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[EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/eve-evolved-outlaws-of-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/eve-evolved-outlaws-of-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/eve-evolved-outlaws-of-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online's Community Manager CCP Wrangler once said that "EVE isn't designed to just look like a cold, dark and harsh world; it's designed to be a cold, dark and harsh world." That sentiment sums up the core philosophy behind the game, which permits such nefarious gameplay styles as thief, smuggler, scam-artist, pirate and market manipulator. Underhanded deals go on every day in EVE, with bounty hunters hired to ruin someone's day and spies tearing corporations apart from within. Many are drawn to EVE because it's one of the few MMOs that allows players to embrace their darker side. The opportunity to be a real villain in a sandbox universe can be intoxicating.

Perhaps more intoxicating is the notion that the presence of tangible villains affords players a rare opportunity to play the role of hero. For every pirate gang lurking at a stargate in low security space, there's an anti-pirate squad somewhere planning an attack. For every thief ready to empty their corporation's hangers, there's a security specialist weeding out spies. The true outlaws of EVE are people who have earned their infamy through acts of ruthlessness in their chosen field.

Over the years, we've interviewed and examined some of EVE's most notorious outlaws. In this article, I look back at four of EVE's most wanted, how they earned their infamy, and what they're doing today.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescriminalcsmeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedghscguiding-hand-social-clubheisthellcatsinfiltrationistvaanistvaan-shogastsuIstvaanShogaatsumercenariesmercenarymiz-cenuijmynxeeoutlawoutlawspiracypirateprofessionssandboxscamscam-artistscammerspiestheftthiefunderworldveronevetoveto-academyveto-corpvillainsSun, 08 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Corporate Infiltration for fun and profit, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/eve-evolved-corporate-infiltration-for-fun-and-profit-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/eve-evolved-corporate-infiltration-for-fun-and-profit-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/eve-evolved-corporate-infiltration-for-fun-and-profit-part-2/#commentsContinue reading EVE Evolved: Corporate Infiltration for fun and profit, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Corporate Infiltration for fun and profit, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Of all the EVE Online stories I've heard over the years, none have impressed and inspired me as much as those detailing a well-planned corporate heist. These aren't your run-of-the-mill contract scammers or corp hanger thieves. A professional corporate spy can earn the deepest levels of trust, destroy a corporation from the inside out, rob its members of their most prized possessions and then disappear without a trace. They're the people that pull the strings of war in the background, pitting alliances against each other to meet their own ends. The Guiding Hand Social Club's famous 2005 heist remains to this day possibly the single most impressive story in EVE history and serves as a benchmark of value and style for a heist that has seldom since been matched.

When I'm not busy writing about EVE or running sleeper anomalies with my buddies, I find myself delving more and more into the dark side of EVE. From wormhole piracy and courier contract theft to full-blown corporate infiltration, this year has bestowed on me a great deal of experience in the dirty underworld of EVE. In this article, I explain how to infiltrate a corp successfully and capitalise on the opportunities it throws at you.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Corporate Infiltration for fun and profit

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Corporate Infiltration for fun and profit originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's been no shortage of player-driven drama in EVE Online over the past few months. The things players can do within the game is a testament to EVE's sandbox design, but also to the developers who allow the players accomplish whatever their devious little hearts desire. It's true that most who play the game don't embezzle virtual currency from player-run banks, engage in spycraft or turn double agent, much less publicly assassinate another player during a PvP tournament, but all players in the game benefit from the risk these activities inject into the game. It all becomes part of the game's setting and ultimately makes New Eden a gritter place.

This is a topic of discussion over at MTV Multiplayer this week. EVE Online's lead game designer Noah Ward (aka CCP Hammerhead) sat down with MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John, to discuss some of the potential within the EVE sandbox. The interview focuses on CCP Games' hands-off approach to what the players are doing in the game. As long as players aren't spouting racial epithets or making real-life threats against one another, EVE's gamers can basically do whatever they choose on an individual or collective level.

Continue reading EVE Online developer Noah Ward on player drama in the sandbox

MassivelyEVE Online developer Noah Ward on player drama in the sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancesassassinationccp-hammerheadculturedramaembezzlementeveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsghscguiding-hand-social-clubguildsinterviewslead-designerlead-game-designermmo-industrymtv-multiplayernew-edennoah-wardsandboxsci-fitracey-johnWed, 04 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/eve-evolved-mercenaries-the-hired-goons-of-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/eve-evolved-mercenaries-the-hired-goons-of-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/eve-evolved-mercenaries-the-hired-goons-of-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


In the harsh, hyper-capitalistic world of EVE Online, everything is for sale and everyone has a price. If you've had the misfortune of making some enemies with deep pockets that really like to hold a grudge, you might find yourself staring down the gun barrel of one of EVE's oldest professionals - The mercenary. In this article, I examine some of the main types of mercenary contracts and take a talk about the two most impressive mercenary groups to date.

What is a mercenary in EVE?
The mercenary is another of those professions in EVE that just plain wouldn't work in other MMOs. In a society where everything has a price, you can always pay someone else to do your dirty work and execute your evil plans. Good mercenaries are more than just guns for hire, they're a tight-knit unit of professionals with the skills and experience required to achieve literally any objective.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allianceassassinationbdciccpccp-gamescorporationeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedfrickghscguiding-hand-social-clubharassmentjoystiqfeaturesmercmercenarymercenary-coalitionprofessionpvpvetowarMon, 16 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online player breaks 100 million skillpoints]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/eve-online-player-breaks-100-million-skillpoints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/eve-online-player-breaks-100-million-skillpoints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/eve-online-player-breaks-100-million-skillpoints/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

One of the oldest characters in EVE Online, NTRabbit, made a fairly rare appearance on the game's official forums, reflecting back on the experience of having racked up over 100 million skillpoints. In EVE, hitting nine digits in skills imparts some serious bragging rights. In fact, those skills plus his years of experience lead NTRabbit to proclaim, "I am close to, if not the, premier combat character in the game."

He sheds some light on the path he's taken through New Eden, and in the process tells us what the game used to be like in the early days. For most of us newer players, it's an interesting window into how the game has evolved since EVE Online's beta in 2002. NTRabbit relates a few tales of his adventures in EVE's setting over the years, ranging from excursions deep into hostile space to find (fictional) implants that allow for dual skill training, to how he ended up as a high-ranking member of the notorious Guiding Hand Social Club -- a mercenary corp well-known for its focus on theft and espionage -- where he resides in EVE to this day. For older players, NTRabbit's post might be nostalgic, but for the rest of us, it's a look at the game as we've never really known it.

MassivelyEVE Online player breaks 100 million skillpoints originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the big lures to EVE Online is the fact that its PvP isn't just shoehorned into consensual duels and battlegrounds. Instead, EVE PvP can occur anywhere whether you like it or not and punishments are levied after-the-fact for engaging in unsanctioned combat in designated safe areas. In the previous three parts of this exhaustive guide on where you can take your PvP career, I described the different types of PvP EVE has to offer from small gang warfare to massive territorial fleets. In this final part, I explore EVE's evil side as I talk about piracy and corporate infiltration.

Griefing?:
In most MMOs, stealing from other players or indiscriminately killing them for fun or profit can be considered griefing and may be against the rules or worse. In the cold, harsh universe of New Eden, however, piracy and theft are just another facet of the complex player-based gameplay. From the common gatecamping pirate to the criminal masterminds behind the Guiding Hand Social Club heist, players of all kinds are drawn into the criminal underworld of EVE Online.

If piracy, theft and corporate infiltration sounds like your cup of tea, continue reading as I delve into the dark side of EVE Online.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - The dark side

MassivelyEVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - The dark side originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The concept of ownership established in the real world doesn't always equate with 'reality' in the virtual. When someone robs a person in real life, we don't just hope that they will be punished for this, we expect it. We demand it. Theft runs counter to law. But within the virtual, what if theft of another's property falls within game mechanics? If something is a crime in the eyes of players but doesn't violate the EULA, and the crime is committed fully within permitted game mechanics in the virtual space -- the game world equivalent of 'law' -- can it even be called "crime" at all? An article at The West Georgian titled "A Nerdy Commentary on Governments, Games, and Property", written by Jacob Lovell, explores this interplay between real world concepts of ownership and the virtual world's crimes.

To do so, Lovell looks back on what stands -- to this day -- as one of the most significant ways people pushed the boundaries of what's permissible in an MMO: the Guiding Hand Social Club's (GHSC) defining act of espionage in EVE Online from 2005. Most EVE players are quite familiar with the event, when the GHSC took a contract to bring down their 'client's' rival corporation, Ubiqua Seraph. Operatives in the Guiding Hand Social Club spent roughly one year infiltrating the target corporation, until the codeword 'Nicole' was called out. At that moment, operatives at all levels within the target corporation raided its assets. The heist coincided with an assassination of the Ubiqua Seraph CEO, by her own trusted lieutenant... also a GHSC operative who led her into the trap, followed by some excellent PR spin.

Continue reading Interplay between ownership and game mechanics in EVE Online

MassivelyInterplay between ownership and game mechanics in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corp theft is a daily occurrence in EVE Online. Unlike most MMOs, stealing from other players or organizations in EVE is permissible, assuming that normal in-game methods were employed to pull it off. Simply stated, corp theft in EVE involves becoming a member of the corp and then stealing from the target corporation's hangar(s). Once a thief has access to assets, they can literally clean the corporation out to whatever extent they are able to, depending on their level of granted access. Sometimes corp theft is premeditated, other times it's a crime of opportunity. There are players who approach these heists as a profession, others may do so out of revenge. Regardless of the reasons behind theft in EVE, it's a part of the game and does help establish New Eden's setting as being a harsh, corporation-dominated galaxy where deception is a style of play.

Most corp thefts that this writer is aware of inflict minor damage, often a few billion isk in losses. Generally this isn't enough to cause serious harm to any solid corporation's future, and the only real impact on the corp is emo rage and a few pages of forum drama, and the offender's name being added to Fitz VonHeise's list "The Thieves of EVE" which should be required reading for corp CEOs and Directors who are involved in recruiting players.

Continue reading A 200 billion isk theft in EVE Online

MassivelyA 200 billion isk theft in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>band-of-brothersbobcallyccpccp-gamescorporate-espionagecraftingdeceptiondestructive-influencediceeconomyeibeib-scamespionageeveeve-onlineeve-tribuneforumsgame-mechanicsguiding-hand-social-clubisklady-scarletmiyamoto-isorukunew-edensabotagesandboxsci-fisinssubterfugethiefviper-shizzleTue, 21 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The 7 Deadly Sins of EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/the-7-deadly-sins-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/the-7-deadly-sins-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/the-7-deadly-sins-of-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


EVE Online is by design a darker game than most other MMOs, which means certain actions unthinkable in other games are allowed in EVE's setting of New Eden. It's a game that rewards cunning and brutally punishes stupidity.

Players can assume many roles in New Eden, but the villains in a story are often the most interesting. In EVE, you get to be one. While there are many wrongs a pilot in New Eden can commit, these are seven of the worst. Some players specialize in one of these 'sins,' while others manage to indulge in all seven.

Gallery: The 7 Deadly Sins of EVE Online

PiracyScammingSuicide GankingNinja SalvagingEspionage

MassivelyThe 7 Deadly Sins of EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ten Ton Hammer's Managing Editor, Cody 'Micajah' Bye writes about EVE Online in his latest editorial, 'The Temptations of a Unique MMOG.' The piece -- the first of many to come -- is an exploration of a game where that standard MMO skillset, employed in virtually all of the industry's dominant fantasy titles, no longer applies.

Bye cites a few aspects of EVE that drew him to the game: depth, no level caps, no class restrictions, skills not determined by grinding time, and open gameplay. He also notes that EVE is becoming a game where players can (slowly) begin to change the rules and systems of the world. In these respects, EVE is largely free of many of the limitations found in other MMOs. However, he notes what many people on the outside looking in lament: EVE can be a very complex game.

Continue reading Ten Ton Hammer takes a closer look at EVE Online

MassivelyTen Ton Hammer takes a closer look at EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Almost a legend among EVE Online players, the acts of the Guiding Hand Social Club spurred a well-known article in the UK's PC Gamer way back in 2005. That piece, and interest in other high-profile incidents like the EIB scam, led to other articles like Jim Rossignol's Escapist piece on the Great Scam.

That original article has never been 'nicely' available online, until now. As the jokesters on the CVG site say, "This article was originally published in the September 2005 issue of PC Gamer (UK edition). It has literally taken us that long to upload it."

The article, Murder, Incorporated, takes a look behind the scenes at the dirty world of online contract killings inside EVE space. Modern politiking and corporate warfare has no doubt made this seem like child's play. Just the same, Tom Francis' artful wordplay makes the infiltration of Ubiqua Seraph by the Club less like guild drama and more like a Cold War-era tale of cloak and dagger politics. It's well worth a read.

MassivelyRelive the exploits of legendary EVE Online assassins originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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