[Wiweeyum]

It seems to me that the real problem isn't even the system itself, it's the perception that one weapon is better than another. The upgrades don't have that vibe, as they all do very different things, just by their title. So I'm going to focus on the weapons.

Most games have you unlock better weapons as you go along. RPG's especially. That's not to say that that's the correct way to do it, but it's what's common, and what people expect. This is made ever more plausible when a new player jumps into a server and EVERYONE has a cooler weapon than their boring plasma gun. There's only 10 shots per reload, and reloading takes forever, and no one dies when they hit them. Whereas the other players (bots included) seem to have an unlimited amount of ammo, and they kill you with one or two shots! It really starts to make the other weapons a whole lot cooler looking, as well as a bit unfair.

That's EXACTLY how how I felt when I started playing. So, how do we quickly show new players that they aren't unlocking a better weapon, but unlocking a new set of tactics? When they have no skill (which this game is 90% based on), how can they see the tactical possibilities of using the plasma launcher when they just want other things to DIE!?

[Drakon]

Best way I can think is just letting them choose what weapon and power upgrade they get every 3 levels. Or just give them a random weapon and random upgrade every 3 levels.

[LittleBoyBlue]

Personally, I think changing the upgrade system in order to teach them tactics with certain weapons and upgrades is the wrong approach to teaching tactics. If they need to learn tactics, they will learn from mistake when playing with real humans until they finally make the jump to competitive play. I think that it's just the way it works. Changing the upgrade system will ultimately hurt I think, more than help new players, and while tactics are needed, the upgrade system isn't where the answer lies.

I was forced to use the Pulse Cannon for a month or two before release when all of the testers' levels were reset. They all knew how to use the weapons because they diversified during open levels, and knew how to use them. I never diversified and was placed in a position very similar to a new player stuck with a "crappy" weapon against much more experienced, tactical, and well-equipped players. Any game from this standpoint is difficult at first. After a few weeks, I actually got good with the pulse cannon. I ended up re-attaining the Shock Cannon after release and began to use it again. However, the point is that while the initial situation is difficult and can be annoying, that is true of almost any game. As a non-serious non-hardcore casual-ish gamer (if even that), I was able to progress and learn tactics on my own by just playing with decent players with the existing upgrade system. I think skill and tactical expertise is actually a responsibility of the player to learn/gain.