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[Exclusive Star Trek Online Season 6 reveal: Fleet starbases]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/exclusive-star-trek-online-season-6-reveal-fleet-starbases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/exclusive-star-trek-online-season-6-reveal-fleet-starbases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/exclusive-star-trek-online-season-6-reveal-fleet-starbases/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

STO
You read that headline right: Star Trek Online will be introducing player starbases in its upcoming Season 6. For the first time in the game, fleets will be able to band together to build a virtual home in the icy blackness of space.

The project was spearheaded by Cryptic Lead Artist Jeremy Mattson, who was given the task of conceptualizing and designing this core feature of the path. Mattson sent us an exclusive developer diary to take us through this process, starting with his examination of starbases in Star Trek's canon all the way through the construction and finished product.

Continue reading Exclusive Star Trek Online Season 6 reveal: Fleet starbases

MassivelyExclusive Star Trek Online Season 6 reveal: Fleet starbases originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldeath-starDenis-Osmanbogovicdev-blogdev-diaryearth-spacedockf2pfleetfleet-starbasefleet-starbasesfree-to-playhousingjeff-millerjeremy-mattsonk7Matt-JeffriesNick-Duguidperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplayer-housingplayer-starbaseplayer-starbasespreviewpwesci-fiseason-6star-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestoTue, 22 May 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/20/eve-evolved-preparing-for-the-inferno-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
The Inferno expansion is set to launch on Tuesday May 22nd, promising a complete revamp of EVE Online's war declaration system and a whole host of new modules. If you're in a wardec corp, you'll need to make a few adjustments to the way you operate when the patch goes live. The minimum war fee will increase to 50 million ISK even if you're declaring war on a small corporation, making very small corps less-appealing targets. The fee increases based on the number of members in the target corp, but it doesn't start increasing until around the 130-member mark. If you want to get your money's worth, you'll be best off picking a target corp with 100-150 members or selecting very high-value small targets.

Be very wary of wardeccing large alliances after the patch. While the previous war system swung in favour of the attacker, the new system has gone to the opposite extreme. Large corps and alliances are now significantly more costly and dangerous to declare war on, especially as the defender can now call mercenaries into the war at any time. Players have complained that the increasing war costs could be abused by getting all alliance members to add alts to the corp, but this would be a logistical nightmare to apply in practice and would increase fees by only a few hundred million ISK. If alt padding becomes a problem, CCP will undoubtedly step in and revise the fee structure.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the new modules and gameplay changes coming in Tuesday's Inferno expansion and give some tips on preparing for the patch.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Preparing for the Inferno expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancillaryarchaeologybhaalgornblobblobbingblueprintblueprintsccpccp-gamesdominixeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfeaturedfleetganghackinginfernolabsmagnetometricmagsheathneutraliserpvpradarresearchsandboxsci-fishield-boostershield-tankingtanktankingtech-1tech-2wormholeSun, 20 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Resurrecting faction warfare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/eve-evolved-resurrecting-faction-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/eve-evolved-resurrecting-faction-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/eve-evolved-resurrecting-faction-warfare/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
I think it's safe to say that most EVE Online players have never tried their hands at faction warfare, the state-sponsored bloodbath that pits Minmatar and Gallente pilots against their Amarr and Caldari rivals. When the system launched almost four years ago during 2008's Empyrean Age expansion, it was an immediate and colossal success. CCP ran news stories leading up to the expansion to show the growing tensions between the four nations, with several videos highlighting major flashpoints like the Malkalen incident. The stage was set for the war to end all wars, and players were brought to the front lines to die for their nations.

Faction warfare was originally designed to be a stepping stone for empire-dwellers who wanted to get into nullsec and to give fleet-based PvP to pilots without nullsec contacts. The first few months saw some spectacular action, with fleets of over a hundred rookie pilots happily smashing each other to bits. For over a year, faction warfare provided practically instant-action PvP on any scale you could want, from solo roaming and small gang warfare to full-on fleet battles with several capital ships. Unfortunately, CCP didn't iterate on the feature, so after a year with broken capture mechanics and no real purpose or reward for fighting, faction warfare began to grind to a halt.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I speculate on how faction warfare could possibly be resurrected.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Resurrecting faction warfare

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Resurrecting faction warfare originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdust-514eveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfactionfaction-warfarefactional-warfarefeaturedfleetfleet-commandfleet-warfaregame-designgang-warfareopinionpvpresurrectresurrectionrevampterritorial-warfareSun, 15 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Six small changes that will make a big difference to EVE players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/six-small-changes-that-will-make-a-big-difference-to-eve-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/six-small-changes-that-will-make-a-big-difference-to-eve-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/six-small-changes-that-will-make-a-big-difference-to-eve-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
Last year, EVE Online developer CCP Games tasked its illustrious Team Best Friends Forever with a project aimed at fixing all those little things that annoy EVE players on a daily basis. Font issues, windows stealing focus, implants not showing on killmails, and the problem of agent standings being overly complicated were all tackled in no time flat. For the Crucible expansion, Team BFF's leader, CCP Soundwave, was put in charge of multiple teams that hammered out hundreds of bug fixes, gameplay balance changes and quality of life improvements.

In a new devblog, CCP Punkturis reveals six small changes under development by Team BFF that will certainly make a big difference to EVE players. The skill queue will be getting a search feature, which is good news for older players with over a hundred skills to sort through. The watch list that keeps track of friendly targets in fleet operations will be able to hold 15 players, up from 10, and players will be able to re-order them any way they like.

If you've ever seen a player's face appear in the bottom right of the screen to tell you he's just logged in, chances are you've tried to click on it to talk to him at least once. When the next big patch goes live, you'll be able to do just that. The agent list in stations and module overload indicator will both receive graphical updates, and a new compact user list for the local channel with no portraits will be an absolute god-send to nullsec fleets.

MassivelySix small changes that will make a big difference to EVE players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-punkturisccp-soundwavecrucibledevblogdevelopmenteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefleetlittle-thingsnewsnullsecpvpteam-best-friends-foreverteam-bffWed, 11 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Fitting the Gallente Talos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/eve-evolved-fitting-the-gallente-talos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/eve-evolved-fitting-the-gallente-talos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/eve-evolved-fitting-the-gallente-talos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Among the hundreds of changes brought by EVE Online's recent Crucible expansion, the new tier 3 battlecruisers certainly rank as player favourites. Rather than giving each race a bigger, tougher battlecruiser, CCP gave the new ships the ability to fit battleship-class weapons but heavily limited their defensive capabilities. All four tier 3 battlecruisers are turret-based, letting them output massive damage with close-range guns or hit for solid damage at battleship sniping distances.

As with all new ships, it can be difficult to figure out how to fit the new tier 3 battlecruisers to make full use of their unique combination of high damage output and high mobility. Last week I looked at three viable setups for the Caldari Naga, which proved to be an absolute monster with 1,000-1500 DPS when using close-range blaster setups and a terrifying 650 DPS when sniping at 100km-130km. This week I take a similar look at the Gallente Talos, a ship designed specifically for close-range combat. I explore a traditional armour-tanked blaster fitting with dual webs, a shield-based variant that packs a huge 1,500 DPS punch, and two long-range blaster fits that give the Naga a run for its money.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I explore four solid PvP fittings for the Talos, with both shield and armour setups.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fitting the Gallente Talos

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Fitting the Gallente Talos originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlecruiserbattlecruisersbattleshipbattleshipsblasterblastersccpccp-eveccp-gamescrucibleeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsfeaturedfleetfleetsgallenteguideguideshybridhybrid-weaponshybridsnagapvpship-fittingsnipersnipingtalostier-3Sun, 25 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Player-owned structures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
For much of EVE Online's life, warfare has revolved around player-owned structures of one sort or another. When conquerable stations were released at the end of 2003, they became flashpoints for PvP and goals for corporate territorial warfare. This continued even after the release of player-owned starbases in late 2004, as even the most territorial alliance didn't have the manpower to take down a well-defended large starbase. Industrialists held all the cards, and nullsec alliances made deals with them to open their moons for exploitation.

Eventually, player-built outposts arrived on the scene, and starbases were adopted to fill a military role in system defense. Whichever side in a fight could control the most starbases in a system would win the outpost, and fearsome dreadnoughts were introduced to make starbase sieges possible. Today, starbases take a back seat to wars over infrastructure hubs, territorial claim units and sovereignty blockade units. The war will eventually extend to planets, but until now planetary interaction has been an entirely industrial affair without the slightest hint of EVE's typical conflict. With the coming Crucible expansion, the starbase and customs office systems are due to be overhauled in a way that should lead to more conflict and lay the ground work for DUST 514.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the history of starbases, the impact of the coming starbase revamp, and the possibility of additional conflict brought in by the new customs offices.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Player-owned structures

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Player-owned structures originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesconflictcruciblecustomscustoms-officedustdust-514eveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexodusexpansionfeaturedfleetfleet-warfarefleetsfuelnewsnormadicowning-a-planetpatchplanetplanetary-interactionplanetsplayer-developersplayer-developmentplayer-housingplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationpospos-fuelpvpred-moon-risingrmrstarbasestarbase-fueltaxterritorial-controlterritorial-warfareterritoryterritory-controlwormholeSun, 27 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Returning EVE to the Crucible]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/eve-evolved-returning-eve-to-the-crucible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/eve-evolved-returning-eve-to-the-crucible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/eve-evolved-returning-eve-to-the-crucible/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When EVE Online launched in 2003, it was a barren game without many of the comforts we enjoy today. The user interface was abysmally worse than today's (if you can imagine such a thing), players with cruisers were top dog, and practically the only activities were mining or blowing up miners. The culmination of years of hard work by a small indie studio, EVE Online sold almost entirely on its future potential. When I was introduced to the game by an excited friend in early 2004 during the Castor expansion, he encouraged me to get in on the ground floor because he believed the game was going to be huge. Years later, I find myself introducing the game to thousands of readers on the same premise.

EVE's continual success over the years transformed a fresh-faced CCP Games into a multinational game development giant. And yet, for all that growth and all the updates to EVE over the years, the fact that the game sells largely on future potential is still firmly embedded in both players and developers. Players subscribe not only because they like the game but because they want to support development to reach EVE's true potential. Two years with very little iteration on existing features sent the message that developers weren't trying to reach that potential, but it seems that trend is soon to be completely reversed. With the newly announced Crucible expansion, CCP will be adding countless small features, graphical updates and iterations that put EVE firmly back on the path to reaching its full potential.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at CCP's plans to return EVE to the crucible and reforge it into something awesome. Those waiting for the third part of my look at the new player experience can catch that in next week's column, as Kajatta is enjoying his final week in EVE before delivering his verdict.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Returning EVE to the Crucible

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Returning EVE to the Crucible originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancebomb-launcher-iibubbleccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-soundwavecommand-shipcrucibledreadnoughteveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedfleetfleet-warfarefuel-blocksgraphicsmothershipnebulanebulaenewsnyphurpatchpvpsiegesiege-modulesiege-module-iistarbasestarbasesstealth-bomberssupercapitalsupercapital-nerfsupercapitalssupercarriersupercarrierstech-2tech-3tech-iitech-iiititantriagetriage-module-iiwarfarewarfare-linkswarp-disruption-field-generator-iiwinterSun, 20 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Setting a new course]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/08/captains-log-setting-a-new-course/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/08/captains-log-setting-a-new-course/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/08/captains-log-setting-a-new-course/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Star Trek Online logo
Hello, computer (and players)! Leave your credit cards, er, I mean, Latinum, at the turbolift door -- Star Trek Online has changed course for a new destination... Planet Free-to-Play. As we reported late last week (thanks again to tipster The First Avenger and @Altexist), it was announced during a Perfect World Entertainment earnings call that STO would be adopting a new subscription model before year's end. Little did we know that the plan to make a full-scale announcement had already been in the works and was set to have been released this week, the first inkling of which we saw this past Tuesday.

The press release and new F2P information page that Cryptic has launched on STO's home page contains a lot of information that explains the different benefits that paying and non-paying players will experience. As it did with Champions Online, the development team is planning on being as transparent as possible, listening to feedback, and making adjustments based on closed beta experiences of the new hybrid model. This week's Captain's Log is going to explore some of these benefits, shed some positive light on some worries, share with you exclusive answers to some questions we sent into PR, and let you know some of my overall personal thoughts -- so without further ado, make it so!

Ensign, warp 10! Let's help our readers decide whether they are going to be Silver or Gold members...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Setting a new course

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Setting a new course originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-slotscrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscustomer-servicedaniel-stahlenergy-creditsf2pfeaturedfeatures-matrixfleetfleetsfoundryfree-to-playkdfklingonklingon-factionlivestreammonthly-stipendperfect-world-entertainmentQ-and-Arespec-tokenst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestipendstothe-foundrytrek-onlineThu, 08 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Several weeks ago, EVE Online developer CCP Greyscale published possibly the single most important devblog of the past two years. Titled Nullsec development: Design goals, the blog laid the ground rules for high-level discussion on EVE's upcoming nullsec revamp. For those who live in nullsec, territorial warfare and nullsec life represent the true endgame of EVE. It's in these massive lawless regions of space that players forge alliances, build their own empires, and lead massive fleets of ships into enemy territory to kick over some space sandcastles.

Over the past two weeks, I've been delving into the discussion surrounding the upcoming nullsec revamp and speculating on what changes we might see. I started with a look back at the early days of nullsec industry and went on to give some ideas aimed at reclaiming those glory days. I followed that up with last week's summary of EVE Online's empire-building history, the problems faced by today's territorial warfare mechanics, and further speculation on how the system could be radically changed for the better.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I conclude this series of articles on the upcoming nullsec revamp with an examination of the discussion surrounding PvE, the local channel, and the potentially revolutionary smallholding system that could give even casual and solo players a taste of nullsec.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone

MassivelyEVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photo from the event
Captain's Log, Stardate 65131.6...

Hello, computer (and players)! I seem to mention this all the time, but I believe it to be true: The developers working on Star Trek Online are more transparent with their work than the devs of most other games. Whether or not this transparency has been always been a good thing is debatable, though. Still, no matter what one's thoughts on this are, I think we can all agree we like to be "in the know" when it comes to new things in development. This past weekend, a select group of STO players was able to attend another Dine with the Devs event, hosted by yours truly, where transparency was taken to the next level.

As I let you all know last week, the second-ever Dine with the STO Devs event coincided with some STO devs' visit to the Star Trek Las Vegas convention. Over 50 players gathered at a local Vegas restaurant to eat, drink and bombard Cryptic's developers with their most burning questions. Because 99.99% of the game's players were unable to attend, I captured the entire event on audio and would like to present you with a basic transcript of the evening's events. So make some food, grab a drink, and get ready to fire up the Holodeck for another edition of Captain's Log.

Ensign, warp 10! Auxiliary power to the Holodeck matrices and brace for impact...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Incoming messages from the devs... again

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Incoming messages from the devs... again originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andoriaBorgcrypticcryptic-gozercryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdevelopersdine-with-the-devsdinnerexplorationfeaturedfleetfleet-actionfleetsfoundryfoundry-missionfoundry-missionsgozericonianiconiansinto-the-hivejheiniglas-vegasMeetupnevadapokerpriority-onepvpq-and-ashipshipsst-onlinestastar-trekstar-trek-las-vegasstar-trek-las-vegas-conventionstar-trek-onlinestfstfstargtargstholiantholiansthomasthecrypticcattribbletribblestricorderUIzeroniusrexThu, 18 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Dining with the devs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/captains-log-dining-with-the-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/captains-log-dining-with-the-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/captains-log-dining-with-the-devs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Captain's Log, Stardate 65075.4...

Hello, computer (and players)! Ahhh, the good 'ol developers! You follow them on twitter, you read every one of their forum posts, and you even stalk them in-game. But you know what? Developers are just like us, a fellow human being, right? Wrong! Developers are the key to the future, the hands that create our dreams, the molders that shape our gameplay. Okay, okay -- I'm going a bit overboard, but you have to admit, they are pretty dang cool!

Luckily for us Star Trek Online players, the devs that are working on the game, as well as all of the other projects in development at Cryptic, are very transparent. More often that not, they let us know what they are working on and look to the community to see what we think about particular ideas -- we truly get to help influence what makes it into the game. Aside from posting in the forums, many of them also participate with the community by guest starring on podcasts and meeting up with players when they can.

As I broke the news to you all last week, I was privileged to host a Dine with the Devs event that coincided with a visit of some of the STO devs to this year's San Diego Comic-Con. While this was not associated with Massively, I figured all of you would like to know what happened and what was said. So, without further ado, it's time to recap the event and fill you all in on the super-secret meeting minutes!

Ensign, warp 10! Let's boldly go where most of you were not able to go...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Dining with the devs

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Dining with the devs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Borgcaliforniacomic-concomic-con-2011Comic-conInternationalcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdevelopersdine-with-the-devsduty officerduty-officer-systemDutyOfficerfleetfleet starbasesfleetsFleetStarbasesfoundrygold pressed latinumGoldPressedLatinumground combatGroundCombathereticjheinigKDFklingonLas VegasLasVegaslivestreamMeetuppriority onePriorityOneq and aQAndAsalami_infernoSan DiegoSanDiegoseason fourseason-fourSeasonFourst-onlinestar trekstar trek conventionstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestarbasestarfleetstarfleet academyStarfleetAcademyStarTrekStarTrekConventionstougcThu, 28 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New EVE Online trailer highlights the player behind the space ship]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/new-eve-online-trailer-highlights-the-player-behind-the-space-sh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/new-eve-online-trailer-highlights-the-player-behind-the-space-sh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/new-eve-online-trailer-highlights-the-player-behind-the-space-sh/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Hot on the heels of today's announcement that EVE Online will soon be making its way to Japanese gamers, CCP released a new trailer for the Incarna expansion. Rather than focusing only on in-game action, the new trailer entitled "I was there" tells the tale of a memorable battle from the perspective of a player. Although the dialogue is pretty corny, the story and feeling behind it are things any player involved in gang or fleet warfare can identify with. We all carry stories of the epic fights we've turned around in our favour, and we all like to remember that we were there.

The trailer highlights the very real rush of fleet warfare, the real bonds we form with the players behind the ships and the communities we build and defend together. That sense of community is even extended outward into the real world, as attendees at the annual Fanfest or any one of several unofficial EVE meet-ups find out every year.

At the 2011 EVE Fanfest in March, CCP and EVE players in attendance raised $11,000 US for charity Get Well Gamers. Notable items sold included the official CCP Banhammer from the GM department, as seen in the company's absolutely not safe for work music video HTFU, and a tour of the CCP offices led by CEO Hilmar Pétursson. CCP Soundwave's impromptu art print auction raised a massive $1,500, bringing total donations up to the $11,000 mark. The money was delivered to Get Well Gamers this week and will go to help buy gaming systems for sick children to play during their stays in hospital.

Skip past the cut to watch the new Incarna trailer, embedded in HD.

Continue reading New EVE Online trailer highlights the player behind the space ship

MassivelyNew EVE Online trailer highlights the player behind the space ship originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avataravatarsccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-soundwavecharitycommunitycool-as-fdonationeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefleetfleet-warfaregang-warfareget-well-gamersincarnanewspvpterritorial-controlterritorial-warfaretrailervideoThu, 07 Jul 2011 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: The future for fleets]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/captains-log-the-future-for-fleets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/captains-log-the-future-for-fleets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/captains-log-the-future-for-fleets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Captain's Log, Stardate 64731.1...

Hello, computer (and players)! On my way home from work today, Jason DeRulo's Ridin' Solo came up on my iPod's playlist, and I thought to myself, how boring -- who would want to ride solo? Most of us will agree that we have the most fun when we are teamed up with someone while playing. Whether it is for the social interaction or the companionship or just so that we don't have to keep zerging, we play MMOs so that we can play with other people from around the world. Our games also allow us to take teaming one step further in the form of guilds. In Star Trek Online, joining a fleet is one of the most popular ways to play the game.

Since the early days of closed beta, thousands of fleets have formed inside Cryptic's server, fleets that have brought players together from around the world. It truly does not matter whether you speak English or not -- some of the larger fleets out there have members who represent dozens of countries, languages and ethnicities. Whether you are into PvP, roleplay, raiding, PvE, or accolade-hunting, there is a fleet for everyone -- but it doesn't stop there! As time warps on, developers of the game are going to be adding new options and creating new gameplay that will change the way you will interact with your fleet. So what are they?

Ensign, warp 10! Let's talk about the future of fleets...

Continue reading Captain's Log: The future for fleets

MassivelyCaptain's Log: The future for fleets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12th-fleetcaptains-logcrypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldevelopmentfeaturedfleetfleetsfoundryinterviewpvpsci-fist-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-onlinestarbasestougcThu, 24 Mar 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Incursion guide -- Combat strategies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/eve-evolved-incursion-guide-combat-strategies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/eve-evolved-incursion-guide-combat-strategies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/13/eve-evolved-incursion-guide-combat-strategies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

With the final release of EVE Online's Incursion expansion, Sansha fleets began invading constellations across New Eden. Hell-bent on revenge against the empire nations that rejected him, Sansha's unholy army of borg-like cybernetic soldiers is united in a singular goal -- to bring his disturbing brand of order to the galaxy. The incursions have been running for several weeks now, and players are quickly adapting to EVE's latest group PvE challenge. In last week's EVE Evolved, I began a series of guides to tackling incursions with an article on fleet composition and group tanking strategies.

Even with a well-composed group, it's still possible to fail encounters if the fleet doesn't exercise good target-calling and combat strategies. With some Sansha ships fielding remote repairers and others throwing ECM, energy neutralisers, and massive torpedoes at players, taking on an encounter isn't just a matter of tanking it and flinging missiles in all directions. Fleet commanders must be able prioritise the enemy ships in order of the danger they present to the fleet. Clear target-calling will help a fleet to focus fire and get targets down quickly, and good prioritisation of targets can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

In this week's second part of the EVE Evolved guide to incursions, I explain two popular target-calling strategies and look into prioritising targets in order to minimise the risk to your fleet. I end with a list of high-priority NPCs with special abilities that you'll need to keep an eye on.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Incursion guide -- Combat strategies

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Incursion guide -- Combat strategies originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>callingccpccp-eveccp-gamescommandingcoombateveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfleetgroupgroup-pvegroupingguideguidesincursionincursionspveraid-leadingsanshasanshas-nationtargetSun, 13 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE CSM interview: Incarna and nullsec PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-incarna-and-nullsec-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-incarna-and-nullsec-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-incarna-and-nullsec-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

In part one of our interview with EVE Online's player-elected Council of Stellar Management, we asked council member Deirdra Vaal about EVE Gate, the upcoming forum revamp, CCP's microtransaction policy and other topics discussed at the December CSM summit. In three meeting sessions, CCP and the CSM tackled some hard-hitting issues, the biggest of which were Incarna and nullsec PvP. Most of the details on Incarna are currently locked under NDA, but that didn't stop us from asking the CSM about it. Nullsec PvP has also been a hot topic recently with the revelation that levels of PvP have actually been declining since the Dominion expansion. Dominion was intended to open up nullsec for smaller entities, but we still see EVE's political landscape dominated by massive coalitions of alliances spanning several regions.

Massively: The CSM expressed significant concerns about the Incarna development plans it had access to. Does the CSM think that CCP is heading in the wrong direction with Incarna?

Deirdra Vaal: We feel that the approach taken to Incarna is the wrong one, and we emphasised this to CCP. However, CCPs general idea to set Incarna as an "off the grid" environment where we go for shady deals is something the CSM is reasonably happy with. It's just that so far we haven't really been shown any compelling gameplay. So we think they might be heading in the wrong direction, if they are lazy about it. They might also be heading in the right direction, but so far we haven't seen compelling gameplay that would support this assumption.

Skip past the cut for the rest of our interview with EVE's CSM on Incarna, nullsec PvP and the future of EVE.

Continue reading Massively's EVE CSM interview: Incarna and nullsec PvP

MassivelyMassively's EVE CSM interview: Incarna and nullsec PvP originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarsccpccp-dr-eyjogccp-eveccp-gamesccp-greyscaleccp-zulucouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdierdra-vaaldominioneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfleetincarnainterviewmothershipnullsecpvpsupercarrierstitantitansSun, 23 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Incursion video devblog roundup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/massivelys-eve-online-incursion-video-devblog-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/massivelys-eve-online-incursion-video-devblog-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/massivelys-eve-online-incursion-video-devblog-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Having progressed from being a small independent studio in Iceland to a successful multinational industry leader, EVE Online's developer CCP Games has always had a reputation for being very close to the game's playerbase. Back in July, this view was soured when information from devblogs and the June CSM summit seemed to suggest that EVE would receive no bug-fixes or iterations on old gameplay features for at least 18 months. Players were in an uproar, and a growing perception began to spread that CCP was selling current EVE players short in order to focus on Incarna.

In the past six months, things at CCP have take a complete 180-degree turn. Planetary Interaction has received the iteration players were promised, with gameplay tweaks and user interface fixes being deployed at a rapid pace. CCP also instituted team GridLock, whose purpose was to wage an all-out war on lag and fleet issues. In a refreshing and extremely welcome turn of affairs, CCP has been making a gargantuan effort lately to communicate with the players about upcoming changes and collect feedback. Though regular technical devblogs and pre-released test-server patches, players have been kept more informed than ever about what's going on behind the scenes at CCP HQ.

Most recently, a series of 18 developer videos was released leading up to the Incursion expansion's final release today. Topics covered include battle reports from the ongoing war on lag, information on server optimisations that have been made recently, updates to planetary interaction, and other interesting topics. Skip past the cut for a detailed roundup of all 18 videos, all hosted on CCP's official YouTube page.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Incursion video devblog roundup

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Incursion video devblog roundup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-greyscaledev-diarydevblogeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfighter-bombersfleetfleetsincursionincursionslagmass-testingmothershipsneural-remappingplanetplanetary-interactionplanetssanshasanshas-nationserversupercarriersteam-gridlockthin-clientvideoTue, 18 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Calm before the storm]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/one-shots-calm-before-the-storm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/one-shots-calm-before-the-storm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/one-shots-calm-before-the-storm/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When it comes to PvP in EVE Online, there are some rules that any good capsuleer keeps in mind. Hunting with friends is always best, using a scout is important, and never fly anything you're not prepared to lose. With that firmly in mind, we have this gang shot from Maxsim Goratiev, who snagged this screenshot with his fleet. He writes in to tell us more: "PVP is perhaps the central aspect of EVE Online. We were enjoying the scenery while waiting for the opposing team to get ready for a battle that will show whose armor is thicker and guns are longer. The winner gets it all."

If you'd like to update us on what you've been up to in your favorite game, we'd love to hear about it. Just email your image and tale to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name. Feel free to include corp/guild, server, or anything else of that nature you'd like to add. We'll post them out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Calm before the storm originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesfleetgangMaxsim-Goratievone-shotspvpscreenshotscreenshotsWed, 24 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Upcoming EVE devblog series to show CCP's lag-busting efforts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/upcoming-eve-devblog-series-to-show-ccps-lag-busting-efforts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/upcoming-eve-devblog-series-to-show-ccps-lag-busting-efforts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/upcoming-eve-devblog-series-to-show-ccps-lag-busting-efforts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With EVE Online's single-shard universe, the server hardware and game code have to be continually updated to cope with the game's constantly expanding playerbase. Each time the server is upgraded, node stability and lag in large fleet battles improves significantly. Unfortunately, this trend of periodic improvements took something of a wrong turn when the Dominion expansion came along. Before Dominion, fleet battles took place with over a thousand ships on each side and no crippling lag or node deaths in sight. Since the expansion's release, however, fleets of only a few hundred have regularly experienced unplayable conditions.

Frustrated by CCP's lack of visible progress in tackling lag, members of the EVE community have been making their outrage known. A recent appeal to the gaming media by a few players resulted in the issue getting very high exposure, which could be bad for CCP's public image. CCP issued a response explaining that lag is a high priority, and that there is even an entire development team dedicated to tackling it. Earlier this week, CCP Zulu expanded on CCP's lag-busting efforts in the first of a new EVE devblog series dedicated entirely to lag.

Continue reading Upcoming EVE devblog series to show CCP's lag-busting efforts

MassivelyUpcoming EVE devblog series to show CCP's lag-busting efforts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-atroposccp-eveccp-gamesccp-tanisccp-unifexccp-warlockccp-zuluccp-zuluparkcommunitydevblogdominioneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefleetlagpingserverMon, 16 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Help EVE's developers get to the bottom of fleet lag this Saturday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/help-eves-developers-get-to-the-bottom-of-fleet-lag-this-saturd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/help-eves-developers-get-to-the-bottom-of-fleet-lag-this-saturd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/help-eves-developers-get-to-the-bottom-of-fleet-lag-this-saturd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The down side to EVE Online's truly massive single-server design that puts all players in the same universe is that lag has been a constant problem since the game's launch. For the most part, the game runs smoothly and lag doesn't affect the day-to-day lives of players. It's when too many players congregate in one place that the server node they're on begins to grind to a halt. Circumstances can rapidly go from bad to worse, with server nodes collapsing under the strain and database failures occurring.

It's been noticed by players that lag in fleet battles has gotten considerably worse since the Dominion expansion came out. To get to the bottom of the issue, CCP Tanis has been scheduling regular test-server events in an effort to replicate the conditions experienced on the main EVE server. By logging a fleet battle in action, CCP hope to find ways to resolve fleet lag and prevent further lag-causing defects from reaching the main server unnoticed. On Saturday 29th May between 20:00 and 21:00 EVE time, CCP will be running an important hour-long testing session. They're asking players to turn up and help out, as they need at least 300 pilots to begin testing and ideally would want over 500. For information on what the testing consists of and how to access the EVE test-server, visit the official mass testing sticky thread on the EVE forums.

MassivelyHelp EVE's developers get to the bottom of fleet lag this Saturday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-taniseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefleetlagmass-testingpvpsingularitytesttest-servertestingTue, 25 May 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Insurance evolved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/eve-evolved-insurance-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/eve-evolved-insurance-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/eve-evolved-insurance-evolved/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


The EVE Evolved column hits its second anniversary in two days on April 27th. To celebrate, last week I gave readers the chance to win an expensive faction battleship of their choice worth around 500 million ISK. You submitted a horde of great ideas for future column posts, which I whittled down to a final list of 49 fantastic ideas that would really suit the column. It was really tough to find one topic amongst them all that I liked best and wanted to write up first. Congratulations go to Massively reader Nanoko for making my personal favourite suggestion. In addition to winning a faction battleship, Nanoko's winning idea forms the basis for this week's anniversary edition of the column on the upcoming insurance changes and the impact they'll have on EVE. Special mention goes to Massively reader Aimlis who came up with a similar idea. It was unfortunately a little too close to Nanoko's suggestion, which came first. Nanoko has been contacted to arrange receipt of the prize!

At the end of March, CCP announced that the Tyrannis expansion would include a wave of changes to ship insurance. Currently, players receive insurance payouts for losing a ship based on the value of the minerals that went into its construction. The mineral values used in this calculation are as old as EVE Online itself and over the years have slowly dropped out of step with market prices. As a result, Tech 1 ships are almost free to lose under the current insurance scheme while Tech 2 and 3 losses are barely compensated for at all. Once Tyrannis hits, CCP will periodically adjust the mineral prices used in insurance calculations based on a weighted average of market prices across EVE. This has huge implications for PvP, the composition of fleets and the mineral market.

In this speculative opinion piece, I examine the effect the insurance changes could have on everything from ships used in PvP to the mineral market.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Insurance evolved

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Insurance evolved originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ahoy, ensigns and admirals! Welcome back to Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online news, tips and unfounded personal opinions straight from the final frontier. After Friday's look at the ups and downs of Season One, today's Captain's Log assumes its regular Thursday stardate. At least until his masters at Massively make good on their threat to reassign your humble captain to Q-tip quality control. On Ferenginar.

This week, let's take a look at Fleet Actions. Some are a rewarding change of pace from the often solitary grind of patrol and exploration. And some -- well, okay, just one -- is the bane of Starfleet's existence. We'll get to that in a minute.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Fleet actions, the Crystalline Entity and you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>admiral-yanishevalpha-centauribig-digcommon-groundcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscrystalline-catastrophecrystalline-entitycrystalline-fragmentdeep-space-ninedemil-systemds9elvren-systemfeaturedFederationferenginarfleetfleet-actionguildklingonlarge-crystalline-fragmentpatchpvescience-vesselseason-oneseason-one-common-groundsmall-crystalline-fragmentst-onlinestar-trek-fleet-actionStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-cestar-trek-online-crystalline-entitystar-trek-online-crystalline-entity-guidestar-trek-online-fleet-actionstar-trek-online-guidestar-trek-online-patchstar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-online-season-one-common-groundstar-trek-season-onestarfleetstosto-admiral-yanishevsto-alpha-centauristo-cesto-ce-guidesto-cosmozoansto-cruisersto-crystalline-entitysto-crystalline-entity-guidesto-enterprisesto-fleet-actionsto-memory-alphasto-season-one-common-groundsto-starfleetsto-tier-2sto-yanishevteneebiateneebia-sectortier-2-science-vesseltrek-onlineThu, 01 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-3/#commentsContinue reading EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 3

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 3 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrarmageddoncaldariccpccp-gamesDominiondominixempyrean-ageeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexploitexposeexposedfactionfactional-warfarefleetgallentegangminmatarnavypvpscorpionstrategytyphoonwarfareSun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle-page-2/#commentsContinue reading EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle, page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrarmageddoncaldariccpccp-gamesDominiondominixempyrean-ageeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexploitexposeexposedfactionfactional-warfarefleetgallentegangminmatarnavypvpscorpionstrategytyphoonwarfareSun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

When faction warfare went live with EVE Online's Empyrean Age expansion back in the summer of 2008, It was a magnificent success. It was intended as a way for newer players to get into PvP and as a stepping stone from the safe haven of empire to full-on sovereignty warfare. It wasn't long before large fleets were duking it out in low security space and for a time, it was great. Eventually, problems began to come to light that demanded developer attention. Capturing exploits and a lack of rewards were causing players to leave the war and after a year with no development, faction warfare was looking abandoned.

Rewards were eventually implemented in an attempt to revitalise the ageing faction warfare system and promote PvP. With the Dominion expansion came the most anticipated of those rewards - new tier 1 navy battleships available only from the faction warfare loyalty point store. Since the announcement that they were coming, mission-runners have been farming faction warfare missions like crazy for loyalty points. The promise of unique rewards from the missions was intended to revitalise the game and give pilots something to fight over. But did the rewards really improve faction warfare and promote PvP or was it a huge mistake?

In this three page exposé, I run down the history of faction warfare missions, from the development mistakes to the EVE corp that made almost enough ISK to build a titan. Did the mission buff revitalise faction warfare or did it put the final nail in its coffin? And just how did mission-runners make billions of ISK?

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrarmageddoncaldariccpccp-gamesDominiondominixempyrean-ageeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexploitexposeexposedfactionfactional-warfarefeaturedfleetgallentegangminmatarnavypvpscorpionstrategytyphoonwarfareSun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Has faction warfare been abandoned?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/eve-evolved-has-faction-warfare-been-abandoned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/eve-evolved-has-faction-warfare-been-abandoned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/18/eve-evolved-has-faction-warfare-been-abandoned/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



EVE Online's Faction Warfare system was released almost one year ago with the Empyrean Age expansion and was initially a complete success. It provided a stage on which thousands of players waged war. From fleets of over a hundred players to gangs as small as two or three pilots, everyone found their own place in the conflict. After the initial wave of success, questions began to arise on the lack of rewards to offset the cost of losing ships in PvP. In addition, while the point of faction warfare initially revolved around capturing systems, holding an enemy system provided no benefits beyond bragging rights. Almost a year on from its initial release, faction warfare has barely changed, prompting very real concerns from players that EVE's developers CCP have entirely abandoned it. These issues have even made it as far as the Council of Stellar Management.

In this article, I take a retrospective look at how faction warfare has (or hasn't) progressed in this past year and ask the question "Has Faction Warfare been abandoned?".

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Has faction warfare been abandoned?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Has faction warfare been abandoned? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Caldariccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefactional-warfarefactionsfleetGallenteganglagopinionpvpstorylinetrailerwarwarfareMon, 18 May 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: A stealth bomber adventure]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/eve-evolved-a-stealth-bomber-adventure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/eve-evolved-a-stealth-bomber-adventure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/eve-evolved-a-stealth-bomber-adventure/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Stealth bombers were originally advanced frigates aimed at an ambush predator role. They launched cruise missiles at foes from a distance and dealt very high damage to small ships like cruisers and other frigates. With the changes in the recent EVE Online expansion, they've been re-focused into an anti-battleship role. They now fling massive torpedoes that deal impressive damage to large targets but poor damage to smaller ships. In addition, they were switched from an ambush predator role intended to use normal cloaking devices to a pack hunter role able to warp while cloaked using a covert ops cloaking device.

It's all very well to speculate, but how well do the new stealth bombers actually perform? I took a gang of stealth bomber pilots out on the town for a tense PvP test drive. In this gallery article, I show a visual record of our adventure and go on to give my opinion on the new stealth bombers after a night of EVE PvP.

Gallery: A stealth bomber adventure

Nemesis fittingTorpedoesCloakTarget PainterFrigates

Continue reading EVE Evolved: A stealth bomber adventure

MassivelyEVE Evolved: A stealth bomber adventure originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 May 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefleetgalleryganggankgroupingopinionpvpscreenshotsstealth bomberStealthBombertipstorpedoMon, 11 May 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: We move as one]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/one-shots-we-move-as-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/one-shots-we-move-as-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/21/one-shots-we-move-as-one/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Whether tales old or new, the danger in EVE Online is clear - only the brave, the smart, those willing to take the chances will survive. Whether by superior strategy or superior numbers however, it takes something more than that to truly thrive. Today's old-school EVE Online shot sent in to us by Franky B, shows off one such scene from New Eden. Franky writes in: The back story is pretty clear in my head still. Every ship you see on the screen was flown by a pilot of a 150 strong pre-emptive strike fleet (pretty big back in the day :D). We were gathering around a planet in the VFK system while the fleet formed a convoy for the supply freighters (the big brick slightly off to the left centre of the screen). All ships had been flying and aligned to the first jump gate for quite a while so we were all itching to get bring the pew pew. the focus of the shot is a Flycatcher interdictor which was also flying in formation with the rest of the fleet.

We love to hear about old-school tales of daring. So if you'd like to show off the cool things you've experienced, send some screenshots to us here at oneshots AT massively.com along with a brief description of what we're seeing in the image, your name, and the game it's from. We'll take care of the rest and give you the credit!

Gallery: One Shots


MassivelyOne Shots: We move as one originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeveeve-onlinefleetfranky-bone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsTue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Gear up for wormhole exploration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/eve-evolved-gear-up-for-wormhole-exploration/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/eve-evolved-gear-up-for-wormhole-exploration/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/eve-evolved-gear-up-for-wormhole-exploration/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


In EVE Online, large alliances of corporations lay claim to the lucrative 0.0 security rating areas of the game and smaller corporate operations generally don't stand a chance against them. Corps who want to claim a little corner of space for themselves are forced to join an existing alliance or compete with them for space. With the recent news of 2500 new star systems coming to EVE with the release of wormholes in the march expansion, small corps may find themselves able to carve out their own little corner of space to live in without being squashed by the big alliances.

How will wormholes work?
The information we have so far suggests that wormholes into one of the 2500 new hidden star systems will open randomly in all security levels of system. Wormholes will have a diameter that restricts the maximum size of ship that can enter it and a mass limit that restricts the total mass of ships that can use the wormhole before it collapses. Once the wormhole collapses, the chances of finding another leading to the same system are astronomical so choosing which ships you bring in carefully is a must.

Read on as I describe how wormholes could allow corps to more safely own systems and go on to describe what equipment and ships you'll need to take up residence in your own system.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Gear up for wormhole exploration

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Gear up for wormhole exploration originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamescorporateeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfleetgangnomadorcasleepertech3wormholesMon, 09 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Electronic Warfare, part 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/21/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/21/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/21/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


In the first two parts of this three part guide, I explained the basics of electronic warfare in EVE Online and examined the skills and equipment you'll need as an electronic warfare specialist. In this final section, I tackle the tricky issues of battlefield operations and survival.

Survival:
An unfortunate fact about being part of a fleet's electronic warfare crew is that you'll almost certainly be a high priority target for your enemies. To make matters worse, specialist electronic warfare ships tend to have very poor defensive capabilities. Fitting any kind of tank on an electronic warfare ship can waste vital module slots and severely impact the performance of your ship. This is particularly true in the case of ECM jamming ships where the low slots should be used for signal distortion amplifiers.

What can you do to keep your ship safe on the battlefield and what should you do to help your fleet be victorious? Join me as I answer these questions in a thorough tactical overview of electronic warfare in EVE Online.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Electronic Warfare, part 3

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Electronic Warfare, part 3 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpcelestisdampdampenerECMelectronic warfareElectronicWarfareeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineewfactionfactional-warfarefalconfeaturedfleetjoystiqfeaturesneutraliserneutralizerpiracypiratepvpsnipertrackingturretSun, 21 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In part 1 of this guide, I delved into the world of electronic warfare in EVE Online. In this second segment, I examine the skills and equipment you'll need to be an electronic warfare specialist with special regard to ECM jammers, remote sensor dampeners and tracking disruptors. Contrary to popular belief, new pilots with few skillpoints can still be extremely useful in this area of PvP. The entry-level skills and equipment for electronic warfare specialists can be obtained within days of starting the game.

Entry-level ships:
Although electronic warfare modules can be fitted to any ship, each race has its own set of specialised ships that get bonuses to them. Ranging from cheap expendable frigates up to expensive force recon ships, there are specialist ships for players of all skill levels and in all price ranges. The Caldari race have ships that specialise in ECM jammers, the Gallente specialise in remote sensor dampeners and the Amarr make good use of tracking disruptors and energy neutralisers.

Read on as I examine the skills and equipment you'll need to be one of the most effective electronic warfare specialists in EVE.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpdampdampenerECMelectronic warfareElectronicWarfareeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineewfactionfactional-warfarefeaturedfleetjoystiqfeaturesneutraliserneutralizerpiracypiratepvptrackingturretSun, 14 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/eve-evolved-electronic-warfare-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Whether you're taking part in faction warfare, pirating, fighting a dirty corporate war or defending your homeland in 0.0, chances are you'll be engaging in a lot of fleet warfare. Although a lot of newer fleet commanders prefer all fleet members to be in ships that deal a lot of damage, the optimum setup makes better use of a variety of ship types. A strong fleet in EVE Online is typically composed of three main groups. First you have the tacklers who intercept and warp-scramble enemies, then the damage dealers who kill the enemy and finally you have the electronic warfare crew.

What is electronic warfare?:
Electronic warfare involves the use of modules that debilitate the enemy indirectly rather than attacking them head-on. This includes using target jammers to cause the enemy to lose his active target locks, sensor dampeners to decrease his lock range and energy neutralisers to deplete his capacitor. A good electronic warfare ship has the potential to remove several enemy ships from the battle, cutting the effectiveness of the enemy fleet down significantly. For this reason, a good electronic warfare wing in your fleet can be seen as a force multiplier, allowing your fleet to engage much larger forces and succeed.

In the first part of this guide, I cover the basics of electronic warfare in EVE and show just how important this often underused portion of a fleet is.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 1

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Electronic warfare, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpdampdampenerECMelectronic warfareElectronicWarfareeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineewfactionfactional-warfarefeaturedfleetjoystiqfeaturesneutraliserneutralizerpiracypiratepvptrackingturretSun, 07 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/25/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


In part 1 of this guide, I examined the usefulness of the overview system in EVE Online and explained the various customisation options available to players. In this final part of the guide, I look at the best ways to set up your overview for PvP, mission-running and a few other tasks. No matter what you do in EVE, this guide should offer some helpful hints and tips on getting the most out of this useful tool.

Default settings:
The default overview settings that exist when you first log in are less than optimal. They can fill your overview with extraneous information that make it difficult to find what you want. No matter what activity you're undertaking, you'll benefit from creating a new default settings list. With the overview settings menu open, click the "select all" button on the states tab. This will enable everything that can possibly appear on your overview, allowing you to manually deselect those things that are useless in your everyday life in space.

Read on for detailed instructions on setting up your overview for everything from mining to PvP.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlinefeaturedfleetguidehow toHowTojoystiqfeaturesmissionoverviewpvpMon, 25 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jumpgate Evolution trailer depicts grand struggle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/jumpgate-evolution-trailer-depicts-grand-struggle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/jumpgate-evolution-trailer-depicts-grand-struggle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/jumpgate-evolution-trailer-depicts-grand-struggle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fans of the sci-fi MMO genre have been looking for a game that fills a niche in the industry, somewhere between the complexity of EVE Online and the dynamic 'hands-on' starship piloting of many PC and console games. NetDevil might just be creating the title these gamers have been waiting for -- Jumpgate Evolution.

Jumpgate Evolution's Games Convention 2008 cinematic trailer is narrated to a series of fleet engagements and dogfights in space. The footage sets the tone for the game's backstory with its conflicts between civilizations, and the struggle for survival against ancient and powerful beings who would 'extinguish their light forever.' You can check out the video after the cut.

Continue reading Jumpgate Evolution trailer depicts grand struggle

MassivelyJumpgate Evolution trailer depicts grand struggle originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>combatdogfightseveeve-onlinefleetfleetsgames-conventiongcjumpgate-evolutionleipzignet-devilsci-fispacetrailersvideoSat, 23 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/eve-evolved-setting-up-your-overview-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Since it can often be hard to find or click on something in three dimensional space, EVE Online provides a useful tool called the "overview" to make life easier. The overview window lists objects and ships in your general vicinity and is one of EVE's most important tools for providing situational awareness. Whether you're mining, running missions, pirating or engaging an enemy fleet, almost every activity in space relies heavily on using the overview. In this two-part guide, I break down the overview settings and examine the best way to set up your overview for activities ranging from fleet warfare to mission-running.

Why is the overview so important?:
In addition to the convenience of clicking on items in a list rather than having to locate them in space, the overview has some essential functions. Information such as a ship's speed, name and distance from you can be displayed on the overview. Items on the overview can also be differently coloured or filtered out based on a wide range of factors from security status to whether they're in your alliance or not.

With all of these options, setting up your overview can be a confusing affair. In part 1 of this guide, I explore the various overview options and what they all do.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 1

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Setting up your overview, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlinefeaturedfleetguidehow toHowTojoystiqfeaturesmissionoverviewpvpSun, 17 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively takes on EVE Online's learning curve]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/massively-takes-on-eve-onlines-learning-curve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/massively-takes-on-eve-onlines-learning-curve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/massively-takes-on-eve-onlines-learning-curve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


EVE Online is a complex game. There's no doubt about that. That complexity is a large part of the draw, but that doesn't mean learning about the game has to be a daunting experience. With that in mind, Massively has EVE Online in its sights. We've brought solid writers on staff who are quite knowledgeable about the game and are here to give some in-depth info on how EVE is played.

CrazyKinux and Crovan of The Drone Bay podcast joined us in April, and since then have provided Massively's readers with some helpful columns. CrazyKinux, aka David Perry, writes the Have Clone, Will Travel column. David's most recent piece, 3 Essential Tools for Capsuleers, provides a great overview of some of the third-party programs and resources available to help you plan your skill progression and your ship fittings. But we're also running two more EVE-centric columns at Massively. Read on after the jump to see what else we're bringing to the EVE community, and how we're easing that learning curve.

Continue reading Massively takes on EVE Online's learning curve

MassivelyMassively takes on EVE Online's learning curve originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationcapsuleerccpccp-gamescomplexcomplexitycrazykinuxcrovandrone-baye-oneconomyempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionsfactionfactional-warfarefittingfleetgame-mechanicsgangminingnyphurpodcastpvepvpsci-fiterritorial-controlwalking-on-stationsMon, 21 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Warp drive active]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/one-shots-warp-drive-active/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/one-shots-warp-drive-active/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/one-shots-warp-drive-active/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One of the things that can prove most imposing about playing EVE Online (at least to this blogger who is a relative newcomer) is watching a pile of ships drop out of warp right next to you. One moment you're relatively alone, the next, you're surrounded by ships. (And there's always that moment of "am I about to get podded?" that goes through your head....) This image, sent in to us by Rodj Blake, shows a pile of ships -- from tiny to enormous -- warping to a planet together as part of a recent RP event in the Amarr system. So very cool to see!

Do you have a great screenshot of you and your friends playing together, RP world (universe) events, or perhaps a great PvP battle? If so, drop them in a mail to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com. Yours could be one of the ones featured here!

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Warp drive active originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrccpeveeve-onlinefleetrodj-blakerp-eventwarpFri, 11 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST