So CCP are going back to doing things in a shorter time-frame. Quadrants, of a year. So Quarterlies really. Like it's a new thing. CCP've been changing so much over the years it's hard to remember when they did such things before. Not quiet a new gimmick. Why do things bi-annually when you can do things in quarters. Personally I used to like when they did things in a major update format, chang the screen animation and music to be thematic etc. Like so much else that all got scrapped. Maybe there's hope for things going quarterly. There's so much adjustment in how CCP makes changes to both their development plans for the game and development as a company. All ad-hoc, change after change. Decisions built on decisions. Good and bad. Lessons learnt, or not all.
When I waffle on like this it's because I'm passionate about Eve Online, a game at it's core that's a sandbox sensation like no other. It could be so much more to everyone in game never mind draw in and keep more players. Yet, CCP still can't seem to find that long term hook. CCP only seems to do in the box or way outside the box thinking. That mid-ground, all things to all people stuff can't be seen for the trees. IMHO.
2012; Has it really been so long since Inferno......
So CCP is back to a more short term time based development cycle with added bells and whistles of a 'potentially' overdeveloped theme. Needless to say I read the news and details of this with some guffawing and eye rolling. As much as I love the game I'm no shill or lapdog. I'm a salty bitter burned veteran of the game, least I can do is waffle about it. In all their waffle about these new changes(and it was real waffle); For all they say, for all they state, it's all prefaced with one single word that lets them off the hook with following through with any of there statement of good intent. "MAY".
The start sounds good, exciting even:
" EVE Online will be splitting the year into four sections - Quadrants - that will allow for releases, events, offers and more to exist within a given theme for that period of time. The first of these Quadrants for 2020 will be "Fight or Flight" starting 16 January, which will be themed around PvP in EVE, and will offer explosive rewards, challenges and changes! "
There's an awful lot of "will" in that statement; But the next part has the "may" get out of jail free card:
" Each Quadrant may contain seasonal events, balance changes and game health improvements, permanent meta changes, challenges and rewards that could be themed, for example, around a particular style of gameplay, or any aspect of EVE. "
That second part really does undo the first. In expectation and in terms of 2020 sounding like all quadrants will be PvP based("Quadrants for 2020 will be "Fight or Flight").
WTAF. I'm a casual carebear and bitter enough as it is.
This kind of unclear messaging is as frustrating as I find CCP to be.
Why make a list of potential if you then say you may not actually go through with it.
Why give hope for so much and then backpedal in the same statement.
Boggles my mind....
Why not just leave the first part as:
' Eve Online development will be splitting the year into four sections - Quadrants '
There's no real expectation there, so leave the second part to do that...
' Each Quadrant may contain seasonal events, balance changes and game health improvements, permanent meta changes, challenges and rewards that could be themed, for example, around a particular style of gameplay, or any aspect of EVE. '
Isn't that so much better.....
Better than a jarring 'will' of intent that 'may' happen.
Then do the first quadrant theme as a separate thing..... Even if it's all PvP all year.
Like I said I'm a casual carebear. If the game is going fully PvP themed for 3 months with the potential for 12 PvP months I need to know about that. I'm concerned and all I have are alpha accounts. If your a carebear and you pay I'd be cancelling my sub(s). Glad I already did that years ago.
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