retired_heidigoebel

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by coisty:


Was filling out my form for the yearly awards and realised I only realy know folk in my own clan and Powley who is every where. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

powlEy would be my twin brother right?

Eileeno671

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Powlay:
_powlEy_ would be my twin brother right?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

oh, please god, dont let there be another :p

retired_heidigoebel

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Deano:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Powlay:
_powlEy_ would be my twin brother right?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

oh, please god, dont let there be another :p<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

i have been called god a few times, and i thank you for your worship of me...keep the faith

and no...im the one and only dominaor...dominator...

sorry listened to crappy 90's tunes on way home today.

retired_zjx510

On topic here please!

retired_hollieo

Deano, nice to hear a few ideas coming from yourself. However, I feel "Drop In Games" are a waste of time and I'll predict now that the idea would last about as long as a Wolves clean sheet at Highbury.

This is precisely because drop in games have no longevity, and lets face it, most new players already know how to play champ and aren't looking for a night spent twiddling their thumbs in a game with no future.

You've also got to factor in the age level of these new recruits. They are young and looking for action. While a drop in game would show them how to connect etc, what purpose would really be gained by showing them the game then saying, ok, now arrange it for yourself?

It does nothing towards helping new players get a clan game going, nor does it provide any serious gaming. It also does nothing towards preventing people joining games and then disappearing for good.

It has always been very difficult on here for new players to meet new players and get a game going. As somebody said, not many people are prepared to take the time out and email people off the available player listings. So, unless someone is prepared to take the time out, have a twice weekly chat session for all new comers, and encourage them to get a clan started and actively work to make it happen, I can't see any of these ideas having any effect whatsoever.

So why not organise a twice weekly session on chat to introduce new players to the online scene and each other, explain the rules, how it is different from single player and so on. Then the moderator (aka Dogs, needs to take on responsibility for these people) and actively encourage/cajole these people into sorting out a workable system.

Otherwise, you have the same old problem of people joining, going "want a game", their thread is closed, and who could be bothered with that...?

You are right in that new players need to be encouraged, but the only way to do that is to actually get them involved in a serious online game. So unless the serious clans actively recruit these people (and I've taken in a lot of newcomers and they have all been class) then they need to be helped pro-actively to sort one out.

[This message was edited by BelfastNiall on 27 December 2003 at 23:48.]

retired_rover2clover

Of course the idea is a good one and would have to be thought about intensively on how we would go about such a "drop in sessions".

Now its not going to be easy for established clans to take in new recruits, of course in an ideal world it'd be great if they all could take someone into their game but there can be a big risk in taking new people as people who have been hosting games for the past few years know, I myself have had my fair share of newcomers in EFB, ones that i'd hope would be good for the clan, but too many of them just turn up once or twice and then you never see them again, this kind of thing has been experienced by many people and its one of the reasons why you rarely see a newcomer come directly into a established clan.

Now one of the ways I think this could work well is how Paul Bray has been using EMA, he has his main EMA clan but then he sets up tournaments every so often. Now we could take this kind of idea (this is just an example) setup a couple of tournaments a month (both on different times as some peeps can only play during the week and others just at weekends). These can include some regulars/established players but be mainly filled with Newcomers,this way not only do they get their online experience but also get to play with members who know the ropes and discuss problems/ideas etc with them about the online scene and get to know what its all about.

SO you have your established clans, the Scots, EFB, EMA etc and then these tournaments, this way the established clans will also be able to spot new talent and of course (if spaces are available) invite them to their clan if they feel they are committed enough to the course.

This way hopefully new comers may be able to get more rewarded for their efforts and give them something to strive for. To be a winner one month you will want to prove yourself against more experienced players to show that your not just a one hit wonder. eg "CMO August Tournament Winner".

Now in Theory it may sound like a cracking idea, I certainly think it does, but as good as it may sound we do hit obstacles with such an idea, lets think about it, who's going to host these games? most experienced players are busy with their own clan game and will struggle to find time to host a game at different times? who's going to organise the tournaments? how many people will we let player per tournament? etc etc etc There are lots of questions that would have to be carefully thought through.

Its certainly not going to be easy no matter what idea we go with but as long as we work together it should give us more ideas and hopefully also more solutions to the problems that we face with these ideas.


To change subject slightly, some of us appear to have forgotten that this thread is for brain storming ideas as mentioned above by Dogs, after all, why have a off-topic thread if your not going to use it.

cheers.

retired_hollieo

Goldy, it's all vey well you saying "of course the idea is a good one" then not giving any reasons whatsoever as to why it is A: A Good Idea, or B: even workable, as you seem to acknowledge in your latest effort.

What a lot of you "experienced" guys seem to do, is overlook a lot of the new talent. For example, you state "I myself have had my fair share of newcomers in EFB, ones that i'd hope would be good for the clan, but too many of them just turn up once or twice and then you never see them again". Ok, I think every host would agree with this statement, yet all of you appear to reject the idea of a blacklist for said people. And indeed none of you have come up with any ideas to the contrary as to how to deal with this problem. So what is the point of this thread? Are you guys in "power" going to deal with this issue or not? Or will it again be brushed over?

Players are pointed to the new player list, yet when I point out that all my new players have been both reliable, committed, and indeed very good CM players, you describe it in derogatory terms ie: "you rarely see a newcomer come directly into a established clan". So is the problem the new players or indeed the existing ones. Face it, what are the established players and mods doing to help newcomers? Nothing, and you admit it yourself in ur latest post, but apart from the fact you'd like to nick talent.

I'll be honest, this is ridiculous. Drop in games will offer little as I said. It may have some short term success but as for longevity, I very much doubt it. You'd be much better trying to help newcomers organise a game, through positive interaction, and through the twice weekly chatroom, than what I have heard tonight. This whole thread is not supposed to be about the "established clans, the Scots, EFB, EMA", but about how to integrate new users, end of...

retired_rover2clover

If people are not commited to having a long term game and only turn up twice please tell me how the solution on getting them to play more than that if they themselves cant be arsed? Answer : there aint one.

Now a Blacklist does not resolve any problems whats so ever because quite frankly thats putting people down.

Now if you still have not understood the idea of this thread why post in it? The thread is for IDEAS, we're giving ideas forward that can be discussed, this stuff isnt final and we're not gonna go ahead with them straight away, we want to see what ideas everyone has for the forum and how they believe we should go forward and address some of the current issues. We didnt say we're going to have all the solutions in this thread, its to discuss the ideas on how its possible to resolve them.

Now I hosted a game for a year and a half, yes you can get very good newcomers, but when you have hosted and played the same game for that amount of time you get through quite a lot of newcomers and thats the point we're making out in this thread, a lot of them dont want long term games, they just want a quick spin at CM online.

Now what are we doing to help newcomers, starting this thread is our starting point if you hadnt realised this.

Now we all have different views and opinions about different subjects, thats were this thread here comes in, its not for making arguements, its for discussion and we want not just your views on peoples ideas, we want to get as many opinions and views on the subject as possible, someone says idea by X person is crap.....then of course Person Y will give their opinion why they think it is and gives an idea of their own.

Then Person A, B, C, D, E S,T,U & V come along and give more opinions and ideas. These matters unfortunately do not solve overnight, be fantastic if they did but their not going too thats life.

We are trying to make the forum better for everyone, the only way we're going to do that is by getting as many ideas and opinions as possible.

I can see your point of view as can many others but we already know what the problem is about newcomers.


NB : Reading through the available player listings thread, a lot of them do not want to start a clan/host. This is probably cos they don't know what it involves and prefer to have a game first, thats one reason why I support he idea of a so called "drop in game".

retired_gallant_pat

good healthy debate here , i'm liking the fact that were are having alot of thought provoking discussions.

My opinion at this early stage on Deano's, Niall's and Goldy's subject is as follows.

Carl i like your idea but i believe it would take a heavy commitment to find experienced hosts that would be able to dedicate the time outside their clan games to facilitate these drop in games to give newcomers a taster. If i'm talking bull here give me a counter argument. i do see where you are coming from as i believe that the amount of new players who come into the online scene try a game and find its not their cup of tea is still quite high. This is a pain in the arse for hosts. A compromise would be goldy's idea of the monthly tournement which would be alot easier to manage. The thing is to find a balance which doesnt compromise both host and new user. A non clan game envronment would not burn a host and owuld not put pressure on a new user who doesnt want to start his own clan etc etc but still wants to see if he likes the online game. Niall good idea on the chatroom, but would the new improved faq not aid the newcomers with regards most queries, or do you feel a more hands on personal touch is needed.

I'm a bit inebriated tonight so the above might not be that legible : great posts tho lads.

retired_gallant_pat

also i still feel that this is an online forum, covering for all. Should we offer a service for those who dont want a clan game.

who dont want long term game.

would the drop in game then sound more plausible?