Newbies

[Embattle]

I've now found myself getting a little annoyed with newbies.

The problem is that they don't seem to help themselves, they don't read any of the readmes that come with mods or and of the help pages, like the BW guides etc.

I was playing AQ2 when a newbie arrived. Within a few seconds it was clear he hadn't setup a config or any thing since he couldn't reload or even open the doors.

If you're not willing to even help yourselves by looking at guides or readmes then don't expect help from any one else.

Rant over.

 

[old.Crunchy]

Yer I totaly agree, when I first got tribes I went through the tutorial levels, skim read the manual and I had enough knowledge to go on the server and play compentantly. I really don't get why newbies come on and start asking basic questions which are answered in the tutorials or block the inventories for ages, there really is no excuse. Don't get me wrong, I think experienced gamers should cut newbies some slack but newbies that haven't even looked at the tutorials are annoying .

------------------
Crunchy
Community Manager @ BarrysWorld
crunchy@barrysworld.com
http://leagues.barrysworld.com/bwtl/

 

[SAS]

Ah but crunchy you where used to games. Most newbis get say quake2. Somehow work out there are mods and install them, but don't know the basics of FPS. Config, setups e.t.c :/

The bw guides help. If any gamer sees a newbie don't join the rest in abusing them. Just send them to guides.barrysworld.com.

Takes 3 seconds to type if that and you'll feel good for sorting out the newbie

------------------
Posted by S.A.S
http://guides.barrysworld.com

 

[cenobite]

Another example of why the gaming community is a festering bag of shite. Its people like you that stop new players coming in.

Heres the science bit, concentrate :

Imagine if you will Mr Newbie. He is leafing through a gaming magazine and sees a review of CS in PcZone. 'OOhh that looks well smart must try that'. SO he loads up Half Life and the CS mod from the Cover CD. Gets online and clicks the quick start button. He bumbles on a server as Sir_Knumskull and is completely lost.

Now some people here will say 'His own fucking fault didnt read guides etc.. blah.' BULLSHIT!. How the hell is he supposed to know that such guides exist online? Some people may stumble across BarrysWorld through the adverts on the outside of the Magazine but I for one do not take much notice to what PcZone is wrapped in.

SO anyway back to the game. He stumbles about gets fucked over so he asks one simple question which he will regret for ages :

'Could someone help me'

Now how many of you will shout this guy down or lol or whatever it is you unhelpful mofo's do? I myself would either help him or write a guide. I was writing a guide for a proxy ages ago and indeed did documentation for the FAQ Proxy before the FAQ people ever thought about it. Because I could and because people would use it. Indeed the Qizmo doc's were based on the work i did. And people still ask me for help with Qizmo. And whether I know the documentation tells them or not, it only takes 1 min to explain. Opposed to them looking for 20 mins and trawling for guide sites.

So next time you think a newbie aint helping himself/herself just take a second out to point them POLITELY in the right direction. Kindness is free.

 

[old.Davehart]

As once a newbie I know what its like and there is a place for them,

It's called Wireplay. Give that bash for 2 months and you will be abreast of the basic's.

Did I just say their name? Na.

------------------
davehart@gamesinferno.com

 

[old.sjp]

iam affraid that iam in the "its u thats rong" camp


lbh weve all been newbies at some point ... ... and how long does it take to point them in the right direction or give them a quick hand with thier configs ?

afew of the newbies i would have normally wrote off as "an anoying toser" have actually turned out to be pretty decent players/ppl when ive helped them out ......

iam not saying iam an angel (far from it ), but if its a fairly queit night ...........

 

[old.venturer01]

i try and help newbies
i was playing q3a tourney
and this bloke said do you remember me,
and told me how i helped him, i did in fact remember him, and i only helped him a wee bit.
so he set about grannying ? me.

in fact i still remember all the ppl that helped me with qw-dm and qw-ctf , i may have not said thank you, i am saying it now , thank you.

[This message has been edited by venturer01 (edited 02 September 2000).]

 

[old.Kez]

yes but IMO, people who want to play games online should at least have some idea of how their computer works, and ettiquette(sp?)

many of them appear to be stupidly young too, so ask really naive (and therefore quite annoying considering the number of newbies there are ) questions.

I'll always point them at something that can help, but sometimes they are beyond belief.

silly newbies.

 

[old.Paradroid]

What about that grey area when anyone plays on-line for the first time? We all must have done it. Didn't we? Of course someone who ventured into LanLand, serial or Modem-Modem before forging ahead onto public servers would, probably, have sorted most of their shit out.
But what happens when someone goes from playing the standard one player game to multiplayer?
It's a world of hate filled with screaming modems, pings, packets, connections, IP addresses, reboots, drivers, maps, models, paks, lost sleep and lost night's...
In the immortal words of Dr Zoidberg:
"...I say let The Dice do the talking..."

 

[kryt]

Well : Lots to say on this subject. As everyone else in the community, I was once a newbie (just like we were all babies once, you know). I have a minority detail photographic memory : I can remember, clear as day, sitting on top of the MH lift in quake 2, with a grenade launcher, killing anyone that comes up. That was about 2 and a half years ago now, when i first started out, before i got clanned for the first time. I was abused, called "camping bastard" by the better players (a lot of people were newbie then, so camping insults were few and far between). I learn't not to do that, because of the abuse I got for doing so. A bit like growing up in that sence, you do something wrong, you're parents clip you round the earhole : not being able to do the same in Quake, expletives have to be used. That was how I personally learn't not to camp, spawn frag etc. From then on, I was always a very quiet, withdrawn player, i'd play, leave, chat on ICQ for a while, day over. Its probably the reason why, unfortunatly, I seem to have a serious attitude problem on servers these days. However, I did also recieve help from various friends i gathered in the game, and from my first clan. This is why i'm also helpful when i want to be.
From my little life story there, i can draw the following conclusion, assuming it isn't just me that this applies to.
Those who learn't, like me, how to play by being "punished/abused" by doing something wrong like camping, tend to turn into their idillics and tutors, abusive to newbies, therefore carrying on the chain like father>child.
Those who were fortunate enough to be helped all the way, people were helpful towards them, gave encouragement for what they did right, turn out to be the better attituded players, those that tend to play more for fun.

Thats what I believe, it could be wrong, it could be a thought for all of you out there next time your shouting "camping f*ck" at some poor newbie.
Funnily enough, I know i shouldnt go into this, but some of you may remember my dispute with a chap, Ted Rogers. He is a reasonably good player, but recieves no end of abuse (yes, from me more then most) for his style of play, he never learn't not to camp etc. No asking nicely will stop this chap from playing how HE wants to play, as long as it isn't cheating, he is having fun, so be it. It annoys a fuckload of people, yes, but I think it should be put up with.
Its also appropriate to apologise for what i am like : extremely abusive on servers, not at all as helpful as i used to be. I've said time and time over that my attitude is/has/was changed/changing, and i keep going back to being an abusive twat. Had a little break for the weekend, and come back to post this thought provoking post. Reflected over how i am personally, and the reputation I and the clan, who is putting more and more trust in me, am gaining. Not a very good one. I have a few people i need to apologise to personally, I shall do that now. Otherwise, this post is an apology from me to the people who have been on the butt end of my abuse, and a post for those to think twice before shouting abuse at those people, who without, your game would not exist.

Rant over.

------------------
[Cw.F]KryteN
Cows with Fluff Website

kryten@moomoo.co.uk

 

[old.Mr Niceguy]

I think most people need to realise that the point of playing online games is to have fun.

If any of you are old enough to remember the good old net, you'll remember a little thing called netiquette....
Netiquette was simply used to make the internet a better, more fun place to be, where ppl made friends, chatted sensibly
and got want they wanted from their online experience.

now im amazed as every chatroom, arena, and message board in the WHOLE WORLD seems to be full of people who want to annoy others, and generally give them a bad time...

Wouldn't you like it if people did't swear at you when you fragged them?
Who didn't insult you for no reason?
Who actually tried to help?

When a newbie has said he/she needed help
Ive sorted them out. EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I find that being an all round decent bloke online, is a lot more fun than being a bastard!

So next time you c some1 in trouble..
Try not calling them a fucking lame cunt0r.
try helping!

________________________________
Mega truffle - "yes it is rather good isn't it"

 

[old.SimbobX]

I've got a lot of sympathy with people who get upset at newbies .. at times it almost seems like they're taking the piss with the questions they ask. You're just dying to shout "RTFM!!!" at them.

But, I think that this is the real problem .. many newbies don't even realise that there IT a manual. Especially with downloaded mods or coverdisk stuff .. you just click "install" .. it churns away, an icon appears on your desktop and away you go ... no manual in sight ..

Most of the "very newbies" that I know don't even realise that a .cfg file exists, and have never looked in the game directory for anything, readme included.

As an experienced player, I don't have a problem with digging out the readme and hacking my .cfg (or whatever) .. but I do think that, for the majority of newbies, most games are poorly designed in respect to things like this .. even having a 'bind keys' menu type thing like Q3 or UT or whatever still isn't supremely helpful, since they often don't actually tell you what the binds are used for etc etc.

Maybe (sudden flash of inspriation ) someone *cough* Barrysworld *cough* should approach the game/mod authors and suggest that links to their site be provided from within the game, to keep newbies up to speed on things like this (FAQs, basically). Maybe even providing "newbie" servers on which experienced "tutors" could be invited to play, to impart their knowledge (again .. linked / highlighted from within the game menus?)

Dunno .. (bored? moi? how can you tell?) .. don't be too harsh on the newbies .. that may be a pathetic question they just asked, but remember: "there are no stupid questions! only stupid people!"

http://guides.barrysworld.com/
http://savageuk.com/theknowledge/
http://savageuk.com/ucquake3guide/

btw .. I played some newbie mates at a lan a few months ago .. I not only timed the quad and shouted "quad up in 10 seconds" for them (while avoiding it myself) but also had to frequently direct them to where it was

 

[Tui]

How far do you want game/mod authors to go? Let's take Valve's HL TFC. They've dumbed the game control so much that any 5 year old could play. There's html manuals installed that list the classes, maps and general tactics. Loading a map has a brief summary of the objectives and in 2fort example, a screen message comes up where to take the flag when it is grabbed. When someone asks "What do I do with the flag?" it shows that someone has missed everything along the way. Helping someone out is all very well but I gave up baby sitting long ago.

 

[old.SimbobX]

Well .. I don't really expect it of Mod authors really, because they're mostly developing in their spare time and just don't have the time to deal with things like this, but for commercial products, I would certainly expect something of the level of the HL tutorial. A basic intro to all the important aspects of the game (see Tribes for another example).

I appreciate that you have to draw a line, take away their PC and just say "look, you're too stupid to play this game .. go watch TV instead" but I think that a awful lot could be done to improve things. I don't think TFC was ever really aimed at the newbie market, but I would expect TF2 (if/when it comes out) to have a full HL/Tribes-like tutroial built in.

After all, why not? why should someone have to wade through a manual (nicely installed HTML or not) when they could be having a laugh playing an interactive tutorial instead?

Think of all the non-fps games that have tutorials .. flightsims, spacesims, RTS games, driving games .. almost all of them, infact.

I don't have much experience with TFC, because I only played it when it first came out, and not again since, but I only knew anything at all about what I was doing because I'd loaded the maps up offline (not a trivial thing for a newbie to do) and run around them for a few minutes.

Even now, I try and always load up a map (e.g. Counterstrike, which I do play a fair amount) and run around it so I know what all the salient features are.

It stops me from looking like a complete ass on a server, but newbies don't have that advantage .. they have no idea how to get the flag back, or get the hostages out, or anything.

There are about 20 odd maps in CS, with four different game types .. and it'll be an Einstein of a newbie that can get to grips with all the "standard" gameplay features (how to get and spend money, and what on, how to move hostages around, etc, etc) while at the same time learning their way around all of those.

imo, of course

tbh, if there's something worse, it's experienced players who can't be arsed to rtfm themselves, and ask dumb questions on the BR or whatever because they're just too lazy to open the readme themselves

 

[old.Jammin]

The way i see it is; we were all newbies once, even tho some of us seem incapable of admiting it and were always "l33t", so cut em some slack if u dont wanna help em, dont but dont put em off the secene by abusing em just say nuffink or point them in the right direction.

Jam.

 

[old.ED209]

what is l33T? is this a new game?what is AQ2? is this a weapon in L33T?

 

[old.TUG]

If you're l33t, you're probably a t33t

 

[Embattle]

I do help newbies but some times its just impossible.

 

[old.Kez]

I don't help newbies, I ignore them and let other people help them out

 

[old.venturer01]

ED209
http://guides.barrysworld.com/games/terms.shtm

 

[old.ED209]

wow i am a fool arent i or should that be ph00l?

 

[exxxie]

hmmm being a newbie is like being lost in the East End....you can either..

A) Pull over and ask that nice chap with the skinhead and the tatto over one half of his face... "How does one get to Leicestertertershire Square young man?" and take the beating you receive with humility and grace... only to repeat your question when you find another pedestrian of similar ilk...

or....

b) Stop the car at a Shell garage ...buy a map...sort it out yourself.... if someone is nice enough to see you purchase the map and offer his help....BONUS

I can recall during my Newbie days, someone doing a rocket Jump on QW , first time I'd ever seen it done and boy it looked good did I rush up to him and spam: Oi mate tell us how you do that flying mullarky will ya? Over and over again till he left? ermmm .. no I watched him and tried it myself when no one was looking.

I've been playing online games for a long while now and try to be reasonable when some1 is obviously hopelessly lost. But some "Newbies" dont encourage you to help them...so I just cant be arsed.

 

[luap]

Most of us grew up on the PC through Dos, Win3.11, Win95, 98 etc and in so doing we know our PC's inside and out. Some of us even have jobs in IT. As such we think nothing of editing scary .cfg's and updating drivers etc.

The newbie nowdays has it handed on a plate. Win2k and ME has most drivers pre-installed and most ISP's give CD's to connect you to the internet without you getting your hands dirty. The newbie soon learns to skip the "ReadMeFirst.txt" file cos it's boring and will go bowling into the game because he/she want to be entertained now!
I'm new to CS but I'm also a BW regular so I spent a while digesting the Guides. (made me fart a lot ) The trouble with CS is theres no way to praccy except online. Developers must give a simple tutorial like Halflife so that anyone who picks up a game for the first time has an oppotunity not to make an arse of himself in his/her informative years online.

Kryton: My shrink sorted my head out, you want his number

Looapp as Bif like to call me.

 

[xenon2000]

Got to say I like newbies in the Quake series cos there a good way of boosting the ol' frag count with their hopeless attempts at fighting, but you kind of feel youre cheating by killing 'em left right & center, and, um... it makes you seem a bit lame. I think game servers should at least have a newbie section for most games, it would help them practice and give the others a challenge.

Anyone agree?

 

[old.ED209]

a newbie server? hmmm yea but then youd hop on to build up your frag count

 

[old.Jools]

Didn't Gamesinferno host a newbie night not long ago?
Of course - many newbies prolly didn't KNOW about it cos they are NEW to the UT scene - but newbie nights are a good idea - with an admin or two on the servers to make sure no bigger boys join in to bully em

 

[Chameleon]

Well, the way I look at it is this;

I feel fortunate to know about and participate in the on-line gaming world. It is the best hobby I ever started, albeit it's cost me a fortune There are a lot of ppl out there who don't know on-line gaming exists even. The very first time I heard about it I was so excited that a stampeding herd of buffalo couldn't have kept me from buying all the necessary gear and getting on-line ASAP. I didn't wait to hang around and read readme files and I don't expect other newbies to either. Don't you remember how exciting it was at the start? I do and that's why I forgive them.
I make sure I go out of my way to help newbies whenever I can, cos the worst thing to happen would be for them to become disillutioned by the confusing terms or give up cos they don't know the little 'insider' info that can make all the difference when you start out and end up giving up on the whole idea altogether. People should know what fun on-line gaming can be.
I had a guy icq me the other day out of the blue who said "I am interested in joining your clan. I want to join a team so that I can feel special". Bless. This boy was just 13 and was a fine example of how it's not only fun to play the game, but a great way to meet people and make friends.

The last thing people need when they are trying to get into a game or make friends from other players, is experienced people who dont have the time to give a little back. Experienced players should know better.

And if they get cocky sometimes, it's usually cos they don't want to appear stupid. Just try a little harder to help them out. Maybe give them your icq or email so that they dont have to discuss things publicly infront of others and feel humiliated for asking what to others seem like stupid questions.

Ch@m

------------------
Go hard or Go home!
-----------------------
The Brotherhood of Pain
#ukclan_bop

 

[Embattle]

I help them to a point.