How to best introduce new crews to the game

  • Liberance
    Master

    Hey there,

    I've recently started playing with a group of friends that are new to the game, and I was wondering what people around here think is the best approach to make their experience feel fresh while playing with someone who is already familiar with the game.

    I'll explain.

    Since I've been playing for a while now, I act as the guide of sorts. I explain the different activities, how to work the ship, quests, tips, etc. However, I get the feeling that by doing so I'm robbing everyone from the experience of figuring out the game on their own. I remember my first days were a complete mess, with a crew that was just as green as I was. We would get ambushed left and right, continuously wreck our ship, and get lost at sea on a constant basis. It was hilarious, and learning together was part of the fun.

    So far, I've introduced them to Voyages, the Emissary system, and one world event. It's only been two sessions. For now, I've deliberately avoided any story driven quest or naval combat other than ghost ships. I was thinking on suggesting fighting a skeleton ship next, then a fleet, then take our chances with other players. But I wonder how other people approach this. Would it be good to keep quiet if I see another ship getting closer when no one noticed it? Try a Tall Tale without giving any hints? Head up to the crow's nest and try to do as little as possible when it comes to key tasks?

    One of the most fun moments we had was an accident where our ship sank, everyone died, and I was left alone as the sole survivor with our entire loot floating around me. I managed to load it all onto a rowboat while they tried to find me. It was their first time sailing on their own and the tension was palpable. I think it'd be great to see more of these accidents happen. To an extent, I suppose they are inevitable and more will come. But in any case, I'm curious about other people's experiences.

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  • WolfManbush
    Lord

    they don't know what kind of pirates they are going to be yet so just have fun

    if they are gonna be casual players that just wanna play from time to time or if they become heavy grinders that's gonna work itself out

    it's tough to keep a crew in this game. Life happens, people have different schedules and obligations and distractions so just have fun while everyone's schedule currently lines up and see where that goes.

    As they figure out how serious or not serious they are gonna take the game that's when people can focus on goals and gameplans to make serious progress on commendations and gold goals and such

    Early on everything counts for something anyway so just find some adventure and they can learn as they go

  • RedEyeSith
    Champion
    Insider

    Personally, I like to let new players know what kind of options are out there (explain the Factions and Voyage types they offer, what the Tall Tales are, how Commendations work, threat of other players, and what the World Events are that can happen). Then I see what they want to try and do first. I just sort of let them take the reigns and guide the session.

    While we are out doing stuff, I provide hints and such but mostly let them try to get a feel for things on their own. If they are struggling or specifically ask for some help I will give them a hint to try and get them moving in the right direction. While they work on that, I will gather supplies and things like that. Maybe keep an eye out for random Loot that tends to be around. And I'll do a little bit of the work, since I'm still part of the crew. So I will help fight threats or go quickly uncover one of the X items while I let them cover the rest.

    Just about striking a bit of a balance between lending a hand and letting them experience the game really.

  • Clumsy George
    Champion
    Insider
    Founder

    i think you already gave a lot of answers to your own questions ,Sir ... Put yourself in their shoes , relive or remember the days you were new and discovered it all by trail and error...

    You have the power to do that to them as well, let them discover ,enjoy the ooohs and aaaah's or the "aha" moments when they find something of their own that they didn't knew after some trail and error ...

    Your other power , however , is that you have the ability to help out before they got burned out by a too difficult riddle in a Tall Tale or other mission and if you see a ship then there is nothing wrong to warn them, they will learn and see that not keeping an eye on that horizon can have grave consequences...

    Guide , but do not betray ,i would say... Let them discover the World , Pirates and Events and yes , steer them if needed , but just steering and not take out the goal...

    i think you will do fine , Sir , as you kind of almost perfectly know what to do by your own judgement...

    Go on, Captain , make them ready for Adventures they won't forget lightly... Good winds and fortune wished to you and yer soon experienced crew!

  • Ghostfire1981
    Champion
    Insider

    Well i have been playing from the very beginning. At that time there was not that much to do in the game, so we made our own adventures by setting some personal goals and such. One time, perhaps explore an island, as there are lots of (cave) paintings and similar things on the islands that tell part of the game lore. Another time hunt for some treasure. Both gold hoarder vault missions and merchant lost shipments missions make a nice evening of sailing. Nowadays there are lots of new stuff to try out, a real buffet of tools to forge your own adventures.

    BUT perhaps try to do some, if not all the Tall Tales. Those voyages have ship battles, boss battles and a little of everything in them... so perhaps that would be a good introduction to everything... and the new ones would also learn about the game lore a little.
    As a bonus, most veterans usually leave Tall Tale players alone. Some might board and steal some supplies. (Also dont fly any emissary flags, as that will be a reason to sink you.)

    I know, not very informative of me, but that is what i would do. Just start with the Tall Tales, and then make some small personal goals in the game. Get to know the landmarks, and shapes of islands.The PvP part and how to handle or avoid it will come naturally in time. And as they have you with them to guide them, you can hopefully guide them thru most things.

    Also remind them that sinking and loosing everything is part of the experience. The loot you have is not yours until you sell it/cash it in. And 50% of the value of the loot is the risk of loosing it. If they learn to live with that, they will have a game full excitement and weird interactions between all the different crews out there.

    Just some thoughts from an old pirate,
    Ghostfire

  • Liberance
    Master

    @wolfmanbush said in How to best introduce new crews to the game:

    it's tough to keep a crew in this game.

    Yeah. At least larger ones. I find those always last a few weeks at best, then everyone except one person moves on, and that one player who gets really into the game becomes a regular for future sloop adventures. I have a few of those remnants of larger crews.

    @clumsy-george said in How to best introduce new crews to the game:

    Your other power , however , is that you have the ability to help out before they got burned out by a too difficult riddle in a Tall Tale or other mission

    This is true, and it's probably the best way to go. In hindsight, all Tall Tale puzzles seem rather obvious, but I remember getting stuck sometimes at the beginning. There's something about playing together with others and in a shared world that makes you less focused for that sort of thing.

    @ghostfire1981 said in How to best introduce new crews to the game:

    BUT perhaps try to do some, if not all the Tall Tales. Those voyages have ship battles, boss battles and a little of everything in them... so perhaps that would be a good introduction to everything... and the new ones would also learn about the game lore a little.
    As a bonus, most veterans usually leave Tall Tale players alone. Some might board and steal some supplies. (Also dont fly any emissary flags, as that will be a reason to sink you.)

    I am going to be doing all the Tall Tales again with another friend this winter. Although that's because I know him in particular will enjoy that campaign style of game. With these guys, I'm still not sure. Tall Tales also demand quite a bit of time and they're best suited for people who play the game less casually I think. Still trying to figure out what kind of players they are.

    It's interesting that you say veterans will leave Tall Tale players alone. In my experience from back when I started, every time we were away from our ship doing some puzzle and that started to take long, it was almost guaranteed someone would come and sink our ship. Even if nothing of value was in it. So they're not really a much safer activity than any other.

  • OtherFanboy
    Legend
    Insider
    Founder

    For starters there’s the Maiden Voyage have them play that it runs them through the basics and it’s an amazing experience also go through here’s where you get quests then stop there and just let’s them figure it out

  • Metal Ravage
    Champion
    Insider
    Founder

    The first thing to learn in this game are the mechanics, those are covered more or less by the Maiden Voyage, than come the Companies and the ways to profit. The most important part is to understand the relationship with other crews and by that time you will be able to know who will stay in SOT and who will not.

  • ZerRryy
    Master
    Insider

    My tip would be: make sure to at least try to keep your friends motivated to this game.

    I personally have built myself an undying motivation to this game by watching videos about it. I was watching SoT videos regularly about half a year before I even bought the game.
    I've played this game about a year now and there hasn't been a single day yet when I wouldn't have wanted to play SoT.

  • Liberance
    Master

    @zerrryy said in How to best introduce new crews to the game:

    I personally have built myself an undying motivation to this game by watching videos about it. I was watching SoT videos regularly about half a year before I even bought the game.

    Interestingly, they do, while I don't. I never ever got into videogame watching.

    In any case, just to be clear, I didn't mean to ask about how to get people "hooked". I already have others I play with regularly, so I was just wondering how to keep the situation of experienced player + inexperienced newcomers balanced and interesting for the newcomers. Loving all the comments so far.

  • JoeBobCallMeRob
    Marauder
    Insider

    Here is what myself and my crew-mate do, which is very simple, with our noob friends: we're the hunting guides and they are the hunters. As guides, we are there to protect them from the environment and make sure they get the kills.

    We're not there to teach them anything unless it puts their life in danger.

    Skeleton ship approaches while we're sailing, unless we're sinking or they get one balled, we're kicking back and doing as little as possible. On an island and they miss all 5 shots on the skeleton rapidly approaching with the powder keg? We'll shoot the skeleton in the foot. Ship confirms it'll be heading over for some PvP? We'll sound the alarm and get everyone ready for a fight and only participate if absolutely necessary. Ghosts show up? Well, we kill a lot of those.

    You get the idea. Our thought was to soften the rough edges that made us almost rage quit the game when we first got started. There were a number of times we were so frustrated, all because of little reasons, that we wanted to quit. Once we got over the hill and became better at the game we're so glad we didn't quit. We want ease the climb up that hill, not do it for them.

  • Liberance
    Master

    @joebobcallmerob

    Yeah, those are very good suggestions. I did notice, playing with another couple of inexperienced friends over the holiday break, that if you do too much they don't register what's going on. There's too much to absorbe.

    At some point though, I chose not to participate at all while searching for something on a small island where tons of enemies spawned, and that got frustrating for one of them.

    Approaching ships are an interesting problem, because if you always sound the alarm, people get used to always being warned and never really learn to watch the horizon. But if you don't, you risk losing valuable loot and then having to say "well, I saw them coming, but—", which sounds like punishment on top of the frustration of having lost the loot. No way around that though.

  • WublicIndecency
    Master
    Insider

    I have a habit of immediately running sailors through an Ashen Athena. I find it sets the basis of the game in most aspects and encourages people to work for the title of Pirate Legend! Also trial by fire, litteraly. I also try to hit any random event in the way be it pvp or pve. If someone really can't handle getting destroyed from time to time this isn't the game anyway.

  • OtherFanboy
    Legend
    Insider
    Founder

    @liberance so I just went through this with a buddy we got to join us first we showed him the basics by doing world events forts to deal with skeletons and the different types the ship event to learn how to use the cannons in a ship to ship battle and some just plan old Reaper ship hunting this one is a 50/50 due to the fact you my get a crew that will just overwhelm yours and it’s a fun way to get loot just sailing from event to ship to event looting and sinking

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    Deckhand

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