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: Development on EVE in 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/eve-evolved-development-on-eve-in-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/eve-evolved-development-on-eve-in-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/eve-evolved-development-on-eve-in-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Following the summer drama that came to be known as monoclegate, the past six months have been challenging for EVE Online's players and developers alike. When players learned that cash-shop clothing was priced higher than its real-life equivalent, the quirky story of the $80 monocle swept across gaming blogs like wildfire. The story's tone soon turned a great deal more sinister with the leak of an internal company newsletter titled Greed is Good, and a second leaked memo from CCP's CEO added more fuel to the flames. Ultimately, players spoke with their wallets; subscriptions fell by at least 8%, and with no financial backup plan, CCP was forced to lay off 20% of its staff worldwide.

The staff members who remained were faced with the task of turning things around, and with the feature-packed Crucible expansion, they did so spectacularly. In just a few short months, hundreds of high-profile features, graphical overhauls, and quality of life improvements breathed new life into a neglected universe. I think most players recognise that this has been a genuine turn-around from within CCP, but some are still skeptical that the company has really reformed. The question on everyone's mind is whether CCP can really keep up this quality of development in the coming year as it delivers two full expansions and integrates EVE with DUST 514.

Perhaps nobody is better qualified to assess that than CSM delegate and former CCP game designer Mark "Seleene" Heard, who recently attended the December CSM summit and witnessed first-hand the aftermath of monoclegate and Crucible's development.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I delve into Mark's CSM Summit report to find out how development at CCP has changed, what we can expect in 2012, and how monocle-gate has affected CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Development on EVE in 2012

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Development on EVE in 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20122012-predictionsccpccp-abathurccp-eveccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcsm-delegatecsm-summitdecemberdevelopmentDominiondust-514eveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsfeaturedgame-developmentgraphicshilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-v-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonmark-heardmmofpsmonoclegatesandboxsci-fiseleeneSun, 08 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Everything there is to know about Crucible]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/04/eve-evolved-everything-there-is-to-know-about-crucible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/04/eve-evolved-everything-there-is-to-know-about-crucible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/04/eve-evolved-everything-there-is-to-know-about-crucible/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
This summer's lackluster Incarna expansion and the ensuing microtransaction drama took a massive toll on EVE Online's player community and development staff. Players were quitting in droves, and CCP eventually had to lay off 20% of its staff worldwide. Two years of half-implemented expansions, broken features, and "first steps" that were never iterated on left players begging for a content-heavy expansion like Apocrypha or those released in EVE's early years. EVE is known for being practically a new game every six months, but since the blockbuster Apocrypha expansion, daily life in New Eden hasn't changed much at all.

To pull things back from the brink, CCP refocused development on EVE Online and gave developers a free pass to work on hundreds of small features and improvements. The company began flooding us with details on new ships, graphical updates, new gameplay mechanics, and desperately needed balance tweaks, and we loved every bit of it. Although it's mostly small features and gameplay tweaks, the Crucible expansion feels like a genuine rebirth for EVE Online. The types of changes made show that CCP knows exactly what players want from EVE and that the company is now willing to deliver it. With CCP's renewed focus on internet spaceships, the Crucible expansion feels like the start of a new era in the sandbox.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I pull together everything there is to know about the Crucible expansion that went live this week, from its turbulent origins to the awesome features and PvP updates it contains.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Everything there is to know about Crucible

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Everything there is to know about Crucible originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancebattlecruiserbattleshipblasterscapital-shipcapital-shipsccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-pannceocruciblecustoms-officedev-diarydevblogdubstepengine-trailseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedgdc-2011graphicshilmarhybridhybrid-weaponslayoffsnaganebulanebulaenerfnewsoracleplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationpvproundupship-spinningstarbasesupercapital-nerfsupercapitalstalostime-dilationtornadotrailervideowubwubwubwubpewpewpewSun, 04 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The human casualties]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
This time last year, EVE Online developer CCP Games was an untouchable powerhouse in the games industry. In addition to servicing around 350,000 EVE subscribers, the company was also developing the World of Darkness MMO and the full scale MMOFPS DUST 514 set on the planets of EVE. Everything seemed to be going fine, but with the release of Incarna at the end of June, CCP faced the biggest crisis in the company's history. Due to a series of missteps and internal leaks that has come to be collectively known as Monoclegate, player confidence in CCP plummeted to record low.

Following the CEO's recent letter of apology promising a refocusing of development on in-space EVE features, news of highly requested features due for inclusion in EVE has gone a long way toward restoring confidence in CCP as a developer. With the return of ship spinning earlier this week and news of updates from hybrid turret rebalancing and implants being added to killmails to the release of the player-designed Tornado battlecruiser, the process of refocusing on EVE is well underway. Unfortunately, the good news of upcoming gameplay updates has been marred by the sobering reality that over 20% of CCP's worldwide staff have been laid off as part of the refocusing effort.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the human casualties of the recent EVE drama and speak to an insider at CCP about what's going on within the company. Unless quotes or facts in this article are specifically attributed to this insider, they are my own views and opinions based on publicly available information.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The human casualties

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The human casualties originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeveloperdevelopersdevelopmentdust-514eveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedhilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssoninsiderjobjob-lossjobsmmo-industrymonocle-gatemonoclegateopinionwodworld-of-darknessSun, 23 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Returning EVE players receive discount as part of CCP apology]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/returning-eve-players-receive-discount-as-part-of-ccp-apology/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/returning-eve-players-receive-discount-as-part-of-ccp-apology/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/returning-eve-players-receive-discount-as-part-of-ccp-apology/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
Last week CCP Games proved that it's still an indie studio at heart when CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson issued a formal letter of apology to the entire EVE Online community. In the letter, he admitted that development had been purposefully shifted away from the in-space features players wanted. He went on to take full responsibility for the ensuing drama surrounding the forced early release of Incarna and the fumbled cash shop introduction. Hilmar then laid out plans to turn EVE's development around and set it back in a direction that current players will appreciate.

Today CCP continued show its commitment to this new development direction with a special reactivation offer for returning players. Most account-holders whose subscriptions lapsed during or before the Summer drama have been sent an email offering a special rate of $4.95 US for 30 days of subscription time. While reactivation offers like these are commonplace, this offer made a point of CCP's new-found direction and contained this concise quote from EVE's senior producer Arnar Gylfason: "A significant part of that plan is the immediate refocusing of all the EVE development teams on EVE's core gameplay: spaceships."

[Source: Reactivation discount email]

MassivelyReturning EVE players receive discount as part of CCP apology originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apologyarnar-gylfasonarnar-hrafn-gylfasonccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-zuludiscounteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinehilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonofferreactivationThu, 13 Oct 2011 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Looking forward to the winter expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/eve-evolved-looking-forward-to-the-winter-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/eve-evolved-looking-forward-to-the-winter-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/eve-evolved-looking-forward-to-the-winter-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Since EVE Online's release in 2003, CCP Games has been the center of one of the most interesting success stories in the games industry. Produced by a tiny indie development studio on a frozen volcanic rock, EVE was the perfect example of how to do things right. The game's publishing deal with Simon & Schuster allowed CCP to buy back the rights to the game several months after its initial release. With no publisher taking a cut of the profits, CCP ploughed subscriptions back into the game's development and grew the development team organically. As a one-game company, CCP worked closely with players to make EVE the best game possible for its loyal playerbase.

In a recent letter to the players, CCP CEO Hilmar laments that somewhere along the line, things changed for the worse. The CCP of today bears little resemblance to the "little indie studio that could" of 2003, not just housing over 600 employees in offices around the world but also developing upcoming MMOs DUST 514 and World of Darkness. Resources are spread thin, and EVE Online has suffered for it. Last month I looked back at the blockbuster Apocrypha expansion and asked why every expansion since then has cut down on the in-space development players want. Hilmar's letter and its accompanying devblog answered that question this week with a solid plan for iteration on flying in space features during the winter development period.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look forward to the winter expansion and explain why each of the issues being tackled in the coming expansion is a big deal to players.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Looking forward to the winter expansion

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Looking forward to the winter expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assault-shipsbalanceblastersCaptains-quartersccpccp-eveccp-gamesestablishmentseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfaction-warfarefactional-warfarefeaturedfonthilmarincarnalagmmo-industrymothershipmothershipsnerfnullsecomg-a-new-fontopinionpvepvpship-spinningsovereigntysupercapital-nerfsupercarriersupercarrierstime-dilationtitantitanswarfarewinteryaySun, 09 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games CEO issues letter of apology to EVE Online players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ccp-games-ceo-issues-letter-of-apology-to-eve-online-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ccp-games-ceo-issues-letter-of-apology-to-eve-online-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ccp-games-ceo-issues-letter-of-apology-to-eve-online-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
Just over three months ago, fans of EVE Online looked on in disbelief as the game they loved faced its biggest crisis of confidence since 2007's T20 developer scandal. The long-awaited Incarna expansion was pushed live with no multiplayer environments and only one race of captain's quarters. Players were forced to use the feature every time they docked, and it seemed that its only purpose was as a display case for overpriced cash-shop clothing. While players debated the controversial cash shop prices, a leaked company newsletter titled "Greed is Good" and a leaked memo from CCP Games CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson threw additional fuel on the flames.

In a letter to the EVE Online community today, Hilmar delivered a humble apology for everything that happened. "The estrangement from CCP that many of you have been feeling of late is my fault, and for that I am truly sorry," he began. "In short, my zeal for pushing EVE to her true potential made me lose sight of doing the simple things right. I was impatient when I should have been cautious, defiant when I should have been conciliatory and arrogant when I should have been humble."

The letter goes on to tackle everything from the removal of ship spinning and the release of the captain's quarters as a full expansion to CCP's plans for the future. In an accompanying devblog, CCP Zulu provided an impressive list of in-space features aimed for the winter development period. The list includes the long-awaited hybrid weapon balance changes, assault ship bonus reworks, capital ship rebalancing, and even iteration on faction warfare.

MassivelyCCP Games CEO issues letter of apology to EVE Online players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apologyarnar-gylfasonCaptains-quartersccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-zulucommunicationeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexpectation-managementfearlesshilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonincarnaleakleaked-memomacrotransactionsMicrotransactionsmiscommunicationmonoclemonocle-gatemonoclegatenewsnewsletternexnoble-exchangewinterWed, 05 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dates for EVE's next expansion, retail launch confirmed in video interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/dates-for-eves-next-expansion-retail-launch-confirmed-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/dates-for-eves-next-expansion-retail-launch-confirmed-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/dates-for-eves-next-expansion-retail-launch-confirmed-in-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Hilmar V. Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games, has given a rather softspoken video interview with Gamereactor on where the sci-fi title EVE Online is today, and what's on the horizon. The interview seems intended for those who haven't played the game before -- as Hilmar gives an intro to the game and its single world setting -- or perhaps gamers who haven't gotten their feet wet in a massively multiplayer online game yet, as he highlights some of the benefits of incorporating more social aspects into video games.

Hilmar gives some history of the company, discussing how CCP Games has grown into having nearly 400 employees at present, with 300 of them focused on the next expansion and its retail launch (in partnership with Atari). The next expansion -- which will include Tech III and wormhole exploration -- will go live on March 10th, and EVE Online will appear on retail shelves on March 12th. Check out the video interview over at Gamereactor for more on the upcoming EVE expansion.

Update -- embedded video below the cut:

Continue reading Dates for EVE's next expansion, retail launch confirmed in video interview

MassivelyDates for EVE's next expansion, retail launch confirmed in video interview originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineexpansionsexplorationgamereactorhilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-v-peturssoninterviewsmmo-industrysci-fisingle-worldtech-3wormhole-explorationTue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castorccpcold warColdWarconcordempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexodusexpansionfactional-warfaregankhilmarjoystiqfeatureslaunchpatchred moon risingRedMoonRisingrevelationsrmrsecond genesisSecondGenesisserversuicidetrinitySun, 05 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/eve-evolved-the-making-of-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online's development path from concept to release has followed a very different path to the MMO norm. Starting from its humble beginnings as one man's dream to build an online space game, EVE has developed into the massively popular game it is today. Rather than designing and developing the game all in one go, the CCP crew opted for a staged delivery approach. The game was re-made 11 times, each stage being progressively closer to the final goal. By launch, EVE had been through 5 total recodes where almost the entire game was scrapped and rebuilt from scratch and at least 6 partial recodes.

Join me as I take a look at the course EVE's development has taken from concept all the way to the current Empyrean Age expansion.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The making of EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castorccpcold warColdWarempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexodusexpansionfactional-warfarefeaturedhilmarjoystiqfeatureslaunchpatchred moon risingRedMoonRisingrevelationsrmrsecond genesisSecondGenesisservertrinitySun, 05 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leadership in EVE Online applicable to real-world ventures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/leadership-in-eve-online-applicable-to-real-world-ventures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/leadership-in-eve-online-applicable-to-real-world-ventures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/leadership-in-eve-online-applicable-to-real-world-ventures/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online has been getting increased mainstream media coverage. Recently the New York Times covered EVE's Council of Stellar Management (CSM) summit in Reykjavik, as well as the self-styled 'bad guy' alliance Band of Brother's initiative to annihilate their rivals in New Eden, wiping them from New Eden's star maps.

A new MMO article at Forbes takes a close look at the corporate paradigm of EVE Online, both in-game and out. The piece touches on the views of Goonswarm alliance leader and CSM delegate Sean Conover (aka Darius Johnson, CEO of Goonfleet) and the real-world CEO of CCP Games, Hilmar Veigar Petursson. The Icelandic CEO states: "There isn't a lot of difference between what you can apply within the game and out of it... It's more about social skills than gaming skills. It's very hard to stay on top."

Continue reading Leadership in EVE Online applicable to real-world ventures

MassivelyLeadership in EVE Online applicable to real-world ventures originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allianceband-of-brothersbobccpccp-gamesceocorpcorporationentrepreneurentrepreneurshipeveeve-onlineforbesgame-mechanicsgoonfleetgoonswarmguildhardcorehilmarleadershipmainstreammaxmedianew-york-timesnytpoliticsreykjavikskillssocial-skillsTue, 22 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fan Fest 2007 videos - Make your weekend an EVE-flix one]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/eve-online-fan-fest-2007-videos-make-your-weekend-an-eve-flix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/eve-online-fan-fest-2007-videos-make-your-weekend-an-eve-flix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/eve-online-fan-fest-2007-videos-make-your-weekend-an-eve-flix/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,


How would you best describe the EVE Online 2007 Fan Fest? I'd say it was filled with players that talked about ships, consumed copious amounts of alcohol alongside the developers, drooled over the Trinity II expansion, drank more alcohol, some pew-pew and a few bruised hairy man boobs egos afterwards, and it all went down in Iceland. I'll sum it up as a frozen mixture of freakishly-EVE debauchery. I'm still bummed, no "mozom" Fan Fest action for me this year; not that I would want my corporation to obtain proof I mingled with some hostiles, and later use said evidence to black mail me as a spy unless I paid a lofty 25 billion space-bux fine.

Thankfully, for those of us not in attendance or those wanting to relive the panel discussions, CCP came through on their earlier promise to feature full-length videos from this year's EVE Online Fan Fest. Currently, 12 videos are up for viewing, and length times vary, some go for 20 minutes and others that last a little longer than 60 minutes. It doesn't cost a dime to watch them either. If you are too lazy to click over and to see the EVE-TV guide, I have you covered with the line-up below. If you would rather read coverage from the Fan Fest, I recently updated the ultimate EVE Online Fan Fest link wrap-up with a few more links.

  • Day 1: EVE History; Oveur on Trinity Expansion; Hilmar on World Domination; CCP Panel, Dev Q&A Session
  • Day 2: Council of Stellar Management; Alliance Panel Discussion; Dr EyjoG on EVE's economics; Ambulation Info
  • Day 3: Tuxford on the development and history behind the in-game ability Heat; How to PvP like an expert with Eris Discordia; Pann gives tips on running an EVE fansite; Tony G discusses his work on the EVE Novel

Continue reading EVE Fan Fest 2007 videos - Make your weekend an EVE-flix one

MassivelyEVE Fan Fest 2007 videos - Make your weekend an EVE-flix one originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationccpccp-gamescouncil-for-stellar-managementeconomyeris-discordiaeveeve-economyeve-expansioneve-fanfest-2007eve-fanfest-coverageeve-fanfest-videoseve-mechanicseve-noveleve-onlineeve-trinityeve-videohilmaroveurpvptuxfordFri, 16 Nov 2007 21:45:00 EST