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EVE Evolved: Risk vs. reward in lowsec

Brendan Drain — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Professions, PvP, Opinion, EVE Evolved, Sandbox

In EVE Online's early years, one of its core design philosophies was adherence to a strict risk vs. reward balance scheme. There were riches out there to be found, but to get them, you had to put yourself in the firing line. Police ships patrolled high-security space to keep players safe from piracy, but the only resources available there were low-bounty frigate NPCs and inexpensive ores like Veldspar, Scordite and Omber. In the lawless far-reaches of nullsec, huge NPC bounties and rare ores containing Megacyte and Zydrine tempted hundreds of pilots to head out and make their fortunes.

Nullsec offered absolutely no protection against player attacks, and the only safety to be found was in sheer military force. The biggest and best corporations hoarded these gold mines for themselves, locking down the few entrances into the regions and patrolling the skies for unwanted visitors. Low-security space offered a middle-ground between these two extremes, a place where the everyday pilot could enjoy increased income and pirates were easier to spot. At some time in the past nine years, lowsec lost its place in the game and became simply not worth the effort. But how did that happen, and what can be done to fix it?

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at why lowsec systems are now ghost towns and suggest an alternative design philosophy that I think could revitalise these under-used areas.

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EVE Evolved: Risk vs. reward in lowsec originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR announces Han Solo's future home as a playable planet

Larry Everett — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Corellia, the primary planet of the Five Brothers in the Corellian system, has just been announced as the next planet for you to explore in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Who doesn't know Han Solo? This famous smuggler will be born on this pivotal planet in some 3,500 years after the in events in SWTOR, but that does not stop this luscious world from being an important spot in The Old Republic.

Corellia is an apex of trade, so its political influence is vast and powerful. Although the citizens adore their independence, the planetary loyalty has never been in question. So, when Corellia's communications were suddenly cut off from the rest of the Republic, the whole galaxy was in shock. The few holo-vids which have been extracted from the planet show extensive terrorist acts and destruction across the planet. We can only assume this is an attack from the Sith Empire. Wasn't the Treaty supposed to protect this planet from such issues?

Stay tuned here at Massively for more updates on this senseless violence.

Gallery: SWTOR's 15th announced planet: Corellia

SWTOR announces Han Solo's future home as a playable planet originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Blaster at my side

Larry Everett — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Lore, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

Hey, kids, the name's Han Solo. I've been asked to step in here because I know a thing or two about smuggling. I know many of you are lookin' to jump into this line of work, and I'm going to tell you right now: it ain't gonna be easy. You gotta live by your guts, kids. You hav'ta be smooth, and you can't let crazy green Rodians get under your skin. In fact, if a Rodian does come lookin' for you, I suggest you shoot him first. It'll save you some trouble in the long run, but don't forget to pay for the mess.

Maybe I should start with some of the greatest smugglers out there. That should help detour you from the insanity of this profession. Although none of 'em is as good as I am, Lando Calrissian, Dash Rendar, and even an old smuggler named Hylo Visz made their marks on history. Their lives were wrought with risky maneuvers, near-misses, and some damned good luck. So I guess if you think you've got what it takes, keep reading -- I'll meet you after the break.

[Thank you to Lois van Baarle for letting us use her artwork for the main banner. You can see more of her work at Loish.net.]

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Blaster at my side

Hyperspace Beacon: Blaster at my side originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Combat boosters

Brendan Drain — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Professions, PvP, PvE, EVE Evolved

The drug trade has been a part of EVE since the very beginning. Originally, drugs were nothing more than a trading commodity occasionally demanded by agents in low security space. The old drug trade goods still exist in EVE, a non-functional relic of years gone past. A new drug trade has taken its place - the black market for performance-enhancing combat boosters. If you want to push your ship to the absolute limit of its abilities, whether it's for PvE or PvP, you're definitely going to want to get your hands on some combat boosters.

In this article, I take a look at the drug trade in EVE and the different kinds of performance-enhancing combat boosters that are available.

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EVE Evolved: Combat boosters originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games to revitalize EVE Online's drug trade in Apocrypha expansion

James Egan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items

Exploration has long been a profession in EVE Online that really held a niche appeal to players. The exploration system has been a complex one, where one had to bookmark locations in space midwarp at specific points in a solar system, and burn through various types of probes (and time) to find something hidden. The game's Apocrypha expansion is very much focused on improving exploration. While we've heard a great deal about wormholes and 'true exploration' what's been less spoken of is that Apocrypha is an across-the-board revamp of exploration in EVE Online. These changes will, CCP hopes, revive the ailing booster trade in EVE. Boosters are drugs that enhance a pilot's performance. Despite the numerous benefits boosters can impart, they're also highly illegal and being caught with them in high security space can lead to hefty fines.

The arcane complexity of creating boosters and then smuggling them into high security space have made drug production and smuggling activities that comparatively few of EVE's capsuleers get involved with. This also means that boosters, the higher-grade stuff, can be hard to get your hands on. Boosters are a dimension to the game that CCP Games is looking to improve, which should come as good news to the game's would-be drug dealers.

Continue reading CCP Games to revitalize EVE Online's drug trade in Apocrypha expansion

CCP Games to revitalize EVE Online's drug trade in Apocrypha expansion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An insider's tips on drug smuggling in EVE Online

James Egan — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Crafting, Professions, Tips and tricks

Among the numerous professions available to players in EVE Online, there are few that seem as arcane to an outsider as engaging in the booster (drug) trade and smuggling. One of the newest EVE blogs out there -- part of the ever-growing Blog Pack -- is something quite different. "Paradise Engineering" is written by Uhr Ptrak, who is part of the Es and Whizz cartel of drug producers and smugglers in EVE.

Paradise Engineering is a blog dedicated to giving readers some more exposure to this shady side of the game. "Many pilots may not even be aware of the vibrant black market in contraband in EVE... combat boosters get a hard rap from the larger EVE community, either scorned or unknown to many pilots. I thought I'd try to correct the record through a series of posts and guides on boosters and smuggling," Uhr Ptrak writes.

Continue reading An insider's tips on drug smuggling in EVE Online

An insider's tips on drug smuggling in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di Part 2

James Egan — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guilds, Interviews

How do you handle the inevitable conflicts with territorial alliances who likely have greater numbers and firepower?

Most of the areas of space we need access to are claimed, with various levels of effectiveness, by large and powerful territorial alliances. We can not begin to match them with manpower, so we have to take a more cracks between the pavement route.

In EVE a little good will can go a long way. So we will always try an open upfront approach first, and try and build a mutually beneficial relationship. Cheap boosters, resource and information sharing are all things we try and bring to the table.

However, whether this is accepted or not, very much depends on the organisation involved, and their modus operandi. Some alliances in EVE develop because their leaders have good business sense, focus and strategy, they know what they want for the alliance, and know what they can offer in return. Other organisations build up from a pure quest for power. For these organisations trading and business can take away from this. They prefer to try and do everything in-house as this is perceived as a sign of strength.

"We moved a number of agents into their alliance, who could help facilitate the acquisition of the resources we needed. They provided intel, allowing us to conduct our own covert resource gathering, while causing internal disruption where possible."

In the latter scenario we have to take a more covert approach, for example one recent alliance, former resident of Fountain, was an alliance called Brutally Clever Empire. We had already moved into the booster production constellation earlier, taking advantage of the chaos there when Band of Brothers pulled out. Not being perceived as a threat by anyone else we were generally low down on the target list and left alone to get on with what we like doing best. When Brutally Clever Empire arrived and claimed the region as their own, they wanted exclusive control of all the region's resources, and allow their in-house booster producers to build up a monopoly on the Exile booster type. However, the stronger boosters need resources from other regions too. It's something which we could easily provide and they tried to negotiate with us over this, however they refused to let us continue our access to our former operational areas - something which we found unacceptable.

Without going into too much detail, we moved a number of agents into their alliance, who could help facilitate the acquisition of the resources we needed. They provided intel, allowing us to conduct our own covert resource gathering, while causing internal disruption where possible. We also we hired some mercenaries for a couple of months to harass Brutally Clever Empire, but luckily for us they had made enemies of most of their neighbours. With few friends and allies, and being yet another alliance that puts the wagon before the horse, they quickly collapsed.

Continue reading Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di Part 2

Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di

James Egan — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guilds, Interviews

Whether prowling low security space hunting for targets or fighting in massive fleet engagements, EVE Online's elite pilots -- called capsuleers -- stride like gods across galactic battle zones, as seen from the perspective of normal ship captains and crews. In this setting of New Eden, a capsuleer's neural interface with the ship allows his thoughts to regulate the vessel's performance; the will to survive coupled with fast reflexes equates to greater fortitude and speed in combat. Against conventional fleets, even a single capsuleer reigns supreme... but when faced with others of his caliber, or many of them, a capsuleer seeks every possible edge he can get.

Some of EVE's pilots channel their resources into acquiring the most advanced technology, hoping to gain an advantage over their rivals. But others choose to invest in themselves through performance-enhancing drugs. These 'boosters' are outlawed in all secure regions of space, due to their powerful effects on a capsuleer's mind, and thus a magnified lethality of his ship. The demand for boosters is great, but so too are the costs. Boosters are contraband and risky to move in large quantities. Coupled with the arcane processes involved in creating these drugs, those in the know have formed cartels, whose booster production and smuggling operations form the underpinnings of New Eden's black market. The most pivotal figure in New Eden's booster trade is Masu'di, who heads the Hedonistic Imperative drug cartel through the corporate front of Es and Whizz. Their operations are largely hidden, as they dance around the power blocs of the largest capsuleer alliances, subtly influencing or corrupting those who hinder the narcotics trade. Their network operates between the cracks of New Eden's laws and systems, ensuring a steady flow of boosters into any corner of the galaxy where a capsuleer needs a fix.

Massively recently spoke with Masu'di about the life of a drug kingpin in New Eden, and the inner workings of the black market in EVE.

Gallery: Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di

Continue reading Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di

Outlaws of EVE Online: Masu'di originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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