Tutorial - how it could look like

[AlteSocken]

So many people pointed out that a tutorial is missing, but I did not read any suggestion so far about how this could be achieved. So here is mine (maybe it's helpful):

• Tutorial is reachable from the missions tab for the first rank only. Starting the tutorial spawns the player into an instance without any opponent (so far).
• The players ship lies on beam reach, just like in the normal missions.
• A message-box appears telling the player to go on battle sails while at the same time highlighting the corresponding control.
• If the player did as he was told, the procedure repeats, telling him to go on full sails.
• Next the player is told to get close-hauled. The messagebox telling him to do so contains a picture showing the points-of-sail.
• Once the player is close-hauled some kind of buoy appears in the direction where the wind comes from. A message-box appears, explaining how to reach a target by tacking. player is told to reach the buoy by tacking.
• Once the player has crossed the buoy, he is told how to make a jibe manouver and to round the buoy.
• After that, the buoy disappears and a Lynx appears on the scene. The player is explained how to load cannons with different shots and tasked with loading chain-shot and to engage the Lynx.
• Once he in canons-reach, the aiming will be explained and the player will be tasked with damaging the Lynx's sail down to 80%.
• After achieving the last goal, the player will be tasked with loading grape-shot and bringing down the crew to a certain amount. Player is told how to depower sails for proper aiming.
• When achieved, the player is told to load ball-shot and to sink the Lynx.

Since boarding is about beeing reworked after release it deserves a separate tutorial.

The basic-cutter the player has could be equipped with 6pdrs to ease up achivements. A small reward could be handed out after successfuly completing the tutorial.

 

[Abram Svensson]

Maybe give them a little bigger ship for the tutorial so they see what they can get. Lets say a Surprise vs a Rattlesnake. After that they have a little aim they can work to.

 

 

 

 

[Abram Svensson]

You can split the Tutorial aswell. Instead of 1 big Tutorial make 4 smaller ones.

1. Basics (Controls/Camera) - Navigation in OW

2. Sailing

3. Fighting

4. Economy

[Major General La Fayette]

Might be a good tutorial but we'll need tutorials for each type of vessels (Light ships, frigates and Lineships) 

7th rate tutorial : Basic Cutter (tutorial available at first login) 

6th rate tutorial : Snow or Brig (tutorial available when 120 crew rank is reached) 

5th/4th rate tutorial : Cerberus or Surprise or Frigate or Belle Poule or Trinco (tutorial available when 200 or 250 crew rank is reached) 

3rd/2nd rate tutorial : Bellona (tutorial available when 650 crew rank is reached) 

1st rate tutorial : Victory (tutorial available when last rank is reached) 

 

 

And of course a little reward for each tutorial (Gold or Xp or Marks (depends of the tutorials rank)). The tutorials should be redo able but only giving reward on first try. 

This will help the player at the beginning to have some gold to start playing. 

Edited June 12, 2017 by Major General La Fayette

[AlteSocken]

4 minutes ago, Abram Svensson said:

Maybe give them a little bigger ship for the tutorial so they see what they can get. Lets say a Surprise vs a Rattlesnake. After that they have a little aim they can work to.

Sailing a square-rigged ship and an fore-aft-rigged one is very different. I would't confuse players who still have to grind in fore-aft-rigged ships with a square-rigged one. Maybe adding an additional tutorial-mission for that kind of ship after third-rank?

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Something like this ? Thumbs up to the player that takes the time to put this up. 

 

[Abram Svensson]

This is pretty good, but we need something like this IN the game.

Players must be taken by the hand, so they have something to do in the beginning what explaines the mechanics.

 

Naval Action costs 36,99€ (Germany) and have 2 hours time to refund it in steam. I dont know the numbers, but i can imagine players are quitting and refunding fast within the first 2 hours if they cant figure out what to do.

 

A Tutorial is more important than the UI in my opinion.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Abram Svensson

[Norfolk nChance]

[AlteSocken]

 

Really like the idea. Have a search in YouTube at the five-mission’s tutorial in EVE Online. Again, very similar.

Have a look at [Powderhorn] “New Player Experience” thread also to get ideas.

In my short experience with the onward development playing Naval Action I’ve noticed in the player made guides one outstanding feature. Some guides last longer than others to state the obvious. And this is where you with this idea needs to be careful.

Become too focused and it will need tweaking every patch, already in this thread someone as suggest Rattlesnake to prove my point. The Dev’s or You simple won’t keep up. A prime example of this is the forum Guides and the better looking made STEAM guides.

The Captain Collister Escapomatrix Guide was made completely redundant as of the last hotfix. The Ship Guide by the same author is now you would say outdated. However, I still advise players to read it as it still gives valuable information with what that ship is intended to do.

Like [Abram Svensson] suggests spilt guide into the very basics units but keep away from specific mechanics (easy to say…) as much as possible. This is the part that dates them.

 

Norfolk nChance

[Major General La Fayette]

6 minutes ago, Abram Svensson said:

This is pretty good, but we need something like this IN the game.

Players must be taken by the hand, so they have something to do in the beginning what explaines the mechanics.

 

Naval Action costs 36,99€ (Germany) and have 2 hours time to refund it in steam. I dont know the numbers, but i can imagine players are quitting and refunding fast within the first 2 hours if they cant figure out what to do.

 

A Tutorial is more important than the UI in my opinion.

UI is really important too, both should be added in the same update to work perfectly. 

[Abram Svensson]

It is out of an other game but i imagined something like this (for sailing and fighting)

 

 

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

Or...

 

[AlteSocken]

24 minutes ago, The Red Duke said:

Something like this ? Thumbs up to the player that takes the time to put this up.

@The Red Duke So you're leaving this to the community?

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

1 hour ago, rediii said:

Yes but implemented into the game.

Or just link it ingame so they can just watch the series with a single click.

Interesting enough many products nowadays rely heavily on Video tutorials linked from within the game but will open in external browser.

 

 

44 minutes ago, AlteSocken said:

@The Red Duke So you're leaving this to the community?

Not sure I do understand what you mean. I am a player, same as you.

I linked that to show that some media makers actually put their time into helping out

I did suggest scripted tutorials or specific Missions as tutorials, would require developer time of course.

 

[AlteSocken]

2 minutes ago, The Red Duke said:

Interesting enough many products nowadays rely heavily on Video tutorials linked from within the game but will open in external browser.

 

Which is cheap and simple but not necessarily a good idea.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

1 minute ago, AlteSocken said:

Which is cheap and simple but not necessarily a good idea.

Yes, that's why I linked the Rise of Flight tutorial campaign. I find it very nice and pleasing and fits that specific game motif of course.

But later product by the same developer house didn't deliver anything as good.

 

[Norfolk nChance]

 

[Alte Socken] & [Ink]

 

Author’s

One thing I forgot to mention above, the author. I help out on the STEAM discussion thread, with the regular complaint there is no Official Manual. Recently I’ve change my view on this, originally saying “When you are born you don’t come with a manual, you need to go out and explore.” However, the parent saying “Don’t touch that or you’ll burn…” Is Naval Action’s Official Tutorial.

It is needed, because of content reliability. Doesn’t need to be deep or extensive but reliable.  The player made guide there is no content quality check, and some subjects can be well controversial. STEAM Guide “Déjà vu with Norfolk nWay” is a case in point.

I don’t mind helping build out an official tutorial if asked. The idea you have I think should be The Official Tutorial rather than player made. That means once complete the maintenance upkeep must be solely on the Dev’s.

Different player authors guides help with clan recruitment. In game, it’s a great way to get noticed. The idea I gave to [Sir Texas Sir] do a “Bad Pirate Guide Series” is an example that doesn’t yet exist but already I bet you can think of some great topics from a well-respected player in our community.

That is one reason why clan’s or different players should produce guides.

 

Norfolk

 

Edited June 12, 2017 by Norfolk nChance

[Sir Lancelot Holland]

It occurs to me that there are a number of small clans in every nation that cannot participate fully in the game, it may be that they cannot afford to at this point, or that their interests lay more in trading or crafting.

Why not allow them to 'Adopt' new players either specifically for larger clans  or for the type of role the new player wants play?

As long as  the  new player is trained to an acceptable standard for the role to be undertaken, with a reasoned syllabus (much like military academies)  culminating in raising of hostility  and perhaps a minor port battle for experience which would relieve in part (not completely, but for maybe the first one or two actions)  veterans having to over protect inexperienced players distracting them from their objectives.

It would at the very least benefit smaller clans, traders, crafters and the fighting clans who all get something from it, most of all it would benefit the new player who may go on to benefit the clan he eventually moves on to.

Perhaps it is an idea that clans or councils could discuss the idea and if acceptable, decide on suitable recompense and what they could expect from a small clan should they choose to add training to their clans activities.

 

 

[Norfolk nChance]

[Sir Lancelot Holland]

 

I do like this idea. Like in English football the feeder club system. If there was some incentive for the clan for taking a newbie through a simple five mission road test. Which upon completion the clan would receive say 5 conquest marks.

Nothing massive so [SORRY] would try to break it, but would give the clan a kickback.