Training Squad Plan

[squallFF8]

We could allow it upto twl qualification period in twd, but then vets would have to leave roster. As it stands, there is no way to disable a squad from the twd ladder so it would always affect twl qualifications thus the previous sentence.

Vets leaving the roster is all apart of the gameplan. The goal of the double squadding is to optimize the availability/activity of these "vets" to give insight on basing strategy, to draw the average pubber into the basing world, but perhaps most importantly to boost activity amongst both squads at any given time (keeping the ball rolling so to speak).

Also, aliases would probably be the least complicated way, rather than having one name double rostered. And obviously double squadding should only be used for the purposes of training a squad. (or face concequences).

Creating a league sounds like a good plan, but a bit too much work in comparison. A league with only 2 teams, will be like a continuous .?go base game in the end. You can't know until you try, but the basic method seems more promising imo. Allow them to play against true competition, as it's the only way they can grow as players.

If only we were able to come up with a way of disabling these squads for twl.. Seems to be the only barrier here, really.

[Hulk]

Don't even bother arguing, all the people that never play the zone control the zone and nothing will ever change

[Turban]

Ahem.

I proposed something very similar to this in staff a couple of years ago, only to have the idea shut down because they thought double squadding was a serious crime. Who honestly thinks that? If anything, allowing people to double squad would not only boost the activity of the zone, but would also help people start new squads way easier.

[ogron]

Yeah I think a lot of people have had the same idea along varying lines -- it's kind of a matter of addressing the obstacles in an Occam's Razor/lowest-common-denominator way (i.e., what's the simplest, most realistic way of accomplishing it.)

There was supposed to be an Amateur league concurrent with this TWL that never materialized. Leagues take ops, programmers, a large amount of new players, a website, bot functionality. It's a good idea, but it's complicated and has a lot of moving parts and didn't pan out.

Creating a training squad is easy -- you make a squad, add it to TWD site -- all the functionality is already in place. The two major issues (imo) are 1) keeping vets/activity 2) playing opponents of similar level (not constantly getting crushed/demoralized - there is a huge skill-gap between the many of us with 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000+ hours of usage and newer/more casual players that isn't easily bridged.)

The proposed solutions to the two problems:

1) double-squadding -- this is easy, and many of us have done it over the years. It boosts activity, lets vets stay on their main squads and help out when they feel like it, and gives them no incentive to drop from the farm squad's roster. Moreover, it incentivizes them to help out when their main squad doesn't have enough persons online to play.

2) Having two training squads instead of one. With double-squadding in place, you have a much larger pool of players to draw from (who otherwise wouldn't be willing to leave their friends/teammates on their main squads) thus enabling what would other be a much harder task (it's hard enough keeping a single squads training roster inactive without point 1.) This creates a much more hospitable environment to play/learn/try-out different ships and slowly bridge the gap over time and get people excited about whatever respective league they're engaging.

Even if a good squad poaches them, they can still stay-on with an alias and continue to train or help others, rather than depleting the resource you worked hard to foster. I really think the only thing that needs doing is allowing people to register two aliases from one computer in ?go TWD so they can get an alt onto one of the two squads.

[mtine]

I say FK Staff. We take measures in our own hands. Viva la TWD-olucion!

[Turban]

I actually have a lot of faith in the current upperstaff, hope they can work something out after TWL season is over. Or even before it's over, whatever.

[Infrared]

Not much needs to be changed for this to happen. It can go something like this:

1. Turban "Applies" to doublesquad, much like a player would apply for staff.
2. Staff member reviews Turban's application, and decides to accept him because he is a long-time player and somewhat trustworthy.
3. Turban makes a second alias similar to his current name (no anonymity), maybe with a tag like "turban <DS>" or whatever.
4. A TWD Op registers "turban <DS>" for TWD, similar to the way siblings are added to the siblings list and registered.
5. Turban may now join "training squad" with his new alias.
6. If a player abuses their 2nd name in any way, staff can TWD ban them/ punish them/ whatever

[mtine]

1. fail
2. Turban trustworthy? FAIL
3. Turban <DikSuker>? FAIL
4. Two Turbans? OMG, JUST NO! FAIL
5. FAIL
6. Turban reported 1st day of dis change. FAIL

Hmm...