A gentle, nudging reminder about new players

[Baka]

Hi.

I notice a few people complaining about new players not doing anything right in both deadchat, LOOC, or even OOC. That they should stop, or get impatient that they're not doing things *your way*. Complaining isn't going to help them be more adept to game mechanics. You can help newcomers out too, you know. Throw them a wiki link, help them learn the game mechanic, be it LOOC or IC, chances are if you become helpful they're more likely to learn and actually *gasp* gitgud.

Going "you're so bad, you're doing it wrong" and not offering constructive criticism or even help to go along with is shit and just makes you look like an asshole.

Thanks.

[hivefleetchicken]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

[Killerhurtz]

People do that?

So far, there's only one newbie that I haven't been able to help - and that's because he said he was specifically there to make bombs, and almost killed his character for failing a bomb.

Otherwise, every other character I've helped ended up settling in just fine.

Seriously guys - I'll say it as often as I need to. HELPING THE NEWBIES IS REWARDING.

[TechnoKat]

how bout we get a mentor system. would gladly teach anyone.

[Conservatron]

i always teach new engineers

if xullie is on and there is a new player send them my way

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

how bout we get a mentor system. would gladly teach anyone.

 

You mean what heads of staff are supposed to be?

[Guest]

There were players who were trying to setup a mentor system, they tried it twice in fact and they had my backing

http://puu.sh/kxe6p/50f6840fd6.png

Unfortunatly it never really took off and people just started leaving so it got abandoned.

[Filthyfrankster]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

 

I see this all the time with research directors and new RnD folk.

Almost every RD: "You're telling me you don't know how to make protopistols and borderline traitor weapons within five minutes? ITS SO EASY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE A TOOLBOX, BREAK INTO THE TELECOM, GET THIS THIS THIS. You need to get good and get out of my face, I'm going to go be a pain in the ass for security and give every scientist a protopistol on code green for self defense :^) "

"You're fired."

Eventually the RD just barges in and does everything themselves and firing the new guy in the mean time. Then requesting security come and detain the now fired personal.

That or some fucking lab assistance gets everything to 10

That or a CMO who bitches/threatens to fire the chemist for not making the god drug within 3 minutes of the shift starting

[Zidanyia]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

 

I see this all the time with research directors and new RnD folk.

Almost every RD: "You're telling me you don't know how to make protopistols and borderline traitor weapons within five minutes? ITS SO EASY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE A TOOLBOX, BREAK INTO THE TELECOM, GET THIS THIS THIS. You need to get good and get out of my face, I'm going to go be a pain in the ass for security and give every scientist a protopistol on code green for self defense :^) "

"You're fired."

 

the RD's a noob if they think they need to leave the science department to get traitor items.

Joking aside, this is kinda why I don't teach people how to 'powergame' like that. You end up creating hostile and toxic mentalities just from spoonfeeding. It's awful how entitled people can get just by someone teaching them something that was really obvious in hindsight.

I have never seen someone outright take another person out of the round for not knowing how to powergame, whoever is either 1.) making up this shit or 2.) actually perpetuating this stereotype by being a fuckboi themselves, needs to go get bent.

But no, really. When it comes to new players, the best way for them to enjoy the game is to respect the Prime Directive of Vidya. Starelitists are completely forbidden from interfering with the internal development of foreign newbs and noobs alike. They are better off enjoying the feeling of getting to discover something all by themselves.

[Killerhurtz]

Yeah - if I ever see a RD behaving like that you can be CERTAIN there will be an incident report (if not downright a character/player complaint).

As I said - it's not the first time I, as Sybil, taught newbies. Hell - just last week, there was this Zoe - completely new to science but with a good head on their shoulder. I gave them a tour of the outpost (because they'd never been on the outpost - said it was very educative), then gave them options and even allowed them a supervised trial run at xenobiology. They liked it, I promoted them to Student Xenobiology for that shift. The shift afterwards? BAM - without fault I had an actual xenobiologist.

Give players a chance to learn safely and they will learn. Make learning organic - don't stand there ordering them like they're drones. If there's a librarian, tell them to study. If they're doing new things, stay there for safety and let them do their thing until they make a dangerous mistake. Ask them questions to test their knowledge, and if they don't know, give them the knowledge. And you'll have the best characters you'll have had - and then, later, if you know more optimal ways to do certain things, you can discuss it. (I think it was two weeks ago - I did that with Toxins, and ended up learning something. As a RD.)

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

 

I see this all the time with research directors and new RnD folk.

Almost every RD: "You're telling me you don't know how to make protopistols and borderline traitor weapons within five minutes? ITS SO EASY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE A TOOLBOX, BREAK INTO THE TELECOM, GET THIS THIS THIS. You need to get good and get out of my face, I'm going to go be a pain in the ass for security and give every scientist a protopistol on code green for self defense :^) "

"You're fired."

 

the RD's a noob if they think they need to leave the science department to get traitor items.

Joking aside, this is kinda why I don't teach people how to 'powergame' like that. You end up creating hostile and toxic mentalities just from spoonfeeding. It's awful how entitled people can get just by someone teaching them something that was really obvious in hindsight.

I have never seen someone outright take another person out of the round for not knowing how to powergame, whoever is either 1.) making up this shit or 2.) actually perpetuating this stereotype by being a fuckboi themselves, needs to go get bent.

But no, really. When it comes to new players, the best way for them to enjoy the game is to respect the Prime Directive of Vidya. Starelitists are completely forbidden from interfering with the internal development of foreign newbs and noobs alike. They are better off enjoying the feeling of getting to discover something all by themselves.

 

People being snarky or sincere in going "Oh doing that causes x" in LOOC at me when I played a scientist as a newbie trying to discover something is 100% of the reason I don't play science anymore.

LOOC BleedingHeart: "Oh if you heat up the plasma obviously you'll get less power because the gas is less dense... how do you not know that lol."

literally space yourself and let me learn science

[Japak121]

This is honestly a huge reason why I became a mod and head of staff. I'm at the point where I've done most of the things mechanics-wise I want to do and now it just feels good to help.

My Captain/RD almost never denies anything unless it's obviously insane/unsafe. Assistant wants to explore space? Okay, I give them airlock access and hook them up with suits/beacons/tools and a jetpack and usually a science radio to report in when they can. The worst is how people treat assistants. As an engineer I was going to cryo and I ran into a friendly BALD assistant. Gave him my insulated gloves and went cryo. Guess what? He DIDN'T greytide. He genuinely tried helping out and was actually grateful for the help.

Some people just want to know they're accepted where they are. If you tell them they're fucking up without trying to help at all, they'll like just get mad/sad and not want to play that role to avoid you.

Tip: Don't outright tell people what to do if things are slow. Instead, ask them questions that lead them to finding the answer on there own if you can, as it helps them feel a bit accomplished even if they were being nudged in the right direction.

[TechnoKat]

how bout we get a mentor system. would gladly teach anyone.

 

You mean what heads of staff are supposed to be?

 

lol. when most head of staff are "u disagree with me?! u fired111!"

[hivefleetchicken]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

 

I see this all the time with research directors and new RnD folk.

Almost every RD: "You're telling me you don't know how to make protopistols and borderline traitor weapons within five minutes? ITS SO EASY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE A TOOLBOX, BREAK INTO THE TELECOM, GET THIS THIS THIS. You need to get good and get out of my face, I'm going to go be a pain in the ass for security and give every scientist a protopistol on code green for self defense :^) "

"You're fired."

Eventually the RD just barges in and does everything themselves and firing the new guy in the mean time. Then requesting security come and detain the now fired personal.

That or some fucking lab assistance gets everything to 10

That or a CMO who bitches/threatens to fire the chemist for not making the god drug within 3 minutes of the shift starting

 

I just remember trying out the role for the first time and having someone run in after every thirty seconds saying, "Are you gonna' actually try now, or what?"

And then they'd break in and apologise to everyone outside asking for stun revolvers and say, "Sorry everybody. If I was working today, you'd get them, but."

"Apparently we have an idiot working here."

IT'S LIKE C'MON CUT ME SOME SLACK BEFORE I PUT YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WINDOW

[Conservatron]

Tfw when I try out a new job and get fired in 30 seconds for not powergaming all the special tricks in

 

I see this all the time with research directors and new RnD folk.

Almost every RD: "You're telling me you don't know how to make protopistols and borderline traitor weapons within five minutes? ITS SO EASY ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS USE A TOOLBOX, BREAK INTO THE TELECOM, GET THIS THIS THIS. You need to get good and get out of my face, I'm going to go be a pain in the ass for security and give every scientist a protopistol on code green for self defense :^) "

"You're fired."

Eventually the RD just barges in and does everything themselves and firing the new guy in the mean time. Then requesting security come and detain the now fired personal.

That or some fucking lab assistance gets everything to 10

That or a CMO who bitches/threatens to fire the chemist for not making the god drug within 3 minutes of the shift starting

 

I just remember trying out the role for the first time and having someone run in after every thirty seconds saying, "Are you gonna' actually try now, or what?"

And then they'd break in and apologise to everyone outside asking for stun revolvers and say, "Sorry everybody. If I was working today, you'd get them, but."

"Apparently we have an idiot working here."

IT'S LIKE C'MON CUT ME SOME SLACK BEFORE I PUT YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT THROUGH THE WINDOW

thats hostile work environment and grounds for self antaging imo

[Covert0ddity]

The thing with heads of staff is that their duties are, or at least to a degree, skewed. They are not supposed to be God's of their department. They should be expected to know a little about most of the department so they may assist when needed, but their primary duty? Direction. Coordination. Making sure the people who are specialized in their fields are doing their job and doing it right. And, of course, training the new guys.

Most research directors I saw just took it as a 'I'm just an uberscientist with my access ayyyy' instead of sitting in their office, writing discoveries, directing their scientists and making them fill out proper paperwork when needed, etc.

[Killerhurtz]

Covert, quick question.

For Heads (very relevant to directors, but all Heads can do that to an extent) how much of the job should be administration and how much should be actual contribution to the department?

Because I'll be the first to admit that I'm guilty of being an "uberscientist with access" - because it allows me to grab everything I need really fast - but I'm also the one who trains, records and marks discovery. And TBH, 99% of the time, crew is self-sufficient to the point there just isn't enough paperwork to fill out, things to note down, people to train, things to watch over.

If what I do is considered incorrect, then I'd want better guides as to what I should be doing.

(Though I have to say - so far, people seem to enjoy how I play my RD...)

[TechnoKat]

The thing with heads of staff is that their duties are, or at least to a degree, skewed. They are not supposed to be God's of their department. They should be expected to know a little about most of the department so they may assist when needed, but their primary duty? Direction. Coordination. Making sure the people who are specialized in their fields are doing their job and doing it right. And, of course, training the new guys.

Most research directors I saw just took it as a 'I'm just an uberscientist with my access ayyyy' instead of sitting in their office, writing discoveries, directing their scientists and making them fill out proper paperwork when needed, etc.

 

where can you even find a normal head of staff not acting like a god of their department nowadays tho.

[Killerhurtz]

I'm lucky, I know a few. They're precious and awesome.

[TechnoKat]

We really need a mentor system. Entire time I've been in Aurora I've only seen two heads of staff teach a player OOCly and ICly.

[Covert0ddity]

I'm not really sure what the level of difference is now, because I'm not even permitted so much the grace as to observe the server. However, back when I was around, I felt that balance was key. Sitting in an office isn't fun, and if you have shortages, I think it's fine to fill in. Heads are just a [certain specialization of a department] + leadership skills + trust with valuable information + higher paycheck.

In Science's case, I'm not exactly the most fluent. I main Sec/Com(Cap/HoP) and prefer those roles, RD's should act completely different than I would play or expect a HoS to act. With Security in mind, I would only really ever move out of the brig if I was requested or there was an issue I needed to see to. Or, if Sec wasn't communicating with me, I would watch myself. Otherwise, I coordinate, I ensure paperwork is being filed, etc.

Well, I mean, I didn't do that then but if I'm ever unbanned I plan to do that. I've perfecting my Security skills on other servers.

[Conservatron]

why does it need to be a head who teaches the players?

I've taught more engineering apprentices than I can count, whenever I see the beret I ask their base skillset and then I help to solve shortcomings.

This should be standard practice for all employees imo, you shouldn't have to wait for a department head to help out the cadets/ interns/ assistants in your department. IDK maybe I just find it easy to teach engineering

[Killerhurtz]

Yo, Conservatron? If that's the case, there's most likely nothing stopping you from applying to be a CE.

But yeah - usually heads are the ones who teach because they know what's what, and they have "more spare time" because non-heads have a dedicated role.

[Conservatron]

literally the only thing stopping me from applying for CE is that I don't want to be CE I'm perfectly content being a normal engineer

[TechnoKat]

There was a vampire round, that kept somehow "escaping brig"(teleporting), when on a manhunt, Serveris and his detective char Leo Wyatt had to use his revolver as the vamp was hostile, two shots and popped his lung. Soon after, we brought him to medical and was greeted by a bald surgeon instantly going "what the hell", grabbed the patient and ran off to surgery without checking what happened. We come after and see him BASHING THE VAMPIRE WITH ALL THE TOOLS AT HIS DISPOSAL. The vampire soon died anyways.

Let's say we put age limit for all the roles except assistant/interns, etc. Ten days, whatever, gives them enough time to learn.