Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the worst thing an MMO dev's ever said?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-daily-grind-whats-the-worst-thing-an-mmo-devs-ever-said/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-daily-grind-whats-the-worst-thing-an-mmo-devs-ever-said/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-daily-grind-whats-the-worst-thing-an-mmo-devs-ever-said/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EverQuest
The fall season has seen two massive PR fiascos in two MMOs that just couldn't be more different: World of Warcraft and EVE Online. At BlizzCon, Blizzard cluelessly cheered on a video featuring individuals making crass anti-gay comments. And CCP managed to alienate its loyalists with an arrogant, greed-oriented internal memo.

For my part, one of the most awful dev quotes surfaced during the bygone days of EverQuest, when a dev named Milo Cooper famously posted to a player, "Shut up and give me my ten bucks per month, little man. My Porsche needs some performance upgrades." (Hey, remember back when games were $10 a month?) Comments like that one just fueled anger among the playerbase, whose members already felt they were paying too much for too little in return from a studio that took them entirely for granted.

So what's the worst thing you've ever seen an MMO dev say or do?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the worst thing an MMO dev's ever said? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-bucks-per-month-seems-so-cheap-nowarroganceBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentblizzconbrianna-royce-tdgccpccp-gamesdevdevelopereqeveeve-onlineeverquestfearlesshomophobiainternal-memomilooopsopen-mouth-insert-footopinionporschequotesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstudiotdgthe-daily-grindWorld-of-WarcraftwowMon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT Ember Isle developer diary talks art and lore]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rift-ember-isle-developer-diary-talks-art-and-lore/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rift-ember-isle-developer-diary-talks-art-and-lore/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rift-ember-isle-developer-diary-talks-art-and-lore/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

RIFT Ember Isle
"1.4 was a big patch, 1.5 was an bigger patch... 1.6 is going to blow them away," declares Trion Worlds' Hal Hanlin in this most recent dev diary for RIFT's upcoming From the Embers patch. RIFT's Design Producer is joined by developers Morgan Lockhart, Michael Daugherty, Mike Chang, Jason Colombo, and Berenger Fish to discuss the newest endgame zone, Ember Isle, the largest the team's undertaken to date. But it wouldn't be a proper dev diary without some gushing about the lore, art, locations, and mechanics of the zone, and that's all included too. Sweeping musical score included free of charge!

Hit the break to review the video in all its green glory.

Continue reading RIFT Ember Isle developer diary talks art and lore

MassivelyRIFT Ember Isle developer diary talks art and lore originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.6artberenger-fishcaduceus-risedevdev-diarydeveloper-diarydevsdungeonember-islefrom-the-embershal-hanlinjason-colomboloreMichael-Daughertymike-changmorgan-lockhartpatchpreviewriftrift-planes-of-telaratrailertrailerstriontrion-worldsvideovideosMon, 07 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot - Star Trek Online
Captain's Log, Stardate 65322.9...

Hello, computer (and players)! For the past several weeks, Star Trek Online players have been checking out the latest F2P beta builds on the Tribble test server. While there have been a few patches on other days, more for stability fixes and minor tweaking, Thursdays seem to be the designated day for us to receive the largest pushes of new content. The latest round of updates has brought further economy changes, new events and ships, and even more heated debates. Since we seem to be a ways out from the seeing the updates ported to the Holodeck live server, there is still plenty of time to check it all out and provide your feedback to the devs.

I would like to dedicate this entry to those who are helping test the changes. This week's Captain's Log serves as a checklist of sorts on what new content you can test and where you can provide feedback about it. As you read through, I suggest that you read a particular section, jump into game to check out the particular change, formulate an opinion, and head to the linked forum where you can leave your feedback. No matter what you think, it's important to let the devs know -- they will make changes based upon a collective opinion.

Ensign, warp 10! It's time to create our own party rock anthem...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abilityc-storeconsolecraftingcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdaily-eventdevdev-blogdev-diarydeveloper-blogdeveloper-diarydevsdilithiumdoffduty-officerduty-officer-systemevent-calendarf2pfeature-testingfeaturedfeedbackforumforumsfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-systemsgeargozerhereticklingon-academylivestreamloglore-missionspatchespath-to-f2pperfect-world-entertainmentpowerpwesci-fishipsspecial-task-forcespecial-task-force-missionsspecial-testingstst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestarfleet-academystephen-dangelostfstf-updatesstostormshadetest-servertrek-onlineuiui-tweakupdatesThu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When we started into The Matrix Online month last week on The Game Archaeologist, one of the comments caught my eye. Massively reader stealthrider wrote:
Please, please do a tribute to Rarebit. MxO was his baby, and no one took its death worse than he.

He did everything for that game, much of it single-handedly. Everything from playing the canon characters and co-writing the story to fixing hundreds of bugs and even creating a new zone from scratch. Not to mention developing and implementing the story missions, new items, the RP item vendors, and pretty much everything else in MxO's final couple of years. He even implemented and moderated a player-created minigame as part of the official story.

He retired from game development in the months before MxO's shutdown. He was that dedicated to this game that he couldn't work on anything else afterward.

He's a god among developers, and he is as sorely missed as the game itself.
I think this sums up how many Matrix Online vets feel about Ben "Rarebit" Chamberlain. So instead of a mere tribute, we drove the MassivelyMobile over to Chamberlain's house (read: send a polite email request), and he graciously said he'd be glad to reminisce with us. So hit that jump to find out the last word on MxO from the dev who held it together!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-versus-predator-2architectassassinben-chamberlainben-rarebit-chamberlainbluepillcinematicscommander-lockdevdeveloperfeaturedgrandmasterin-game-eventsinterviewkung-fulittle-nemolive-eventslive-events-teammatrixmatrix-onlinemissionsmonolithMonolith-ProductionsmorpheusmxooraclePaul-Chadwickrarebitredpillsoesony-online-entertainmentspystorystorylinethe-matrixthe-matrix-onlineWachowskiWinsor-McCayzionTue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: If you could ask a dev any question and get a straight answer, what would it be?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/the-daily-grind-if-you-could-ask-a-dev-any-question-and-get-a-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/the-daily-grind-if-you-could-ask-a-dev-any-question-and-get-a-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/the-daily-grind-if-you-could-ask-a-dev-any-question-and-get-a-s/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Today, let's pretend like marketing, public relations, and corporate secrecy don't exist, shall we? And while we're dreaming up crazy scenarios, let's imagine that you got to sit down with an MMO developer of your choice and ask him or her one direct question. The catch? That dev would have to give you a direct, straight answer without any hedging, PR-speak, or "no comments."

What would that question be and to whom would you address it?

Would you want to know the top secret release date for The Old Republic or Guild Wars 2? Would you uncover the very real truth behind shady scandals of the past? Would you want to know what the devs say about players amongst each other? Or would you want to know their favorite pies?

Today you get one question. Today is your... destiny!

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: If you could ask a dev any question and get a straight answer, what would it be? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>devdeveloperguild-wars-2gw2marketingopinionprpr-speakpublic-relationsq-and-aquestionquestion-and-answerrelease-datestar-wars-the-old-republicswtortdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republicMon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online CSM 6 candidate roundup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/massivelys-eve-online-csm-6-candidate-roundup-p1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/massivelys-eve-online-csm-6-candidate-roundup-p1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/massivelys-eve-online-csm-6-candidate-roundup-p1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Starting life as a humble indie MMO development studio, CCP Games was always noted for its close relationship to the players of its flagship game EVE Online. That relationship diminished a lot over time as both the size of the playerbase and the scale of EVE's development grew to immense proportions. Today CCP relies on players to guide development more than ever, but it needs a lens through which to focus feedback from such a large community of players into a form that the team can use. The democratically elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM) is that lens.

Fifty-seven players submitted their applications to join EVE's elected player council this year, and all this week, players have been voting to decide who will represent them in discussions with CCP. With so many candidates in the running and only four more days to make up your mind, it can be hard to pick one individual from the list. To help you decide, Massively has compiled a full list of every applicant in the running along with a short message about his or her campaign and handy links to available campaign resources.

When you're ready to vote, follow this link to the voting page, log in, and click the vote button to the right of your chosen candidate. Remember to get your vote in before March 23rd when polls close! The results will be published on March 30th, and we'll find out who will be representing the EVE playerbase to CCP for the coming year.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online CSM 6 candidate roundup

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online CSM 6 candidate roundup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncilcouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcsm-chairmancsm-delegatedemocracydevdevelopmentdevselectioneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedgame-designgame-developmentmmo-industryplayer-developersplayer-developmentvotevotingFri, 18 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online devblog discusses recent 3000-player battle and server stability]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/eve-online-devblog-discusses-recent-3000-player-battle-and-serve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/eve-online-devblog-discusses-recent-3000-player-battle-and-serve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/eve-online-devblog-discusses-recent-3000-player-battle-and-serve/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Recently, we reported on the largest battle ever held in EVE Online. Over 3200 pilots clashed in the lawless nullsec system LXQ2-T. What was meant to be a titanic battle between the Northern Coalition political conglomeration and its rival Russian power block from the drone regions was quickly overcome with lag. Although it's impressive that the server didn't crash, pilots reported delays of several minutes between issuing a command and the server's carrying it out. In a new devblog, CCP Veritas looks at exactly what went on behind the scenes at that colossal battle.

While we play EVE Online in realtime, the server essentially queues up our commands and processes them in order. If the load becomes so high that more commands enter the queue every second than can be processed, our commands begin to be delayed and we experience that as lag. If you've ever been interested in what goes on under the hood of EVE's massively complex server, this devblog is definitely worth a read. If nothing else, it reinforces the fact that lag is a much more complex issue than we sometimes expect and progress in combating it involves painstaking work. In a future devblog, Veritas will present a historical look at the EVE server's performance and how it's been improved in the last few months as part of CCP's ongoing war on lag.

MassivelyEVE Online devblog discusses recent 3000-player battle and server stability originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleccpccp-eveccp-gamesdevdev-diarydevblogdeveloperdevelopmenteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinelagnullsecpvpwarwarfareTue, 09 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE CSM delegates voice disapproval of CCP's attitude to council summit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/eve-csm-delegates-voice-disapproval-of-ccps-attitude-to-council/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/eve-csm-delegates-voice-disapproval-of-ccps-attitude-to-council/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/eve-csm-delegates-voice-disapproval-of-ccps-attitude-to-council/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In recent years, CCP Games have made significant efforts to get players involved in EVE Online's game design efforts. In addition to pre-releasing features on a test server to collect feedback, CCP have involved players more effectively in the development process through their innovative Council of Stellar Management. The council members are voted for by players, with the highest-voted member securing the chair position for the year. Players bring important EVE-related issues to their council representatives, who meet with CCP developers in Iceland twice per year for a week-long council summit.

During the summit, all the most important issues backed by the council are posed to developers and discussed. Previous council sessions have made a significant impact on the game, getting features like the skill queue implemented and providing key feedback on expansions. This year's council had a record voter turnout, with confidence in the team at an all-time high. At the conclusion of their first council summit meeting with CCP, however, two key delegates have begun to voice concerns at the dismissive attitude with which they were met.

Skip past the cut to find out why two council members are annoyed with CCP's approach to this year's summit, and why it's not all bad news and negativity.

Continue reading EVE CSM delegates voice disapproval of CCP's attitude to council summit

MassivelyEVE CSM delegates voice disapproval of CCP's attitude to council summit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ankhesentapemkahccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncilcouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcsm-summitdevdeveloperdevelopersdevelopmentdevsdust-514eva-jobseeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedincarnamynxeestakeholdersummitWed, 30 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOTROcast chats with Aaron "Rowan" Campbell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/lotrocast-developer-interview-wt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/lotrocast-developer-interview-wt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/lotrocast-developer-interview-wt/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

While there are a bunch of great podcasts out there covering lots of different MMO games, we're always glad to see a new, promising show join the group. One such show that we've recently latched on to here at the Massively offices is LOTROcast, which is a mid-length, bi-weekly Lord of the Rings Online podcast put out by Moormur. While there are still a few technical bugs that need to be worked out in regards to formatting, for three shows thus far, it's proving to be well worth the listen.

In this most recent episode of LOTROcast, Moormur sits down with Aaron "Rowan" Campbell, Live Producer for Lord of the Rings Online and talks about a variety of different topics like the development of ideas and testing for Book 7; some of the upcoming dev love in terms of new content players can expect; different things from mounts to mailboxes; and more. He also touches briefly on the roadmap for 2009 and Book 8, and fields a few reader questions. In all, definitely worth a listen if you love the lands of Middle-earth. Also, be sure to check out our latest LotRO developer tour if you're looking for more Book 7 goodness!

MassivelyLOTROcast chats with Aaron "Rowan" Campbell originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>devdeveloperdeveloper-interviewlotro-book-2.7lotrocastpodcastturbineWed, 11 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games drops Linux client support for EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/ccp-games-drops-linux-client-support-for-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/ccp-games-drops-linux-client-support-for-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/ccp-games-drops-linux-client-support-for-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

One of the nicer aspect to EVE Online, in terms of accessibility, is that you can play it across the trinity of operating systems: Windows, Mac, and Linux. The latter two have been made possible through the CCP Games partnership with TransGaming Technologies, via their Cider and Cedega technology, respectively. Unfortunately, while the Mac client has attracted (and retained) a number of users, the same cannot be said for the EVE Linux client. We received word from affected players over the weekend that CCP is dropping support for the Linux client, but it's official as of this morning.

CCP Whisper stated, "I am sorry to announce that from the 10th of March onwards CCP will no longer be officially supporting the Linux operating system. The low amount of users of the Linux client did not justify the degree of additional complexity having three operating systems imposes on our development and release schedules." He states that he and CCP Games are fully aware of the disappointment this will cause but the resources the company has devoted to Linux support could be put to better use elsewhere, in ways that benefit more players.

Continue reading CCP Games drops Linux client support for EVE Online

MassivelyCCP Games drops Linux client support for EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arend-stuhrmannccpccp-gamesccp-whispercedegaciderdevdev-blogeveeve-onlinelinuxmacsupporttransgamingtransgaming-technologiesMon, 09 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's Tech III ships hit Singularity test server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/eve-onlines-tech-iii-ships-hit-singularity-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/eve-onlines-tech-iii-ships-hit-singularity-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/eve-onlines-tech-iii-ships-hit-singularity-test-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


When CCP Games first announced the new line of ships coming to EVE Online with the Apocrypha expansion, a modular design called Tech III, player opinions were rather divided. Some view the flexibility to create thousands of potential ship configurations as a positive thing for EVE. Still, others remain standoffish, citing either the potential for over-complexity or "Lego in space."

Well now it's time for speculation to fizzle out, and for the players to see what Tech III is all about firsthand. An announcement today from EVE dev CCP Nozh let the players know that Tech III can be experimented with on the Singularity test server.

Continue reading EVE Online's Tech III ships hit Singularity test server

MassivelyEVE Online's Tech III ships hit Singularity test server originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphabreakingccpccp-gamesccp-nozhcomplexitydevdevelopereveeve-onlineexpansionsgame-mechanicslegosci-fisingularitytech-3tech-iiitest-serverFri, 06 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Faction populations largely balanced in Warhammer Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/faction-populations-largely-balanced-in-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/faction-populations-largely-balanced-in-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/faction-populations-largely-balanced-in-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When Warhammer Online launched, one of the pressing concerns players had was population imbalance between Order and Destruction. Some of the measures Mythic Entertainment has taken to remedy this -- like free server transfers -- seem to have worked, according to Mythic's Jess Folsom.

A recent dev blog by Folsom at the Warhammer Herald addresses the concerns WAR players continue to have about faction imbalances, and paints a decidedly bright picture of the current state of play.

Percentages shown for the average of all North American servers shows a near equal balance in active accounts per faction (49% Order vs. 51% Destruction), and an even 50/50 split between factions in terms of average experience and renown point gains.

Continue reading Faction populations largely balanced in Warhammer Online

MassivelyFaction populations largely balanced in Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destructiondevdev-blogexperiencefaction-populationfactionsfree-server-transfersjess-folsommonolithmythicmythic-entertainmentnorth-americaopen-rvrorderpopulationpopulation-imbalancerenownrenown-pointswarwarhammer-onlineTue, 20 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE to drop Classic graphics support, possibly some subscribers in the process]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/eve-to-drop-classic-graphics-support-possibly-some-subscribers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/eve-to-drop-classic-graphics-support-possibly-some-subscribers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/17/eve-to-drop-classic-graphics-support-possibly-some-subscribers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The beauty of EVE Online is often cited as a major draw to the game. EVE's graphics presently come in two flavors: Classic graphics, which is essentially EVE as it's always looked, and Premium graphics, which came out in 2007 and is quite an improvement over Classic. Despite how good Premium graphics look now, according to EVE dev CCP Zulupark, they could look even better.

In fact, CCP Games would like to push ahead with EVE's graphics, but supporting the game in Classic in tandem with improving the Premium graphics has been holding them back. Essentially, CCP has been supporting two different clients and thus a dual pipeline, where they must create two versions of each art asset introduced into the game. Zulupark says, "It complicates build and patching processes considerably and, for the most part, it simply doesn't allow us to make EVE look as beautiful as we want." The solution to this problem, he states, is for CCP to drop the Classic client altogether and focus their attention on Premium graphics as the game moves forward.

Continue reading EVE to drop Classic graphics support, possibly some subscribers in the process

MassivelyEVE to drop Classic graphics support, possibly some subscribers in the process originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamesccp-zuluparkclassicdevdev-blogeveeve-onlineexpansionsgraphicshardwarepremiumpremium-graphicstrinitytrinity-graphicsSat, 17 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Changes to custom alliance logos in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/changes-to-custom-alliance-logos-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/changes-to-custom-alliance-logos-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/changes-to-custom-alliance-logos-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


One of the nicer aspects of establishing an alliance identity in EVE Online is that you're not stuck with the standard mix-and-match of graphics to create a logo. You can submit your own custom image which then becomes your alliance logo, viewable in-game. EVE dev CCP Loktofeit stated that there are now going to be changes with the Alliance Logo System which should cut down on the time between submission and when your logo is visible in-game.

Unfortunately, as this new submission process goes into effect, any alliance that has submitted their logos but have not yet received approval will need to re-submit. Loktofeit said, "All previous submissions have been purged form the database in preparation for the new system." If this situation affects you or your alliance, you'll need to review the updated submission criteria, and read up a bit on the new submission/review/acceptance processes as well, which are detailed in CCP Loktofeit's dev blog and being discussed on the forums.

MassivelyChanges to custom alliance logos in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancealliancesccpccp-gamesccp-loktofeitcustomcustomizationdevdev-blogeveeve-onlineforumsgame-mechanicsguildslogologossci-fiFri, 24 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's new Weapon Grouping feature explained]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eves-new-weapon-grouping-feature-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eves-new-weapon-grouping-feature-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eves-new-weapon-grouping-feature-explained/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Weapon Grouping is one of the new features coming to EVE Online, via the multi-staged release of the Quantum Rise expansion. Players spotted and have been giving updates on what they've seen on the Singularity test server, but now EVE dev CCP Ytterbium has posted a dev blog that explains this new feature in great detail, right down to screengrabs of Weapon Grouping in action.

If you've been waiting to hear more about this, you'll want to check out CCP Ytterbium's dev blog, 'Weapon Grouping', for his visual explanation of how you'll soon be able to consolidate your weapons into a single icon, and reload all of them at once. He also lays out the scenarios when you wouldn't want to take advantage of this feature, like when attacking multiple targets (although there's a solution to that built into the feature). Additionally, he's written a lengthy FAQ that should help dispel some of the confusion surrounding Weapon Grouping.

MassivelyEVE's new Weapon Grouping feature explained originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The last week or so in EVE Online has seen the forums set ablaze with Ghostbusters references, but now it may be some threads which are disappearing. CCP Wrangler posted a note about this today on the EVE site, reminding us of a dev blog from August, Forums Refined, which had stated that some significant changes to the forums were on the way. Well, as anyone who's logged into the official EVE Online forums today found out, those changes have arrived.

While it'll take a little time to get used to the new layout and categorization of topics, there may be an issue with players not being able to find their old threads, some of which have been moved with the forum revamp. CCP Wrangler addressed the potential confusion this might cause, and had this to say: "If you had a thread that has disappeared due to these changes, for example if the forum no longer exists, please contact us by creating a petition in the Other Issues - Forums category. Please include a direct link to the thread in question if you have one, otherwise you have to include as much information about the thread as possible to help us find it. The name of the forum, the name of the thread and anything else you can remember would be very helpful."

Continue reading EVE Online forum revamp may lead to disappearing threads

MassivelyEVE Online forum revamp may lead to disappearing threads originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-taeraccp-wranglerdevdev-blogeveeve-onlineforum-changesforumspetitionpvpsci-fiwarfare-and-tacticsThu, 23 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Live dev blog with EVE Online Senior Producer, October 23]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/live-dev-blog-with-eve-online-senior-producer-october-23/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/live-dev-blog-with-eve-online-senior-producer-october-23/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/22/live-dev-blog-with-eve-online-senior-producer-october-23/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Given all the EVE Online news of the past two weeks, not limited to new features being added to the game and old 'features' being taken away, CCP Games has announced a Live Dev Blog for tomorrow, October 23, at 20:00 GMT. The event is expected to last for about one hour. This time, the Senior Producer of EVE Online, CCP t0rfifrans, will be fielding questions from the players. As with the last few live dev blogs, the way this works is you need to post in the announcement thread with the questions you'd like answered.

You can listen to the dev blog tomorrow by joining the in-game channel 'Live Dev Blog' and enabling EVE Voice via your right-click options once you're in. No doubt there will be a wave of Ghost Training nerf questions but it seems unlikely that this issue will be addressed any more beyond the two dev blogs on the matter. Then again, why should that stop you from trying if you've got legitimate concerns? But this would also be an excellent time for people to get Walking in Stations (Ambulation) questions answered as CCP is prepping a playable demo of it for Fanfest attendees, not to mention asking about new ship models like the Orca capital industrial ship.

MassivelyLive dev blog with EVE Online Senior Producer, October 23 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationccpccp-gamesccp-t0rfifransdevdev-blogeveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2008eve-onlineeve-voiceexpansionsfanfestforumsgame-mechanicsghost-traininglive-dev-blognerforcaquantum-risesenior-producerwalking-in-stationsWed, 22 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The EVE Performance Group]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


"CCP fix lag nao!!" That's essentially what this writer has been hearing from players since he began EVE Online, and most assuredly it was being uttered long before that. Whether it's a typical forum whine or something much more clever, the message remains the same: Players really want to have fleet battles with several hundred people at once. After all, the shardless galaxy that players populate, in theory, should allow for that. But in practice, lag can turn such engagements into a slide show. Is it unrealistic to assume that 1000-player fleet battles will ever be a reality in EVE? Time will tell. Still, you'd think that CCP Games didn't care about wiping out lag from much of what you read on the forums.

They're making some inroads with their new server technologies and ongoing initiatives to improve performance, but players still wonder what goes on behind the scenes. The latest in the recent blitz of dev blogs from CCP Games comes from CCP Tanis, "Introducing: the EVE Performance Group," and is an attempt to explain how this group of developers works to make EVE "run better, faster, and smarter." CCP Tanis lays out how they using monitoring, profiling, and debugging tools to try and reduce server load and increase performance.

Continue reading The EVE Performance Group

MassivelyThe EVE Performance Group originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recent world events and their impact on global finance threaten to have dramatic consequences on the game industry. While an economic downturn isn't something to be taken lightly, it is unique in comparison with similar problems in the past -- now real world economic issues can potentially ripple into virtual economies, just as they certainly impact the companies who create MMOs and virtual worlds. CCP Games, founded in Reykjavik, Iceland, is a case-in-point.

There has been commentary and speculation among EVE Online's playerbase and in the media about how Iceland's economic woes may impact the game. The CEO of CCP Games, Hilmar V. Pétursson, (aka CCP Hellmar) addresses these concerns in his dev blog, "Born Global."

Continue reading CEO of CCP Games addresses EVE's continuity through turbulent times

MassivelyCEO of CCP Games addresses EVE's continuity through turbulent times originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankbankingbanksbusiness-modelsccpccp-gamesccp-hellmardevdev-blogeconomyeveeve-64eve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2008eve-onlineeve64fanfestgbphilmar-peturssonhilmar-v-peturssonicelandiskmmo-industryreykjavikrmbsci-fistacklessiousdThu, 16 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Quarterly Economic Newsletter for EVE Online released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


EVE Online is unique among MMOs in that its economy is so complex and dynamic that CCP Games hired an economist, Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson, to keep track of how the market evolves. One would imagine this is no easy task, with an overall trade value of all EVE markets ranging between 2 and 2.5 trillion isk per day. Lead Economist CCP Dr. EyjoG released a Quarterly Economic Newsletter (QEN) for EVE Online today, which is 18 pages full of data which should keep EVE's market and industry-oriented players happy (and hopefully make up for the delayed QEN, which Dr. EyjoG addresses in his announcement).

The Q1 2008 QEN kicks off with an editorial, and here are some brief highlights of what follows:
  • Demographics (number of accounts, most and least populated regions)
  • Price Level Changes (Mineral prices, Primary Producer Price Index, Secondary Producer Price Index, and Consumer Price Index)
  • Mining ship production and losses (with the venerable "Hulk" exhumer losses accounting for a staggering 6 trillion isk in destroyed property in Q1 2008)
  • Market Snapshots
  • Five years of EVE Market history
If you're interested in reading the Q1 2008 economic newsletter, you'll find the download link to the PDF in Dr. EyjoG's dev blog. A discussion of his findings is already underway on the EVE forums.

MassivelyQuarterly Economic Newsletter for EVE Online released originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-dr-eyjogccp-gamesdevdev-blogdr-eyjogeconomisteconomyeveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssonforumshulkindustryiskmarketmineralsminingnewsletterqenquarterly-economic-newslettertradetradingThu, 16 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Changes to combat and contracts in EVE confirmed by devs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/changes-to-combat-and-contracts-in-eve-confirmed-by-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/changes-to-combat-and-contracts-in-eve-confirmed-by-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/changes-to-combat-and-contracts-in-eve-confirmed-by-devs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


New changes to EVE Online seem to be on the way as reported by players on the test server, and confirmed by CCP Games developers on the forums: weapon grouping and contract refinements, in addition to the previously-reported certificates.

Having several high slots of weapon turrets and needing to change ammo types mid-combat has likely frustrated most EVE players at some point. Now, it seems that it'll be possible to link up weapons systems (turrets and launchers only, at first), simplifying reloads and ammo swaps. EVE dev CCP Ytterbium says, "This feature allows players to group weapons together into one slot. From there you can swap all ammo at once without doing the usual ritual of right-click gun 1, load ammo, right-click gun 2, load ammo again etc..." He does caution that the feature is nowhere near ready to go live on Tranquility, and should be considered a work in progress. More information on this feature (which is a welcome change for many EVE players) will be detailed in a future dev blog, he said.

Continue reading Changes to combat and contracts in EVE confirmed by devs

MassivelyChanges to combat and contracts in EVE confirmed by devs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-lingormccp-ytterbiumcertificatescraftingdevdeveloperseconomyeveeve-onlineforumsgame-mechanicsofferspvepvpsci-fitest-servertranquilityweapon-groupingTue, 14 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Certificates and medals coming to EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/certificates-and-medals-coming-to-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/certificates-and-medals-coming-to-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/certificates-and-medals-coming-to-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Most players who've been drawn to EVE Online enjoy the game for its complexity. For such gamers, complexity in a title can be a strength, not a drawback. However, you know what they say about having too much a good thing... Newer players especially find aspects of the game daunting to learn, particularly in terms of skills and skill training plans. This complexity surrounding skills, while not a big deal to veteran players, can be hard to grasp for newer players. Enter "certificates" -- EVE's simplified and (visually) ranked groups of skills that should help rookie players better understand what they should focus on to achieve particular goals.

If the feature does what the developers hope, certificates will remedy a problem newer players face -- "an inability to clearly see where a particular skill fits into the greater scheme of things, what it enables, how to get there and where to go next," CCP Greyscale writes in his latest dev blog "Certificates: Planning the Future."

Continue reading Certificates and medals coming to EVE Online

MassivelyCertificates and medals coming to EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsccpccp-chronotisccp-gamesccp-greyscalecertificatecertificatescertification-plannerdevdev-blogdeveloperdevseveeve-onlineforumsmedalmedalsnew-featurespatchesprofessionsrookiessci-fiskill-trainingskillstitlesMon, 13 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ccp-games-kills-ghost-training-on-inactive-eve-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ccp-games-kills-ghost-training-on-inactive-eve-accounts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/ccp-games-kills-ghost-training-on-inactive-eve-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


EVE Online players who habitually 'ghost train' their alts on inactive accounts are about to be given a wake-up call. The myriad options that a player can take in the sandbox game means that training up specialized alts is a common practice. The time-based skill training system in EVE means that higher ranked skills can take well over a month to train to their maximum of level five. When creating a carrier or mothership alt, for example, it's typical to simply, well, not pay $15 for a month when you're not actually playing on that character while your skill training progresses.

This isn't limited to capital ship alts though. Many players unsubscribe after queuing up a long skill and resub once skill training is complete. This is how it's always been in the game (at least since this writer began playing), and by all indications is something CCP Games has been well aware of. Those days, as confirmed in today's announcement from CCP, are over.

Continue reading CCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts

MassivelyCCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altaltsbreakingbusiness-modelsccpccp-falloutccp-gamesdevdevelopereveeve-onlineexploitsforumsgame-mechanicsghost-trainingpatchesprofessionssci-fiskill-trainingskillsMon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


We've mentioned that EVE Online's next PvP tournament will be unusual, featuring a mix of ship combat (as expected) and mining (completely unexpected). The end result promises to be wonderfully chaotic and offers something interesting for players of all types, whether hardcore PvP-er or carebear. In fact, this also creates the new possibility of having industry-focused players giving tournament commentary alongside the PvP veterans, but there's been no word on this to date.

While EVE's PvP tournament viewers at Fanfest 2008 can look forward to the pandemonium of coordinating mining lasers with missile fire, it's a safe assumption that the tournament participants themselves would like to know how this is expected to go down. CCP Games now has a video explaining how the tournament will work, and has posted two charts showing the brackets of the EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament schedule. In fact, devs CCP Mindstar and CCP Claw were filmed randomly drawing teams from a 'hat' and matching them up, which was later solidified into the schedule.

Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video

MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carebearccpccp-clawccp-gamesccp-mindstarcombatculturedevdevelopereveeve-fanfesteve-onlineeve-pvp-tournamentguildsindustryminingmmo-industrypvppvp-tournamentreykjavikrulessci-fivideovideosTue, 07 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games updates on Walking in Stations expansion for EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/ccp-games-updates-on-walking-in-stations-expansion-for-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/ccp-games-updates-on-walking-in-stations-expansion-for-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/ccp-games-updates-on-walking-in-stations-expansion-for-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The latest EVE Online dev blog comes to us from CCP Eris Discordia. Her post, "Boozing in Stations", deals with the Walking in Stations expansion (formerly known by the much cooler name 'Ambulation'). She states that CCP Games is making good progress on Walking in Stations, but some more feedback from the players is needed: "We are continuously testing, designing, integrating, iterating and polishing on our internal server, but something is missing... the MM part from MMO -- the massively multiplayer part. Our fix? Open up the internal release for the Fanfest attendees so that for a few days our internal release will be public!" As reported earlier, EVE Fanfest 2008 attendees will get to preview Walking in Stations firsthand, well in advance of the expansion's release.

She writes that this preview is not a public beta or even an alpha, just that CCP wants to share what they've done with the players. "There is only so much that we can explain through pictures and visual aids. In the end, you need to experience it in order to get a good idea of what we are truly doing." Eris also writes that EVE Fanfest 2008 will have a number of presentations by CCP devs on the Walking in Stations expansion, as well as roundtable discussions. Check out her "Boozing in Stations" dev blog for more info about where the Ambulation... no, Walking in Stations expansion is in terms of its development and what EVE Fanfest 2008 attendees can look forward to.

MassivelyCCP Games updates on Walking in Stations expansion for EVE originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's been much talk of late about EVE Online's servers and the underlying technology that powers over 5000 solar systems in New Eden. CCP Explorer's latest dev blog, "EVE64", focuses on the tech side of EVE, and discusses StacklessIO, the blade cluster, and the migration of the EVE servers to 64-bit.

The server enhancements, while not without some issues, are showing some promise according to CCP Explorer. "This Monday, 29 September, we saw a fleet battle with over 1100 pilots reported in local. Field reports indicate that the fight was quite responsive for the first 10 minutes but then the node 'missed its heart beat'... and was removed from the cluster...," he says. Despite such setbacks, it's good to see that CCP is doing something about the server issues resulting from an ever-increasing number of pilots in New Eden. Player response to this dev blog seems positive, with a few reporting their experiences being in combat with 1100+ players on the official forums, and even more players weighing in on the server changes at Scrapheap Challenge.

MassivelyEVE server upgrades open possibilities for 1000+ player combat originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>64-bitbladeccp-explorerdevdev-bloglagnew-edennodenodesscrapheap-challengeserverserversstacklessioThu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE dev blog charts much improved customer support experiences]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/eve-dev-blog-charts-much-improved-customer-support-experiences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/eve-dev-blog-charts-much-improved-customer-support-experiences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/eve-dev-blog-charts-much-improved-customer-support-experiences/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Long petition queues, particularly related to expansions, has long been a problem in EVE Online. These long waits may very well be a thing of the past, according to GM Nova, Senior Game Master for EVE Online. GM Nova's latest dev blog, "Such stuff as dreams are made on," deals with the deployment of the Empyrean Age 1.1 patch in early September, as seen from a Customer Support perspective. "We at Customer Support, being at the front lines so to speak, are in a unique position to judge or evaluate whether a patch was successfully deployed and if ther is any fallout or unexpected problems involved, as the potential torrent of problems are directed at us to pass on," he said.

GM Nova points out how that 'torrent of problems' has slowed down to a trickle, using graph data of the Trinity expansion deployment (predictably an insane amount of petitions), the subsequent Empyrean Age 1.0 patch (so smooth they thought their petition system had crashed), and finally Empyrean Age 1.1. The trend evidenced by the graphs is that their patch deployments are becoming less fraught with complications, meaning happier players in the long run. GM Nova goes on to discuss some of the structural changes made to CCP's Customer Support department that improve petition response time, saying,"We are happy to announce that our average petition age is currently two days with most normal requests handled in hours. We hope our efforts shine through in the level of support we are able to offer." Would you agree with GM Nova's assessment, and have your own petitions of late in EVE Online been resolved in a reasonable amount of time?

MassivelyEVE dev blog charts much improved customer support experiences originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Almost any time a discussion about EVE Online comes up, one way or another we end up talking about the server. EVE Online is unique among today's most popular MMOs for its single-server approach. While most MMOs deal with large number of users by starting up large numbers of separate servers with identical game universes, EVE maintains only a single copy of its game universe on a massive cluster of servers. CCP's decision to go with a server model that doesn't use any sharding or instancing whatsoever has had a major impact on in-game activities and how the game has developed.

Server woes:
Unfortunately for CCP, maintaining their vision of a single game universe has proven a lot more difficult and costly than anyone anticipated. Working with IBM, the EVE server cluster is maintained in London and is currently the largest supercomputer employed in the gaming industry. Even with this massive power behind the EVE universe, there are still problems as CCP tries to keep the server upgraded ahead of its ever-expanding playerbase.

In this article, I discuss the unique gameplay that is possible thanks to EVE's server model, the problems the server currently faces and what CCP is planning to do about it.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE Online's server model

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE Online's server model originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpclustercrashdevdev-blogdevblogeconomyeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedinfinibandjoystiqfeatureslagmarketnodepvpserverterritorywarSun, 28 Sep 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/eve-onlines-first-csm-term-ending-next-approaching/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The latest EVE Online dev blog deals with the forthcoming changing of the guard, in terms of the player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM). EVE dev CCP Xhagen touched upon the fact that in the nearly 4 months that the first CSM has held office, it became clear(er) to the developers that their own views on some aspects of the game can be differ from how the players see it. While CCP Xhagen didn't list the CSM's accomplishments, he said that some of what the CSM brought to CCP Games won't be implemented until well after the new Council is elected, due to the time it takes to implement changes in the development pipeline. However, some of their efforts "will start to become visible in WAR 1.2 and the winter expansion."

He also announced the dates and details for the second Council of Stellar Management, with a few changes made to the rules. CCP Xhagen said, "... the chairman is eligible for the chair-position again should he decide to step down as such and have the CSM vote a new one; 25% of actual voters are required to force a topic up to the CSM; the biggest change is the 21 year age limit to be a valid candidate." In addition, the timetable for the existing CSM stepping down and the newly elected Council moving into their role is as follows:

Continue reading EVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching

MassivelyEVE Online's first CSM term ending, next approaching originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>candidacycandidateccpccp-gamesccp-xhagencouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdevdev-blogdevelopmentelectionelectionseveeve-onlinegovernancepipelinevotevotingFri, 26 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP dev blog addresses lag issues, new features]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/ccp-dev-blog-addresses-lag-issues-new-features/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/ccp-dev-blog-addresses-lag-issues-new-features/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/ccp-dev-blog-addresses-lag-issues-new-features/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The latest EVE Online dev blog comes to use from CCP Atlas, and deals with some sweeping changes to that most problematic of systems in the game: Jita. In "A Tale of Two Cities," CCP Atlas makes an analogy between the conveniences of city life and the similar situation of pilots seeking convenience in EVE, often needing to cross through the busy system to reach a destination. CCP's solution is to decentralize Jita from routes between solar systems. In effect, limiting the non-commerce presence in the Jita system, so it can -- hopefully -- continue in its established role as a market hub in New Eden without being a detriment to the players in terms of lag.

Once the changes go into effect, players will no longer need to navigate through Jita to reach their destination (namely the Ruomo constellation), nor run agent missions in Jita. That is to say, Jita, as previously announced, will be a dead zone for mission agents; mission runners given missions from agents outside of Jita will not be sent into or through Jita as part of their mission completion.

Continue reading CCP dev blog addresses lag issues, new features

MassivelyCCP dev blog addresses lag issues, new features originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avoidance-listccpccp-atlasccp-gamescommerceconstellationdevdev-blogeveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsjitalagmarket-hubnonnipopulation-limitsreykjavikruomosci-fitradetrade-hubThu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online implements temporary population control measures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/eve-online-implements-temporary-population-control-measures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/eve-online-implements-temporary-population-control-measures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/eve-online-implements-temporary-population-control-measures/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We mentioned that CCP Games is working on thinning out Local in EVE Online's highsec trade hubs like Jita, but they're also looking into other ways of keeping lag at manageable levels, even if it requires taking temporary (and unpopular) measures. CCP Wrangler announced today that the latest downtime brought with it a new feature to Tranquility: EVE's stargates will check how many players there are in a given solar system and deny access if the system has hit its population limit. The temporary measures are presently being discussed on the EVE Online forums, with a few clarifications and amendments made by the devs.

There is some debate as to whether the pop limit affects Jita alone or if it affects all systems in New Eden, but regardless, the devs have stated multiple times that they're working to resolve the population issue. However, if the system population issue expands to other high traffic solar systems in EVE, this could stand to be a serious problem for the larger 0.0 alliances who rely upon their numbers to hold territory. The latest word from the devs states that only Jita is affected by population limits, and that a node crash is responsible for most of the 'traffic advisory' warnings players are receiving about multiple systems being inaccessible. These are some of the issues that can arise in an unsharded MMO, but hopefully the changes to stargates will remain as CCP states: temporary.

Update: A hotfix deployed during Monday's downtime removed the system cap from all solar systems except Jita, which now has a player capacity of 1024. CCP Explorer stated that the capacity will be raised over time as they make server adjustments. Ultimately they hope to remove the population limit altogether.

MassivelyEVE Online implements temporary population control measures originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementccpccp-gamesccp-wranglerdevdowntimeeveeve-onlinejitanew-edenpopulationpopulation-limitsstargatesystem-populationtranquilityMon, 22 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Even NPC agents are running from Jita's lag in EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/even-npc-agents-are-running-from-jitas-lag-in-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/even-npc-agents-are-running-from-jitas-lag-in-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/even-npc-agents-are-running-from-jitas-lag-in-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Despite being the most notoriously lag-choked solar system in EVE Online, the teeming trade hub of Jita remains a central destination for all things bought and sold in New Eden. Jita is very much a victim of its own success though, as we said before: "Not a day goes by without an EVE pilot, somewhere, cursing Jita and calling for the system to be nuked." The Need for Speed initiative launched by CCP in 2007 aims at improving both server and client performance, and their latest announcement -- the removal of agents from Jita -- is the latest effort they're using to combat lag. This writer feels you're just begging to have your mission probed out, or you might have a masochistic streak by dealing with Level 4 aggro coupled with Jita lag, but that's not for us to decide.

Apparently a number of mission runners use agents in Jita, but according to CCP Wrangler, these players will soon be receiving EVE mails "informing them that the agents are relocating and the date of the downtime when the move will take place. From that point the agents will cease to offer new missions but they will accept ongoing missions, and of course they will resume their normal activities after the move." We'll see how well removing mission runners from the fabric of Jita's lag will improve the situation, but this might be a step in the right direction. The relocation of agents is likely one of a number of steps CCP Games will need to take to deliver smooth gameplay to a playerbase that keeps growing every year, making lag issues more pressing. On the topic of being relocated, have any of you ever gotten stuck in Jita and needed to be moved by a GM?

MassivelyEven NPC agents are running from Jita's lag in EVE originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-wranglerdevdowntimeeveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsgmjitalagneed-for-speedsci-fiWed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The great divide between EVE's players and developers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/the-great-divide-between-eves-players-and-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/the-great-divide-between-eves-players-and-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/the-great-divide-between-eves-players-and-developers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Once upon a time, there was a game about internet spaceships set in a vast galaxy, just waiting to be explored and conquered. It wasn't a huge game in terms of subscribers, in fact it was quite niche, but its small following was devoted. The size of the community allowed the developers to really interact with them and refine the game. The devs were approachable, open, and direct. In many respects, the players and developers were friends. All seemed well in the internet spaceships game, until the player base's numbers grew, and so did the collective din of their voices. The developers soon found they had to be careful about what they said to the players, in case they'd be accused of going back on their word somewhere down the line. At the same time, the game company grew to handle all of these new faces. As with most internet communities, the ever-growing numbers of players became more and more hostile, and the developers grew more and more silent...

Then, a developer -- let's call him "t20" -- used his knowledge of the game to cheat a little. Some players received an unfair advantage over others because of this lapse of judgment, and it was revealed publicly. The players became enraged. The developers were embarrassed and apologetic. Many players left the game, or at least loudly professed that they would. Many perceived that the developers, seen as a whole, were untrustworthy. Given how bad this situation was, and seeing no real way to change these perceptions, the game's creators had to accept that this was how things were. The people who built up the game from nothing saw little recourse but to withdraw even further from the very community which was so vital to their success. Does our story end there?

Continue reading The great divide between EVE's players and developers

MassivelyThe great divide between EVE's players and developers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Empyrean Age expansion has been a significant content update to EVE Online for players interested in factional warfare. Of course, many players aren't willing to enlist in a militia and be under a constant wardec by their factional enemies, and simply prefer to mission run for their agents. CCP Games announced that new content was in the works, back in June, but the latest EVE Online Newsletter has an updated announcement on this from Lead Content Creator, Scott Holden.

CCP is getting closer to releasing new PvE mission content, Holden says, with Content Creation now based in Atlanta. This will be sped up by new staff on the Content Creation team in addition to the existing freelance writers already turning out EVE mission content. Holden says that new types of missions are coming to New Eden, and hints at 'epic mission arcs'.

Continue reading EVE Lead Content Creator discusses new missions

MassivelyEVE Lead Content Creator discusses new missions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlantacapsuleerccpccp-gamescontentcontent-creationdevdev-blogempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionfactionfactional-warfaremilitiamissionmission-arcsmission-runnermission-runningnew-edennewsletternewslettersnpcpilotpiratepvesci-fiscott-holdenwhite-wolfWed, 13 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE dev blog announces changes to forum posting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/eve-dev-blog-announces-changes-to-forum-posting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/eve-dev-blog-announces-changes-to-forum-posting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/eve-dev-blog-announces-changes-to-forum-posting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EVE Online players know what a valuable resource the forums can be in learning about the game or keeping current with what's happening. However, it would be an understatement to say that it's been getting harder to find what you need among all the clutter. CCP Taera's latest dev blog, Forums Refined, announces the forthcoming EVE Online forum revamp, which will go into effect in the coming weeks. The announced changes don't address the search issues that players are well aware of, but rather deal with mergers of existing forum content as well as a few new additions. There will also be clearer descriptions of each forum category, hopefully resulting in fewer moved posts for those who have not trained up Reading Comprehension.

A new addition to the EVE forums will include 'Warfare and Tactics,' for PvP and Factional Warfare discussions. Once this section goes live, members of Factional Warfare NPC corporations lose their rights to post in the Corporations, Alliance and Organization Discussions (CAOD) forum, CCP Taera says. An EVE Gameplay Center category is also being added, which will place 'Science and Industry,' 'Missions and Complexes,' and 'Market Discussions' in one section, keeping them all near the top of the forums. It should have the added benefit of keeping it "easier to find specialized conversations on gameplay topics instead of just posting in General," CCP Taera adds.

Continue reading EVE dev blog announces changes to forum posting

MassivelyEVE dev blog announces changes to forum posting originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancecaodccpccp-gamesccp-taeracorporationdevdev-blogeveeve-gameplay-centereve-onlineforumsnpcnpc-corporationTue, 12 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player and developer interaction in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MMOs are constantly evolving games, from their earliest days as they're conceptualized to their final days when the servers shut down, forever. They evolve throughout their lifespan because they must. Players naturally pick up on ways to use the ever-changing game mechanics to best suit them, prompting the devs to either brand these tactics as an exploit or targeting them for rebalancing in a future patch. A case in point is the impending speed nerf in EVE Online, which is one of the biggest issues currently debated by EVE pilots.

But do players have the right to be this angry when the developers change the game? Jim Rossignol argues this point in "EVE Online and the Big Nerf": "EVE is basically a ongoing symbiotic process... perhaps this means the developer has to make some unpopular decisions for the good of the process as a whole. The relationship between player and developer is not one of equals, nor is it always at its best when it is entirely amiable." Do you agree with Rossignol on this -- and does paying that $15 a month entitle MMO players to pressure devs to change the game to fit their playstyle, or should MMO developers keep the game balanced as they see fit?

MassivelyPlayer and developer interaction in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games has addressed the long-standing problem of suicide ganking in EVE Online in their latest dev blog, titled "Serious Security." CCP Fear stepped up to inform the player base that, yes, the devs do take the issue of suicide ganking seriously, and that they're going to take action. The proposed changes, outlined below, are not going into effect immediately, nor do they impact actions taken as part of Empire war declarations. However, they will be implemented with the next major update to EVE, which will be Empyrean Age 1.1, rolling out this Fall. The dev blog focuses on CONCORD improvements and the increased consequences of suicide ganks.

CCP Fear states: "We have been looking at suicide ganking and overall security standing issues, and how these features affect the general landscape of EVE. We are not happy with the current ease of suicide ganking and the relative 'no hassle' it has become. In many cases, unsuspecting victims have no chance to escape, nor any help from CONCORD. We want to change this."

Continue reading Era of suicide ganking in EVE Online coming to a close

MassivelyEra of suicide ganking in EVE Online coming to a close originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balanceccpccp-fearccp-gamesconcordcriminaldevdev-blogempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsgame-mechanicsgankgankerhighseclocklowsecnerfnew-edennyphuroutlawpiracypiratepvpsci-fistandingssuicidesuicide-ganksuicide-gankertackleWed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Speed kills]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/27/speed-kills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/27/speed-kills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/27/speed-kills/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online has evolved into a game where being fast and agile allows you to choose your fights, dictate range and thus control the course of the battle, disengage whenever you choose, and often move so quickly that you're largely unassailable. However, the era of the nano craze will soon be coming to a close, according to EVE Online developer CCP Nozh.

His latest dev blog addresses the insane velocities achievable, even by previously lumbering battleships, with combinations of speed modules, rigs, pirate implants and performance-boosting drugs. (For those less familiar with EVE or its more deviant aspects, you can in fact use and sell drugs in the game.) CCP Nozh outlined the dev team's design goals in stemming the speed crisis:

Continue reading Speed kills

MassivelySpeed kills originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>afterburnerbalancebalancingblobboostersccpccp-gamesccp-nozhdevdev-blogdeveloperdrugsdynamicseveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsguerilla-warfareimplantmicrowarpdrivenanonerfpiracypiratepvprangerigsci-fispeedstrategytacticsSun, 27 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online currency sellers rip off players (shocker)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/eve-online-currency-sellers-rip-off-players-shocker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/eve-online-currency-sellers-rip-off-players-shocker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/eve-online-currency-sellers-rip-off-players-shocker/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, here we are again... certain people among EVE Online's player base who buy their isk from shady sites are the focus of another dev announcement. GM Grimmi just posted the following: "We have had a number of cases recently with hacked accounts and similar issues and we have found that a lot of them are directly connected with a certain website. This website sells ISK and supposedly EVE Time Codes (ETC), though the ETCs always turn out to be faulty or already used. Players that go to this website and do business with them are running a very high risk of getting keyloggers placed on their system and subsequently having their EVE accounts hacked, and ISK and assets removed. Customer Support cannot correct damages that result from problems with the security of username and passwords. We strongly urge everyone to keep their virus protection up to date and stay away from dodgy ISK seller websites."

Here's another novel idea. Admittedly it's a radical concept and some people might not be ready for it: Play the game and stop trying to buy your way to the top. That said, the ability to legitimately buy and sell ETC is supported by CCP Games, but only from the official ETC resellers, paired with a secure system of buying/selling ETC at the EVE website. The incidents that GM Grimmi describes, as have numerous other dev blogs in the past, stem from players shelling out cash for their isk, presumably from those spam bot sites that turn up in popular channels from time to time. Standard practice with the GMs is to give the isk buyer a negative wallet balance and force him or her to claw their way back up to a positive balance; CCP bans sellers but not buyers. But perhaps this is too lenient. Do you think these players should get banned for buying isk? How does your MMO of choice handle players who try to buy their currency and gear?

MassivelyEVE Online currency sellers rip off players (shocker) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameschannel-spamdevdev-blogeconomyetceveeve-onlineeve-time-codegm-grimmigold-farmeriskisk-sellerrmtsci-fispamThu, 24 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The tyranny of skill training]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/the-tyranny-of-skill-training/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/the-tyranny-of-skill-training/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/the-tyranny-of-skill-training/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

One of the nicest features of EVE Online is the fact that skill progression doesn't go hand-in-hand with a monotonous grind. Rather, the game uses a time-based system of advancement. But this seemingly casual aspect of the game is a double-edged sword; in the earlier stages of skill training, a newer player needs to log in very frequently to switch up low level skills. Some EVE players set their alarms and drag themselves out of bed in the early morning hours to switch their skill training, so as not to lose hours of time where progression halts. PC gaming blog 'Life is a Mind Bending Puzzle' has a post about how EVE's system "creates significant pressure to log on and pop a new skill on every time one finishes." Logically, a new player would assume that it's possible to queue skill training in advance. That assumption, however, would be wrong.

Thus the early career of an EVE pilot is one of setting alarms, calendar reminders, and sticky notes... all to avoid that guilt over losing hours of advancement because of something trivial like sleep or a job. But as time goes on, skill training intervals lengthen at higher levels and thus require far less maintenance. Implementing a skill queue was one of the issues brought to CCP Games by the player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM), as it's one of the complaints most players have when getting to know the game. How do you feel about skill queues? Is it a necessary feature that CCP should implement, or should the developers be focusing on more pressing matters?

[Via]

MassivelyThe tyranny of skill training originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advancementcasualccpccp-gamesdevdevelopereveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsopinionprogressprogressionsci-fiskillskill-queueskill-trainingskillstoboldThu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST