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: Mining returns with Inferno]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/eve-evolved-mining-returns-with-inferno/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/eve-evolved-mining-returns-with-inferno/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/eve-evolved-mining-returns-with-inferno/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Inferno is right around the corner, with the Escalation to Inferno patch due to hit in two days on Tuesday, April 24th. The patch prepares EVE Online for the coming PvP apocalypse with titan balance tweaks, a new interactive status effect bar, and two very important changes to the NPC drop tables: Manufacturable tech 1 modules will be removed from NPC drop tables, and Rogue Drone NPCs will have their mineral drops replaced with ISK bounties. These are changes players have been suggesting for years, and together they have the potential to bring back mining as one of the most profitable professions in EVE.

If someone asked you where all the minerals come from to build the thousands of ships destroyed in EVE on a daily basis, you might say that you assume most of it comes from mined ore. Mining was originally the biggest source of minerals in the game and one of the most profitable professions, but over the years, that's changed. When level 4 missions added an infinite source of battleship-sized NPCs to high-security space, mission-running quickly overtook mining as the most profitable profession, and bizarrely, as a very good source of minerals. When the drone regions were later released, ratting there also became a huge mineral faucet far in excess of that produced through mining.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the problems faced by mining as a source of minerals and speculate on what will happen to mining as a profession when the Inferno expansion hits.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mining returns with Inferno

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Mining returns with Inferno originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesescalationescalation-to-infernoeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedhulkindustrialindustryinfernologisticsmineralsminersminingnullsecopinionorerorqualsandboxsci-fizydrineSun, 22 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vendetta celebrating 10-year anniversary, prepping new content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/vendetta-celebrating-10-year-anniversary-prepping-new-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/vendetta-celebrating-10-year-anniversary-prepping-new-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/vendetta-celebrating-10-year-anniversary-prepping-new-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Vendetta Online - 10 year anniversary
Ten years is an eternity in the game industry, and MMOs that manage to hang around for a decade or more are few and far between. One such title is Vendetta Online, which originally released on April 20th, 2002 and is still going strong today.

Guild Software is hosting a couple of celebration events this weekend. The company has also announced that its massive 1.9 patch is coming later this year, followed by an even more massive expansion in 2013.

Vendetta is unique among MMOs for its twitch-based space combat and extensive trading, mining, and exploration gameplay. Large space battles, dynamic territory control, and player-generated content systems round out the feature set, all of which is coded and maintained by a four-man dev team. The single-universe game server is accessible from a number of different platforms that include Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. In March 2011, Vendetta became the first PC MMO to jump to mobile platforms, and it spent several weeks as the number one paid app on Android devices.

Check out the game's official website for more info, and don't forget to sign up for the trial while you're there. You can also read Massively's latest game impressions in Some Assembly Required.

[Source: Guild press release]

MassivelyVendetta celebrating 10-year anniversary, prepping new content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androideventsexplorationguildguild-softwarein-game-eventsinternet-spaceshipslinuxmacmac-mmosminingmobileplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentsandboxspace-combattradinguser-generated-contentvendettavendetta-10-year-anniversaryvendetta-anniversaryvendetta-onlinevendetta-ten-year-anniversaryFri, 20 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Leaderboard
Oh, don't you scoff at today's topic. I can hear you, harrumphing with seeming impatience at what you consider to be activities beneath your stature. Perhaps the idea of putting in an honest day's hard work in an MMO is abhorrent to you -- after all, that's why you have servants, right? But there are those of us who know the value of soil, stone, and wood.

So today we turn our gaze away from manslaughter and onto gathering natural resources. In most MMOs, two harvesting professions come almost standard with any title: mining and woodcutting (or, if you're feeling Monty Pythonish, lumberjacking). Which is more noble and more worthwhile to pursue?

Mining has the appeal of precious metals and the near-universal utility of these resources in a wide range of crafting recipes, but one must not underestimate how essential wood is. After all, can you imagine swords without hilts, ships without hulls, or campfires that had to resort to burning dung every night in lieu of a better fuel source? Inconceivable!

Get your hands dirty today and vote on the better career path for the burly outdoorsman or woman!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting

MassivelyLeaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingfeaturedforestingharvestingim-a-lumberjack-and-thats-okleaderboardlumberjacklumberjackingminingmonty-pythonopinionpollvotevotersvotingwoodcuttingMon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Bringing back the glory days]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/21/eve-evolved-bringing-back-the-glory-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/21/eve-evolved-bringing-back-the-glory-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/21/eve-evolved-bringing-back-the-glory-days/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
In years gone by, exploring the unknown far reaches of the EVE Online universe meant setting a course for nullsec. With no way to install a permanent residence in the most lucrative far-off systems, players would launch dangerous expeditions into the deep with the hope of striking it rich. Nullsec was the only place to mine rare ores containing megacyte and zydrine, and piracy wasn't as common as it is today. For putting themselves at the risk of pirates, miners were rewarded with an income stream greater than that of any other profession in the game. It was a golden age in exploration that wasn't to repeat itself until March 2009's Apocrypha expansion opened 2500 hidden wormhole systems for exploitation.

Things have changed considerably since those early days of EVE. Player-built starbases and outposts have transformed the face of nullsec, allowing alliances to build themselves an empire in the void. December 2009's Dominion expansion brought a complete revamp of the nullsec sovereignty mechanics, allowing alliances to upgrade their space but dramatically increasing the cost of system ownership. Despite all of these updates and improvements, over the past several years we have somehow lost a lot of what made nullsec great in its glory days. Local industry has been replaced by risk-free logistics, and nullsec's risky but rewarding mining profession is now greatly overshadowed by safe highsec mission-running.

With a new iterative nullsec revamp scheduled to begin this winter, I use this week's EVE Evolved to speculate on what can be done to bring back the glory days of nullsec industry.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Bringing back the glory days

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Bringing back the glory days originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arkonorbistotccpccp-eveccp-gamescrokitedysprosiumeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedglory-daysindustrymanufacturingminingmoonmoonsoreoutpostplayer-generated-contentplayer-housingplayer-owned-stationpvestarbasetech-1tech-2tech-3territorial-warfareSun, 21 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online dev blog outlines major long-term changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/eve-online-dev-blog-outlines-major-long-term-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/eve-online-dev-blog-outlines-major-long-term-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/eve-online-dev-blog-outlines-major-long-term-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Online - nullsec white board
A couple of weeks ago, we told you about an EVE Online initiative to bring about substantial changes to the game's nullsec regions. Yesterday, CCP expanded on the initial concept via a lengthy new post that should banish any doubts as to whether or not the devs expect the game to be around in the far future.

CCP Greyscale outlines 12 bullet points discussed at length amongst both the dev team and the Council of Stellar Management, all with the aim of making nullsec the place to be in terms of EVE Online's primary gameplay. The post talks everything from mining to territory and conquest to intel and exploration. CCP Greyscale uses this last one as an example of how far-reaching the changes to EVE are shaping up to be.

"Hopefully the amount of stuff in here will also make it clearer why we're saying 'more than five years.' For example, those few bullet points under 'exploration' mean replacing all of the exploration content that's been developed in the past five years," he explains.

MassivelyEVE Online dev blog outlines major long-term changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>0.0ccpccp-gamesccp-greyscalecombatconquestdev-blogdev-diaryeveeve-onlineexplorationindustryminingnew-edennullsecpvepvpsandboxsci-fiterritory-controlTue, 16 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[RuneScape introduces sagas and more in May]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/runescape-introduces-sagas-and-more-in-may/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/runescape-introduces-sagas-and-more-in-may/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/runescape-introduces-sagas-and-more-in-may/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The team over at Jagex always has several irons in the fire when it comes to RuneScape's future. In a recent behind-the-scenes article, RuneScape's "Mod Mark" provides us with an advance look at some of the team's plans for the game this May.

Several new capes will be added to the game, including a five-year veteran cape and one for players who have tried out RuneScape Classic at some point. Each of the capes is not only stylish but comes with special emotes as well. Continuing with the fashion theme, the devs will also make available PvP "death hats" that change in appearance as you rack up the kills.

Several other quality-of-life improvements are on the table, such as the Dwarf Lava Flow Mine becoming an actual mine for players working on that particular skill. But by far the most exciting plan in the works is the introduction of a fresh type of content in the game: Fremennik Sagas. These are replayable stories by which you step into the shoes of famous characters to experience defining moments in their lives. There are three such Sagas being developed right now, including one in which you hunt for a bandit on the run.

You can peruse all of the proposed additions to the game over at RuneScape.

MassivelyRuneScape introduces sagas and more in May originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-scenescapecapesdeath-hatsdwarf-lava-flow-minesf2pfree-to-playFremennik-Sagashathatsjagexjagex-gamesmayminingmod-markmod-mark-hpreviewpvppvp-hatsrunescaperunescape-classicveteran-capesveteran-rewardsWed, 04 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perpetuum's Terra Incognita expansion coming May 4th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/perpetuums-terra-incognita-expansion-coming-may-4th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/perpetuums-terra-incognita-expansion-coming-may-4th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/perpetuums-terra-incognita-expansion-coming-may-4th/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Avatar Creations has a bit of a surprise in store for fans looking forward to Perpetuum's next patch. The update will be a full-blown expansion titled Terra Incognita and will be free to download despite the fact that it's crammed full of content. Avatar has also announced the official release date as May 4th, 2011.

So what's in store for the sci-fi sandbox's first expansion? The game world is doubling in size, and six new islands are being made available (three Alpha and three Beta zones, PvE and PvP respectively). Since you can't have a huge game world without providing players a way to avoid traversing it, Avatar is also introducing a new highway system, which will speed travel by an additional 36 kilometers per hour.

Terra Incognita is also bringing a new event notification system to the table (and by events, Avatar means UI pop-ups, not in-game shindigs). Gameplay additions include AoE damage from exploding robots, new armor and weapon modules, internal corporation markets, and various mineral and mining tweaks. Head to the official Perpetuum dev blog to get the full scoop.

MassivelyPerpetuum's Terra Incognita expansion coming May 4th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aoeaoe-explosionsavataravatar-creationscorporation-marketsevent-notification-systemexpansionfast-travelmineralsminingmodulespatchperpetuumperpetuum-onlinesandboxsci-fiterra-incognitaupdateworld-sizeFri, 29 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: A peace in pattern]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/one-shots-a-peace-in-pattern/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/one-shots-a-peace-in-pattern/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/09/one-shots-a-peace-in-pattern/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's a certain zen to mining in EVE Online. Sure, when there are groups out to suicide gank you, flip your can, or things of that nature, it isn't always peaceful. However, when you scan down a great area, gather up a few friends, and manage to make off with a great haul before anyone catches you, it can be fun in its own way. Today's One Shots image was sent in to us by Jon B., who gives us a look at one such moment of peace he encountered: "I took these shots shortly after the end of Hulkageddon in EVE Online. Pretty lights during an alliance mining op. It's nice to get back to normal."

Have you been thinking about sending in screenshots from your own MMO travels? There's no time like the present. (Bonus points if you send in images from a game we don't see very often!) Email your images to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the picture. We'll post it out here on Massively and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: A peace in pattern originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlinehulkageddonjon-bminingmining-opone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsWed, 09 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Advanced mining]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/eve-evolved-mining-101-advanced-mining/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/eve-evolved-mining-101-advanced-mining/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/23/eve-evolved-mining-101-advanced-mining/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Because it is stigmatised as a boring and inactive activity, mining is perhaps EVE Online's most overlooked profession. While it can be a repetitive and sedate affair, mining is a good way to make ISK during low points in your game time. A lot of miners use the profession to make a little ISK while they chat with friends in-game, read the forum or do some other activity. In the first two parts of this three-part guide to mining in EVE, I looked at some of the basics of solo or group mining and how to make the most ISK for your invested time.

Over the years, I've learned a few tricks and strategies for mining that have come in handy. If the local asteroid belts are stripmined clean and you need somewhere nearby to mine, for example, it's possible to use the mission system to spawn a practically endless supply of low-end ore. If setting up camp in high-security space isn't your thing, it can also be very profitable to run a nomadic mining expedition. Using a starbase as a base of operations, you can set up ore depots and refining stations in either normal space or wormhole space.

In this final part of the EVE Evolved guide to mining in EVE, I look at spawning asteroids using the mission system, using a starbase as a base of operations in outlying systems, and running a wormhole mining expedition for massive profit.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Advanced mining

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Advanced mining originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedgravimetrichighseclow-seclowsecminingmissionmission-miningpospverefineryrefiningrorqualsleepersleepersstarbasewormholewormhole-explorationwormholesSun, 23 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What are the unwritten rules of MMO etiquette?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-daily-grind-what-are-the-unwritten-rules-of-mmo-etiquette/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-daily-grind-what-are-the-unwritten-rules-of-mmo-etiquette/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-daily-grind-what-are-the-unwritten-rules-of-mmo-etiquette/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When my wife first started playing MMOs, I realized that she had absolutely zero comprehension of how to interact in a multiplayer environment. After all, she had only experienced single-player games up to this point in her life, so all of her habits from those games were simply carried over into the new one. She'd attack mobs that other players were fighting, she thought players were stalking her if they sent her tells, and no mining node was safe if she was in the vicinity.

As her quote-unquote teacher, I knew that it was my responsibility to teach her basic MMO etiquette -- the unwritten rules of how most players behave and interact in these worlds. Most of my instruction was helping her to see that these other computer characters were actually piloted by people (something we take for granted, but trust me, it's a weird concept to outsiders) and they should be treated as such.

So if you were teaching a complete newbie in the ways of MMOs, what unwritten rules of etiquette would you stress? I'll get you started with one: CAPS LOCK HURTS OUR MINDS. DON'T DO IT UNLESS YOU ARE LITERALLY ON FIRE AND NEED ASSISTANCE.

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What are the unwritten rules of MMO etiquette? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicedont-stand-in-the-firedont-stand-in-the-poopetiquetteminingmmo-etiquettenewbnewbienoobopinionrulesrules-of-etiquettetdgthe-daily-grindFri, 21 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Mining efficiency]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/eve-evolved-mining-101-mining-efficiency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/eve-evolved-mining-101-mining-efficiency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/16/eve-evolved-mining-101-mining-efficiency/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mining is one of EVE Online's oldest and most iconic activities, with a significant in-game community and several helpful guides. Although many players would rather pick up railguns and blow each other to bits than pick up mining lasers to hoover up some rocks, mining can be a very relaxing way to make ISK. In last week's first part of the EVE Evolved guide to mining, I examined at some of the most basic mining topics. I looked at the Retriever as an entry-level mining ship for new players, strategies for mining on your own, and the basic structure of a group mining operation.

Although it's a relatively quick and easy profession to get into, there's a lot more to mining than meets the eye. Both miners and haulers have several skills, ships and modules available to upgrade their effectiveness and make the most of their play time. Finding out the best ore to mine or the best location to mine it also isn't quite as straightforward as it seems, which often makes it difficult to find a good mining spot. Once you've mined your ore, it's also not obvious how to get the most ISK out of it. Do you refine it yourself and sell the minerals, or will the raw ore be worth more on the open market?

In this week's second part of the EVE Evolved guide to mining in EVE, I look at mining efficiency and how to make the most ISK for your invested time.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Mining efficiency

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Mining efficiency originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescovetoreveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfluidorbithulkmackinawminingorcaorerefinerefiningSun, 16 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- The basics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/09/eve-evolved-mining-101-the-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/09/eve-evolved-mining-101-the-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/09/eve-evolved-mining-101-the-basics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Although it's not everyone's cup of tea, mining is one of EVE Online's oldest and most easily accessible professions. Sitting down to clear out a few asteroid belts or put a dent in a massive ice asteroid can be a very relaxing way to make ISK. Mining is a very low-activity process that can be done at the same time as other tasks, much in the same way that hauling items for trade or running courier missions can be done in the background. In all the time that the EVE Evolved column has been running, it struck me that I had never really written a guide for mining.

Mining can be a good way to make some extra ISK during a lull in corp activity or while you're busy doing other things. Busy EVE players will often set themselves up to mine solo while reading a good book or watching TV. On the other end of the scale, corporations and alliances will sometimes run large co-operative mining operations for war funds or personal profit. Mining as a group is usually a more efficient use of the time of each player in the group and can make a great bonding experience for a corporation.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I give a run-down of the basics of mining for new players. I look at the entry-level ship requirements for efficient mining and popular strategies for both solo and group mining.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- The basics

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- The basics originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpEVE-Evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedguideguidesice-miningjetcanjettisonminermineralsminersminingmining-opsnew-playernew-player-guidenew-playersninja-miningretrievertipsSun, 09 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: How I mine for craft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/30/anti-aliased-how-i-mine-for-craft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/30/anti-aliased-how-i-mine-for-craft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/30/anti-aliased-how-i-mine-for-craft/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This column was bound to come sometime. We've had legions of people asking us, "Why don't you cover Minecraft? It's totally an MMO!" The email barrage was so constant that I had nightmarish fits in my sleep, where I was drowning in oddly block-shaped emails pouring out of my ceiling.

Now, after I've finally played Minecraft, my nightmarish fits have turned into scenes in which I'm being attacked by giant block-shaped spiders, but that's neither here nor there.

I can see why people have fallen in love with this game, and they have every reason to. Minecraft may not be an MMO by our standards, but it is an example of gaming done right. It's the purest form of everything we love about gaming, and it's a game that could teach MMO makers a lot about design, should they care to listen.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: How I mine for craft

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: How I mine for craft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedcooperativecraftingcreativefarmingfeaturedgame-designminecraftminingmmo-designmmo-game-designmojang-specificationsmultiplayernon-combatnotchsingle-playerThu, 30 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2010: CCP unveils EVE Online's latest expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-ccp-unveils-eve-onlines-latest-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-ccp-unveils-eve-onlines-latest-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/pax-2010-ccp-unveils-eve-onlines-latest-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

At PAX Prime, we caught up with CCP's lead game designer Noah Ward, who paused helpfully between the roaring crowds on all sides of the booth to fill us in on the "secret sauce" to EVE Online's continued growth and success. Ward said it was simple: CCP's steadfast commitment to the game for the long haul. The dev team strongly believes in the growth of EVE and works hard to expand it both inward and upward.

Part of that growth includes continued expansions to the title, and Ward was excited to reveal the next one on deck. While it doesn't yet have a name -- at least, nothing CCP could put in print -- the team is hyped up about its latest expansion to the EVE Online franchise. Set to debut later this winter, the expansion looks to build on many of the key foundations that Tyrannis began.

Hit the jump to hear about the four new features that EVE fans will find themselves crowing about by the time Santa comes a-callin'!

Continue reading PAX 2010: CCP unveils EVE Online's latest expansion

MassivelyPAX 2010: CCP unveils EVE Online's latest expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingccpcoloniescoopeveeve-gateeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedi-dressed-up-as-a-mothership-for-paxincursionincursionsiskloyalty-pointsminingmothershipnoah-wardpaxpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010planetary-featurespvepvpsashatyranniswalking-in-stationsSat, 04 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/29/eve-evolved-the-industrial-sized-knowledgebase/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/29/eve-evolved-the-industrial-sized-knowledgebase/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/29/eve-evolved-the-industrial-sized-knowledgebase/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The EVE Evolved column has been home to dozens of in-depth guides on various aspects of EVE Online. Over the past two years, I've written multi-part guides to many industrial and PvP-oriented topics. On the topic of research and development, we've covered tech 1 research, invention, reverse engineering and five top tips for researchers. Perhaps more useful was the three part series on trading, which first covered the basics before delving into advanced trading strategies and a few useful tips. Other guides which have proven popular among newer players included our three-part guide to mission-running, and the recent three-page guide to exploration.

Members of the EVE community regularly produce new guides and tools to help players make the most of their time in New Eden. This week, EVE player Laci surprised the EVE community with the release of an impressive new guide aimed at new players and industralists. The comprehensive 416-page Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase (or ISK for short) covers practically everything a new player could want to know about the game. Until now, the guide had been available only in Hungarian. After intensive translation and design work, the full guide has been released in English.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I take a look at this impressive guide and ask its creator Laci a few questions about it.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedguideguideshaladaLaciminingmissionmission-runningnullsecplanetary-interactionplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationposprofessionspveresearchship-fittingstarbasetradingSun, 29 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hulkageddon III ends with an estimated 288 billion ISK in damage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/hulkageddon-iii-ends-with-an-estimated-288-billion-isk-in-damage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/hulkageddon-iii-ends-with-an-estimated-288-billion-isk-in-damage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/hulkageddon-iii-ends-with-an-estimated-288-billion-isk-in-damage/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Much to the dismay of miners everywhere, EVE Online's infamous Hulkageddon event made a return earlier this month. In this irregularly-scheduled fan-run event, ruthless pilots compete to kill as many mining barges as possible within a short period of time. While some kills are found in wormhole space and nullsec as part of a standard PvP roaming squad, most tend to be the result of suicide attacks carried out in high security space. As most miners stay in highsec, this is where most of the targets for the Hulkageddon are found.

Opponents of the event argue that it causes unnecessary hardship for ordinary EVE players who enjoy mining. The event's organiser, infamous pirate Helicity Boson, responds to critics with her belief that it's a perfectly valid way to play the game. In an exclusive interview with Massively before the event began, she suggested that any pilot paying attention could see the suicide attacks coming and would have plenty of time to escape. A significant portion of mining barge kills during the Hulkageddon are also believed to be macro-miners, adding another dimension to this already controversial issue.

The latest Hulkageddon ran from the 9th of July to the 18th, ending with an estimated 288 billion ISK worth of mining ships destroyed. To put that figure into perspective, it would cost you over $16,550 US Dollars to buy that much ISK legitimately by purchasing game time codes and selling them in-game for ISK. The prize-giving for the event was recently conducted, with a single ruthless player by the name of "Phil MacMannon" taking the vast majority of the prizes. With the event concluded, miners can finally breathe a sigh of relief and get back to eating every asteroid in sight.

MassivelyHulkageddon III ends with an estimated 288 billion ISK in damage originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinegankgriefinghelicity-bosonhulkageddon-3hulkageddon-iiiminersminingpvpsuicideThu, 29 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC10: Torfi Frans Olafsson gives details on Tyrannis, Incarna and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc10-torfi-frans-olafsson-gives-details-on-tyrannis-incarna-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc10-torfi-frans-olafsson-gives-details-on-tyrannis-incarna-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/14/gdc10-torfi-frans-olafsson-gives-details-on-tyrannis-incarna-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

For the last few weeks, EVE Online players have been getting excited about the up-coming Tyrannis expansion with its Planetary Interaction feature. We received our first taste of what Tyrannis will hold last month when the expansion was announced and since then we've speculated on how its planetary interaction feature might work. Although CCP haven't answered our interview questions on Tyrannis yet, we caught up with EVE Senior Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson at GDC 2010 to get the inside scoop. Torfi was keen to point out that a lot of what CCP are doing in Tyrannis is laying the foundation for future updates and expansions. He calls Tyrannis "a stepping stone toward something even bigger."

In addition to providing some inside info on the upcoming Tyrannis and Incarna expansions, Torfi revealed that there are more people working on EVE today than ever before. In contrast to MMOs that cut down their development team sizes once the game is out, CCP's ranks have been increasing at a huge rate in recent years. The ever-increasing revenue generated by EVE subscribers allows them to fund a large development team dedicated to making the game better for EVE players. "We've never had as many subscribers as we have today", says Torfi, "330,000 subscribers, like actual paying subscribers, not counting trials." It's thanks to all those subscribers that CCP are beginning to realise dreams they were never able to achieve when the game was less popular.

Skip past the cut to see what Torfi Frans Olafsson had to say about Tyrannis, Incarna and more.

Continue reading GDC10: Torfi Frans Olafsson gives details on Tyrannis, Incarna and more

MassivelyGDC10: Torfi Frans Olafsson gives details on Tyrannis, Incarna and more originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeveloperdeveloperseveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionExpansionsexplorationfeaturedgdc-2010incarnaindustrymanufacturingminingmmo-industrynew-edenplanetplanetssocialsocial-networksocial-networkingtorfi-frans-olafssontyranniswalking-in-stationswormholesSun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Running your own corporation, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation-part-2/#commentsContinue reading EVE Evolved: Running your own corporation, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Running your own corporation, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescorpcorporationeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedminingmissionspvepvpSun, 11 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Running your own corporation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/eve-evolved-running-your-own-corporation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


The term "corporation" in EVE Online is something of a misnomer. While a corp can be run as a full-on business entity, most are just like guilds or clans in other MMOs. It's a group of pilots that join together under one banner for mutual benefit, organised operations or even just to have some nice people to chat to while you mine. For those that can't find a good player-run corporation that's compatible with their aims and goals, there are a few options. One option is to stay in one of the many NPC-run corps but perhaps the most interesting choice is to start your own corp. With the upcoming 11% tax being applied to NPC corps, some of the people currently in those corps may even want to start their own one-man corps to evade the tax.

Running your own corporation provides you with additional tools like corporate hangers and the ability to set up starbases or declare war on other corps. It also opens the opportunity to recruit like-minded individuals and friends into your group so you can work together on anything from mining and mission-running to full-on PvP and piracy. EVE is one of those games that really starts to take off once you start working together with people. Starting your own corp can, however, be a daunting task that carries with it responsibilities and risks.

For all those that have ever wanted to run their own corporation, in this article I explain how to the process of starting a corp, recruiting and keeping the corp secure against threats. I also go into detail on some of the corp operations you can hope to enjoy with friends.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Running your own corporation

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Running your own corporation originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the best ways to play EVE Online is in a corp, which we've heard time and time again. Of course, without a group, pictures like this really aren't generally possible. We figure if this many EVE Online players were in one area and not in cooperative corps, someone would have opened fire by now. Today's One Shots comes to us from Hetler R. who writes in: Here is a picture of about 200 hulks ice mining together with other barges, battleships and ... a Titan. Put that into the perspective of someone that is new to EVE, and you get a nice OMG.

If you've got a shot of your group playing together, we'd love to see it! Just email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you the props for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: All together now originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeveeve-onlinehetler-rminingone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsSat, 05 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Finding the perfect corporation in five easy steps]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/02/eve-evolved-finding-the-perfect-corporation-in-five-easy-steps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/02/eve-evolved-finding-the-perfect-corporation-in-five-easy-steps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/02/eve-evolved-finding-the-perfect-corporation-in-five-easy-steps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

It's said that sandbox MMO EVE Online doesn't really begin to shine until you join a good player-run corporation. There's only so much a lone pilot can accomplish and a lot of the game's most rewarding experiences are based around groups and collaboration. Wormhole expeditions, PvP, territorial wars, politics and much of EVE's other emergent gameplay routes rely heavily on forming groups and friendships in-game. In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find an MMO which doesn't have its game experience improved by group activities and forming friendships. But just as choosing the right corporation for your play style can make the game a lot better, choosing the wrong one or not joining one at all can ruin a new player's experience of the game.

Over the past few weeks, I've had several emails from readers looking for advice on how to find a good corporation. In this article aimed at new and prospective EVE players, I introduce a simple five-step approach for finding that perfect corporation who can turn playing EVE from a potentially boring experience into a very rewarding one.
(UPDATE: I had accidentally disabled comments, comments are now enabled on page 2)

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Finding the perfect corporation in five easy steps

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Finding the perfect corporation in five easy steps originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescorpcorporationeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgroupguidejoystiqfeaturesminingmissionspiracypiratepvepvprecruitingrecruitmentSun, 02 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What part of MMOs do you not like?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/the-daily-grind-what-part-of-mmos-do-you-not-like/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/the-daily-grind-what-part-of-mmos-do-you-not-like/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/14/the-daily-grind-what-part-of-mmos-do-you-not-like/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

MMOs are well known for variety, in fact they're famous for it. The world (whichever you might choose) is quite literally your oyster, You can mine, you can craft, you can kill and you can quest. Part of the charm of these virtual worlds is the freedom to do or not do whatever you want. Some people, for example, live for PvP, while others spend their time making things, digging up plants or drifting in the depths of space mining asteroids and other celestial bodies.

However most people have one thing that they hate doing. No MMO out there is perfect, there's always going to be some aspect of them which drives people bonkers. This could be a nitpick with game mechanics, or perhaps a boring quest. What about long flight times to get from A to B or a raid lock out period? Perhaps you hate fishing or squinting looking for herb nodes. Maybe it's PUGs or running a specific instance. Mine is PvP, waiting for an hour for raids to get started and rescuing scantily-clad maidens tied to trees (AoC I'm looking at you). What's yours?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What part of MMOs do you not like? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaionaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternityaoceve-onlinegame-mechanicshate-about-mmosminingpvpworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 14 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Several new crafting instance screenshots for Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/several-new-crafting-instance-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/several-new-crafting-instance-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/several-new-crafting-instance-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The new crafting instances are certainly a big part of the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online Volume 2, Book 7 update, which is why Turbine has released several new screens showing off the content. We're fairly certain that we're not missing the point when we get excited about shiny, pretty swords and images of a Dwarf mining with a mighty pick axe.

That's normal, right? We're not entirely certain, but it seems like the kind of thing a balanced person would get all hot and bothered over. In any case, you can find plenty of sweetly sized images to salivate over (or is that still just us?) in our gallery just below. Enjoy!

Gallery: LotRO Volume 2: Book 7

MassivelySeveral new crafting instance screenshots for Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingdwarfdwarvesinstanceslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-book-2.7mines-of-moriaminingturbineWed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Features we want in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/eve-evolved-features-we-want-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/eve-evolved-features-we-want-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/eve-evolved-features-we-want-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It's been a while since I've done a full-blown opinion piece but this week I figured it would make a nice change from yet more coverage of the recent Apocrypha expansion. No matter where you go in-game, everyone has their own opinion on what features EVE Online needs. For some people, being able to put mining rigs on planets would sound interesting. Others might prefer a new exploration-specialist science vessel or a module that gives resistance to energy neutralisers. There are a lot of ideas out there and some of us spend long nights chatting to friends in-game about the ones they'd like to see implemented. A few pilots have gone as far as to write up full scale proposals to present to CCP on the forum and some of those have even been implemented. This got me thinking - what features would I most like to see implemented in EVE?

In this concise opinion piece, I take a look at the top four features I'd like to see make it into EVE Online. What's your top four?

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Features we want in EVE Online

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Features we want in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroidatmospheric flightAtmosphericFlightbeltsblack holeBlackHoleccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedjoystiqfeaturesminingopinionplanetary flightPlanetaryFlightposred dwarfRedDwarfshantytactical environmentsTacticalEnvironmentsMon, 30 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively speaks at length with Jumpgate Evolution's Hermann Peterscheck Pt. 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/massively-speaks-at-length-with-jumpgate-evolutions-hermann-p3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/massively-speaks-at-length-with-jumpgate-evolutions-hermann-p3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/massively-speaks-at-length-with-jumpgate-evolutions-hermann-p3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading Massively speaks at length with Jumpgate Evolution's Hermann Peterscheck Pt. 3

MassivelyMassively speaks at length with Jumpgate Evolution's Hermann Peterscheck Pt. 3 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cargo-runningcodemastersjgejumpgatejumpgate-classicjumpgate-evolutionminingnetdevilpvepvptradingMon, 16 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Major graphics overhaul of EVE's asteroid belts in Apocrypha expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/major-graphics-overhaul-of-eves-asteroid-belts-in-apocrypha-exp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/major-graphics-overhaul-of-eves-asteroid-belts-in-apocrypha-exp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/major-graphics-overhaul-of-eves-asteroid-belts-in-apocrypha-exp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


When EVE Online's Trinity expansion was deployed in 2007, it brought with it a drastic difference in graphical quality, but the Premium Graphics engine initially only rendered ships and space stations. Premium Graphics as of next month's expansion will complete CCP's across-the-board overhaul of the game's look. Among those numerous graphical enhancements coming to EVE Online in the forthcoming Apocrypha expansion is something that will come as good news to players who enjoy mining: new asteroid belts. EVE developer CCP VanishingPoint writes in his "Miners Rejoice!" dev blog, "The asteroids are getting a facelift. Better than that actually, the asteroids are now going to communicate their value through brilliant graphical treatments."

His blog explains how Team Hot Rocks created the new asteroid and ice belts for Apocrypha. The days of seeing round, floating rocks in identical belt after belt are nearly over. The new asteroids will have unique looks for each type of ore they're comprised of. In addition, they'll be in the form of shards with many different meshes, and will typically appear to be shattered fragments of larger objects. If you're an industry-type and spend a fair amount of your EVE time mining, you'll definitely want to see CCP VanishingPoint's dev blog "Miners Rejoice!" and its explanation of what you'll get on March 10th in the Apocrypha expansion.

MassivelyMajor graphics overhaul of EVE's asteroid belts in Apocrypha expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaasteroid-beltsasteroidsccp-vanishingpointdev-blogeve-onlineexpansionsgame-mechanicsgraphicsice-beltsindustrialindustrymeshesminerminingpremium-graphicssci-fiteam-hot-rockstrinityWed, 04 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumored four-year, multi-trillion ISK exploit in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/rumored-four-year-multi-trillion-isk-exploit-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/rumored-four-year-multi-trillion-isk-exploit-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/rumored-four-year-multi-trillion-isk-exploit-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


An exploit in EVE Online has come to light that may have some major repercussions for the game. Massively does not have solid confirmation on the details (and allegations as the case may be), as this has just come to light. The exploit was publicized on a third party EVE forum called Scrapheap Challenge, on Wednesday, December 10th. If this isn't a hoax or an exaggerated account of events, how serious an exploit might this be? Very serious, if the details listed prove to be accurate... The exploit was really a bug related to a network of player owned stations (POS) paired with a moon mining operation, which yielded far too much valuable material far too quickly. Four years and an estimated 2.5 to 3 trillion ISK later, the exploit was found and patched, and the offender(s) banned. Given the claimed amount of ISK involved, it's serious enough to potentially have an impact on the game's economy.

The individual who posted the details of this exploit remains anonymous, and has only identified him or herself as "anotherone", but tells a story of how the exploit came to be: "I would like to tell you a short EVE story. Today all of my EVE Online accounts were banned. I was sure this day would come. What surprises me is that it took CCP this long to catch up with me. Even though they knew about it." It's that last sentence that is sparking so much response from the playerbase -- anotherone asserts that this issue was actually petitioned to CCP Games back in 2004, and subsequently ignored.

Read on for more details on this economic drama.

Continue reading Rumored four-year, multi-trillion ISK exploit in EVE Online

MassivelyRumored four-year, multi-trillion ISK exploit in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bansbreakingbugsccpccp-gamesccp-wranglercommunity-managercontroversyeveeve-onlineexploitsforumsgame-mechanicsiskminingmoon-miningpetitionsposrumorssci-fiscrapheap-challengestarbasesThu, 11 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Confessions of an EVE Online macro'er]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/confessions-of-an-eve-online-macroer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/confessions-of-an-eve-online-macroer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/confessions-of-an-eve-online-macroer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

You've encountered them before. Those guys. Them. Next to the ISK spammers, they're a plague within EVE Online.

They have gibberish names and sit in ice belts all day in exhumers, macro controlling large mining operations. At the first sign of trouble they gang warp out to safety. Or they're automating courier missions in an endless procession of macro'ed industrials, day in and day out. Or they're part of the infinite army of 0.0 ratting Ravens that automatically warp to a safespot and cloak once someone enters the system. They're all in China, right? The macros are all used by large ISK farming operations where people work in 23/7 shifts... right?

Apparently, that's wrong. EVE-Mag is running an article written by a self-proclaimed macro'er. Only he doesn't work in a sweatshop in a developing nation. He doesn't grind long shifts for ISK. He's an American in his early thirties, with two kids and a family dog. Just a regular guy. He writes under the pseudonym "EVE Player" and poses a question to his readers, "I have macro'ed the holy crap out of certain video games. I've been doing it for more than 8 years now so tell me; at what point did you notice your EVE experience going down the tubes because of me? I'll bet your downward spiral really has nothing to do with me macro'ing, now does it?"

Continue reading Confessions of an EVE Online macro'er

MassivelyConfessions of an EVE Online macro'er originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automationccpccp-gameschinacontroversialcontroversycourier-missionseconomyeulaeula-violationeveeve-mageve-onlineeve-playerexploitshackisk-farmerlegalmacrominingmmo-industryopinionragerattingsci-fiSun, 30 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Where's the grind?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/23/eve-evolved-wheres-the-grind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/23/eve-evolved-wheres-the-grind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/23/eve-evolved-wheres-the-grind/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,


Everyone who plays MMOs will be familiar with the concept of "grind", possibly one of the most debated topics in the MMO industry. Grind is essentially where users are forced to repeat something over and over again to get what they want. An example would be killing a certain type of monster repeatedly to get a certain piece of rare loot they can drop. Some people, such as World of Warcraft's Jeff Kaplan, suggest that grind and progression are essentially the same thing. Jeff asserts that we call progression a "grind" when it's not a fun experience and that grinding can be properly tuned. Whether you love it or hate it, repetitive elements exist in all MMOs and are necessary to maintaining long-term playability.

No grind in EVE Online?:
EVE Online is a game that's often lauded by players as having eliminated the grind present in other MMOs. However, it's clear that EVE still has a large amount of repetitive gameplay that can be considered grind. While nothing is forcing you to run missions over and over again or mine for hours on end, those areas of gameplay where heavy grind exists are very heavily used. When given a universe in which they don't have to grind, why then do so many players actively seek out something repetitive to grind on?

Join me as I take a look at the industry obsession with grind and identify where the grind is (and isn't) in EVE Online.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Where's the grind?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Where's the grind? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgoldgrindgrindingiskjoystiqfeatureslevelminingmissionsmoneyprofessionssandboxsci-fiskillworld of warcraftworld-of-warcraftWorldOfWarcraftSun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Substantial changes to industrial ships in EVE's Quantum Rise]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/substantial-changes-to-industrial-ships-in-eves-quantum-rise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/substantial-changes-to-industrial-ships-in-eves-quantum-rise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/29/substantial-changes-to-industrial-ships-in-eves-quantum-rise/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

New additions to EVE Online through the Quantum Rise expansion are on the way, some of which are already on the Singularity test server. CCP Chronotis followed up his announcement of the Orca by outlining some big changes to ships that are some of the mainstays of industry in EVE. "Much has changed in EVE since many of the hauler of mining class ships were introduced. With Quantum Rise we felt the time was right to review these ships and make changes where necessary to refocus their roles and ensure they can still perform in the age of New Eden's Great War," he said.

The changes outlined aren't finalized, and will go through testing on Singularity before any of this goes live. Chronotis addressed how CCP Games would like to change three categories of ships: blockade runners, deep space transports, and mining vessels.

Continue reading Substantial changes to industrial ships in EVE's Quantum Rise

MassivelySubstantial changes to industrial ships in EVE's Quantum Rise originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-opsblockade-runnersccpccp-chronotisccp-gamescraftingdeep-space-transportseveeve-onlineexpansionsforumsgame-mechanicsindustrial-shipsindustryminingmining-shipsmining-vesselsorcapvequantum-riserorqualsci-fisingularitytest-serverWed, 29 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eve-university-explains-benefits-of-cooperative-mining/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eve-university-explains-benefits-of-cooperative-mining/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/eve-university-explains-benefits-of-cooperative-mining/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Dee Carson is a Director at EVE University, a corporation in EVE Online devoted to showing newer players the ropes of the game. Budding industry-types in EVE (as well as players interested in other professions) will want to refer to Carson's recent post at the Miner with Fangs blog -- he's made his 'EVE University Co-Operative Mining Guide' available as a pdf, and is definitely worth a read.

The guide walks a newer player through all aspects of mining in groups, from the skills required to the different ship choices and their relative merits. Most importantly, he lays out why players should mine cooperatively rather than it simply being a solo pursuit, namely that it's more profitable and adds a social dynamic to the activity. Of course there's safety in numbers, particularly when you've got a good mix of the different professions in EVE represented in the operation -- an ideal operation being comprised of miners, haulers, salvagers and 'top cover' damage dealers. Given that the guide was originally intended for EVE University students, the terminology and information imparted in the guide are accessible to most any pilot in the game, regardless of their familiarity with the industry side of EVE Online. It serves as an excellent introduction to the mining profession, and a stepping stone to more advanced guides like Halada's 'The Complete Mining Guide'. You can find the link to EVE University's guide in Carson's post over at Miner with Fangs.

MassivelyEVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>0.0ccpccp-gamesdamage-dealerdee-carsoneveeve-onlineeve-universitygame-mechanicsguidesguildshaladahaulerhighseclowsecminerminer-with-fangsminingmining-guidenullsecprofessionspvesalvagersci-fiteachingtips-and-tricksFri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's rumored 'Orca' ship unveiled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eve-onlines-rumored-orca-ship-unveiled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eve-onlines-rumored-orca-ship-unveiled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/eve-onlines-rumored-orca-ship-unveiled/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Behold, the Orca!

CCP Games developer CCP Chronotis unveiled the much-rumored Orca ship in EVE Online today, something industry-types have been looking forward to for a very long time. Chronotis said, "The development of the Orca has been unusual to say the least. With the introduction of the Rorqual last year Oveur immediately pointed out the remaining glaring gap in the industrial ship line and commanded us to fill it." The end result is a 'sub-capital logistical ship with a mining command focus'.

Read on below for a brief FAQ drawn from CCP Chronotis' dev blog as well as his commentary on the forums, which clarifies more about EVE's newest ship, the Orca.

Continue reading EVE Online's rumored 'Orca' ship unveiled

MassivelyEVE Online's rumored 'Orca' ship unveiled originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bonusesbreakingcapital-shipsccpccp-chronotisccp-gameseveeve-onlinefittingforumsfreightergame-mechanicsindustrialindustrylogisticsmidasminingorcaoveurquantum-riserorqualsub-capitalsub-capital-shipsThu, 23 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Quarterly Economic Newsletter for EVE Online released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/quarterly-economic-newsletter-for-eve-online-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


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

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

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-dr-eyjogccp-gamesdevdev-blogdr-eyjogeconomisteconomyeveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssonforumshulkindustryiskmarketmineralsminingnewsletterqenquarterly-economic-newslettertradetradingThu, 16 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-details-announced-in-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


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

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

Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carebearccpccp-clawccp-gamesccp-mindstarcombatculturedevdevelopereveeve-fanfesteve-onlineeve-pvp-tournamentguildsindustryminingmmo-industrypvppvp-tournamentreykjavikrulessci-fivideovideosTue, 07 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A trader's mindset in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/a-traders-mindset-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/a-traders-mindset-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/a-traders-mindset-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


In EVE Online, it's usually the harsher side of the game that gets the most attention and has the greatest allure. Piracy, large-scale alliance warfare, and in general the dark side of EVE are what most players find interesting. But still, there are many players who engage in non-violent gameplay and find it rewarding. While hardcore PvP-ers lambast them as carebears, some corporations and individuals have attained considerable wealth and influence in the game through their own form of PvP applied to finance -- market warfare.

Among the player-created corporations and alliances in EVE Online that are devoted to helping newer players attain their goals in an often complex system, EVE University and Agony Unleashed are the most prominent. However, there are other corporations in the game that help their members along the way, which are more focused in their pursuits. One such corporation is Trader's Academy, corp ticker: [TRACE], formed in 2005 and devoted to helping pilots maximize profits from trading, mining, and mission running.

Continue reading A trader's mindset in EVE Online

MassivelyA trader's mindset in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agony-unleashedcarebearccpccp-gamescraftingeconomicseconomyeveeve-mageve-onlineeve-universityfinancemarketmarket-pvpminingmission-runningnon-violentprofessionsscion-starcastertradetradertraders-academytradingFri, 03 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jumpgate Evolution lore: The Bleakstone Sector is rather bleak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/jumpgate-evolution-lore-the-bleakstone-sector-is-rather-bleak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/jumpgate-evolution-lore-the-bleakstone-sector-is-rather-bleak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/jumpgate-evolution-lore-the-bleakstone-sector-is-rather-bleak/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The official Jumpgate Evolution website is periodically updated with lore and fiction articles about places in the Jumpgate universe. They reveal information about the game's setting and back story, but they're also detailed enough that they shed some light on what gameplay will be like in the sector in question.

The latest of these articles is about the Bleakstone Sector, an inner sector that's every bit as harsh and dangerous as the sectors in the outer frontier. In a binary star system, the planet Bleakstone gives off a radiant glow thanks to the minerals and chemicals on its surface. But that glow is a dangerous siren's call, as the atmosphere is extremely hot and toxic. One domed mining facility and a few outposts in space are the only evidences of humankind in this hostile region of space.

There's also a faux news report about a violent attack by The Inferno on the colonists who inhabit the sector.

MassivelyJumpgate Evolution lore: The Bleakstone Sector is rather bleak originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>binarybleakstonebleakstone-sectorcodemastershistoryjumpgatejumpgate-evolutionlogloreminingnetdevilsectorthe-infernoSat, 30 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest PvP Tournament rules announced with video demo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/eve-fanfest-pvp-tournament-rules-announced-with-video-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/eve-fanfest-pvp-tournament-rules-announced-with-video-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/eve-fanfest-pvp-tournament-rules-announced-with-video-demo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


We've known for a little while that the EVE Online 2008 PvP Tournament will be a departure from how it's been run in previous years. Perhaps better reflecting the interests of the wider player base, the 2008 PvP tournament will feature mining that takes place amidst the chaos of combat. The implementation of these new objectives was briefly outlined by CCP Games in July, but they've now clarified the rules and systems to be used; a video they've put up on the official EVE site does a good job of explaining how it's all going to work.

Basically, all tournament participants will receive 'super characters' with all skills maxed at level 5. Both sides will have a Rorqual capital mining ship -- the space between those is considered to be the arena, where combat can occur. Both sides attempt to collect as much ore as possible within 15 minutes, as the video explains: "Any methods within the rules can be used to accomplish this and stop your opponents from doing the same. Mining ore yourself, killing enemy miners and looting their wrecks, stealing from enemy jetcans or just outright destroying the opposing team are all within the rules."

Continue reading EVE Fanfest PvP Tournament rules announced with video demo

MassivelyEVE Fanfest PvP Tournament rules announced with video demo originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescombateveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2008eve-onlinefanfestgame-mechanicsguildsminingpvppvp-tournamentreykjavikrorqualrulessci-fiSat, 30 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament to be unconventional]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-to-be-unconventional/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-to-be-unconventional/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/eve-fanfest-2008-pvp-tournament-to-be-unconventional/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

One of the highlights of the annual EVE Online Fanfest in Reykjavik is the PvP Tournament, which draws strong competitors from the most powerful alliances and relative unknowns alike. As you'd expect, the PvP Tournament has always been purely about annihilating the opposing side or conversely losing horribly in front of a live audience of EVE fans. The 2008 PvP tournament, however, will be a little... different.

CCP Claw has dubbed this year's tournament "The Super Ultimate EVE Online Mining Tournament of Awesomeness." Why, that name just rolls off your tongue. But the changes coming to the tournament aren't limited to an unwieldy name; players will need to mine for ore while under heavy fire from the opposing team. "Any method within the rules can be used to accomplish this and stop your opponent from doing the same. Mining ore for yourself, killing enemy miners and looting their wrecks, stealing from enemy jetcans, or just outright destroying the opposing team are all within the rules," CCP Claw states.

Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament to be unconventional

MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament to be unconventional originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-clawccp-gamesccp-taeraeveeve-fanfesteve-onlinefanfesthulklaserminingpvpreykjaviksci-fitournamentThu, 31 Jul 2008 17:00:00 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[EVE Online exploration video tutorial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/20/eve-online-exploration-video-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/20/eve-online-exploration-video-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/20/eve-online-exploration-video-tutorial/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



EVE Online blogger Morphisat recently unearthed a good video tutorial on the profession of exploration, by a player called SRRAE. In a vast, open galaxy like EVE Online's setting of New Eden, the option of becoming an explorer is an appealing one. However, despite the name 'exploration,' players cannot actually discover new solar systems. They can, however, find hidden content throughout space, both in highsec and lowsec. This can include hidden asteroid belts (presumably with rarer ores to mine), hacking and archaeology sites, harvestable gas clouds used in drug production, and numerous combat encounters.

Admittedly, exploration is not an easy profession to pick up for beginners, but with enough skills related to scanning and covert ops, paired with a decent understanding of game mechanics and the value of a cloaking device, exploration can be lucrative -- particularly in 0.0 space. Of course, there will inevitably be times where an explorer is simply burning off scan probes in the futile hope of finding something new. Perhaps SRRAE has become a victim of his own success, as he recently lamented the downside of exploration's growing popularity among New Eden's capsuleers.

[Via CrazyKinux]

MassivelyEVE Online exploration video tutorial originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescloaking-devicecovert-opscrazykinuxeveeve-onlineexplorationexploreforumsgame-mechanicshow-tominingmorphisatprofessionprofessionssci-fivideoSun, 20 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST