What is this with reducing squad size in ambush? Squads are created before any battle is even queued into. So if I have a 6 man squad set up for ambush and skirmish, would the other two just be kicked out?

What's the problem with 6- man squads in ambush anyways?

CCP, I defend you guys on most things. I think Dust is great and has the potential to be one of the best shooters of all time. But I have to be completely honest, THE NEW PLAYER EXPERIENCE SUCKS


I have gotten a decent handful of people to try this game. I regret to say almost none of them are having fun. That's even after I give them all a complete 1 on 1 tutorial on suit fittings, and dump truck loads of AE. ISK on them to get them started, which most players certainly don't get.

You should be able to just hop into a game and have fun. Not hop into a game and have to cross your fingers that the Proto-Stomp squad will happen to be on your team this match.

Even veterans need to realize, it probably wasn't this bad when you started. This game was much easier when the majority of the player base was still learning.

Now the Dust player base has gravitated into two groups of players: The die-hards, and the die-oftens (thats an amazingly accurate quote from someone else on the forums, if it was you, feel free to take credit!)

This is no more urgent issue than this right now!

There are things we can do about it.

Auto Squad
SIMULATION MODE

These are two things I would like to see that would help with this.

I love the Tier system in Dust, I think it's a great unique element that no other shooter has. But there needs to be a place where new players are safe from that for the first little while. Simulation would be a mode where players earn 50% ISK and SP, and can only use starter fits.

Auto Squad would help players learn the game much faster, and have a better time doing it.

Ambush also needs a drastic overhaul.

• Remove orbitals
• Remove vehicles
• Reduce squad size to 4

Playing Dust is like climbing a ladder. Only there are no handholds at the bottom, and a bunch of jerks are already at the top crapping on the bottom.

Solid, But one problem:

What do you do with people who have edited their starter fits?

I just want the the Simulation Mode modified:
-0% ISK/WP
-200% SP/WP (Not sure if the weekly cap would be involved with this)
-Meta lvl cap of fittings/items set to 2-3 (Allowing not only starter fits, but STD lvl variant items as well, to allow a "test drive" of variant items)

No ISK/WP pretty much makes SIM mode just like its name says: an environment meant for training, not earning one's paycheck. One could "invest" more money into said training, but the meta lvl cap would hinder anything too excessive.

EDIT: Though one would not earn ISK through the WP, simply participating in the simulation still gives one their minimum wage. Think of it as going to "paid, on-the-job training" but this mean you lose out on earning your "commission."

The idea is to have a mode for new players only. 200% SP would be a huge incentive for veterans to invade and stomp even more.

I'd like to see it as a low risk game mode where rookies can earn SP and ISK at a trickle, while learning the game and enjoying balanced matches. Whenever they feel ready they can step out into the real matches.