The mindset for ns2 is causing bad player retention
jrgn
Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58289Members
Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58289Members
This is just a rant based on my confused observations in the excellent games called natural selection 1 and 2. Of course can the they be applied to other games or activities. If you get offended please behave nice anyway...;) I am not talking about MY skill or YOUR skill but about peoples skills and how we as a species have them and how they are distributed among the individuals.
We talk a lot about skills in this game, and we all know they are really hard to define. What is the most important skill? . I'd say it is situational awareness. You need basic skills like aiming, communication skills like being able to listen, motoric skills like having the ability to reach button c as often as possible, understanding of the game mechanics, which is knowledge skill etc.
My point with this is that the many people lack important skills, like situational awareness and maybe some other skills, and do not have the ability to develop them by playing, because it is a skill not so common among everyone. Very demanding games, like i would like to see ns2 as, make these abilities so essential that you lose the game if you lack them . A random number of people try out ns2 and among them only a few percent fits the demanded mindset ( to win or having a enjoyable game). People talk a lot about whining on the servers and the forums, toxic word battles between lousy comms and back seat driving self-proclaimed expert players but this is just a expression of the frustrations people have when not being able to see that every person has different set of abilities, experience, knowledge and not everyone have the genes that carry these abilities. The very disturbing thought i have come up with is that this is the main reason the player retention is so high. It is not about guides and tutorials (of course they help and they are very important). The thing is only some people take the time to go through them and forcing things like this on people is not working because it is a bad way to make people learn. If i lack the skills to adapt and learn i go to the manual. But most people don't, because they lack the "skill" to do it. I know i'm a little incoherent but i hope you understand my intention: NS2 is not a mainstream game for everyone and it is NOT possible for it to be game for everyone. Hence ns2 will always have low player retention and only a few individuals have the specific mindset necessary to play it.
Sorry for any bad english, it is not my native language. I appreciate if you correct my language, but do it politely.
We talk a lot about skills in this game, and we all know they are really hard to define. What is the most important skill? . I'd say it is situational awareness. You need basic skills like aiming, communication skills like being able to listen, motoric skills like having the ability to reach button c as often as possible, understanding of the game mechanics, which is knowledge skill etc.
My point with this is that the many people lack important skills, like situational awareness and maybe some other skills, and do not have the ability to develop them by playing, because it is a skill not so common among everyone. Very demanding games, like i would like to see ns2 as, make these abilities so essential that you lose the game if you lack them . A random number of people try out ns2 and among them only a few percent fits the demanded mindset ( to win or having a enjoyable game). People talk a lot about whining on the servers and the forums, toxic word battles between lousy comms and back seat driving self-proclaimed expert players but this is just a expression of the frustrations people have when not being able to see that every person has different set of abilities, experience, knowledge and not everyone have the genes that carry these abilities. The very disturbing thought i have come up with is that this is the main reason the player retention is so high. It is not about guides and tutorials (of course they help and they are very important). The thing is only some people take the time to go through them and forcing things like this on people is not working because it is a bad way to make people learn. If i lack the skills to adapt and learn i go to the manual. But most people don't, because they lack the "skill" to do it. I know i'm a little incoherent but i hope you understand my intention: NS2 is not a mainstream game for everyone and it is NOT possible for it to be game for everyone. Hence ns2 will always have low player retention and only a few individuals have the specific mindset necessary to play it.
Sorry for any bad english, it is not my native language. I appreciate if you correct my language, but do it politely.
Comments
The fact that you can't aim and have an abysmal k/d ratio doesn't mean that you have the self-proclaimed "main NS2 skill" - situational awareness.
Am I trolling right?
Do the tutorials really waste their time without speaking about situational awareness?
I'm curious because there's major game problems that should be adressed...
such as the sight of aliens on a marines radar or the left over sight on the map.
Truely, though, we can't expect players to have situational awarness when most want to jump in the game and play to have fun.
Learning the hardway, they run into what is illogical and without explanation of game mechanics or ping mechanics. Many seem to be playing for the goal without understanding resources too.
Like you said, no one wants to be forced to do anything....I'd hate to be forced into a tutorial... Golden Rule would suggest not doing it to others.
a) Most people don't have the necessary mindset to play ns2
b) These people tend to get scared off by the existing players
Correct?
a) is definitely what i mean. I also say that they can't develop these skills.
b) is maybe what i say but it is just a description and not important
my point is that the high player retention will be the same whatever you do. i know this is the focus of the PDT.
edit:sorry: i was using the word retention wrong. we have a high flow of new players all the time but many quit playing after a few times. we can't keep the players. i'm saying this is the reason, not bad turorials
Ah, in that case, I have nothing to add. I agree, ns2 requires a certain mindset to play.
i mean it's almost a year since that but still.
As I said, he thought that he had a better situational awareness than that commander.
(edit: and since the aim was crap and he was at the bottom of the scoreboard, that didn't help in credibility)
Not saying that it is the case but more than once I saw butthurt people when they go mad mid-gathers because of being dominated by the other team starting to insult that guy with low k/d until he leaves then report to admin to get him banned.
so wtf is this guy even furious about? he's definitly one of the guys he's ranting about. that's just pure ironic and funny to me.
and just the fact that he expects everyone in pubs to play halfway serious and organized made me rofl.
Back on topic: I most certainly agree that a improvements should be made in this area. Of course it helps. But i believe the effect will not be as big as expected.
You've literally come into this thread to comment specifically about a year old gather ban, that suggests you do want to discuss gathers here. Regardless, please stay on topic and don't name and shame people, particularly in threads that are trying to constructively discuss player retention. Thanks.
That is the point though. How big is "expected" and who is expecting that much? I don't think anyone is realistically thinking ns2 is going to triple in player counts in the next few months because of the recent changes.
In times where games have left the "nerd-status" and everyone is playing games end in different types of gamers.
And cause the low playerbase in NS2 all these types of players facing each other on the same server:
"Pros", with good PCs and fps above 160 who training there aim, watching clanwars to analyse rounds to improve personal skill
vs.
"Casuals", playing on average PCs with around 80fps, ok aim, but struggle to get a deeper understanding of the game or they are not interested in improving
vs.
"Total gaming beginner" ,playing on 5 years old cheap office laptops, they think more than 30fps are useless, they cant aim and they have zero clue how shooters in general works.
You can put these 3 into another game with the same result.
Its game independent.
The "Pro" would always try to improve, the "Casual" would always try to have fun and "the total beginner" would always try to aim/understand whats going on.
Its about mindset.
There games out there for every of these 3 (there more for sure) mindsets.
So, the final question is:
Is there a need that a game has to attract all kind of mindsets in times of so many different games and genres?
I dont think so.
Just open the steam shop and search a game that fits to your needs. Things can be so simple these days.
The problem is more nuanced than you imply depara.
Sure you have variations within each, but this would end in an wall of text.
And with your comment you show me that im not totally wrong @Nordic.
My point is not that you are wrong, but that your post was too basic and is missing the nuances.
Hahaha lovely answer! The sad thing is that i know what you mean! Difference is I get shittier day by day, i think i'll turn a permagorge in some vent for the rest!
TSF recruitment criterion states you must be at least a 4/10 on the Autistic Spectrum Scale that I just made up in my head
My Head hurts.
Summarizing:
NS2 has very few holes for players to fill in and even these few require a high skill level / effort for it to be fun.
Well, the core is not going to change. Devs are providing new game modes so you have more holes diversity and tutorials to make skill learning easier.
The current holes are basically fielding or commanding.
Probably more correct than the intended sarcasm. Oh the irony. Übermensch is the way to go. But i do think ns2 players are superior to average CS-player. On a more serious note i was never trying to say which skill is most important for everyone, only which is for me...i believe there is something called High Functioning Autism also.