EVE: Havoc Patch Notes: AIR New Player Experience

EVE Online's Havoc expansion, set to launch on 14 November 2023, is the game's third full expansion since the return of the content format in November 2022. The patch notes are fairly extensive. I find reading lengthy patch notes rather boring, so I also like to go to other sources for information. The format worked so well for the Viridian expansion I thought I'd try for Havoc as well. This post, the tenth in the series, will cover updates to the AIR New Player Experience.

Sometimes acronyms and organization tags are thrown around and everyone is supposed to know what they represent. According to the in-game information windows:

The Association for Interdisciplinary Research is an independent organization focused heavily on research and development of new technologies across multiple industries. The company has subdivisions that cover everything from combat-oriented technology, industrial and economic endeavors, and exploration-focused pursuits. AIR Laboratories, a subdivision of AIR, is responsible for oversight and management of the AIR Capsuleer Training Program.

More importantly, the AIR programs are CCP's efforts to retain players who just created a character and started playing EVE. The NPE is of interest not only for new players but players looking to repair their standings with one of the main NPC factions as well. (Hopefully running career agents still repairs standings).  But what is CCP trying to accomplish with the changes?

In the Havoc expansion, there will be an important upgrade to the AIR new player experience (NPE). Currently, capsuleers have been able to start the NPE, embark on an exciting adventure through space, but with limited options of leaving that adventure until it's finished, and they haven’t been able to return to it. When Havoc lands, a fork in the road will be introduced into that experience. If capsuleers are interested in doing something else right away, they can open the AIR Opportunities portal, which will allow them to see all the different opportunities with different segments of the game and the variety of career paths that they can follow. They can start experiencing these opportunities, but always go back and continue their NPE journey when they choose to. 

AIR NPE - SECRETS OF NEW EDEN

The AIR adventure and tutorial, now known as “Secrets of New Eden”, has been updated and will now onboard players to newer systems as well as a host of other improvements.

• The AIR Career Program is now introduced in more depth, highlighting personal goal setting and rewards.
  
  
• New capsuleers will learn to use the AIR Opportunities interface to discover and track content.
• Within Opportunities the adventure has been split into two parts: “Baptism By Fire” and “Hidden Prospects”.
• During part 2, Hidden Prospects, players can now pause the adventure any time they want, giving them greater freedom to explore what New Eden has to offer or meet up with friends - while still being able to return for the rest of the introduction when the time is right for them.
  
  
• Objective tracking has been upgraded throughout much of the adventure.
  
  
• Improved guidance for those who stray from the path to help bring them back into the adventure.
  
  
• New sites have appeared at the sun in every starter system. The adventure will take capsuleers to one of these sites as part of their investigation into the mysterious attack on AIR’s cloning facility.
  
  
• New conversations have been added, including an introduction to your local faction as you make your way to your first career agent mission.
  
  
• Lastly, before saying farewell at the end of the experience, Aura will introduce capsuleers to the Agency’s Help section so they learn more about how to tackle whatever challenges they might face in the next steps of their journey.