Forums » Suggestions
Default Racial Selection
UIT.
Why?
Currently, most new players are Itani. The current default.
Many new players don't know the backstory. They don't know about the conflict between Itani and Serco. They don't know they are choosing sides.
UIT are neutral. They are also the most "human" in aspects of culture and outlook. They have the smallest territory, but the most affiliated factions.
Being UIT by default would make choosing a waring faction a conscious effort. (At least in theory, they may just like blue...) It would allow new players (who merely defaulted in) to gaze upon the vastness of the Itani and Serco empire with an alien sense of awe. UIT players also sit at a crossroads bewteen the two waring factions, making for easy exploration of each.
UIT players, having a more limited "safe" travel range, would also make newer UIT players stay within a smaller home zone, allowing more players to bump into each other, and making VO seem more populace.
This would give time for players to warm into the concepts and backstory of VO, and later, choose a side to support or play as.
Also, even without being the default, UIT appears to be the second most popular race among players, especially vets. Many new players might enjoy thier trial experince more if they were sided with a faction they feel more personal kinship with.
Of course, I could be wrong. But having the default be niether Itani nor Serco seems to be in the best interest of balancing out the player base, without forcing players to be one side or the other.
Why?
Currently, most new players are Itani. The current default.
Many new players don't know the backstory. They don't know about the conflict between Itani and Serco. They don't know they are choosing sides.
UIT are neutral. They are also the most "human" in aspects of culture and outlook. They have the smallest territory, but the most affiliated factions.
Being UIT by default would make choosing a waring faction a conscious effort. (At least in theory, they may just like blue...) It would allow new players (who merely defaulted in) to gaze upon the vastness of the Itani and Serco empire with an alien sense of awe. UIT players also sit at a crossroads bewteen the two waring factions, making for easy exploration of each.
UIT players, having a more limited "safe" travel range, would also make newer UIT players stay within a smaller home zone, allowing more players to bump into each other, and making VO seem more populace.
This would give time for players to warm into the concepts and backstory of VO, and later, choose a side to support or play as.
Also, even without being the default, UIT appears to be the second most popular race among players, especially vets. Many new players might enjoy thier trial experince more if they were sided with a faction they feel more personal kinship with.
Of course, I could be wrong. But having the default be niether Itani nor Serco seems to be in the best interest of balancing out the player base, without forcing players to be one side or the other.
If you want to bring any kind of balance between the nations, there should be no default, and the nations should appear in random order.
Or, simply have an intro movie that outlines the backstory, that cant be bypassed so that they get an idea of what to choose. Then make it there choice, don't have any one pre-selected for them. Isn't someone (Ghost?) making a movie that would work perfectly for this purpose??
or even better, there is something the devs could do that'd be easy...simply make the nation with the least players online be auto-selected.
i'd say the best long term solution is to combine an intro that sumerises the backstory with a total lack of a default selection.
that way chosing any side is an active effort, and the new player has (presumably) watched the intro and have therefor some idea of who is who.
on the short term, just removing the default would be alright IMO.
that way chosing any side is an active effort, and the new player has (presumably) watched the intro and have therefor some idea of who is who.
on the short term, just removing the default would be alright IMO.
The beta client does not select any nation by deafault.
However, it does present the nations in the same manner that the production client does. Thus, Itani is still the first option to select, and will thus default.
For the idea of an intro movie, consider that it will add more bulk to the client download. From what I have seen of most intros, to look right, and give an concise view of all the factions, the intro would be larger than vendetta itself. If it was made a seperate, optional download, very few would actually bother as most skip them anyway.
After looking at the character selection screen on the beta and production clients, I have reconsidered my idea entirely. I feel, what is needed is a revamp of how faction selection is presented.
Instead of the map currently shown, have each faction presented within a box, complete with a little picture that shows how each race is envisioned. Allow the player to enter thier name, then make a selection of race to proceed. This way there is no default, and all information is presented to them at a glance.
Something akin to this:
Additionally, you could add a "more info" button to give a more detailed description of each nation and its territories.
However, it does present the nations in the same manner that the production client does. Thus, Itani is still the first option to select, and will thus default.
For the idea of an intro movie, consider that it will add more bulk to the client download. From what I have seen of most intros, to look right, and give an concise view of all the factions, the intro would be larger than vendetta itself. If it was made a seperate, optional download, very few would actually bother as most skip them anyway.
After looking at the character selection screen on the beta and production clients, I have reconsidered my idea entirely. I feel, what is needed is a revamp of how faction selection is presented.
Instead of the map currently shown, have each faction presented within a box, complete with a little picture that shows how each race is envisioned. Allow the player to enter thier name, then make a selection of race to proceed. This way there is no default, and all information is presented to them at a glance.
Something akin to this:
Additionally, you could add a "more info" button to give a more detailed description of each nation and its territories.
On original post:
how about NOT UIT, because UIT is the nation we have the most of already? If nation size is at all important, it should be Serco that iot defaults to. Not that I'm saying there should be a default.
Zyl's selection diagram looks good - I'm definately all for that...
How about a *brief* scroll-up game/backstory synopsis instead of a movie? having the text of a synopsis (with some cool game music, and maybe a few pictures) and the code to make it scroll through wouldn't be all that big of an addition to the game client - nothing like a full movie. For those who have played the original Escape Velocity, I'm referring to something similar to the game intro they had for that... I imagine a lot of you know what I mean regardless.
Basically give them a rundown of the present galactic situation, and some small snippets of major history (of the war and nations) before bringing them to the nation select screen (like the one zyl posted). They could skip it if they wanted, but I imagine a lot of people would sit through it at least once before the end of their 8-hour trial.
and yes - a more info button should be added to show a more lengthy description of the Nation's history and a map of their territories/starting point(s).
how about NOT UIT, because UIT is the nation we have the most of already? If nation size is at all important, it should be Serco that iot defaults to. Not that I'm saying there should be a default.
Zyl's selection diagram looks good - I'm definately all for that...
How about a *brief* scroll-up game/backstory synopsis instead of a movie? having the text of a synopsis (with some cool game music, and maybe a few pictures) and the code to make it scroll through wouldn't be all that big of an addition to the game client - nothing like a full movie. For those who have played the original Escape Velocity, I'm referring to something similar to the game intro they had for that... I imagine a lot of you know what I mean regardless.
Basically give them a rundown of the present galactic situation, and some small snippets of major history (of the war and nations) before bringing them to the nation select screen (like the one zyl posted). They could skip it if they wanted, but I imagine a lot of people would sit through it at least once before the end of their 8-hour trial.
and yes - a more info button should be added to show a more lengthy description of the Nation's history and a map of their territories/starting point(s).
I say serco cause they're the smallest.
UIT are biggest why default to them?
UIT are biggest why default to them?
Agreed. This would help lots. Serco need all the help they can get, numbers-wise.
No defaulting Serco!!!
This creates the same problem only on the other side. Current size of populations isn't as important as what any change could make to that balance in the future. It would only be a matter of time before you see "change default race to Itani, they need all the help that can get" threads.
As more and more trial accounts expire, the balance between Serco and Itani will shift sharply towards Serco as new trial players replace them.
It may seem funny to mention trial accounts as unbalancing the conflict, but those players who do stay are likely to keep playing thier original character. Or reroll as UIT anyway, if history shows us anything.
The background of Vendetta is conflict between Itani and Serco. UIT fits in there somewhere by interacting with both factions in a neutral position. There are more UIT players than Serco by actual player decision, but more Itani players total due to it being the default option.
UIT, again, is neutral to the conflict between Itani and Serco, allowing players to witness both without being directly involved.
Players who would select Serco or Itani are choosing a side. Players who default into those are not making that decision, but instead choosing to go with what is presented to them, as they have no reason to do otherwise.
Defaulting UIT does not upset the balance between Serco/Itani. But defaulting Serco will quickly swing the playerbase Serco dominant as new player come in and play as the defaults on their trial accounts. Having more UIT players hurts nothing, execpt to hear 100 filled with more "y we no get neut3 2?" spam.
UIT players can make choices as to who with they ally and assit. But UIT have no bias by default.
In World of Warcraft, default character selectons are completly randomized. Yet there is a differnce of about 6:1 between Alliance and Horde forces on any given server due to players choosing not to accept the defualt based on aesthetics. This problem is precived as so bad that Blizzard is addign a "pretty" race option on the Horde in an upcoming expansion in attempt to blance out the sides. (Horde players are in disgust at the notion.)
There may be something to be said in that alone for players not wanting to be the "ugly and evil borg-like" Serco. Instead, opting to play as one of the "wise and mystical good-guy" Itani. But these choices cannot be balanced via any in-game mechanism shy of assigning players to a race.
But again, I no longer advocate *any* default selection at all, and disdain the current checkbox selection system.
This creates the same problem only on the other side. Current size of populations isn't as important as what any change could make to that balance in the future. It would only be a matter of time before you see "change default race to Itani, they need all the help that can get" threads.
As more and more trial accounts expire, the balance between Serco and Itani will shift sharply towards Serco as new trial players replace them.
It may seem funny to mention trial accounts as unbalancing the conflict, but those players who do stay are likely to keep playing thier original character. Or reroll as UIT anyway, if history shows us anything.
The background of Vendetta is conflict between Itani and Serco. UIT fits in there somewhere by interacting with both factions in a neutral position. There are more UIT players than Serco by actual player decision, but more Itani players total due to it being the default option.
UIT, again, is neutral to the conflict between Itani and Serco, allowing players to witness both without being directly involved.
Players who would select Serco or Itani are choosing a side. Players who default into those are not making that decision, but instead choosing to go with what is presented to them, as they have no reason to do otherwise.
Defaulting UIT does not upset the balance between Serco/Itani. But defaulting Serco will quickly swing the playerbase Serco dominant as new player come in and play as the defaults on their trial accounts. Having more UIT players hurts nothing, execpt to hear 100 filled with more "y we no get neut3 2?" spam.
UIT players can make choices as to who with they ally and assit. But UIT have no bias by default.
In World of Warcraft, default character selectons are completly randomized. Yet there is a differnce of about 6:1 between Alliance and Horde forces on any given server due to players choosing not to accept the defualt based on aesthetics. This problem is precived as so bad that Blizzard is addign a "pretty" race option on the Horde in an upcoming expansion in attempt to blance out the sides. (Horde players are in disgust at the notion.)
There may be something to be said in that alone for players not wanting to be the "ugly and evil borg-like" Serco. Instead, opting to play as one of the "wise and mystical good-guy" Itani. But these choices cannot be balanced via any in-game mechanism shy of assigning players to a race.
But again, I no longer advocate *any* default selection at all, and disdain the current checkbox selection system.