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Drugs aren't bad in EVE, m'kay?

James Egan — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Crafting

One of the interesting features of EVE Online is that it has a drug trade in which players are actively engaged. Rather than merely being an illegal commodity, drugs -- called boosters -- enhance the performance of EVE's pilots, albeit with some potential side effects.

To understand boosters though, we'll need to look into the game's setting a bit first. The thing to remember is that as a player, you're a capsuleer. You're not standing on the bridge of your ship barking orders at subordinates. Rather, you're floating inside a metallic capsule deep within your ship. Your mind is interfaced with the ship you pilot via neural implants, thus your vessel is an extension of your body and its senses; you regulate the ship's activities merely by thinking about them. Not all people in EVE's setting of New Eden have the raw potential to become a capsuleer, making your character one of the elite. However, when faced with others of your caliber in combat, every possible edge you can gain over rival capsuleers helps. That's where boosters come in... they're your edge. Boosters augment aspects of your mental processes and thus provide certain bonuses when piloting your ship.

Continue reading Drugs aren't bad in EVE, m'kay?

Drugs aren't bad in EVE, m'kay? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RuneScape dev: buying MMO gold is like funding prostitution

Mike Schramm — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, Making money, PvE, Opinion, RuneScape

And not just because somebody gets screwed. No, RuneScape's Imre Jele tells Eurogamer that gold trading is like prostitution because the worst part of it isn't necessarily the problem itself (most games can deal with gold trading in their economy), but all the other problems that come along with it-- gold farmers, illegal purchases, and so on. Jele says that stolen credit cards are often used to buy gold, and we've all heard of the working conditions and pay of many gold farmers out there.

Jele also says that he's taken steps to stop the gold trading by making unbalanced trades illegal in his game, and has called out other industry players to do the same. But finally, he lands on the real matter at the heart of the problem-- we have to aim at the reason players want to cheat in the first place. If you make games fun, says Jele, players won't need to cheat at all. We're not quite sure exactly how the prostitution metaphor holds up in there, but he has a point.

[Via gamesindustry.biz]

RuneScape dev: buying MMO gold is like funding prostitution originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your Second Life as a CSI

William Dobson — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Events, in-game, News items, Second Life

Reuters has reported that there will be a collaboration between the popular CBS show CSI and the game Second Life. There will be two episodes of the series (airing October 24th and November 6th) that prompt viewers to continue the investigation themselves by jumping into a virtual world designed around CSI:NY. This isn't the first time that Second Life has been linked with a TV crime series, but this occasion casts a more positive light on the game.

The news came from the creator of CSI , Anthony Zuiker, at the Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo. TechCrunch has since updated the facts, adding that a link from the CBS website will give three options for CSI fans to participate in. The first option for viewers is a series of forensic puzzles to solve. The second involves players visiting a crime scene in Second Life and then attempting to solve a murder. This second option is called "Murder by Zuiker", and Zuiker himself will judge participants solutions to the mystery and award in-game prizes to the top entrants. The last option will be to follow up on the TV episode's murder case as a crime scene investigator, with all their famous gadgetry at your disposal.

Also noted in the TechCrunch article is that the airing of the episode coincides with the launching of an independant client for Second Life, OnRez, by the Electric Sheep Company. This is the first independant viewer that has been given the official nod by Second Life creator Linden Labs. Secondlifeinsider.com also has a ton of posts on CSI in Second Life, and the new client, so visit them for some detailed information and on-going coverage.

Your Second Life as a CSI originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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