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Keeping inexperienced players useful


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Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing with all people whether they've got 1 hour played or 1000 hours played and am always happy to explain a couple things to those who ask. However after around 10, 15 days on a public survival server after a base has been established, a lot of inexperienced players tend to just start hovering around the fire pit just leeching supplies not really knowing what to do.

 

They want to help I'm sure but they've probably been scared off in the past by some nob shouting at them "DONT MAKE JAM IDIOT" or "WHY DID YOU PICK THE BEEBOX FLOWERS YOU NOOB"  and god knows what else. I personally try to give them some jobs to do like catch some rabbits or make a berry bush farm say. But even then it feels like I'm giving chores out.

 

TL;DR

 

What are some fun and useful jobs to occupy even the newest of players so they don't stand around base all day doing nothing?

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Never played dst before but just leave them checking rabbit traps, cooking food, keeping the fire alive, etc.

 

Usually what happens, but it isn't sustainable. Especially when you've got three people doing that, all eating their share, food runs out fast and none of them are really bringing a substantial amount back in.

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Maybe, digging saplings and grass tufts to plant and fertilize at base. Wood of course, just pray they don't face a treeguard. Checking rabbit traps indeed, I don't know.

 

We could also discuss about what to avoid, like sending them to gather swamp ressources, fighting spiders...

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Maybe, digging saplings and grass tufts to plant and fertilize at base. Wood of course, just pray they don't face a treeguard. Checking rabbit traps indeed, I don't know.

 

We could also discuss about what to avoid, like sending them to gather swamp ressources, fighting spiders...

maybe giving them a bush hat for when hounds are coming?

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Maybe, digging saplings and grass tufts to plant and fertilize at base. Wood of course, just pray they don't face a treeguard. Checking rabbit traps indeed, I don't know.

 

We could also discuss about what to avoid, like sending them to gather swamp ressources, fighting spiders...

 

Seems like all the fun jobs are off limits at fear of them dying and all the monotonous jobs are the ones they'd otherwise get stuck with

 

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I think teaching them how to meatballs is fun and essential, besides you can gradually teach them other recipes. I love cooking in Don't Starve (and irl) so making them the official cook may be the best course of action, even if it won't keep them active the whole day.

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I think teaching them how to meatballs is fun and essential, besides you can gradually teach them other recipes. I love cooking in Don't Starve (and irl) so making them the official cook may be the best course of action, even if it won't keep them active the whole day.

 

I like the idea of giving them an official role instead of just some jobs. Far more encouraging

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If you send people to get wood, you will see how much time you will save.

Chests, constant fuel, emergency campfires.

This is for people who don't want to wander very far.

Wood is always needed.

 

If you have people that want to kill, make them get and farm spiders for glands, monster meat, and silk.

Show them how to lure spiders out and how to kill tier 3 nests with traps for warriors.

If they suck at fighting, make them hoard grass and twigs in a 3:1 ratio and make them use traps.

Cook monster meat into eggs, heal with glands, and get sanity with silk top hats.

Bonus points, put pig houses and tell them to turn pigs into werepigs with the extra monster meat, then kill them.

 

If you have people eager to explore, tell them to go run on swamps during the day and day only.

Or to go to the deciduous forest during dusk or night.

Or to go into the desert to pick tumbleweeds and get things like gears.

Mushrooms, reeds, and misc goods.

 

 

But honestly, the people that constantly stay near the campfire won't hear instructions. They will only learn after they try and die.

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Is this PvP?

Either way, my experience with open servers are that I always need to be on the look out for griefers and/or people that just want to kill everyone as quickly as possible then leave (for the life of me I don't understand how this is fun).  So my biggest issue with trying to help people is keeping them, as well as myself, safe.  This problem, while annoying, keeps things interesting because I rarely make it past 20 days with anyone else alive with me.  

 

Having said all that, I'm basically explaining that I'm jealous of the problem you have. 

 

Anyway, I would definitely make sure that every player eventually explores the entire map (even if that means you take them with you on an expedition).  The importance of having the whole map revealed will help them to be confident of their world and not have excuses when it comes to needing supplies.  Having done that, they should all be able to find resources on their own in the future.  

 

Then I may suggest a couple people venture off with Chester and gather as much ____ as possible (when needed).  

 

Depending on the character they have chosen, I may help show them the pros and cons of their choice as well as trying to tailor some jobs to their person by having:

-Wigrid and Wolfgang decked out in armor and be fighters/protection for others

-Webber gather silk, spider glands, monster meat

-Wickerbottom make farms, set tentacle traps, assist in battle with her books

-Woody chop trees

-etc etc

 

Set up outposts in strategic sections of the map (make people responsible for maintaining them and outfitting them with supplies)

 

Teach people to farm nightmare fuel by going insane on purpose (as well as returning their sanity to normal when done)

 

Fortify bases with walls and/or create the "killing room"

 

Transplant spider dens, berry bushes, grass, saplings

 

Harvest ice in the winter

 

How to kite various mobs

 

Teach them to always have the essentials in their inventory and how to be prepared for upcoming seasons (ahead of time)

 

Show how pre-built structures (crockpot, fires) can be useful for emergency situations

 

How to read the map and know where resources you may need will be (also how to clearly explain directions to others)

 

 

 

Basically you want to teach them to not need you anymore (just like a real parent does)

 

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Another one is show them how to keep their view always north and if they have to switch to switch back when done. That way you always know where you are and which way to go when needed. Like if you press e or q 4 times you are now looking south.

But as for teaching then to gather nightmare fuel I think that would be one of the last things you teach them.

Maybe even teach them how to survive without a base as if you are on pvp or even pve and someone griefs your base you'd either rage quit or start over again and if it's in the middle of winter/summer unless you know what your doing it would be almost impossible for new players to survive.

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Great topic! Got me thinking....

 

I think it will be difficult to order noobs around because usually, they either:

- stay in camp

- gather loads of supplies and run of "adventuring" and getting themselves killed all the time

 

It's usually the more experienced players (at least in PVE) who are willing to do menial tasks like gathering resources, resetting traps, etc because they know those boring tasks are what will save the group when Winter hits.

 

That being said here are some 'explore-ish' but not very dangerous things new players can do to help:

  • Digging up saplings and berry bushes
    Newbies love berries! Give them a shovel and tell them to dig up berry bushes (maybe partner with someone for poop duty)
  • Shaving beefaloes
    It's "exciting" because it's night and they're interacting with creatures. Tell them to unequip weapons though and watch out for red butts of fury. ^___^
  • Making their own lockers?
    Haven't tried this yet but maybe they'll be more active if they have something to their name and a goal of building up their own stash. Even if they just make 1 chest each and try to fill it with their own logs, grass, sapling supply. It's a step away from mooching off group supplies.
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It's usually the more experienced players (at least in PVE) who are willing to do menial tasks like gathering resources, resetting traps, etc because they know those boring tasks are what will save the group when Winter hits.

 

This is so true!

 

•Making their own lockers?

Haven't tried this yet but maybe they'll be more active if they have something to their name and a goal of building up their own stash. Even if they just make 1 chest each and try to fill it with their own logs, grass, sapling supply. It's a step away from mooching off group supplies.

Think you're on to something there, I think someone else mentioned letting them create their own outposts at key locations. Gives them something to feel proud of rather than just collecting resources for the experienced people to deal with.

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They want to help I'm sure but they've probably been scared off in the past by some nob shouting at them
 Yeah. They are the main reason that, when I do join a public server, I just make my own base and refuse to communicate and interact unless necessary. I hate to have some idiot yelling at me because I play in a different way, or make mistakes. I can only imagine how it would feel for less experienced players.

Maybe there could be some sort of tutorial or early players hints for new players so they can learn the basics before starting players. It would kinda ruin the "BAM! SURVIVE!" aspect of the game, but I don't think some loading screen hints or something would hurt much.
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 Yeah. They are the main reason that, when I do join a public server, I just make my own base and refuse to communicate and interact unless necessary. I hate to have some idiot yelling at me because I play in a different way, or make mistakes. I can only imagine how it would feel for less experienced players.

Maybe there could be some sort of tutorial or early players hints for new players so they can learn the basics before starting players. It would kinda ruin the "BAM! SURVIVE!" aspect of the game, but I don't think some loading screen hints or something would hurt much.

 

Personally I think that the "BAM! SURVIVE!" aspect is what makes don't starve so fun though. You slowly learn from every death, being clueless is fun.

 

However, you're right, you don't get this in multiplayer because no one trusts you to do anything, you're sheltered from the danger. That die-learn die-learn way of playing isn't an option here because you can't just start again, everyone suffers because of the ghost debuff.

 

It definitely needs addressing.

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I wonder if you can make small training areas scattered around the place, like plant some traps beside spider nests and put a sign there "Step on the web and lead the spiders to traps. Don't hit them or the spider warriors will come out."

 

Then plant a bird cage near it and a firepit with a sign "Feed cooked monster meat to bird and get eggs."

 

You can put signs near beefaloes, meteor spawns, desert, and so on.

 

But this is too optimistic, right? I bet griefers or just desperate survivors will scavenge the training areas for personal supplies.

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@applebottom, Instructional signs sounds like an awesome idea. We could even create a tutorial server, it could become the unofficial official server for every beginners. It would have mods to prevent signs from being hammered or burned and I guess others safety mods. How does that sound ?

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@applebottom, Instructional signs sounds like an awesome idea. We could even create a tutorial server, it could become the unofficial official server for every beginners. It would have mods to prevent signs from being hammered or burned and I guess others safety mods. How does that sound ?

 

Sounds awesome in theory. :) Like a live wiki/tutorial server for DST.

 

I don't know how advanced mods are vs griefers though. :(

 

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