New tutorial

BY BTAXIS, ON MARCH 16TH, 2011

You’ve all seen it. The message asking you if you wanted to play a tutorial whenever you created a new pilot. Well, I’m pleased to say that message won’t be bothering you anymore, because the tutorial has a new face.

So, a new tutorial. What is different? Well, first of all the tutorial isn’t based in the regular game anymore. Where the old tutorial desperately tried to give you a quick crash course on how to play right at the start of the game, this tutorial is accessed right from the main menu, taking its time in a special training environment, teaching the basic concepts without worrying about the player flying off somewhere because, well, he can’t. So, hopefully, the new tutorial will make the learning process smoother for new players.

Another thing that is different is that the new tutorial is split up into several distinct modules, each module focusing on a limited selection of concepts and ignoring all the rest. This is good, because it means that our fledgling, ignorant player-in-training can revisit specific parts of the tutorial without having to sit through the whole thing again.

At present, six tutorial modules are coded up. These are: Basic operation, Interstellar Flight, Communications, Basic Combat, The planetary screen, and Missions and events. A further two, Advanced combat and Trade, will eventually be added. I say eventually, because both combat and trade are parts of the game that are in for a serious overhaul. Writing tutorials about them now would be pointless.

Most of you will already know how to play the game, so a new tutorial won’t help you much, but hopefully this step has made Naev that much more accessible to new players.