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 Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program

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Darka
Ty-Odi
Grome
Kai-Sun
azarhal
Yospeck
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Yospeck

Yospeck


Posts : 7
Join date : 2010-11-19

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PostSubject: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 4:25 pm

This is something I'd like to head off and try and set up and I think it might be something that a few people would like to get involved in and would be really useful to creating a better gaming community. The idea is setting up a group or even an alt guild of volunteers who would like to actively try and help new players with their first steps in the MMO. How we would go about promoting this to new players would be the biggest problem, the point where they may normally hear about this program they may already be beyond the point where they really need any help. However, the proposal is thus:

  • Players will volunteer to give up some of their time to act as a 'Helper'
  • Each Helper will designate a specific day and time they are willing to give to being a 'Helper', for example, you may designate Saturday and Sunday 10am - 12pm, when you may be contacted (obviously if you don't happen to be logged on at this time then you aren't available, but volunteers should pick times that they are likely to be able to dedicate to helping).
  • On the website/forum will be a list of Helpers i game names arranged by Server (presumably not everyone is going to end up on the same server) days that they volunteer, then times, etc.
  • Each Helper will have details about themselves and their characters e.g. nationality/ fluent languages, main MMO interests (RP/PvP/PvE), character class, faction, etc. This will help the players filter down to the person that best reflects their interests who may be able to help them.

From here new players that find out about the Helper program can contact an available helper in game to ask them for some help. I'd say it should be opened up to players level 1 - 10 (for example) where the Helper will meet them in game, maybe walk them through some quests, help them out with any items or gear they can supply and give them advice. Later levels can still contact Helpers for advice, but are considered high enough level now that they don't need a Helper actively walking them through the game.

I'd say the requirements for anyone wanting to be a Helper would be:

  • Friendly, optimistic and helpful. You want the new players first experience to be with someone who doesn't get frustrated easily and doesn't mind answering questions, even the obvious ones!
  • Knowledgeable. Not simply on the game, but also the community in general. If a new players asks "Are there any Sith RP groups on this server?" then the Helper should be able to guide them to an appropriate guild, guild leader or RP community that may suffice. A good knowledge of the game mechanics is needed, but equally being able to provide sources for information that you may not know yourself.
  • Have the time to dedicate to volunteering. Plenty of people will sign up, but we don't want it to be a list of people that say they will be around, but rarely log their Helpers on when they're needed. New players shouldn't have to try and contact a dozen Helpers before they finally find one online.
  • Be a role model. If we can be the first port of call then we can instantly try and guide people to being better players. The what we should and shouldn't do, introduce them to the RIG website. Create a good first impression and then when another player is asking over General 'What am I supposed to do here?' in a starting zone then people will say "You should check out the RIG forum, they have guys there willing to help you: http://www....'.

I'd say we could go as far as making the [Respect in Gaming] guild on each server for those that want to be Helpers, so that they can be identified. Or if RIG want to have the guild name for something else then it could be as simple as [RIG Helper]. Whenever you are having a quiet day with the guild, log on your helper and hover around one of the starting zones asking if anyone needs any help, etc.

Obviously it's early days as the game isn't even out yet and so there's little progress that could be made with this program, but I always really like the official Counselor program they had in Ultima Online (which was later scrapped by the DEVs) and think it could be something of merit in SWTOR. You never know, BioWare may even recognise this kind of thing as being the unofficial Helper program instead of their own Moderators being harangued with questions that any player could answer.
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azarhal

azarhal


Posts : 866
Join date : 2010-11-10
Age : 41
Location : Frosty Canada

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Character Name: Gloriana
Class: Smuggler
Guild: Maybe Serenity

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 5:44 pm

Good idea, I know a few games that have guild like these.

And with the recent Fan Friday we know that higher level players will be able to access starter planets, because they want lowbies to see higher level players, which mean you can do this much more easily­...

Here is the quote:
Quote :
Q: Are the origin planets simply starting grounds, or will we come back to them past level 10?

A: You definitely have reasons to come back. Korriban, for instance, is where the Dark Council often meets. There are also reasons later for all of the classes to go to some of the other classes' origin worlds. It's important to us that lower level characters get to see some high level players strutting their stuff early on.

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Kai-Sun
Crackers Don't Matter
Kai-Sun


Posts : 972
Join date : 2010-11-09
Age : 41
Location : Virginia, USA

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Character Name: Kai-Sun
Class: Jedi Knight
Guild: Serenity

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 6:01 pm

It's a good idea, definitely.

I don't know I could give a set schedule with how my time usually fluctuates, but I do this a lot in the current MMO's I'm a part of. I enjoy being a databank of information to help people out.

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Grome
Massively Subtle
Grome


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Age : 34
Location : Geneva, Switzerland

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Class: Smuggler
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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 6:25 pm

I hope we can get this running! It's a great idea.
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Ty-Odi
Dark Lord of Spam
Ty-Odi


Posts : 570
Join date : 2010-11-07
Age : 43
Location : Bristol, England

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Character Name: Ty-Odi
Class: Sith Inquisitor
Guild: To Be Confirmed.....

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 6:42 pm

My time in game will be skittish at best due to work, and the random hours I sometimes watch, but I doubt it would come as any surprise to hear I would be more than for this Smile

I would be a 24/7 helper, always have always will be, it may come down to me having to say, 'sorry just finishing something up, but if you can give me X amount of time I will be there to help, or something, bit I will always do what I can to help.

I would not have a 'help by giving you any gear or items they may have to help you' in the manifesto, it will simply attract the 'gimme gimme!!' crowd, but time and knowledge no problem at all, and if they are nice and they seem like good people yeah I might then give them some new weapon or something to help them, but that would be down to me and who they are really.

Any cool person I will help out way passed level 10, and beyond, we have a chance to teach people not only how to play but also how to behave, and I will encourage by rewarding good behaviour, rudeness.....I'll help you with a quest or something but then your on your own.

Tough love perhaps, but I really don't see any point in rewarding rudeness it just promotes it and makes it appear acceptable.
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Darka

Darka


Posts : 365
Join date : 2010-11-08

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Class: Jedi Consular
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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 9:41 pm

Some games have had helper tags but i dont think they have ever helped
Interesting idea reminds me of the NWW
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Selven
The Old Bat
Selven


Posts : 497
Join date : 2010-11-07
Location : Norway

Ingame Characters
Character Name: Selven
Class: Jedi Consular
Guild: Serenity

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeFri Nov 19, 2010 10:48 pm

Darka wrote:
Some games have had helper tags but i dont think they have ever helped
Interesting idea reminds me of the NWW

That I can't agree on, Darka. Atleast on Chimaera in SWG we had a good number of people with the helper tag up that really made a difference. I was active on the boards a couple years ago and I saw people volunteering to be on the "New player Helper" list all the time. I know first hand it worked. Maybe we were the minority, maybe some jerks put it up just for the heck of it, but for the most part of my 3½ years in game, the helper tag really meant something.

I think the idea is a good one, but that said, I suppose it would work better after getting to know the game for a while. Maybe just being who we are and knowing we can rely on eachother to make a good community is all we can hope for when the game launches. And maybe we'll get to make a name for ourselves on our server(s) while waiting for an option to wear a helper tag. I personally hope we can get that option in game. It's certainly not gonna hurt.

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Darka

Darka


Posts : 365
Join date : 2010-11-08

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Character Name: Modos
Class: Jedi Consular
Guild: Force Academy

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeSat Nov 20, 2010 1:22 am

Im sure there is some that will do it, but i think most of the time it does not get done.
Helping is one thing, doing for others is completely different, be good to have a lecture series
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Yospeck

Yospeck


Posts : 7
Join date : 2010-11-19

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeSat Nov 20, 2010 3:24 am

Having a 'helper tag' to me isn't the same as saying 'I am actively going to be a helper'. Throwing on your tag says 'I will help you if I have the time and can be bothered'. Logging in at your specified time onto your Helper character says 'I have logged this character on specifically to help new players. Take your best shot.'
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Selven
The Old Bat
Selven


Posts : 497
Join date : 2010-11-07
Location : Norway

Ingame Characters
Character Name: Selven
Class: Jedi Consular
Guild: Serenity

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeSat Nov 20, 2010 2:14 pm

Yospeck wrote:
Having a 'helper tag' to me isn't the same as saying 'I am actively going to be a helper'.
But it is to me (and always was). Smile

Yospeck wrote:

Throwing on your tag says 'I will help you if I have the time and can be bothered'. Logging in at your specified time onto your Helper character says 'I have logged this character on specifically to help new players. Take your best shot.'

I never had the helper tag up unless I was willing to help no matter what I was doing. I never felt it as a bother - I wouldn't have used it if I did. The perks to having a helper tag on your regular character is that you can do whatever while wearing it. Questing, exploring, activly seeking out the areas you know the newbies will be in and so on. Another reason as to why I'd be on my main with a helper tag is the possibility of having people recognise you so that they're not afraid to ask a question even if you don't have the tag up. Having an exlusive helper char would not do that - unless my alt was named SelvenX or something.

Anyway, that's my opinion and probably how I will be doing it in SWTOR (if I get the chance).
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Natheless

Natheless


Posts : 40
Join date : 2010-11-23
Age : 54
Location : Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeThu Nov 25, 2010 8:40 am

Count me in!

This is a fantastic post Yospeck. You even thought of the language issue.

-helping teach what proper etiquette is in an MMO; being a big champion for the 'new player' myself, Teach 'em when they're young (or give them the resources to learn themselves) rings volumes to me.
-knowing who's who here and each of our own strengths across servers and being able to point people in the right direction(s)

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Schwendo

Schwendo


Posts : 1451
Join date : 2010-11-11
Age : 52
Location : St.Louis, USA

Ingame Characters
Character Name: Quarashi Wahr-Schwen
Class: Sith Inquisitor
Guild: Crazies of Korriban

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeThu Nov 25, 2010 8:09 pm

Also,

Count me in! Anything needed at all...I'm sure we can get a schedule "down pat" soon...plz keep us posted..and/or PM me with details!!
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TheJW

TheJW


Posts : 29
Join date : 2010-12-28
Age : 44
Location : USA-Houston, Tx

Ingame Characters
Character Name: Undecided
Class: Imperial Agent
Guild: Sons of Ziost

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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitimeWed Dec 29, 2010 7:22 am

I love the idea. Add me to the list.

As a GM I will be spending most of my time helping others anyway. Adding another person to the "help me" list would be easy enough. Not to mention that my own low level guildies will be asking for walk-throughs of the exact same quests, so having another person join in would be no problem at all.

On top of that, I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to gear and crafting materials. I may just need help with unloading some of that stuff.
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PostSubject: Re: Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program   Community Proposal: Volunteer 'Helper' Program I_icon_minitime

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