Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Just to voice an opinion. I agree with some people they are helpful. They do indeed help newer players and I think the more advanced certs like full level 5 stuff should be gone. Maybe change certs into a learning tool with the tutorial, more focus there.
I don't tend to show my certs publicly and like the post says not many do.

I think the underlying problem here is that Certificates act like: ACHIEVEMENTS

And achievements in EVE like saying hey I can fly - XXX - is probably not as cool as in other mmos because of the intel it gives.

I think WE the players should be able to create certificates, like we can with fittings and use them as a tool for new players joining alliances be it in high sec or low/null etc. They should be a training tool but that the players can use. Not some wannabe achievement system.

So imagine you are a new player - joined a corp and someone throws this ship fitting window at you. With guns or mining lasers, tech 2 things and stuff and says.. HEY YOU!! NEW GUY - train for that!!!! - as a new player you kinda go.. ok... and you see somethings that will take 3/5 days+ and are like erm.. ugh. But the real problem is you don't know why. You might not ask why do I need a gyro. Why the cap booster. Why tech 2.

Where as you could say, welcome go to your certificates menu in the corporation and we have listed somethings for you to train for to be usless in fleets - here is a tackler cert and a HAC cert : You check this certificate planner - it has the skills and explains what they mean and links then into the fitting ship you saw so you understand what the hell you are training for. Why you need that mining laser upgrade thing or that rig. Certs could have mouse over explanations and things. PLAYERS could even write something to go with their own certs, like the order etc and what use they give. The higher damage or extra benefit of have that skill to 3 or 4 or 5.

So to change a lot of the negative posts. I think certs could become a brilliant tool, but they need to change from a second skills queue type of achievement thing into that learning tool. More information and a guide for new players that older ones can use to help assist.

Overview:

Allow players/corps to make custom certificates + assign them to members

Possibly add mouse over text that players can add

*Link in certs with fitting window to allow newer players to get a better understanding of how it will affect their gameplay. Maybe a preview option of the same ship with the certs - like a tick box for the one you got assigned and they can see Oh I do "10" damage now but later "50"

/thread

Current certificates bear only a vague connection to actual gameplay abilities, and that's one of the reasons why so many corporations demand full API access. The certificates are simply not useful.

If certificates actually corresponded to some real abilities (ex., "Certified Gallente freighter pilot", "Certified Tech-2 artillery operator", "Elite Tech-2 artillery operator", etc.), it would be much easier to recruit for or apply to corps.

Once the certificates represent relevant abilities, then the suggestions on the OP could make some sense (ex., ability to drag a link into chat, proving that the pilot has a certain certificate, or comparing your certificates to a "certificate checklist" created by someone else - similar to ship fits).

Also, what's the point of having to manually "claim" the certificates?

The whole idea of certificates as they are now have little sense. They can be useful for newbies as an objetive, but for long term players is useless.

Maybe the idea of certificates should be reduced to a tutorial thing, so they can advance in knowing the game better while getting some kind of collectible reward.

For veterans or corp recruitment, API is more useful and frequently used.

Player made certificates to be sisues/tested inside corps and alliances woudl be the only way to make this certificte systme USEFUL.

As of now, I advise all new players that I bring into the game to NEVER EVER look at that certificates tab on the risk of being misleaded into making something very stupid with their own training.

If we do ever get customer Certs it would be pretty cool if we could drag and drop ships in to add all the required skills which you could then increase to a desirer level.

Allow corporation directors to design their own certificate skill plans for their members to guide them through the process of building up their repertoire of corp-certified doctrines.

Give it an initial fee like a medal or whatever and put it into a corp certificate "pool". Let all corpmates have access to the certs in a corp window with a prioritized list. This would help greatly with getting members to train support skills. When the player finishes the certificate they can display it publicly/hidden/director view only, this allows allows the FCs and directors to quickly see how many people are certed out for various doctrines.

None of the above.

Visibility of certificates is nonsence. I use it simply to bait noobs sometimes who dont know any better thinking im a hauler and miing alt.

Alot of new players dont even know some of the modules that are required to fly a ship they want to get into let alone the myriad of supporting skills to fly that ship effectively. They have to go on battleclinic, look up builds then find out what those modules are then look into setting up skill training plan.
What does happen time and time again people come with OPTIMAL BUILD mindset and often OPTIMAL=MAX OUT so they pick a certificate and they think they need ELITE to be good at flying that ship. zero experience and maybe lack of community participation and they just go by the certificates. Alot o them dont even think to get the ship and start flying it with all 2s and 3s in the skills necessary but wait till they max out a certificate and then come and whinge trainign is taking too long to be a good pilot.

Certificates should be SHIP based competency list of skills. So a noob or any pilot can pick up a say BASIC Stealth bomber certificate and get a list of skills needed to GET INTO a bomber. the advanced bomber certificate can have a torp bomber skill needs and bombing skills too. the elite one would have things like tech 2 capability on launchers etc. at the very list a vanilla setup of these ships and their most common loadouts should be the 'norm' for these CCP provided certificates.

having the ability to make customized certificates would be great, even greater if a corp recruitment ad can contain said certificates so anyone applying for the corp that willing to enforce a minimum completency the required certificates will be compared to the applicants skills and auto rejected the application if skills missing. or maybe just a warning of list of skills missing so the recruitment officer can have a look and adjudicate on the matter. no point of auto rejectng someone is he is missing only 1 skill that takes 20 minutes to attain. this will save lots of time and remove alot of "we need your API to see if you have the skills you say you have" and let the certificates speak for themselves.

maybe even allow corp ranks to have certificates linked to them so only certain people with specific minimum skills are in those roles and not just because some dude is a friend of a friend of my missus.

The certificate system is best served in TRUE SANDBOX STYLE -- player made certificates!

A corporation can fill create some skill groupings and set them as a 'certificate'. If someone clicks on a linked certificate made by that corp, they will immediately see which ones they 'match'. Anyone with application processing roles in the corporation will also be able to see the match *if someone applies*. Thus, the act of applying would act as your mode of information disclosure rather than the public/no public system.

The certificate system is best served in TRUE SANDBOX STYLE -- player made certificates!

A corporation can fill create some skill groupings and set them as a 'certificate'. If someone clicks on a linked certificate made by that corp, they will immediately see which ones they 'match'. Anyone with application processing roles in the corporation will also be able to see the match *if someone applies*. Thus, the act of applying would act as your mode of information disclosure rather than the public/no public system.

There is one thing certificates can be used for. The captain's quarters "ME Wall" for showing your achievements to guests and visitors. Then again, who really still uses CQ? lol