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EVE Online dev blog outlines major long-term changes

Jef Reahard — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Sandbox

A couple of weeks ago, we told you about an EVE Online initiative to bring about substantial changes to the game's nullsec regions. Yesterday, CCP expanded on the initial concept via a lengthy new post that should banish any doubts as to whether or not the devs expect the game to be around in the far future.

CCP Greyscale outlines 12 bullet points discussed at length amongst both the dev team and the Council of Stellar Management, all with the aim of making nullsec the place to be in terms of EVE Online's primary gameplay. The post talks everything from mining to territory and conquest to intel and exploration. CCP Greyscale uses this last one as an example of how far-reaching the changes to EVE are shaping up to be.

"Hopefully the amount of stuff in here will also make it clearer why we're saying 'more than five years.' For example, those few bullet points under 'exploration' mean replacing all of the exploration content that's been developed in the past five years," he explains.

EVE Online dev blog outlines major long-term changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP tweaking EVE jump bridges, eyeing nullsec changes

Jef Reahard — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries

Changes are coming to the lawless regions of EVE Online, and a new CCP dev blog has the details. In a nutshell, CCP devs feel that jump bridges have removed some of the danger inherent in traveling around nullsec, and the company will be tweaking the gameplay accordingly in both the short and long term.

CCP Soundwave blogs about three upcoming adjustments, the first of which is the removal of jumpdrive-equipped ships from the jump bridge eligibility list. Soundwave says this will go live on May 17th and also notes that Black Ops ships are exempt from the new rule (i.e., they can still use the bridges). The other two changes, which involve limiting the number of jumpbridges in a system and upping the respective fuel bays, will go live with EVE's June patch.

Finally, the dev blog hints at more dramatic nullsec changes on the horizon. Soundwave doesn't go into specifics but does say that the region "is in need of a bit of an overhaul."

CCP tweaking EVE jump bridges, eyeing nullsec changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival

James Egan — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Guilds, PvP

One of the things we really like about EVE Online is how the game experience is player-driven, and that goes far beyond the more notorious aspects which have garnered a lot of attention of late. EVE's open setting of New Eden allows players to establish all types of ventures or organizations -- anything ranging from lotteries and banks to corporations focused on wormhole colonization is possible. Some players opt to create training corps that teach new players about the many aspects of this rather complex game.

When it comes to training corps there are several well-known options. EVE University is perhaps the most famous training corp in New Eden, but others like 1st Steps Academy and Trader's Academy exist to help out new players. For those hell bent on jumping into PvP, Agony Unleashed offers classes that can help you on your way. Now there's a newcomer to the roster of training corporations in the game -- the Open University of Celestial Hardship [OUCH].

Continue reading New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival

New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online sets new peak concurrent user record

James Egan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

The sci-fi MMO EVE Online set a new record this past weekend for users logged in at a given time: 54,181 pilots, up from the previous record of 53,850 set in March of this year. This new peak concurrent user (PCU) count is a significant milestone for the single shard setting of New Eden, where all of those players can (potentially) interact with one another. New Eden is a big place though, a galaxy with thousands of charted solar systems and thousands more uncharted, accessible through wormholes. Given the size of New Eden, those 54,181 pilots may not interact directly but their actions can impact everyone else in the game, regardless of whether it's through trading, establishing or toppling industrial empires, or alliance warfare on a massive scale.

The new PCU record comes in the wake of EVE Online's Dominion expansion launch on December 1 which focuses on revamping the game mechanics of territorial control, or sovereignty, in New Eden's lawless tracts of 0.0 security (nullsec) space. CCP Games Senior Producer Torfi Frans Ólafsson told Massively: "With Dominion, we've made zero security gameplay so much more engaging. We're seeing a lot of people are taking the leap, updating their clones and jumping into the deep end of the pool. They are realizing that taking risks can bring big rewards, and lots of adrenaline pumped moments as well. Co-operation and having good allies is the key to success in the dark and brutal world of zero point zero space. We're seeing players communicate more, team up more and generally have more fun. Each day since release has been exciting for the developers as they watch this expansion unfold and take on a life of its own, in the hands of our ever-creative playerbase."

[Thanks StMistaken!]

EVE Online sets new peak concurrent user record originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned

Brendan Drain — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Forums, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, Opinion, EVE Evolved

At the last EVE Online fanfest, it was announced that the Dominion expansion is slated for December 1st to coincide with Iceland's Sovereignty day. With less than a month to go until launch, there has been growing concern at the extreme lack of information on the new sovereignty mechanics at the expansion's core. There have been a few scheduled tests and several devblogs but few factual details on the mechanics we'll be using once the expansion goes live. I've even been on the test server and tried the new mechanics out but they're far from finished.

The worry was that if the specific details weren't revealed as soon as possible, it might end up being too late to make necessary changes based on player feedback. On Friday 6th, a devblog was finally released explaining the cost breakdowns in the new sovereignty system and what bonuses will be given for the various system upgrades. Rather than allaying people's fears, the devblog set the forums on fire. An intense debate has sprung up, with massive outcry from those that live in 0.0. Their concerns may well be warranted as the proposed mechanics don't quite match up with the original vision of the Dominion expansion that the EVE community has shown support for thus far.

Has Dominion veered off course and is time running out to get it back on track? In this opinion piece, I run down the new devblog and give an inside view into parts of the heated debate it sparked off.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned

EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE players to tap new resources with Dominion expansion

James Egan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Guilds

Big changes are on the horizon for EVE Online in the Dominion expansion and beyond. Alliance sprawl in 0.0 security (lawless) space is going to be curbed, in favor of a new paradigm where alliances claim less territory but can derive much greater value from what they hold sovereignty over. This is the focus of a dev blog from EVE Game Designer CCP Chronotis -- "The Streams Must Flow".

Streams in this case refers to EVE's various revenue streams which are going to be altered in the coming months, and how this will affect players in 0.0 alliances. In the past, supporting a large number of players required an alliance to draw upon the resources of many different solar systems, specifically high-bounty pirate NPCs and valuable ores in addition to a very high passive income from rare moon minerals. CCP is adjusting how those rare minerals are used in Tech II production, meaning more common materials will be used, so Dominion will allow alliances to upgrade their controlled space as a means of generating more income.

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EVE players to tap new resources with Dominion expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances, part 2

Brendan Drain — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances, part 2

EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances

Brendan Drain — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, Opinion, Politics, EVE Evolved

A lot of MMOs rarely (if ever) revisit old gameplay mechanics or areas, focusing instead on new expansions. EVE Online is different in that the developers go back and re-visit old aspects of gameplay rather than just focusing on new mechanics and content. Even Blizzard have seen the wisdom in redevelopment of old content, and in their next planned World of Warcraft expansion "Cataclysm", the entire game world is being given a revamp to bring everything up to their most recent development standards.

CCP Games have been using this development strategy for years and coupled with player-based development in the community, EVE Online is truly a game that evolves over time. Player-managed political states shift allegiances, entire empires can rise, span the galaxy and fall within a year and the emergent gameplay that typifies EVE's sandbox style is constantly being expanding on by players. The game we know now is very different to the one we had a year ago and if recent devblogs are any indication, EVE is about to undergo a major evolutionary leap. The entire sovereignty system and the state of capital warfare is about to undergo a complete revamp.

In this article, I take a more in-depth look ahead at the changes that are coming to 0.0, capital ships and the sovereignty system and how I think they could turn out, given my experiences in EVE.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances

EVE Evolved: The road ahead for 0.0 alliances originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Has EVE's most powerful alliance fallen?

James Egan — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, PvP, Endgame, Politics

Band of Brothers (renamed KenZoku) was once the most powerful alliance in EVE Online with a stated goal, even here at Massively, to control all of the game's New Eden galaxy. Now, KenZoku has reportedly left the contested, lawless frontier of 0.0 space after months of resisting the combined forces of rival alliances.

One of EVE's in-game journalists, Interstellar Correspondent ISD Clarity Brown, reports from the site of KenZoku's last holdout: "GoonSwarm and their allies deployed a camp on KenZoku's sole remaining outpost last night. A joint force of pilots from Pandemic Legion, GoonSwarm, Morsus Mihi, Razor Alliance and KIA deployed 27 titans around the station in a show of force and gave a demonstration of the sheer power embodied in such a gang."

Titans are the game's most expensive weapons of mass destruction, massive ships capable of unleashing 'Doomsday' area-of-effect attacks that melt fleets caught in the blast. To unleash 27 Doomsday blasts at once is... quite a sight, as the video footage demonstrates.

Continue reading Has EVE's most powerful alliance fallen?

Has EVE's most powerful alliance fallen? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online's wormhole exploration leads to new 'rescue' profession

James Egan — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Professions

Wormhole exploration is perhaps the key feature that came to EVE Online with the Apocrypha expansion. Its 'true exploration' of thousands of uncharted solar systems can bring great rewards but also entails equally great risks. The Sleepers are the strongest NPCs that players can face in the game's setting of New Eden, adding to the challenge of taking them on is the fact that you may be hunted down by players at the same time. The delayed local channel in wormhole space ("w-space") means you won't know if you're really alone in the uncharted solar system until you find yourself being targeted and fired upon by a roving gang of hostiles.

Wormholes can also have tactical environments which affect how well your ship operates in that solar system, sometimes imposing penalties. Then factor in that wormholes are inherently unstable and can collapse once enough ships have passed through, and you've got a fair amount of unpredictability injected into your gameplay. Wormhole collapses have led to a number of EVE's capsuleers being stranded in unknown regions and unable to find a way back into known space ("k-space"), much less navigate their way home again. That's where "Wormhole Rescue Service" and its founder Astro Glyde can help.

Continue reading EVE Online's wormhole exploration leads to new 'rescue' profession

EVE Online's wormhole exploration leads to new 'rescue' profession originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making fleet battle reservations in EVE Online?

James Egan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guilds, PvP

This is probably a first in the MMO industry... EVE Online announced higher performance server reservations for large scale PvP battles. Unlike most other MMO titles where you choose a server to play on with your friends, EVE Online doesn't make you choose. Although the server cluster is made up of hundreds of IBM blade servers, from a player's perspective, it's all one galaxy with over 5000 solar systems. This is good for a 'sandbox' game, where players are allowed to do whatever they feel like within the rules of that place. It creates a huge galaxy where everyone can potentially interact... or kill each other. But it comes with a rather substantial drawback at times: lag.

This 'single server' approach makes EVE Online a game where players hope to have large-scale fleet battles not unlike all those sci-fi shows and films we grew up with. But the harsh reality is that there are limitations of server technology that hinder large scale conflicts. Bring a few hundred of your friends to a fleet battle in EVE and you might not be fighting so much as watching a slide show. Definitely not the most fun to be had in the game.

Continue reading Making fleet battle reservations in EVE Online?

Making fleet battle reservations in EVE Online? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games introducing new economic measure in EVE

James Egan — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Forums, Game mechanics, Crafting, News items

CCP Games generally takes a hands-off approach to EVE Online's economy, letting the collective actions of players determine what happens. But at times there are bottlenecks in terms of supply. CCP Greyscale cites the example of how the limited number of T2 blueprint originals (BPOs) decreased availability of items while driving up prices. CCP stepped in by introducing 'invention', where players can attempt to create higher-end items via R&D, eliminating the issue of supply and normalizing prices.

CCP Greyscale's latest dev blog is called "Alchemy" and looks at the newest issue they've identified with EVE's economy, the inflated price of rare moon minerals. Greyscale says, "In particular, two rare moon minerals - dysprosium and (to a lesser extent) promethium - are becoming ever-more expensive as increased demand puts pressure on a limited supply. This is likely to become an increasingly large issue as time goes on, with prices for these minerals continuing to rise due to demand, and the increased price being passed on to the consumer of the final product." As we've mentioned in the past, these rare minerals in New Eden are something that the largest, most powerful alliances have sought to control and thus has been one of the drivers of conflict in lawless 0.0 space.

Continue reading CCP Games introducing new economic measure in EVE

CCP Games introducing new economic measure in EVE originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learning to pull the trigger in EVE Online

James Egan — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, PvP, Opinion

Not a day goes by without someone in EVE Online being cut down by the guns, lasers, missiles or drones of another player, given how PvP-centric the game is. Only in EVE, you don't just respawn and all's well. There's often more... drama... involved. A ship lost, implants obliterated, screams of it being unfair or "Whyyyy?!" echo in Local or on the forums. This can be a brutal game at times, and most every player in EVE learns their lessons the hard way. Much of what's said on this is typically from the perspective of the victim. But what about the person behind those guns? Is it always easy for them to pull the trigger?

EVE Online blogger Black Claw addresses that sense of regret that carebears go through when turning towards piracy in "Feeling guilty?" After all, many pirates were once the 'innocent' victims of someone else when they were starting out. Black Claw writes about what it's like to make the transition from a PvP victim to a killer.

Continue reading Learning to pull the trigger in EVE Online

Learning to pull the trigger in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining

James Egan — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Guilds, Professions, Tips and tricks, PvE

Dee Carson is a Director at EVE University, a corporation in EVE Online devoted to showing newer players the ropes of the game. Budding industry-types in EVE (as well as players interested in other professions) will want to refer to Carson's recent post at the Miner with Fangs blog -- he's made his 'EVE University Co-Operative Mining Guide' available as a pdf, and is definitely worth a read.

The guide walks a newer player through all aspects of mining in groups, from the skills required to the different ship choices and their relative merits. Most importantly, he lays out why players should mine cooperatively rather than it simply being a solo pursuit, namely that it's more profitable and adds a social dynamic to the activity. Of course there's safety in numbers, particularly when you've got a good mix of the different professions in EVE represented in the operation -- an ideal operation being comprised of miners, haulers, salvagers and 'top cover' damage dealers. Given that the guide was originally intended for EVE University students, the terminology and information imparted in the guide are accessible to most any pilot in the game, regardless of their familiarity with the industry side of EVE Online. It serves as an excellent introduction to the mining profession, and a stepping stone to more advanced guides like Halada's 'The Complete Mining Guide'. You can find the link to EVE University's guide in Carson's post over at Miner with Fangs.

EVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surviving gatecamps in EVE Online

James Egan — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, PvP, Tips and tricks

A large percentage of EVE Online's playerbase prefers to remain safely ensconced in highsec space, where they can move about running missions, mining, or engaging in their chosen playstyle with minimal risks. However, the real action in EVE occurs in lowsec or more lawless tracts of space -- where players themselves determine what the game is, not CCP's mission designers. But if you've played EVE for any length of time and ventured out into lowsec or 0.0 space, you've no doubt encountered -- or been a part of -- a gatecamp.

That ambush waiting on the other side of a star gate is ubiquitous in EVE, and is pretty much a core tactic used in the game. If you're on the pain-giving end of the scenario, you've probably got little to fear if the numbers (and warp disruption capabilities) are on your side, save for those sentry guns... and the occasional billboard packing heat. However, for those attempting to survive gatecamps that block access to a given destination, or bypass them altogether, there are a few things you'll need to know. Xiphos, of Agony Unleashed PvP school, has lived in 0.0 for roughly two years and recently imparted some tips on surviving gatecamps.

Continue reading Surviving gatecamps in EVE Online

Surviving gatecamps in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The freedom of living in EVE Online's lawless space

James Egan — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, PvP, Opinion

In EVE Online, there are few things as feared by highsec dwellers as going into 0.0 space. These lawless tracts of New Eden do come with certain perils -- as CONCORD isn't there to protect you -- but there are arguably more benefits to flying in 0.0 than there are drawbacks. Still, there will always be a dichotomy in EVE between players who like the game for the freedom 0.0 offers, and those who prefer the safety of highsec.

In 'Living the good life in 0.0,' EVE blogger Xiphos explains his choice to leave Empire space behind. "In 0.0, you are free. Free of Concord, free of hundreds of players, and free to set your own destiny... it is the untamed wild west, where fortune, power, and glory are right for the taking and few have yet to reach out and grasp it," Xiphos writes. Of course, being a member of Agony Unleashed, an EVE corp that provides in-game PvP courses, doesn't hurt in terms of knowing how to handle yourself in 0.0. Have a look at 'Living the good life in 0.0' and see Xiphos' take on the appeal of flying in lawless space. Do you agree with Xiphos' view of the game, and have you largely abandoned highsec in favor of 0.0 and all that comes with it, or simply to experience the most from the game?

[Via CrazyKinux]

The freedom of living in EVE Online's lawless space originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rogue Signal: Where can CONCORD hear you scream?

Phillip Manning — Mon, 26 May 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Guides, PvP, Tips and tricks, PvE, Rogue Signal

When crusty old EVE Online vets give advice, sometimes the simplest questions are the ones that go unanswered, not because we don't know how to respond, but because they're not often asked, and cover things so blindingly obvious to us that we have forgotten that there was ever a point that we didn't know. This article covers one such instance. One of the uncertainties that plagues a lot of new EVE players is never quite knowing where you're safe. Often, when a shivering noob sticks his or her head out into the Rookie Help channel, or into their noob-corp chat, and asks where they are safe, a horde of jaded veterans come back with "NOWHERE!!!"

To listen to some long-time players, there are suicide gankers and can-flippers hiding behind every asteroid or stargate, waiting to drink your sweet noob tears. The truth of the matter is that, while it is technically true that you are not totally safe anywhere, there are some things that you can do to protect yourself from the flippers, gankers, and scammers out there. A great deal of controversy recently arose over one potential solution to some issues of safety in space, so this is something fresh on the minds of many EVE veterans as well as new players.

Continue reading Rogue Signal: Where can CONCORD hear you scream?

Rogue Signal: Where can CONCORD hear you scream? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 May 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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