Asheras wrote on Aug 16
th, 2016 at 4:32pm:
That's a weak argument.
Your mom is a weak argument (seems reasonable if you're going to start talking about urine and fruit cake).
Asheras wrote on Aug 16
th, 2016 at 4:32pm:
If you want to help them, then give them a +3 Con, +3 (meaningful stat), +x(meaningful effect) ML 4 item. Don't give them UA and FF. That's like saying "welcome to the neighborhood. Here's a fruit loaf and some KY jelly". Maybe some of your home brewed beer (that tastes like piss. Because all home brews do. You know it's true.) Most likely, you are moving out of that neighborhood.
I'd argue there are a lot better things to whip up for a new player than UA and FF. There is nothing about them that is mandatory and "without them we can't do nice things for new players and improve retention.".
Permanent FF and to a lesser extent UA make a much bigger difference for a new player on a first life character than a +3 Con (8 more HP at level 4 - WooHoo!) because they make it less frustrating to keep up with a more experienced player. I'll still be able to scroll FF for them if they've used their Korthos cloak and pass them a stack of UA potions, but it's a nuisance and slows things down that are already slowed down.
It's not about "mandatory". Nothing is mandatory. FF/UA and the other things didn't need to be excluded from the new system and their absence will reduce quality of life for those without.
It's also not a case of "without them we can't do nice things for new players and improve retention", but rather repeated instances of "we choose to not do things that improve new player buy-in and existing player retention and instead actively do unnecessary things that reduce both".
Asheras wrote on Aug 16
th, 2016 at 4:32pm:
P.S. All this assumes that people who can craft unbound shards are actually hanging out in the harbor handing out twink loot to newbies to encourage them to stay with the game. Which is total bullshit. If we had that level of vet focus on new player retention, the game would have a lot more new players becoming long time players. All evidence points to vet players either ignoring new players at best and actively griefing them at worst.
Years ago I hung out in Harbor and handed out twink loot, but stopped doing so a long time ago.
What I do now is pay attention to the things that seem to frustrate the new players I meet during my heroic lives and buy or craft them helpful gear. Not full sets, but two or three items are often enough to reduce frustration.
I know I'm not representative of the majority of the players who have piles of game plat or maxed crafting levels, but I also know I'm not alone.