Just kinda want to talk about newbies and how they're working out since the last check up on them.
I also have a few things I think ought to be standard in them now:
1- required backup mods on file and ready with permissions from the getgo
2- Moderators have a strict schedule for vote counts
3- Advertise other non-newbie setups that are open with groups who enjoyed playing together to sign up for those together.
I should clarify to me, "new player retention" outweighs every other goal of what a newbie game should be.
This is not that I think newbie mods are particularly flakey, they're usually even more reliable than most, but "oh shit XYZ emergency popped up and now we have to wait for a green to fix permissions" can be avoided from the get-go to make it seamless for newbies, they already KNOW who their backup mod is at game's start. You can have newbie mods pair-bond. So cabd-ffery would backup each other, for example.
By this, I mean there should be an expectation of a maximum time duration between vote counts. Once every 24 hours would be my pick. I could see arguments for once every 36, as that's our prod timer iirc.
This one is purely to try and boost retention and engagement to other parts of the site. I think it pretty much speaks for itself.
Is the last thing meant for newbies playing their second game onsite together? Or clusters of players with off-site experience playing a game together?
Independent of setup control, quasi-invitational newbie setups would be a big change.
"Let us say that you are right and there are two worlds. How much, then, is this 'other world' worth to you? What do you have there that you do not have here? Money? Power? Something worth causing the prince so much pain for?'"
"Well, I..."
"What? Nothing? You would make the prince suffer over... nothing?"
Players, you're encouraged to keep playing newbies as long as you like, of course, but I humbly sugguest trying out different games and styles, if you're brave enough.
If you liked the "solve the setup" interactions with a semii-open setup, check out the Open queue!
last point is pretty good, some of my favorite games ever have been from playing different newbies and opens with the game group of players like 4 or 5 games in a row. maybe a hard thing to standardize but a good thing to do anyways
anyways yeah i get it i'll update the newD3 stats soon
In post 8, Cabd wrote:I mean I don't think it's that hard as a game mod doing postgsme wrap up to quote the most recent green post in each queue that isn't large theme?
i don't think it's
hard
, but (from memory) some mods don't release private threads or even make "the game is over, x won" posts, so
In post 10, Cabd wrote:NSG - I wonder if we could add a retention stat. And how we'd define retention in the first place.
mm sounds kind of like a separate endeavor entirely, the spreadsheet as is is pretty much entirely composed of information gleaned from the game threads themselves whereas i'd imagine retention tracking would look something like "did this new player join another game after this game was over?" could be done, but yeah i think it'd be separate
newbie replacement rates might also be a decent proxy for retention rates anyways
In post 12, northsidegal wrote:i don't think it's hard, but (from memory) some mods don't release private threads or even make "the game is over, x won" posts, so
I also strongly believe there should be a semi-private newbie mods lounge where this sort of stuff is discussed/helped with/required reading?
I would love to standardize those aspects, while keeping flavor choices unique
In post 0, PenguinPower wrote:After review of newbie feedback from a large sample of games and internal discussion with the team, I have made the decision to remove the Inexperienced-Challenged (IC) role from the Newbie queue. An additional SE role will take it's place, meaning that Newbie games will now have a minimum of 3 SE roles. Typically, the first post of an IC is an informative post explaining terms used on site and helpful tips (see here). This will be standardized and included by the moderator of the game in addition to the Newbie Setup post.
We do have a core group of ICs that dedicate their time to play in Newbie games for the benefit of the site. I appreciate their dedication, and hope they continue to play as SEs. At the end of the day, the best way for newbies to learn to play the game is to play, and our SEs already create a good environment for newbies to learn.
I mean yeah SEs can do the same. I try to when I do it, I just feel like you also get some SEs who don’t care about that newbie retention or teaching and it goes south.
I feel like most SEs in theory wouldn't play newbie games if they didn't care about newbie retention.
Teaching is kinda a thing that I don't feel like is relevant anymore but I don't play newbie games anymore (tho I thought about joining one recently).
I could be just talking out of my ass when it comes to these things though.
In post 19, Alisae wrote:I feel like most SEs in theory wouldn't play newbie games if they didn't care about newbie retention.
i kinda agree
at least for me it's a fairly large motivating factor for why i'd join a newbie in the first place
like a year ago (?) when the SE list for newbies was very small i would sign up for one if i had time to help the queue (esp. if a game was waiting on SE's to fire)
'skitter is fucking terrifying' ~ town-bork about scum-me
'Skitter [was] terrifying to play against ngl' ~ scum-bork about town-me
'Going into lylo against scum!skit unprepared is like having someone force feed you dull razor blades. It's painful, and once it starts, you're pretty much dead' ~ NMSA
'Skitter you're a spirit animal's spirit animal' ~ slaxx
All 3 of the points in the OP can be voluntarily put into place by individual newbie mods and that's my plan. Also going to try some things to make the dead thread more engaging going forward.
Good stuff!
Amid the pressure of great events, a general principle gives no help.
In post 0, Cabd wrote:2- Moderators have a strict schedule for vote counts
I think this is already supposed to be a rule? At any rate I recall being sure enough it was a rule that I was hesitant about deviating from it when, say, there were only six posts and no votes since the last VC because the game was in 3-player elo.
“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who say, ‘There are two kinds of people in this world: those who say there are two kinds of people in this world,
I'm pretty sure the rule says that newbie mods have to check in at least once per day. That doesn't necessarily mean they have to post every day, but in most cases, they will have to anyway.
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Do you have questions, ideas, or feedback for the Scummies? Please pm me!
Players, you're encouraged to keep playing newbies as long as you like, of course, but I humbly sugguest trying out different games and styles, if you're brave enough.
If you liked the "solve the setup" interactions with a semii-open setup, check out the Open queue!