Meeting new player's needs

[_flint_]

I'm about to begin DMing for a group of entirely new players. I've never DMed before, and was never really satisfied with the play style of my last group. I'm tempted to do a player versus player arena combat thing with no ongoing story where everyone brings a new build each session, but I realize this could easily be no fun for most people.
Are there any good online resources to help determine what each individual would find the most fun so everyone can have a good time?

[Seto]

The player's handbook 2 focuses on that aspect of things, and has some very good advice about identifying your players' style and expectations.

[Randomthom]

PvP isn't a good starting point for new players.

Arena combat isn't a bad way to begin though, perhaps the PCs begin as slaves forced to fight in gladiatorial arenas against increasingly powerful monsters. Start with a few orcs or just other humanoid slaves. Next go up to an Otyugh or similar. Start to build in roleplaying between fights, perhaps with the slaver or with his servants. Encourage them to try other things in the arena such as trying to appease the crowd and give them a +1 morale bonus to attacks etc. if they succeed the skill (persuasion?) check. Try to design the fights to introduce things 1 at a time.

First fight can basically be attacks vs AC.
Second fight, introduce something that uses a fort/ref/will save.
Third fight, chain them in pairs and then explain how initiative works by having the higher-initiative of the pair drop their initiative to match the other so they can act in tandem.
Fourth fight, change the arena, perhaps it can be flooded to waist-height and they have to fight something small and aquatic that sneaks up on them under the murky water. Have rock pedestals that rise out of the water for 1d4 rounds before disappearing again. This also counts as difficult terrain.

If the players are still attached to their characters at this point, let them break out/be released/bought by a mysterious new master etc. and continue the campaign from there. If not, just accept it all as a learning excersise and then start something new.

I'd recommend pre-generating their characters and probably sticking to non-magic users mostly.

[Andezzar]

That is an interesting starting scenario.

If the other players have not played yet and you haven't DMed yet, I recommend that either you give them pregenerated characters (more work for you and less freedom for your friends) or host a dedicated character creation session. You could also do both a one shot with ready made characters and then real characters. You could even have the pregens continue to run around the gameworld, either as antagonists or simply anecdotes.

When going over the characters and explaining them focus on what they can do and not what they "should" do. For example don't pigeon hole the cleric into a paramedic or the wizard into a blaster.

Since you have RP experience and did not like what other DM's did, think about what that was and maybe ask your players (possibly after a session or two) whether they are into that style. Some people absolutely abhor any form of railroading, whereas others feel lost in a sandbox type gameworld.

If you tell us what styles you didn't like which you do like, maybe we can give further advice. I second that CvC combat* is not a good starting point.
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*: Pet peeve of mine, player versus player violence should never be allowed at a gaming table. Character vs character violence is permissible if all players are fine with it.