CCP discusses NPE in EVE Online expansion
by Rubi Bayer 
Nov 16th 2009 at 12:00PM
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Interviews
The discussion covered some interesting ground, such as how CCP is working to keep the NPE easy for players to use and understand, how far it's come since 2003 ("You started in space and you had to shoot a drone and that was pretty much it."), and how they would like to see it improve from here on out. They also talked about the reasoning behind the way the NPE is set up, as a crash course designed to get you through the basics and into the game, rather than a more scattered, drawn-out approach.
It's an interesting read for any veteran EVE Online player, and a valuable one for anyone new to the game. The full interview can be read here, and a big thanks to CrazyKinux and Eris Discordia for taking the time for it!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rambie said on 2:10PM 11-16-2009
I've talked two friends into trying EVE and both said that they got lost so easy. The first one didn't know how to find the agent after the two-part starting mission (couldn't get out of the system). The second friend had problems finding agents after the 10 part NPE missions. I helped both get past these hurdles, but it did set a bad impression in their minds.
EVE doesn't play like any other MMO, so anything CCP can do to make it easier for new players is a good thing.
I hope they are adding a tutorial on overview settings as the default one is terrible, it doesn't even show star gates (first friends problem). Also an easier way, and tutorial, on finding agents to work for.
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Yoh said on 3:39PM 11-16-2009
I think thou's problems specifically, are more a result of the lousy UI.
Even when I first started playing, I didn't know how to navigate nor jump systems, and the list of tiny buttons on the side don't help much.
Figured it out eventually, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
It shouldn't be that difficult just to jump systems.
Let alone combat, when a twenty dozen flashing light bumrush your UI.
They need to make it more intuitive.
~Yoh
Dirame said on 8:28PM 11-16-2009
@ Dblade
Funny enough I didn't experience any trouble like that when doing the tutorial in 2006, it was flawless for me and I was in the game almost immediately. I'm not sure but I think the voice of Aura (or whatever her name is) was the cause of my smooth ride through the tutorial, it would have been boring to read it all. The only problem I had with the game was training skills but that was my fault, I didn't take the time to look at everything a little more carefully and had to make another character to which I made sure I took the time to understand everything about the direction I was taking him in.
Dblade said on 10:45PM 11-16-2009
Direme, its pretty easy, and in the newbie chat you often see people asking what they should do if they cant find the quest item in the wreck of their ship. Since wrecks don't last either if you happen to change missions for a bit you risk your wreck and the key item vanishing.
A lot of things they really don't explain. Get done a 10 mission tutorial and you are told about the sisters in Arnon for the epic missions-but you aren't told to how to find them again once you close the mission text (its in people and places under agents) There's nothing I know of mentioning the damage types, and the fact that NPCs vary resistances depending on their faction. They never explain what maximum range and accuracy falloff are, and so many other things you just have to ask.
I've been lurking in newbie chat, and it really is a constant stream of questions, moreso than any other game I have played.
Dblade said on 3:48PM 11-16-2009
Problem is it's possible to be locked out of the tutorial by getting blown up and losing your key item, and then be unable to progress through any more of that career line without a GM petition. It also doesn't explain important things well enough: you have a combat mission where you are told a drone is hard to hit, and to go get a statis webifier, but they never explain why it is hard to hit, and useful terms like signature radius or transversal velocity. Things like when you should upgrade your clone, or even a basic tutorial on the types of space, highsec, lowsec, and 0.0. Or what Concord is.
If you pay attention it's pretty good, and realize it's a limited tutorial. I'm in on my 2nd week and a lot of stuff I found out just by reading the help tags and experimenting. However they still have a lot to do to make it anywheres as near as good as other games.
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Rambie said on 3:53PM 11-16-2009
Yoh, I guess you're right, it may be more of a UI issue. I guess I've gotten used to the UI so it no longer bothers me. :)
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Aaron said on 3:56PM 11-16-2009
Eve is a game that I so very much want to play. Every time I read about it it reminds me of what I feel a Privateer MMO would be and that just excites me to no end.
I originally tried it back in 2006, but gave up soon after starting for reasons I cannot remember. Just this past weekend, however, I once again started an account and once again I am fully confused by both the tutorial and the UI. Fortunately at this point in my life I'm considerably more patient than I used to be so this time around I am going to try very hard to figure things out. This really is a detriment to the game, however, as unless you are persistent it is unlikely that you will stick with it. I really do hope that I'm able to figure things out and thus get into Eve because It seems like it would be a game that I could really get lost in (which could either be good or bad!).
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Yoh said on 10:58PM 11-16-2009
I am very persistent, however I just couldn't get over just how boring it is on a day to day basis.
I shouldn't have to be persistent with a fucking game.
I should be able to have fun right out of the gate.
I don't mind working for something, but the payoff has to be worth it (which it rarely is with EVE), and you have to at least have some fun the way.
It's getting better, but it's not there yet.
I come back when it is.
(it's the only thing that keeps me interested)
~Yoh
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SgtBaker said on 1:21AM 11-17-2009
Thing with EVE and other sandbox games is that they don't hold your hand and tell you what to do, that part is up to you to decide. If mining/mission running in some godforsaken empire system is all you can think of after the tutorial drops you there, you're probably going to be bored.
Also one very important thing that many people miss: EVE is not meant to be played alone. Join a corp, as soon as you can, preferably straight after the tutorial. You can't play it solo, it's not a solo game. You can't build a space empire alone. Most of the combat dynamics require more than one ships (even though solo PvP is possible - if you're really good).
Join corp, find friends, do fun stuff with them - that's how it's played and you can have fun with the newbie frigate straight out of the door. If you don't like that you can always join Factional Warfare and start x-ing up immediately.
Yoh said on 4:09PM 11-17-2009
The sound bite answer for every EVE problem, join a corp.
.
.
.
Exactly why do you think I hadn't already tried that? Several times I might add.
I am acutely aware of how EVE is meant to be played, and have played it that way.
And yet it is still boring.
Trust me when I say this, your preaching to the quire SgtBaker.
~Yoh
ian.75 said on 10:56AM 11-17-2009
I have been playing Eve for almost 2 years now and I agree the interface is terribad. Even on my 24" monitor I have to squint to see the tiny menus, and the fonts make the 1s look like Is, zeros Os and Ss 5s.
And when you're under fire you have to right click, and carefully scroll down a menu with tiny writing. Click the wrong option and instead of swapping the right ammo into your guns, you unload all your ammo, wasting valuable time.
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