Forums » Suggestions
More/better tutorial missions
I think the devs have a great game on their hands, and it's only going to get better from here. One thing I am concerned with is "newb retention." Some people have no problems getting the hang of this game, others are just hopelessly lost. I've been spending most of my time in game answering questions and showing noobs around, but I'm only one player.
The tutorial mission(s) could be a lot more than they are right now, and this is important because as cool as this game is it can be a little overwhelming at first, and it asks a lot of the player to become immersed in it rather than "sucking you in" right from the start. It pains me to think that some newbs may quit before even seeing all the cool features that Vendetta has; like the hive queens, ion storms, cargo capture wars, group missions etc.
What I would really like to see is a series of introductory tutorial missions that gradually makes the player more comfortable and familiar with the Vendetta universe instead of being dropped in the water and told to swim. As much of these missions as possible should be action based, rather than reading text from the mission computer. Perhaps one tutorial mission could be devoted to rescuing a lost NPC from an ion storm. Another tutorial could be to meet up with a wisened trader who groups with the player and travels with them to an adjacent system, thereby showing the player both how to group and how to travel by wormholes. Another tutorial mission could be to join a hunt for one of the hive queens that roam the empty sectors, not to destroy it but just to observe its behavior. Even more advanced tutorial missions could involve the cargo convoy wars; escorting a convoy to safety.
Some of these tutorial missions are fairly advanced, but it could be sequenced such that the player is gradually inducted into the world of Vendetta and each of its features. I can imagine a new player finishing the current tutorial mission and then thinking "well, *now* what do I do?." There should be a whole string of missions for lower level players to get them involved with the game, each mission leading to the next.
The tutorial mission(s) could be a lot more than they are right now, and this is important because as cool as this game is it can be a little overwhelming at first, and it asks a lot of the player to become immersed in it rather than "sucking you in" right from the start. It pains me to think that some newbs may quit before even seeing all the cool features that Vendetta has; like the hive queens, ion storms, cargo capture wars, group missions etc.
What I would really like to see is a series of introductory tutorial missions that gradually makes the player more comfortable and familiar with the Vendetta universe instead of being dropped in the water and told to swim. As much of these missions as possible should be action based, rather than reading text from the mission computer. Perhaps one tutorial mission could be devoted to rescuing a lost NPC from an ion storm. Another tutorial could be to meet up with a wisened trader who groups with the player and travels with them to an adjacent system, thereby showing the player both how to group and how to travel by wormholes. Another tutorial mission could be to join a hunt for one of the hive queens that roam the empty sectors, not to destroy it but just to observe its behavior. Even more advanced tutorial missions could involve the cargo convoy wars; escorting a convoy to safety.
Some of these tutorial missions are fairly advanced, but it could be sequenced such that the player is gradually inducted into the world of Vendetta and each of its features. I can imagine a new player finishing the current tutorial mission and then thinking "well, *now* what do I do?." There should be a whole string of missions for lower level players to get them involved with the game, each mission leading to the next.
A really excellent suggestion Phaserlight.
/givemelon "Phaserlight" 1
/givemelon "Phaserlight" 1
More possible subjects for tutorial missions:
*Channels, including /join and /leave. This is covered briefly in the current tutorial, but perhaps a bot could give a tour of all the most common channels, like 100, 201, 202, 8, 9, 10, and the foreign languge channels 700, 800, 900, 1000. It could also go over commands like /vote mute and /ignore.
*Dueling. A bot could be warped in that the player would have to challenge to a duel. This mission could also explain further about the no fire zone surrounding stations.
*Aliasing. This is one feature that players can take and run with if they know how to use it. Perhaps there could be a tutorial mission that showed the player how to write a simple alias for toggling autoaim on and off.
*Channels, including /join and /leave. This is covered briefly in the current tutorial, but perhaps a bot could give a tour of all the most common channels, like 100, 201, 202, 8, 9, 10, and the foreign languge channels 700, 800, 900, 1000. It could also go over commands like /vote mute and /ignore.
*Dueling. A bot could be warped in that the player would have to challenge to a duel. This mission could also explain further about the no fire zone surrounding stations.
*Aliasing. This is one feature that players can take and run with if they know how to use it. Perhaps there could be a tutorial mission that showed the player how to write a simple alias for toggling autoaim on and off.
Forgive me for bumping this, but I had a few more thoughts after trying out the updated tutorial.
The new tutorial is a small step in the right direction, the most noticeable change is that it suggests trying a basic combat mission when you are finished. I say this is a step in the right direction because it lends a little more continuity to a new player's experience in a very subtle way, but I still think the tutorial could be so much more, and I still think that the first few hours are the most critical in any game.
The tutorial is still mostly text-based, and it bombards the player with a lot of information all at once. A possible improvement to this (not sure how practical this would be) would be to have the tutorial voice-based, and have each of the station menu tabs flash and/or activated as they are discussed.
Also, I am convinced that there could be many, many more missions that sent the newbie player on different errands that touched on each of Vendetta's key features. Learning by doing is always best.
The new tutorial is a small step in the right direction, the most noticeable change is that it suggests trying a basic combat mission when you are finished. I say this is a step in the right direction because it lends a little more continuity to a new player's experience in a very subtle way, but I still think the tutorial could be so much more, and I still think that the first few hours are the most critical in any game.
The tutorial is still mostly text-based, and it bombards the player with a lot of information all at once. A possible improvement to this (not sure how practical this would be) would be to have the tutorial voice-based, and have each of the station menu tabs flash and/or activated as they are discussed.
Also, I am convinced that there could be many, many more missions that sent the newbie player on different errands that touched on each of Vendetta's key features. Learning by doing is always best.
Ideas for tutorial missions:
1) Scanner mission: The mission introduces the player to the "scanner" type missions (e.g. "find the CEO" and prospecting). It helps equip the scanner (yell at the player if they leave the station without the scanner equipped and in a weapon group), target a roid, and scan. Make them scan 5 roids and return to the station.
2) Mining mission: The mission introduces the player to mining. Same concept as the scanner mission (can the mission give the player a mining beam to eliminate the complexity of purchasing one?). Extract 5 crates and return to the station.
1) Scanner mission: The mission introduces the player to the "scanner" type missions (e.g. "find the CEO" and prospecting). It helps equip the scanner (yell at the player if they leave the station without the scanner equipped and in a weapon group), target a roid, and scan. Make them scan 5 roids and return to the station.
2) Mining mission: The mission introduces the player to mining. Same concept as the scanner mission (can the mission give the player a mining beam to eliminate the complexity of purchasing one?). Extract 5 crates and return to the station.
I like the idea of many of these missions the key is how to code them quickly so the guys can get them done and into the game.
I'd love to be able to decide the quickest way to implement a feature. Just tarball the code and send it to vendetta@klox.net and all future suggestions will be accompanied by implementation specs. and a time estimate.
Seriously, sorting features by difficulty and determining how they fits into the code design could probably keep someone busy full time. There's a disconnect between what the players dream up and how the coders have to implement it. And there's no way to fix that disconnect without releasing proprietary information on how the code is architected. The best we, the players, can do is suggest features that resemble existing features, under the assumption that the existing code can be quickly extended to support it.
Just rambling. Not trying to make a point. Way off topic.
Seriously, sorting features by difficulty and determining how they fits into the code design could probably keep someone busy full time. There's a disconnect between what the players dream up and how the coders have to implement it. And there's no way to fix that disconnect without releasing proprietary information on how the code is architected. The best we, the players, can do is suggest features that resemble existing features, under the assumption that the existing code can be quickly extended to support it.
Just rambling. Not trying to make a point. Way off topic.