We've made a google doc which has a summary of the tutorial and links to videos of each part. It is still changing a lot, there are still bugs and we have a lot more testing to do, but … in the meantime, feedback is welcome :)
Great way to start the game! I love the welcoming flamingo. I wish we'd see it again. After watching the video, it makes a lot more sense why you chose to put the Magic Rock where he is. Any reason why you took the mat away? Wasn't he on one when he was reintroduced? The first video is great. The only red flag I saw was the interaction with the dust bunny. When the player finished getting the egg for the dust bunny, the instructions weren't very clear on how to drag the egg to the dust bunny. I had to rewind to see the white text at the bottom of the screen. May be let the dust bunny give the instructions on how to drag and give? The white text at the bottom of the screen was never explained. I'm afraid new players might miss it. Other than that, everything looks great. I wish we could have the black background with yellow stars as our floor or ceiling. That would be so cool!
That first part was cool to watch :) Love the dust bunny and the flamingo (when do we get flamingos in the game????)
I did notice that they house starts with upgraded furniture. It seems like going through the upgrade process would be useful (unless that is just not shown in your first video). Anyhow, very cool! And I like the 3 choices of initial streets for the new players.
On to the later videos.
I haven't watched them all yet, but I don't see animal interaction mentioned in the list (nibbling and massage/milking). Is that covered?
Charming! If I didn't play, I would want to after seeing only a snippet of the first video. Wish I could have read the small print, though, because there was one error in the large print of the AK tutorial: "Piggies prefer to be PET," it says, instead of "petted." Sorry, it's the editor in me! Great job, though.
Looks quite interesting, though I'm a bit miffed the tutorial got some pink flamingos, and I still don't have any for lawn decorations...but I guess I'll get over it. ;)
A few feedback points:
1. A little concerned that folks are only learning basic things based on the skill they picked (unless there is a mini-tutorial for each skill even when they get in world). If I pick EZC, and learn all about making food, but never know to pet, water and harvest or squeeze, pet and nibble, and massage and milk...not sure that is for the best. It might just be we didn't get a feel for the whole tutorial given we only had the video snippets, but it was one of the things that I thought...wow, how would I have done in world, if I only knew the actions from one of the skills and not the rest. I get how this might be an attempt to set people up for specializing, but I think it might just lead to some confusion when people get in world if all basic interactions aren't covered.
2. Think there needs to be more encouragement to explore the Gentle Island before hitting the exit. I think without some level of enticement (ie, telling them you might find cool things out there), folks will be blowing through to the exit just to get 'in game', and they will miss out. Or maybe they don't get the option to exit, until they've 'completed' exploring the island?
3. Think all new streets on Gentle Island should provide iMG - it's only 12iMG and will get folks used to looking for the iMG quoin when they haven't explored a street yet.
4. I have concerns about allowing folks to pick the spinach from the plots without an explanation of tending and reseeding. At least if you train them up front, they can't say they didn't know (they may forget or just choose to be rude, which are completely different than never knowing in the first place). Otherwise, it leads to players in game potentially thinking this stuff just re-grows itself, and may lead to a lot of picking without tending, and seeding...and continued angst on the streets and community gardens.
5. And it seems like we've completely lost the explanation of growing trees from beans in this version. Might not be bad, but that's also another basic skill that seems rather necessary in Ur.
6. There needs to be a slightly more emphatic explanation that the vendor is giving the person a major bargain on the bags (or just have it charge the regular rate, and provide for a bit more currancy for the newb to collect)...otherwise the player is going to be irked when they try to buy another bag and it's a lot more (double what they paid in the tutorial). Also, this would be a good time to explain that different vendors charge different amounts and they may want to 'shop around'. Although, honestly, I'm not sure I like being forced to have to buy two small bags in the tutorial, since they are hard to get rid of...
7. I thought the house and street explanations were good...though it could have explained the expansion and changing of the street/backyard/house facade by accessing the rock's menu a bit better. Would prefer the 'house ticket' to be a different color or something than the game tickets. Also, using the game dispensers to take a ticket for the house, might be a bit confusing for the player when they get in Ur. Now when then see them, they might think they have to give them a ticket, vice being able to get tickets from them. Again, maybe make them a different color or something to distinguish them as being different as the ones in Ur.
8. I liked the feel of the Island part...and how it felt more 'exploratory' than linear like the old tutorials. Loved the giant book, and the background formation in the exit area.
9. I was initially distressed that the intro song changed because it didn't sound like the Glitch theme at the beginning, but then I heard it blended in...ah!! I still love the snappy theme the best, but this was nice too. The original Glitch theme is just such a hip tune, and it really drew me into the game. I don't want you folks to ever lose that...I am loving the different versions we are now getting in game (and especially can't wait until I can pick it for my street/home music someday over the banjos).
10. I'm still not sure how to get to the upgrade cards was explained well enough, but will have to go back and review the videos. Just seemed like they just popped up, and were in my face without me really understanding how they got there - and them automatically opening might lead me to believe they will automatically open as I earn enough iMG while in game. You don't explain the iMG menu until later for the jumping to/from home. Maybe a section on explaining the iMG menu and what all is there, as well as the face drop down menus? Oh, and what happens if a players picks the wrong card? At one point it looked like they had an option to choose two different card (one for jumping and one for faster walking). What if they picked the wrong one and didn't have enough iMG to get the one they needed (which I think was the jumping one at the time)?
11. Overall, it looks good. Look forward to trying it out when you give us the go ahead to build alts again.
Love the new tute! I agree with b3achy about just harvesting the spinach, that was the biggest thing I saw that made me question why it was handled that way. I agree, train em up right, right from the beginning =] The encouragement to explore the 'extra' streets would be good, too.
I like a nice push-me-pull-you as much as anyone who grew up with the *real* version of Dr. Doolittle (the one with the singing and the giant snail). However, I found the welcoming flamingo more than a little disturbing, even for Glitch. Not sure why. Love the dustbunny, though.
I thought it was really cute and it would have made me want to know more for sure.
When it's ready, will we be able to do it too? (sorry, that's the street completist in me talking!)
We absolutely need flamingos in this game... no garden is complete without one (never was a 'gnome' person, myself.
I don't think there is any need for an explanation about tending plots at this stage - they don't have the tools for it anyway. Maybe once in game if they try to collect from a plot they could get a message telling them to buy a hoe and get the explanation there and then. Same for the bean planting - they now have a garden where the event will come about naturally enough.
As others have stated, I would like to see an encouragement to explore, and I wondered about the upgraded furniture too - is that the new default style?
Am I the only one who felt like yelling ''you're dying! - eat something, you silly glitchy!
I noticed he got the ''you're about to croak'' message at the bottom but I think it lacked in visibility. The bar goes down really fast at that stage, but with so much to do and read, the energy bar tends to get ignored. If he had died...would he have gone to a tutorial hell?
Good point Raincat on being able to explain upgrading of furniture vice just using already upgraded furniture...and are they going to get credit upgraded furniture as was in the video?
Good point Zira on the 'about to croak' and would they go to hell during the tutorial...(I was thinking the same thing about yelling at them).
Also, the mood could be explained better. Okay, so drinking stuff helps me keep my mood up...so? Why do I want to keep my mood up?
As a Greeter, I always hated the tree planting. It takes a tree quite a while to grow and most of my Greets seemed fascinated by the tree and would watch it. I would try to move them on but they always seemed to return and stare at the tree. Some did not want to leave that tree behind. So, I for one, am glad there is no tree planting. They will learn that when they select the skill for it.
I liked that most of the basic actions were explained and demonstrated. I think that when a new player completes the Tutorial they will know everything they need to know for a good start in the game.
I am also glad that they can buy some bags. I usually tried to explain about bags and how to get them. I also began giving bags to most of my Greets around the Holidays in December. When the new housing was established and I had built a number of SDBs I had lots of empty bags just taking up cabinet space. It was easy and helpful to me to give out bags. Now They will know about them and where to get them (I am running out of them).
I would love to be able to run through the Tutorial myself. It may be worth creating an Alt just to do that.
ETA: I see that you have requested that we not create new Alts just now. That sounds good and I will not "Invite" myself to play. Maybe in a couple of months or so, after the Game opens again and the crowd at the gate decreases.
Ah good to know Piratice. I watched the video twice and only noticed that it talked about drinks keeping mood up, but I didn't see where it said that having a higher mood would help you gain more iMG...must have missed that part. Some things in the video flashed by so quickly, I didn't have time to properly read everything, even with pausing and replaying in spots. Thanks for letting me know that it's there...
And Brib Annie thanks for your perspective as a greeter on the bean planting part. Makes sense, now that you explain it.
New tutorial is AT LEAST 5x better than the old one :-)
I think it's clear enough that the gentle merchant has lower price than normal. I don't think players should be forced to explore gentle island, but perhaps a subtle nudge that they don't need to rush to completion either. Perhaps a notepole with no hints, and a message reading "Have you found the secret room yet?"
One thing: Depending on which tutorial skill the new player chooses, they will be missing some pretty vital information. Maybe watering and petting can be introduced with the eggplant? And an initial piggy somewhere?
Question: Do the locations in gentle island count toward the exploration leaderboard? If so, then a new player who skips the optional streets will be irerecoverably behind someone who didn't. (and a few months from now new players will have an advantage over old players)
Quite incredible - I think the tutorial is extremely well-done!
At first, I was upset about the whole "not-being-inside-someone's-head thing", but overall, the tutorial is so much better than the old one!
It will definitely need more added to it - cultivation, effects of low mood/energy, hot-key/clicking-points for the drop-down or "limits" menus (quoin limit, meditation limit, calendar), etc. Personally, I'd add a section on adding new friends, finding groups, exploring the forums, etc. Basically, everything outside of the game. Hopefully there can be a clue-in to the live help and global chats. It took me a couple months to discover Global, and doing so completely changed the game...in a good way!
@b3achy: Just checked, it's ta 3:42 in the Tutorial part 1 and 2 video if you want to take a look
@Coke: hey, us Greeters need something to teach/show them! haha.
Lol! I once had a Greet who went to Hell on the Start street. I think other Greeters had the same thing happen. Fortunately my Greet had befriended me and I got an IM from Hell. I was able to explain what happened and how to get out of there. :D
BTW, I have also managed to go to Hell myself during a Greeting on the Start street (so embarrassing!).
@Piratice - goodness, there it is bigger than life....duh! Yea, that part flew by and I had to attempt to pause it like three times to read all that after you told me where it was. Good to see it's a player initiated click through point vice an auto disappear comment. That section is a bit overwhelming to watch on the video with the pop up comment, the dustbunny telling you stuff, arrows appearing on the screen and drawing your attention, etc. I'm sure it's better experiencing it for yourself, since you can do it at your leisure, but watching the video, for me, was a bit of sensory overload during that section.
Oh, meant to also say in my originally lengthy comment that I really liked at least the cursory explanation that your street is public while your home is private.
- "EGGs"? Why the odd capitalization? Is EGG an acronym?
- I'd love to see the magic rock offer an amusing explanation for the house interior being rectangular and larger than its exterior. Maybe a Doctor Who reference is in order.
- The flamingo is brilliant. So delightfully weird and arbitrary.
My impressions:
The addition of distinct tutorial spaces provides more focus, and covers the basics without giving too much away or too soon. The overall pace and instructions feel less hurried and more measured. The new intro/music/npcs totally "up" the personality/surprise/charm factor and really sets the unique tone of the game. Oh, to be a newly imagined glitch...
I think b3achy has said everything I could say and I look forward to the finished product. Very welcoming and certainly encouraging and would say if this were the first time entering the game I'd be delighted to play it and discover more.
There definitely needs to be some information about exploring - when my husband ran the tutorial last night, once he used the map to set his destination he really felt like he "wasn't supposed to" explore the other streets on Gentle Island (and didn't.) I was trying to leave him alone to let him run it so he could tell me what he understood and ask about anything he didn't, but I was frustrated that he missed the two "arms".