Massively

EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE

Brendan Drain — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, Professions, EVE Evolved

EVE Online's Community Manager CCP Wrangler once said that "EVE isn't designed to just look like a cold, dark and harsh world; it's designed to be a cold, dark and harsh world." That sentiment sums up the core philosophy behind the game, which permits such nefarious gameplay styles as thief, smuggler, scam-artist, pirate and market manipulator. Underhanded deals go on every day in EVE, with bounty hunters hired to ruin someone's day and spies tearing corporations apart from within. Many are drawn to EVE because it's one of the few MMOs that allows players to embrace their darker side. The opportunity to be a real villain in a sandbox universe can be intoxicating.

Perhaps more intoxicating is the notion that the presence of tangible villains affords players a rare opportunity to play the role of hero. For every pirate gang lurking at a stargate in low security space, there's an anti-pirate squad somewhere planning an attack. For every thief ready to empty their corporation's hangers, there's a security specialist weeding out spies. The true outlaws of EVE are people who have earned their infamy through acts of ruthlessness in their chosen field.

Over the years, we've interviewed and examined some of EVE's most notorious outlaws. In this article, I look back at four of EVE's most wanted, how they earned their infamy, and what they're doing today.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE

EVE Evolved: Outlaws of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE video corner: "Future Proof"

Brendan Drain — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Lore, PvP

There's no doubt about it that EVE Online can produce some stunning visuals and incredible stories. New Eden has been the setting for countless creative works, some featuring real gameplay and events and others pushing the limits of the prime fiction. Every so often, I come across a video so mind-blowing that it has to be shared. Last night CrazyKinux's Musing pointed me toward an awesome new EVE video that's been seven months in the making.

Produced by Kale Ryoko, "Future Proof" tells the tale of a Caldari militia fleet on a combat mission for the state. Headed up by support commander Firefox of the Chimera "Overlord", the fleet must do all it takes to push through to their objective. Assisting with this twelve minute masterpiece is Veto corporation's Kyoko Sadako, the mastermind behind such incredible videos as "War Has Come" and "The Angel Cartel (Push Eject)". Made using some of EVE's art assets and the Unreal 3 Engine, Future Proof is a video that simply must be seen.

Skip past the cut to watch both parts of the video in HD. The original version is available for download at the video's official page on the EVE forums.

Continue reading EVE video corner: "Future Proof"

EVE video corner: "Future Proof" originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

CCP Games selects player commentators for EVE Alliance Tournament VII

James Egan — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, MMO industry, PvP, News items

CCP Games holds an annual EVE Online Alliance PvP Tournament where player organizations face off against one another, live, in a spectacle of explosions, cunning tactics, ... and occasionally betrayal. This year's Alliance PvP Tournament will mark the seventh annual event. CCP Games likes to get the players involved in ways beyond being tournament competitors, which is good news for the gamers themselves. Rather than having the developers comment with the play-by-play action, we've mentioned that CCP put out a call to the players, seeking PvP experts to be commentators. The final choices have been made and CCP announced the names of this year's Alliance Tournament commentators today, and it's clearly an accomplished roster of players.

Crovan (Dark-Rising), of The Drone Bay podcast fame, will be back again this year. As will Kil2 (coracao ardente), who did a great job last year, and who many players will know from the PvP videos he's released. Verone, arguably EVE's most well-known pirate, will apparently be enjoying the tournament as a viewer rather than commentator this year, but his Veto corpmate Ryas Nia will be on hand at Alliance Tournament VII. Ryas will be joined by two new commentators this year: TeaDaze from Agony Unleashed (a PvP training school in EVE) and Trzzbk from GoonFleet.

This looks like a great lineup of players chosen to speak during the matches. EVE Alliance Tournament VII will begin in early September, and will run for three weekends, culminating in the live video broadcast of the finals from Reykjavik.

CCP Games selects player commentators for EVE Alliance Tournament VII originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista

James Egan — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

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

The idea of players being elected as representatives of the subscriber base is a dimension to EVE Online that sets it apart from all other MMOs. This player-elected Council of Stellar Management works with the sci-fi title's developer, CCP Games, to ensure that the game design and balancing of EVE Online reflects the interests of the subscribers. Player politics related to a divisive community of gamers can be complicated, however.

Since its inception, the Council of Stellar Management has faced intense criticism and no small amount of skepticism about how effective they will ultimately be. In other words -- EVE's Council of Stellar Management is a fairly accurate simulation of how the public reacts to real-world governance. Still, some of the original CSM delegates chose to stick it out and seek re-election for a second term. One of those delegates, now in his second term in office, is LaVista Vista. He's well-known to the EVE community for his level-headed approach to balancing the game and his experience with the different 'walks of life' of EVE's playstyles. These qualities make him an ideal representative of the interests of the players themselves and it came as little surprise that he was re-elected.

Massively recently caught up with LaVista Vista, who was happy to discuss some of his experiences as a dedicated EVE player as well as a Council of Stellar Management representative.

Continue reading EVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista

EVE Community Spotlight: LaVista Vista originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE

Brendan Drain — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Guilds, Professions, PvP, Politics, EVE Evolved

In the harsh, hyper-capitalistic world of EVE Online, everything is for sale and everyone has a price. If you've had the misfortune of making some enemies with deep pockets that really like to hold a grudge, you might find yourself staring down the gun barrel of one of EVE's oldest professionals - The mercenary. In this article, I examine some of the main types of mercenary contracts and take a talk about the two most impressive mercenary groups to date.

What is a mercenary in EVE?
The mercenary is another of those professions in EVE that just plain wouldn't work in other MMOs. In a society where everything has a price, you can always pay someone else to do your dirty work and execute your evil plans. Good mercenaries are more than just guns for hire, they're a tight-knit unit of professionals with the skills and experience required to achieve literally any objective.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE

EVE Evolved: Mercenaries, the hired goons of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: The top ten EVE videos of all time

Brendan Drain — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, EVE Online, Culture, Forums, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Machinima, Roleplaying, Virtual worlds, EVE Evolved

Whether you like EVE Online or hate it, I think everyone can agree that it's a visually stunning game. Combined with the enthralling PvP experiences to be had in the game, it's not surprising that the game lends itself well to making some excellent videos. Films of EVE gameplay have been around since EVE began and large fleets now routinely bring a camera specialist pilot in a cloaked covert ops frigate to film their action. With the release of the premium client and the proliferation of good video editing software, the quality of EVE videos has improved significantly over the past few years.

In this article, I run down my list of the top ten EVE videos of all time.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The top ten EVE videos of all time

EVE Evolved: The top ten EVE videos of all time originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Stunning EVE machinima depicts struggle between New Eden's factions

James Egan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, PvP, Machinima, Races

The sci-fi setting of EVE Online provides a great amount of material for players interested in creating machinima. But it's not everyday that a short film as good as Clear Skies or Havoc comes along. Then again, it's also not every day that something created by a player draws accolades from the game's creators -- but that's exactly the case with the work of EVE player Kyoko Sakoda, in "War Has Come" -- which beautifully captures the game, set to a cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Sakoda writes, "This is one of my first thematic works. I know the Bear McCreary version of the song may sound like it is out of place for a few hardcore sci-fi fans, but I could not justify using any other cover. Enjoy, and write feedback if you wish. I'm always looking to improve my storytelling, direction, and editing and compositing skills."

We've got "War Has Come" embedded for you below the cut, and it's well worth a look. We just wish Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" was a longer song...

Continue reading Stunning EVE machinima depicts struggle between New Eden's factions

Stunning EVE machinima depicts struggle between New Eden's factions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - The dark side

Brendan Drain — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Guilds, Professions, PvP, Raiding, Tips and tricks, Grouping, Politics, EVE Evolved

One of the big lures to EVE Online is the fact that its PvP isn't just shoehorned into consensual duels and battlegrounds. Instead, EVE PvP can occur anywhere whether you like it or not and punishments are levied after-the-fact for engaging in unsanctioned combat in designated safe areas. In the previous three parts of this exhaustive guide on where you can take your PvP career, I described the different types of PvP EVE has to offer from small gang warfare to massive territorial fleets. In this final part, I explore EVE's evil side as I talk about piracy and corporate infiltration.

Griefing?:
In most MMOs, stealing from other players or indiscriminately killing them for fun or profit can be considered griefing and may be against the rules or worse. In the cold, harsh universe of New Eden, however, piracy and theft are just another facet of the complex player-based gameplay. From the common gatecamping pirate to the criminal masterminds behind the Guiding Hand Social Club heist, players of all kinds are drawn into the criminal underworld of EVE Online.

If piracy, theft and corporate infiltration sounds like your cup of tea, continue reading as I delve into the dark side of EVE Online.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - The dark side

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - The dark side originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Gang warfare

Brendan Drain — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, PvP, Raiding, Tips and tricks, Grouping, EVE Evolved

PvP Masterclass is a series of articles explaining PvP from the bottom up and showing you how to get involved even if you're a new player. In part 1 of this series, I examined the main types of PvP a player can choose in EVE Online and showed the directions players can take their PvP careers. In this second part, I explore how small gang warfare fits into the PvP landscape of EVE and help you decide what avenues you should pursue if small gang warfare is your cup of tea.

Numbers game:
A complaint I hear all too often today is that small gang warfare in EVE is dead, that PvP is a numbers game and competing on the battlefield means having the biggest blob. It almost always transpires that these people are trying to shoehorn small gang warfare into places it's not suited for like major 0.0 territorial conflicts or that they're neglecting the importance of intel-gathering scouts. Small gang warfare isn't about your gang of five ships trying to take on a blob of two hundred. It's about putting together a small, tight unit of pilots and picking your fights carefully.

Whether you're planning to pirate, fight for the Gallente Federation or declare war on your neighbours, small gang warfare is for you. Read on as I examine the small roaming gang, one of EVE's oldest and most fun avenues of PvP.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Gang warfare

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Gang warfare originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Introduction

Brendan Drain — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, PvP, Tips and tricks, Grouping, Politics, EVE Evolved

One of the most perplexing things about EVE Online has to be the fact that although the game is essentially designed around PvP, a lot of players avoid it entirely. In this new series of articles, I will explain PvP from the bottom up, with a particular focus on helping anyone that has always wanted to give EVE's high quality PvP a try but wasn't sure what to do. In this first article, I examine the different types of PvP available in EVE Online and suggest ways to get involved in them even if you're just finishing the 14-day trial.

Types of PvP:
In most MMOs, PvP means organised battleground matches or one versus one player duels. For those games lucky enough to have open world PvP, the options are a lot more varied. In EVE Online, the exact right combination of factors come together to create what on a good day I can only describe as the best PvP experience I have ever had in a computer game. Rather than just being something fun to do, PvP in EVE arises as a natural consequence of normal play, used by players to push forward their own agenda in a harsh, dismal space-borne society.

Continue reading as I help you choose which type of PvP suits you the best and suggest ways to get involved in it.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Introduction

EVE Evolved: PvP masterclass - Introduction originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Outlaws of EVE Online: Verone

James Egan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews

EVE Online's futuristic setting of New Eden is one of sprawling galactic Empires and megacorporations, imposing order on uncharted frontiers through massive industrial infrastructures, elaborate networks of trade routes, and military fleets that ensure the galaxy remains firmly in the grasp of the technocratic elite.

But beneath this orderly paradigm in New Eden, criminal organizations thrive. They prey upon those who cling to the illusion of safety in an unsafe galaxy. They reject your system of values and play by their own rules. They are relentless in pursuit of their goals and completely without mercy. One notable criminal organization devoted to piracy is Veto Corp, headed by their CEO Ethan Verone, who is without a doubt one of New Eden's more notorious pirates. Under his guidance, Veto Corp has been linked to numerous incidents of ransoming, hijacking, and illegal arms sales, among their many other crimes. Their modus operandi of shunning territorial control in favor of remaining fast and free ensures that Veto can conduct 'business' and hit targets anytime, and practically anywhere. Massively recently managed to lock down Verone for a line of questioning, and discussed the allure of life as an outlaw.

Gallery: Outlaws of EVE Online: Verone

Continue reading Outlaws of EVE Online: Verone

Outlaws of EVE Online: Verone originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments