An idea for teaching mechanics

[dragonmere]

I was examining the mid-level "teaching" achievements, and some of them seem a bit sadistic. Win x matches with all level 1-2 crew, and the 2 achievements about spending 4 hours each in sandbox mode.

There needs be a way, as a higher level pilot (or other classes), to advertise that you are looking for exclusively low level crew. This should also include advertising availability to teach/practice in sandbox mode. Otherwise, the multiple achievements of winning matches with all 1-2 crew, and spending 4(!?) hours in sandbox are basically impossible. Spamming regional chat only works so well.

Getting the achievements aside, I think this would be a wonderful way to introduce new player to the game through experienced and willing pilots (and crewmates!).

[Clara Skyborn]

Just to clarify, the four hours in Sandbox is cumulative, it doesn't have to all be in one session!

There is a "Teacher" privilege that allows high-level players to enter beginner-only matches, which would be the best place to achieve these higher-level teaching achievements. Right now the privilege is only available to devs and CAs, but we're looking at ways of granting it to other players, possibly as an unlock for one of the earlier teaching achievements.

if you have more ideas on how to improve the system, please share!

[Draco Tempus]

Just to clarify, the four hours in Sandbox is cumulative, it doesn't have to all be in one session!

There is a "Teacher" privilege that allows high-level players to enter beginner-only matches, which would be the best place to achieve these higher-level teaching achievements. Right now the privilege is only available to devs and CAs, but we're looking at ways of granting it to other players, possibly as an unlock for one of the earlier teaching achievements.

if you have more ideas on how to improve the system, please share!

If you open up the "teacher" privilege to everyone who gets achievement x, you might want to implement a mechanic that limits non-beginners in beginner matches to 1 per ship or something like that

[GrimWinter]

Just to clarify, the four hours in Sandbox is cumulative, it doesn't have to all be in one session!

There is a "Teacher" privilege that allows high-level players to enter beginner-only matches, which would be the best place to achieve these higher-level teaching achievements. Right now the privilege is only available to devs and CAs, but we're looking at ways of granting it to other players, possibly as an unlock for one of the earlier teaching achievements.

if you have more ideas on how to improve the system, please share!

If you open up the "teacher" privilege to everyone who gets achievement x, you might want to implement a mechanic that limits non-beginners in beginner matches to 1 per ship or something like that

I agree, wouldn't want higher level players flowing back into beginner lobbies

[N-Sunderland]

I think that for the most part, beginner matches should remain closed to higher-levelled players. Teacher privileges should only be handed out to specific people, like the ones involved in Training Days who aren't CAs.

[Letus]

Just to clarify, the four hours in Sandbox is cumulative, it doesn't have to all be in one session!

Now does that count for when you're not in that achievement?

I have spent more than 4 hours teaching my friends, who just got the game, the ropes in sandbox, but since I'm still at get 20 commendations from level 1-2, 10 from level 1-2 engineers, well I doubt it would count for that sandbox one since that's a few tiers down the road.

Let alone, I have been trying to jump into games with level 1-2's...but getting a full team of them seems near impossible (and if you ask me, should be more like level 1-3 at the least)

[Clara Skyborn]

Right...it wouldn't be handed out as a matter of course. Teaching achievements might be too easy to accomplish, but we might look at them as a way of precertification for manually distributed Teacher privs or something. Like I said, we're still looking at how to do it and how the Training Days and teaching track develop in general.

[Clara Skyborn]

Just to clarify, the four hours in Sandbox is cumulative, it doesn't have to all be in one session!

Now does that count for when you're not in that achievement?

I have spent more than 4 hours teaching my friends, who just got the game, the ropes in sandbox, but since I'm still at get 20 commendations from level 1-2, 10 from level 1-2 engineers, well I doubt it would count for that sandbox one since that's a few tiers down the road.

Let alone, I have been trying to jump into games with level 1-2's...but getting a full team of them seems near impossible (and if you ask me, should be more like level 1-3 at the least)

No, Teaching achievements are gated. The only ones that can be achieved out of order right now are Tutorial achievements. Some achievements can track global cumulative stats, but that one is only open while the achievement is in progress.

Could you elaborate on why you think it should be opened to level 3? For just that achievement, or for the teaching track in general?

Do people feel like at level 3 you've "graduated" from noob, or are level 3s still pretty green? Discuss.

[dragonmere]

I feel like 1-3 will "pop" on their own for the most part. Well, as soon as the player becomes aware that there are achievements to be earned. By level 3 you have a good idea of what's going on, but you still have a TON to learn.

A little overlap between what is considered a "beginner player" to the 'beginner only' matches (stay with lvl 1-2) and to the teaching achievements (suggesting lvl 1-3) would be helpful. Otherwise, the exact players we're supposed to be teaching are mostly inaccessible.

[Clara Skyborn]

Question two: should the teaching track open up at a higher level? Right now it opens when you hit level 4  in any class. If you can earn "teaching" credit just by playing with your level 3 friends who are just a bit behind you, it kind of defeats the point of having high-level players spend time with much newer people.

What do you think about starting Teaching at, say, level 6 in any class?

[HamsterIV]

I still get whole crews of level 1's outside of beginner matches. Usually it a a bunch of friends who just got the game and don't want to quick join because they would get split up. Most of the time they are more than happy to let me fly the ship and boss them about. Usually after a new crew gets stomped, nobody wants to be at the helm.

[GrimWinter]

Well, at level 4 I feel like I have a decent level of knowledge to teach fresh players but I can see how it would be silly to teach someone one level behind me. There are still people at that level I could teach to some capacity but that is probably just because they haven't taken the time to try and learn in the first place. In general I feel if you are trying to learn you have a solid feel for the games mechanics by 3, so I agree that 5 or 6+ are where you get more in depth knowledge about it making you a more capable teacher.

[Letus]

Do people feel like at level 3 you've "graduated" from noob, or are level 3s still pretty green? Discuss.

If you ask me, getting to level 3 is rather easy to get to still, and anyone who achievement-farms can get that quickly.

To me, it feels like level 3 is the graduating level....kind of like senior year in highschool...you're almost there, but you've got lots to learn.  I've just have had many level threes, when I tell them "Bring Lesmok rounds" metaphorically stare at me with a blank face....

Or even try to rebuild a broken component with a mallet while doing repairs with a spanner....

Level 4 would be too high.

To quote Monty Python
"Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out."

[Lord Dick Tim]

I'm torn in this one.  It's difficult to quantify when a player has graduated to a certain level of experience, as there is a considerable gap in skills that cross a wide spectrum.
But we are still required to assign some level of achievement, some graduation that says, "by now, you should know to whack it before you spray it".  (to quote some of our more interesting sayings)
As for understanding the core mechanics of the game, 3 does indeed seem to be the level at which most people get it.
But true mastery doesn't come till much, much later, if the person is willing to put the time and effort into learning the game.  By then, your level means nothing, we already know who you are when that person reaches the status of an ace in Icarus.

[Letus]

But true mastery doesn't come till much, much later, if the person is willing to put the time and effort into learning the game.  By then, your level means nothing, we already know who you are when that person reaches the status of an ace in Icarus.

Well there is a difference between learning the game, and mastering it....many of which that cannot be taught.

Granted you can preach about communication, practicing, and being a good part of the community...but those somethingsomethingsomething (my Autism hit okay?  It's 1:48 AM.)

Have been going through the match list, jumping onto ships with two engineers and a Lumberjack, and pretty much teaching people how to fly a ship with such a weapon....
Don't really care if my name gets known for that...frankly...I'm doing it 'cause I'm tired of seeing bad lumber spires, Lumberfish, and Galleons...and by tired, I mean overtly angry....


The commendations are a nice bonus.