Do you go easier on new players that apply?

I marked my game as welcoming to new players, but only veterans of roll20 are succeeding on my, "have you read everything" litmus test.

I haven't GM'd on Roll20 in ages, but I'm of the opinion that if someone can't be bothered to read and follow instructions, then it tends to reflects how little effort they're likely to put into the game itself.  I've GM'd enough games that had me essentially doing everything for players to the point where they just had to show up... I don't have the energy for that anymore :) I wouldn't expect anyone to write a novel or come up with a fleshed out character and backstory before the game even starts... but actually reading everything in a game listing should be expected

Brian, if you want to prompt them and give a second chance, you could reply similar to your litmus question. "Hey I noticed you are a new player applying for this. Make sure you go back and read everything in the introduction text, then write back to me and we can go from there."

Yeah, new people to roll20 are sometimes so flabbergasted by the process that they misread the post since they are so excited to join a game.  I would consider them unless they respond with something like  "Hi, pls me play"

I have just recently accepted new players in my game and all it took was a simple interest post then a brief chat before sending an invite. Example of a post: I think I would be interested in joining your bfrpg game. I've played and gm'd that system before and really like it. I'm older and have enjoyed rpg's off and on for many years. I'm looking for a laid back group to join just to have some fun, and the every other week with asynchronous play in between sounds perfect. I'm easy to get along with and would relish the chance to play since recently it seems all I do is gm. Let me know, and by the way I've read the rules and other info you posted and would have no problem following those. This is just a simple interest post that catches my attention along with showing what type of experience they have along with why they are interested. Combined this with a simple one on one interview chat, where I explain the setting and tone I was aiming for along with questions back and forth, is all that I have needed.

My experience is that "game age" of player and level of reading my instructions has no relevance between each other. There are both newbies and veterans who read what I write carefully. And there are many from both groups that don't- Therefore if I have someone sending application where I see he read my instuctions and in same mail he writes "I am new and have played just one game so far" I will gladly reply "Welcome to my game, here is the link, I will help you with anything related to game itself, as I prefere newbies who read and communicate over vetereans who do not care and think they know everything". Does it mean I go easier on them? I do not think so. Wecomming and going easier is for me different things.

I almost prefer new players because they don't tend to be rules lawyers or try and impose rules that they use in other games like some veterans do. New players are blank moulds and accept your rules. Don't get me wrong, they question me a lot, but they generally go along with it, rather than spending 10 minutes arguing over weather to round up or down.

All of my LFG listings for continuing games have "send an email to":  email , if a new player sends me an email, then answers my follow up questions, they are in and I will work with them to get them up to speed. If they send me a PM here instead, I assume I will have trouble getting them to follow simple instructions and they are not getting into the game. I just got two new players in my SWN game and they both followed instructions, send an email, log into the game once, send an email, go into the game and roll a character, send an email...

I really think it comes down to the devotion of the player and what it seems like the player is interested in. You don't know really what he wants unless he has a decent idea of what's coming out. You can't hold someone that's new to make a full character and not miss something especially if this is their first time playing. You got to give people a chance. But I wouldn't give someone a second thought if all they said was hey can I play you know they have to show a little initiative.