Why New Player Turnaround Is Increasing

[DiosGX]

Dear Digital Extremes,

this is not really my own personal complaints as I love this game and have enough patience to tolerate its issues.

 

However I hang out in region chat quite often acting as a ghetto helper to give general advice and direct people to information they may need. I'm in there quite often, while playin' mah Nintendo DS or watching a movie, I generally keep that chat open.

 

In the last month, I've been pretty dejected by the sheer number of people asking HOW TO UNLOCK PLANET EARTH, and I am always saddened to tell them "you can't, the game is broken because you skipped the prologue before unlocking Earth."

 

That's a pretty lame thing to have to tell someone, particularly returning players looking to play this game again. Again I'd like to mention, I understand that making a game is pretty much impossible--and this game is very complex in its coding. I don't expect immediate solutions, however, I do believe that Earth--EARTH--being inaccessible to players is a HUGE DEAL, and needs some more immediate attention brought toward it.

 

I understand that in truth, those whom cannot access Earth are essentially lazy or jerks for skipping (the very awesome) prologue, but for them to remain completely jacked with zero word regarding it? It puts out a bad image, and one I don't feel properly represents the legit love and care that's already been put into this game. But it's hard to argue when someone can't, you know, get Kubrow eggs on their own.

 

Secondly, the Inbox Lock Up issue. In the last four days, I have had to type "the auto-open inbox is glitched. Close your game and open it again." You want to know how many people actually open the game again? I don't want to mention it, because it's honestly pretty depressing to think about. It's not cool when a practical solution is "alt F4," especially when this glitch is encountered by every single new player within their first hour of gameplay. Is it a good forewarning of what's to come in this game rife with bugs? (It happens. I understand that. Not complaining per se.)

 

I get that there are priorities, and things that can be more easily and readily fixed to bundle up with a hotfix. But I strongly and utterly implore you with my entire heart and soul to put these issues into the foreground and rectify them sooner than has been. Technical issues are one thing, but having new players locked out of basic gameplay functionality is legitimately starting to affect me via empathy.

 

Love,

Some dude on the internet

[vaugahn]

New players can't skip the prologue though?

[aleco247]

^^ what that person said

[LukeAura]

New players can't skip the prologue though?

Any player before the new prologue was introduced would have been between mercury and venus if they couldn't get earth. Thus still 'new'. 

That's pretty messed up OP. A portion of players will just never see earth now. Or get Kubrows for that matter. 

Edited August 17, 2014 by LukeAura

[OptimumBow0]

Seems like an unforeseen bug, and one that probably isn't all that hard to fix.

 

"We're giving everyone an Earth Nav Segment for free!"

[Gurzil]

TL;DR

 

Just kidding Dios.. 

 

It's true, they can't skip the prologue..

 

+1 otherwise.

[vaugahn]

Any player before the new prologue was introduced would have been between mercury and venus if they couldn't get earth. Thus still 'new'. 

 

If they're in that weird "limbo zone" then they need to defeat the Jackal. That will give them the Kubrow quest and unlock Earth. If he's not dropping the segments that must be a bug.

[Filas312]

We just need more fixing and less content. Yes, I actually said that.

[AlphaHorseman]

Aloha Dios,

 

I don't think they can skip the prologue.

 

Never knew you frequented the Forums along with Regional, nice to see you on here!

[[DE]darryl1]

Hey DiosGX, 

 

Thanks for bringing these issues to our attention! The bug with Earth being perma-locked for a portion of our returning players is absolutely brutal, and that Inbox one is definitely bush-league too. Fortunately we've got a bead on them now with fixes in the works as I type.

 

Stay tuned for the next Hotfix, we'll make sure these are resolved when it goes out!

[Somedude1000]

-snip-

 

Love;

Some dude on the internet

 

I always thought I was somedude on the internet....

 

Also, yes these questions get asked extremely often, almost annoyingly, there should really be a direct link to the palyers helping players subsection from inside the game perhaps? I really believe asking for help in region is nearly useless most of the time

[bones7056]

 those whom cannot access Earth are essentially lazy or jerks for skipping

 

This was the third (forth idk anymore) intro ive played now. someone wants to skip it? by all means let them, dont insult them for it. 

[Shifted]

Just as a note, not only the bugs are what scares the new players away.

 

Sure, we have a fleshed out tutorial now, but after that there's no guidance for the new players. They're thrown into the open water with a "do what you want" message.

For some people (me) it's fine, I like having a freedom of choice. A friend of mine however, who I've invited to Warframe right after U14 shipped, said everything up to the point when he ran out of quests was great, but he needed more "handholding" afterwards.

 

Perhaps some explanation from The Lotus on how to continue the game?

 

I don't know, just relaying the feedback.

[CedarDpg]

Hmmm, perhaps when we hear that dude talking about expired visas over the comms in our Lisets, he's actually dealing with those people in customs. :)

[CY13ERPUNK]

+1 OP

 

preach it brotha

[-Shrintoo-]

i would think if anything, there's a seriously more pressing issue and that is the crashing and disconnections - now let's be perfectly clear, I am 100% fine with the game crashing or disconnecting due to its' Beta nature and whatnot. what I can't find acceptable in any way is how DE continues to not focus 100% of attention on the Reconnect button until that is implemented and working.

not having earth unlocked is an easy fix and honestly not THAT much of a downie, especially if you compare it to running over 1h in a survival, with 3 Nekros (I wonder what we're there for, because if it was just for fun there probably wouldn't be 3 Nekros) and after that time WF decides you don't deserve any of that truckload of stuff you just EARNT.

 

how can this not be priority??

[Aroran_Svitskna]

 those whom cannot access Earth are essentially lazy or jerks for skipping

 

This was the third (forth idk anymore) intro ive played now. someone wants to skip it? by all means let them, dont insult them for it. 

yea know, i actually injoyed playing the new Intro, although ima MR 6, i still enjoyed it

[TheBulitt]

literally needs to be an onscreen icon telling players where to go and what to do next that doesnt just pop up but actually gives slow learners a chance to read it

[Void_Soldier]

Even players who played through the prologue get stuck on the quest progression, I (and I'm not the only one based on speaking to others) didn't hear the voice comm that told me to go deal with the Jackal due to Ordis and Lotus talking at the same time, luckily I knew where to look on the forums and help was there to be found. So yeah, maybe a perma-link to the players helping players section of the forums in the intro text to regional might be helpful for those needing guidance. Or the new way of pointing out missions through in-game messages and clues could have an optional 'click here for extra handholding and a clear, expanded and repeatedly accessible version of your current goal' in either your mailbox or a mission log.