Player Features and Ideas Discussion

There has been a lot of talk about new player retention. Just coming my own personal experience, and the experience of others I would certainly say there needs to be some improvement.

To me the problem is simple: how do you know what direction you would like to go as a player, if you don't know what the destination is?

The complexity of eve makes it such a fun game, however it is also it's fatal flaw. For example, In my experience I came straight out the gate training for stealth bombers. I invested the first couple of months into a ship I for one did not understand it's intended use or cost effectiveness. Thinking oh I'll have big ol missiles I'll be able sneak around and get a kill solo pvp. I didn't realize for the bigger ships I was more effective in a group and and for the small ships there are better cheaper ships to do the job.

But I didn't know this until the end of two months once I spent everything I got to get into my new shiny ship and explode. It was very discouraging to think I spent two months to get to where I was and to realize I was wrong. Granted there is a ton of information out there on the inter-webs but it's hard to know without experience.

So this brings me to my idea: VR Missions

Instead of creating systems with certain rules for new players or making areas invulnerable to protect them. Why not have some kind of VR mission that takes a player loads them on to a different server in a ship and gives them the experience of the ship they are trying to fly. Give them a mission with objectives that teaches the pilot the actual intended use of a ship. Make the objectives difficult so they can get graded and most importantly give people the chance to work through them so they might get a chance to fly a battleship or even a capital ship. I realize there is a test server but some players need a little bit more then that.

You could even put real audio of FC calling out commands or recreate epic battles in history past so players get a chance to be put in those situations. Since they are all VR and have no real reward (the chance to fly a different ship being the reward) there would be no real advantage gained or loss other then getting people excited about trying it in there own ship someday.

I think the missions would have to be very structured but with some difficulty design to teach the player about the ship.

I also think there should be a Kobayashi Maru test at the end. :)

Because it wouldn't simulate the use of the ship in any way, shape or form?