Iron Wolf Saber wrote:-Your first point lacks examples please iterate MUCH deeper than this.
This is something that I can relate to so I'll take shot at it.
"BPO" suits. Through my time in EVE and interacting with its itemization, I've come to understand my character - the "I" - as something that is fundamentally distinct from whatever items "I" happen to use when interacting with this universe. The "I" is a combination of my ingame persona/behavior and my choices regarding his skills that define what he can and can't do or use.
Any frame, vehicle or ship is just another piece of gear that "I" may or may not use at any given time. It is merely a result of my characters immediate decisions and in no way constitutes a permanent or temporary representation of my character, the "I". It's just a thing, a tool. Not just from the point of me, the player interacting with the game, but also for my character interacting with the universe inside of the game.
What I know about CCP Zs system so far seems to dilute this distinction to attract players that are used to having characters that are primarily described by the sum of their class and their gear. To those players, while not necessarily permanent, their characters' gear is just as, if not more important a representation of their ingame character than anything else. WIthin such a system "I" am no longer Malkai Inos, a merc that specializes in logistics and usually uses a Cal logi suit to support the team but also has a cheap Assault fit. Within such a system "I" am a Logi, named Malkai Inos and if I, as a player, switch to an assault suit then "I" suddenly become an Assault named Malkai Inos.
I can totally understand
why CCP Z thinks this model will attract more players that are unfamiliar with New Eden and allow them to easier identify with who they represent ingame, their "I". And he is probably right if this is his target audience.
But to me. It greatly compromises my ingame identity by reducing my character to a class; that is defined by a suit; that is defined by a value in the skill tree. My character is no longer a distinct entity but a role.
And lastly: I'm constantly asking myself: Who pays for and builds this complex high tech exoskeleton just to hand to me so I can be a logi? Why is everything on my suit forever gone once I die but the contraption holding all these items is permanent and inexhaustible?
That was way longer than I expected so here comes the rest as condensed as possible:
Soft-locking progression: Basically your OP. I agree that new players need more guidance in the skilltree and like the certificate idea. But every bought skill should be a choice, rather than a designation. The final decision must be with the user and he must not be impeded by making certain decisions harder to make just because they don't fit in with some pre-defined "role"
Respecs: As explained in the suit part above my skill set up is is one of the two core foundations of who my character is. The ability to change my skills after the fact is equal to changing my in-game "I" on a whim. Only a persistent tree enables a persistent identity of a character as I see it.
A progression system that that is designed with a re-specialisation feature in mind is thus incompatible with New Eden especially when compared to the EVE tree which, while punishing if used without required knowledge or guidance, is a paramount example of a persistent skill tree that remains fair.
I can elaborate on further reasons on why a persistent progression is needed in New Eden which include balance, economy and overall gemplay if asked, but i'll restrain myself to the "consistent with New Eden" part.
That's it for now.