Future EMS Starter Kits

As of now (17 December 2016), all future starter kits will no longer contain weapons of any kind anymore. This will be the current policy until such time that the EMS Commander, Chocolateer, makes a permanent decision regarding the issue at hand.

Dilan Rona.

-- Moved to Members General forum so we can discuss internally before broadcasting to public --

This topic is in response to this post on the RP forum.

Here are my thoughts on the matter:
 

• First and foremost EMS has always been about helping the players of VO. I will not allow a non-EMS member dictate to me who I am able to help and the extent of the help I can provide. No matter what you do, you cannot please everyone, and there'll always be someone who would shoot you because you help others; so be it. I run toward danger, not away.
  
  
• The original newbie kit provided by Ninjr was 5 UCs and 2 MegaPosis. MegaPosis are the perfect newbie kit item because 1) They have low license requirements to equip 2) Are one of the best DPE weapons in the game and 3) Many newbies are unable to purchase them because of the queen badge requirement. I see no reason for change in regard to MegaPosis.
  
  
• Perhaps we should re-evaluate our policy of weapons in newbie kits, especially in regard to the more powerful weapons, such as avalons and TU mines. I'm not concerned about the newbie using them for PKs so much as I am concerned about the newbies causing damage to themselves. It's irresponsible to hand off an avalon and say "here you go, kid, go have fun". Rather, we should be showing them how to use it safely.
  
  
• Swarms are an essential part of queening (even more so now that chained charge cannons are no longer a viable option). I will provide swarms to anyone who queens with me and asks for them. Whether they should be included in a newbie kit or not is another matter for discussion. But perhaps it is a moot point after all since a player can still buy swarms even without the license. The license is only needed to equip them, and that doesn't change even if the swarms were obtained from another player.
  

I would like to hear the thoughts of the other members before making a final decision on the matter. What do you think?

Ok glad to see it was relocated. I was about to delete this post as I am done trying to negociate with coin. I am restoring weapons to all ems starter kits.

But we need a discussion regarding standardising a starter kit that all members can give out. It has to contain the exact same content, and needs to fit an ec class ships cargo hold, which is 18 cu.

I am going to redesign my current deluxe starter kit, reduce some weapons, include some HE mining beams, and maybe MK1 or MK2 repair guns, or the light reps (which had no licence req when dropped to someone else). And maybe a repair turret, and a shield turret. My current deluxe kit is 32 cu of gear.

Commander, when the deluxe kit is done, i will drop you a load so you can see it. The standard kit needs to have some kind of small port weapon as well as the megaposi. Will see which one has no licence requirement, and design a kit around that.

I fully agree with everything you've said, Chocolateer. I've read through the forum posts on the VO RP site, and it seems most of the community is siding with us. I say most only because I can't speak for those who don't post on the forum - everyone there is unanimous.
Coin was killing us days before this whole "they're arming newbs" problem, I think that was just reaching on his part to try to justify his actions. There can't be any reasoning with him, because he's one of those branches that refuses to bend; so eventually, he will break.
We should come up with a standard starter kit, I like the idea of the UC's and mega posis, but maybe some mining beams as well; mining is a great way for new pilots to earn some credits.

May the Force be with you
Rogue81

As it is, current kits are centred around mining and combat, but there is no standard yet, and even the amount and type of gear is different between ems members, depending on their version of a starter kit.

I have always based my kits around three factors. Combat, mining and support. All parts I feel are essential parts of VO for any new player, combat being a wide word. Most new players will end up fighting hive and learning there basic combat skills here.. so I dont see a reason to not arm new players..

I will remove my weapons from my new player kits for now, but I don't see the problem here... has many of our hand outs by nature filter back into VO in general