Novice Network limitation needs an update

[Canadane]

Not only am I opposed to a global chat, I'm opposed to players using NN like it is one.
We gotta start removing people who use it as their social outlet.

[DrForester]

Ive never seen the Novice Network too full on sprouts, and I think that it would be counter productive to add more mentors. Too many people giving advice.

[Valence]

Not only am I opposed to a global chat, I'm opposed to players using NN like it is one.
We gotta start removing people who use it as their social outlet.

And then you end up with dead NNs like on JP.

Not saying that it should turn into a shitposting general chat, that's why I dread letting everyone access it without any moderation, but the whole point of NN and what makes it work in the instances where it works is precisely because it offers a comfy social setting for new players that have no other outlet to find friends and social groups. The whole point of mentors if they're decent is being able to cut through the chatter when required and make sure any question takes the absolute priority over anything else.

If adding a general chat somewhere else in the game to draw away all the shitposters, i'm all for it.

[PercibelTheren]

I see your point of view and I agree in theory. However, in practice, the NN should probably just be deleted and nothing of value would be lost. I lasted about a week in there before I left when I was new. On Zodiark at least, a group of high level players used it to argue about game balance, 80% of it was in non-English languages and if an actual newbie asked a question, they would either not get an answer or get told off for interrupting the conversation. Honestly, the entire mentoring system is garbage, but NN especially.

[Zeastria]

Add global chat(s) and 90% of the issues with NN would have been solved!

[Reinha]

Add global chat(s) and 90% of the issues with NN would have been solved!

Exactly. Anyone who is opposed to a global chat is just scared no one would join their crappy linkshells anymore.

[Valence]

I see your point of view and I agree in theory. However, in practice, the NN should probably just be deleted and nothing of value would be lost. I lasted about a week in there before I left when I was new. On Zodiark at least, a group of high level players used it to argue about game balance, 80% of it was in non-English languages and if an actual newbie asked a question, they would either not get an answer or get told off for interrupting the conversation. Honestly, the entire mentoring system is garbage, but NN especially.

I've been active on NNs since it was introduced on HW and I have seen so many players that would just disagree. The amount of sprouts that don't want to leave the channel is crazy. The amount of those actually working to get mentor with the intent to help in turn is also crazy.

It just saddens me that some NNs are such wastelands that it makes people say they're useless.

[UkcsAlias]

Not only am I opposed to a global chat, I'm opposed to players using NN like it is one.
We gotta start removing people who use it as their social outlet.

For that a global chat is the only solution. As general chat has a very important function within the community: connecting players. If the NN cannot be used for that, then those sprouts will always feel like they are alone, no linkshells to be invited to. And with luck a random FC invite. Its totaly not helpfull if the system only works like that.

And note, even if you are not engaging in the conversation, you can still figure out a lot of general behaviour things etc. This will make it easier to connect with other players. Social chat is EXTREMELY important in an MMO, its a massive reason why they are still being played. It is essential to get new players to interact in order to make them stay and enjoy. Even if that interaction is just reading.

Also, the mentor requirements are horrible and not helping at getting good mentors. They are fine as a filter to get some people to at least be able to moderate. But expecting good advice is often just not going to happen. You at best can get a meta advice which rarely is what sprouts truly ask for. Being a good mentor is a skill the game cannot measure. And for this allowing more mentors in the chat would help.

Either by making the chatbox larger in people allowed, or by seperating them in 2 groups, so this pure mentor chat becomes less required to most.

[Valence]

There is no metric or any amount of filters or requirements that will be able to determine who is a good helper or gives good advice.

[PyurBlue]

I've been active on NNs since it was introduced on HW and I have seen so many players that would just disagree. The amount of sprouts that don't want to leave the channel is crazy. The amount of those actually working to get mentor with the intent to help in turn is also crazy.

It just saddens me that some NNs are such wastelands that it makes people say they're useless.

It's so common to see people upset about leaving that I have to wonder what the bad NN's are like or where I can find them. I used to think it might vary world by world or that I just hadn't mentored long enough, but after many years, multiple characters, and the ability to world travel it's still hard to find genuinely bad NN chats. There are occasional issues in the networks but they get sorted out quickly the vast majority of the time. The social aspect is part of the charm and only makes the mentoring system more effective.