How can a new player start?

[Aquillas]

As you can read, this suggestion is a question, or a reminder to the development team, not to forget that a game like Naval Action can't survive if new players can't develop.

How can a new player start?

I was in Kingston Port Royal, at least 5 minutes during the week-end. Exceptional long time for being in a friendly capital, in which we normally have nothing to do. And indeed, I found no enemy in sight, no friendly new player to protect, nothing to do. Fair enough, this is not a complain, I knew that before "transport".

A new player asked help in the nation chat, requesting how to grow-up. Someone answered him immediately: “Do missions”.

I checked in the "kill mission" list, nothing below the 3rd rate mission… I went to Port Moran, to Port Antonio and to Carlisle. No mission below the 3rd rate. To be sure, I disconnected and reconnected my French account “Eleazar”. Same in Fort-Royal.

My question to @admin is:

How can a new player start in Naval Action? I don’t speak about new accounts of veterans: I can successfully start a new account in any nation, and grow-up rapidly, as any veteran can do, because I have around 3000 hours in Naval Action.

A real new player will be born in capitals. What to do there for him? Where can he find advises and instructions for a pretty/easy development? By pretty development, I mean something which look like boring for a veteran, but from which a new player can learn experience, and experience in Naval Action is not only XP points, as we all know that (angulating, manual sailing, boarding, accepting boring periods before maybe finding fun, etc.)

I do think this is a really important question. If a new player is obliged to go to enemy waters to find something to do, he will be for sure scrapped there by enemy more or less veterans, who cannot see his (low) rank in Open World before attacking. Knowing what is a Naval Action veteran (most of the surviving players are hardcore), the new player will be sunk, sometimes including laughing at him and/or insults.

I did not see more than 400 players in the “War” server during this week-end, this might be a concern.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Aquillas

[Vernon Merrill]

Sail in a free cutter to a far-off port where he can learn ho to beat small ships consistently.  Cutters are free and after a short time, it’s quite simple to beat lynxes, pickles, traders, etc.  

Cutters are always free. 

When you feel ready, cap a lynx/privateer and sail THAT.  

Then fight brigs and snows.  

Then cap a snow....

Then cap a Reno....

Then cap a Cerb....

There is your first few weeks of Naval Action.  

Yes, you may lose a ship to another player.  There are plenty of replacements available before you should start worrying about crafted ships and sexy gear.  

[Angus MacDuff]

Just now, Vernon Merrill said:

Sail in a free cutter to a far-off port where he can learn ho to beat small ships consistently.  Cutters are free and after a short time, it’s quite simple to beat lynxes, pickles, traders, etc.  

Cutters are always free. 

When you feel ready, cap a lynx/privateer and sail THAT.  

Then fight brigs and snows.  

Then cap a snow....

Then cap a Reno....

Then cap a Cerb....

There is your first few weeks of Naval Action.  

Yes, you may lose a ship to another player.  There are plenty of replacements available before you should start worrying about crafted ships and sexy gear.  

You've forgotten "new" you old vet, you.  Basic cutter caps TBrigs.  Make money doing that and Rank up to Snow.  Learn to trade and fight in shallow water.  Join a clan.  There was one recruiting last night for all skill levels and offering free ships.  Do the tutorial and get all those great rewards.  Ask vets how to beat the final cause a newbie cannot do it otherwise.  Never sail undercrewed.  1st perk should be prepared and then Fleet 1.  I advise any true noobs to start on peace server for a few days/ a week.

[Angus MacDuff]

Bahamas is my suggestion.  You can buy shop ships up there.  make an outpost and do all your work up there.   There is nothing for a new player in their capitol zones.  Ask around in nation chat for locations.

[Draymoor]

Funny because people complained they wanted to do zero PvE, only PVP.  So now new players can't find PvE to rank up and get started. AI fleets and single ships distribution and their routes are terribly distributed, this is just one of the things it affects. You'd think it would make sense for all starter areas to be the areas where the 6th and 7th rate AI ships sail around. 

[Vernon Merrill]

11 minutes ago, Borch said:

 

Sail to where? Where to get small ships? Where to learn how to fight in shallows? Bahamas?

Obviously it depends on what nation you start out in.  But The Ruatan area has a mix of nationalities and has a ton of small ship AI. As does the Bimini area.  As does parts of the Louisiana coast.

Shouldn't everyone's first inclination when they get this game to explore this gigantic map??

[Angus MacDuff]

That's why the Bahamas is such a good spot.  All nations have ports there so there is a good mix of small AI and bags of traders.  Its also prime hunting grounds of course.  There is really no safe places for new players to get started, which is why I always tell them to set up on the Peace Server for some practice.  Eventually they will go out in a new ship and get murdered.  They need to learn to not be too attached to their ships .It's unfortunate that they often go out in a ship that was too expensive.  They have no money left and its under crewed anyway.  We rank up far too fast for our expertise. 

Edited December 3, 2018 by Angus MacDuff

[William Death]

That’s odd with the missions. In Mortimer, there are several 7th and 6th rate kill missions. I would hope that all capitals would have low level missions for new players. 

Also, starting them off in a brig like the one they sail in tutorial might be a good idea... give them maybe 4 brigs they can redeem as needed while they figure out how to play. Add in a suggestion that they choose lo/wo for their PvE grinding brigs....

[Vernon Merrill]

1 minute ago, Borch said:

Did you explore this gigantic map in basic cutter as your first game experience?

Should Frenchies, Dutch even GB's be sailing first to Bahamas to start the game properly?

I actually did....  

One of my clan mates showed me how to get to the Pacific soon after, as well....

Edited December 3, 2018 by Vernon Merrill

[Angus MacDuff]

6 minutes ago, Borch said:

Should Frenchies, Dutch even GB's be sailing first to Bahamas to start the game properly

GB for sure.  The French have ports there too.  Not sure about the Dutch.....Why you being so confrontational?? 

[Vernon Merrill]

Just now, Borch said:

In basic cutter? Which hour in the game was that? I guess you started as US? Where did you go beside Pacific in first hours?

When I first started in KPR, Pedro Cay was miles away. In fact I didnt even know I can sail there.

I went from Charleston to Cabo Canaveral to Crown Haven to Key West on my first day....  yes, in a basic cutter.

But I had also done a bit of homework, and actually did some forum reading before I purchased the game.

So I knew what I was getting into.

[Angus MacDuff]

1 minute ago, Borch said:

When I first started in KPR, Pedro Cay was miles away. In fact I didnt even know I can sail there.

We're discussing the advice you would give a new player.  If I were to advise him going to the Bahamas, I would remember to advise him on how to get there.  When I was a new player, being in the KPR area was not quite as dangerous as it is now and there were AI to catch.  That is no longer an option.

[Capn Rocko]

I enjoyed starting the game in Bahamas. I started as a Pirate at Marsh Harbor and it was great. All ships were my size, the area seemed large and was fun to explore, valuable/necessary resources were available to be smuggled out of every nearby port, and PvP was plentiful. I had so much fun in the Bahamas, I played the game for close to 6 months before even stepping foot in Mortimer Town. It was a perfect experience to start a hardcore PvP game since I was able to learn the dynamics of naval combat while sailing small, disposable, ships with/against players that were also new to the game. 

[Angus MacDuff]

BTW, @admin did a big list of new player development tasks that will be added at some point.  can't remember where though....

[Capn Rocko]

4 minutes ago, Angus MacDuff said:

BTW, @admin did a big list of new player development tasks that will be added at some point.  can't remember where though....

 

[Angus MacDuff]

Cheers Rocko

[Aquillas]

15 minutes ago, Capn Rocko said:

 

Good suggestions indeed, which need to be detailled step by step to a new player (i.e., someone who purchased the game for the first time, today).

This player can't find it in the forum (even most of us do not know that this was existing)...

[Angus MacDuff]

Just now, Aquillas said:

Good suggestions indeed, which need to be detailled step by step to a new player (i.e., someone who purchased the game for the first time, today).

This player can't find it in the forum (even most of us do not know that this was existing)...

First part of it would be mandatory.  Then the rest is voluntary. 

[Angus MacDuff]

Just now, rediii said:

its still a problem if there are no 7th/6th rate missions inside reinforcement zone. If I get a game and have to walk 1 hour first before I can do something I quit.

Are you sure of that?  I thought Devs put low rank missions in the capitols.  Cant confirm cause I don't go there.

[Aquillas]

Thanks @rediii.

To be more clear, I hope 100%, I could accept not to find any mission above the 5th rate in capitals, but for sure 7th rate missons and 6th rate missions must be found, easily, and replaced when consumed.

[Porpoise]

40 minutes ago, Angus MacDuff said:

Are you sure of that?  I thought Devs put low rank missions in the capitols.  Cant confirm cause I don't go there.

Do you think 2 missions every 24hours is enough for new players to level up?

[Capn Rocko]

2 hours ago, Wraith said:

Getting rid of starting towns in the Bahamas for every nation was a dumb decision. Unlimited 6th and 7th rate missions that are instant-close should be available for new players as well in these shallow-starting towns... There doesn't need to be any safe zones or special RoE, just give those players a place to start and a place to learn in that is comfortable.. get them close to a PvP zone where they can dip their toes in... in a region where RvR might happen on a regular basis, and where all nations can establish a bit of trade, etc.

No safezones in the Bahamas were fine. They did have the wierd RoE implemented back then to where only 1 person could tag an enemy player, which is debatable if it really helped or not.

If I were a new player I would rather have the old shallow water capital system rather than what we have now. The shallows just seem like a waste of space now. Only a few desirable ports and a PvP event every few days. 

[jodgi]

3 hours ago, Wraith said:

Getting rid of starting towns in the Bahamas for every nation was a dumb decision. 

But that's what we got when vets kept on going there to cherry pick newer guys. "You gather all the eggs in one basket and, well... Blow up the basket."

[Barbancourt]

12 hours ago, Angus MacDuff said:

That's why the Bahamas is such a good spot.  All nations have ports there so there is a good mix of small AI and bags of traders. 

Most (not all) nations might have ports there, but we don't go there.  A new player really needs to find their community, and for most players there isn't one in the Bahamas. 

 

[admin]

12 hours ago, rediii said:

its still a problem if there are no 7th/6th rate missions inside reinforcement zone. If I get a game and have to walk 1 hour first before I can do something I quit.

capitals have an unlimited supply of 6th and 7th rates missions + tutorial allows you to sail 5th rates once you pass the M&C finals.

World is littered by lobby based dead games like Evolve, Lawbreakers, and other instant action trash. Legends was dead in a week. In NA you sometimes have to sail to enemies and sometimes this trip can take 1 hour = part of the game. Not the game for everyone. But you can log off of course and continue the next day.