Topic

New Player: What am I working toward in this game?

It would help motivate me to play if I had some idea of what kinds of things experienced players are doing with their various training. So far, I'm just training a little of this and a little of that, wandering around fairly aimlessly, interacting with whatever comes my way. 

What am I (are you) working toward? What's the fun stuff up ahead?

Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • It really is all up to you to make what you want out of it. Generally I like novelty so working on street projects to build new streets, exploring, completing quests and achieving... achievements, lol -- these are all things I love to do. I also like to mine to be able to grind stuff down for use later on and to build up a pad of currants to buy the things I need. Etc.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's hard to know what I want when I don't know what's possible. 
    Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've been playing several days and I'm still in the same boat. It was fun at first, but since my rate of learning and leveling up has slowed... I don't really get what I'm wandering around for?
    Posted 17 months ago by shadowspark Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hmmm, well as for what's out there and what's possible, I think exploring the game really helps out with that. Self-discovery and all. There's also a Glitch Wiki (unofficial but still rather good) which you might be interested in: www.glitch-strategy.com/wik...
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yea, just wandering around and exploring helped me a lot in figuring out things I like to do in the game. As of two or three tests ago, I found out I like working on projects. I also like cooking and mining a lot. And learning how to use different machines (some of that coming with getting new skills). Leveling really isn't much of a goal in this game as it does very little for you other than a larger health pool and some money.
    Posted 17 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Perhaps have a goal? When I was new I didn't really know what to do either.

    Try focusing on quests, earning currants, leveling up skills, specializing in a skill (gardening, cooking, mining, alchemy, etc.), buying a house, just to name a few.

    It's sort of a life game, like Animal Crossing, where there isn't a specific purpose. If I had to explain Animal Crossing, it would be so boring. But somehow it's really addicting. Whenever my roommate passes by they're like, "So what's the point of this game?" and I don't really know what to tell them, but I enjoy it.
    Posted 17 months ago by Lung Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think with this game youre supposed to feel that sense of "what do I do". When I started I just tried to learn as much as possible and do as many quests as I had available. I still have about 10 quests qued up that I still am chipping away at slowly. Just keep exploring, going to new regions cuz im pretty certain you havent even scratched the surface of what this game has to offer. Hope that helps!:)

    If you want you can friend me and I can show you around!
    Posted 17 months ago by Muncey Mango Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ahh, yes, getting a house was one of my first goals when I realized I could. I did a lot of mining and such to earn the currants for the one I wanted. :)  Then I focused on what I could do with my little bit of mine-o-mine space.
    Posted 17 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We have been considering giving every play a (cheap, crappy) apartment to start off with as a way of showing them how houses work (and explain how to get a better one). Getting a home is a good intermediary goal (and improving/expanding/redesigning it will be a good longer term goal, once that stuff is done).
    Posted 17 months ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LMAO, cheap crappy apartment. You guys should make them roach-infested just for dramatic effect, lmao.
    Posted 17 months ago by Cerulean Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think the fundamental thing Glitch needs to communicate to new players is that Glitch is not a game. Learning that fact in the beginning, even before you start, clears up a lot of misconceptions.
    Posted 17 months ago by Hands Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 for life in the newbie "projects"; that could be a really great hook!  When I first got into Second Life (years ago) there was an offer of a minimal plot of land to first-time users.  It really gave me something to do for a while that got me engaged in learning the world and I might have stayed with the game longer if not for RL matters.  

    ETA: now I can't get the theme song from "The Jeffersons" out of my head.
    Posted 17 months ago by Lelu Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So it's a sandbox game. That helps, because I wasn't even sure of that. I appreciate your discussing this with me, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one a little bit confused. I'm intrigued enough to keep playing, though, with the feeling that eventually this will make some sense to me. And I like the idea of having a home. I've been training in gardening, but have no idea where I can grow things.
    Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I like to think about it this way:
    * part theme park
    * part carnival
    * part opera
    * part playground

    There are games to be played. Some are given by the game designers. Some are created by the players. There is theater and drama. There is music. There are quests. There is magic and lunacy. There is chance.

    Technically speaking, Glitch offers various forms of play, but it doesn't have an objective (yet) and is, therefore, not a game. 
    Posted 17 months ago by Hands Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You can grow things in your garden (comes with a house) or in community gardens (http://www.glitch-strategy.com/wiki/Community_gardens).

    My first weeks of Glitch were filled with quests. Gave me a sense of the possibilities :)
    Posted 17 months ago by Aya Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Dear Widdershins and others with same question: I played a few days of test play two beta tests ago and now this one. So I haven't really been on very long. I understand how you feel because in truth I am a competitor. I have found that glitch is not that type of game. Actually it doesn't feel like a game, its a type of life out of the norm, it is a different world, it becomes what you want it to be. I found that it is fun to make friends, you will be surprised how much you can do together as two or as a team. It appears that all players are over eighteen years of age, or so I have been told. Glitch appears to be in the "birth pain stage" so who knows what will happen in the future. I am a type A - personality and I find myself "pushing myself" to move quickly; its taking me time to r-e-l-a-x!  I guess what I am saying is give it some time and see what your thoughts are then. Remember that there are so many people who are here for you, thats the part of glitch I love! Also try joining some of the groups and simply say "hi" to those around you and find a surprise in whomever you meet! So many personalities, oh! and don't forget to give input in the forums so your voice can be heard, fresh new ideas are always welcome so I am told, lol, enjoy!
    Joy
    Posted 17 months ago by Joy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There are numerous goals and as many ways to play as there are gamers.  Look over the Skills tree and see if anything is of particular interest to you.

    You can play aggressively - Go all out and get everything you can, do everything, try to best others on the Leaderboards and in races, at projects, etc.

    You can play passively - do whatever comes along, what you encounter as you travel around.

    If you are anything like me, you will enjoy a bit of everything.

    My first Goal was to get a Home.  I like the idea of giving everyone some sort of dwelling to start with.  Then maybe make a Quest to improve your Home or get a better one.

    As you progress you may discover that you enjoy some things more than others and you can concentrate on those things.  Do you enjoy raising Animals?  Gardening?  Maybe you find that you like Mining?  I do them all.  I find that I do need to do all of these things to be happy and fully enjoy the game but many people like to specialize.

    Do join some Groups and make use of the in game Chat.  Your Friends can help and advise you.  You might even have a Friend or two who you enjoy playing with and can do things with.  Are you a Loner?  Even the least social of us can still enjoy Glitch.  At some point though most people will like to participate in Group Quests, projects, races, etc.  If you are not very social you still may enjoy working on street projects.  These are group events in which you need not be Friends with anyone but, if you are looking for Friends you can meet some great people at the projects and, at the very least, enjoy the Group experience.

    Don't be afraid to ask for advice or help.  Most players will be glad to help you.  Again, you can always get some help or advice in the in game Chat.
    Posted 17 months ago by Brib Annie Subscriber! | Permalink
  •  This has been very helpful. It's apparent that some people have been playing for a long time, but this is my first go-round, and I thought the game's up only for a couple more days. How much time passes before we can play again? 
    Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It usually opens up again in about a week or so for a couple of days.
    Posted 17 months ago by Lung Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I had the same question, as I'm sure many others did when they first started the game.  I chose to play around long enough to get a good feel for the game, and I nearly instantly joined global chat and was able to figure things  out through that.

    But once global chat is gone, it relies on greeters to keep the information coming.  This seems like a lot of work for greeters to personally greet each new player and help them figure out the different pieces of the game.

    So that leads me to my conclusions:
    1)  There needs to be more instruction at the beginning of the game because not everyone will feel motivated to keep playing past the first few levels if they don't have a reason to.  Since its in testing, many of us were so excited to get invited to play that we played through that weird starting phase.  Once the game goes live, players will not feel that same responsibility.

    2)  Global chat is EXTREMELY useful function that not only lightens the load of those working in live help as well as those greeting, it also creates a GREAT starting feel for the game -- the community is strong here and that is attractive to many players.  The difference between coming into a game that feels kinda empty and confusing vs coming into a game (and perhaps having a quest to explain global chat) where the community is engaging and fun makes a big difference.

    Just my 2 cents.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I enjoyed the "wandering around aimlessly interacting with things" aspect of the game when I first started playing. There was no shortage of stuff to do--in fact, I had trouble focusing on any particular goal because something shiny would inevitably distract me on the way to completing it. I miss that.

    Now a combination of being a higher level player (level 44), and knowing that nothing I accomplish here is permanent due to the looming reset except opening up new streets, makes me only want to work on projects. It seems like the best use of my time, considering that I'm helping to build the world that will be available after the reset. Plus, they are very challenging, and that helps keep my interest. I look forward to permanently accomplishing other goals after the reset, and new features that will be coming out that will give us more cool stuff to do.
    Posted 17 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I liked having no idea what was going on for a really long time. But that's my temperment.... Quests and buying houses can create structure. In addition to Global Chat I recommend joining the new streets group. It's not a chat for asking random questions about the game (although street builders are kind and helpful), but you can follow that chat (which is very very active) and learn a lot about the social dynamics of the game. You can participate at your own skill level and pace in the new street activities. Also, you've probably found out, there's a high value placed on sharing in Glitch. There are lots of random strangers who will talk to you, help you, explain things... I hope that stays the same after the launch.
    Posted 17 months ago by sakmet Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think for most players just wandering around without any idea what to do or what the point is can be quite overwhelming.  At least it was for me.

    This question has come up enough times to signal there is a problem or something lost in translation.
    Posted 17 months ago by Laurali Subscriber! | Permalink
  • We get hit with so many quests at the beginning of the game, I thought the "point" (at least at the beginning) was to complete the quests... and that seems to be what many people think, due to the inevitable: "I'm bored because I ran out of quests to do and now I don't know what to do. This game needs more quests." The real point is that it is a sand-box game. For those unfamiliar with the concept: do whatever the heck you want! 
    Posted 17 months ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I thought the nature of Glitch was self-evident before I even got out of the 'how to play' section of the tutorial. For those who 'just don't get it', I think it's less an issue of the game and more gamer psychology.

    There's a school of thought that breaks gamers down into varying degrees of four traits: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades; direct competition [PvP], achievement, socialization and exploration. This isn't to say that people consist of ONLY one trait or that it'll define precisely the type of interaction a person enjoys, but for players with a heavy emphasis in the former two traits, they're probably less likely to find Glitch engrossing, at least with a cursory glance.

    If you're curious where you fall, the test is hosted here: http://www.gamerdna.com/quizzes/bartle-test-of-gamer-psychology
    Posted 17 months ago by Aoi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • As a relative noob too - I have played other games and I know that the best way to learn a game is to chat and ask others  - but start with  trying yourself - if you  try first and still cannot get what to do  then ask -  I am fortunate that I knew loads of players here who had been playing for ages - so I got instant friends who are only too happy to help me and have a laugh when i make mistakes - cos they made them too! - My tip is this you don't have to accept all the goals - just take on a couple at a  time - do them and then take the next one
    Also for skills - take on a new skill -read what it says  - what you  need for it  - but in the beta version just before it closes - choose a skill that will take ages to do  if you can  -it will continue to learn - you can't choose one after though - best thing to do - listen to the chats and jump in if you feel comfortable - some will see you and say hi - team work is good too specially when mining - experienced people give gifts - cos others gave them gifts - they dont expect you to return the favour until you have got further on too - and then you gift to newbies  too - my spelling is UK English!
    Posted 17 months ago by camfi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Aoi: that's a really interesting test! I've always loved the intersection of gaming and psychology. I'm an Explorer, btw. :)

    Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!
    Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink
  • well let me explain something...

    Glitch is a game where you are inside one of 11 giants thoughts. your goal here is to make their thoughts better. just by playing the game. you can buy a house, learn skills, do projects, and much more!!

    here are a few links to give you some info:
    glitchaddict.com/
    beta.glitch.com/encyclopedia/
    twitter.com/#!/isglitchopen
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6O...

    if you want.... add me and i will show you around next test.
    and if you want to meet more friendly glitch players
    some plan end of test parties. alot of players go.
    check the forums for more info!!!

    hope this helps :)
    Posted 17 months ago by GiaTori Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @GiaTori, thank you for your kind offer. I've just finished my 2nd test, and do feel like I'm starting to get the hang of things a bit. I think this thread and its responses will be helpful to other new players too. 
    Posted 17 months ago by Widdershins Subscriber! | Permalink
  • oh!! i just noticed you are on my list lol

    no problem though :) glad to help.
    Posted 17 months ago by GiaTori Subscriber! | Permalink