Premise: In comparison to other games, VO's "levels" are quite low. This creates a number of problems for new player perspective and retention.

Examples:

1. Free/Lite players are capped at level 4. They feel as if they have barely scratched the surface before hitting a wall.
2. The highest useful level is 10. While not hard to reach, the grind from 9 to 10 is not fun, and you're still only level 10.
3. In each mission category, there is a small handful of missions that give the best XP for work involved. This leads to monotonous gameplay as players take the same missions over and over.

Suggestions:

1. Revise the level requirements across the board. Double it. If it required level 10 before, require level 20 now.
2. Increase the XP reward across the board for all missions. Make XP easier to obtain using a variety of missions so players are not forced to do the same mission to grind out a level.

Benefits:

1. Free/Lite players won't feel like they're hitting the wall too early. Level 8 is better than level 4 from a perception standpoint.
2. It will be a lot easier to fine tune level requirements on existing items and new items.
3. Players will reach new levels more often, resulting in a better player experience as they feel more rewarded for their efforts.

I've mentioned the levels issues before as part of keeping people interested in hitting further levels and keep playing.

It was rejected mostly. I do like your idea thought it's very similar as far as keeping people interested and hitting the wall subject.

Sounds good to me.
I've recommended in the past that it should take a LOT longer to get leveled as oppose to just increasing levels which is sort of similar in a way with regards to the perception of continued play and having continued goals to hit.

-1

If you double the requirements, most vets won't even be able to use the highest levels of equipment. Grinding is the least fun part of the game, and we shouldn't use increased grinding as a way to try to retain new players.

+1 if...

-The experience requirements overall for each level are significantly decreased. I wouldn't mind the license requirement for Valks or Proms was combat 25-30 if I could gain a level per hour doing various activities.

-and-

-The level system becomes more linear - as in it is only slightly harder to get license 10 than it is to get 9, like most level-based games.

-or-

-Higher levels give you access to methods of gaining XP that are significantly faster than lower levels.

That's what I meant. Reduce the requirement for the licenses, then update everyone with the exchange rate so they stay at their current progress, but new players "ding" more often.

So those of us who have license levels like 9-15 etc. will be raised proportionally to 18-30? If that's the case it makes perfect sense.

+1

I think there's a case to be made for making it take significantly longer to unlock ships like the prom and valk either way. I don't propose to make it anywhere near like what it takes to get level 30 combat to unlock a prom or valk, but if you think about it, new players get those ships real quick under the current framework and then they sorta feel like they're finished and theyre soon bored with a lack of objectives. Many of them I've seen move on to a trident but that endeavour doesn't often eventuate.

I really support the idea of a significantly harder slog for a lone new player to unlock newer ships, and a streamlining of this when players band together and train as groups like Border Patrol and Advanced training. Reason being is that it encourages group combat and team/guild building.

The reality is that even if players don't get a boost, we all know how to power train and it won't take us that long to get the things we require.

That said however, the level system does really need to go altogether in favour of a proper faction system. I've expressed this strong view before and I reiterate that this is the preferred focus.

If, however, license rebalancing has to happen, 1+.

i disliked vo for a few years cause of the levels and crap. i was used to being able to buy all the items with credits whenever i wanted for the first year and a half i played.

I stopped purposely leveling CrazySpence around 6/5/5/-/- 11 years ago after i got the hog and gat the rest just accumulated over the years

+1