Mentorship

[Limewood 22]

When new players start in the tutorial they might sometimes get confused, misunderstand something or just feel alone.

This suggestion aims to allow experienced players to help new players in an accessible way and help new players feel like they're welcome and valued.

 

Haven Portal

With this idea any established (premium?) player would get the option to build a Haven Portal (not costing too many materials).

This is a new portal structure, like a PvP portal, that can be built on/off deed and that can by default be used by anyone.

When you use the portal you will be transported to Haven (the tutorial server) in a spirit form, without any items (maybe armour could be allowed).

 

Mentor status

In this spirit form you can only move around Haven and chat, you cannot pick anything up, nor drop anything, nor interact with anything (except passing through gates, doors etc.).

You will also have an additional title "Mentor" while on the tutorial server (maybe it could become an title you can use also outside of the tutorial server after you've visited Haven in spirit form at least once, to let other players know you're open to help after the tutorial as well).

When you want to go back you can use a portal on Haven and you will be returned to the portal you used to go there (or the location where it was, in case it has decayed).

 

Being on the tutorial server means you can help out new players with any questions they might have and optionally the new player could get the option of going to a mentor's portal instead of to a starter town when they leave Haven (not sure about the implementation details about this option, but maybe it would show options on the portal for any mentors that have been on Haven at the same time as the player?). This option could help people to spread out to find more of the "wild" areas to settle in or find settlements to join.

The portal would have an option to disallow new players from entering the server at this portal (thanks, DaletheGood).

If there are dangers outside of the exit portal (aggressive mobs, thorns, fenced in area) the option could be disabled for that exit with a message showing the reason (and maybe reporting the issue automatically to the mods in some cases, if it is obviously malicious). The option for new players to teleport to Haven portals instead of starter towns could of course also be excluded, as the focus of this suggestion is to bring mentors to new players.

 

Haven chat channel

When an established player goes to Haven (and so gets the title of 'Mentor') they also get access to the Haven chat channel at all times, even when not on the island.

It might feel nicer for new players to have mentors' characters on Haven as well when going through the tutorial, so the mentor can see what they're doing and guide them better, but having access to the chat at all times could be helpful for monitoring and answering questions that mentors on Haven might not have an answer for.

This channel could also show a chat line (in a different colour) to notify mentors outside of Haven when a new player enters Haven, so they know when they might be needed.

 

Reward

I think many players would volunteer their time without any additional reward, but optionally new players could (when going premium?) note who helped them the most and that mentor would get mentor points, that could, when accrued, be used to purchase cosmetic rewards (or something else that would not be necessary for anyone to get and would not affect gameplay).

 

Edited to include DaletheGood's proposal below, as well as additions in response to other good feedback in the thread.

Edited July 24, 2022 by Limewood

[Docterchese 1,570]

I think this is a nice idea. The idea of rewarding players for helping newbies is great too, and is something I'd love to see be implemented more broadly in other parts of the game (somehow). Wurm is really big and complicated, and the best way to learn it is with the help of others. More incentive to help others can only be a good thing.

[DaletheGood 1,073]

This idea has merit, and I'm generally in favor of it. I think it'd help give new players a more in-depth understanding of the game than what is available now, and also give those veterans who have some free time on their hands (as if...) the option to go help out some newbs. One caveat though, I think that the portal on the veteran player's side needs to have the option of being able to be turned off or some way to restrict access to it from the tutorial. If I go help out a new player, and they're rude or just dense, I don't necessarily want them following me back to my deed. Even if they're pleasant and a quick learner I might not need new people hanging around my deed. So, if that were addressed in this proposal, I'd give it a whole-hearted thumbs up.

[McGarnicle 1,463]

I like this idea and am in favour of a mentoring system of some kind. I think the portal idea might be abused to easily get your new alt to your deed.

[elentari 2,660]

Would be a great idea. Wurm's tutorial is....I don't even want to go there but let's say there would be plenty of negative adjectives involved. 

 

Having guides that are real people and offer good advice that doesn't imply reading the wiki for hours is a great concept.

 

There are a lot of useful info vets could share for new players that could potentially save dozens if not hundreds of hours wasted trying to figure out wurm's annoying and hidden mechanics - like the sweet spot for skilling, the importantce of getting the right casts on the right tools and probably one of the most important and difficult to undertstand - the combat  which in itself lacks any tutorial whatsoever in game. 

Edited July 24, 2022 by elentari

[Tristanc 570]

What would stop trolls from going there?

 

Misinformation's not something that can be blocked by code.

 

(Troll X in the the Haven tutorial to a brand new player:  Hey, come to Wurm Unlimited MyTrollHome server, that's where it's really worth playing and no BS like this crappy place has!)

Edited July 24, 2022 by Tristanc

[wipeout 1,355]

How many days will it take before a fo priest will come to help out and the newbies go through his portal only to be met with a thorn field and guaranteed death? or any of the other such mechanics? eg unique pens with a portal or surrounded by lava/middle of the ocean all kinds of fun things that can be done(giant dirt spike)

As for the misinformation part just have a rating system that players can choose if that person's info was helpful or not and make it that all chat can be seen from a place similar to ca help so that players who are not on haven can still talk with those people there

But in the end of the day the potential to troll is too high sadly enough if examples are needed there are a few games in the past who did such systems only to scrap them due to severe abuse within months of implementation

[DannyUK 212]

They had a mentoring system in Life Is Feudal I think, you have to build some sort of school. When you wanted help in game you were given a certain person who would help you with questions and what to do.

 

I'm in favour of having this in Wurm also. A reward for helping new players would be nice but many don't do it for a reward, we do it because we genuinely like helping people anyway, at least for me.

[garforl 152]

If your neighbor is successful than you too shall be successful.

 

However, I don't think a mentor system would be an effective way to teach new players. A completed tutorial would be more beneficial. The current intro to the game is a bit disjointed and not at all encompassing of what the game is about.

[Coach 196]

20 hours ago, Limewood said:

This suggestion aims to allow experienced players to help new players in an accessible way and help new players feel like they're welcome and valued.

Yes, it also open an extra portal to allow experienced trolls to help the new players(can be a troll too) in an accessible way and help new players feel like troll behaviours from them are welcome and valued. A cult? A gang? What do u guys called it?

The suggestion is like a 1 on 1 mentoring, other experienced players can't really monitor the troll behaviours, for example trolling new players by saying misinformations to the new player 1 on 1. They probably don't know they have been trolled.

 

The best way to decrease misinformation is opening a platform where all people can join to monitor the infos. People can point out the misinfo when it happens in wurm. Current CA Help does the job.
Even the best mentor make mistakes, they made the misinfo not on purpose but they made the misinfo in fact, e.g typo. So 100 on 1 is better than 1 on 1 on verify info in wurm.

Also new players asking questions on CA Help also helping other players to get the correct infos. I once assumed rift wood zinc mag rune can only apply on wooden items. The conversation of others on CA Help made me realized this is not correct. The rune can apply on any items.

I think the only job that a mentor in wurm should do, is motivating people to self-learning and create a self-learning platform. Reading wiki and chats are great to discover hidden or unaware mechanics. The mentor need to make sure the process of discovering is fun for the individuals, not something called waste of time.

After all, ain't u curious about what hidden cults and gangs can do to u, the community and wurm.😈😊

Edited July 24, 2022 by Coach

[Limewood 22]

6 hours ago, wipeout said:

How many days will it take before a fo priest will come to help out and the newbies go through his portal only to be met with a thorn field and guaranteed death? or any of the other such mechanics? eg unique pens with a portal or surrounded by lava/middle of the ocean all kinds of fun things that can be done(giant dirt spike)

As for the misinformation part just have a rating system that players can choose if that person's info was helpful or not and make it that all chat can be seen from a place similar to ca help so that players who are not on haven can still talk with those people there

But in the end of the day the potential to troll is too high sadly enough if examples are needed there are a few games in the past who did such systems only to scrap them due to severe abuse within months of implementation

 

I have seen a similar system in another game I played and it was fantastic and not abused that I heard of, however that game does not have combat/dying.

You pose a very valid point that I didn't consider, since I haven't really encountered any trolls in Wurm, everyone I've met has been friendly and helpful.

Perhaps the portal on Haven could check the exit portal for aggressive mobs, if the exit area is fenced in, contains thorn bushes etc. (other people would know what would be needed better than I do)?
Alternatively, the part about new players being able to teleport to portals instead of starter towns could be omitted, since the important part of this suggestion is about getting helpful mentors to Haven in an accessible way.

 

As for people going to Haven to misinform or mislead new players, if people are around regularly hopefully there would be more than one mentor on the server.

However, for times when there aren't, perhaps any established player who goes to Haven (and so gets the title of 'Mentor') also gets access to the Haven chat channel at all times, even when not on the island.

It might feel nicer for new players to have mentors' characters on Haven as well when going through the tutorial, so the mentor can see what they're doing and guide them better, but having access to the chat at all times is a good idea.

This channel could perhaps also show a chat line (in a different colour) to notify mentors outside of Haven when a new player enters Haven, so they know when they might be needed.

 

[Updated main post to add some of this]

[elentari 2,660]

It's a simple implementation but you can code a mentor to have a "score" based on reviews he gets. Can be as something as basic like how meditation paths work and it shows you who can advance you to the next level. 

[Karrde 336]

Always been open for some kind of student/teacher system in Wurm. Such would be a huge help in retaining and helping new players, let alone be part of a larger plan to revitalize the new player experience.

 

Having some kind of reward for the teacher would definitely be good to encourage participation.

 

There can even be various systems such as player-crafted skillbooks (with varing restrictions), crafting apprenticeships, and etc.

 

Back in the day there was concern over such being abused for alts, especially when real-money-trading for accounts was a thing. However, RMT is now banned, and if both teacher and student have to be prem, then even a student alt benefits the game overall.

Edited July 24, 2022 by Karrde

[Stormblade 614]

For Mentors my thoughts on this was that a new player could 'link' with a veteran player and much like priest linking, it has a certain range, but allow new players to 'boost' their skills to a certain amount above current skill.

 

For example, a fresh made character could link with a friend, as long as the vet player has a set amount of skill, Carpentry 50 skill for example, and boost the new players Carpentry skill 10 points allowing them to experience building their own house.

 

Skills already above the 20 limit cannont be boosted.  Perhaps premium vs non not being able to be boosted as well.

 

While boosted the player would still skill up but at a reduced rate, much like using a 99 ql, 99 woa tool to grind with, hope that makes sense.

 

Once this link is established, long cool downs are needed to change mentors, 3 days to a week.  Both players need to be online.

 

Possible rewards for mentoring, a title, sleep bonus, or this could even be added as an optional entry in the journal.

[Muunkey 39]

great idea but there must be a strict Highlander aspect where mentors battle it out in front of the newbies in spirit form for mentor supremacy...

seriously if that doesn't get them excited for the game and mentor points then you have the option of stabbing them with a needle for 1HP a stab...

*ahem* no i do not have problems XD