Hello, I really like in general the idea of your Newcomers rework and your current ideas are very good.
Maybe I can add some interesting points.
First:
How about a Newbie Guild or at least a Newbie-Channel for everyone who is new in the game. Something where new players can exchange "beginner" questions and answers about quests/mechanics or things which are in the tutorials not listed with another players who maybe made the one or other experience before and help each other. If someone is a bit more experienced and ready to leave the Guild/channel it is up to him. Could imagine such thing would be useful and strength the newbies among themselves.
Second:
Don't know if you already thought about my next idea in this point:
- Information about new possibilities while reaching new level.
Nevertheless it would be surely nice for new players to have something similar to a structured guide until the point they know the most important game mechanics and how they can continue in the following. I am currently not sure when a player reached this point or whether at all it is possible to reach this point for a newcomer without help of experienced players. There are simply to much game mechanics^^. Additionally I think it is important to find a way with a guide which includes help for all "types" of players. I mean, not everyone want or can play 24/7 this game, so therefore it would be cool, no matter if a newbie plays the game for fun, the mid game or end game strives for, all information for everyone shpuld be included. Don't know how your plans are so far with instant levelling to Level 80. But I would delete it with the newcomers rework, because firstly the exp rates are very high and you also can level up with quests or farm high level mobs in the future. And not to forget the experience modificator xD. There are enough possiblities to reach max level or reach it as slow as in Runes of Magic. I'm sure as well that if I hadn't played Runes of Magic for several years before and gotten help from other experienced players as a newbie, I would have stopped playing immediately. So I see help e.g. through a guide as a necessary point for the newcomers rework.
For example create a To-Do-List as a guide for all players and leaves it to them to decide whether or not to use it. So not only newbies can benefit of this guide but everyone. I mean the game offers thousands of possibilities to improve the own character. Even for endgame players such a list would be really cool.
Here is a template of what such a to-do-list could look like:
⬜Level 1: Discover the tutorial zone and and get to know the first mechanics of the game.
⬜.... (if done, green tick in the white square :D)
⬜....
⬜Level 20: Go to "XYZ" and learn a secondary class. "XYZ" will explain you the unique dual class system.
⬜Level 105: Level up your Gun to level 285. You already reached 264/285.
This is just a simple example which needs more informations and details for beginners but I think players can keep an eye on what they have to do or can continue.
Next:
- Tutorial instance that explains combat mechanics.
I think this is one of the most important things to reconsider. For me this point also includes skill book, skills, item set skills, title skills, cooldowns, explanations about skills with global cooldown or not and what I all forgot to mention. In my opinion the most players here play the game because of pve and perhaps pvp. I am also aware that with the new housing system and in the future crafting a new part of role play gets implemented and such players must not be disregarded. But almost all here works to use the combat mechanics for a reward and the pve system just makes a lot of fun. So you can add hints to skills for newbies how to use them and if they discovered the dual class system + item set skills maybe it is then possible to develop guides for classes to give the players a brief insight into how to play this class and so on. However, this is only possible within the framework of class balancing and class changes.
Since I play here I don't know anyone who started playing as a tank, because playing tank correctly is very hard. And this is also valid for endgame players so what should new players tell you. Just check death rates in IDK or Dark Core. Not all deaths are on the tank of course, but it is within the large realm of possibility that the tank will save the group from dying. And it is certainly not in the interest of a newbie if he has chosen as a class "tank", then he certainly does not want to be accused by the group all the time of killing the raid, if doing anything wrong. That is why instructions and practicing at a place for classes could be useful for newcomers as well imo.
Gameplay experience:
I think almost all who play here, are using addons. And yes in the launcher some of them are provided for everyone, but as a newbie the first dedication is not just any helpful addons that are important for gameplay, but play on the game. Perhaps the DEV team can consult which addons are important for newcomers and provide them as utilities for everyone. This definitely benefits the gaming experience. In the past, TooltipIDs, WoWmap and (Yacit <-- card addon) have already been implemented, which brings advantages for all players.
My experience also tells me that in order to get ahead in this game, you either invest a lot of time or money. Of course, one must not forget that CoA is a free-to-play MMORPG. Nevertheless, I would like it if newbies are rewarded for success. On the one hand, these could be item shop items, gold or diamonds, etc.
I think that especially newcomers earn diamonds poorly at the beginning and are forced to invest if they want to be accepted into a guild or become better. A solution to this problem would also have to be found.
So, these are my first ideas and impressions, hopefully some useful ones. More will surely follow.
Greetings