Building Better Capsuleers

EVE Information Portal Announcements
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@CCP_Fleebix

Through observing what works best, we’ve learned that some Opportunities are more effective than others at helping players find their bearing in the vast world of EVE and will be building heavily on that knowledge as time goes on

I stated my thoughts on “Opportunities” somewhere in the NPE thread(s) I believe, but I want to reiterate. I don’t know if you guys were doing A/B testing with this feature, as I didn’t see it with all the characters I created on TQ and Sisi for the NPE, but when I tried it, it felt like I was suggested activities I absolutely did not need… and with no rewards attached for the time spent for that mindless activity.

Like: go mine X amount of ore Y. Not that I need a reward for that, but I don’t need a suggestion either. If I need ore or if I want to mine, I’ll go mine.

Or, reprocess X amount of mineral Y. Hmm, why would I do that if I don’t need it for something. Especially if I have low reprocess skills. I’d be better off selling the ore and buy the minerals. If I complete this so called opportunity, I’ll have to spend time mining and/or will cost me isk to buy the ore, and It’ll cost me isk to reprocess, I’ll waste minerals because of low skills, and I’ll be left with minerals I don’t need atm. And no rewards for this mindless opportunity.

Go do 1 or 2 security missions. Ok, fine, if this type of activity is my thing, sure. Getting isk, LP and standings. Yet, more like a “suggestion” than an “opportunity”.

So, to make sense of “Opportunities”, why not ask the player “what do you want to do?”. Offer a set of answer. Upon selection, propose a series of steps to accomplish the goal. For example, instead of offering to mindlessly reprocess some ore in the actual Opportunities, that system would suggest it as a possibility IF the player answer an option related to “manufacture an object” or about “mining”. If manufacture is selected, it would first suggest to acquire the blueprint of the object they would like to build and how/where they can acquire it. Step two could be something about researching for better ME/TE (Omega only I believe) if it is a BPO. Step tree would finally suggest to gatter the minerals, either from reprocessed ore they would mine or buy, or minerals they buy from the market. Etc. Educational and with a purpose.

Or, simpler, direct the player to one of the many existing tutorials around the topic selected by the player. You kinda already have that in the Help section of the Agency, but this would emphasize it to players who interacts with Opportunities.

64

We used to be able to wardec newbie traps and tell said newbies to find better corps, but then a decade of bad wardec changes happened.

Not saying changes weren’t needed but CCP made the wrong changes which then forced them to make more changes which exacerbated the problem.

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65

Oh yeah I’m well aware. I ran one of the alliances refuges came to after their corps were killed by the worst police ever implemented by corps

“Just don’t log in until it expires”

We ran years under constant war decs were on friendly terms with most of the groups. Had one year where we didn’t go a single week without a war dec.

Retention was high, activity was high, and there was always something to do.

War decs had issues but they weren’t the real problem.

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66

Hoping to see Skill Plan COMPACT layout, someday. “Less, is more:” once a player has a basic grasp of the concepts. The full screen version would be default for new players, while a compact version would collapse / fold away some UI elements with a button click.

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I just want to build and fly battleships hows that going by the way? Resources still scarce? Not logged in for a few month.

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I feel like my post was ganked.

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anyone who thinks it would be a good idea to have all of eve active in a single chat ch, let alone b4r needs to be ganked lol

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71

My Saturday morning coffee Wall of Text.

“Building Better Capsuleers”.

Quite the ambitious title, if not a resounding vision statement on a company presentation daring anyone to challenge or disagree with it. Since the challenge is up, some will answer it.

The NPE has been consuming tons of resources. It constitutes, in my opinion, a refurbished waiting area, like in any major attraction in an amusement park. For my submission here I’ll use the three words of the announcement.

  1. Building: What is built with the NPE is expectations, in the sense that an environment relatively rich in content is being presented to a new player. The reality of what lies behind the waiting area is a sandbox with creatable content. The PvE aspect, the first element most users in most MMO’s experience, although varied in its types, is either high maintenance (a constant need for additions) or repetitive or requires advanced characters. The PvP aspect in EvE relies heavily on understanding often intricate game mechanics - and lots of them. Once out of the waiting area, a very different look greets the new player.
  2. Better: Or worse ? Once new players are set on a path with particular expectations, and leave their gilded waiting area they end up in the sands with the rest of us, the ones who create content - interactions, situations, etc. There is no animated puppetry, no engulfing cinematics, only the raw reality of an unforgiving environment. Are the new players really better off ?
  3. Capsuleers: If a new player can deal with setbacks, is able and willing to study and absorb the first volume of an encyclopedia, has patience, is a social creature - or willing to pretend being one, or understands that the social fabric is the game’s equivalent to strength -, accepts being part of the content or even helps create it, then that person can probably be called a capsuleer. The question is if the NPE helps new players to become capsuleers. I’m afraid the answer is no.

My experience with the NPE is very limited. The “opportunities” that were presented to my 11 year old character on the test server were eyebrow raising, and based off some weird, happenstance metrics that really did not represent what I like doing in New Eden. I for one, above everything else, love the total, harsh freedom in EvE, the “carve your own way” aspect of the sandbox - regardless of how successful that may be. Handholding of any sort, especially via metrics/opportunities, creates more false expectations, or worse, sends people off in the wrong direction, prevents them from thinking for themselves, from being creative and resourceful - things I thought were key aspects of long term EvE players and necessary for truly enjoying a sandbox game.

The real purpose, of keeping new players hooked to the game via its many (monetization unrelated) aspects and instill a much needed rejuvenation of the player base, would be better served by dunking them into the social content i.e., interaction. That is where I believe the resources, imagination and ingenuity of our devs should be focused. And let’s not forget the documentation of the UI…

If ccp is right in its approach with the NPE then it should become visible in some other metrics, like the PCU, over time, right ? How much time for the result to be visible ?

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73

THIS !

Real problem is broken logic and mentality of CCP and the people they choose to listen and fallow …

Every country , corporation, organisation who cut their ties with logic , turn their back to science and proofs condemned to fail in this competetive age …

Also …

THIS !

While CCP constatly interfering and changing game on the direction of Bunnyland … Still they fail to see it is not working, and they dont listen people who explain “ Why it doesnt work ? And how to come over ?”

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CCP is doing an amazing job creating multifaceted content that concentrates people in space and blends PvE and PvP.

Pochven, the Minmatar and Crimson events, ESS, are just some examples. This game should be recruiting and training Capsuleers who are fearless immortals, not catering to people who quit when “CCP kills my playstyle.” Weakness will not be tolerated.

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When CCP moved Otela to Pochven we have to move out… do you know how many old Red Fed veteran login to with the intention to come back to game? Imagine what if I made call to arms… Those days I did not even do that…
SOO many Soo many returned pilot CCP lost… They all left when they find their assets in Pochven … Even under that conditions we have created more action and fun per hour in our new system… IT was us shining out on the map as red circle … Not Pochven …

those people DID not come back to game for the sake of DEV made content… They come back to game for Player made content… We pulled numbers back! CCP chased them away

CCP creating a WEAK generation at the moment… And weak generation will expect and demand more weaker game …
10 years ago We have less DEV made content … More organic player made content… More active players…

YEs They ABSOLUTELY doing a lot of work! Nobody can say they are sitting on their butt and make money without doing anything…

They work hard really hard… And that makes me even sadder… Because it is not in the right direction… And they will loos more! And this NPE will not save them .

Watch numbers…
blue.

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76

Funny that you mention weakness because CCP has been catering to weak, feeble and uninterested player types for years and it shows in their development quality and direction of developments. Both Pochven and the ESS remove content and shelter people from consequences and give them fair and even playing fields where they cannot be easily surprised and outplayed. Other examples are Abyssal space PVE and PVP, where CCP even went so far and implemented special rules prohibiting typical EVE behavior. And in some normal events, Stargate Trailblazer comes to mind, they employed the same special rules to shelter weak, feeble and uninterested players from typical EVE behavior that has made EVE a great game.

You talk about that CCP should not cater to the weak but all examples that you listed are catering to weak players that need handholding instead of doing things on their own. Good job.

REDNES

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77

Hilarious.

You have no idea what you’re talking about. Pochven is a burning mess of battleship brawls with no local and new players running around in Herons getting rich off the wreckage.

ESS means ratters have to actually fight for some of their money. And it’s easy to try to rob them even in a T1 cruiser.

I could go on and on, but some of you are just the kind of people who will never be happy. If you don’t like the game, quit, stop whining in the forum and trying to bring everyone down. And give me your stuff.

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Yes, you are right. Those are examples of some of good game making efforts, with lots of people for and against - so it’s balanced in the EvE sense.
No, you are wrong. Those examples have nothing to do with the New Player Experience and their retention rate, the subject of this thread.

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I have been very happy for years… And haven’t come here and written single stuff all those years…
I came here when the problem raise.

ESS is nice content. I have taken fleets there.

You are coming with individual examples.
Each application if you isolate them from their effect on ecosystem and player base and myriad of variables in that spaghetti universe they all have these specialities :

  1. They all result of CCP s work, effort and invested time.
  2. They all one way or another an innovative creative/ inspirational ideas.
  3. They all have some kind of concept and there will be always some people ready to consume it. .

You are missing the point here… Nobody can oppose those things…

We see how much they are trying and do their best…

I sincerely believe they do actually love what they are doing too…

But these at the moment … totally irrelevant with the subject we are talking about …
And they don’t provide any success in that dimension either

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:roll_eyes: 5 sighs.

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81

… when your first example is an area of space more than 90% of players never enter beyond killing 1 drone you may need to rethink your praise

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We’ll, you see, it is…

Oh, wait, you made that stat up.

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your right the actual number is even worse

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