{Survivor: Names Are Hard Island} ~ GG

[D3f3nd3r]

Julie was...not fun to talk to and I did make several attempts before I just decided she was dead to me. I don't mind working with newbies or replacements because we all have to start somewhere, but they never gave me a reason to care.

Well obviously we had our shtick during the game, but the part that really upset me was that I know that T-Bone knows how to play this game. I was allied with him in my second game on the site, and he got voted out second

because people thought he was a threat

. Like actually, had you played this game like you did Mario (your play was good there, you didn't get the boot for bad play) you'd have lived a lot longer.

[Narninian]

I still maintain 5 newbies in a row is no way/no how a coincidence
There is clearly an established site-meta early game that players are looking for to decide their early boot, and it has little resemblance to survivor.
I know how it works now - i would have certainly looked at past games if I knew I needed to - but I was under the impression it was all new people based on the PM for signups saying it was for new players.

I really enjoy survivor/big brother --- and have enjoyed playing online in the past (and winning/at least doing well) in the real time format.
This experience was just awful for me, I just needed to vent a little bit. I'll stop now, and enjoy it for what it is.

[Cybele]

I did say 'effectively' the difference in how those two ganes would have been played is pretty substantial with meta shift over the years. Besides that, by fen's own admission so much time had passed there was barely even a recollection of playing in that other game. I'd say calling him a newbie to be fairly accurate.

[Cybele]

and it has little resemblance to survivor.

I strongly disagree with this. While some aspects of the game must necessarily be altered from the actual activity of being stuck on an island with a bunch of strangers and performing physical challenges on little food or comfort, I'd say the social dynamics we have here are the most similar aspect to the show/game.
You gotta make bonds by talking with your tribe. You can't just jump straight into alliances before getting to know them at least a bit. You have to play that social game or you fall apart.

[Axxle]

I don't think it should be a requirement, but I definitely think it should be highly encouraged for new players to spectate a game first, or at least read a previous game or two. I'm not sure where the best place to do that would be though.

[Flameaxe]

And the longer the trend of bigger games continues, it will never be newbie friendly. Its tough to read too much into 1-2 newbies breaking the mold, and discredits that the atmosphere doesn't welcome new players kindly. This was (at least appeared to be) advertised as giving those newbies a better atmosphere to build into the game, and the boot list shows it failed on that front. Nothing about the game felt any different in the form of newbie welcoming to me. (Idol searches, really?)

The fact that we are here discussing "how the meta works" is a problem in itself. Were stuck in a situation where fitting the meta gets you far, and there isn't enough influx of new players coming in who could change it. Its all beautifully stagnated.

[Flameaxe]

Putting in a requirement to spectate first gives you a general idea what to do, but when you're watching the top level players succeed in one way, you'll drift to that when playing and all of a sudden we have a nice boring addition to the player base.

[KingdomAces]

Yeah, I have no clue what CC was thinking of when he said that the game was going to be newbie friendly. I had my doubts at the time, even if I didn't say anything about it.

First, I want to say that I was voted out before the first swap last time I played, so this is probably not actually useful information. Whenever I play one of these, I try to keep the small talk to a minimum. Generally the conversation topics that I go with are what I think of the theme/characters, my opinion of the game-specific mechanics, and where I think the game is going to go from there, and what impressions I'm getting from other people on the tribe. Though I do end up complaining about site meta a lot in early PM's as well.

[Narninian]

Yeah, I have no clue what CC was thinking of when he said that the game was going to be newbie friendly. I had my doubts at the time, even if I didn't say anything about it.

I think it was because of it was low on twists. ironically I think twists would help newbies more than experienced players as there is no established way to deal with them.

When I signed up I thought it meant it would be mostly new players, which thinking about now, is probably not practical.

[Cybele]

To be fair, I think he did prioritize accepting newbies over more experienced players. At least, that's what I tell myself when I revisit the issue of my being passed over for this game.

[TheBreeze]

I think it was because of it was low on twists. ironically I think twists would help newbies more than experienced players as there is no established way to deal with them.

We would like to announce

Survivor: Expect the Unexpected

.

[xofelf]

I think it was because of it was low on twists. ironically I think twists would help newbies more than experienced players as there is no established way to deal with them.

That's part of why the first Arkham game did what it did. And Arkham City will only do that yet again in different ways once EtE ends. Twists to fuck with everyone equally, yay~

[Fluminator]

I skimmed through the Hyrule one right after this game started. It helped me out, although it was really hard to follow. That's when I felt bad about my confessional quality.

Being a newbie is an advantage in some ways. People generally seemed more open to work with me when they found out I was one. I eventually always tried to soft it until they brought it up. (I didn't really want to bring it up first because I didn't want people to think I was playing the newbie card too hard.)

It's possible to get close with some people and not do small talk. I don't think I did any small talk at all with Frenchie and he was one of my closer allies. As the game went on it got less and less common all around.
(I still complained about school to people only because they were forced to pretend to care.)

Hey, I didn't pretend to care

We bonded over our educational misery

Yes! That's true. I was legit quite excited when I found out you put yourself through the same grinder I'm going through. How did we end up on opposite alliances again?

You were awesome too Brian. If actual survivor edited the season, you would have gotten such an awesome merge boot episode. Everyone against you would have gotten an N and you would have had a PP.

[Brian Skies]

It makes me unhappy that there's always this discussion or complaint about preventing pagongings and moderators trying to implement ways to prevent them, but I still find myself eliminating players for it or finding out about them in the post game.

[Fluminator]

Hey, I just had a thought. Maybe I should pretend to be a newbie in all my future games.

[Narninian]

Hey, I just had a thought. Maybe I should pretend to be a newbie in all my future games.

but don't play like one. perfect compromise.

[Brian Skies]

I don't pay attention to a person's experience level.

[Mist7676]

Narninian, I genuinely want to apologize to the way I treated you. I got a lot of comments about it post game, when I didn't really think much of it when I did it. But it was uncalled for and I really am sorry. I do want to share my two cents about the subject, because I do feel this game is very important to our community. Making it newbie friendly is definitely something we can ALL work towards. The simple fact is, without some basis of communication, people are going to be looked at as easy first boots.

[Blackberry]

Hogwarts was effectively StD's first game of survivor. Being a part of the site doesn't give the experience to know this game or its meta.

STD played in a Survivor on site 10 years ago. o.o

[KingdomAces]

Hey, I just had a thought. Maybe I should pretend to be a newbie in all my future games.

It's been done, and it worked. Now people are looking for that gambit.

[Cybele]

Hogwarts was effectively StD's first game of survivor. Being a part of the site doesn't give the experience to know this game or its meta.

STD played in a Survivor on site 10 years ago. o.o

I already commented on this. It's why I said 'effectively'. So much time had passed that he didn't really have the fresh experience to draw on, and the meta had shifted enough that the game that was played then didn't share the same 'rules' that current ones do.

[Blackberry]

I'm kinda surprised people would want to align with a newbie. I don't think I would want to align with a "total newbie" right off the get go without getting to know them first. A: If they're new, they might realize they aren't dedicated enough or cut out for the game and might end up bailing. B: I wouldn't know how to gauge if they were plotting to betray and/or be afraid they'd be too open about any "alliance", etc. C: I'd be afraid they'd be too easily manipulated by other players and if lied to by an opponent, I wouldn't know if they'd be experienced enough to talk with me first. I have absolutely nothing against new players, I just wouldn't trust them to the full extent that I would trust players I can tell know what they're doing.

Also, I think we should have a non-anonymous Survivor again. I want to be an evil villainous creature-thing for all mafiascum to see. Mwhahahahaha.

[xofelf]

Hey, I just had a thought. Maybe I should pretend to be a newbie in all my future games.

It's been done, and it worked. Now people are looking for that gambit.

There's even a term for it: Chanseying.

[Flameaxe]

Oh, Berry

We never stopped seeing you as an evil villainous creature-thing

<3

[xofelf]

I'm kinda surprised people would want to align with a newbie. I don't think I would want to align with a "total newbie" right off the get go without getting to know them first. A: If they're new, they might realize they aren't dedicated enough or cut out for the game and might end up bailing. B: I wouldn't know how to gauge if they were plotting to betray and/or be afraid they'd be too open about any "alliance", etc. C: I'd be afraid they'd be too easily manipulated by other players and if lied to by an opponent, I wouldn't know if they'd be experienced enough to talk with me first. I have absolutely nothing against new players, I just wouldn't trust them to the full extent that I would trust players I can tell know what they're doing.

But Berry! You can then teach them all the tricks of the trade and watch them grow up to become terrors like I do! It's so much fun~

Also, I think we should have a non-anonymous Survivor again. I want to be an evil villainous creature-thing for all mafiascum to see. Mwhahahahaha.

I do kind of agree here. I think another non-anon would be good.