Another interesting idea I've seen discussed a few times involves PvP-based benefits being made available for those with a high rank. For example, a high rank player could gain access to advanced instant locator agent services within the faction warfare area which cost loyalty points to use instead of isk. Higher ranks may unlock further tools such as the ability to bring up a map of all active faction warfare complexes or to list the names of players in a particular contested system your faction holds. These are just a few ideas that exemplify the untapped potential of faction warfare.
Storyline follow-up:
Prior to the Empyrean Age expansion, there was an entire series of videos and news stories indicating the rising tensions between the empires. The Empyrean Age novel and trailers made it clear that CCP was committed to this storyline and thousands of players signed up for the war to get in on the action. Unfortunately, since then there has been absolutely no significant follow-up. Aside from a handful of stories and some coverage of player-events in faction warfare, nothing has happened. No new videos have been released, the political state of the war hasn't changed and the Caldari titan still sits in Luminaire spawning navy battleships next to a partially-constructed station. As far as I'm concerned, this storyline is dead in the water.
Perhaps the most disappointing part of the entire Empyrean Age expansion was the absence of in-game events and evolution of the story in a way that affects gameplay. This wasn't surprising given CCP's closure of the Aurora events department but it was still very disappointing to have no events. The Empyrean Age expansion had the potential to integrate real NPC faction wars into the game, with shifting allegiances and events that changed the field of play. Instead, the shape of the battlefield hasn't changed since day one and the interest of individual players and corps has dwindled in the long-term. The biggest impacts have been felt when popular fleet commanders lost interest and influential or powerful corps left their militias.
Lag problems:
Just before the Apocrypha expansion, I found myself occasionally encountering terrible lag and desynch issues in the faction warfare areas. The lag would only occur sometimes and it was always whenever two fleets engaged (even with as few as 20 pilots in the fight). Several months later, the response from CCP on this issue has been slow at best and the lag persists. This seems to be a low priority for CCP and although they are currently focused on developing the walking in station expansion, it's yet another example of how faction warfare has been put on the back-burner.
Summary:
My corp have rejoined faction warfare after our lengthy wormhole expeditions and we hope to have some casual, laid-back PvP. Having previously been active fighters for the Gallente Federation, we know what to expect and we are thoroughly looking forward to the fun small gang PvP. Yet, when I look back at how little follow-up Faction Warfare has received after its initial fanfare introduction, I can't help but ask myself "Has faction warfare been abandoned?". When I think of the potential that faction warfare had for EVE's gameplay, that's one question that leaves a decidedly bitter taste in my mouth.
Brendan "Nyphur" Drain is an early veteran of EVE Online and writer of the weekly EVE Evolved column here at massively.com. The column covers anything and everything relating to EVE Online, from in-depth guides to speculative opinion pieces. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at brendan.drain AT weblogsinc DOT com. Still definitely enjoying faction warfare :).
