The Free Weekend is a mistake

[Cross]

I feel sorry for all players of NS2 right now. Thanks to the free weekend, nobody is having fun. Regular players are frustrated with teams of newbies who have no idea of what to do, thinking this is a no-communications game, CoD-style. And the newbies aren't having fun either, being thrown into a weird and different game with no introduction and a couple of experienced people shouting at them. This is not a good introduction. Make a proper tutorial, UWE, or can free weekends forever; because this mess serves no one.

[Kwisatz]

Your post reeks of awkwardness, I'm sorry to say.

Your points being:
- pissed off, shouting vets don't enjoy playing with clueless new players
- clueless new players don't enjoy playing with pissed off shouting vets

Solution:
- vets should try to be helpfull and explain the concepts of the game to those who are willing to learn, in a kind and patient manner.

As an experienced player you will have to either play the game differently for a few days, coaching, helping, not playing for the win so much. Or you will have to get into private games that only allow experienced ppl. Organize yourselves if you can't stand the chaos!

It's YOUR responibilty to make this event as fruitfull for everyone as possible, for yourself, for the newbies and for UWE. The "CoD crowd" will turn away in disgust soon enough, we can only hope that a fraction of the weekenders is retained and becomes part of this community.

[100% Recycled Awesome]

Originally posted by Cross:

I feel sorry for all players of NS2 right now. Thanks to the free weekend, nobody is having fun. Regular players are frustrated with teams of newbies who have no idea of what to do, thinking this is a no-communications game, CoD-style. And the newbies aren't having fun either, being thrown into a weird and different game with no introduction and a couple of experienced people shouting at them. This is not a good introduction. Make a proper tutorial, UWE, or can free weekends forever; because this mess serves no one.

Really? Came from a string of 6 games (5 wins 1 loss, yeah this IS free weekend) and many players sounded like they were having fun. Couple made comments that they'd buy the game. And plenty of them had mics so communcation was fine. Day 1 of Free Weekend is going better than I had expected.

One really really sounded like he was having fun after we went on a topo to control runaround on Veil. He saw just how much impact a small team of Aliens could have upon the entire game. Relieved a major Marine push and helped win the game. And he was right in the center of it all. SELLING POINT!!

And I enjoy NOT dealing with lots of Marines who hunt down the cute defenseless little hippo first. :) On the flip side, Hippo is super effective now.

Were the games you were on full of stacked teams? Mine were pretty much split with 25% veterans on both teams. I think it's good that lots of people are trying the game out. And $12.5 is hardly an expensive price.

I think that "veteran" players need to realize that it's free weekend and have some patience. Remember this game does need more players. And throw out some encouragement. Never hurts. Even if you just shotgunned a skulk. One guy I blasted I typed "I see you there being all sneaky like" and then I told him that when I started as Skulk I got my *** kicked (heck there are days I still do as skulk, not my favorite class).

[Lovely, Milky Milky]

So basically the message to people wanting to try the game is "stay away we don't want you sucking up our game, we are happy to play with a tiny playerbase and don't want the devs to make any money".

Fine, keep your elitist game, enjoy it when it dies a slow and painful death due to lack of new players.

[100% Recycled Awesome]

Originally posted by Jaqarll:

There's nothing worse than elitists. Those NS2 elitists are the reason why this game could fail in the long run.

Maybe, but I'd venture the performance issues are more of a concern. Simply getting bad performance is reason enough not to play. The *real* recommended specs are way past most user's desktops and god forbid playing this seriously on a budget laptop.

But I agree with you. Should provide polite constructive comments, emphasis teamwork, and not get angry when you demolished (as Deja Vu and I were on a team of 12 with 9 new players, heck we did good! Lasted 30 minutes).

[KiwiFranks]

Its a free weekend for 3 days, get over it and stop crying like a baby.

[Buon Tia]

The game is alright!
Green servers are where all the rookies should be and most of them actually are.
It's okay, the more players play the game, the more fun we have imo.
We were all newbies.

[ej]

Originally posted by Kwisatz:

- vets should try to be helpfull and explain the concepts of the game to those who are willing to learn, in a kind and patient manner.

We didn't buy this game to do work that UWE should be doing. Explaining why the game doesn't run, takes ages to load, performs bad or crashes, why there is no real tutorial, why rookies shouldn't randomly jump into comm chair, how to kick someone who does it. We are your customers too, not a free tech support.
DO NOT SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY YET AGAIN. THIS IS YOUR GAME.
And it is not fun playing it when marine teams are full of rookies and aliens nerfed as much as they currently are, slow and weak.

[Gimcrack]

I actually find games much funner with newer players, because the games are usually drawn out and you can't tell for sure who is going to win. Usually with more experienced players its "gg, concede, NEXT!" like drug users :P

[ej]

Originally posted by aguamoose:

Fine, keep your elitist game, enjoy it when it dies a slow and painful death due to lack of new players.

By doing free weekend in its current state, it is the developers who say that, actually.

[ej]

Originally posted by Squishpoke:

I actually find games much funner with newer players, because the games are usually drawn out and you can't tell for sure who is going to win. Usually with more experienced players its "gg, concede, NEXT!" like drug users :P

These long drawn games are as fun as banging your head against a wall, sorry. I never considered myself an elitist, in fact, I still suck in this game, and really good players teach me humility over and over again :). But I just F4-ed from a game where we, as aliens, had 3-4 hives most of the time yet comm was weak and unwilling to do anything but spend res on onos eggs which were immediately wasted by our rookies. I won't be surprised if he lost that game because other non-rookie players also left the game before I did.

[Cross]

Originally posted by Specta:

Devs offering people a chance to play the game for free
And still people find something to complain about

Steam forums have a reputation as been full of kids who do nothing but moan and cry
Op is just reinforcing that reputation

You misunderstand me. I think the free weekend players are given an unrepresentative impression of the game, and the regular players can't really get a "proper" game going.

[Hemipheistos]

I really love to check out this game, i dont see any mistake in pushing a game with a free weekend. It's about having fun and not beeing super pro all time.
All this negative "Noob" (btw the only word what some ppl know, it seems) attitude is ruining the fun in a lot of games (most Moba's and random team related games).
It becomes very rare that player rather type something useful in gamechat or trying to focus on the game itself, then harassing new players.

Anyways..
"Let there be FUN - and there was fun...."

[Buon Tia]

Originally posted by Squishpoke:

I actually find games much funner with newer players, because the games are usually drawn out and you can't tell for sure who is going to win. Usually with more experienced players its "gg, concede, NEXT!" like drug users :P

Ahah that is kinda true, I love teaching newbies as well.
And I am myself a rookie, I only have about 25 hours played and I still love when people give me any possible advice.

[Buon Tia]

Originally posted by ej:

Originally posted by Kwisatz:

- vets should try to be helpfull and explain the concepts of the game to those who are willing to learn, in a kind and patient manner.

We didn't buy this game to do work that UWE should be doing. Explaining why the game doesn't run, takes ages to load, performs bad or crashes, why there is no real tutorial, why rookies shouldn't randomly jump into comm chair, how to kick someone who does it. We are your customers too, not a free tech support.
DO NOT SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY YET AGAIN. THIS IS YOUR GAME.
And it is not fun playing it when marine teams are full of rookies and aliens nerfed as much as they currently are, slow and weak.

Man, I am personally very pleased to help new potential players.
This is part of the fun!
You were a rookie too at some point.
This is OUR game, in my opinion, the community is what makes this game good, let's keep the quality above average!

[Kronos]

Well, I think it's the most successful Free Weekend I've participated in so far, simply because the game works, had no problems with it so far (which is especially nice to see after the Chivalry FW where there was just nowhere near enough servers, so barely anyone could actually play the game).

The game is complex, so it's obvious that people who spent hundreds of hours have a big advantage over the new guys... and both sides get frustrated at that. However, the only way you will get people to play the game well is by telling them what they should do / what they are doing wrong. Calling them noobs and rage quiting won't help, you'll just kill the interest of players who decided to give the game a go.

In the end, more players means more cash for the devs to support and improve the game you like, so it's also in your interest to help the new guys.