precisely, how the map was changed with the placement of the islands, and the Teleporter connections between them.  I've been talking to many other players in game, and often I hear a lot of people quit, because there's just not enough people playing.

Well, I tend to disagree with there not being enough people, it's just now we're even more spread out.  Yes, I know the drive is to get folks "off the alphas", some either never will, or feel they are too new to do so.

Tell you what, if you're a vet and disagree with me, go start a new trial, and test it.  Do not send nic from your main, don't talk to your corp, pretend you're a true "new player".  I have, and it's not the same as I remember it.

Yes, the "triangle" hurt the game, sure.  But at least while it was going on, people saw others in the game doing the same stuff they were.  This is an MMO, people might not like to always group up, but they do want to feel they are both in a populated game, and play with others.  We'd all be playing single players that don't have an "end" if that weren't the case.

Well, respect to the Devs, but I hope this gets fixes, even if it hurts my future racing events.  I'd rather see the game be more convenient to the new player, than a almost 2 hour walk it is to get from ICS alpha to Asintec.

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

Here is a scenario that I have come up with to explain the current situation a bit better.  This scenario is fictional, I have made it up, however is based off of what I have commonly seen in today's "gaming families."

Adam and Brad are brothers.  They enjoy playing video games together, Adam just got a new PC for xmas, and Brad plays on his mother's laptop.  Adam sees this game, Perpetuum Online, and it has a free trial and offers an "in game item" to pay for his subscription, which means mom doesn't need to get charged on her credit card.  So, he hits the insall link, and goes to watch TV while it downloads.

Brad walks over, and he see what his big brother  Adam is doing, getting a new game.  He threatens to tell mom, until Adam tells him it's free.  So now Brad is interested too, and so they set up the laptop, and hit install.


After about an hour of installations, and patches, they are both ready to roaring to go.  They look through all the character specializations, and Adam tries to explain to Brad what he understands.  Adam see the missile stuff though, and he choooses Truhold-Marskon.  Brad though, he sees the "Lazors, cool" factor, and he chooses Asintec.  They both create their avatars, and are raring to go.

Now, one is spawned in outside Asintec Alpha on Doaden, and the other on Truhold-Markson Alpha on New Virginia.  They ask some questions in the help channel, and begin figuring out movement.  They then figure out to start the tutorial.  Uh oh, Brad's robot has just gone "BOOM" and they both laugh histerically.  Brad sees no big deal, I get a free one, and goes to try again.  BOOM, now it's personal.  Third time, and the same result.  Adam, being older, had a much easier time figuring out the first few minutes of the game, and so has decided to wait a bit on his stuff, to go and help his brother out.

He asks around more, and figures out the Teleport system,  He opens the map, and figures ou the route he has to take.  So, off he sets to TMA.  So he's skittering down the road in his Arkhe Mark 2, and he gets to his first gate.  He jumps through to the other side, thinks to himself, that was easy, and looks at the map again.  He sees now he's gotta travel over to Belicha.  While he's traveling, he notices he goes a little faster on the highways, then the rought terrain, so he decides to stick to the terrain.

Already, just figuring out the movement, the traveling, teleporters, and highways, Adam has probably spent close to 2 hours playing the game.

Brad is getting bored, so he tells his brother he's gonna go do something else, and tell him when he's ready.  So Brad goes to watch tv, and Adam continues his journey to Asintec.

He gets to Shinjalar, no problem, he gets to Daoden, almost done, he finally (if he hasn't gotten lost or taken the wrong option at the teleporters too often, which we all have done let alone new players) has spent a good 3, maybe 4 hours.  If he would have gotten run into by the Red mobs in Shinjalar, game over, he'd more then likely call it quits right then.  Most young men are "stubborn" enough, that I think Adam would have eventually made it to Asintec, however now it's time for dinner, and then he's got to do his homework.  Both Adam and Brad go to bed their first night not really doing anything in the game, all because it was too difficult for them to grouip up and play together.

Now, I've ready the forums, I know the posts, and things were changed to this becuase the "vets" wanted to be rid of the triangle.  You NEVER do that, appease the vets at the expense of new players.  A game grows based upon player retention.  The veteran has already drunk the kool-aid, or is addicted to his new version of crack.  You put stuff in to make the "new player experience" as enjoyable as possible, so that new player sticks around to become the opinionated vet. 

So,  please, I beg you, for the game and all new players you are going to get with Steam, re-connect the Alpha-1 starting zones.  You don't have to do them the same, so we get the "triangle."  That's not necessary.  Please however, do this for the new player who wants to play with his friends, and not by himself.

3 (edited by Arjha Shanoo 2012-10-26 11:20:48)

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

You just made me post my overdue bootcamp topic with the two arguments friends playing together / weapon choice big_smile

Offtopic - PS: sorry, just noticed I didn't answer on that other discussion yet (what was it again) - need to find the time to toggle and sort the patchlogs again fot that sad

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

I have to disagree with this. The main reason to remove the alpha ring, was to separate the factions. Your senario, only mentions 2 young players probably in the mid teens. That is not the game's target audience. It's a game you need patience, and I am glad it attracts only players with their own credit cards.

RIP PERPETUUM

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

The game needs players, period.

2nded.

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

The seperation of the factions I agree with.  But it should not seperate new players, especially families and friends who want to start the game together, from traveling from Alpha Terminal to Alpha Terminal.  It takes too long, you end up spending your first few hours doing the tutorial some, and then "getting lost."   It is easier to read the map now, but still just as hard to figure out.

You make a new character, and Run from one Alpha to another, it takes forever, even know the in game mechanics.  For someone who doesn't know, they have both the learning curve of getting lost, and the fact they just want to group up.

It can be done to keep factions "more seperate" without overdoing it so Alpha-1's are so far away, time wise.

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

thats exactly why I want a tutorial/trainings island from where to start out together and where you are able to choose your alpha 1. the faction separation stays intact, is even enforced (no arkhes on alpha 1, pre knowledge of the factions strength,...)

a renewed alpha cycle is not necessary with this.

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

two things are necessary -

1. more choices per factions weapon wise. The concept of separating factions by their weapons GFX only is a very very thin and boring ripoff from eve...

2. They really need to remove all Alpha teleporter and highways alltogether and place them again with a meaning.
Current placement is like:
"walking is an integral part of the game, straight roads would make botting to easy, teleporter should not make the game smaller then it is"

and what arjha says - with a small DEV team as theirs, its kinda counterproductive to always tweak 3 starter areas to every balancing change, instead of just a single one. Same as its counterproductive to face new player with very important decisions right upon character creation when they don't even know what they are doing.

*Disclaimer: This post can contain strong sarcasm or cynical remarks. keep that in mind!
Whining - It's amazing how fast your trivial concerns will disappear

Re: The "Alpha Ring"

Hmm, a "training" island in the center of the ring?  That could be very interesting.  But I don't know if the game's mechanic would allow for a character to be created without having chosen their faction prior to entering game.

Hmm, a new "neutral" faction would have to be made, and once the beginning tutorial completed, then maybe that player would have to go to the Alpha station he chose?  That could be the last step of the tutorial, and be how the player gets "hired" by that congomerate.  Interesting, there's a lot I could expand on with this idea, good one Arjha.