Typically tutorials take one of two forms. Either it's a one-and-done starting level which can then be skipped in the future after its completed the first time, or it's a kind of optional but ongoing tool-tip mode where the game is constantly highlighting and interjecting advice during the course of regular play. Both have definite downsides.
A tutorial level or separate initial mini-campaign is usually only played once, and so any real content or polish there tends to feel like a wasted effort, since most players will never return to it. A tutorial advisor or optional advice mode on the other hand, tends to lack the charm of the in-story delivery and can quickly become immersion breaking or too repetitive to maintain, so players just turn it off.
I can appreciate why Larian has been reluctant to let us skip their Prologue and advance straight to the beach, because that would basically mean skipping out on the start of their story. I can also appreciate why they don't want to have some generic and boring Tutorial level as the first thing that happens, because if that's the first thing a player sees, it totally hoses the first impression. I think I've started like half a dozen threads on these boards to offer suggestions on the Prologue Tutorial since this thing first kicked off a year ago, but rather than repeating those ideas (since most seem to get ignored anyway) I thought I'd offer a new one...
Instead of giving us a full tutorial prior to the Nautiloid, or a tutorial during the entire Nautiloid escape as an unavoidable initial game level, perhaps the Tutorial section should commence somewhere in between, more as a side path?
Like what if our Tutorial pet unlocks an optional "tutorial pod" during the Nautiloid section? Us points it out, and then the player is given the choice to "Enter the tactical tutorial?" That way the player who is not interested can run right past this optional section and head straight to the Helm, but the new player would be encouraged to make a detour on their first run. That might be an interesting approach, because there always seems to be this tension between setting up a good story via the Prologue, and having a robust Tutorial that actually introduces the gameplay and instructs new users how to play the game well. These two things tend to work at cross purposes when they occur at the same time, which is why I kept suggesting that they be separated initially. The more tutorial-izing that takes place at the outset, the weaker the overall story flow and pacing become. Information that is very useful for a first time player quickly becomes annoying and gets in the way once the player is already in the know.
I think the narrative device to bring the tutorial into the story is already basically in place. Brain worm is like the very first thing that happens in this game, and there are all these holding pods and such all over the place in the first areas we get to explore. Perhaps the player plugs into one of those, and enters a sort of dream plane where memories of different situations are recalled. Advice is whispered to them by Us or Daisy, and the player gets some set piece encounters to show them the ropes in more exacting detail, for as long as their patience or interest allows. When it concludes the player is returned to the same place/point in time where they left off, so not skipping too many beats, or dragging down the actual story overmuch. Once this vehicle for Tutorial Sections is established, they could occur again at sensible intervals. For example, the optional Tutorial on the Nautiloid might deal with things like basic commands and combat tactics. A later Tutorial on the Beach or in the Crypt, could present in a similar way, as a kind of memory with Daisy doing narration, but focus on other things. There's certainly a lot of ground they could cover if they wanted to.
I think a truly great game will build its tutorial in such a way that it feels rewarding rather than a nuisance, but there's a fine line to walk there in terms of what exactly the rewards should be beyond gaining some know how. If it becomes experience driven or loot or story driven, then that has moved outside the realm of tutorial and more into regular gameplay. If there's no tutorial at all, and it's like "Good luck newb, have fun figuring it out!" I think that can be more problematic here, in a D&D game where the official rules are like these 200+ page book-length manuals that the player is already supposed to be familiar with, than it might be in some other sort of standard Action RPG game.
