Helping the Shard grow.

[sandonato1400]

I think we can all agree this is a rather slow/low time for Pandora.  I find myself asking what can we as players do?  There is several active discussion about email blasts and posting fliers.  All good work.  I finally had an idea to present to the forum and ask for input and support.

With so many different free shards out there, it is difficult to pick one and/or tell them apart. We have a new player city, and a new player system well in place. But does that truly show all that Pandora has to offer? My idea in a nutshell is camping where New Players arrive and personally escorting them around Pandora such as a tour. Then of course assisting them in finding a guild and equipment.  I am talking about actual hands on personal touch. 

I visit other shards and they are all the same in regards to entering there realm.  No one around.  All sorts of shard unique items that confuse new players. Etc...

With this method, look at how much impact 1 player can make in a shard.  Successfully escorting 1 new player a week and them becoming active Pandorians would be a victory to me. 

Kon may have stats on when new players arrive more frequently or any other information that would be helpful for us.

To extend it, perhaps an incentive reward system where when a new player is a week old they are asked by survey who assisted them or who was instrumental in there initial Pandora experience and that player would get the credit. This can obviously be further extended on.

Just a rough idea that needs refinement and input from the veterans of Pandora

[Voxpire]

I do enjoy the idea of a referral system, it's just hard to implement without abuse.

I was thinking that there could be an opportunity for established guilds to take up a "contract" on a month-to-month basis. The "contract" would only be available to one guild at a time and any guild can bid on the contract in order to secure it for a month. The contract would involve making the guild the front-line guild for all new players, who would be inducted automatically (auto-joined on creation) - they wouldn't have to go and find a guild then and they would have instant access to help from senior members.
At the end of each contract month, the guild is surveyed by the youngest (newest) members who joined under the contract and based on that survey, the guild as a whole, would receive bonuses and payment for their service to helping new players.
New members who join automatically under this contract would have the freedom to leave at any time, the fact is that, if the guild works hard to help them, they won't want to leave and the guild can score points for inducting new players.

Pandora isn't just a shard, it's a team and in most cases, a family!

[sandonato1400]

Sounds great, and I agree with the abuse possibility.

How many active guilds would be able to take on this initiative?

Is there any ideas to greet new players as they enter Pandora beside expecting them to come to us?  I have this feeling that would be key in the first stages of life in Pandora.  Some of these vets can really sell the idea and direction of this shard.

[zaxarus]

The idea of a "systematic" helping of new players, tours, helping with equipment & other needs is of course a very good idea. Personally I'm always trying to help when there is a new player heading my way & I also see the need for help (doesn't matter if he asks for it or not^^).

So a "forced" helping by vets using parts of their game time to help new players and show them how the things on Pandora work I also like. It would be okay to me and I wouldn't need a reward for it. I think I've spent millions of gold and tons of materials of any kind, so it won't change anything for me...
You could prevent an abuse, I will give an example (by using an aspect of Vorspire's suggestions):
Newplayer X arrives on Pandora. Player Y is "on duty" and offers his help and experience. Newplayer X agrees on that, so they form some kind of an "alliance", based on a contract between these two players. Lasting one week, for example. At the end of this week Newplayer X - if satisfied - gives the contract back to Player Y who is then (and ONLY THEN!) able to combine both documents to a Deed & with this Deed he can buy a reward or turn it in, whatever. Should be a unique item, nothing too big, but nice. Maybe deco or a color or something like that.
Of course all documents are blessed and only tradable between those 2 persons.

To Vorspire's idea:
I like that one too. There is just one aspect that makes me think. We all know there is that kind of Newplayer who wants everything RIGHT NOW. Things you are not supposed to get in your first weeks or first month, things other people worked hard for. So in the end a guild might be in the situation to deal with a total jackass for one month...
I want to make clear that I'm not talking about the average Newplayer. I'm talking about those people who have no idea or sense what things cost (as in time, work & gold or whatever currency). Of course I'm aware that you never know for sure how people really are & think. So maybe that's a risk worth taking, concerning the need of new players who will actually stay playing on Pandora at least for a while.
So maybe that's a risk worth taking, but I wanted to remind of some social problems which may come with that whole process of guild helping.

I know we have the Pandora Wiki, but as we all know some people just like to play and ask ingame and don't want to read pamphlets or epic texts about how it shall be done.^^
So maybe vets guiding fresh players is the better idea to catch people and make them stay. I'm sure some new people just take a look, feel overwhelmed by endless possibilities, thousands of items, unique things like Imbuing & other stuff that they give up instead of giving it a try, ask around for help and get through the first hard steps. That's why in general I support both ideas (with the second thoughts on some clowns who may just annoy people instead of being ready to learn how it works on here).

Of course I'd have to talk with my emissaries before I am willing to decide.

[ChickeN]

a few years ago there was a system set up that broadcasted that a new player had joined the server and broadcasted there name over global for everyone online to see when they first created there char., this I feel if you could bring it back would be a big help to letting us Vets know when someone new has joined our world.. and as for new players there have been a few good idea's in the past aswell that must have gotten overlooked and never brought to compleation one was making video's for Utube if a refurale system could be made harder to cheat, I know for a fact we gained players in the past form it before it got abused, we also had a system in place where volinters had something like a skill ball and when a new player started they also had a ball in there pack, that said something like double clikc if you'd like help from a player compainion or something... but not say'n there aren't beter idea's out there but maybe we could revisit and tweek some things we tried in the past and maybe got forgotten about..

[sandonato1400]

The core of my idea was a more aggressive form of involvement with new players.  From videos to Pandorawiki, it is all a passive expectation that people are going to put into Pandora.  I believe it would be better if we took a more hands on approach.  I will start to spend my free time in Insula.

Kon, Vors is there any chance to include a New Player broadcast?

[Thatperson]

all good ideas :] another one i will throw in the mix.. baring in mind like the op said, there are many pandora specific rules, systems and items that can seem daunting and confusing at first, maybe a simple blessed book in the backpack of new starters with explanations of the pandora specific things and the best way to get started etc. info that can be reffered back in game to about things like pcoins, special mobs, basic imbuing guide.
I may even have a go at writing one up tonight and if you like it you can start it spawning with the other new player items, after all, yesterday was my 1 year anniversary on pandora so i am now officially a vet i guess, hehe
long live pandora!!!!

[ChickeN]

So while talking with Tys and Fal, as we were sitting in New/old Isula, I was remembering when we had Donation housing there, I had a house myself that got moved to old/new Isula.. but we are wondering if some of the house there can be brought back... as a way to help drive activity there.. adding just another reason for players to be hanging around where new players will be coming in first.. I agree totally that we need to engage new players asap and help them discover all Pandora has to offer.. hope this idea gets a good look when I started here, there was 20'ish players a day in Isula it was something to see! Isula is where Pandora started and where I'm going back to hanging out.. see you there!

[Horns Nigel]

Aye me too,,,,,A BIG +1 for this idea....Nigel

[sandonato1400]

Update: Thank you everyone for the feedback and involvement. 

I have been spending a little time at Insula along with Tysthelion, Falada and Chicken.  Just in that amount of time I have see 4 new people enter Pandora. I have successfully interacted with 1 of them and answered several question and gave a little guidance.

I understand these could be second characters or whatever but I am assuming they are all OSI veterans looking to get back into UO.  I am just attempting to guide them into the right direction and reignite that fire.  For Pandora!

Thank you again for the help.

[Oniel]

So while talking with Tys and Fal, as we were sitting in New/old Isula, I was remembering when we had Donation housing there, I had a house myself that got moved to old/new Isula.. but we are wondering if some of the house there can be brought back... as a way to help drive activity there.. adding just another reason for players to be hanging around where new players will be coming in first.. I agree totally that we need to engage new players asap and help them discover all Pandora has to offer.. hope this idea gets a good look when I started here, there was 20'ish players a day in Isula it was something to see! Isula is where Pandora started and where I'm going back to hanging out.. see you there!

Im not sure why "Old" insula *the one in Tur Mur* which used to be new insula, was changed back to the island insula in tram.. the current Old insula is amazing, who every built it did a fine job.. not knocking the original insula at all.. but there are things in the Tur Mur insula that seem to be forgotten, crafting stones, powerscroll exchange, ect.. another kool idea was glass city, i tool a break not long after glass city was made and when i came back, it was gone... not sure what happened there either. maybe taking the ideas of the 3 areas and combining them into one area would be benificial.. since i have been made an emissary in SOP i have been stopping and having short chats with young players when i see them, and doing my best to answer any questions they may have, and offer them a guild invite as well.. i think if everyone just took a moment to say hi and ask if they have any questions is a good start to getting people to hang around.. just be sure not to be pushy and make them feel uncomfortable, just say hello, ask if they are new to the server, and ask if they have any questions, and maybe mention a guild or two, that match there play style.

[blackmyst]

In order to make the shard grow we need to add more custom mobs and fix some of the mobs we have it gets really old doing the same old thing all the time I think with new additions more people will want to play I have played on other shards and some ideas would be private champs mini champs for special items things like that I mean u can only do the same thing for so long