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Two Short Questions for Csm Candidates

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21 Day Trial
www.caldariprimeponyclub.com
#1 - 2013-03-08 11:21:49 UTC  |  Edited by: 21 Day Trial
In as short amount of words as you can please answer the following: what could you do as a CSM candidate that would help to engage and retain new players, and how would you go about enticing players who have left to come back?
Indahmawar Fazmarai
#2 - 2013-03-08 14:30:54 UTC  |  Edited by: Indahmawar Fazmarai
Not a candidate, but it's easy to abridge my stance:

Provide endgame content for hisec gameplay, add new solo/casual friendly features, add new gameplay venues through avatars and keep iterating the broken/aged/abandoned FiS mechanics.

Slogan: 10 years of the same brought old EVE so far, now it's time to teach her new tricks.
Singular Snowflake
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#3 - 2013-03-08 14:50:12 UTC
Indahmawar Fazmarai wrote:
Not a candidate, but it's easy to abridge my stance:

Provide endgame content for hisec gameplay, add new solo/casual friendly features, add new gameplay venues through avatars and keep iterating the broken/aged/abandoned FiS mechanics.

Slogan: 10 years of the same brought old EVE so far, now it's time to teach her new tricks.

Yeah, highsec endgame content will surely engage and retain those new players.
Indahmawar Fazmarai
#4 - 2013-03-08 21:32:37 UTC
Singular Snowflake wrote:
Indahmawar Fazmarai wrote:
Not a candidate, but it's easy to abridge my stance:

Provide endgame content for hisec gameplay, add new solo/casual friendly features, add new gameplay venues through avatars and keep iterating the broken/aged/abandoned FiS mechanics.

Slogan: 10 years of the same brought old EVE so far, now it's time to teach her new tricks.

Yeah, highsec endgame content will surely engage and retain those new players.


Certainly would do more than not having it at all.
Frying Doom
#5 - 2013-03-08 22:14:48 UTC
21 Day Trial wrote:
In 50 words or less, what could you do as a CSM candidate that would help to engage and retain new players, and how would you go about enticing players who have left to come back?





Also not a candidate but this is easy

Remove war decs and all non consensual PvP

Then that way there would be no gap between newbies and vets.

As there would be no vets.
Lol

Any spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors are because frankly, I don't care!!
Trebor Daehdoow
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#6 - 2013-03-10 01:52:32 UTC
EVE is notoriously noob-unfriendly, and I think a lot more needs to be done here. This means a better tutorial (helping them survive their first few days), making mentoring a profitable in-game profession (helping them survive their first months), and finding ways to hook new players into social groups as soon as possible (so they keep playing for years).

Private Citizen • CSM in recovery
21 Day Trial
www.caldariprimeponyclub.com
#7 - 2013-03-10 01:59:03 UTC
Trebor Daehdoow wrote:
EVE is notoriously noob-unfriendly, and I think a lot more needs to be done here. This means a better tutorial (helping them survive their first few days), making mentoring a profitable in-game profession (helping them survive their first months), and finding ways to hook new players into social groups as soon as possible (so they keep playing for years).


I will forgive you your extra 9 words, but only because you are the only person who I knew would actually answer :)

How would you go about making Mentoring profitable?
Indahmawar Fazmarai
#8 - 2013-03-10 08:56:54 UTC
Trebor Daehdoow wrote:
EVE is notoriously noob-unfriendly, and I think a lot more needs to be done here. This means a better tutorial (helping them survive their first few days), making mentoring a profitable in-game profession (helping them survive their first months), and finding ways to hook new players into social groups as soon as possible (so they keep playing for years).


That sound very pretty, but we're talking about EVE Online, a game where 1 Mn afterburners in noob systems are worth 1 million ISK.

Your approach all in all mimics CCP's, and is like this:

Q: What do the players who stay for long?

Get a series of answers and hammer them so you can lead in the right direction as much of the herd as you can.

But then, being an outlander, i would suggest you and CCP a different approach, based on a different question:

Q: What do players actually do so 90% of them leave the game?

Get a series of answers and then follow the herd in the direction that is best compatible with their interests and EVE.

Of course, maybe it turns that 90% of the players should not be playing EVE and so CCP is right to dismiss them and their needs for being incompatible with EVE, but my personal impression is that the main reason why people leaves is lack of content and not that they don't fit into the concept design of EVE.

EVE is not losing just theme park instant reward risk averse carebear players, it's losing players who don't want or can't access the only endgame content, which is exclusively time comsuming and massive multiplayer.

CCP and others think that leading people into that content ASAP is key to achieve retention, but I beg to differ and point that when most players are solo/casuals, it is self -defeating to blame them for leave a game that is fiercely against them for no good reason, instead of looking for ways to provide them a EVE experience suit to their needs.
Trebor Daehdoow
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2013-03-10 12:20:02 UTC
21 Day Trial wrote:
How would you go about making Mentoring profitable?

There would have to be some sort of matchmaking system that matches mentors to noobs with similar interests / timezone, etc.

CCP has good stats on what % of trial accounts (of any particular age) convert to subscribed accounts. So lets say you agree to mentor a 3-day old noob, and CCP knows that the conversion rate is 10% (I'm just picking a round number here). You would put up a bond (say, 25M ISK). If the noob doesn't convert, you lose your 25M. If he does convert, then you get 200M, with bonus sweeteners at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years.

You and your noobs would share a chat channel, etc.

If you can increase the subscription rate, you make money. If you can't, you lose money -- and the matchmaking feature would take note of that (and the reviews your noobs gave you) and raise your bond.

Private Citizen • CSM in recovery
Indahmawar Fazmarai
#10 - 2013-03-10 14:29:37 UTC
Trebor Daehdoow wrote:
21 Day Trial wrote:
How would you go about making Mentoring profitable?

There would have to be some sort of matchmaking system that matches mentors to noobs with similar interests / timezone, etc.

CCP has good stats on what % of trial accounts (of any particular age) convert to subscribed accounts. So lets say you agree to mentor a 3-day old noob, and CCP knows that the conversion rate is 10% (I'm just picking a round number here). You would put up a bond (say, 25M ISK). If the noob doesn't convert, you lose your 25M. If he does convert, then you get 200M, with bonus sweeteners at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years.

You and your noobs would share a chat channel, etc.

If you can increase the subscription rate, you make money. If you can't, you lose money -- and the matchmaking feature would take note of that (and the reviews your noobs gave you) and raise your bond.


In order to do that, CCP should have a mean to identify and track unique account holders, else the mentoring program would become free money for usrs who already create many alt accounts.
Trebor Daehdoow
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#11 - 2013-03-10 16:02:04 UTC
Indahmawar Fazmarai wrote:
In order to do that, CCP should have a mean to identify and track unique account holders, else the mentoring program would become free money for usrs who already create many alt accounts.

So what? As long as they are paying for a subscription, the kickback for "successfully" mentoring them is just a marketing expense, no different from the various offers they already make (PLEX deals, etc.)

Private Citizen • CSM in recovery
Mike Azariah
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#12 - 2013-03-10 18:13:52 UTC
New players and old come would come to Eve for the same reason . . .change. Make it new, make it NEWS and they come.

Encourage game features that make the game dynamic and don't cripple any single style be it carebear or pvp, both have their place.

m

Mike Azariah  ┬──┬ ¯|(ツ)/¯
21 Day Trial
www.caldariprimeponyclub.com
#13 - 2013-03-11 05:53:38 UTC  |  Edited by: 21 Day Trial
Trebor Daehdoow wrote:
Indahmawar Fazmarai wrote:
In order to do that, CCP should have a mean to identify and track unique account holders, else the mentoring program would become free money for usrs who already create many alt accounts.

So what? As long as they are paying for a subscription, the kickback for "successfully" mentoring them is just a marketing expense, no different from the various offers they already make (PLEX deals, etc.)


This is pretty close to what I was thinking, but was unsure as to how you'd go about negating the visceral fear suggestions like these induce from the mob, whom you'd preferably want backing you when presenting the idea to CCP. Regardless of the how many sporkfulls of logic you supply the rabble is, well the rabble.

Is this an idea that you've seriously considered or off the cuff? I'd be interesting in seeing what others thought of this idea.
Psychotic Monk
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#14 - 2013-03-11 06:27:29 UTC
In order to engage and retain newbies, I'd want to be creating an environment where they are taken in by a well-organized corp early where they would be given things to do and successful ways to do them. This would include ships, advice, and goals.

In order to raise retired vets back from the dead I'd want to be throwing their friends into an interesting struggle. Nothing like a really good space story and a plea for help on whatever comms you still share to get people re-subbing.

Belligerent Undesirables Selling Griefer Immunity
21 Day Trial
www.caldariprimeponyclub.com
#15 - 2013-03-11 06:45:36 UTC
Psychotic Monk wrote:
In order to engage and retain newbies, I'd want to be creating an environment where they are taken in by a well-organized corp early where they would be given things to do and successful ways to do them. This would include ships, advice, and goals.

In order to raise retired vets back from the dead I'd want to be throwing their friends into an interesting struggle. Nothing like a really good space story and a plea for help on whatever comms you still share to get people re-subbing.


Space story I understand, but well-organized corps already exist for newer players. How would you do it differently than it is already being done, or what would you change to the current process to make it more successful? Not every pilot is going to want to join a corp as obvious as those.
21 Day Trial
www.caldariprimeponyclub.com
#16 - 2013-03-11 06:48:44 UTC
Mike Azariah wrote:
New players and old come would come to Eve for the same reason . . .change. Make it new, make it NEWS and they come.

Encourage game features that make the game dynamic and don't cripple any single style be it carebear or pvp, both have their place.

m


Make it News and they will come. Couldn't agree with you more - gets them in, and keeps them playing.

Do you have specific changes in mind, or do you support change in a general sense.
Mike Azariah
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#17 - 2013-03-11 10:12:08 UTC
It is kind of hard to be specific given the 50 words or less.

Think of what made the News in the past, The battle at Asakai, Huge Scams and betrayals. Possible changes? Farms and Fields, something to shake up Null, unless they shake themselves up first. New story-lines/missions/incursions for the PVE players.

Little changes help as well. Those that will make certain parts of the game less of 'death by a thousand cuts'. More bookmarks, corp roles and control of asset vulnerabilities. Some sort of changes to allow mass production and or automation of the processes that feel less like a space game and more like farmville. We should not have to hit the mouse button 50 times just to set up a factory and tend it.

It is the chance to make a difference that makes this game different than any other and those changes are the NEWS that brings new players in. The problem is that some groups want to stifle change because they are on top. They quash any hint of new unless they can see a better result for themselves as a result of it.

But then there is this from one of my opponents in the race

Quote:

Malcanis' Law: Any proposal justified on the basis that "it will benefit new players" is invariably to the greater advantage of older, richer players.


So how do you make change without just helping the rich get richer and the poor get even more pushed down?

I am not a Game Dev and that is NOT what you are electing me to be. We are the voice of you, the players, to CCP and we are the people CCP come to for an opinion, not a solution.

The OTHER part of 'Make it NEWS' is increasing our profile as a game and as a community. Every time we hit the mainstream gaming media in a positive fashion we bring new players in and old players back. The CSM is NOT a PR firm/tool but we can encourage efforts to make the game higher profile in the right way. It would be nice if THIS years Fanfest was as memorable and newsworthy as last years without all the negative aspects last years contained.

Do I think one BIG change will fix everything? No. There is no 'typical Eve player' and so there will not be one fix to rule them all. Anyone who offers a single cure for all Eves woes is either deluded or lying.

I try to avoid both of those.

m

Mike Azariah  ┬──┬ ¯|(ツ)/¯
Malcanis
Vanishing Point.
The Initiative.
#18 - 2013-03-11 10:20:37 UTC
21 Day Trial wrote:
In 50 words or less, what could you do as a CSM candidate that would help to engage and retain new players, and how would you go about enticing players who have left to come back?


To answer the second question first:

"Old players" leave for two main reasons: the stuff they want to do doesn't work, and they want new stuff to do. CCP have done an awesome job of addressing the first problem over the last 3 expansions but they've only started to scratch the surface of the second.

To answer the first question:

The main obstacle in retaining new players is involving them in the player-generated content that makes EVE special. They don't need cotton wool or special privileges or candy. They need to be able to associate with the people who can help them have fun.

"Just remember later that I warned against any change to jump ranges or fatigue. You earned whats coming."

Grath Telkin, 11.10.2016
Kainotomiu Ronuken
koahisquad
#19 - 2013-03-11 11:31:44 UTC
Trebor Daehdoow wrote:
21 Day Trial wrote:
How would you go about making Mentoring profitable?

There would have to be some sort of matchmaking system that matches mentors to noobs with similar interests / timezone, etc.

CCP has good stats on what % of trial accounts (of any particular age) convert to subscribed accounts. So lets say you agree to mentor a 3-day old noob, and CCP knows that the conversion rate is 10% (I'm just picking a round number here). You would put up a bond (say, 25M ISK). If the noob doesn't convert, you lose your 25M. If he does convert, then you get 200M, with bonus sweeteners at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years.

You and your noobs would share a chat channel, etc.

If you can increase the subscription rate, you make money. If you can't, you lose money -- and the matchmaking feature would take note of that (and the reviews your noobs gave you) and raise your bond.

Large alliances could exploit this a lot.

I like it.
Trebor Daehdoow
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#20 - 2013-03-11 12:01:38 UTC
21 Day Trial wrote:
This is pretty close to what I was thinking, but was unsure as to how you'd go about negating the visceral fear suggestions like these induce from the mob, whom you'd preferably want backing you when presenting the idea to CCP.

I discussed this with CCP Unifex and CCP Seagull in the Gorrillan bar one night during the last summit, and it's been on my mind for the last year or so. They are definitely interested in any ideas to increase acquisition, conversion and retention.

Kainotomiu Ronuken wrote:
Large alliances could exploit this a lot. I like it.

Good. As long as it can't be used to print ISK more efficiently than buying PLEX, then fine. You win, they win, everybody wins. There are some edge cases (combinations with offers like Power-of-Two) that would have to be addressed, but the design problem is very similar to bounties.

Plus, it's bottom-up income, which everyone approves of.

Private Citizen • CSM in recovery
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