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[Malleus011]

Dusting off my cynicism to post some possible improvements to MWO.

New players have it really rough in this game. These are some suggestions to try and help 'em out:

Upon login, the new player should be given access to all the Trial Mechs (in their own, Trial mech tab, PLEASE!). They shouldn’t be able to purchase a Battlemech of their own until they complete the Tutorial Videos outlined below.

We need a minimum of four interactive Tutorials. Completing all Tutorials should be a prerequisite for completion of the ‘Cadet Bonus’ missions.

Movement - Covers how to control your ‘mech. Might need to be updated with Jump Jet falling.

Firing – covers the use of all weapon groups, including chain fire, group fire, missile locks, streaks, minimum ranges, and maximum ranges. Also interacts with ECM, BAP, TAG, Artemis and NARC, showing how these systems work and how to cope with them.

Mech Customization – How to use the Mech Lab. An interactive tutorial that gives the player a free ‘mech (like a Locust) and walks them through customization – adding DHS, Endo, Ferro, changing weapons, hardpoints, etc. All customizations cost the player nothing on this ‘test mech’.

Bonus: After this tutorial, new players can customize ANY mech and drive it in the testing grounds at no cost. Let them play around. (I’d even let them paint it and pattern it for free). Once the cadet bonus period ends, they lose this access.

Managing your Mechs – This tutorial walks you selling the unused parts of your Locust and finally selling the Locust (as part of your cadet bonus). Upon completion of this tutorial, IMHO, the player should receive a free Champion Mech (I’d give them the Medium of their choice) that they now own.

Bonus: Gift them three days of Premium for actually watching and completing the objectives in all four tutorials.

Double Bonus: Give them a single ‘mastery’ token that masters out ONE mech. Allow them to purchase others with MC. (This can be expensive)

Every drop should begin with an audible mission briefing, perhaps during the load-in screen. Veteran players should be able to toggle this off.

Joining a faction should unlock 1-3 colors of that faction’s paint and maybe one pattern. You don’t own them and will lose them if you change factions. Let new players play with the paint system; it’ll sell more patterns and paint if you do. On that note, the ‘one shot pattern’ language is confusing; please make it more clear.

Allow ‘mechs to be driven in the testing grounds BEFORE paying for changes. This would REALLY help new guys.

As an aside to New Player experience – give other players the ability to buy an MC consumable that gives everyone else on their team an XP and/or C-Bill boost. Players with their Cadet Bonus active gain even more benefit.

[TygerLily]

Great ideas!

I'd forgo the Locust for something more hearty. In Planetside 2, they offer people a little pop-up box where they select if they like playing "support," or "driving tanks," or "sniping," etc. Then further questions them about if they like "versatility" or "high damage," etc. At the end it gifts them one weapon (normally only available for Station Cash [ie MC]) in their selected role. Maybe something similar to gift either a Light, a brawly Medium, or a snipy Medium.

Lots of other great ideas in there! Another thing that might be cool (also drawn from my love affair with PS2) is maybe if your lance has anyone in it who is earning their cadet bonus then maybe there is a 15% increase on your final winnings (although, people could game this to farm cbils I suppose).