New player experience

[Excidius]

There is no where to test tanks to determine what play style you prefer, there is nothing to tell you that you can even go to topographic and learn the maps/roles.... Those alone makes for a hard learning experience, on top of that you can vs tanks 2 tiers above you that you most likely have 0 hope in defeating and penetrating round that new players just cannot afford to throw money away on.... all this together makes for a terrible new player experience..

[GinsengSamurai]

WoT is certainly not beginner friendly. However, I would suggest you move up tiers only when you're ready, rather than just moving up because you can. I think most players make the mistake of trying to get into as high tier tanks as quickly as they could, instead of just playing the tier that feels right until they get the hang of it.

For example, I went all the way to tier 8 heavy tanks within not even two months. Big mistake. It took me another month to realize I should play tier 3-4. So I played 3-4 until I felt I was ready. I was 'ready' when I was able to knock down tanks one or two tiers above me in at least half of my games. Then I started to play tier 5-6 and when I was able to put 3 marks on one or more of those tanks, I moved up to tier 7-8.

Also, play the tanks you like, instead of every tank you can get your hands on. I went from playing mediums to heavies, then to SPGs, and it wasn't until about 4 months into my WoT experience, that I realized tank destroyers was my type play style. Furthering that, I start out just behind the support-line, and then move up. 30% of the time, I play assault by flanking. 50% of the time, I am at the support-line (right before the front lines), etc.

Mind you, I am a relatively quick learner. Started in May 2023 and pretty much 'understood' the game by October 2023. Most of the tanks I play are tech-tree tanks.

One last thing about new players and premium tanks - don't do it. Many people have a misconception about premium tanks or 'gold' ammo. Most of these sort of players believe all you need to do is spend money and you can be a top player. I've destroyed more premium tanks using tech-tree tanks, than I have playing premium tanks. It really comes down to understanding where to shoot the enemy tank and how distance plays a role. If you suck at the game and you spend money on the notion you're going to be an awesome player, you're going to be disappointed.

Regardless, if the game is giving you headaches, I suggest putting it away and try this other tank game called Steel Aces that is coming out, or try WoT Blitz if you like faster pace battles.

[Mr. CupCakes]

^ This is a good thing to do. I've seen many noobs at high tiers. You can watch Youtube videos. I would recommend watching QuickyBaby. You can learn a lot from that, and know more about how to play tanks, and the different play style.

[AnimeMayhem]

Wargaming doesn't care about new "players" only new "payers." You get hooked on the game by fighting inept bots, then once you are committed you get the wake-up call of playing against people who know what they are doing. Your choices are to suffer, quit, or become a payer. Even if you stay at low tiers, you need to make sure you have more than one tank to play because you will invariably have matches where vets come down and seal club you firing all premium ammo and you'll be ready for another match very quickly.

I still want to play the game and don't really care about stats, so I go into each match trying to either learn/try something specific or make sure I contemplate at least one thing I did wrong or could have done better once my tank explodes. Then off to the garage and into my next learning experience.

[Fat Atom]

Originally posted by AnimeMayhem:

Wargaming doesn't care about new "players" only new "payers." You get hooked on the game by fighting inept bots, then once you are committed you get the wake-up call of playing against people who know what they are doing. Your choices are to suffer, quit, or become a payer. Even if you stay at low tiers, you need to make sure you have more than one tank to play because you will invariably have matches where vets come down and seal club you firing all premium ammo and you'll be ready for another match very quickly.

I still want to play the game and don't really care about stats, so I go into each match trying to either learn/try something specific or make sure I contemplate at least one thing I did wrong or could have done better once my tank explodes. Then off to the garage and into my next learning experience.

I hadn't played this game for ages .. and forgot all about the pay to win model .. and most games you either get ruined by retardillery or gold ammo .. Also forgot that paid players get shell dispersal, firing at bots .. go on target .. firing at paid players .. chance your shell goes 5 miles in the other direction .. Whaata mistaka to make .. Yeah this game is garbage ..

[AnimeMayhem]

Yeah. Game really needs to be renamed World of Tank Loot Boxes. That way they can still name the others World of Warship Loot Boxes and World of Warplane Loot Boxes without confusing anyone.

[Franss the Coffee Addict]

Getting out of tiers 1-3 asap should be priotized. you will fight nothing but those pz. s35's on those ranks

[Marf]

Originally posted by Excidius:

on top of that you can vs tanks 2 tiers above you that you most likely have 0 hope in defeating and penetrating round that new players just cannot afford to throw money away on.... all this together makes for a terrible new player experience..

It doesn't get any better as you get higher tier tanks, it's just how it is, some bright spark at Wargaming has decided that that is how they think we should play but, yes it's frustrating as hell isn't it!

[Marf]

Originally posted by Fat Atom:

Also forgot that paid players get shell dispersal, firing at bots .. go on target .. firing at paid players .. chance your shell goes 5 miles in the other direction .. Whaata mistaka to make .. Yeah this game is garbage ..

Is that true? it would certainly explain a lot of the weird behaviour that I see in the game.
I have thought for a long time that something like that is going on, like it has seemed MY account has some kind of debuff on it, but I hadn't thought maybe the paying players get a buff effectively.

[Fat Atom]

Originally posted by acemark41:

Originally posted by Fat Atom:

Also forgot that paid players get shell dispersal, firing at bots .. go on target .. firing at paid players .. chance your shell goes 5 miles in the other direction .. Whaata mistaka to make .. Yeah this game is garbage ..

Is that true? it would certainly explain a lot of the weird behaviour that I see in the game.
I have thought for a long time that something like that is going on, like it has seemed MY account has some kind of debuff on it, but I hadn't thought maybe the paying players get a buff effectively.

Yeah .. used to play the game a long time ago, when it first launched, when they introduced the platoons / teams, me and a team noticed weird ranging / shell dispersal issues creeping in .. when the mechanics were introduced in world of warships it didn't take long to fathom out they had ported the same mechanics .. i noticed it again in a game of bots / players recently, it was doing the same thing .. there is also a perk that helps with shell dispersal, so shell dispersal exists, to what level WG are setting it, no idea, but in the game it was ranging quicker and more accurately on bots, but was a little more random with players, i can only surmise the difference was paid and non paid. But like you say the accuracy was wild.
It can be pretty frustrating to wait for ages in cover to fire and watch the shell go miles off target. Its so blatant sometimes, your just left thinking, how even in a real tank in the real world would the shot be so off target.. XD you've got to love some of the crazy quirkiness / behaviour in the game..

I'm laughing to much to get wound up about it .. It is what it is ..

On the flip-side, if you are paying for premium, you could argue that you should get something extra, as they are funding the game for free accounts.

[Marf]

Originally posted by Fat Atom:

Originally posted by acemark41:

Is that true? it would certainly explain a lot of the weird behaviour that I see in the game.
I have thought for a long time that something like that is going on, like it has seemed MY account has some kind of debuff on it, but I hadn't thought maybe the paying players get a buff effectively.

Yeah .. used to play the game a long time ago, when it first launched, when they introduced the platoons / teams, me and a team noticed weird ranging / shell dispersal issues creeping in .. when the mechanics were introduced in world of warships it didn't take long to fathom out they had ported the same mechanics .. i noticed it again in a game of bots / players recently, it was doing the same thing .. there is also a perk that helps with shell dispersal, so shell dispersal exists, to what level WG are setting it, no idea, but in the game it was ranging quicker and more accurately on bots, but was a little more random with players, i can only surmise the difference was paid and non paid. But like you say the accuracy was wild.
It can be pretty frustrating to wait for ages in cover to fire and watch the shell go miles off target. Its so blatant sometimes, your just left thinking, how even in a real tank in the real world would the shot be so off target.. XD you've got to love some of the crazy quirkiness / behaviour in the game..

I'm laughing to much to get wound up about it .. It is what it is ..

On the flip-side, if you are paying for premium, you could argue that you should get something extra, as they are funding the game for free accounts.

That's very interesting, and I have no doubts that you are correct, as i said, I have been thinking along those lines for quite a few years, I began playing in Beta on another account.
I rarely play for more than a few days before rage quitting due to said behaviour.
The funny thing is that, for me I WOULD buy into the game if I was happy with it but, as it is, I won't because it is too frustrating.
I wonder how many others believe the ftp hype and leave in frustration a few days/weeks/months later ^^

[Fat Atom]

I quit the game altogether for a bit, if you were a non-payer, you end up 1-2 tiers down in every game, heavy shell dispersal against paying players, constantly spammed with APCR rounds in every game by the paying players, and then the introduction of artillery which killed the whole game for me .. Not much has improved since to be honest ..

[Marf]

Originally posted by Fat Atom:

I quit the game altogether for a bit, if you were a non-payer, you end up 1-2 tiers down in every game, heavy shell dispersal against paying players, constantly spammed with APCR rounds in every game by the paying players, and then the introduction of artillery which killed the whole game for me .. Not much has improved since to be honest ..

Pretty much the same for me, except the arty part, I used to be quite good with arty til they ruined it with stun mechanics and dreadful accuracy, that said I could cope with it IF the rest of the content was fun, but isn't really is it.

[Dane]

Shell dispersal is a joke. I don't care if you are a paid player, you shouldn't get force fields. That's a real good way to get new and non gold players to quit. i won't play a game that treats me like a clay pigeon.

[Brohan Creates]

Originally posted by Dane:

Shell dispersal is a joke. I don't care if you are a paid player, you shouldn't get force fields. That's a real good way to get new and non gold players to quit. i won't play a game that treats me like a clay pigeon.

Oh it is. It's like whoever created the idea of that mechanic was cross eyed.

[Signex]

I liked the console version, got to tier 8. Pc version looks a lot different tho, it's more gritty looking.