I absolutely agree - and could use your help. I'd love to see some suggestions about what you want to see in the tutorial, what you think would be most useful for new players learning the game, what mechanics took the longest to "click" (and which were most important when they did), etc.
For one thing the Eagle you kill in the Fleet Tutorial is an old variant, it has Autopulse lasers.
I think there should be an advanced tutorial - everything clicked just fine - but the advanced tutorial should deal with more in depth mechanics, like soft and hard flux, comparing the damage of weapon groups, movement physics (IE getting players to understand they still drift around and need to wait for their ships to fully turn around) and ship systems/phasing.
My idea for how the advanced tutorial will work
1. Have the hammerhead take damage on it's shield (see how it doesn't dissipate) then have it fire weapons (this does dissipate) which will teach them soft and hard flux. Then teach them about a slightly more in depth way of working the venting system (hard flux vented last, soft first, the bar designates how much is hard and how much is soft).
2. Have a midline (an Eagle or Conquest would be best) armed with an assortment of good weapons (pulse lasers, heavy maulers, heavy autocannon, thumper) from each of the four groups. Have four ships to test out each weapon, then list the general stats (IE HE deals 200% to armour and 50% to shields.)
3. Onslaught time! This behemoth suits the role of teaching players about movement physics perfectly. It will show them acceleration, turning acceleration and deceleration, how the game keeps your velocity and let's you turn around while moving in any direction (akin to Tribes skiing mechanics) and such.
4. Ship systems and phasing. Very simple. Press button, get results.
