[GrimGriz]

I was kinda hoping they'd stick with level = choice not level = better thing. Ofcourse, I was hoping Jumpgate would be something special, and not a spaceship flying clone of every other MMO out there.

[alphabet]

You can always kill flux for exp. Like I said, I dont see how something like this would hurt the game.... quite the opposite. Its up to you if you want to do it or not. How can that be bad?

I hope ND doesn't listen to a majority of the current playerbase. Thats been ND's whole problem the whole time.

They should ignore this current playerbase and just make a kickass game. If they listen to some of the comments Ive heard here, Evolution will just go in the dumps like EP2.

[Twinky]

I can agree with alphy. I don't see how a story line driven "quest" can be bad. At the least I would call it less boring than the same missions over and over again with a faction mission here and there. These "quests" can even be exciting if you throw in triggered events like being ambushed, chase scenes, plot twists, ect.

I fail to see how Jumpgate is different from other MMOs other than its genre. 80% of Jumpgate, when I played, was pure pvp and the other 20% was to level and make money, no story no nothing, just fight or make mone; There was nothing else to do. What changes if we add in story driven missions versus the one off missions that did nothing but make a few credits and xp ?

[Radi]

I can understand the quest-based leveling. Problem is high-end content. Look at WoW. People are bored at higher levels. Nothing to do because they have done it all. Don't get me wrong, I like that type of leveling.

While Jumpgate is not the same, I can see same complains about it if you make the system like that.

I guess maybe a variaty of missions should be done. But not the majority with quest-based.

I like what they did with Auto Assault. Once in a while you were assigned a mission in an area that changes once you have complete the mission. that way it makes you feel that you have an impact on the game.

What about player-made missions? Squad based? Sky is the limit here.


There has to be a better way to do missions than what current MMO's have. Those missions are only better story wise cuz some of them are: "kill or mine x and return", delivery etc.

[TexMurphy]

Missions in a persistant world should affect the persistant world.

Quests suck imho because they do not affect the persistant world infact they make the world feel less persistant as they are mini games within a world. Everyone plays the exact same quest to get his character from A to B. Quests are great for single player games and for co-op mmpogs. But horrible for PvP/RvR mmpogs.

For a persistant world missions should be generated based on the state of the world. The mission result should affect the parameters in the persistant world that initiated the creation of the mission.

Combat example.

Solrain is holding a beacon in Quantar space.

Solrain missions are generated to defend that beacon for X hours. Mission fails if quant or oct take that beacon.

Quantar missions are generated to take back that beacon.

(lets not get into details of how would you distribute exp for mission participants and how does grouping work, we are talking concept atm)

Economy Example:

Shortage of Ore in a certain location or Ore depot. Missions are generated to deliver Ore to that location.

Surplus of a commodity at location X and shortage at consumer location Y. Missions are generated to move commodity from X to Y.

This is an example where missions are generated based on the persistant world and they alter that world.

Everything you do has a sence of meaning to it and what you do is individual. 1000s of people havent done the same mission/quest before you and you cant google "How to bring back inspector Xertins dog from sol core".

Tex

[alphabet]

Hehe you crazy Sweed. Its gonna be nice getting into "discussions" with you again.

Im just gonna have to admit we are going to have to agree to disagree on this issue. I dont see how anything you listed can hurt the game. Quite the opposite really.

Think of a noob coming into the game. He knows nothing about the Jumpgate universe. Heck, only us veterans know what was passed down to us from other players or what we read off of JOSSH or some blog. I would love the opportunity to do these type of missions to learn more about the storyline, you may not.

But the point is, you dont have to do these missions (quests), they are a choice. I dont care if someone creates a blog, like in WoW that says, do this, do that, do this and you will complete. That player still has to do all those things and they will still learn something about the storyline along the way. Also, with Jumpgate these quests will be variable because you are not a third-person character that has to approach a mob from a certain direction. You have to rely on your skill to complete the quest, ie. no clicky, cliky, faine death, debuff, rest, clicky clicky. You have to actually fly against/with an NPC that has, according to the reports, a complex AI.

I would like this style of play. Twinky was right, how many flipping mining or patrol missions can you do? You may love to continue to do the same thing over and over again and find it rewarding. I for one do not.

[usalman]

For what its worth, I still consider myself a new player, I started in January.

The game is not that accessible to a noob, it was only with help from some great people I bumped into in space that I was able to get along at a quicker rate.

Initally I had trouble with lots of things, as an example and to help illustrate of some of the challenges, take a look at this list:

getting to grips with flying up down left right roll,
understanding what an FM was,
working out what a docking computer modx gave me,
understanding what a modx was!
understanding what those green rings were for,
jumping through gates without cutting thrust - yes that hurt
understanding I needed a 3 axis J/S
trying to translate the jargon on F5

as I got a bit more experienced I had trouble with:

understanding why asteroids didn't give me an unending supply of ore
recognising different types of roids
finishing mining missions
working a rotacol


In additon in the beginning:

I didn't know what AB was until i was told
I had no idea what a duliest was or that i was unlikely to hit anything without one (some might say having one hasn't helped)
I was scared of all things pink and always ran (without AB)
I am sure I did not realise that people talking on F3 were talking to me
I remember people telling me they were going to dump and not understanding the implications

I only list these things as many of you have played the game for so long that all these things are second nature and you have probably forgotten how challenging the game was initially for you to learn to play.

Having missions in the beginning that help people learn the game is a master stroke. Surely we do not want to lose people who have found Jumpgate and managed to register because they were not fortunate enough to bump into someone who wanted to help?

[Injustice]

When you mentioned AA I remembered playing it when it first came out and getting a kick out of the names of some of the NPC's. Obviously some Jumpgate inspired ones were present. I don't see introducing "skill sets" as a good idea, but I think for the most part, a player (new or old) will have some idea of what he wants to do when he first starts the game (PvP/PvE/econ/RP/political/whatever). In that regard, a semi-static "tutorial" quest could be established.

Say MMO fanatic #1, a.k.a AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit, starts playing Jumpgate Evolution and decides to play as a Quant. He logs in for the first time:

Tribune Algernon: "Welcome my faithful brother, and congratulations on completing your academy training. In order for you to begin your new duties, I must first ask you a few questions about your intentions. Although all Quantar serve The Faith loyally, we each choose to serve in different ways. From the dedicated miner that reaps the harvest of the Precious Rock, to the brave defender that protects us from our enemies, we are all subjects of Hamalzah's Will."

AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit:
"I live to serve His Will."
"If you say so, mister."
"Does this Hamalzah guy have a pet hamster?"


Tribune Algernon: "Indeed. And how do you wish to serve?"

AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit:
"I wish to prove my valor by defending Quantar from the heathens"
"I want to ply the space lanes as a trader and amass wealth"
"I choose to practice the art of mining"
"I'd like to introduce you to the nearest airlock."

Tribune Algernon: "Excellent choice. One moment while I process your application... Ah yes, of course. Consul Altho is awaiting your arrival at the trainee squadron barracks. He will guide you further on your path."

AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit:
"His Will be done"
"Thanks!"
"You're still breathing? Here, let me help you with that."



Obviously your responses would dictate his replies. The bottom choices would cause the NPC to berate you, maybe result in a loss of political rating too. Predictably taking that route would signal the beginnings of a pirate RP. And returning to him at any time would allow you to reinitiate the conversation. Something like:

Tribune Algernon: "Good day, pilot, how may I be of service?"

AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit:
"I wish to pursue a new vocation."
"Nevermind."

Tribune Algernon: "Exploring your options, are we? Very well, what is it you wish to do?"

AlphaTacoWaffleBiscuit:
(pick a new vocation and the NPC will direct you to another NPC that'll run you through the basics of that aspect of the game).



It's a little cheesy at first, but as most Quants know, we preach about Uncle Hammy long enough, it starts to grow on us. Pursuing these different avenues will give new players a chance to pick up on some of the lingo as well as the backstory (references to Hamalzah and the Fa'Hil Memta, for example). Instead of logging in and having to spam F5: Help for basic info, they'll at least know what a mining laser does, what cargo space is, and how to equip their ship. An added bonus is because the tutorial is "IC", it adds to player immersion.

[Pyrophred]

thats why we have the mentor system. I might have given up after a couple weeks if it werent for my mentor, and im sure there are plenty of other pilots out there that are the same way. (who knows maybe I had the same effect on a couple of the pilots I mentored)

[Injustice]

Mentoring is fine for teaching the details, but when you're talking initial log in (and there's no telling how many new pilots there'll be when the servers do go live)... In the old Jumpgate the only indication you had that there was a new player logging in was an unfamiliar name appearing in F5: Help. Easy to cope with when you're talking one or two a day and there are people like LadyDracoe willing to offer help.

[Radi]

That is why Jumpgate Evolution needs some kind of tutorial. Period.

[Eraser55]

thanks usalman, that made me laugh same things happend to me when I started. and many more.

But Yes A turorial is essential! Or what will happen. is That all vets will be busy answering hundreds of noob questions first few days. And thats frustrating with many noobs.