I plan on having several open debates with guest speakers which will be posted here, as well as promote the positive change of a game that many enjoy and have been faithful with over years of patronage.
To begin, my initial blog will illustrate the general deficiencies inherent with the mechanics. These are both constructive and hated. In these orations, I will attempt to resist the easy vice of involving personal interest into the considered changes.
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Day 1
POS Warfare - Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Server lag.
EVE - Online is first and foremost: a game of Internet spaceships. Your progression in the game is rewarded with an increasing proficiency, selection, and ability increase of these spaceships. It was not until recently that any consideration to actual representations of the player were taken into consideration (See: EVE patch, Ambulation). Did you know EVE is actually based on a prior game, developed in 1984 for the Amiga? (Elite). All there was to offer was spaceships, places for spaceships to dock, and talk with other spaceship owners. Things for spaceships to do is the entire content of the game.
That's what we love about it. You fly around, there are pretty graphics. It's a rewarding experience if you're into that kind of thing. Somewhere along the way of being a spaceship simulator, it breaks down into several meta games involving small encounters with others. Then it involves the destruction of each other's entire assets and efforts. Since no one can have an unfair advantage (CCP is dedicated to providing vibrant, compelling products that transcend the boundaries of conventional MMOGs and facilitate social networking through virtual worlds.), The Universe is stuck in a perilous state of mutual dissatisfaction of no singular successor organization dominating it's social scene. To illustrate more clearly:
In the past, measures were taken by the developers to benefit a participating party of EVE, namely BoB. It was front-page tabloid news at the time, and ultimately it did little to change the outcomes of who hates who. What it did illustrate, more to the point, was that CCP directly or indirectly, are interested in influencing their 'open-universe' virtual world to produce a creation as they so choose. Mind you, the reporting party was subsequently Banned from ever participating in the EVE - Online universe again for breaking their EULA (honesty doesn't pay).
(See: http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=424)
And why shouldn't they? If we look at one of their widely accepted failures, it would make perfect sense. EVE exists internationally on a single server, known as Tranquility. There are other servers, but the majority of game play exists on just this one shared Universe. China had a widely anticipated server launched specifically for it, Serenity. 20,000 people had signed up of it's Beta in China for it on day 1. 30,000 people active and playing in the first month (compared to similar figures on the International server). Then within two years, it's population is dwindled to 3,000 - 4,000 at any given time. So what happened?
Basically, All of the game's conquerable content was obtained by a single entity. Without conflict, opportunity for personal triumph against an all-powerful governing body became non-existant. Enthusiasm waned, several in-game mechanics failed, and the combination of deployment fault and game mechanic balance spelled the end.
(see: http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=594374)
So what did CCP do during this event to prevent it from occurring on it's much more profitable and popular International server, and why do we find ourselves in the mildly-unhappy state we are in? Simply put, CCP returned to it's game play premise that every player has a chance for optimistic growth, or at least a reason to drop the $14.95 coin in the slot for another month. From CCP's own introduction guide:
- Though there are certainly some players who have already amassed a great deal of wealth and equipment, this will not affect your ability to advance in the game competitively.
- When a player has mastered the basics of the game,...the possibilities become almost endless.
- We provide the rules and tools, but it is the players themselves who create the adventures.
Sounds great, right? Where is the enlistment office? This is known as excessive publicity in a favorable manner. It is not necessarily accurate. It does reinforce the concept that anyone, regardless of ability or time spent, can achieve the same as any other person. Democracy sucks. The player base of EVE - Online spoke up to this point, mentioning that they should be treated specially. That without them, CCP had no subscriptions and would be doomed for failure. CCP listened.
December 16, 2005. Exodus: Red Moon Rising - The game saw the introduction of Capital ships. Vessels that took months of production time. Invested player fortunes some could never hope to earn. And the unanimously agreed upon shift in focus away from player versus player combat to Player Group versus Player Group involving Player Owned Stations.
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To return full circle, let me return to the thesis of this timeline. EVE is a game about flying Internet spaceships. One of if not the most enjoyable aspect of these spaceships is their ability to blow each other up. Bigger and more expensive ships have to be good, right? That's what all of the veterans asked for. It's what the developers planned to introduce from day 1. Here's where the problem with Capitals, POS's, and Sovereign Warfare come into play:
Due to limitations of technical design, the current python language that serves as the backbone for the EVE - Online universe cannot handle multiple-user interaction beyond approximately 200-400 clients on the same node (part of space) unless this population is a constant number on a daily basis. Encounters of the magnitude commonly associated with these vessels requires tens, if not hundreds, of coordinated ships to counter engage them. This means that the physical ability to participate by it's players with the content is restricted. These ships, while designed to serve a function, restrict actual game play.
Here's the interesting part: Half of them are not functional whatsoever. They are purely for a singular task...and it ain't flying around and exploding each other. It's to destroy the Player Owned Stations of rivals in long, unplayable, financially draining scenarios. Changes in player-based ownership of game assets is gradual, drains income from the economy preventing inflation, and permits the developers ample time to witness and address concerns to it's Sovereignty meta game. It is to the point where it works, and no one wants to fix it.
That's not strictly true. (see: Here) CCP Has for some time asked the player body once again for insight, suggestions, advice, or criticism to it's end-game content for nearly 8 months now. Feedback has been limited to minor changes to minor issues, or dramatic alterations that relate to the productions of other developers. Inquisitions to it's player base of this level indicate that they are currently playing it by ear.
They don't really know how to solve their crisis.
And that crisis is: "How do we keep the game entertaining (as our company is an entertainment-profitable company) without risking our ability to manage it."
As was demonstrated, CCP has no intentions of allowing their production lose replay value with it's subscribers, or fail on their commitment in providing a virtual-world where personal growth is present and encouraged.
"How do we continue to grow market share, without finding foreign markets?"
They have witnessed the production and failure of foreign markets, and it appears clear that they intend to keep EVE on a single server.
"How do we satisfy our current player base, without ostracizing new ones?"
By asking for help from the players themselves, they are removing themselves from a position of disenfranchising themselves by their own actions to prevent the outcome they have foreseen as a "pos"sibility (bad pun, couldn't help it). The responsibility of providing a solution refreshingly rests on our shoulders.
Here's the real question CCP whisper to themselves in their offices : How do we continue to add features and updates to an ever increasingly complex and valuable property title (Eve-Online) to make it the sci-fi equivalent success of Blizzard's WoW?
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I can't assume to know the answers. I have illustrated the current condition of a complex game, with even more complex geopolitical activity occurring on a separate level from the already vibrant internal scene.
And with that, I present the continuation of this Blog. Let us delve into the expectations, interests, dreams and fancy of my readers. Perhaps we can present a superior model, one that will re-invigorate the corpulent disdain held by many of our fellow pilots and adventurers. Let's cut the crap and fix this while there's still something left to fix; unless you all want to go raid Black Temple with our 70 Warlocks and Rogues so we can get some new t-shirts with +6 mana regeneration.
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