Revamping the new player experience (blueside)

[Greycat]

(Note, this is specifically "what you first see stepping in Blueside." Redside, you're dropped almost in front of the Arbiter and it's obvious you should talk to him.)

 

So there you are. You create a character, pick hero (because it's city of heroes, of course) and whether you do a tutorial or not, you get dropped in Atlas Park. What do you see?

 

 

This.

 

Granted, without some of the messages on the side, but that's irrelevant. You're faced with a flight of stairs and a bland dialog box telling you to do stuff.

 

Where is this find contact thing? Where is Matthew Habashy? You then get a followup of a second box telling you you can mark yourself as needing help, nothing, or a helper (and does anyone actually pay attention to those colors?)

 

So what do you do? I mean, head up the stairs (you probably see other people up there,) but then what?

 

This - is an awful experience. Also, if you go looking for Matthew Habashy, is he at the top of the stairs? No, that's Ms. Liberty. This guy has to be obvious, right?

 

Is he?

 

The gold thing over his head isn't even visible, he's WAAAAAAAY in the distance there - and if you actually read the opening dialog box and want to try the origin contacts, you have to go hunting.

 

I'd say we need to fix this.

 

First, move Matthew. Put him at *least* in that front corner. (Yes, I'm aware of the phasing thing with his wife. Move her with him.) Make him visible.

 

Second, change that opening dialog box. Make it more like a mission (or AE contact) dialog box. Have his picture in the corner. "Hello, I'm Matthew Habashy. I could use your help. Come up the stairs and see me, I can help you start your heroic journey." Not "find this other dialog box in another window."

 

He should have an option as well that basically starts a mission - "Would you rather start with your Origin contact? They have short missions based on the origin you've chosen for your character." If you pick yes, you get an arrow on your map (and directions to follow it) taking you first to City Hall, then to the contact.

 

Matthew should also be the initial "getting started help resource" and it should be obvious to go to him. A "You have questions?" going to a new page with him with things like -

"How do I get new contacts?" "Well, when you finish a story arc from a contact, they'll often introduce you to a few other people. Or you can use the Find Contact window" - with *screenshots* of where to find it and what it does.

"How do I get to other places" pointing the new player (again, with a mission door indicator) to the tram station.

"How do I make my abilities stronger" going to the vendor and/or giving an explanation of enhancements - not the invention system, though that can be mentioned later, this is just "This is what they look like and this is what they do, here's how you use them."

 

Even things like "How do I join/start a supergroup" (walking you to the registrar) and "how do I find things to do / get more help" - the last describing how to use the Help channel, in game help (itself probably needing more revamping) and linking to both the wiki and the forums for more detailed information.

 

Heck, I'd even throw in "What's a DFB," since a new person will see that advertised, and maybe a list of really common acronyms - yes, they change, but some just haven't. (This should all probably be visible with some sort of radio to Matthew, too... though that might play merry hell with the contact window.)

 

Last, an option in options that says "ok, I've done this before and don't need all of Matthew's help." You can still see the help options by walking up and clicking on him, you just wont' get all the dialogs and such.

 

Again, you can do the same thing with the arbiter redside, but I think it's more obvious red and goldsides with who you have to talk to first.

[Glacier Peak]

I would offer my opinion, but I realize at this point I can't fathom what a new player (someone who has never played this game) even thinks or needs guidance for since I've played it so long. I'll just offer that I support making the game more accessible. 

[JasperStone]

This is brilliant.

[Chris24601]

Personally, I’d move Matthew Habashy to just off Ms. Liberty to the left facing her so the mission icon over him is clearly visible as you’re headed up the stairs (default human behavior if you’re placed at the bottom of a flight of stairs that are clearly dominating your field of vision is to climb them because the view will be better).

 

Alternately, I would move the Start location to inside City Hall (in the alcove by the merit vending machine facing out) with Matt at the top of the stairs heading down to the Origin contacts and Ms. Liberty in the center of the rotunda.

 

 If I was going really wild I’d redesign city hall to remove the doors (or rather have them sitting open so you could walk in and out without needing to click anywhere).

 

I’d also put the START vendor and a basic Freedom Corps vendor near the Supergroup registrar and give that FC vendor a dialogue box (like START has) that has them explain Freedom Corps, enhancements and inspirations (in the context of FC being Hero Support) in more detail.

 

That way when you first appear you have the trainer dead ahead, your first mission contacts just past them in the confined area of the building, to your left along the wall would be the merit vendor, basic vendor, START vendor and supergroup registration and to your right lies the open world.

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, Chris24601 said:

If I was going really wild I’d redesign city hall to remove the doors (or rather have them sitting open so you could walk in and out without needing to click anywhere).

This part won't work. The doors are a teleporter moving you to under the zone map or back to the zone map. For this to work, the map will need to be rebuilt so the interior of City Hall will fit in the available space and be moved up to be part of the base zone map.