Improving Player Retention

[Howlando]

I would like to have a discussion about how EFU can improve on player retention. By this I mean that new players (surprisingly!) daily try out EFU, but many end up not returning. This is to be expected, and is entirely understandable - EFU genuinely isn't to everyone's tastes, and NWN is an old game.

That said, I think a lot of these players really would enjoy EFU a LOT (we have so much neat content that isn't immediately obvious or accessible) if they were to stick around.

Do you believe there's anything EFU can do to improve its "new player" friendliness?

Do you have any ideas for new content for how to "hook" new players?

Are you a player that briefly tried EFU, couldn't get into it, and didn't come back? Would you like to describe your experience?

One of my theories is that to try out a place like EFU can be so overwhemling, that you really need a guide. I'd like to encourage/support the development of some kind of OOC situation where a new player is matched up with an active/veteran player. The veteran can show them around, help out their PC, and involve them in their story. They can explain what's up both IC and OOC. I'd be very happy to support this kind of situation and put additional effort to send some nice content that way.

What do you guys think?

[Howlando]

One other thing I'd emphasize, though, is that actually we don't need to aggressively recruit every single new player out there. What I'm really interested in are creative, mature, fun players who would add to our world. I wouldn't want to "dilute" the quality of EFU's playerbase/RP by aggressively recruiting gamers who would do better in a MMORPG. So any ideas for how to get the "right" kind of new player is worth discussing.

[Inquisitor]

I like the idea of matching up new/old players together. Maybe have veteran players post concepts they're currently playing in a specific area and list OOC/IC ways a new player could get involved.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

I've guided a few new players who've stuck about a bit, as I'm sure most of us have too by now. It's a really steep learning curve for some who aren't used to such a hardcore environment. I tried bringing someone here too but she got bored of the rp :( Which admittedly from what she experienced was either dialogue or quest gathering. I'll ask her for a formal reply I can make on her behalf to this thread but for most people it's just a big change to get used to all at once, and very harsh if you don't click with it right away. When I first started efu I found it frustrating and sometimes felt like I had to force myself to tough through it but I had ooc suppourt from Thomas (Thanks for recruiting me!) so ended up staying, and once I got my hands on it things worked out well and I started to understand the server and learn how to become part of it.

[VengefulSeraphim]

Matching up new players and volunteering old players with a Big Brother/Big Sister-type program sounds like the best thing to do. I myself have tried to encourage people from my old server to come and try this place out, and I think they found themselves frustrated that they didn't have anyone to hang out with outside of myself, and I was often on at different times from them.

Another idea is something that's already being done - that is, preludes. They're a great way to get players who are new involved with EfU's story and thus get them invested. Although I had already played my first character by then, the Ill Companions prelude that I took part in with others helped me to get a better understanding of the story and made me think about just how I could contribute to that story.

[Howlando]

I have an idea for a prelude that I'm going to run in the near future (matching it up with a quest for active PCs also), however in my experience most preludes are just veteran players with alts and they don't end up logging them on again.

But if there are a group of new players out there who would enjoy a prelude in terms of coming to EFU, feel free to get in touch with me.

[AirCanada]

I actually really like the idea of pairing up veteran player volunteers with new players who are seeking guidance.  I think this will really help the new player understand all that EFU has to offer.

Perhaps there could be something added in the initial OOC area after character creation where a new player can be made aware that there's a lot to EFU, and if they'd like a "mentor" of sorts, they can send word on the forum/wherever is appropriate and a pairing can be made.  Then a veteran volunteer can be selected to pair up with them.  I like the idea of trying to work them into new plots, etc, so the new player can see how enjoyable really good RP/plot development is, as well as questing, etc.

Great suggestion IMO!

[granny]

Well...

I come from a strong MUD (text based RPG) experience, where everything regarding interactions can be much more alien than we are already in EFU.

In one of them we got something really special and interesting that might be of great enjoyment for us old and new: a Tourism Service Guild (or something related to that). Old, helpful or more experienced players would apply for being part of it and they would be responsible for many things, including initial guidance of new arrivals, promotion of events related to them (including the giving, collecting, controlling and delivering of loot for the newbies) and the like. This guild/ faction got minor powers close to the ones usually only DMs have and also some facilities into offering material for the growth of newcomers. Another thing is that all the players would have on this faction some direction to look at when not so interesting loot came by their hands or when they wanted a group engaged into promoting interesting events (like gathering quests, puzzle solving, story tale contest and other related creativity stuff).

To sum up to it, every single guild of the game had some kind of sage instructed to offer guidance to the ones initiating on the path of the guild, meaning that whenever you'd start something, you would have someone busy and interested into being helpful.

EDITION:

I should mention that I fell in love with our summon system the first time I tried it. And that the preludes and starting areas are something that I just adore. Maybe we could have more optional beginnings, for more flavorful backgrounds... small areas put together to give the player the prologue of the setting. The current is just perfect. Huge starting areas usually are scary for people trying to get into the mood.

Another thing that should be put focus upon: LOTS OF LITTLE DM INTERACTIONS. It is so freaking cool to see the NPCs coming alive due to DM's action, the smaller it is. And you guys do it awesomely. New arrivals maybe would love to see it, as a signal of DM presence and as a signal that the server is pretty much alive and active.

[TheTurboNerd]

The biggest barrier to retention is the requisite of inside knowledge in order to excel. Once you know about the starter quests you can do quite well for yourself, once you have a firm grasp of mechanics you're free to pursue even weak concepts. How to counter this without providing meta-game information is something I'm uncertain about, but something i've always felt servers should have is a "Skill List" that explains how certain skills might be useful or what they should focus on. For example:

HEAL is used for medicinal herbs, which run a d20+ modifier check against a dc. How much you score over the DC, -10, is the amount you're healed by, at a rate of 1 hp per round (2 hp if you have SKILL FOCUS: HEAL). Being in combat or taking actions increases the difficulty to -20.

CRAFT skills are not used, and are covered by In Game Systems

TUMBLE might be useful for providing boosts to climbing!

It's a good idea to have BALANCED stats, since EFU has many systems in place that can benefit from these!

DM's do take diplomacy skills into account during RP, even if they don't ask for a roll!

Etc and so forth.

That, and providing players with some form of contextual examples of how they can genuinely and seriously matter to the world even at level 2, and the 360 degrees of freedom they have in shaping the metaplot and the course of Dunwarren. It's a little hard to wrap your head around the fact that EFU is almost a sandbox. Understanding the tools available to them and how to get those tools from DM's so both sides can have fun is paramount.

[Aethereal]

Maybe have veteran players post concepts they're currently playing in a specific area and list OOC/IC ways a new player could get involved.

This is a good idea. It does happen already, in the 'Introduction to Groups...' thread, though emphasising it more with a readiness to accept new players could be helpful.

In my time helping new players sink their fangs into the server, I have found involving them in-character and setting an example has had good results. Things like involving them in the alchemy/herbalism [which unfortunately right now, is almost inaccessible to new blood due to a lack of an in-game tutorial process/documentation] crafting systems and other common activities they could potentially pursue on their own.

[Nuclear Catastrophe]

Well...
In one of them we got something really special and interesting that might be of great enjoyment for us old and new: a Tourism Service Guild (or something related to that).

Old, helpful or more experienced players would apply for being part of it and they would be responsible for many things, including initial guidance of new arrivals, promotion of events related to them (including the giving, collecting, controlling and delivering of loot for the newbies) and the like.

There's some merit to this actually... maybe we could incorporate it into the courier's functions...

[VengefulSeraphim]

The Civil Service is supposed to do a bit of this, I know for a fact. I showed people around on my previous PC, who was a Civil Servant.

[Random_White_Guy]

Honestly I'd say the biggest issue about retaining PCs is the fact that at times and depending on timezone, EFU as a PW on the whole is a fairly massive scale. There are times where it feels like nothing is going on, ever, at all, and other times when there's so much stuff going on you can't even get your head around it.

My advice would be for people to be more active and open about their PC plots. A lot of things do require "Secrecy" but it's such a big issue that two people will be in the middle of some whispered conversation and instead of "Hey you, stranger, want to make some coin running this message/errand/task/etc for us?" it's usually "...Go away, I'm talking".

Utilizing anyone, not even new players but just newer people to Sanctuary as a whole will help both existing PCs get their feet on the ground moving forward as well as welcome new people to EFU and all the PC-plots, the conflict, the strife, and all the great stuff that keeps people around.

More PC factions, more recruitment efforts, more agenda pushing, the works.

[Blast9thewarrior]

I think part of player retention issue may start with first impressions in the OOC room.

It's been six or so years since I've done the NwN RP thing. I found the beginning OOC room to be a little daunting as a rusty veteran; I could imagine it being even more so for someone unfamiliar to the setting and style of play that occurs here.

There is a lot of information poured into those large tomes, and it is definitely needed. There's a mix of mechanical changes, setting info, etc. I think it's brilliant having a scripted check on deities, a place to tailor your starting outfit, etc. The issue I found was that it was all jammed into a single place and a bit unguided. It's great to compact as much as possible, but I felt some sensory overload.

It would take time, energy, and resources, but my suggestion would be to reassess the area and perhaps break it into two or three open-concept rooms, each with specific content. i.e. a room marked for information about the setting and mechanical changes, starting gear/deities/disfiguration. All this leading to the IC portals.

The suggestions already given on IG ways to get people involved are quite viable, and it'd be good to see. I'm still working my way back into the setting and at times I do feel the server seems barren in the main Upper areas. I'll login with 20+ people in and see maybe four to six. I do not fault anyone for this as the server is huge and there are many places to be and plot. I plan to and will get more involved with player plots because I know how to go about it, but someone new may not know that players should try and do something with other players besides quest.

[Vlaid]

I'm sure I'll have something more substantial later on to add to this, but I just wanted to mention one thing I have noticed lately.

We have had a lot of newer players (if that's just young players or new to NWN/EFU, hard to say sometimes)...and I have noticed a lot of more seasoned played have become increasingly unsympathetic to being inclusive to people that are not either optimised, supplied, or they are sure know what they are doing.

I've been guilty of this in the past when I go through the square and pass by the vacant stares of afk players (who tend to be newer players who just can't find anything to do). As players I really feel we could do a better job about being a little more inclusive when we see those newer players. Be it questing, or just emoting a little to them and trying to make them feel like they are part of a world and not just a MMORPG server where they are now bored because they did all the solo quests.

Maybe this is simply a side effect of the increased difficulty, lowered supplies and much smaller reward levels for success on quests making people intolerant of people who may not know all the tricks and techniques to every quest.

Maybe there is some way DM's or scripting could encourage this inclusiveness, I don't know.