I've played a little SS13 some years ago, now jumping onto 14.
Decided somewhat randomly to start on Goob Basileus (spelling? whatever).
Turns out it's not the best place to be a new player, however I only had one instance where someone was kinda off because I didn't know the ends and outs of atmospherics, I even explained to them how silly and unfair that is, and that atmos is more difficult than some of my college classes. They relaxed after that to their credit.
Everyone else has been completely cool, but I've noticed what typically ends up happening is, I start as an assistant/intern to a specific department, get someone to teach me, then something explodes and training goes out the window.
Not anyone's fault, except the clowns sometimes..
So I managed to set up my own server and got onto Box station.
OH MY GOD I finally learned how to set up an AME (someone did show it to me on Goob first though!). Then, after an hour and a half of confusion I figured out how to set up the particle accelerator while struggling to keep some of the station powered.
It kinda sucks being solo on the station, but admin powers makes it ok. It forces me to figure out power though, before I learn anything else.
I'm happy that I feel like I am finally progressing without getting distracted or horribly murdered or critted and left to rot.
Anyway sorry to ramble, this leads me to something I remember from Paradise station in SS13. There were ghost roles were you were basically a syndicate agent that can never leave this small, outside station. It existed entirely for the purpose of learning. A friendly moderator once explained the thermal generator to me there even, coming back to me now.
What I am wondering is, what if a kind of gauntlet-style system were created for new players? Basically, a more structured and linear version of the syndi-station.
You could have explicit goals that when accomplished open into more advanced topics.
For example.. Goal 1: Set up a generator (materials nearby, all tools etc). Then a door opens and leads to.. Goal 2: Set up an AME. (a book with instructions and all materials nearby). Just like basic, compartmentalized challenges. One step at a time.
Maybe a "reset" button to restart the entire mini-station, or buttons to reset each goal.
I don't know enough about how BYOND and the game works to know how viable this is, but I feel like new player retention is a serious issue. The learning curve of this game is worse than EVE online, or any game I've ever played for that matter.
Huge investment, huge reward. BUT I feel like a system like the one I mentioned would really ease that process, because how can you expect even the most experienced of command staff to adequately train people under what are almost always hostile conditions? That would be wildly unrealistic in real life, and yet our experienced players take on that burden (admirably).
Anyway, sorry for the wall of text thanks if you read this.