Player Features and Ideas Discussion

New Eden Training Simulation.

*Disclaimer: This is not an attempt to "dumb down" or change Eve mechanics as a whole. The idea is to create an atmosphere, that caters to training new players and assist in understanding AND transitioning to the complex nature of Eve Online.


Overview:

The idea of NETS is to expand the NPE to help new players understand the basics of Eve Online, in a semi-controlled and expanded way. New players would begin their journey in New Eden separated from the rest of Eve during the duration of NETS.

Think of it as going through bootcamp(basic training) before getting thrown into the battlefield.


As stated above NETS would be "instanced" in the sense that anything that happens there will have no effect on the rest of Eve. It also means that ONLY new players will be in NETS area since it would be cut off from the rest of Eve. Once a player has completed NETS or reached a certain time frame/SP limit, they will be relocated to the rest of New Eden and cannot return. Due to the fact that this is just a training simulation, money and items will not carry over once the player has completed NETS.

This program would also be optional.

NETS will have a system layout similar to New Eden, just on a smaller scale, possibly the same size as a constellation(this is dependent on number of new players). Meaning NETS will contain HiSec, (FW)LowSec, and NPC 0.0. WH will not be accessible inside NETS nor will WH connect to NETS.

Basics:

Players will be placed into NPC FW Corps, based off of which faction they choose. This will allow players to experience FW and working as a group. This can also help prepare players and show the importance of joining a corporation.

During NETS players will go through a series of tutorials similar to how the current NPE is handled. Because of it being instanced and the layout, tutorials can now be expanded to include sending pilots to lowsec and nullsec. Doing so will allow new players to learn and understand the different areas of Eve and the basics of combat/PVP on a somewhat level playing field. This can also be expanded to have combat missions be given out of low and null to help familiarize players with living in a hostile area.

Dealing with loss while learning can be devastating and hinder players from even attempting PVP. During NETS players will have access to ships and fittings to help mitigate the loss aspect and increase their ability to understand PVP at no cost.

Example: Repeatable missions given in lowsec/null, which provide a combat fitted frigate each time.

This is one of the reasons for the "instanced" setting of NETS. This allows new players to receive the maximum amount of combat training through experience without killing the Eve market.


There is more that I want to add, but I'm lazy right now and you should get the idea.

Bad. Just really bad.

"Instanced" anything in a world that teaches people to be ruthless, accountable, and intelligent isn't helping anything. A new player should experience the cost/time/emotion invested into your time and ships. It's what makes you who you are in this game.

The real problem of EVE is the interface and how all the important information is hidden behind layers upon layers of clutter. Your suggestion isn't the way to address these problems, in my opinion.

There's also the Singularity test server if you want to practice both pvp and pve without risks.

CCP added the "Advanced Military" career agent to teach new pilots some of the finer points of basic combat, and to get them over their fear of losing ships. It sounds like OP wants to expand on that significantly, allowing pilots to learn more PvP-oriented techniques and losing more than just one ship in the process - maybe even their pod a few times.

Anything that does a better job than the current system at teaching new pilots to be alert, aware, capable members of the New Eden cluster and enables them to recognize both dangers and their available responses to it gets my vote.

That's not to say OP's idea is perfect as-is, just that the basic concept gets my vote.

While it won't add the same level as normal Low/Null, it will still add more so then the current NPE, and at least allow new players to get a feel for the "dangerous" areas at an early stage.

The reasons for the players to be placed into FW corps is to help increase the hazards in this system. So lowsec missions would use the beacon system similar to how it is now. This same system could apply to null missions given from the pirate factions.

Also the griefing issue is one of the reasons its isolated. Not to protect new players from it, but to allow it to happen even with vet players but on a some what even SP/ship level. Meaning instead of a newbie in a rifter flying into lowsec or can baited and getting ganked by a BS or HAC, it would be against another frig. Obviously numbers would play an issue, but every situation cannot be protected against.

This is true and it wasn't the intent for this to be a end all be all for the learning curve. The idea is to expand the NPE to allow a simplistic and more controlled way to teach at least the basics to new players, as well as try and limit the risk aversion mentality. Especially for PVP, which the current system has little to no guidance for new players.

How so? How is the current arbitrary restrictions on starter systems any different? Not to mention even with instanced, how would having new players spending their first couple days separated, effect anyone else in a negative way. The sandbox continues, but this at least gives new players a better understanding from the gate. Instead of the current trial by fire.

I like the idea of a simulator, but I also understand the arguments against them. Less pvp occurs in real time, and with less pvp and experimentation, fewer ships die, and the economy suffers.

That said, if you truly want to make it for new players, then run a simulation that step by step works a player through the menus and game, without them ever getting in their ship or game world.

We all apparently go through an academy somewhere, right? We go through character creation, choose our school, and viola, I'm manga-***-louder or something.

Change it. Give us a 'final exam test', before we ever hit the real EvE. Something that gives us basic flight controls, has horrible graphics (I'm serious over this bit), and cycles you through the commands for movement as well as basic combat, pvp, ship sizes, etc. You can put them in battleships and let them feel how sluggish they are, and frigates to feel the speed. Let them see the difference in t2 and t1.

All guided. All focused on how the game is played. And the whole while, the player isn't even training skills.

Then pop them into the world. That beautiful eve. And let the last thing aura says before pushing them out the door be: Welcome to this cold, harsh universe.