Hello,
I would like to propose the creation of a new Epic Arc.
Epic Arc 8 would involve the Jove, the Deathless and the Drifters.
The storyline is to be fleshed out by someone else, someone not me. I am more interested in the mechanics of it, though the story would need to be decent.
This arc should be new player friendly, and should offer them the opportunity to visit several major areas of New Eden, through a combination of flight, and the use of a new object I would like to propose:
“Civilian Clone” (or name it whatever).
The Civilian Clone would allow a player, as part of a mission, to jump into a clone that they do not technically own - it is provided by the mission agent upon acceptance of the mission and cannot be destroyed/etc. This clone would not occupy a clone spot. The player would jump back to their original clone at the end of the mission or set thereof; if the player abandoned or failed the mission they would be automatically sucked back to their original clone (or a pop up offers them a choice, doesn’t matter, just any method to make them not able to just keep it).
The player should visit JSpace, Pochven and Thera, as well as the major trade hubs, and almost every activity should be sampled (not Pi or any of that nonsense though). Mining should, as should combat, distribution, manufacturing and scanning/hacking.
As well as the above, there should also be missions where the player must engage in PVP. The player can be given the option to decline such mission(s) without consequence, but should be encouraged with a compelling payout for such a mission. They should also have the option to quit/cancel the mission, again without loss of standings/progress in the arc, but obviously then without remuneration.
The player should be subject to at least one mission in which failure is inevitable, and being podded results in them completing this particular mission.
The idea behind this is to give new players a whistle stop tour of New Eden, of many of the things they can do in the sandbox, as well as the pitfalls that await, wrapped in a story arc to keep them engaged.
I would like to invite others to criticise/roast/contribute to this idea, maybe we can get something fleshed out here that at least goes towards squaring the perennial circle - how to increase player retention without attacking the core principles of the game.