New Tutorials - seeking ideas/help
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*sam* Posted May 21, 2020, 11:48 am |
I was brainstorming new player retention measures with my family the other day, and we hit on the idea of using DW:Tactical to create a set of tutorial missions which a new player can do after the current tutorial. (This will hopefully also help with the 'what the heck do I do now and why do I have to wait 15 minutes to do it?' problem after the current tutorial is done).
I've already fixed DW:Tac so that NPCs actually fight. So... would like your feedback on this idea. And specifically, what would be a good tiered set of challenges to put into these? There can be goals in each mission, and rewards given for achieving them (the 1st time only, of course). |
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Tez Posted May 21, 2020, 11:58 am |
Sounds good, like going from controlling your car, building one and maybe finishing with a scout/travel? With all the things inbetween. | ||||
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*sam* Posted May 21, 2020, 12:04 pm |
Not exactly. DW:Tac gives you ready-to-run combat scenarios, so it wouldn't really touch on building or travelling. But it would provide a good way of showing off the complexity and fun that the game offers, if challenges are offered in the right sequence. Info on building and scouting/travelling are things that could be presented in easy-to-access written tutorials, though. I bet we already have that stuff written (maybe in the wiki) but it would be better front-loaded into the actual game client. |
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Dropdeadfred Posted May 21, 2020, 12:10 pm |
Download any popular phone app nowadays and look at how its Tutorials work. Most good tutorials spoon feed a bit of the game, then let the player do it for a bit. Then the next bit of spoon feeding happens, etc etc. It's SUPER effective and gives the players just a little bit at a time.
Imho, I think a client UI overhaul would be the way to go. Right now, a new player is downloading the game and expecting a car battle game. What they are getting is an AOL chat room with buttons. Once the UI is made more robust, I'm guessing you'll be able to do a LOT with it. |
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*sam* Posted May 21, 2020, 12:22 pm |
Good point about the UI. RE spoon-feeding.. that's true too. The current arena tutorial does that. It's a lot of effort to code that stuff. But yeah, within reason that could be embedded into the DW:Tac based scenarios. |
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Hati Posted May 21, 2020, 12:25 pm |
I like this idea. Here's my thoughts.
Set the help screen to pop up automatically if possible as soon as the tutorial ends. Or point them to the help button with a strong suggestion that they read it Color the Forum and Wiki links green or some bright color I wrote a list of things all new players should do. If that could get pinned in the discord and FB pages as well as the main screen on the webpage that would be awesome The tutorial missions A race, a death race, an arena combat to show town events without risk A single car scout give them a front gunned lineshooter sedan rigged HMG MG. The enemy should be a trader and an escort. This is the most basic and common type of solo scout they will be on. The goal is eliminate the escort and learn to use cover and terrain. Teaches lineshooting from safety A single muscle car with dual Gatlings or MGs. Trader and escort again but this time the goal is to chase the trader and destroy it before it gets to 350. Teaches chasing and moving at high speed A double car scout with both the sedan and the muscle. Goal is to do both things stop the escort and the trader and teach multiple movements A rear gunned Apache and two enemy pirate cars in a rear spawn to teach rolling gunfight A footsquad if possible where the peds are armed with rifles to highlight the having to walk home A repair and refit tutorial that highlights the autoconfig system |
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Tez Posted May 21, 2020, 12:33 pm |
I've heard that DW:Tac physics are...entertaining | ||||
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*Longo* Posted May 21, 2020, 12:46 pm |
How about a simple escape mission?
Give them a 4L Pho, being chased by 2 NPCs, and tell them they need to get 350 meters away and successfully escape? |
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Hati Posted May 21, 2020, 1:02 pm |
Nice one Longo. Basic travel scenario | ||||
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*sam* Posted May 21, 2020, 1:15 pm |
Thanks! Yes, scenarios like those listed by Hati and Longo are exactly what I was looking for.
One of the nice things about DW:Tac is that we pick precisely which maps and precisely where on the map the cars start. So it can be set up for maximum fun/challenge. Again, suggestions about use of maps in this way are welcome! :-) |
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Effy Posted May 21, 2020, 1:16 pm |
To help new people get a better grasp of the game i would try to merge DW:Tac + Narrative Missions, so new people have the "Main quests storyline" every modern game has, and that will help them get into the game.
And making all as user friendly as possible just from the gameclient. So they don't have to go to the website to start managing his gang. Having 2 interfaces for the game is something no one is used to. So trying to delay it for a while for when they are more interested would be helpful. Also as I said somewhere else, a "reward" consisting in a free 50 scout to start a gang would be great, and maybe also a car, any car, a Desert Siren could be nice for a start. But now that town events pay so good there's almost no need for that. That would help players to get a feel for the game, and give them a head start. I really find current start for a player is really harsh, goes really well with the game aura, but having a scout will let them try to play by themselves from the start. Yes, it's better if they scout with a vet. But some people may want to learn by themselves, don't have time to wait for a vet. ...and then NFL map. Please, this one map personally saved me. I didn't want to wait in the lobby for someone to taking me to a ride. And going alone to the open desert with no scout or a very low one got me killed too many times. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. When the chances are good or even, any map is good. When you have a bad spawn, the more "complex" the map, the easier to find cover, to run away, to split enemies... |
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Effy Posted May 21, 2020, 1:23 pm |
It's the tutorial... throw them in an amazing chassis with a cool skin!. McKenzie, Roadrunner... They will have plenty of time to dive a Pho 
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*Ninesticks* Posted May 21, 2020, 1:53 pm |
Strikes me that if the AI is working in Tac now we could use that as a reasonably safe way of showing either stills or short videos on different tactics.
Would you be able to set up ghost cars for them to follow etc? Or is that too much of a pain in the rear? |
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FireFly Posted May 21, 2020, 2:01 pm |
It was fine enough when a "regular" game like need for speed did it, but it looks a little more scummy when F2P titles do it and imply you have to visit their store to have a shot at it. It's not a bad way to do it, but you have to be somewhat more delicate with it than the current popular treadmill model. |
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*Joskney* Posted May 21, 2020, 2:48 pm |
Just my 2 pence, definitely make sure to include a ped mission. 90% likely a new player is going to be in the wilderness and wandering home with bugs wanting them to be lunch. Or at least time in the pits as gladiators | ||||
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Hati Posted May 21, 2020, 3:08 pm |
Yes but you are trying to introduce them to what they will actually have in the game to start. If they want to play with custom rides they can do that but giving them a Phoenix will five them a taste of a situation thry will actually be in 100's of times |
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*sam* Posted May 21, 2020, 3:20 pm |
I'm calling these tutorials, but I think at least as important (perhaps more important) is setting up events that are fun. Once someone realises the game is fun, they'll learn the other stuff. | ||||
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Hati Posted May 21, 2020, 3:35 pm |
Good point, Sam. I suggested the ones I did as they build on each other and are the normal progression.
Race first to get a sense of handling, get used to the idea of turn based Deatthrace adds in guns and makes the challenge go up a little Arena Combat because it's essentially the same thing you are looking to do in the wild. Then the wilderness events The other payoff is by the time they get out of tutorial mode they will have a base of first hand experience and most will know if this is the game for them. I like the idea you are going for in tactical so that it costs them nothing and they don't have to risk thier actual gang. My suggestion for 'prizes' is an amount of DW cash for the town events and if they succeed in the wilderness events let them keep the cars It means a new guy coming through all the tutorials would start with his gang two Phoenixes, two sedans, and and an Apache as well as whatever cash they won. They would be set up to immediately jump into group scouts without having to rent cars and could possibly solo immediately if they had a good grasp on the tactics involved. |
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darthspanky Posted May 21, 2020, 4:47 pm |
ill tutor them, just need to learn pvp 
just make sure ai talks a bit more of extra smack talk on theses tutorials hehe |
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*The X Man* Posted May 21, 2020, 6:20 pm |
Simple and easy for new players to be successful. These would be all scout encounter scenarios.
1 player car vs 1 NPC car , after winning, 1 player car vs 2 NPC cars , after winning, 1 player ped vs 1 NPC ped , after winning, 1 player ped vs 2-3 NPC peds . I wouldn't do multiple cars. Keep it simple to allow progression thru all the tutorials. Only changes to the above would be weapon types per tutorial (gunnery or ballistics) For peds, melee hand weapons to guns |
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*The X Man* Posted May 21, 2020, 6:35 pm |
New players, to keep them hooked, is having features locked until they hit a goal. They can have any gunnery weapon to start. After 10 successful scouts, they unlocked all ballistic weapons, after 25 successful scouts, they unlock large guns. They get a badge and a choice of one free weapon they unlock. Keep the free choices to a minimum and not the extreme high end ones.
Same can be done for racing. Start out with compacts, win 10 races, unlock sedans, win 25 races, unlock muscle cars. Win badge and select a free chassis with unlock. Could continue winning in muscle cars to unlock V8s and higher using the same format. |
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Madbooth Posted May 21, 2020, 7:01 pm |
You need a short cut button to dexters which auto opens the webpage and takes them to the tavern hopfuly players will quickily learn that they need to use webpage to unlock alot of features as for starting missing Rewards like free cars would be good for them as they will have felt like they earned them. | ||||
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Hati Posted May 21, 2020, 11:28 pm |
I like this a lot |
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*The X Man* Posted May 22, 2020, 5:17 am |
I think the last phase should include gang leader assassination missions. Kill SS gang leader, win badge and $25K. Unlocks the town of Elmsfield. Kill gang leader, badge and $50K. Unlocks Gateway. Kill gang leader, badge and $100K.
At this stage, all weapons and chassis are unlocked as well as all 3 towns in the northern triangle. New players will have earned new gear and cash to allow their gang to do whatever they want at this point. Then bring in the teaser ad on what awaits in Badlands and beyond. This should be the time where a one time only, discounted one months subscription is offered. |
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Hati Posted May 22, 2020, 12:00 pm |
That's pretty awesome
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*Bastille* Posted May 22, 2020, 2:06 pm |
Me too And the UI overhaul (thinking more like EVE...) the squad and vehicle functions do this alot already, but maybe just polishing up that a bit. Using the current chat space for the squad and vehicles? Remove the scenes? Easy view and rotate functions etc. I do like the open feel of DW, and that its lacking that 'unlock' feel. If this could somehow be tied to fame and rep with factions? (also helping flesh out factions) Aligning with a faction. Positive and negative track rep (eg having a neg track rep with gangs, a pop up 'conversation' text box in the lobby from the DRM "hey what ya doin chum, stop it or we'll murder ya. Alternative text from anarchist? "good work out there, heres a HMG (this being how things are 'unlocked'). The text boxes that pop up, triggered by certain activities, criteria met, push the narative and further tutorial instructions. ("you still suck at racing, try another one, or maybe combats your thing, do that" "Ok, thats better. Heres a 4L for your pho, get out there and try another race... you can chrome that baby up for more horsepower") And similar for other factions or actions you take, depending on what sides you get you get different weapon unlocks or vehicle unlocks. e.g. Merchants get windsors, earlier, anarchists something else, raiders work more with muscle? So still doing so much of something hands you better stuff but its still somewhat hidden under the covers. Rather than like a steam achievement of 25 kills gets the dodobird achievement and unlocks bigger stuff! sorry for the sucky narratives, just for the idea |
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FireFly Posted May 22, 2020, 3:33 pm |
You've already got the narrative mission system on the website, ideally improving* that and making it display inside the client would probably be one way to go about it, also has the benefit of leading people into already existing missions and there is already a system there for creating rookie missions.
No idea how plausible it would be to integrate it into the client better, nor do I know if it can easily be tied into TAC at all... But it's a thought. *Stuff like Ability to view eligible/open missions and accept them inside the client, read their narrative parts inside the client itself and make branching choices or with fast links to the website. Ability to turn them in from the client if possible. With something like that in place, you could present new players with tutorial chains with a bit more elegance, with possible options for branching. Whilst not making it very different from the regular missions. Granted, I have no idea how much you can make this lobby do. As for slowly unlocking stuff, that's not a bad idea but you have to be careful. I think most of us know at least one player that simply does not like the racing part of this game, so forcing new player to "win x races" might not be a great idea. By all means encourage them to play a few, but don't gate progression behind something they might not like. |
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Hati Posted May 22, 2020, 3:52 pm |
I think X was suggesting a few paths to progression.
Also client webpage integration would be nice to have but barring a complete rewrite of the interface I don't know how feasible it is On narratives, very few of them are suited for new players and several need reworking in my opinion, Racing for the mob and a couple others that deal with reputation. |
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Effy Posted May 22, 2020, 3:56 pm |
I would stress the "real value" in this game are not the cars or stuff, the real value are the good gangers.
As for unlocking content, i really like the "you got everything ready to play" if you want. Together with "Here do some some missions" and you'll get some good stuff. And for me the good stuff should be starting gangers. Let do 1st event, get a scout, 2nd event, a gunner, 3rd event a driver... so they can start with some not-completely-green guys. Let the player name them and tell them really hard that those guys are a 1 time blessing and he will lose them the same but at least hey, you warned him!
So they can actually go and play a scout all alone and be on a fair event that won't get them instantly sent to FL as slaves in a 7v2 scout. |
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Hati Posted May 22, 2020, 4:02 pm |
Here's the thing with that. I like the idea sort of but building player skill is more important otherwise you are giving them named dudes to be captured as slaves. Map knowledge and tactical knowledge can prevent that. I say that because I've run about two dozen chassis up from Badlands with new hires and you can outdrive the AI especially on non sand maps | ||||
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SZDaddio Posted May 23, 2020, 1:07 pm |
It might be cool to give new players one grizzled veteran ganger that could serve as their leader (more inspirational rather than leaderrship skill) so they can see the difference training and specs makes in the effectiveness of gang members. |