The retention problem never goes away
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by ligtreb
My older friends might remember that in my previous e-life, I ran something called the Welcoming Committee. My duties there helped me become famous more than my million congress terms or Vice Presidential runs ever did. The Welcoming Committee was in charge of helping retention with newbs, by sending them food and gifts (remember those?), info on how to fight, boost their wellness and get involved in society. The WC became even more famous during wars, when it was used for weapons distributions.
No, I'm not ready to restart another Welcoming Committee at this time. However, it's become clear to me that our retention problem with newbs still exists and may now be more important than ever.
Since my re-birth a month and a half ago, I've spent some time sending new players friend requests, and sending some messages back and forth. Many of the new players I've sought out have already left, some have quickly been labeled as dead citizens.
This is a problem that affects this country, specifically. The USA is under serious threat of a Political Take Over (PTO) by the American Freedom Alliance (AFA). We need every non-enemy voter we can get, and we need to turn 2-clicker votes into smarter votes.
What can be done to help keep players around?
A big problem is the game itself. There are only so many buttons to push, especially for newbs who don't have a lot of the gold and spending money more experienced players often have. We can't fix the game, sadly.
However, for as much as us older players hate the new version of the game compared to the old one, there is one positive. In my old life, many new players got frustrated over lack of wellness and quit. They never figured out how to use the hospital to get healthy. Now it's as simple as eating food. It's still worth asking though ...
Is there some basic strategy new players don't get?
I'd really love to hear from some of the newer players on this issue. What don't you know, or took you forever to figure out? What keeps you around?
One of the best newbs I've seen lately is Jarred Brown. Five days old and already active in society. Sadly, he's the exception, not the rule.
BRAINSTORMING
I'm not the only one on the pro-USA side that seeks out new people. I've seen kody5, Concept, Oblige, Mercurius1000, Fhaemita Malodorous and many others friend many of the newbs I have.
Are there guides we can send these people?
Tips on to boost health?
Tips on how to maximize fighting?
Tips on how to best navigate the marketplace?
Tips on how to get involved in the political process?
Tips on how to use IRC and/or the forums?
I'd love to see some links that me and other can send new people. I plan on writing some of these myself as I get more familiar with the current version of the game. Please, let me know if these exist.
Thank you for all your input, especially those of you keeping America strong.
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Thanks, and I really do want input, from both new and older players.
Pro-USA side? Matter of perspective.
I think people like you are a disgrace to our nation.
And I think people like you, Ronald Gipper Reagan, who are real-life harassers and stalkers are a disgrace:
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/reality-check-updated-with-mike-ontry-039-s-new-message-blocker--2185624/1/20
Voted for monopoly goodness!
Are there guides we can send these people?
The DoE is what i send to the youngens.
http://www.erepublik.com/en/newspaper/education-today-181113/1
Rod Damon was right. So is Ligtreb. Glad you're back Ligster.
Like the MONOPOLY theme. 🙂
Shouldn't the Welcoming Committee be called the Community Chest?
I got a message from the WC. One of the reasons i stayed in the game back then. But the main reason was the old players helping me out. within 2 weeks someone had given me a q3 house(a big deal back then). Max and a number of others were also very helpful. Without them i would have quit long ago.
Excellent article as usual!
Between DoE articles (and now videos), threads on the eUS Forum, and Wiki pages I can usually find good links for new players that answer their questions. But we can always use new teaching materials, both guides that are more simple and succinct and more detailed and comprehensive. Along with keeping guides up to date with the current state of eRep, having people make new guides offers a wider variety of options so when I'm talking to a new player I can pick the guide I think would be most helpful to them on the subject.
IRC is what I always have trouble explaining to new players. I offer better service to a new player on IRC. I remember the game came alive for me when I first got on IRC, that's what got me hooked. Even if IRC isn't as hopping as it once was it can still be a great experience for a new player. But I have trouble explaining it to new players, it can sound technically complicated to people who have never heard of IRC before. Aside from "Go to this IRC web app, log onto this channel I'm in, and I'll explain it to you by showing it to you" I don't really have a good way of teaching IRC 101. I still try using the various guides and tutorials that have been written, but I've never been satisfied with them.
Calling Ligtreb of all people a "disgrace to our nation" immediately establishes the fact that you truly do hate our nation. He is the one who always puts "our nation" ahead of any personal goals or biases. He does the right thing and helps everyone keep a cool head. You "Mr Reagan" have lost all sense of reality.
I remember the welcoming committee well; but it was the eSalvation Army which helped me most and hold the fondest memories of. I agree with the issues regarding retention especially after recent political fiascos involving FG.
Ironic that last Month's unity candidate became such a divisive topic; I hope our community as a whole realize that RGR and AFA are not our largest issues with which we must contend.
Retention is the most important topic. Always.
RGR...who's nation would that be? Liegtreb is an old and respected name.
V1 had no issue with player retention., as for this the economy module is broken for the past year...where's admin's usual pendulum like "fix"?
Good article Ligtreb, and your right about retention.
Lighreb -
I played back in 2009 and I remember you. Speedcat brought me to the game. I played for about 1 month and wasn't able to get into the game. I did not like 2 clicking and was looking for a game that gave me more to do.
Well the game has changed where you can fight all day (which I think helps newbs), but they soon run out of money and have the same problem as before. Nothing to do. No way to make money anymore with the economy. ROI is shit with all companies. Newspapers are limited with only being able to publish in your country. Congress elections suck now IMO and new players don't have much of a chance.
So I could fight all day, but I am back to 2 clicking like before because I am poor. So I just come and train and I'll be Div 1 forever 🙂
Welcome back, Ligtreb. I'm not sure that there is an effective alternative to reaching out individually to each newbie. However, one possibility is to run daily contests in newspapers with high visibility, with a chance to win small amounts of money/food. Like the MM campaigns, but with the goal to help newbies (maybe cap exp level).
I have to agree with much of what you wrote. The 'base' game of eRepublik is very confusing and is not intuitive at all. I consider myself an at-least average player, am already a bit involved-- I've made some friends and sent out e-mails, looked at some forums-- and I still have absolutely no idea how to physically do certain things. I mean literally physically-- not sure which buttons to click to do what.
For example, I think I am working for someone. What does that mean, actually? How is my character helping that person's character? An obvious answer to you, probably, but there's nothing in the core game telling me. (I think I have factories, but they are empty and idle.)
I have also only been approached by one or two political parties. In a game that is mostly about politics, that seems rather on the 'indifferent' end of the scale as to whether people actually want my vote or participation, considering the dozens of potential parties the game allows me to join. As to whether people write to me first or whether I write them, I personally don't mind. I am old enough to weather life. But your average teenage or college-age Internet user could use more validation if you want them sticking around.
Please don't take any of this as complaints against you or the game, or the eUS. I'm just saying that the core game isn't very welcoming, since it's just a website, and one that appears to be missing an instruction manual. If you want retention, you must make sure the community makes new players feel included.
I am sorry, but the militia is the best selling idea, if its well run. You get to fight all day, you get supplies. I don't have to worry about making money on the crappy economy. I feel I am contributing to something. Personally, if I run into a new guy I try to tell them to try MU's, find one they like.
Wise woman: "Retention is the most important topic. Always. "
I am going to say that importance of weapons should be taught more effectively. That was something i did learn eventually. But only by accident
Calling ligtreb a disgrace shows the depths of the Grifter's anti-eUSA delusions. ligtreb is a national treasure, any detractor of his like a pimple on America's ass: annoying yet ulitmately meaningless.
Voted, nice article, but somehow I think we face a different problem here:
A Letter to Plato: http://tinyurl.com/LettertoPlato
SHOUT IT PLEASE, NOW, ALL OF YOU!