Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Hi.
I'd like to propose a change that I think would be very good for EVE and attract a lot of new players.

Give new accounts free SP.
One of the most common reasons newbies give up on EVE is that they see it will take 60+ days to fly an effective cruiser, and ragequit.
The problem only gets worse when you consider higher level ships, or training other races' skills.
Many prestigious corporations in EVE will require you to have a full T2 fit battleship, HAC, or even capital ship before they consider your application.

Add support skills into the mix (as a new player your drones do 20% less damage for example) and you have a really discouraging formula.

This IMO, as time goes by, will be EVE's biggest problem. New player retention.

And before you say it's the fault of the community, and that they don't support newbs— it simply isn't true.
Newbs are looked after very well by corporations like E-UNI and BNI.
The help channels actively answer new players' questions, usually in a quick and helpful fashion.

Before you object— this would not cause imbalance.
Having a bunch more t2 fit tier one cruisers in the game would make hardly any difference at all to the strategic landscape.
New players would still be hundreds of days away from the heavy hitting ships like Dreadnoughts and Carriers.
I'm not suggesting the training time for the top level stuff be reduced— having more titan pilots in EVE would not be a good thing.

I'm suggesting that new players should start the game with the skills to fully t2 fit a frigate and cruiser of their choice.
This would have minimal repercussions for veterans, and encourage a ton of new people to subscribe to the game.

Yeah, but plenty also quit.

Then they aren't worthy.

The problem is it just bumps the problem down the road to the next hurdle. Sure, if we went with your idea, newbies can dodge frigates (which is a bad idea imo) and fly cruisers straight out the box, but then they are only looking at battlecruisers with the same envious eyes, then battleships, then capitals. If a player can't tolerate the structure of EvE, and resents the slow progression system, it wont matter how far down the road we start them off, all they will see is the road stretched ahead.

And besides, as Jack says above, the biggest rush and feeling of accomplishment in the early game is getting in to that next ship. My first Battlecruiser, my first (properly skilled, we wont talk about the true first) Battleship, my first Stealth Bomber, my first HAC, finally getting my Dreadnaught - these were defining moments. Thats something you don't want to rush, because it quickly becomes "one percent this, one percent that, oh I suppose I might as well pick up that T2 weapon system I don't need right now, perhaps another race of T2 cruisers just in case".

Then why do you talk like an entitled clueless noob?

No, really, I hate to contribute to the toxicity of the forums, but this is how I see it.

If a new player quits because he can't fly a Dominix during his first day we probably don't want him around anyway.

I'm guessing you weren't around for the learning skills?

So let's say you instantly can be maxed a frigs from day one, now the play field is leveled for what, 6 months? a year? Then all those will be roaming in BC/BS doing havoc, would we need to up so that a one day pilot instantly can be maxed in a cruiser?

I think pilots become way better and more of a solid investment if they train into things rather than give them it from the start.

I think the retention of players is stronger with the slow process, but I don't have the numbers to claim it as a fact.

/c

I am sorry if i hurt your bitterness, you were a pretty convincing noob looking player.
If you care about the EVE future, take your time with new players, teach them to eve.

Or post with his main.

yes ofc, and while they do that, they can make everyone a warlord!