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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
I don't normally jump out of my seat shouting "hell yes!" to an EVE Online dev blog, but this week's announcement on the direction of future expansions has me a little bit excited. In two somewhat dry and lengthy posts, Executive Producer Jon Lander and Senior Producer CCP Seagull detailed the approach they intend to take to ongoing development in 2013. Instead of announcing any big headline features or making vague promises, the developers looked back at the success of 2009's blockbuster Apocrypha expansion.

Apocrypha was hands-down the best expansion EVE has ever had, adding 2500 hidden solar systems accessible only through shifting unstable wormholes. We saw a renaissance of exploration, collaborative research, and colonisation efforts that defied EVE's war-like reputation, and moreover, we saw a rebirth of small-scale PvP. The magic sauce that made Apocrypha work was lateral design: Rather than add one massive vertical feature, the expansion offered a little something for everyone. Apocrypha was EVE at its best, and hearing that developers are going back to that style of expansion honestly makes me a little giddy!

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the future for EVE's expansions, why the Apocrypha model works, and why I'm optimistic for 2013 and beyond.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions!

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamesccp-seagullccp-soundwaveccp-unifexcrucibledominioneveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionsfantasyfeaturedgame-designgame-developmentincarnaincursioninfernojon-landeropinionretributionsandboxsci-fityranniswodworld-of-darknesswormholesSun, 20 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When I was first introduced to EVE Online in 2004, it was an empty shell of a game. There were only three classes of ship, no alliances or starbases, and neither exploration complexes nor level 4 missions existed yet. EVE consisted of 5,000 systems of almost completely empty space populated by less than 50,000 players. The user interface was an order of magnitude worse than it is today (if you can imagine that), and the tutorial just dropped you in the middle of space with the ship equivalent of a pea shooter and a less-than-enthusiastic "good luck!"

Though much of the game was empty, it sat before players like a blank galactic canvas. Not only could players paint their own stories into the game world, but EVE's highly active development team was updating the game at lightning speed. Players instinctively filled the voids in the game with their hopes and dreams, projecting all the things that EVE could be into the gaps. People shared ideas on the forum directly with the developers, and practically anything was possible. Things aren't quite the same today, as new ideas have to be compatible with over nine years' worth of updates, and developer CCP Games really can't afford to rock the boat and potentially lose subscriptions.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I consider whether the past nine years of development has boxed EVE in, forcing the gameplay down an ever-narrowing branch of choices.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaboxed-incastorccpccp-gamesconsolecrucibledominiondustdust-514emptyempty-spaceeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsfantasyfeaturedfpsgame-designgame-developmentgothichorrorincarnaincursioninfernoinnovationlife-cyclemmo-life-cyclemmofpsnyphuropinionpatchpatchesplaystationplaystation-3potentialps3revelationssandboxsci-fishootersupernaturaltyrannisvampireswhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessSun, 09 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Adapt or die]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When EVE Online was first released in 2003, it sold mostly based on its future potential. Everyone I played with in those early years got into EVE in order to be on the ground floor of an awesome space game that was getting more awesome by the month. Features were undergoing continual revision, and new content was released regularly, making EVE a radically different game every six months. Players met this design strategy of continual iteration head on with an "adapt or die" attitude, and it kept the game interesting for years on end.

Fast-forward to 2011 and the story looked very different. The Dominion, Tyrannis and Incursion expansions introduced new gameplay but didn't heavily iterate on any other features. By the time Incarna released, most of EVE's gameplay and content had been the same for two years and players had nothing new to adapt to. For the Crucible and Inferno expansions, CCP finally iterated on hundreds of small features and even introduced new modules to reboot EVE's "adapt or die" PvP ship design metagame. With a lot of the small things now covered, I think some of the game's big features are due for iteration.

In this week's EVE Evolved opinion piece, I look at how EVE players adapt to new challenges and explore several areas of stale gameplay that are in dire need of iteration.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Adapt or die

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Adapt or die originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved title image
At E3 this year, EVE Online developer CCP Games said it wants the game to still be running decades from now, continuing its usual trend of steady growth. EVE has barely grown in subscriptions over the past year, and average concurrent logins have flatlined since 2010, but the Crucible and Inferno expansions helped start turning things around. Developers hope to get growth back on track and attract new people to the world of New Eden, but I have to wonder whether they're selling EVE to new people in the right way.

EVE has always spread through word of mouth, with people being brought in by friends or starting fresh after hearing an epic story of in-game events or seeing an awesome video. More recently, existing online communities have been drawn to set up shop in the game and bring hundreds or thousands of members with them. People brought in by friends and people who join organisations in-game are more likely to stay in the game long-term, and it's this angle that I think CCP really needs to push. With its single-shard universe, awesome community, and massive scale PvP, EVE has some pretty huge selling points that no other MMO can match.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at a few of EVE's biggest selling points and how CCP could use them to attract new players.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE Online's top selling points

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE Online's top selling points originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescorporationscorpscrucibleculturedominionendgameeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedfleet-battlesfleet-commandfleet-warfarefreefree-to-playgoalsinfernomarketingplexpvpsandboxsci-fiselling-pointsterritorial-controlterritorial-warfaretrailertrailerstyrannisvideovideoswarwarfarewarsworld-recordSun, 10 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Lessons from 38 Studios]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/eve-evolved-lessons-from-38-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/eve-evolved-lessons-from-38-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/eve-evolved-lessons-from-38-studios/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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This week we heard the news that Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios shut down and let go all 379 full-time staff. It's always a tragedy when good developers are made jobless, especially if the job losses come out of nowhere and hit people who have only recently been hired. 38 Studios was still hiring people shortly before it collapsed, and some of those recent hires were ex-CCP developers who were part of the 20% of staff fired at the end of last year.

The shutdown of 38 Studios is a sobering reminder of the problems in EVE Online's development that led to monoclegate. Both studios were mismanaged, with the jobs of hundreds of developers gambled on the outcome of poorly researched business decisions. EVE Online thankfully survived CCP's failed microtransaction gamble, but 38 Studios' Project Copernicus may never see the light of day.

In this week's EVE Evolved opinion piece, I look into the similar circumstances that forced CCP Games and 38 Studios to fire staff, and draw some lessons from them for which I believe the industry should take heed.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Lessons from 38 Studios

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Lessons from 38 Studios originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studiosapocryphabusinessccpccp-gamesdominioneveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedfiredgame-developmentincarnaincursionkingdoms-of-amalurkingdoms-of-amalur-reckoninglayoffsmicrotransactionsmonoclemonoclegateopinionproject-copernicussandboxsci-fistudio-closuretyrannisSun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/eve-evolved-expansions-not-excuses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/eve-evolved-expansions-not-excuses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/eve-evolved-expansions-not-excuses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Over the last few months, the phrase "Flying in Space" has been increasingly used by both EVE Online's developers and its players to describe features other than those of Incarna. It seems like a redundant phrase as all of EVE's gameplay currently takes place in space, but the distinction has become necessary when discussing the allocation of development resources. Members of EVE's player-elected Council of Stellar Management have recently spearheaded a wave of new complaints about the level of resources dedicated to EVE's in-space features, claiming that developers have been left without the resources necessary to do a good job.

In the previous three EVE Evolved columns, I discussed the upcoming nullsec revamp scheduled to begin this winter and the incredible new gameplay players might get as part of it. Members of the CSM know exactly how many people will be working on that revamp, and although those numbers haven't been made public, several delegates have gone public with their disapproval. EVE's subscription fees are currently paying for the development of CCP's upcoming fantasy MMO World of Darkness and its ambitious console MMOFPS DUST 514, leaving few resources for new EVE gameplay and content.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the success of EVE's first blockbuster expansion and ask why development on EVE Online has dramatically decreased over the past two and a half years.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Expansions, not excuses originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdominioneveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedflying-in-spaceincarnaincursionmark-heardpeak-concurrent-usersseleenespacesubscription-numbersthe-mittanityrannisSun, 11 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Eight years of EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/eve-evolved-eight-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/eve-evolved-eight-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/01/eve-evolved-eight-years-of-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

In last week's EVE Evolved column, I celebrated the third anniversary of the column with a competition to win one of three prizes worth over 500 million ISK. Congratulations go to Uniqdragon, mdubs28 and Thorium88, who will be contacted via email to arrange receipt of their prizes. In a bizarre twist that I can't believe I haven't noticed for three years, it turns out that the anniversary of my column occurs just over a week before EVE Online's own birthday on May 6th. With that in mind, this week's column is dedicated to the game's anniversary and to looking back at another successful year.

The past eight years have been a wild ride for EVE Online and its developer CCP Games. EVE has grown from a fledgling niche game with under 40,000 launch subscriptions to a global melting pot of over 360,000 actively subscribed accounts. The company itself has seem similar expansion, starting from humble beginnings as a small independent studio in Iceland and growing into a multinational monster with offices in China, Iceland, North America and the United Kingdom.

In this huge two-page anniversary edition of EVE Evolved, I look at how EVE Online has kept up with the industry over the years and then go on to examine this past year in detail, from the highs and lows to all the scams and awesome events.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Eight years of EVE Online

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Eight years of EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8-yearsanniversarybirthdayccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdominioneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfanfestfeaturedgameplaygraphicsgraphics-updateincarnaincursioniterationiterative-designlagmmo-industryopinionrmtserverserver-upgradestrinitytyranniswar-on-lagSun, 01 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE planetary interaction improvements deployed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-planetary-interaction-improvements-deployed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-planetary-interaction-improvements-deployed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-planetary-interaction-improvements-deployed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion was first released, developers promised that a team would be assigned to iterate on the core planetary interaction feature. Numerous user interface tweaks have been deployed since then in hotfixes, but the biggest gameplay improvements so far have just arrived with last week's final Incursion expansion deployment. Developers Kristinn Þór Sigurbergsson and Cat Pinson discussed the major updates in a series of video devblogs leading up to the expansion. In a new devblog, CCP Omen has provided a more detailed explanation of the improvements and how you can take advantage of them.

A welcome change for players is the ability to upgrade a control center without tearing down the entire industrial chain attached to it. The biggest changes are with the resource extraction process, which has received a complete overhaul. Individual extractors have been replaced with a central Extractor Control Unit, from which movable drill heads can be deployed. Resources also now deplete when they're mined, so you'll need to move your drill heads around periodically to keep the operation running smoothly. Head over to the official devblog for the full details.

MassivelyEVE planetary interaction improvements deployed originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-omeneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineincursionplanetplanetary-interactionplanetstyrannisSun, 30 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Changes on the way for EVE's planetary interaction feature]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/changes-on-the-way-for-eves-planetary-interaction-feature/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/changes-on-the-way-for-eves-planetary-interaction-feature/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/changes-on-the-way-for-eves-planetary-interaction-feature/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When EVE Online's Empyrean Age expansion brought us faction warfare, thousands of would-be PvP-addicts rejoiced. When Apocrypha brought us wormholes, I could talk about nothing else for at least six months. With the Tyrannis expansion, however, there was no such giddiness. Tyrannis, with its main planetary interaction feature, was clearly not one of EVE's most popular expansions. Even the developers at CCP said they weren't happy with it, and further work was promised after launch.

In a new devblog, CCP Omen has explained some of the changes that are on their way for planetary interaction. Command centres will be upgradeable in-place, eliminating the need to tear down an entire industrial network just to upgrade to the next command centre. The biggest changes are coming to the cumbersome surveying and extracting processes. It will be possible to move extractors around to find new mineral deposits rather than deleting and rebuilding them. The new survey mechanic will also show a graph on which the duration of an extractor cycle can be adjusted. Extractors can now feasibly be left for up to 14 days without needing to be moved or reset, which is good news for pilots risking RSI under the current mechanics. Most of the upcoming changes have been taken from talks with the Council of Stellar Management, which has published a clear list of changes its members would like to see implemented.

MassivelyChanges on the way for EVE's planetary interaction feature originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineindustrypatchesplanetary-interactiontyrannisThu, 14 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/05/eve-evolved-the-eve-online-that-could-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/05/eve-evolved-the-eve-online-that-could-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/05/eve-evolved-the-eve-online-that-could-be/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Each of us has a different idea of the perfect game, whether it's an existing game with a few tweaks or something completely new. Game designers work tirelessly to make their own vision of the perfect game a reality, but there's no telling what players will think of a feature until it's finished. In the process of transforming a feature from a gleam in the game designer's eye to a finished product, something is unfortunately often lost in translation. Limitations in the technology being used or the manpower available can render the ideal implementation infeasible.

As players, we don't really see that full development process. That doesn't stop us from painting our perfect vision of an upcoming or potential feature and how awesome it could be. In the coming years, the EVE Online developers will be going through the process of making some of their most incredible visions a reality. Ideas like walking in stations and integrating the upcoming MMOFPS Dust 514 with EVE's planetary interaction feature will be put through a potentially brutal development process. We can only hope that as little as possible of those visions we've heard from EVE's developers gets lost in translation.

In this speculative opinion piece, I look at a few areas in which EVE is sure to be expanded in the coming years and discuss what I'd consider to be the ideal way they could be implemented or handled.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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[E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The magazine industry is a behemoth, catering to practically every hobby there is. No matter how obscure the hobby, you're sure to find a magazine on the shelf all about it. While there are plenty of magazines dedicated to gaming, only a few MMOs have their own dedicated magazines. Despite the rise in popularity of web-based publications, there's something special about having a physical magazine you can flip through. Since I am a massive nerdy fan of EVE Online, each issue of the quarterly E-ON magazine feels like a proper treat. The production values are very high, and it's pure EVE from cover to cover. The publishers even go so far as to include advertisements for EVE corporations and services rather than paid ads for other games or gaming services.

Issue 20 of the magazine was released last month, but the postal fairy decided I had been naughty and didn't deliver it until this week. I've spent the majority of today reading this magazine all about internet spaceships, and I've loved every nerdy moment of it. This quarter's issue has a strong focus on the impact of EVE's recent Tyrannis expansion and its planetary interaction feature. In addition to a guide on setting up planetary harvesting infrastructure, the magazine's editors ask whether Tyrannis was everything we hoped or a missed opportunity to breathe new life into the planets of New Eden. Other topics discussed in this issue include EVE's controversial Council of Stellar Management, the history of the alliance tournament, and a look at the new rebalanced supercarriers.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of what you can expect in E-ON issue 20 and my impressions from reading it.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves

MassivelyE-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blankstareccpccp-eveccp-gamese-oneoneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedhands-onistvaan-shogastsuIstvaanShogaatsuloremagazinemagazinesmmm-publishingopinionplanetplanetary-interactionplanetsreadingrichie-shoemakertom-czerniawskityranniszapateroTue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest EVE Quarterly Economic Newsletter highlights Tyrannis insurance changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/latest-eve-quarterly-economic-newsletter-highlights-tyrannis-ins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/latest-eve-quarterly-economic-newsletter-highlights-tyrannis-ins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/11/latest-eve-quarterly-economic-newsletter-highlights-tyrannis-ins/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online is a game with complex economic activity that often mirrors real-world economic systems. The similarity is so pronounced that CCP even hired its own Lead Economist, Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson, to examine the in-game markets in detail. Each quarter, the economist and his team of researchers publish the EVE Quarterly Economic Newsletter (QEN). The report provides a timeline of market indices and major economic changes over the past several months. This quarter's report focuses on the effect of the insurance changes that came with the Tyrannis expansion. It also has a special segment on ISK sinks and faucets, and their changes following the release of planetary interaction.

Continue reading Latest EVE Quarterly Economic Newsletter highlights Tyrannis insurance changes

MassivelyLatest EVE Quarterly Economic Newsletter highlights Tyrannis insurance changes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdr-eyjogdr-eyjolfur-gudmundssoneconomicseconomyeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineinterstellar-kreditiskmmo-industryqenquarterly-economic-newslettertyrannisWed, 11 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's deep safe spot nerf to be deployed on Tuesday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/eve-onlines-deep-safe-spot-nerf-to-be-deployed-on-tuesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/eve-onlines-deep-safe-spot-nerf-to-be-deployed-on-tuesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/eve-onlines-deep-safe-spot-nerf-to-be-deployed-on-tuesday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Safe spots are an integral part of EVE Online's tactical warfare, making it harder for other players to locate and consequently destroy your ship. They're created by making a bookmark while in warp, which causes the bookmark to lead to the middle of nowhere. When you're on the run from bad guys, you can often slip away by warping between several safe spots while they try desperately to scan you down. Deep safe spots are illegal bookmarks created far outside the bounds of a solar system. Pilots hiding here needn't bother warping around to evade pursuers, as they'll be quite literally off the grid and virtually impossible to locate. Deep safe spots several hundred AU from the nearest celestial object have also been used in the past to jump huge capital fleets into a hostile system without fear of being attacked.

Continue reading EVE Online's deep safe spot nerf to be deployed on Tuesday

MassivelyEVE Online's deep safe spot nerf to be deployed on Tuesday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmarkccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinepatchsafe-spotsafespotsafespottingtyrannisFri, 06 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP details Tyrannis performance tweaks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/#commentsFiled under: , ,


CCP Blaze has posted a dev blog on the official EVE Online website detailing the various fixes and performance improvements made to the game client since the Tyrannis expansion. The piece goes into a fair amount of technical detail about everything from the game's physics, to Overview changes, to resource loading and memory issues.

"It turned out that there was an issue with the way the resource manager assigned a size to textures that had not been fully loaded. This caused the resource manager to hold on to too much memory; this was fixed shortly after it was discovered. We also found and fixed a memory leak in the module responsible for reading resources. At that time, during internal testing, we started noticing that some objects from our physics simulation weren't being cleaned up as well as they should have been. We fixed that as well," Blaze states.

Read all about it on the EVE Insider dev blog.

MassivelyCCP details Tyrannis performance tweaks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-blazeCCP-Gameseveeve-onlineperformancetyrannistyrannis-expansiontyrannis-performancetyrannis-tweaksThu, 08 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam continues MMO sale pricing with $2.00 EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/steam-continues-mmo-sale-pricing-with-2-00-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/steam-continues-mmo-sale-pricing-with-2-00-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/27/steam-continues-mmo-sale-pricing-with-2-00-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Friday's news of the Perils of Summer sale had some great deals, but it looks like Steam isn't done with MMO sales quite yet. The powers-that-be at Steam surprised players today with news of a sale on EVE Online.

Not just any sale, however; EVE Online: Tyrannis is priced at 90% off. Customers taking advantage of the sale will pay $1.99 for the full game and 30 days of free gameplay.

If you want in on this, you'll need to hurry, because this is one of Steam's "today only" sales, and you've got less than 24 hours to take advantage. Check out the sale page for EVE Online to purchase, and if you're not an MMO-only gamer, you may want to take a peek at all of their today-only sales.

MassivelySteam continues MMO sale pricing with $2.00 EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeveeve-onlineeve-online-tyrannissteamsteam-saletyrannisSun, 27 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: First impressions of planet industry]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-planet-industry/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-planet-industry/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-planet-industry/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

As I sat down to write a guide to planetary interaction in EVE Online, I realised that I hadn't explored the system fully enough to come up with any definitively good deployment strategies. A few great guides to planet industry have been circulating since the expansion came out, but it will be some time before people really start to figure out the best ways to use EVE's newest feature. It's a complicated business and since a lot of the products made on planets are still currently available to buy from NPCs, the market potential hasn't yet been fully realised.

In this short opinion piece, I give my first impressions of planetary interaction and the Tyrannis expansion.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: First impressions of planet industry

MassivelyEVE Evolved: First impressions of planet industry originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedFirst-Impressionsindustryiskopinionplanetplanetary-interactionplanetstyrannisSun, 13 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's planets are open for business]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/eve-onlines-planets-are-open-for-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/eve-onlines-planets-are-open-for-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/eve-onlines-planets-are-open-for-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

When EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion went live last month, its main planetary interaction feature was initially disabled. The command centre structures required for planetary interaction weren't released as more time was needed for testing. This had the unfortunate side-effect of causing havoc with the starbase market. Until now, players were only able to scan planets for resources and train the required skills in preparation for the inevitable planetary gold rush. Today the markets in EVE were seeded with command centres, opening the flood gates on planetary exploitation.

To help you get to grips with planetary interaction, several helpful guides and instructional videos have already been made. EVE University have produced an impressive and thorough guide, along with a handy chart of what you can produce with each of the planet materials. Similarly, EVE player Korai Iarok has taken the initiative and produced a great flow-chart style PDF showing the manufacturing processes for each item. With these helpful guides and CCP's own video tutorial, even new players should have very little problem setting up their own planet-based industrial networks.

Skip past the cut to watch CCP's official planetary interaction video tutorial.

Continue reading EVE Online's planets are open for business

MassivelyEVE Online's planets are open for business originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineguideguidesindustryplanetplanetary-interactionplanetstyrannisvideoTue, 08 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE pushes over the 60,000 peak concurrent user mark]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/eve-pushes-over-the-60-000-peak-concurrent-user-mark/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/eve-pushes-over-the-60-000-peak-concurrent-user-mark/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/eve-pushes-over-the-60-000-peak-concurrent-user-mark/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With its single-server structure, EVE Online is home to over 330,000 pilots, all playing in the same instance of the game universe. As subscriber numbers rise, EVE continues to set new records for the number of players simultaneously online in a single 3D game world. Records tend to be broken in the days leading up to or following a big expansion, usually during EVE's peak activity on Sunday evenings. The previous record of 56,021 set following the Dominion expansion was beaten yesterday with a peak concurrent user total of 60,453.

The high active subscriber levels we're currently seeing can be attributed to both the buzz caused by EVE's eighth alliance tournament and the newly released Tyrannis expansion. The main feature of Tyrannis goes live tomorrow, when the command centres required for planetary interaction will be seeded on the market. With two more weekends of the alliance tournament to go and the imminent Tyrannis land grab, we're sure to see this new record pushed even further in the weeks to come.

MassivelyEVE pushes over the 60,000 peak concurrent user mark originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliance-tournament-viiiccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-alliance-tournamenteve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionExpansionsnew-edenpcupeak-concurrent-userssci-fityrannisMon, 07 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tyrannis launch oversight destroys starbase market]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/tyrannis-launch-oversight-destroys-starbase-market/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/tyrannis-launch-oversight-destroys-starbase-market/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/tyrannis-launch-oversight-destroys-starbase-market/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

After what seemed to be a smooth launch, it soon became apparent that EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion had brought with it several broken features. While the planet-scanning interface works fine and looks fantastic, the deployment of command centres was pushed back until June 8th. The materials produced on planets could not possibly be made until June 8th but on May 26th, tier 4 products from planetary interaction began appearing on the market. It wasn't long before EVE players figured out that you could refine NPC-sold starbase structures into high-end planet products. Starbase structures are one of the many things that CCP is switching from being supplied at fixed prices by NPCs to being produced by players through planetary interaction. The NPC supply was meant to be removed on May 26th but as players were currently unable to produce the structures, that change was delayed until June 8th.

Continue reading Tyrannis launch oversight destroys starbase market

MassivelyTyrannis launch oversight destroys starbase market originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugccpccp-chronotisccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionExpansionsexploitlaunchplanetplanetary-interactionstarbasetyrannisMon, 31 May 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP launches EVE Gate]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/ccp-launches-eve-gate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/ccp-launches-eve-gate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/28/ccp-launches-eve-gate/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lost in the hubbub and excitement surrounding the launch of this week's Tyrannis expansion is the debut of CCP's EVE Gate social networking platform. Luckily, CCP Zymurgist charges to the rescue with a quick news release detailing the features of the new service.

"EVE Gate is a new social networking site open to the pilots in EVE Online and is now open for business. Head on over to http://www.evegate.com and get started with managing your contacts, reading your EVE mail, setting up calendar events, and talking with your corporation and contacts all without being logged into the EVE Online client," he writes.

Check out the press release and the official EVE Gate website.

MassivelyCCP launches EVE Gate originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpCCP-Gameseveeve-gateeve-onlinesocial-networkingtyrannisFri, 28 May 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online Tyrannis launch day roundup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/eve-online-tyrannis-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/eve-online-tyrannis-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/eve-online-tyrannis-launch-day-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online's long-awaited Tyrannis expansion is finally upon us and here at Massively we're celebrating with a roundup of our recent Tyrannis coverage. The expansion's main feature is a form of planetary interaction that gives players the ability to colonise and industrialise the planets of New Eden. Tyrannis also sees some important changes coming to EVE, with a new insurance scheme coming into effect and the release of the EVE Gate social network. Tyrannis was initially scheduled for May 18th but some last-minute changes forced CCP to push it back to May 26th to give more time for testing. The structures necessary for planetary interaction will be released on June 8th, giving players around two weeks to learn the new skills and plan the conquest of their favourite planets.

As you wait for your client to update, catch up with our previous coverage below and be sure to visit the official Tyrannis features page for more details, backgrounds and interview videos.

EVE Online's next expansion revealed: Explore planets in Tyrannis
It's been known since the last EVE Online Fanfest that the next expansion would be based around planetary interaction, but details on exactly what that interaction would constitute have been thin on the ground. In a bumper devblog today, EVE's Senior Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson gave a first glimpse of what we can expect this summer.
EVE Evolved: What could planetary interaction be like?
The information we have so far on the expansion is limited to a single devblog, which provides only a general mission statement for the expansion. In the absence of further information, I find myself wondering what the planetary interaction in Tyrannis might be like. In this speculative opinion piece, I look over the information we know for sure about Tyrannis and go on to speculate on what it might be like.
Click past the cut to see more of our Tyrannis coverage!

Continue reading EVE Online Tyrannis launch day roundup

MassivelyEVE Online Tyrannis launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedpatchround-uprounduptyrannisWed, 26 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Buy low, sell high at the EVE Tyrannis sale]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/buy-low-sell-high-at-the-eve-tyrannis-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/buy-low-sell-high-at-the-eve-tyrannis-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/buy-low-sell-high-at-the-eve-tyrannis-sale/#commentsFiled under: , ,


EVE fanatics are undoubtedly familiar with the EVE Online store, which offers clothing and other goodies so that pilots can strut around making the statement, "I'm leveling up my skills right this very second." In celebration of the touchdown of Tyrannis, EVE's latest expansion, shrewd players can nab a few great deals as the store cuts its prices.

If you want an EVE ship of your very own to admire (or snuggle with at night -- we understand), a hefty 15% discount could tempt you in the right direction. They've bundled the popular EVE Conquest board game with a t-shirt, so now your best friends have a reason to gank you and loot your corpse. If you're looking for back copies of E-ON, issues #1-18 are available for the taking for the low price of $7.00 apiece.

Finally, they've got a couple all-purpose coupons for the entire store: one for 10% of shipping, and one for 10% off any order. Head on over for the full announcement, including coupon codes and specific details.

MassivelyBuy low, sell high at the EVE Tyrannis sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpcoupondiscounte-oneveeve-conquesteve-onlineeve-online-storeeve-shipi-left-my-dog-in-null-secpromotionsaletyrannisThu, 20 May 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE dev blog details Tyrannis API additions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/eve-dev-blog-details-tyrannis-api-additions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/eve-dev-blog-details-tyrannis-api-additions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/eve-dev-blog-details-tyrannis-api-additions/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


EVE Online has always been one of the most open and accessible MMORPGs in terms of in-game data. The new Tyrannis expansion, recently delayed a week to May 26th, will expand on the game's history of making its APIs (application programming interface) available to players and enterprising programmers.

"In Tyrannis we are delivering a vastly improved contacts system and the new calendar. For these features, we will be providing a new set of APIs for you to consume in your own applications. Not only will we expose this new data to you, we have made some changes to existing APIs, and two Outpost related APIs have been added to help ease outpost management," writes CCP Stillman in an EVE dev blog entry posted earlier today.

Whether the new APIs are incorporated into the the plethora of player-developed EVE tools already in existence, or they inspire the creation of entirely new programs, we can't wait to see what New Eden's residents do with the new information. You can check out all the details over at the EVE dev blog.

MassivelyEVE dev blog details Tyrannis API additions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apicalendarsccpCCP-Gamesccp-stillmancontactsdev-blogeveeve-onlinetyrannisMon, 17 May 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Over the past two weeks we've been running some awesome weekly contests for readers to win EVE Online game time courtesy of CCP Games. In celebration of the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion, we gave away 10 PLEX in our planet screenshot contest two weeks ago. Last week, we ran a caption competition with a 15 PLEX prize total and received a flood of entries. So many in fact that we're still debating which captions should win a prize. The winners of that contest will be posted as an update to the second contest post within the next few days and the winners will all be notified via email.

This week marks the last week of our Tyrannis contest trilogy and to end on a high-note we're giving away a whopping 25 PLEX. Ten top prizes of two PLEX are available and a further five runner-up entrants will get one PLEX each. To enter, all you have to do is write a short piece of fiction based on the planets and moons of New Eden and submit it to the comments on this post. Entries are limited to 200 words or less as we're sure to get a huge number of entries and we want to give each one the full attention it deserves. Your entry can take the form of a short story, a poem or any other type of written fiction. Prizes will be awarded based on creativity, writing style and presentation. As with the previous two competitions, this contest is open to readers from any country.

UPDATE: Entry is now closed. We are now reading through the submissions and picking winners!
UPDATE 2: Winners have been selected! The list of winners has been added to the end of this post. Each winner will be contacted via email to arrange delivery of their prizes.

Skip past the cut for the contest rules and full submission guidelines.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedfictiongiveawaysgraphicsloreplanetplexprizeprizesstorystorytellingtyranniswritingSat, 15 May 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP announces Tyrannis delay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/ccp-announces-tyrannis-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/ccp-announces-tyrannis-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/ccp-announces-tyrannis-delay/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

CCP has just announced a delay of EVE Online's forthcoming Tyrannis expansion. Originally scheduled for May 18th, the new content will now debut one week later on May 26th, and market seeding of Planetary Command Centers will be pushed back to June 8th.

Senior Producer Torfi Frans Olafsson, writing on the official EVE Dev Blog, briefly outlines the reasoning behind the delays. "In our regression testing, we have identified scalability issues with the Planetary Interaction feature, which led to code refactoring that then needed further testing before being launched to Tranquility. Planetary Interaction is a unique feature in the sense that it is available to almost all players in the game providing opportunity for manufacturing for the masses, so ensuring that it runs smoothly on our cluster is of great importance to all," he says.

You can read the full press release here, and don't forget to check out Massively's extensive Tyrannis coverage.

[Thanks Darkdust!]

MassivelyCCP announces Tyrannis delay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingccpccp-gamesdelayeveeve-onlineexpansionplanetary-command-centersplanetary-controltorfi-frans-olafssontyrannisFri, 14 May 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Read that title for a second. No, you're not dreaming and you haven't stepped into a time machine and emerged on April 1st. EVE Online is finally bringing back live in-game events that players can participate in. Any player old enough to have participated in EVE's live events should be as giddy in their seats as I am right about now. In years gone by, CCP ran short sequences of events that pushed an important storyline arc in the game's fiction. Developers would take on the roles of key figures in the story, acting their part according to a guideline script.

The idea that if you were in the right place at the right time you could become embroiled in a terrorist plot or find yourself in the midst of an epic battle between NPC factions was as intoxicating back in 2005 as it is today. This is sure to be a huge boost not just for EVE's role-playing community but for the everyday player that wants to get involved in the great stories of New Eden.

Skip past the cut for more details.

Continue reading EVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis

MassivelyEVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aurorabreakingccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeventeventslive-eventlive-eventstyrannisworld-eventworld-eventsTue, 11 May 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Last week we launched the first of three awesome EVE Online contests in association with CCP Games. To celebrate the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion with its impressive planetary interaction feature, we asked players to submit their best screenshots featuring planets. We expected around 25 entries but with the contest being open to international readers, we received an absolute flood of responses. A total of 114 screenshots were sent in before the deadline last night and we began the difficult process of choosing our favourite shots.

Thanks to the generosity of the fellows at CCP, we were able to increase the number of winners from 5 to 10. Congratulations go to EVE players Agara Mnemion, Aurum Pax, Banana Ninja, driv4r, Garnoo, Ice Monster, Lamthara Lachesis, paritybit, SpiroTris and Vladmir Skef. Each of you will soon have a 30 day pilot's license delivered in-game by CCP. For those interested in seeing the winning screenshots, they're the first ten images in the colossal 114 entry gallery below.

Gallery: Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE

Winner!Winner!Winner!Winner!Winner!

Skip past the cut for this week's second part of our amazing Tyrannis contest trilogy. Think up a funny caption for our screenshot and you could win two months of EVE game time!

UPDATE: Winners announced at the end of the post! All winners will be emailed to arrange delivery of their prizes.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captioncaption-competitioncaption-contestccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedgraphicsplanetplexprizeprizesscreenshottaglinetyrannisSat, 08 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online turns 7 today, BIG corp runs huge anniversary lottery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/eve-online-turns-7-today-big-corp-runs-huge-anniversary-lottery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/eve-online-turns-7-today-big-corp-runs-huge-anniversary-lottery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/06/eve-online-turns-7-today-big-corp-runs-huge-anniversary-lottery/#commentsFiled under: , ,

On May 6th 2003, a little online space game by a relatively unknown independent Icelandic games company was officially released. Fast forward seven years down the line and that little company is a megalithic giant in the games industry. Spanning four countries and leveraging hundreds of staff, the company has begun to expand its portfolio with a console MMOFPS and a new MMO based in the World of Darkness setting. Under CCP's development, EVE Online has stood the test of time and enjoyed a steady increase in subscriptions. At EVE's sixth anniversary last year, they announced having reached 300,000 active subscriptions with a peak concurrent user total of 53,850. Some time in December of last year, the number of EVE subscriptions finally surpassed the number of citizens in CCP's home country of Iceland. That number rose to 330,000 active subscriptions by March of this year, with a peak concurrent total of 56,021. With the Tyrannis expansion around the corner, EVE is sure to see the same characteristic growth this year too.

CCP took the time to start a congratulatory thread on the EVE forums to mark the day. To celebrate, they're also donating massive prizes to EVE's oldest and most respected player-run lottery. The BIG lottery's anniversary draw is open now for entry and closes on Sunday, May 16th, with a live prize drawing the following day. The first place winner takes home a colossal 25 billion ISK prize, with the second place reeling in a huge 10 billion ISK. CCP is sponsoring prizes of a year's free game time, a battleship model from the EVE store, a copy of the new EVE: The Burning Life novel and an EVE T-Shirt. Not to be left out, E-ON Magazine is offering the latest four issues of the magazine plus a copy of their EVE Strategic Map booklet. Finally, EVE player "Ash Tre" is sponsoring the contest with a pack of faction cruisers. From all of us here at Massively, happy birthday EVE Online!

MassivelyEVE Online turns 7 today, BIG corp runs huge anniversary lottery originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryannouncementsbig-lotterybirthdaysccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinelotterymilestonemilestonesmmo-industrypcupeak-concurrent-usersprizessandboxsci-fisingle-shardtyrannisThu, 06 May 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online Tyrannis trailer released in HD]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/eve-online-tyrannis-trailer-released-in-hd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/eve-online-tyrannis-trailer-released-in-hd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/eve-online-tyrannis-trailer-released-in-hd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online players have been following the build-up to EVE's Tyrannis expansion with a great deal of anticipation. The expansion is set to launch in just under two week's time on May 18th and brings with it the ability to colonise and industrialise planets. Here at Massively, we're even celebrating Tyrannis with a series of contests each Saturday leading up to its launch.

The official Tyrannis expansion page has been up and running since mid April, giving players a peek at what features to expect on release. The one thing we've all been waiting for is the official expansion trailer. CCP have a history of producing incredible trailers for EVE and the new Tyrannis trailer is no exception. It seems to take some of the best ideas from EVE's latest fan masterpiece "Future Proof" and develop them further. With CCP's usual level of professional polish and dramatisation, this is a trailer that has to be seen.

Skip past the cut to watch the full trailer, embedded in HD.

Continue reading EVE Online Tyrannis trailer released in HD

MassivelyEVE Online Tyrannis trailer released in HD originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinetrailertyrannisvideoWed, 05 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The planets and moons of EVE Online received a major graphical overhaul in the Dominion expansion, with some impressive results. Those previously boring brown-gray blobs in space were transformed into lush paradise worlds, frozen wastelands, hellish volcanic planets and more. When the Tyrannis expansion launches on May 18th, EVE players will finally get to interact with the new and improved planets, exploiting them for their natural resources. With the launch of Tyrannis just around the corner, Massively have teamed up with CCP Games to bring you a series of three exciting contests. Each Saturday from now until May 15th, we'll be running a new competition where readers can win some in-game pilot's licenses. The licenses can be redeemed to add 30 days of game time to your EVE account or sold on the market for a quick 300 million ISK.

For details of how to enter the contest and full submission guidelines, read after the break.

UPDATE: Due to the popularity of this contest and CCP's generosity, we're expanding the prize total to ten pilot's licenses. Instead of five winners, we'll have ten!
UPDATE#2: Entry to the contest is now closed!

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedgraphicsplanetplexprizeprizesscreenshotscreenshotstyrannisSat, 01 May 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP release more details on Tyrannis, promise to continue development after release]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/ccp-release-more-details-on-tyrannis-promise-to-continue-develo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/ccp-release-more-details-on-tyrannis-promise-to-continue-develo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/ccp-release-more-details-on-tyrannis-promise-to-continue-develo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Scheduled for release on May 18th, the Tyrannis expansion has a lot of EVE Online players excited. The expansion's long-awaited planetary interaction feature will open up the planets of New Eden for colonisation and industrialisation. CCP revealed the first details of planetary interaction in a devblog back in February and at GDC 2010, senior EVE producer Torfi Frans Olafsson elaborated on what we can expect from the expansion. A prototype of the planetary interaction feature has even been available on the EVE test server, from which player feedback has been gathered to help develop the expansion. In a recent devblog, CCP released some encouraging new information about Tyrannis. Included in the announcement was a list of the tools and structures we'll use to colonise planets.

Continue reading CCP release more details on Tyrannis, promise to continue development after release

MassivelyCCP release more details on Tyrannis, promise to continue development after release originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdevblogdevelopmenteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionExpansionsmmo-industrytyrannisThu, 22 Apr 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP changes deep safe spot nerf due to player feedback]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/19/ccp-changes-deep-safe-spot-nerf-due-to-player-feedback/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/19/ccp-changes-deep-safe-spot-nerf-due-to-player-feedback/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/19/ccp-changes-deep-safe-spot-nerf-due-to-player-feedback/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

On Wednesday, we brought you the news of CCP's plans to nerf deep safe spots in EVE Online. Deep safe spots are bookmarks far outside the outer boundaries of a solar system. Being several hundred AU from the nearest celestial body, ships in a deep safe spot are far outside normal scanning range. The spots have been created using a variety of exploits over the years, and with Tyrannis on the way they're headed for a nerf. The announcement of the change was met by strong opposition from some players on the official EVE forums, not about the nerf itself but the planned implemention.

On May 18th, all ships and objects over 10AU further from the system's star than the outer-most planet were scheduled to be deleted. Any ships or items inadvertently left there would be gone and any pilots logged off in these locations would log in to find themselves without a ship. In response to player feedback, CCP have decided to rethink their plan to delete objects in deep safe spots. These objects will instead be moved to the outer edge of the solar system. In the new announcement, CCP took the time to clarify what objects will be moved with a handy diagram. The announcement was rounded off with some interesting statistics, showing that there are currently about 345 ships without pilots abandoned at deep safe spots across EVE. As these ships will eventually be moved to within normal probing distance, some lucky players may find them unexpectedly.

MassivelyCCP changes deep safe spot nerf due to player feedback originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexploitnerfpatchsafe-spotsafespotsafespottingstrategytacticstyrannisMon, 19 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Tyrannis site is go, flight!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-tyrannis-site-is-go-flight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-tyrannis-site-is-go-flight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-tyrannis-site-is-go-flight/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Come May 18th, planets are fair game for exploitation and industrialization in EVE Online, as the much-anticipated Tyrannis expansion goes live. For those who simply cannot wait for a taste of the good life, CCP has just launched the official EVE Tyrannis website for the enjoyment and dissection of all.

EVE Online is heading in new directions with Tyrannis, allowing players to finally explore planets (presumably in preparation for DUST 514) -- and not just explore them, but to build industries on them that will revolve around completely new materials. Tyrannis will also usher in EVE Gate, a social networking hub to tie EVE players together.

The new website is a grab bag full of goodies, including promotional videos, overview of the new systems, and a screenshot gallery. Wanna-be colonists looking to get a head start on the inevitable competition would do well to devour every snippet of information presented here. Head over to the official Tyrannis site and let us know what you think!

MassivelyEVE Tyrannis site is go, flight! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpcoloniesdust-514eveeve-gateeve-onlineeve-online-tyranniseve-tyrannistyrannisSun, 18 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Deep safe spot nerf coming to EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/deep-safe-spot-nerf-coming-to-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/deep-safe-spot-nerf-coming-to-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/deep-safe-spot-nerf-coming-to-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Any EVE Online player that's spent time in nullsec or lowsec will know the importance of safe spots. By creating a bookmark while in warp, you can warp to areas of space several AU from any celestial objects. Although other players can still see your ship on the directional scanner, they'll need to narrow down your location with combat scanner probes to warp in on top of you. You can be stay relatively safe from hostile players by continually warping between multiple safe spots, an old and intended part of EVE's tactical gameplay. The creation of deep safe spots several hundred AU from the nearest celestial object, however, has never been an intended game mechanic. Over the years, several different bugs and oversights have allowed players to create them. Unfortunately for players that have been using deep safe spots, this particular tactical tool is going to change when Tyrannis hits on May 18th.

Continue reading Deep safe spot nerf coming to EVE Online

MassivelyDeep safe spot nerf coming to EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionnerfpatchsafe-spotsafespotsafespottingstrategytacticstyrannisWed, 14 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: A sneak peak at EVE Gate]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/11/eve-evolved-a-sneak-peak-at-eve-gate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/11/eve-evolved-a-sneak-peak-at-eve-gate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/11/eve-evolved-a-sneak-peak-at-eve-gate/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Some time ago, CCP announced their unusual plans to develop their own EVE Online social networking website. Their plan was to tie it into the game, giving players a site they could visit to stay in touch with their EVE contacts and corporation while not logged in. It was expected to be ready by Winter 2009 but never materialised when the Dominion expansion was released. Now named EVE Gate, the website has been rescheduled for the upcoming Tyrannis expansion on May 18th. Recently, CCP released an early alpha version of the EVE Gate website and have begun the slow process of adding features and working out bugs. Some of the features are not active and the site is not yet tied into the active EVE server. Nevertheless, the current alpha build shows what we can expect from the site when it launches.

In this article, I give a run-down of what features we can expect from EVE Gate at launch and what we can expect from it in future iterations.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: A sneak peak at EVE Gate

MassivelyEVE Evolved: A sneak peak at EVE Gate originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaapplicationsappsccpccp-eveccp-gamescosmosdevelopmentefteveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-fitting-tooleve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineevehqevemonfeaturedkillboardsocialsocial-networkingSocialNetworkingspacebooktyranniswebsiteSun, 11 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/10/e-on-magazine-issue-19-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/10/e-on-magazine-issue-19-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/10/e-on-magazine-issue-19-hits-the-shelves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

In Autumn 2005, EVE Online became one of the only MMOs out there with its own dedicated print magazine. Under contract from CCP Games, MMM Publishing has worked tirelessly ever since to produce EVE's official magazine "E-ON." Four times per year, we're blessed with a dose of the latest and greatest things from New Eden in a comfortingly solid format. The magazine covers everything from strategy guides and ship fitting advice to sneak peaks at upcoming expansions, interviews with CCP staff and incredible fiction set in the EVE universe.

E-ON differs from other game magazines in that they don't any make money from advertising. In an effort to keep the magazine all about EVE, they've taken the unusual but apparently successful route of publishing full-page adverts from in-game corporations and organisations. Advertisers buy space in the magazine with ISK, the in-game currency, and adverts must be for strictly in-game purposes. The ISK is then used to pay volunteer writers, who create most of the magazine's content and produce important things like guides from a true player's perspective. There's even a scheme in the works to reward advertisers with discount coupon codes for the magazine to gift their corpmates. Now nearing their fifth year of publishing, E-ON issue 19 has recently been released. As usual, this issue is absolutely packed full of everything we've come to expect from the mag.

Skip past the cut for a run-down of what you can expect in issue 19 of E-ON Magazine.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves

MassivelyE-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battleclinicccpccp-eveccp-falloutccp-gamesccp-shadowchroniclesdominiondr-eyjogdr-eyjolfur-gudmundssone-oneonespionageeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedjames-eganmagazinemmmmmm-publishingspyingtyranniswarzapateroSat, 10 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win some PLEX and an interview with CCP in new EVE Online contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/win-some-plex-and-an-interview-with-ccp-in-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/win-some-plex-and-an-interview-with-ccp-in-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/win-some-plex-and-an-interview-with-ccp-in-new/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With the EVE Online expansion looming just a few short months away, fans of the game have a lot to look forward to. If you count yourself in that group, you'll be happy to hear that Crazy Kinux has something to make the wait even better. How about some free PLEX and an interview with a CCP developer?

CK has arranged both of those for the lucky winner of his current contest. In his contest post, he asks that you "Write a blog post on Tyrannis and its Industrial consequences to EVE, wherever you see them," which is a familiar request to those who have been following his blog for a long time. He ran a similar contest a while back and got a great response, so he's doing it again. The five best entries will win a PLEX, which is a great prize in itself, but they'll also be entered in a random drawing for a podcast interview with one of the developers working on Tyrannis!

The contest is currently underway and the deadline is April 10th. All the details can be found here, so best of luck!

MassivelyWin some PLEX and an interview with CCP in new EVE Online contest originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpcontestcrazy-kinuxeve-onlinetyrannisMon, 05 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online's insurance system has been a hot topic of debate over the years. Under the current system, ships have a fixed base value calculated according to the minerals used in their production. Platinum insurance costs 30% of this base value for three months worth of coverage and if the ship is destroyed in that time, 100% of the base value in ISK is deposited into your wallet. It's a safety net designed to lower the cost of losing ships and promote PvP. The main drawback of the system is that the values it uses for minerals are fixed and haven't changed since EVE came out in 2003. The prices of the various minerals that go into a ship have changed drastically over the years but insurance costs and payouts have remained constant.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of the problems with the current insurance system and details of CCP's new plans.

Continue reading EVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis

MassivelyEVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeathdeath-penaltydev-blogdevblogeconomyeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedgame-mechanicsgankinsurancemarketmineralmineralspvpsuicidetyrannisTue, 30 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Tyrannis expansion trailer confirms May 18th release date]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/eve-tyrannis-expansion-trailer-confirms-may-18th-release-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/eve-tyrannis-expansion-trailer-confirms-may-18th-release-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/eve-tyrannis-expansion-trailer-confirms-may-18th-release-date/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Just under a month ago, CCP announced Tyrannis, the next big expansion for EVE Online. Tyrannis centres around the planets of New Eden, which have so far played a purely visual role in the game. The expansion promises to open these planets for exploration and industrialisation, with players scanning for juicy mineral deposits and setting up vast, sprawling industrial networks. An early prototype of the planetary interaction feature has even been put on the EVE test server and players can help develop the expansion by giving their feedback.

CCP typically release two expansions per year and Tyrannis has been roughly slated for this year's summer expansion. Although the summer expansion can sometimes come as late as July, CCP have just released a new teaser trailer confirming a May 18th release date. This gives the developers just over 8 weeks to get the expansion into shape. This should give the team more time to work on the next expansion, which most are hoping will be Incarna. Skip past the cut to watch the official Tyrannis teaser.

Continue reading EVE Tyrannis expansion trailer confirms May 18th release date

MassivelyEVE Tyrannis expansion trailer confirms May 18th release date originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionExpansionsrelease-dateteasertrailertrailerstyrannisvideoThu, 18 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST