Improving New Player Experience

[Josh_Brown]

In some ways, I almost wish this game started your character off without a defined class, and with a larger spread of "starter" captain skills, until you hit level 15 or so. As it is, I think any of these "quit before level 5" players haven't really had a taste of the ship combat system; I also think that, from descriptions alone, it's hard to tell what some of the classes are about, what you are really going to enjoy doing in the game, and where you want to commit to playing.

Just starting out as a generic "Captain" with a pre-defined skillset (some reps, some debuffs, some spikes, some defense/survival skills to play with), making the class no kill/sink, and limiting the ability to acquire and haul certain high-end goods, like ship deeds over level 20, would give new players a nice taste of the game. They could then get a special respec around level 15 which would allow them to pick a nation (as a captain choosing to "turn pirate" or "join the navy", "acquire a letter of marque" "enter the trade union", etc.), and begin progressing in the "real" career skill tree, with some understanding of what they are doing and the choices they are making.

Of course, it'd require some game changes and a good number of mission changes to boot, but it could be a nice way of enhancing new player experience.

[The Dragonfly]

Actually a very good point, and quite realistic, too. Go for it, FLS.

May be even allow for a career change late in life, when you get bored with eco and want to go rogue (You just would get reset to the level, where you have to make your choice, but keep you doubloons).

[Maryart]

This is something I vote five stars. Ive lvled a couple new chars and usually go for OS rageboarding after introdictory missions to jump over the first lvls (lvling by avcom in a game where avcom stink and shipcom is the main attraction, lol?). Tiphat to those newbies who can without any background choose the best one or two skills from the several trees, make the most of them by maneuvring his ship right and be lucky enough to pick only missions with low difficulty.

Judging from the high demand of lowbie ships Ive experienced at Roberts Bartica it is whether a great lot of newbies coming to this game, or there's an awful high sink rate. Therefore a reasonable skillset already at the beginning is a must imo considering the short attention span POTBS might have to sell itself to an average online gamer.

A less elaborate but easier to implement version could be just giving the newbie some 5-6 skill points and a handful of respecs (with a tutorial mission explaining the types of skills and how to obtain more respecs) at start and whether adding more points when he is over 10 or continuing to give the points as now so that hes got all the skillset already at about lvl 40.

[Kaspar78]

Originally Posted by Josh_Brown In some ways, I almost wish this game started your character off without a defined class, and with a larger spread of "starter" captain skills, until you hit level 15 or so. As it is, I think any of these "quit before level 5" players haven't really had a taste of the ship combat system; I also think that, from descriptions alone, it's hard to tell what some of the classes are about, what you are really going to enjoy doing in the game, and where you want to commit to playing. Just starting out as a generic "Captain" with a pre-defined skillset (some reps, some debuffs, some spikes, some defense/survival skills to play with), making the class no kill/sink, and limiting the ability to acquire and haul certain high-end goods, like ship deeds over level 20, would give new players a nice taste of the game. They could then get a special respec around level 15 which would allow them to pick a nation (as a captain choosing to "turn pirate" or "join the navy", "acquire a letter of marque" "enter the trade union", etc.), and begin progressing in the "real" career skill tree, with some understanding of what they are doing and the choices they are making. Of course, it'd require some game changes and a good number of mission changes to boot, but it could be a nice way of enhancing new player experience.

Sounds like a good idea

[Marcvs]

I could get behind this.

Hell why limit it to lvl 15, have ones available upto lvl 50 (though making sure u dont get cructchcombos would need a little tweaking.