STO needs to be easy to start playing [Archive]

Meehile

12-03-2008, 04:08 PM

RockyM

12-03-2008, 04:12 PM

smbrenn

12-03-2008, 04:40 PM

I also agree, wow was terrible easy to pick up and difficulty slowly increased as well as depth, i know many people are sick of it but it was a very good design. I tried the trail as well and i thought the game as a whole was terribly boring. they only interesting parts were traveling from star gate to star gate... combat was slow and painful. Star trek online must be easy to start but also interesting. In wow the you never really feel an importance to complete a quest. perhaps if star trek made it feel like you were making a difference not just getting a reward would help. Im off topic i know sorry. Basically let the game build on itself.

KL0k

12-03-2008, 04:50 PM

perhaps if star trek made it feel like you were making a difference not just getting a reward would help. Im off topic i know sorry. Basically let the game build on itself.

not really off topic, and to be honest, thats the main reason why i quat most mmos i played. the world felt so frecken static, that i thought "okay... what the hell am i doing here, if it doesnt matter what i do".
and from my perspective, thats the epic-fault of all MMO's out there.

Untouchable

12-03-2008, 05:44 PM

yes, I agree 100%, nice as simple to start off, with fun stuff to do.

OrabIbo

12-03-2008, 06:06 PM

I don't want them to do away with the tutorials. I want them in the game and make them so they feel like part of the game. They will be skippable so you can get right back to the game, but they also need to be revisitable in case you want a refresher on some thing you may have missed on if you chose to skip them. They should be browsable like chapters in a book.

I'd like tutorials being incorporated to be made ot look like classes you can take at Starfleet Academy. And even a seasoned Captain can take these classes for refreshers. I'd like to seem the expand upon just the basic stuff by including later, maybe after launch sometime. More advanced features like crowd control, managing hate, explaination of diplomacy etc...

And yes those terms are MMO genre specific terms, but they can color them up to make them feel like Star trek. like How to keep the enemy focused on you to protect escourts, or managing multiple targets at once. Or maybe a tutorial on Fleet tactics. And showing some best practices for certain ship classes or professions.

Your right the game needs to be easy for ppl to get into. But I'd also like the game to evolve into something more complex and strategic as you get more familiar with the game and gain skill. it may start out at first as point and shoot, but eventually evolve into targeting ship systems, and scanning for warp signatures, taking advantage of ship weaknesses or finding them and so on.

ExAstris

12-03-2008, 06:38 PM

wait wait wait... complexity in wow actually grew as you played?

I took it as they just didn't tell you anything about the game because if they did they would have spoiled the whole thing. I felt like there was no progression from level 10 to 52 (52 being where I quit). My character was determined by my gear and a completely automated leveling system with only a talent tree as saving grace.

The best you could do for wow was data mine the numbers to see what talent tree and what gear you wanted to do so you knew exactly what was happening. There just wasn't anything left to explore in the game after that, no new mechanics, no new configurations, just more gear to get. It was too simple.

While I agree EVE's learning curve can kick you in the teeth, it only does so if you ignore the tutorials and never ask questions. In every other game I've ever played the tutorials approach worthless and wasteful, which is why most people probably just skip EVE's, and thats a shame because you have to go through the tutorial in that game to know what is going on. Yes, it will take you at least a few hours, but once the initial weight of its scale finally settles in, EVE offers far more mechanics and character opportunities that take years to flesh out. I just now feel like I've experienced most of the game and have been playing for 2 years (8 times longer than I played WoW).

WoW is not a bad game, it really isn't. But its just way to simple to appeal to me for long periods of time, I need complex and diverse mechanics driving the game in various ways to stay interested.

Now, the self-inflicted problem.
I enjoy intricate mechanics and vast modifiability and character control. How many people want things like radial velocity, transverse velocity, signature radius, and range+falloff values to consider when mounting a gun on their ship? The average gamer's response is of course... "What the hell is transverse velocity?" and summarily uninstalls the game.

I understand that what I want is not what the majority of people want (know however, that I am not argueing for a bad UI or anything, I just like some meat on my bones), but it doesn't change the fact that some people do not want WoW's approach, even if it is the most likely and most widely accepted one.

edit - for humor value nonetheless, this is a timeless joke, even within the EVE community
http://www.eve-pirate.com/uploads/LearningCurve.jpg

Trekkie

12-03-2008, 07:03 PM

RockyM

12-03-2008, 07:05 PM

Deffinitly not going to be easy to balance it for everyone, specially in todays day and age when MMO's are fully ripped into by people with high expectations.

Captain_Intrepid

12-03-2008, 09:12 PM

I hope the tutorial part of game will deal with the characters being a part of either Star Fleet Accademy or the equivalent for the Klingons (depending, of course, on the character's faction). Explainations of how to handle the ships, tactics for personal combat, etc. Through the tutorial, the character advances to the point of being able to get their first command.

PyscoJuggalo

12-03-2008, 11:04 PM

The tutorial should be optional. The most lame thing about Newer MMORPGs is that they force you to play an annoying tutorial and you can not start exploring until you complete the boring thing.

I could not get into AOC solely because I just wanted to vomit while playing the tutorial, AOC's forced tutorial made me not buy the game.

(Just a customer opinion like anyone else's and evidence that a forced tutorial can cost a company money).

Roguee

12-03-2008, 11:59 PM

I, for one, hope the tutorials take more than 2 brain cells to figure out. Remember, these "people" learn Astrophysics in GRADE school. If the tutorials are "dumbed down" then that means the game is "dumbed down". You don't value anything that you don't try to achieve and I'd rather earn my stuff than have it handed to me, even in a game. Plus, if the tutorials are 'hard" (different people define that in different ways of course), hopefully all the leet-speaking, egomanical PvP twerps won't pick up the game and irritate the p iss out of those of us who actually want to PLAY the game for the games sake.

Urantia

12-04-2008, 02:53 AM

I am in the camp of those that desire a rich, robust, and complex game. If I want something a person with a 90 IQ can enjoy then I will purchase a Wii. Due to many mentioning EvE on these boards I decided to give it a trial and have to say I like its level of complexity.

However, EvE falls in the way too much back and forth I am against...also it seems in EvE you cannot truly explore [or at least 1 day in I have not figured out yet (yes I am one of those that have not asked anyone anything yet) how], but instead can only move in directed paths via targets. In other words, you cannot seem to just point your ship in any direction you like and engage.

I want true exploration...I want (like most here I am sure) to be able to point my ship (hopefully in any <x, y, z> direction) and engage my engines or warp drive. If I am only able to click on something and move toward it I will not be playing this game...and why I will not be purchasing EvE after the trial ends. As for a tutorial I vote it be allowed to be skipped...but also that maybe it offers a unique item to encourage players to go through it.

Father_Origin

12-04-2008, 03:24 AM

it should be like chess............chess is really easy to learn, you have 6 types of pieces,
each moves fairly simply, learn about castling and pawn promotion...get thier king before
they get yours......easy

now if you want to get good at it.............years of practice

to master it, a lifelime.

Same deal, make the game easy enuff to learn....hard to master

Freejack

12-04-2008, 03:27 AM

If you had problems 'locking on' to a target in EVE then I think you need more experience with different online gaming UI s. The only problems I found in my 14-day free trial was the redundancy of the content and the immaturity of the chat. :rolleyes:

Tranchera

12-04-2008, 03:29 AM

it should be like chess.
I know you don't mean literally "like chess", but no one is going to pay a monthly subscription fee to play chess.

Father_Origin

12-04-2008, 03:32 AM

I know you don't mean literally "like chess", but no one is going to pay a monthly subscription fee to play chess.

lol, it is a mediphor

Freejack

12-04-2008, 03:36 AM

I know you don't mean literally "like chess", but no one is going to pay a monthly subscription fee to play chess.

Pogo.com (WWW.pogo.com) :cool:

Tranchera

12-04-2008, 03:38 AM

lol, it is a mediphor
I'm surprised you didn't use an F.

boz75

12-04-2008, 03:55 AM

Agree with posters above whereby the game should be easy to get into but difficult to master. I am hoping for a Star Trek game with enough depth to keep me entertained.... well till the end lol!

Freejack

12-04-2008, 04:02 AM

Star Trek Online: Tutorial: Opening Scene:

"Welcome to Risa, Captain. The ladies will join you in the hot-tub momentarily." :cool:

Lizzio

12-04-2008, 06:03 AM

Like they told people before they are going to make it easy ''THE WHOLE GAME''
they told this in the first video of there introduction
So childeren can even play it...

Livingforspace

12-04-2008, 06:38 AM

Ok, so I decided to try Eve online for a 14 day free trial, and I was very disappointed. The game cannot just be started and played. Instead you either have to go through extremely boring tutorials, or try and get started by feel.

Yeah, I got quickly frustrated just trying to shoot an autmated ship, but no matter what I did my ship would only fire in one direction towards an asteroid. I tried locking on the enemy ship and still my blasters keep shooting at the rock. Worse still is I could not figure out how to turn off my blasters.

Star Trek Online needs to avoid this mess. Make sure the game is at least playable right off the bat with intuitive controls. I don't want the first couple of hours of play to be tutorials. I want to jump in and get started exploring. I don't want to feel like I have to avoid combat because figuring out how to get my blasters to just shoot at the target I have locked is too cumbersome.

Warcraft, AoC, Warhammer, say what you will about the various merits and flaws of each, but they all were easy to pick up and play without needing tutorials, STO needs to strive for this too.

Actually I like it when a game is complicated and not that you learn everything in 1 or 2 days, cause if you do then everything gets to easy and when it's to easy it's usually boring.
P.S. Tutorials in EVE online aren't boring and the game is great.

Loekii

12-04-2008, 06:46 AM

I think the best games are the ones that are easy to learn but difficult to fully master. Luckily, it seems like the developers are trying to make the game as accessible as possible, so I think that at least the early stages of the game will be relatively easy for players to grasp. I just hope that things aren't too simple because then players would probably tire of the gam easily.

I definitely agree, especially about not making STO TOO easy. I think Trekkies are going to want a more challinging game, than say WoW players that want an easy game (ie Trekkies = Myst Puzzle types, rather than Chuckecheeses Wack-a-mole for a prize).

I would like to see STO basically start easy, and scale up to difficult as you rank up.

Level 1 = WoW ---------------Mid Game = EQ ---------- End Game = EvE.

Difficulty should increase in tandem with the players' comprehension/skill of the game. Beginning levels you are just getting familiar with the game and how it works. By mid-game, you have an understand of that stuff, and are able to accept more challenges. By the end of the game, you should have basically mastered the game, and as such should be ready for some serious challenge.

LawLessOne

12-04-2008, 10:10 AM

I remember my first few hours of EVE were a nightmare. I was invited into a corporation right away and told I had to go to a different system to apply. After two hours I finially found the system. To this day I dont know what I did wrong because the system was only two jumps away.

I would hope that STO is a little easier to start than that. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy EVE now that I have mastered the learning curve but I can understand why people would quit after a couple of weeks.

levithan

12-04-2008, 10:26 AM

I personally prefer a more complex game structure but maybe not as complex as EVE, But still if it has some complexity i think it would increase rather than decrease audience dont over simplify but yet dont go to far the other way a nice balance in the middle would be nice. For example not a 3 hour tutorial on how to move but yet not being able to pick up and play as that makes the chances of a idiot running around spamming " were r i kthx bai please gimme 20g now or i r kill ya" thats the daily routine of a level 70 rper going to a low level area for rp reasons on a rp server so please dont make it so it makes it easy to be a noob basically. thats what im saying.

Rgoodfel

12-04-2008, 11:00 AM

I definitely agree, especially about not making STO TOO easy. I think Trekkies are going to want a more challinging game, than say WoW players that want an easy game (ie Trekkies = Myst Puzzle types, rather than Chuckecheeses Wack-a-mole for a prize).

I would like to see STO basically start easy, and scale up to difficult as you rank up.

Level 1 = WoW ---------------Mid Game = EQ ---------- End Game = EvE.

Difficulty should increase in tandem with the players' comprehension/skill of the game. Beginning levels you are just getting familiar with the game and how it works. By mid-game, you have an understand of that stuff, and are able to accept more challenges. By the end of the game, you should have basically mastered the game, and as such should be ready for some serious challenge.

I could not agree more with this poster's oppion. I think it would be wonderful if they could get a mmo that had this type of scaled complexity. The reason I don't play WoW anymore I find it boring. I have keeped playing Eve for 2 years because it is complex and keep holding my attention.

Hagon

12-04-2008, 11:19 AM

In my opinion, the best system would be one that slowly offers instruction, hints/tips, etc, on a sort of intuitive basis. By that I mean as you start going through the game it knows when you're about to do something for the first time, and then through a non-intrusive method (or as much so as possible) offers the tutorial up for you to learn from if you wish.

Sarevok

12-04-2008, 11:54 AM

wow... actually a topic I want to reply to...

I've played the EVE online trail and while it took me a while to figure out how everything works, (yes I did the tutorial... but EVE's tutorial should have it's own tutorial) I was eventually able to do just about everything I wanted to do. But then I found out there wasn't really any lines of quests to follow, just some random ones... so I quit playing.

I also played the WoW trail, which I kinda liked, but I wasn't really able to do much after the newbie area, since, when I entered a city, taking one step took about 10 seconds. (my comp was never meant to render 50 characters at once, I need a new one before STO comes out)

The tutorial I liked best was the one from Guild Wars, especially GW: Prophecies: it also has the best looking landscape of the entire game. In GW, the one quests you HAVE to take in the newbie phase is the first storyline quest and one to gain your second profession. It's also advisable to do the other quests from your trainers to pick up some more starting skills. Any other quests are purely optional (but I always do them anyway, I LOVE the Pre-Sear area :D )

I'd like something in STO that's like GW's tutorial: some basic training and the rest is optional.

Pacew

12-04-2008, 11:55 AM

if a game is to comlicated in the begging some ppl might lose interest in the game all together

KL0k

12-04-2008, 01:00 PM

this game will be pretty easy in the beginning. look at their other games.

redsox7897

12-04-2008, 04:33 PM

What I really, really want, and the reason I didn't like EVE as much, is the ability to walk around on your ship.

Loekii

12-04-2008, 04:43 PM

this game will be pretty easy in the beginning. look at their other games.

I am more in fear of the game being 'too easy'.

It should not be like mastering 'WoW' -- where you can do it on 'auto-pilot', and not really need to consider tactics above button mashing.

Ideally, I would like to see the game be difficult enough that poor tactics results in failure, and good tactics win the day.

I am tired of the 'last place Participation' Trophy system we are seeing in more recent MMOs.

RockyM

12-04-2008, 04:47 PM

Yeah I agree, I don't want it to be as easy as WoW per say, or as hard as Eve :P

thefreshjedi

12-04-2008, 05:06 PM

I think your right on this, having a very high lurning curve will put many people off, and I beleive it in the same sence as story line driven.
Like me, if you your knowledge on Star Trek is very limited, I want to be able to (as much as possible) jump on into the game and not go "wtf is that thing?" :D

I believe the "lurning" curve of this post has seriously degraded since the first page, and perhaps I'm wrong in suggesting this, but an IQ test prior to being able to sign-on would be appropriate in my honest opinion.

-Avery

Samodelkin

12-04-2008, 05:09 PM

I think the right approach would be to keep the basics easy, but allow more advanced gameplay for those who are willing to climb the learning curve higher.

The basics would be:

User Interface - menus
Movement - walking
Communication and Interaction - talking to PCs and NPCs, throwing switches, replicating yourself a sandwich
Crafting - making standard stuff
Ground Combat - hand to hand, with a simple melee weapon, and with a phaser
Navigation - flying through the stars
Ship Interaction - hailing, negotiating to not get blown up, ending communication abruptly
Ship Combat - raising shields, opening fire

The advanced features would be things that are not completely necessary, but the game would be just average and nothing-special without them:
Advanced User Interface - macros, accessibility automation
Advanced Movement - sneaking, climbing, falling, shoulder roll, etc.
Advanced Communications - giving complex, scripted orders to NPCs; interrogating, crew morale
Advanced Interaction - hacking machines, booby-trapping doors, healing others, etc.
Advanced Crafting - boldly making what no one has made before
Advanced Ground Combat - special hand-to-hand techniques, swordplay, sharp-shooting, using special weapons
Advanced Navigation - flying around stars instead of flying through them, advanced navigational maneuvers
Advanced Ship Interaction - advanced ship customization, saucer separation, power re-routing
Advanced Ship Combat - targeting critical sub-systems, advanced tactical maneuvers

This way, the casual player can pick up the game right away and go blasting aliens, while someone who wants to go deeper into the game would have the option to gain additional immersion and gameplay advantages by taking advanced tutorials at the academy.

Of course, it also (too often) goes without saying that it's better to show something to the player, than to tell: nobody wants to read stuff to be able to play, but anyone can learn to do something from cut scenes and short video clips. Unfortunately, in typical MMOs, developers are too lazy to draw everything, and force players to read.

RockyM

12-04-2008, 05:21 PM

I believe the "lurning" curve of this post has seriously degraded since the first page, and perhaps I'm wrong in suggesting this, but an IQ test prior to being able to sign-on would be appropriate in my honest opinion.

-Avery

Yeah if you've ever seen a drafters template & keyboard you'll understand all thu (the) crappy language :(

thefreshjedi

12-04-2008, 05:26 PM

Yeah if you've ever seen a drafters template & keyboard you'll understand all thu (the) crappy language :(

Sorry Rocky, I just couldn't resist :p.

I blame it on the position of the moon tonight.

But seriously, I would like to see a challenge at the beginning, I will feel pretty defeated if I just login for the first time and I am handed a ship.

It's the digital equivalent of "Oh here you go, thanks for coming! Now here is your little party hat!".

~yea, whoopee... /yawn

-Avery

Varrangian

12-04-2008, 05:30 PM

I think some people are confusing "difficult" for fun. Just because something is hard to do does not make it fun. Just because something is easy to learn and accomplish does not make it "boring" (I loath that word).

Easy or simple do not preclude fun, nor do they denote a lack of depth.

Indeed I imagine if as has been said we start with a runabout sized ship than the point is to build on the "complexities" of the game. Nuance is a good goal for a game that is aiming to be accessible. One might quickly pick up the basics of the game, but the depth should be about nuance and intuition.

RockyM

12-04-2008, 05:40 PM

Sorry Rocky, I just couldn't resist :p.

I blame it on the position of the moon tonight.

But seriously, I would like to see a challenge at the beginning, I will feel pretty defeated if I just login for the first time and I am handed a ship.

It's the digital equivalent of "Oh here you go, thanks for coming! Now here is your little party hat!".

~yea, whoopee... /yawn

-Avery

Damn that moon and those pole dancing ladies !!
No but honestly I'm with you on that one, although I'm not the best at MMO's, I would like it to make me think, and not just having it all layed out for me.

callsign11b

12-04-2008, 06:01 PM

the dev. have hinted at a turtorial to get you to understand the basics.
in doing these you have command of a small ship.
after those lessons ( the building blocks) you have the skills to command a larger ship and upgrade to it as soon as you have points or what ever system to get one.
as for it being to hard or easy I think your losing sight as long as you play and gain skills in any mmo you are still learning how to best use those skills and or equipment. in a turtorial they take you by the hand to get everyone started at the same level.
to me learning the basics at first is a sound idea.
who wants to get your but kicked or your unable to help out another team mate because you didn't want to take the time or have the patients to do it.
and just plan on getting by on button smashing.
I can't see how this mmo can be any different in complexity tha say swg , wow, eve or city of herios.
every new game will have a learning curve can't see it being a star trek theme would make it any better or worse to learn than any other new game that comes out. it will be just different.

KL0k

12-04-2008, 06:34 PM

Loekii

12-04-2008, 06:40 PM

a usual learning curve is okay for me, but the game needs a big portion of atmosphere and a better system for quests that the world doesnt feel so static, like 99% of the MMOs out there. rewarding the whole faction for exploration and contacts to keep everyone on the 'trek'.

(we just dont need another eve or another "lets form a guild and attack everyone for no reason - we ownzerzzzzz - gimme de loooooot")

I agree that the UI needs to be user friendly, and the basics need to not be cumberson, like Eve.

However, making them too easy, can take away the challenge and the enjoyment of the game. It is like putting inflatable barriers on the soccer field, so you never have to worry about kicking the ball out of bounds.

SnuffleKitty

12-04-2008, 06:54 PM

Well, honestly, I expect that STO will be a little harder to pick up for the first time. But I also expect that there will be a helpful intuitive tutorial system in place to teach newbies the basics before they are cast out into the gameworld.

Yes, WOW is extremely easy to pick up. You start out with a few abilities, and as you put time into your character, more abilities are given to you. This really should give you ample time to learn how to play your class (That goes many times over for you idiots who have reached 70 and STILL cannot seem to grasp your ROLE in the GROUP).

The thing is, I have no idea what sort of "classes" we are going to see in STO. Furthermore, what sort of group dynamic are we going to see in the space-based portion of the game? Will different ships have different roles?

Eve has an interesting dynamic, in that many smaller ships can kill a much larger ship (Not really present in WOW). Unfortunately, Eve has an insane learning curve, which makes it almost impossible for your average person to pick up and play.

As I've said time and time again: all we can do is wait and see.

-Snuffles

Varrangian

12-04-2008, 07:01 PM

Will different ships have different roles?

The short answer is yes.

Longer answer

Roles:

Feds - Escorts, Science and Exploration/Cruiser
Klingons - Raiders, Carriers and Cruiser

What specifically these roles will be is a little less clear, but yes ships will have roles.

callsign11b

12-04-2008, 07:19 PM

its been said in dev. updates that a group of small ships can destroy a large ship.
so group play and tactics will be very important to achive this.
I would like some real depth to the game. and do not mind a learning curve tutorial to get me up todate for game play.
but that being said don't want to spend a week in tutorials to learn it either.

OrabIbo

12-05-2008, 05:02 PM

This way, the casual player can pick up the game right away and go blasting aliens, while someone who wants to go deeper into the game would have the option to gain additional immersion and gameplay advantages by taking advanced tutorials at the academy.

Of course, it also (too often) goes without saying that it's better to show something to the player, than to tell: nobody wants to read stuff to be able to play, but anyone can learn to do something from cut scenes and short video clips. Unfortunately, in typical MMOs, developers are too lazy to draw everything, and force players to read.

I like the thoughts in your list here.

On the thought of the UI. I always imagined the UI actually progressing with the player as they learn and earn new skills.

Such as in the very beginning, there will be basic options of turning on shields, firing weapons, power management. Your UI will have single buttons and sliders representing adjustments in these areas. Let's take weapons for instance.

At first you will only be able to fire your weapons, then, as you level/skill up, you can adjust their power rating and rate of fire. Level/skill up some more maybe specifically in weapons, you can adust the frequency to certain shields. Or learn tactics like Random phaser fire, firing 2 phasers at 2 targets at once. Firing in bursts... etc These other options will be available in advanced tabs, You still have the basic controls, but there will be pop up windows and gauges to monitor more advance features of the ship depending on your skill in operating that section of the ships equipment.

The same applies to Shields, at first you just put up shields. then you can adjust Dorsal, Ventral, Starboard, Aft, Bow, and port. then Over power sections of the shield for certain periods of time for extra protection. Adjust their frequency to protect better from frequency adjusted weapons... etc

Movment from helm at first is forward, left,right up/down. Then you apply more power to impulse to move faster for short distances, boost if you will. Maneuver turns quickly for emergency maneuvers. Thing about emergency manuvers may keep a photon torpedo from hitting you, but such sharp jolts can put your hull under stress and damage it. Adding to your list of things to fix in damage control.

So as you can see, when you advance so does the strategy and skill it takes to play. A player that does not wish to use the advanced features does not have to use them. But they also shouldn't expect to be much of a match for someone that does.

michellejones

12-05-2008, 07:13 PM

I love the acadmey at Lotus fleet.

Anger

12-06-2008, 05:51 AM

Tread lightly when asking for "easy to pick up" games. I mean I do agree that the game should be somewhat pick up and play, but I honestly don't mind a 10 minute tutorial to get you started. EVE's tutorial was definitely a pain in the neck, I hated it.

The Tutorial could be much longer too. It would be nice if the Tutorial was just there as you progressed in the game. Whenever new game mechanics became available they could give you a training course on it.

In fact I would really love it if the Tutorial turned into your first mission when you're attacked by some pirates or something. As you chase down the pirates the mission then introduces you to some fleetmates which could be other players to start learning how to work as a team right off the bat. After chasing the ship down to a remote planet you could then organize an away mission with your party mates and finish off the pirates on the planet.

Of course the mission should be different for each faction. I highly doubt the Federation would beam down on a planet to finish off any survivors that escaped destruction in space. But a nice tutorial that sets you off on your first series of missions would be really cool.

As new weapons systems or ship systems are introduced to your vessel you could learn about these new refits in a "Shakedown cruise" that familiarizes you with the workings of your new toys.

lrdnova

12-11-2008, 12:41 PM

I love the acadmey at Lotus fleet.

Cadet Jones,

Thank you for you efforts in discussing Lotus Fleet, however this thread is titled, "STO needs to be easy to start playing"

Please try to stay on topic and not disrupt discussions, in addition this can be considered spamming and does not represent the fleet well..

Those of you who are in this thread, I apologize for the interruption.

smbrenn

12-12-2008, 09:03 AM

Does anyone think there should be an in game tutorial or do they go wow style? i havnt thought enough on it myself so im asking

Krakkken

12-12-2008, 09:07 AM

Ok, so I decided to try Eve online for a 14 day free trial, and I was very disappointed. The game cannot just be started and played. Instead you either have to go through extremely boring tutorials, or try and get started by feel.

Yeah, I got quickly frustrated just trying to shoot an autmated ship, but no matter what I did my ship would only fire in one direction towards an asteroid. I tried locking on the enemy ship and still my blasters keep shooting at the rock. Worse still is I could not figure out how to turn off my blasters.

Star Trek Online needs to avoid this mess. Make sure the game is at least playable right off the bat with intuitive controls. I don't want the first couple of hours of play to be tutorials. I want to jump in and get started exploring. I don't want to feel like I have to avoid combat because figuring out how to get my blasters to just shoot at the target I have locked is too cumbersome.

Warcraft, AoC, Warhammer, say what you will about the various merits and flaws of each, but they all were easy to pick up and play without needing tutorials, STO needs to strive for this too.

Just some armchair Deving here...I would love to see a type of "Star Fleet Academy" feature or option to help in the learning curve. An option in the very beginning to be a graduate of their school that might give you a reward for taking the time to get on your feet and get past any sharp game learning curves. A nice reward might be a "luck" bonus on finding items or crafting that others wouldnt have who just took off to the stars instead of getting their legit captains ranks.