How to make the learning of CTF easier to beginners
Posted: 08 Apr 2010, 15:06
Hi.
About how to make the access to the understanding of the gameplay more easy :
- I don't think a lot of people even notice the Infosystem in the middle of the action, but that's a nice and convenient way to send some tips, i like it. That's obviously not enough, as you pointed.
- I read on the nexuiz forums a text about how to play CTF, it's there : http://www.alientrap.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=849. I think such a text, with maybe a little adaptation to the way it's played with minsta and hook, would be nice to have : we could point beginners there and advise them to read that before going on playing.
- What i think really works the best is personal coaching. When i was a big noob, not so long ago, some great players helped me, this is how it worked : first they made me spectate them (cause seeing someone doing something while facing him or while spectating him is really different things), then i had to try myself, and they watched (from their own char) or spectated me, and commented, and answered all questions i could have had. A lot of chat happens during that, i'd say even more time chatting than playing.
When i improved a bit, and spotted real beginners, i started to offer some advice, and the same coaching time (needless to say, this can only work when the beginner you try to help is actually answering you... Some are deaf and blind, and for these ones i have no clue about how to help them). Some don't like being given advice, even if they really suck, i don't insist with these ones. The others are very glad to receive this kind of help, since they learn very fast some things that would have taken much more time to discover alone by playing. Not only about tactics, but also on gameplay. Many little things seem obvious to most experienced players, but they are not at all, and need to be clearly explained to beginners. Most come from deathmatch mode, and even something like "Forget about making a frag score!" needs to be explained to most. Another thing all noobs do : they camp the enemy base, waiting for the flag to "respawn" while both flag carriers are running around, waiting for the other one to die and drop his flag. Some might really change their attitude if someone could explain them : "Flag respawning means your flag carrier got shot, and you're supposed to try to avoid that, not hope it happens as fast as possible... When your flag is taken, if you don't have the enemy flag yourself, got get back your flag to allow your flag carrier to score"...
Again, all this can only work when the guy you try to help is willing to listen and learn, and i admit that's not always the case.
Last, what i was thinking about was a special practice server, where coaches can take their noobs and give some advice while avoiding the heat of the main server. The dodge mod server (awesome!) is so unused nowadays that it would do the job really nice.
See you on the battlefield.
Arikel
About how to make the access to the understanding of the gameplay more easy :
- I don't think a lot of people even notice the Infosystem in the middle of the action, but that's a nice and convenient way to send some tips, i like it. That's obviously not enough, as you pointed.
- I read on the nexuiz forums a text about how to play CTF, it's there : http://www.alientrap.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=849. I think such a text, with maybe a little adaptation to the way it's played with minsta and hook, would be nice to have : we could point beginners there and advise them to read that before going on playing.
- What i think really works the best is personal coaching. When i was a big noob, not so long ago, some great players helped me, this is how it worked : first they made me spectate them (cause seeing someone doing something while facing him or while spectating him is really different things), then i had to try myself, and they watched (from their own char) or spectated me, and commented, and answered all questions i could have had. A lot of chat happens during that, i'd say even more time chatting than playing.
When i improved a bit, and spotted real beginners, i started to offer some advice, and the same coaching time (needless to say, this can only work when the beginner you try to help is actually answering you... Some are deaf and blind, and for these ones i have no clue about how to help them). Some don't like being given advice, even if they really suck, i don't insist with these ones. The others are very glad to receive this kind of help, since they learn very fast some things that would have taken much more time to discover alone by playing. Not only about tactics, but also on gameplay. Many little things seem obvious to most experienced players, but they are not at all, and need to be clearly explained to beginners. Most come from deathmatch mode, and even something like "Forget about making a frag score!" needs to be explained to most. Another thing all noobs do : they camp the enemy base, waiting for the flag to "respawn" while both flag carriers are running around, waiting for the other one to die and drop his flag. Some might really change their attitude if someone could explain them : "Flag respawning means your flag carrier got shot, and you're supposed to try to avoid that, not hope it happens as fast as possible... When your flag is taken, if you don't have the enemy flag yourself, got get back your flag to allow your flag carrier to score"...
Again, all this can only work when the guy you try to help is willing to listen and learn, and i admit that's not always the case.
Last, what i was thinking about was a special practice server, where coaches can take their noobs and give some advice while avoiding the heat of the main server. The dodge mod server (awesome!) is so unused nowadays that it would do the job really nice.
See you on the battlefield.
Arikel