New players and steep learning curve

[Snazz]

honestly most of what I've read here is bollocks.

How so?

The 'noobs' you guys are discussing, they're not (necessarily) noobs. They're communicationally-impaired, or less often, incompetent.

We're discussing new players.

Players who get called 'noobs' for not communicating are a different matter.

[BigNate]

How so?


We're discussing new players.

Players who get called 'noobs' for not communicating are a different matter.

Well in hindsight, my use of the word 'most' was an exaggeration. As far as how so, well that was the lead for the rest of my post. I'm not sure how to answer that except to repeat myself.

I know that we're talking about new players and not necessarily long-term 'noobs', and some of the discussion here is fine--if you can forgive me for conflating terminology, I don't think it changes what I said. My motivation for posting was because I get the impression that people make silly assumptions about new players. There are people who will try PR and fail at it because they lack the ability to communicate or they lack the requisite competence. Wanting to improve PR to retain those new players is a difficult task, and one that is not worth the effort. I would implore everyone to distinguish between new players with potential, and those without, and to not fault PR or its learning curve for poor retention of the latter. Basically, it feels like some posting here want to coddle new players, and I'm trying to say we don't need it.

I look at myself and how I am usually an above-average gamer and FPS player, and how I blow chunks in PR--both in actual combat and execution of tactics, partly because I am still learning. Was it intimidating to start? Sure. Have I had trouble getting into PR? Certainly not. My ability to communicate and understand most of what I have had explained to me is what I credit for my positive experiences interacting with other players in-game. There may be elitism among PR vets, but it isn't at fault for abuse of new players; if there exists abusive elitism, it is directed at poor communicators and incompetents. I (mostly) enjoy playing and I get respected as much as the next guy, even when I suck and don't know what to do.

[Arnoldio]

Stay on topic. The idea is how to make new players better and learn them faster and easier not who is noob and why.

[L4gi]

The more you play the more you learn. Can't become "good" if you play 2 hours a week...

[sylent/shooter]

Project Reality seminars anyone? Usually I take the time to explain more advanced things such as breathing as a sniper or how to keep up with the squad. But I occasionally get the "noob" and if he hasn't even read the manual I point him in the right direction and kick him out of the squad. Now I'm a tolerant person but don't expect people to respect you if you come into the game as a noob without even reading the manual. People just don't like that....


For example, one game on Muttrah and the following matches after my whole team pratically consisted of new people. You can imagine the chaos. I eventually went commander and told them to do stuff, when they didn't respond I assumed they didn't have a mic. TIP: GET A MIC it's your life blood in PR, if you don't have one you're dead.

[_casualtyUR]

Experience is what counts and playing the game is the only way to gain this. If a SL is a elistest then listen closer or leave the squad. Most players of PR are veterans and understand the mechanics of the game.

I think most SL will kick, if orders are not followed and it should be this way. It's hard to function if half the squad is operating in their own ideas of how the battle should be commenced.

I enjoy the PR style of play and it's hard to be an SL, dealing with malcontents.

There are three things that will make people better:
1 - experience
2 - fast computer
3 - communication, informing the SL of every squad member's situation of enemy movements and firing status.

[Shredhead99]

I started back in 0.6 (I think), then I had a longer break, and started again at 0.8. In 0.8 I had to learn the ropes anew, but I had some advantage. I was patient, I had a mic, I found a kit to use like I learned it in the army (yes, the old unscoped LMG) and did what the SL told me. The first weeks I spent with supressing markers, learning to find and identify enemies and how to move in squad. I never got kicked from squads, I was useful, and I learnt that a negative K/D is not necessarily something negative for your team, or yourself.
So to all Newbies I can only say: Use a mic! Be patient! Don't get frustrated too fast! There are way more helpful tasks if you're not able to kill that many enemies. Deliver an ammobag for the LAT when it's needed, take the medic kit, throw ropes etc.
Maybe it's more useful to equip newbies with unscoped weapons at all, they only tend to recognise enemies at close range either, so there is a better chance for them in CQB.

[Pioneer]

So,
im a new Player and, because my old Pc is not good enough for PR and any other normal games, in a few weeks i get a new one . But how should I start ?(I read the Manual), I live in Germany, I´m 16 and I think If I join a squad:
-I dont know what they mean, If they speak to me (you don´t learn words like to suppress at school)
-I would would be so bad, that the whole Squad would be for example spotted or not so flexible only because I joined it
-......

Are there any training maps, I dont want to play 2 Weeks singleplayer.

I´m not a pro at FPS, i´m normal, not bad, not too good.

doesn't a Squadleader get frustrated if a new Player(=fully noob) joins a squad?

sorry if my English is bad, I´m open for any corrections

[Rudd]

Wilkommen

the manual is a good place to start

-I dont know what they mean, If they speak to me (you don´t learn words like to suppress at school)

dont worry there are german servers where you'll find plenty of German speakers.

Are there any training maps, I dont want to play 2 Weeks singleplayer.

#

the single player can also be played online with other humans against bots

doesn't a Squadleader get frustrated if a new Player(=fully noob) joins a squad?

only if you don't tell him that you are new

you're english seems fine to me

[Pioneer]

Thanks, great to know

I, as a new player, would really think, that this system would help me

[=Romagnolo=]

When I find a new player (normally I play as SL) I like to guide him in the battlefield, if, of course, he seens to be a good guy.

It's kind fun to help him, but, at the same time, let him discovery the goodies and baddies in a battle.

[Neecap]

I happened to meet a squad of two of my fellow country men in my first match. It was a great way to get introduced to a really complicated but rewarding game!

However, ingame tips and tutorials while you play would be really helpful for newbs, so the initial curve wont get too steep.

[LithiumFox]

Depends on what you mean by steep learning curve.

Everyone learns at a different pace. For instant, this game took me 3 months to completely understand, and now I don't even know the new maps that well. (haha)

But my best friend, well, I taught him 2 times, just how to select your kit, join a squad, everything. (Completely new to BF2 in general, let alone PR)

Then the 3rd round we play, Killer and everyone are on Ramiel, and we all join. My friend Jingles takes an AR kit, and covers us all. He gets about 4 kills, runs down, revives me, and then runs off to get the humvee (he cant drive) and then we get blown up.

Ended pretty bad, but, i was surprised he got those kills. XD it was his first time using the AR kit

[Wicca]

I just want to take all new players and just hug them really really hard. Squees the life out of them, until their blue red and well any coulour the human body can maintain

Thing is though, if you guys want this whole "training new people" and it is needed.
I can do that.

Infact i can organize it and get other people teaching this new flesh of awesome into PR.

[sweedensniiperr]

Can't become "good" if you play 2 hours a week...

well not sure about that...will take a damn long time thou

[snooggums]

I find that 3-4 experienced players in a squad with one or two new players is best, as the player can see how the others interact, have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and the other squad mates can keep an eye on the new guy to correct any bad ideas the new guys might have.

[drs79]

If you are new to PR and have briefly looked over the manual prior to joining a server and upon joining a squad, introduce yourself first and foremost, even introduce yourself in a polite manner to everyone.

Upon introducing yourself to the squad, ask the squadleader if you can use the rifleman or rifleman specialist kit. Don't automatically assume PR is like BF2 Vanilla and select a sniper kit, HAT, or any other specialty kit you are not accustomed to. That will most likely immediately result in a kick from a squad.

Pay attention to what your squad leader asks of you, pay attention to how the rest of your squad moves, covers, and engages the enemy, take tips and suggestions from your squad leader and from your squad members, round by round you will gain knowledge and experience which will then allow you to be ready to step up to the plate and try other kits, such as the medic kit and the AR and so on and so on.

Playing PRSP also helps getting to know how vehicles, such as armor works, keep in mind though that during multiplaying rounds of PR all armor vehicles need 2 crewman members to operate successfully.

Jets and Helos also act differently in PRSP than in Multiplayer servers.

Check out the servers website that you are also playing on, introduce yourself on the forums etc etc etc.

Introducing yourself imho goes a long way, that is the first step.

[BigNate]

Stay on topic. The idea is how to make new players better and learn them faster and easier not who is noob and why.

You really missed the point of that discussion then.

PR is attractive for many reasons, one of which being the complexity and another being the teamplay. If new players are turned off because they can't figure it out or they can't communicate, they really aren't looking for what PR offers in the first place.

My whole point was that I haven't experienced any of the negative things that new players allegedly experience, and I'm not very good. The new players that experience negativity aren't getting that because they're new. In those situations, they are getting treated badly because they're too thick or they won't communicate appropriately. Being new is a red herring for the player in Sinn_Ah_Taggh's story.

Forgive the bluntness, but apparently my point wasn't getting across when I put it more delicately.

[drs79]

Bignate I agree with you, we were all new players once, but introducing yourself and communicating is a way that can only help you in-game.

If a player joins my squad, doesn't communicate, goes off on his own and does his own thing, gets shot, gives up, and does it all again, how is he going to be helpful to the other squad members and to the other members of the team? - This is from a personal experience as a SL recently, I tried communicating, even typed in SL chat for a while thinking he didn't have a mic on, no response, and the player kept doing what he wanted to do.

I enjoy new players veering away from vanilla bf2 and installing the PR mod and playing it. But a new player also has to realize that its just not the veterans who are supposed to extend their hand. It's a two way street. Such is life.