Irn Bruce
|
Posted - 2009.07.27 21:51:00 -
[1]
From a thread I started without noticing this one:
Currently one of the biggest problems facing new players is that the learning curve is very steep, not only in terms of player knowledge, but also in terms of character SP.
The current new player skill system neglects to account for learning skills. The new player is faced with a choice upon starting the game (assuming they've been well advised, which the tutorials really should be doing). They either train their learning skills immediately, or they will lose out in the long term. However, if they train their learning skill immediately, the fact they have next to no SP means their character is incapable of doing anything worthwhile until they've finished.
No true new player will be willing to give up several days just training learning skills while they are unable to actually play the game, meaning the alts of older players (which will be power trained for a specialised purpose) will actually be at a SP advantage over genuine new players. This also plays into the hands of character farmers. The current system, which was partially intended to make it harder for character farmers, has actually penalised genuine new players more than those very farmers.
How about this for a new system, one which actually serves the new players well:
Characters start with the SP they do now, almost none, but if it's the first character to be started on an account, they are given a new tutorial system. There will be an initial training stage given by Aura, just like now, covering how the overview, skill training (including which skills to train, and the importance of learning skills), the interface etc works. They would then be given a choice of agents to talk to, based on the career path they wish to follow. Each of these agents will give some basic training on the broad career path they cover, and at the end of this, they will refer the player to a number of agents covering subpaths for this career.
For example, the combat agent could give some training covering different weapon types, the advantages and disadvantages of each, what tracking means, different types of tanking, etc, and could then refer them to agents covering Missions/PvE, Ewar, PvP combat, logistics, etc. Taking the PvP combat one as an example, this one could give training on the importance of warp scramblers, how fleets work, how to deal with being targetted by different kinds of ewar, high sec aggression mechanics, etc.
The player would be able to try out as many of these paths and subpaths as they like, and in the course of the training they could be "loaned" certain skills for demonstration purposes. For example, perhaps the agent needs to show the player how to use a warp scrambler. The player will be given a complimentary Warp Scrambler I, and the Propulsion Jamming skill will be instantly trained to level 1. The agent will then give them a mission to kill a certain rat, but using the new AI that has been developed, this rat will warp off as soon as it reaches half armor, rep up, and warp back. The player will have to make use of this skill in order to kill the rat. Once the mission is complete, the skill will be removed (though it could stay injected, players are given skill books in tutorial missions anyway).
Once the player has tried out all the subpaths they wish to try, they can visit the agent for the one they wish to follow, and tell the agent that. They will then be given all the skills from that subpath trained to an acceptable level. they can only do this for one agent.
The idea is that truly new players will be able to have a useful character from the word go, with all the basic skills required to be competent in their chosen field at a low level. They can then train their learning skills while still being able to enjoy the game. They have also been given detailed training, with examples, of situations they are likely to come across in a wide variety of careers, rather than the current trainign, which on
|