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Last week at AGDC we had the chance to sit in on a number of really interesting panels. One that was near and dear to our tech-loving, MMO-playing hearts was the Wednesday-finale entitled "The Server Technology of EVE Online: How to Cope With 300,000 Players on One Server." Presented by CCP CTO Halldor Fannar Guðjónsson, it was an in-depth look at the way EVE Online is constructed from 'the back end'. They've talked before about their backend elements, about their decision to go with Microsoft's SQL Server and Stackless Python. Halldor offered a number of new elements in last week's talk, though, touching on the world-girding supercomputer network that keeps New Eden flying.

While much of the talk was highly technical in nature, one fun element we took away was the mathematical nature of the EVE Online galaxy. When 'putting the universe together', the designers had to make a few fundamental decisions. How would it happen? On what level would the universe be simulated? What method would they use to make planets? Today we have a short clip of the talk, touching on those very subjects. Despite the depths to which most EVE players know their game world, we're betting you might learn something new about the depths of space, as created by CCP. Read on for the details.

Continue reading AGDC08: The meaning of life in EVE Online really is 42 (no joke)

MassivelyAGDC08: The meaning of life in EVE Online really is 42 (no joke) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc-2008ccpeveeve-onlinefeaturedsolar-systemstechnologyThu, 25 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's answer to GPS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/eve-onlines-answer-to-gps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/eve-onlines-answer-to-gps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/eve-onlines-answer-to-gps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online is a vast setting where all players interact in one galaxy. While other MMOs are sharded across different servers, some with different locales, EVE places all of its players together. Its implementation ensures that many servers seem to be just one from the perspective of any pilot flying in New Eden. However, given the daunting size of EVE's explorable environment, there have been some players who took it upon themselves to map the known universe and release their findings as a resource for other pilots. Shayne Smart, aka Serenity Steele, is one such player. He's been getting some media attention in recent months as Vice-Chairman of the Council of Stellar Management (CSM). Beyond his duties on the CSM, Smart is also well-known to many players as the creator of EVE Strategic Maps, a spiral bound collection of star charts which some fans of the game find indispensable.

You would think Smart would find mapping out 5000 solar systems (each with its own myriad planets, moons, stations, and other resources) a feat hard to top. But what Smart's done is found a way to use the in-game browser in the EVE client to act as a sort of GPS, tracking your position as you jump from one solar system to the next, and allowing you to better see your relative position in the galaxy as part of your overview. The cartographer's latest 'minimap' effort is presently 2-D only and in beta, though is well worth a look and quite simple to use. Click the gallery below for Shayne Smart's instructions on how to use the free 2D minimap within your in-game browser.


Gallery: Serenity Steele's 2D minimap

Minimap overviewA few tipsThe map will track your locationClick on the minimap to begin a searchSearch maps vs. auto-update maps

MassivelyEVE Online's answer to GPS originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartographercartographyccpccp-gamescommunitycouncil-of-stellar-managementcrazykinuxcsmeveeve-mapseve-onlineeve-strategic-mapeve-strategic-mapsgalleriesgame-mechanicsgpsigbin-game-browsermapmapsminimapminimap-addonsnew-edenoverviewresourcessci-fiserenity-steeleshane-smartsolar-systemsstarchartsstarmapsstellar-cartographerstellar-cartographytips-and-tricksFri, 05 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST