The noise in EVE Online this morning is something to behold, for it seems that CCP Games has let slip the details of its planned December "Santa" patch early -- and as Keanu would say -- whoa. According to the newest Devblog by CCP Greyscale, starting today, all NPC sales of Learning skillbooks have been canceled. Player-run sales orders are currently still in the market, however. From here, a second patch will be deployed on December 14th (if all goes well in QA-land, mind) that will officially nuke Learning skills from the map, and give players who have them trained a full refund of all skillpoints they've invested in Learning. At that time players can apply those skillpoints however they'd like until they're all gone, without waiting for them to tick off over time.
Another thing to note with the planned December 14th patch, all player-owned Learning skillbooks will additionally go away. More importantly, the ones you have in your hangar, etc. will be reimbursed, whereas the the ones you inject into your head will not. As such, if you were looking at starting an alt within the next couple of weeks, don't waste your time or ISK picking up Learning skills, or be prepared to eat the loss of whatever you paid for the books if you inject them.
Finally, another huge change comes with this upcoming patch, in that new capsuleers will no longer be getting the 100% learning speed increase up to their first 1.6 million skillpoints. The reason is that everyone will be receiving 12 new non-remappable base points in each attribute! CCP states that this change will offset the loss of speed bonus by effectively turning the current 2x speed bonus into a 2.5x speed bonus once the 12 new base points are added. Definitely not a bad trade off for starting capsuleers -- and no more sitting around waiting for those learning skills to tick down before you get to the fun skills, either!
For all the holiday happiness in one place, pop by the EVE Online site, check out the newest devblog, and marvel at the shiny graphs.
Reader Comments (23)
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 9:04AM Dblade said
About damn time. You were looking at a month plus just to learn skills to a decent level to help you learn skills. The idiots on the EVE forums will probably still bitch about the loss though, like they added to gameplay or something.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 9:25AM Scuffles said
Awww One of my earliest and fondest memories was ditching my good ship for an unequipped shuttle to pick up a learning book I had purchased in lowsec. Low sec being the only place I could find it after having looked in three distinct markets :(
Certainly was not going to waltz in there with my newly acquired Vexor, loaded with all my phat noob lootz and just hope nothing bad would happen.
Certainly was not going to waltz in there with my newly acquired Vexor, loaded with all my phat noob lootz and just hope nothing bad would happen.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 10:08AM axler said
bout time...
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 10:14AM ScottishViking said
Yeah, I can't say this is entirely bad. I spent DAYS training up learning skills before being able to do anything fun. Mind you, I was "proud" of how high they were (level 4 in all), but if we're being reimbursed, that's fine.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 11:45AM foofad said
This is wonderful. I can't wait to redistribute those skill points and train faster than I ever have before.
One of the awesome side effects of this is that training off-skills that you aren't remapped to train at max speed won't take as long as it did before.
One of the awesome side effects of this is that training off-skills that you aren't remapped to train at max speed won't take as long as it did before.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:00PM Unverfied B said
"The reason is that everyone will be receiving 12 new non-remappable base points in each attribute! CCP states that this change will offset the loss of speed bonus by effectively turning the current 2x speed bonus into a 2.5x speed bonus once the 12 new base points are "
Wait... What?.. Whoa!
Do i read this right that EVERYONE will get +12 points in every attribute? 10 of them are basically compensating over the loss of the training skills, and the remaining +2 can't give a 2.5x bonus. And how that has anything to do with new players?
It's a pretty moot point, because anyway most of that 100% bonus was spent on learning skills that are now gone, but still that paragraph doesn't make any sense.
At any point, learning skills are one of the stupidest things that existed in EvE (basically making the optimal progression for you first 2-3 months to actually not play and just sit docked training learning skills) and their nuking is very welcome.
Wait... What?.. Whoa!
Do i read this right that EVERYONE will get +12 points in every attribute? 10 of them are basically compensating over the loss of the training skills, and the remaining +2 can't give a 2.5x bonus. And how that has anything to do with new players?
It's a pretty moot point, because anyway most of that 100% bonus was spent on learning skills that are now gone, but still that paragraph doesn't make any sense.
At any point, learning skills are one of the stupidest things that existed in EvE (basically making the optimal progression for you first 2-3 months to actually not play and just sit docked training learning skills) and their nuking is very welcome.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:01PM Unverfied B said
Also inb4 character and implant market crash... but they are 99% dominated by RMT farmers, so screw them :)
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Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:16PM foofad said
@Unverfied B
Yes, EVERYONE gets 12 points in EVERY attribute.
This is fantastic, but some people with 5/5 learning and +5 implants are whining because ultimately they'll be 1.4 attribute points short post change. They'll train a hair slower.
But as everyone is quick to point out... those people have 5.4 million SP to redistribute now. Which is insane.
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Yes, EVERYONE gets 12 points in EVERY attribute.
This is fantastic, but some people with 5/5 learning and +5 implants are whining because ultimately they'll be 1.4 attribute points short post change. They'll train a hair slower.
But as everyone is quick to point out... those people have 5.4 million SP to redistribute now. Which is insane.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:18PM Stormscion said
@Unverfied B
Check dev blog it is nicely explained there it is linked in first post.
Two points are for learning skill book that gives flat 25% increase in learning time on top of those skills ( on lvl 5 ).
There is no need for 2x learning speed since you will start with 20 skill points in average attribute instead of 10 when you create new character and you will not spent entire 2x speed bonus on learning skills but you will use it on something useful like new ship , guns etc. You know fun stuff :)
Reply
Check dev blog it is nicely explained there it is linked in first post.
Two points are for learning skill book that gives flat 25% increase in learning time on top of those skills ( on lvl 5 ).
There is no need for 2x learning speed since you will start with 20 skill points in average attribute instead of 10 when you create new character and you will not spent entire 2x speed bonus on learning skills but you will use it on something useful like new ship , guns etc. You know fun stuff :)
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:15PM Stormscion said
B E S T
C H A N G E
E V E R
Thank you CCP ! :)
C H A N G E
E V E R
Thank you CCP ! :)
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:23PM Javajunky said
A great idea form a marketing standpoint, people won't be stuck spending a month skilling learning points so they can learn everything else. I know it was mentioned sometime ago, nice to see the execution. Good Job CCP
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 12:36PM kgptzac said
[quote]Contracts containing learning skills will have those skillbooks substituted for copies of the Pax Amarria.
[/quote]
best part!
[/quote]
best part!
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 2:02PM DrewIW said
The single best decision in the history of EVE. Newbies and alts rejoice!
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 2:39PM kasapina said
Hell, it's about time!
Every single time I try to start playing EvE, one of the things that turns me off the game is the one month I have to spend to train those mandatory - looking learning skills. Sure, I could slip something with a short duration in between, but nothing longer than 2 - 3 days. Sure, I could skip the skills entirely, but I'd regret it in the long run.
So..good job CCP. I never thought you'd fix that issue.
Every single time I try to start playing EvE, one of the things that turns me off the game is the one month I have to spend to train those mandatory - looking learning skills. Sure, I could slip something with a short duration in between, but nothing longer than 2 - 3 days. Sure, I could skip the skills entirely, but I'd regret it in the long run.
So..good job CCP. I never thought you'd fix that issue.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 3:21PM JoeH42 said
I like it as well because the learning skills weren't something that really added to any sort of roleplaying. I mean, you'd be stupid NOT to learn the learning skills and everyone had to do it just for game mechanics reasons. So since everyone has to do it and you really have no reasonable choice on the matter....why do it? It would be like demanding every single player learn how to pilot a ship that is only used in a tutorial and not even in the game once the tutorial was done.
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 5:07PM Xilmar said
good job for the devs, it's definitely a step in the right direction...
but in s strange weird way i'll miss them. i mean if you're a new player and you know someone else playing, training learning skills in the right order is one of the 5 most important things to know.
if i ever make a new char, it's gonna be weird to not actually create it 10 days before wanting to play.
well...thinking back, doubt it's really going to be missed. at least i'll get 2 million SP to play around with...i predict skills requiring charisma will mass jump new eden-wide. the day it goes live...leadership/corp man FTW
but in s strange weird way i'll miss them. i mean if you're a new player and you know someone else playing, training learning skills in the right order is one of the 5 most important things to know.
if i ever make a new char, it's gonna be weird to not actually create it 10 days before wanting to play.
well...thinking back, doubt it's really going to be missed. at least i'll get 2 million SP to play around with...i predict skills requiring charisma will mass jump new eden-wide. the day it goes live...leadership/corp man FTW
Posted: Nov 25th 2010 7:21PM LinChow said
ooops... wrong topic
Posted: Nov 26th 2010 2:20AM Mode7James said
This is really great actually. I'm not the only one who flies around with +4's in two jump clones just so we train faster. No more jumping into our "empty-headed" clones for null sec battle and having slower training times. I think dying and being posses won't be as bad for the noon if they don't have 120mil worth of learning implants. Such a great Christmas surprise!
Posted: Nov 26th 2010 7:13PM Mode7James said
@Mode7James Ok, so I guess attribute implants aren't going away, just learning skills.
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Posted: Nov 27th 2010 2:49PM Doran7 said
Honestly, I found nothing wrong with the learning skills. they were there as a gift to those who wanted to be long term members.. those who didn't never needed them. .. it was part of the game .. games have rules.. why changes the rules just because some players whine? Learn to accept them I say.. or play wow. but since they are taking these out will this lower your skill point and skill total.. and will those who invested time training these all the way up be compensated for the loss.. probably not.








