Eve Online....

It's that time again, Eve Online draft post waffle amalgamation....

I've been a narky grump the last few weeks so as I need to vent about Eve online the timing is right for it. No doubt this will be a more free form and unfinished post. There'll be venom, no doubt I'll repeat myself and no doubt I'll waffle as I paste all this together. With luck it won't all be too disjointed.

Yep overall I'm still finding it hard to blog about the time I do spend in Eve Online. Not that it's much time. Non existent really. Yet I still can't even bring myself to really waffle about it as I go. 

Even doing up this post is proving a massive pain. Yet the need to vent........ So I'm just going to blurt it all out. There's more for me to drone on about regarding CCP than the game that I have to stop myself. There's a fine line between waffling, venom and outright blowing a gasket. Also not everything/everyone at CCP is to blame. Hard to keep both separate. Tared with the same brush. Changes like those in a quality of life way benefit all. Good work. 

However a waffling tirade of venom towards CCP in general..... For the choices they've made(making the game go more against my 'play-style' (PvE carebear)) is easy(insert floating down de Nile joke). I think CCP are still well in denial about their players and the players they could have rather than the gamers they think they need. So waffle and CCP about Eve Online I shall. 

I see a lot of CCP's choices as unsubtle money grubbing, that dissuades players from fully embracing(all aspects of) their product(s). Those that do, do so by choice. Like I've said before 'play-style' is each to their own and a person can do what they want with their own cash.  

I'm a bitter veteran, I still remember when ships were going to get a design and paint option(player customization for free), instead players got the SKIN system #ingameshop. 

You can't please all of the people all of the time and in some cases some of the people some of the time. Some gamers are more invested in a game, time, money, both, the value of which is dependent on the gamer. CCP has a history of doubling down(and then some) on what kind of players they want. The PvP kind. Hence why I see PvE missed opportunities never mind growing the player-base overall. I had hope of PvE when CCP Seagull was in charge; She held out the hand of friendship to all play-types. It's changed quickly since she left.

As a product, the more time passes the more CCP actions to both change and monetize the game further aggravate me/my play-style in game. Of course I'm critical about it, I do love the game. Where CCP see's their direction(did they ever?) I see what it could have been via my minds eye(and common sense) with other choices. I'm confident in what I think because CCP decisions are proven to be both blind to the overall player base as they doubling down on their short vision. Al that despite their boastiong of the 'next 10 years'; All else be damned. Easy to see angles on the game where they could appeal to a broader player-base but they want to hone in on the cha'ching of fortnite in space and bend all to embrace it or leave. #bittervet. Eve Online isn't the game for that, but they will twist and turn to make it. Wasted opportunities.

Eve(CCP) giveth and Eve(CCP) taketh away. Constantly in both directions. In truth staying in Eve Online as a bitter veteran is like standing on a beach as the tide comes and goes around you. Players of the moment dip a toe and go with the tide; Taking what you can in the immediate ebb and flow. 

10 long-term players I've known in game and only 2 have VERY intermittently returned to the game. One paid for a few months during the summer(and got me back) and the other back rarely as an Alpha. I used to look at the majority of players as kids splashing in the tidal pools as I bemoan the past. #Bittervet. Different players looking for different play-styles all mashed together.

I've long since removed myself from that beach and admire the shenanigans from afar. The last few years I've been a non paying(for the most part) Alpha clone perspective. Nothing but friendship has made me want to return as an Omega. Short as that was.

Like life, Eve is complex and complicated with my bitterness is seeming a more simple perspective with each new 'thing' that CCP does to the game. One thing leads to another and I'm waffling on a blog post..... 

If I can put CCP into a metaphor of my own making. 

I like white bread sandwiches. 

I might change and mix up the fillings but I always go back to the deli for my white bread sandwich. CCP may offer a wide range of fillings for a sandwich in their sandbox game; But if they constantly deny the white bread and I can't get a white bread sandwich I'm not gonna buy it at all, regardless of the filling. 

(N.B. I also like brown wholemeal so don't hold the white bread slices against me.....'Metaphor'). 

It takes something special for CCP to have their heads that far up their own posterior and still push harder(PvP).

Long story short I've not seen anything since I stopped my yearly subs that makes me want to yearly sub again. Far from it. 

The 4th quarter does nothing for me. I'm too bitter and have no faith in CCP.

"Spawn new ships directly from a Supercarrier's bay" ?!? Spawn?!?! They really need to learn how to phrase things better. At least the details given show that the 'tactical' clone bay in the carrier is where the pilot will come from and then into a ship stowed in the carrier. Not out of thin air. 

From what CCP said you'd be forgiven if you immediately thought they were spawning things in space from nothing. You'd think CCP would distance themselves from the merest thought of it but no... They like me, waffle, only I'm not a professional company with customers..... 

That CCP uses this game as an open beta. For an entire year! Constantly shifting and changing things on the fly on a massive scale is irritating. As if their ongoing balance tiercide that never ends wasn't enough. One of the latest long term CCP game shuffles bugs me(what doesn't these days); So a reduction in ore but still you have to compete with the NPC mining fleets that eat up belts late in the day(Hi-Sec of course). More a problem for US time players than EU. Then again; The changes in minerals(again) on a scale that they haven't done before makes for less in the sandbox that makes a player self sufficient. Each redo of a mechanic outdoing the last in scale and effect. Lots about it here. It was handy to (alt tab and)chill on an Alpha while it mined (minerals to build or sell) and still feel connected to the game. 

I've seen some systems reduced from 15+ asteroid belts down to 5-ish. All these changes hurt the small time gamer more. Especially in Hi-Sec.

I can already tell that large Null based alliances will 'invade' Hi-Sec and take what they want. They did it against Provi when the stations changes came and they walked all over Hi-sec when they took over the PI offices! Never mind how they annexed Niarja. So yea they will move into Hi-Sec and Low-Sec and anywhere else. 

CCP doesn't give a dámn about the silent majority. Sad to see it happen and sad to know it's a clusterfk coming. CCP changing things for one reason ruining others. Multifuntion ship can only have one use as CCP only thinks in PvP terms. In the sandbox it's their way and only their way.

They don't deserve the players that love the game(no matter the players perspective game-style).

I flew a Nighthawk a lot(no links) in PvE. When I was flying with friends I loved the Nighthawk; A damage absorbing brick. Tank any level 4 mission with full aggro and not even blink. One I'd had fitted the same way for years; Then CCP do a 'balance' pass and changed things. Change isn't always good!

Loose a low slot, gain a mid and ruin my tanking ability. Thanks. I don't see why they have to keep poking and changing based on PvP. Especially when they don't even see half the consequences of their actions. Blinkered PvP based changes ruining my PvE. If the game was balanced everyone would be complaining about something not just the casual carebears! World smallest violin. Without the silent carebear majority there would be no Eve! Imagine buying a car only the maker to come back to you 6 months later and change your 4 wheel drive into a rear. Take away the back seats and drop back the keys...... your supposed to say thanks.... F**k off!

Who needs miners...... Or mission grinding, reward selling players.

No room for all eh?!

While a personal assessment of the Eve markets doesn't take long. The in game chart per items/volume gives good information. Changes to ores and minerals are easy to see. You look at the item you want, you see it's selling history. You can see the long term (up to a year), price per unit and you make a call on if you see it as cheap or not. 

Markets like everything else is subjective. Low prices, high prices. A Million is large to some and a Billion is small to others. Either way and no matter the analysis; If a player wants a ship or item and they have the isk for it, they will still buy. If it's 5% above the average or 10% the average buyer won't care!

delonewolf's Eve Talk is a good weekly update/assessment for general market information/catch-up; Yet I miss the more in depth Eve Prosper; At least he was entertainingly meta at the same time.

The reason the new Edencom Battleship is so cheap(as new faction ships go) is because the skill book to fly it is so expensive.
Never mind the special weapon system it needs and the skill book that that in turn needs(both overpriced by a long shot). A double whammy yet it's nothing for the rich to splash out on(prices as of a week before posting).

Battleship:

Skill to fly battleship:

Main Tech 1 weapon for the battleship:

Skill to be able to fit the main weapon for the battleship:

Never mind getting into the tech 2 version of the skill/weapon:

With the Arc Guidance skill you'll need as well:

So the guts of 5-ish Billion isk for the ship and T1 weapon plus the skills to use them(never mind the rest of the fit). Not really accessible to the average player imho. I'm sure the excuse of a game wide event is that all players may get involved; But only the rich will really get something long-term out of it. Maybe I'm being too narky and sarcastic.

So given some time to get the weapon skill trained to level 5 or a bunch of purchased skill injectors cos lets face it if your spending this much you've got it to burn; The Tech 2 weapon will bump up the cost(less the skill injectors) to about 7 to 8-ish Billion. Charming. Billions here and billions there, if you've got it you'll get it, and what it costs doesn't matter. Doesn't matter to the rich cos it's purchasable and doesn't matter to the poor cos they can't and could never purchase it(trading sharks excluded).

Eve Echoes. When I posted this I expected there to be more likes but in a month only 32 retweets, 121 likes; Not exactly 'epic' for 4 million pre-registered players clamoring for details. Especially checking just after they tweet about having 5 million pre-registered players.
Funny how all the tweets since the 2 million player tweet have now been 'removed'. Play Store reviews say it all, 'mixed'.

A "Journey without limits" echoes(pun intended?!) hollow when you consider that this game like the 'main' Eve Online has two versions of players. Those that pay for unlimited access and the bulk of non paying members that are very, very much limited. Eve Echoes, the app to bring true micro-transactions to the Eve franchise. I hope that there isn't too much bleed-through from it to Eve Online. I'm not optimistic on that front #ShipSKINS.

Speak of the devil:
https://twitter.com/CCPGames/status/1313532025371066369

(I'd still like to know where the other 4 Million went to?)

All this talk of numbers and I can't help but wonder if all the CCP number bluster is a little bit overblown given the large proportion of the wolds population has been in lockdown/cocooning/social/physically distancing due to, you know, a GLOBAL PANDEMIC! Numbers may be slightly off the 'norm'.... Players may have some extra home time etc etc. 

I mean who could factor in some random things like that when boasting of player numbers. 

I'm one of those millions and I've tried the game with two login's of 30 ish minutes give or take before uninstalling it(and Bluestacks). I'm more than just number. 

Also makes me wonder how greedy CCP is that given players have so much home time 'this weather' there aren't more persistent long term sales....... Half price one month etc.

I'm sure Echoes is making money, just no as much as they thought they would. Give it a while and I'm sure it'll go the way of Dust514. Hanging by a thread, dangling with player hope and dedication till it gets the chop. Whenever CCP decides it's economic viability.

Then again Eve Valkyrie is still €29.99 on Steam with a handful of players. I can only imagine a new player hopping in a match only to get pwnd by the OP whale(s) that still fund the game. Eve Echoes future?

Speaking of Echoes I've found it interesting how hardcore the pro Echoes commentators are.
Even just a week into it's life the shills were out in force. Someone has a problem running Echoes a response comes in to get a new phone..... Upgrade your internet to stop getting disconnected etc...
A far cry from the helpful, workaround with what you got comments from most regarding Eve Online.
While neither side on either game is perfect, the shills, are a lot more noticeable on Echoes. Dislike the game and they will pile on.

Never underestimate player wow factor for graphics versus in game mechanics that are mountainous. No matter how good it looks a casual game isn't one to stick with a steep learning curve that's monetized. Casual games keep players.

Echoes is a different game than Eve, even if they are siblings. Siblings sharing the same DNA and parentage. The more things change the more they stay the same. CCP is CCP.

Oh look CCP changing things in Eve Online:

CCP rhetoric reminds me of the verbose waffle that Gordon Ramsey uses to describe food. Every second word is a superfluous compliment on the ingredients or how he's preparing it. He may describe an eggplant as the "most beautiful, succulent, delicious'; Yet it's not going to change my mind that Eggplants F**king suck. So to with CCP and 'some' of their games/decisions.

The big difference with a subscription game is that players are both fans and investors. A company that bullshits all over that with broad strokes is gonna get messy. How can there not be splash-back; Especially from Bitter Vets.

CCP a while ago were promoting a "boost bundle". Blatantly pay to win with no in game action or pretense for it's sale. Blatantly a cash grab from CCP as if ship SKINS weren't enough.

I'm not disapproving of how players spend their cash. I am disapproving of how a games company is watering down the meaning of their game to p;layers that have been in game a 'wwwhhhhile'. A game built on the blocks of meaningful time spent in a universe where every action and consequence matters. Mattered. Not so the case today. I've not seen any uproar over these bundles. The playerbase has truly changed. Cash is king and if you want to splurge then CCP is more than willing to let you. I've been a long term fee paying member in the past; To me these changes are disappointing, saddening and I can't help but see it as CCP flushing it's main show-runner down the toilet one plunger stroke at a time.
The second decade mystery code was my real turning point. I invested in the game and the company with my cash like never before. Look how that turned out for players like myself.
How low will things go for other players to speak up never mind those still shilling for CCP. Harder falls ahead I think. For customers who don't know it, for those that do and everyone else caught in between. The game has lost it's awe. Dedication and time builds trust; Player to player and players to CCP. Never mind skills, in game and out. Everything feels so disposable now.

CCP still seems unclear about their vision of the game, where it's going in game story and out of game dev details etc. Back to the flip coin of not enough information. They are back in silent running. If only they would do more info seeking with interest groups. There's never a middle ground of confidence in planning taking into consideration cause and consequence. I don't get how they can'#t see some results.
The future......The only real indication is that they want to make money and players get quick fix ship explosions.

Farmville has been on Facebook over 10 years (more players than CCP games ever had)and made money(more money than CCP?) to boot yet never once saw a ship explosion never mind any kind of PvP. CCP can't get over it's PvP tunnel vision.

CCP still can't even do walking in stations!

I'll be in Star Trek Online.

Back to the Alpha's.

I've been back to my two Alpha accounts that were made to specifically be Alpha's. Born of the 2 60-day time codes from both of my Second Decade - Collectors Editions; Better to use than have CCP void them. Alphas born to be separate and 'enjoy' life as care free non paying members of the universe.

That was the idea anyway. I've waffled about them before.

One of those Alphas was made to be PvE and the other PvP but over time and in game happenings both ended up the same. PvE, it's just how I roll. Two Alpha's in a Hi-Sec corps doing carebear Hi-sec things. Either solo or help with hauling/mining/missions it's all about extreme faffing about. 

Main alpha's, hauler alt's, corp's, activities, ships, gear, collectibles. Faffing. Meh.

Hopping back to my real mains for some asset management and tidying up.

Micromanaging characters and in my own way I guess role-playing them in a way. 

Before settling them down most newbie corp's in Hi-sec were ganked into oblivion but since the war dec changes(needing structures) I've not seen as much of a newbie corp resurgence as I'd expected. New players come and go but I'm surprised at the number of characters that get deleted. In a corp of a few hundred there are at least 5 to 10 a day that I get a mail about being 'retired'. I guess players start over and three slots aren't enough(No need for spies in corps like these). 

The most I've done on both was a few months ago, dual ran(PC and Laptop) them both through the SOE mission chain for the sake of it. It's been years since I did it last. It was a trip down memory lane.

Old:

New:

Might do it again when the timer is up.

So it's true to say I'm still pottering about within Eve Online.
Also true that I'm not doing anything really.

I still had racial battleships with my alts, these got changed over to the more generic and cheaper Praxis once the level 4 changes came in(a while ago). Getting assets etc back to my mains though is taking time. Paused really as I can't be bothered. Faffing about on them is a holding pattern I've spoken about before.

I still don't have the motivation to move an old trial Alpha that had relocated lock stock to a level 4 SOE mission hub; Only for level 4's to no longer be doable on Alphas. That won't change any time soon. Since the station doesn't have any other level of agent; And the nearest level 3 agent is 20+(ish?) jumps away.... I can't be bothered. Especially now that there are changes with the Niarja system 'moving'.

Life as an Alpha is very limited(they cut back to far imho) if you don't have massive amounts of time to make it worth while all you can do is exist and keep up with in game news. Anything worth doing in the game for a profit is contested by other players looking to do the same. An Omega will win out to an Alpha just by logging on. It is what it is. It's not as bad as I make it out to be, for the most part, kind of. If it's in space it's accessible to anyone. Timing is key; I'm lucky that later in the day is between late night Europe and early morning US time-zones. 

Still, getting to any Hi-Sec asteroid belt only for it to have been strip-mined by the NPC fleets is a bummer. So it's not only other players your competing with(A.I. fleets are less 'efficient' these day's but still).

An old fit on an old alt on an old account, still not to bad. Usable at no extra expense. A bit over optimistic with the ammo count.

--Ends--