While I have both the original CD(from back in the day) and the Origin(Dosbox) store version(Special Edition) of SimCity 2000; Yet I've not been back to the game itself for a long, long time. Other games in and around the genre have taken my interest. Even with nostalgia some things are easier than others. Enter the SC2K Renderer. View the maps in glorious 3D! It scratches that nostalgia itch in a new way.
Using the Render for map viewing brings it all back to life in a different way. Again nostalgia is the real reason to do it, noting more, nothing less. It's no hassle and ease of use. Seeing my old maps like this has me humming the tunes and ogling the new graphical take with gusto. SimCity 2000 à la Cities Skylines(non interactive but still). Software appreciation and nostalgia. It's just nice to hop in and out of.... Time for some screenshots.
Yea that's not a usual combination(again) but for me this last week it's been a thing.
I've waffled before that getting a video together is a casual, gut feel thing for me. That's a good and bad thing. Good in there's no pressure, it's for fun.... Bad, especially when I see a jump in subscribers after my latest two Battlefield 1 videos; So slight pressure there to 'make the magic happen' again(I do like the last two BF1 vids myself....here and here). So when the good and bad mix, irony, confusion, motive and lack of motivation ensues etc....
Time passes and things happen or they don't. It is what it is..... Plus the real life lark does tend to get in the way never mind more gaming elsewhere....
So why Tetris... I've still been playing more of it than BF1.... The lack of motivation to push a BF1 video into completion has seen other games move up... Tetris isn't an FPS but I've been getting a lot of gamplay fulfillment from it in the meantime..
I play Tetris almost on a automatic mode... In a brain off, zen kind of way... Not in it for perfection or scores but when a new personal record happens it's a bonus....
I've not played a Broken Sword game since the first of the franchise back in the day. The 5th looks interesting and one I'll claim and play for sure. I kind of have an itch for this type of game.
Since the Winter event(more on it here), the current event, the event in between and casual gameplay; I've continued to plug away with daily character 'maintenance' and event participation. My wife not so much. Event burnout has a lot to do with it. Not that she hasn't played, but only enough to claim the event reward whereas I'm in it for every dilithium ore I can squeeze get out of it.
Not sure I've ever mentioned her luck in getting an Epic token from the phoenix prize pack before Christmas. With a little time and guidance I've helped her choose and fit out a Bajoran interceptor. Which she's happy with. Good DPS is always welcome but I think she's more happy with a small fast ship that's got her most prized stat, 'turn rate'.
The new Anniversary 'Jarok Class Alliance Carrier' is like the rest of the Alliance ships, 'interesting'.
A free ship is a free ship even if you have to do dailies for it. A player with limited options is going to get a lot more out of those ships than those that've been in game a long time(playing free or not). So much gets accumulated over time(game promotions, events, lifetime sub, etc). Benefits stack.
From what I've seen and heard, the community seems to rate this new ship as above par for a Science Carrier. The debate on it's lack of a secondary deflector vs it's having hanger pets is a whole other thing. With all being glad it has Temporal seating. At least it will come with an Alliance variation on hanger pets, so that's a new 'alliance' element to claim and add to the 'alliance' theme as well.
Not a ship any of my characters will fly(that I know of for now) but I'll do the dailies and claim it for the event. Given it's design cross between Fed and Romulan I expected it to go all Singularity than warp core but the details listed a warp core. Not that I care either way but the meta are happy.
It's a ship that covers a lot of bases. Not the best in the world but not the worst either; one that a player can work with(dare I say get funky with). Which I guess is the design mantra of these Alliance ships. Not a bad thing, bit of everything for everyone.
It's been interesting to watch the meta heads go to work on this ship. Pro's, con's, options and explanations. It's a happy time for them and I'm happy to watch them provide content on their theory-crafting.
As for other players character design, one that caught my eye was(a?) The Duke!
I'd both success and failure in my wait to finally get my latest alt(that Ferasan KDF character) set up.
The overall goals for this character were to level to 65 with only 'normally' claimable ships and items.
Being a lifetime sub kind of skews that; But I wanted to get to 65 and then claim all the things he could in one fell swoop(kind of a windfall experience). Getting him to 65 was fine., leveling up with one of my wife's alts. However I'd put off the claiming of items for a while.... Lots of excuses, like it being too late in a day to do and screenshot etc. These blogs are as much a record for me as a tell all for you the reader.... But after two weeks of not doing it I finally did it. Tired and at 1 in the a.m. A bad idea for one more reason. Anyway. I claimed event rewards before getting a 'clean' screenshot. So lots of grey on items I can claim.... And I can't be bothered to dump all the claimed items(some set on his current ship)... And then get a 'clean' screenshot....At least it's only one screenshot... I can live with the inaccuracy.
Event ship/item reclaim(again not a true list but you get the idea).
Time to take inventory:
The lifetime environment suits and fireworks.
Zen store items/rewards/claimables:
Being a KDF character, not everything is claimable.
While a lot is free from being faction specific, some are cross faction.
With a lot more 'just' being claimable no matter. So many places in game to look for items. Zen store, Dil store, event reclaim, lifetime sub... And some items are in cross store locations...(event /dil).
The Dil store rewards are claimable by all.
And of course the 'recruit' specific account rewards are a big help.
Ultimately the character is to be a cat in a cat carrier. That alone amuses me and 'made' me do it. I had to compromise on a KDF character as that faction version of the race was available to me. Claimed from a free event giveaway... It still works for what I need.
Which all works out as the character is the same colour scheme as the ship.... Happy accidents.
Claiming the ship which I do think looks cool, I've put on the Reman shield. Which I think looks much better than on any other ship I've had it on.
I'd also forgot how big it is in space(carrier duh!)... But with the additional turn rate from a console or two, it handles fairly nimbly for it's size. All work in progress.
For a deflector vanity look I was aiming for the Lukari as it's got a blue hue to it which would match.
A lot or work to be done yet. I need to sort out his bridge officers and a ship fit. For now it's in mid fit with an ad-hoc mashup. Aiming for a Tetryon based weapons system(hear me out!). Which has worked for me on other ships in the past regardless of what the meta says/considers. Plus it'll match as a thematic thing. So I suppose this is a cross between functionality and space barbie.... Each to their own.
I can accept it is what it is(lets not over complicate this new movie too much) and I can let a lot in the movie fly, all except the ending.
A better ending would have been for Trinity to hold Neo's hand, look him in the eye and say 'time to fly as they jump'; Play the original Rage against the Machine Killin in the Name (couldn't even have that continuity), see them fly holding hands & Cut to credits! That sax/brass cover of the song sucks, just saying. Just like this movie, that new version of the song is worse than that which came before.
Expectation died when I heard it was a bad movie even if I had no specific details btu I had to see for myself.
So yea I can accept it is what it is(lets not over complicate this new movie too much) and I can let a lot in the movie fly, all except the ending.
That Trinity saves Neo by flying scene followed with the new architect(The ANALyst or whatever he was/is); Is just a cringeworthy addition to make the new 'One' Trinity. Doing so by shítting all over the previous trilogy and this new movie in a big F.U. to everything(and I feel that personally as a fan that followed the trilogy and likes continuity), for no reason than they could. I'm disappointed. I had faith that it wouldn't be as bad as people were saying and that there would be explanations no matter how slim. There were, there was explanation and it was slim in reasoning. It is what it is. Some of it is better than others but all pale in comparison to all the was before.
All through the movie I could let things go, let it slide, let it be it's own new thing; But that last 5 minutes or so... Was like reopening a wound that was just starting to heal. That wound was my acceptance of this movie as it was... Was then stomped on for no other reason than they could.... And now makes me resent a while lot more and the movie in general.
I've watched the movie once and I see no reason to see it again. Those last 2 scenes have left such a bad taste in my mouth.Trinity in the trilogy never flew. Was never The One..... Her special power was love for Neo and Neo had his faith and love in Trinity to make him see his blind faith for her; And that all went off the roof for no reason than to make trinity something she never was for no reason than she was a woman. As if traditional love of a paired couple is now considered such a bad thing. That's why the ending I wanted is as I said, for plain old continuity of what was already there. A love story at it's base. The movie was it is; As if their love, faith in themselves as a couple is such a bad thing now.
On an interesting side note.The Neo/Trinity resurrection body rebuild scene was so reminiscent of some of the Animatrix machine human experimentation history it was a spark of world building that was lacking in the rest of the movie for the most part.
Dámn it. This movie is such a mix of could of been good with disappointing payoff bad, of fun and fucking with fans.
What makes it worse is that the Neo flaying thing was recalled twice in the film. Once on his way to confinement and again as he actually tried to fly. A much, much, much better payoff for that would have been for my ending.... INSTEAD OF TRINITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adapt to change is a narrative. Take the fans along for the ride but to just pop stuff out of thin air just because....... FK OFF!
If the trilogy is a steady decline then Resurections is the slat at the end of the fall. This new movie is an attempt to be deeper than it thinks it is even if some of the ideas come from a 'good place'; The payoff is lacking.
It's the map limitations that are the key thing for the 'feel' of that nostalgia. Yes the maps are not as big as 4's and they are broken up so that line of sight doesn't stress the game or a players PC(With convenient hangers, canyons etc). But it does it all well. It's got that hook for me beyond nostalgia. It does what previous games did in the genre. Playable enjoyment!
I've had a lot of memorable moments with the game. Like running down the main street of a town I'd just cleared, when a random 'new' patrol(officer and 5 soldiers) were headed straight towards me. Dropping to the ground they hadn't sported me.... They kept on walking/talking/searching around as they 'patrolled' up the street. Holding breath I can get 3 good shots.... Officer and the closest two soldiers went down... They had no idea I was as panic kicked in and I got the rest in quick succession. Lying there I was amazed it all worked out. Great feeling!
On the nostalgia front, Sniper Elite 3 does what Hidden and Dangerous 2 did; When an objective is complete you get the next one but look there's reinforcements on the way to the area you previously cleared. Or there's a new tank in the way etc etc. I love clearing the maps, being loud and quiet, collecting everything not nailed down. Set a save and see that the next phase brings. reload, lay traps and try things again in other ways. A map that blows my nostalgia out of the water is the 5th map/level, the Siwa Oasis. It's mission objectives and reinforcement phases remind me so, so, so much of the Hidden and Dangerous map 'Caravan'. Another fort in the desert.
Sniper 3:
H & D 2:
And as for the Airfields in both games. I'm loving it in Sniper 3!
Whats so great about an old game like H&D 2.... It has backpacks and a team to work with, uniforms to change into disguise. It even had air combat! Now that was an escape from an Airfield!
Sniper 3 has the new graphics, enemy tagging, it's sniper shot mode and franchise momentum.
Speaking of graphics, here's the in game benchmark with my GTX 1080...
I have to take it as much a spiritual game-play successor as Sniper is it's own thing. Still I can't shake the nostalgia. While I'd wish for a franchise crossover taking things to the next level.... Wishful thinking indeed..... But I'll take what I can get and with Sniper 3 and 4.... it's 'really' doing it for me!
An explosive can by some scaffolding.... What's the worst that could happen!
I don't want to ruin what I know of 3 and 4 by going any further back in the franchise's iterations. V2, even as a remastered game 'could' spoil what I know and 'feel'. I have the original V2 on Xbox as it was a free game with gold a while back.... Could it be worth 'just' trying.... See if it 'feels' worth it.... Tempting but....
Anyway back to 3..... The narrative of the game is a little out there but just as much as the character you play as a-one-man army.
Another interesting game I've just finished and another interesting journey(like here, here and here). A shorter game and one where the story is fully part of that gameplay. It scratched my micromanagement itch as an initial hook and then the story kicked in. Nothing too in your face; Nothing said, but a lot implied. You can't get more immersive. It's subtle, simple on it's surface but complex deep down. You can take it on face value or think about it.... Each to their own. If your into it, your into it.
I got to play it 'free' with Xbox Gamepass. Doing the first half of the game on Xbox then finishing off the rest on PC. Cross platform saves still bring a smile to my face. I switched over for no other reason than I could. It's equally playable(at least for me) using a controller or mouse. I'm sure there are those that've played it on PC with a controller.
While you can be very precise with what goes were, my first playthrough wasn't, not really; And I was happy once the level was happy with items per room. I can see myself playing this again but not for a long time. If ever? If removed from gamepass? That's not to say the game isn't worth a buy.... I would but just at a deep sale price....
The game also has options for collectibles which were not of interest to me. What I did find interesting were the movie and gif options. The movies are full item moments per full level and the gifs one room of each. Fun to see the plonking and plucking of items and placement sped up.
Needless to say it's a game that's better to play in person..... However here's my sped up play-though movies from the game, all in one(spoilers!):
Eve, Eve, Eve..... Where to I start, where do I end this post.....
This post like most of my other Eve posts is an accumulation of waffle. Draft posts of random thoughts accumulated over time. This is going to be another long one. Time to try and make sense of it all and vent a spleen on the internet. Or not but it'll be waffle all the same(therapy session?).
I've mulled and pondered and questioned this post and elements of it. As plain as water, as complex as the stars are numerous. If I were to list every circumstance and element of a reaction as explanation and reasoning I'd be forever editing it. Sometimes a reaction is a reaction, a gut feeling as real as any reasoned theory. It's personal.
So without further adieu..... Time to vent a spleen.
I've often said the game is both pleasure and pain; And it is. Still is. In multiple ways. In and out of game. I'm still of that opinion. Unshakably so at this stage. Bitter Veteran, both wise in most ways of the game and bitter because of it's 'company'. It's a love, hate thing. How do I even start to blog about it these day's without an overshadowing torrent of venom spitting. Not that I'm vindictive, just obsessive passionate that something I love can and should be handled differently. Treated better for all it's players(even with profits). That it could be so much more.
Another post also filled with bland one liners of activities and repetitive mundanity. What I get from the game is a love of it's PvE, mainly it's old missions/standings system, mainly level 4's. I'm into micromanagement of it's gear/items/ships and fits. Mining and production. I don't crave player interactions never mind combat with them. The universe according to CCP at least doesn't seem big enough to accommodate all, only tolerate.
I recently came across a bunch of old screenshots. As limited as the Captains Quarters was, at least in it's last iteration it was still 'something'. Really 'see' the character and cloths you spent in-game currency on. At least it had a mirror and you could 'see' your character in a minor interactive way. But as it was, CCP, had reasons and decided to scrub it out. Hindsight and not knowing what you had till it's gone....
A lot like Dust 514....Playable as it was, not perfect, not fixable in CCP's view.... Canceled. Odd as Eve Valkyrie is still alive for sales but dead as a door-nail in practice.
Look in the mirror eh... I wonder what CCP see's. Do they see Dust 514 with hindsight now given all the Project Nova 'experiences' and 'feedback'. Nah I bet they double down on it all as is now.
I guess the new Captains Quarters Mirror is the latest edition of a character sheet.... A far cry from the old version but at least they're 'animated'. If only the character was spinable....
What a thing it would be to have dust 514 back..... Was the first thing to cross my mind when I heard about the PS5's 'potential' backward compatibility of PS3 titles. Again hindsight is a thing, I do miss it.
Then again loosing Dust got me into Battlefield 1(on PC and on Xbox).
I was reminded this week that I was annoyed that SKINS became a monetized thing rather than the free form manual ship painter that was first envisioned and shown..... Lost opportunities, this game has a lot due to CCP, usually because they want to make every cent and penny they can. Blinkered.
The latest CCP game promotion is to cross Dr. Who with Eve. I'd not seen that coming. Apparently it's been in the works for a year. Makes me wonder if the CSM said/knew anything or if CCP just fumbled it off as a not of their concern thing. CSM convinced to drink the kool-aid. I don't care if CCP has 'crossovers' in Eve. I care when Eve is cross effected by another franchise in ways that change Eve.
One moment if I don a tinfoil hat and jump off the deep end.... If Dr. Who is now lore in Eve then everything can be 'fixed', answered, changed by a sonic screwdriver and time travel. What does that 'do' for the lore..... It makes everything up for grabs. If everything is up for grabs then nothing is certain and all rules and bets are off.
Even as a casual Eve player I saw Eve as a serious, dedicated sci-fi game. Now anything could be enacted with no real explanation based on believability. Immersion goes with it out the window. Eve being science based, factually believable even with tongue in cheek, gone(a lot like 'modern' Trek). But sure CCP are the type to just say 'chill, it doesn't matter'. 'Just roll with it'.
If I take that to a worse stage. One crossover will lead to more and before you know it all the serious players that spent so much time effort and money will drift away. Eve will be a game of 1 and 2 year old characters that don't last any longer than that; Filled with even more micro-transactions. It'll become Eve Echoes(yea I'm not sold on that). The longterm finally killed off for the shortterm. Profit over product. I still wonder what Aurora would have been(better, more causal?).
Am I being overblown. Yes. Most certainly I'm waffling. But it's CCP. Ask any 'bitter vet' and see what they say. It won't be simple other than saying CCP is CCP and if they're not a fanboi they'll also roll their eyes.
What this crossover opens up is precedence. CCP may wink, nod and say it's ok but....
Anyway, as if CCP needed a crossover to sell 'packs', 90% of which have the same items weather there's a crossover or not. So really what was the point.
As for attracting new players... I could think of better ways. Again my mind is boggled at the cross appeal of Eve for Dr Who fans, never mind those that would stay with Eve when there's no further specific Who content.
Each to their own. If your into it then good for you.
I'm still cynical at the general changes CCP make, that smell of monetization and cheapening of 'my' PC game into a hot mess of a cash'in only gets worse.... Yes the lines are grayer and blurrier now, more than ever but that fúcked over feeling is still there with me; And was before the crossover was announced.
It's telling that those that love Eve tell those that hate events or CCP game decisions, to ignore that part of the game. I can ignore only so much. Time will tell how long, how much till the background noise of the 'ignored' content becomes unbearable. Or unavoidable.
So Daleks are now part of Eve lore... Technically. A hard altering fact that changes a lot and nothing, because you know, CCP marketing. 'Just roll with it'. Ignore it and do other things.
A game that has so much self created lore goes out to implant another franchise's elements. Insane!
I can see it now.... Coke adverts, M&M's..... Worse than Youtube adverts ..... All on the in game billboards. In game merch....
Some things from events break the game for me. Others don't. Space is big and unknown even in Eve. Winter 'storms' in Eve for an event are 'believable', forgivable. Crossover Daleks not so much....
CCP. Unsubtle. Like a pie to the face. One I paid for.
I'm waffling to try and understand this all myself. I still can't. Overthinking (Not in a good way) the simple. CCP is CCP, obvious really.
A new enemy in a new area of space.... How many times has that been done before in Eve.
An enemy that's machine and organic just like all the other cybernetic beings in Eve.
Done before and left hanging with no further meaning or conclusion. All for the sake of 'forced' player interactions(event). It's just left out there swinging in the breeze like so much else when it ends, successfully or not. Eve space is littered with such remnants.
So for the new Dr Who recruits to Eve... They are to get more Who content ?
Or is Eve content (cybernetic beings) explainable(retroactively) by the Who lore crossover.... For the Who fans to 'like', explained in a new e-book fanfiction-esque 'story' to double down on(engage eye-roll).
CCP doesn't even consider a 10th of this shiz.... What do they think.... Just roll with the consequences even if we wont' know what that will be......
Even the event 'login rewards' are a bit odd. What does Dr Who have to do with the PvP 'Red verses Blue'. Unique Dr Who skins my áss. New SKINS are in the event sites but I guess the login rewards were a creative stretch too far. Blue with a blinking light would have been nice.....
As for the events main rewards, if your into a grind, good luck to you. At least to my eye it's not a new player friendly 'thing' to put in front of noobs, new recruits, potential customers. Burned and burnt out before they scratch the main game surface; Welcome to Eve. I'm sure it's been a journey to get to see the event. That new player experience is a burnout zone in itself. Never mind rushing it to get to the event your really after.
Anything like this in another game would usually have a booster pack... CCP are good with 'booster' packs, so it's a wonder there was nothing done in the year of planning to get these new Who 'customers' a leg up on joining the game. What a narrative that could have been.
So much wasted opportunity.
Liaising with the official Who organisation, a promotion for it's members would see them gain X, Y and Z, items/boosters/skills/gear/ships with a 3 month promo price of bla bla bla. Join in time for the event, bla bla bla, new and exciting narrative, bla bla bla.
I'm sure CCP could have tied that all in with a 'better' event, maybe a live event as well. But CCP is CCP and....... I'm waffling. Have I said too much.... Already!
The current event "for new players and experienced players" will be 'challenging' to all players. A contradiction if ever I heard one(If it's a challenge to an experienced player then in Eve that means it's near impossible for a new player). A day old Dr. Who fan and new to Eve player looking to do all the new stuff just can't compete to get sites outside of luck. They do not have the skills! Never mind trying to keep them as a paying player to the game post event. Yea that's all going to end well. Best of luck with that CCP. I look forward to your skewed post event stats on new players to the game and retention of same.
Lies, damn lies and statistics.
Like CCP knows/predicts with any level of accuracy what will happen when they introduce something new to the game. A meme in itself. One which CCP jokes about and is a bit creditworthy at times. They may as well say they don't do QA or any testing!
There was once an event what needed players to leave hi-sec to reach it(November 2013 yea that one, yea that long ago, as if others don't remember!?). CCP thought (I presume, maybe too much) that players knew what that meant. I did and I didn't participate.... Others got slaughtered in droves. Lemmings that were Eve experienced. So what of the uninitiated...?...It was no wonder things went the way they went.
But CCP learnt from the event I hear players say.... 'Of course they did'.... wink, wink.
Shall I 'go on about' my Mystery code experience. Yea, I'm still bitter. Second decade my áss, third decade CCP can go an f k........ Sucker punch me and I'm never gonna forget it! Two accounts, subbed for a year on each, paid up front, A collectors edition to enhance and reward each account for the next decade! Of course I was all in...twice! Then the mystery code immediately fell flat on it's face.
The second decade is nearly over... Now there's talk of the third .....waffle, waffle, waffle. There's no trust, I have no trust in them. So I have no faith that CCP will do anything to benefit players who pay in a third decade. No doubt CCP will roll out the sycophant pub crawl cheering crowds, hands in the air like you care. Whatever.
How hard would it have been for all mystery code holders to get a free MCT for life given the promises made... How hard to enhance a players time with a dedicated reward for dedicated time and PAYING for a subscription AND the 'collectors edition'.... Not exactly like we'd be getting something for nothing.
They don't care about loyalty.
No wonder I'm cynical.
& Bitter.
& so much more besides.
No wonder I see cheering 'fans' at CCP events and shake my head. There for their friends in a game they 'love', party animals, get a tattoo, that's all fair but the company doesn't deserve the fans it has for the game it milks them with.
Perspective, personal perspective.....
Place your bets and take your chances eh....
I used to sub yearly x2; Not any more.
I used to read a lot of Eve blogs, not so many around today. Of the two or three that are still persisting some are bitter, some wiser, some both. I am who I am and my take is my take, so my own blog persists that way.
It's all personal for players and very much all business from CCP. That's why I find all their 'fan interactions' so disingenuous.
There's been no changes(new content) to the game that make me want to play it more(I persist and faff about).
Today, even the PvP 'core' of how CCP want players to 'play', are angry and getting angrier. At least it seems that way to me. They(players) seem to be looking for ways to be vexed over the game. There's a broader weariness from players and player groups who consider CCP actions and decisions more broadly, long-term.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm too blinkered. Maybe I shouldn't give a fk and just roll with it all in a non caring way and just enjoy moments for the sake of the moment. Consequences be damned.... Gulp booze, hands in the air and down the roller coaster Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Then again that's just not me. It's not what brought me to the game and it's not what'll keep me in it. I'm not an instant gratification kind of person. I'm in for the longhaul and meaningful.
I've put thousands of hours and indeed masses of real world cash into the game(#mysterycode...... Did I mention that.....). It's a game I've played for well over a decade. Nearing 2. From hardcore, casual and everything in between. I've never played it for the PvP but I've been a part of PvP fleets(even some more like this). Saying Hardcore doesn't have to mean 'just' PvP. Time input is the hardcore element. Be it a cloaky scout or a marketeer.
My emotional range for the game is one that swings wildly depending on the game, the games company and players, never mind my own moody changing take on things, current, past and/or present(as if that wasn't obvious from this blog). A simmering pot that never goes cold and has more and more often times of boiling over than previously. How long till there's nothing left to boil.
So yea, Eve Online, it's pleasure, it's pain and if I get a chance I'll do more again. Sort of, kinda, maybe. But I won't be quiet or as forgiving about it. Even if that means I'm a lone insane voice in the night.
Last year if nothing else has proved that Eve Online is no longer a game I play. I exist in it. I change skills, update fittings and manage stock. Habits.
Last night I spend 4 hours faffing about with mining ships across three characters editing and changing fits and skills. Is that 'really' playing the game? Yes and no.
Did I do it to enjoy it? No. Did I enjoy it's doing? Somewhat yes.
Could I have spent that time better elsewhere, even in other games? Yes(some not even as a carebear!).
Did I have a need to make sure all my mining ships and characters were 'up to speed'? Yes.
This game is insidious; And I've an obsessive level of 'management'/micromanagement with it. Good a hook as any game can have, I guess.
I've a massive list of accounts in Eve(just like other games I play, in STO and in WoW etc). Mainly old alts/trials(Eve is classless but interesting alt talk here). I click the launcher, click on each account, claim the rewards for "logging in", redistribute those 'rewards' via drag and drop, then close the login screen. Those rewards are not worth the effort. Blueprint trash no matter their levels. Drug boosters to aid a character for 30 minutes, what a waste. If anything the items that are collectibles, character clothing etc are the only items that I value. Hoarder that I am. Then again they're all items not designed for me, not as a non paying Alpha, not even as an Omega. They are for newer players(Blueprints) and PvP'ers(boosters in the moment). The only real constant bonus reward of value are the skill points, as small as it is(Alpha or Omega). If only there were a login reward that actually rewarded all players value. The number of characters, times, the amount of time played and /or the SP per account. Make it feel personal!
I used to actually log into my two main accounts characters; Even despite being Alphas. They could still access and gather PI(just not export it). Accumulating and waiting for the day I go Omega and export the mats..... Long time waiting for that to happen again..... I don't didn't see it happening soon. Till the 3 month with 3 month multi character training promotion pack suckered me back in recently. Those new skills and ship changes aren't going to manage themselves. I feel like a fool, whether I have disposable income or not. Like I said, Eve, insidious on a habitual gamer.
What has brought me back time and again in the past (as Omega) were friends. Bitter vets for the most part who, like me do be completely out of the game but still have an urge to undock in the back of their minds. Have plans to gather and 'do' things. You can leave Eve but Eve never leaves you.... So like an abusive relationship you keep coming back to it. Because you can. Because you still get something form it, no matter how faint that is.
Realistically not much has changed for me or happened since I last posted. Daily logins and claims, as I said... I still spend more time doing dailies in other games. So what can I say and add beyond that and my last bigger Eve update..... Not a lot, not that it was a lot either, not a lot since this time last year! Not a lot even now I've payed for it! A good and bad thing overall. More questions than answers.
The friend that rage quit(s) has come back, lost even more ships, more expensive ships, raged but not quit. Planned some more and then just hasn't been on for a few weeks. Life happens. Then back again with a mad passion for all things Industry. In fairness his rage quit rage only lasts a few days. Like a moth to a flame.... As for his ship losses I can keep trying to counsel caution but if he wants to fly a slow non combat loot pinata into lowsec(again).... That's on him. He's like a kid who doesn't see the ill in what he's doing and then gets frustrated at the inevitable bad results.... That can be annoying at times.... Yet he's a guy I've spent hours burning the midnight oil with doing 'nothing' in Eve. If it wasn't for the time difference between us we'd probably be doing more of that.
Nothing ventured, noting gained in Eve doesn't apply, the caveats are too many. Everything lost. Saved. Both, neither. Loose it all and still get away with a pod and you count it as a win. The margins are both wide and narrow depending on 'your' considerations. They say never undock in anything you can't afford to loose. Which is everything you undock in all the time. Everywhere. So unless you know(the game), your in for a lot of surprises. It's part of the draw to the game; Part of the angst as well.
Luck, RNG, the Whims of others, compounding randomness multiplied by a game that allows for anything. Joy, sorrow, fear, laughter, loss, victory, defeat.
So yea, more and more I'm getting a feeling that Eve is not the game for me. So many changes and yet despite fringe benefits to my 'way of life' in gameplay, there's not much that 'makes' me want to engage with newer content or the game in general.
Like magnets pushing away from each other; The more CCP pushes interplayer interactions/competition(PvP) the more I'm adverse towards it. The more I turtle. Bunkered in NPC stations behind assets and ships I've not flown in ages(years). Thinking like that makes me bemoan and complain and deride CCP. If you couldn't tell from this blog post. A game that allows for anything yet is limiting if you don't go with the flow. I'll just continue to try and do what I've done in game since I started.
I really like that Jita 4-4's 'new look' is now internal as well as external. Not to mention the better in hanger sounds. They are more....Apt now. Including intercom warnings about local scammers and to turn on hardeners to avoid debris when undocking. Funny.
There was a time when serious consideration was given by CCP to crushing Jita 4-4 as a trade hub. Indeed all NPC stations were eyed up as becoming 'vulnerable'. What a crash and burn that would have lead to. Players like me leaving the game. The game would have become Eve Valkyrie(dead).
So much time and effort in adding player stations to the game, taxes, modules. So many overarching and underpinning tweaks to game mechanics for a reason no longer there now. CCP has decided to enhance and exalt Jita 4-4 instead of making it obsolescent. Better to have 'options' now.
The only combat capable ship I've flown recently was on my main for no other reason than to get a screenshot.... Or two. That's a while ago(pre 3x3 sub).
There has been nothing else 'new', 'strange' or 'unusual' for me.... It's an understatement to say that the more things change the more they stay the same. I'm a broken record. Faffing about with assets, shuffling items between stations. As little as I do in the game I'm amused that my account stats are listed among the top for the game. Really?! I sell a bunch of PI last summer and I'm now in the top 8% of isk gained in the game!!!! As bizarre to me as the Dr Who crossover.
A previous MMO, WoW, Was a mainstay for me for years as well. I'd never through I'd leave my WoW characters behind. Time, interest, effort, money, passion.... Memories. But it happened. Now no longer even considered. I get those end days feelings from Eve. If it wasn't for 'free', Alpha access I'd have not seen or touched the game in a long time. Then again maybe that would've made the draw to resub stronger.
In a past post I blogged about(and more foolishly said it in a CCP questionnaire) how there should be a free class of player to the game. One that was limited and could only use civi gear and corvettes, limited to hi-sec. Akin to the traffic you see in the background scenes of Star Wars(and a lot like in Jita 4-4 today!). An experience to wet the appetite. Yea I claim that idea! Alphas are the 2016 monetized version of my 2014 idea(;-p), the business mode comes first. CCP is CCP. It might have been an interesting 'thing' if it had limited ui etc...
I'm not sure it could have worked but yea a semi civilian element could have been interesting. There are no classes to this game, not sure it could handle such a limited thing. Eve the experience. Just in my mind that flood of Alphas, cheapened the class of god like capsuleers. If everybody is a capsuleer, everybody special, then noone is special.
All my goals are complete in the Eve game and have been for some time.... I'd reach for more but I know, I 'know' the hassle there would be, both in the ever shifting metrics of the game(via CCP always changing things) or by other players in the game. Build it up and they will come.
I'd love to spend isk on a Golem. I've a nice fit all set out. I could buy it, I have the isk..... But then I look at that price and see I could fit 5 Tengu's, do missions without as much attention and still have isk left over.
Looking back now, I used to own and run a POS, noting much, labs and minor production, fuel it from PI sales profits, research blueprints etc...
Try doing that solo today and you'll loose an arm and a leg, maybe even an eye in the isk investments alone; Only to get war deced and all lost. Go big or go home today in Eve is go big, so extreme you are more likely to lose everything and then go home. Maybe it always has been but it's more expensive these day's. It's not worth the hassle and the griefing that comes with it. In the past it was all too easy for your parked car to get keyed, expected on a good day; But now it all goes Mad Max so why bother.
The longterm rewards for doing(anything) are not enough to make it feel worthwhile for me.
As I've waffed before I was on the verge of getting an Orca in the past and using it to roam about; That idea is still one I'd like to do. It's a way of doing things more relevant in Eve today more than ever. Granted I'd be roaming like that in Hi-Sec; But the changes to the game and the price increase for ships means it would be a way more juicy target than ever before. Not worth the hassle, the isk; The gain would be small if at all. The idea remains like so much in Eve online, better than the practicality.
Having assets in a lot of systems in a lot of stations across the universe is the norm. When CCP remove systems and gates because 'event changes'; Never mind the ice/asteroid belt/locations. Now I can't even be bothered to move clones around to negate those system changes...... Never mind do the 50ish jumps (one way)trip Jita to Amarr space etc. My time elsewhere is more valuable than 20 minutes warping and jumping gates(one way).
I've never dreamed of owning or flying a capital. I own all the sub caps I ever wanted. I've still a lot of 'special' ships in bubble wrap. The only real goal I wanted was to break a billion isk and I'm sitting well above that now. For me there are no goals I want or need to reach for. Not really. Maybe that's my problem with gameplay. I don't even want to own a station as I said. Thinking back to my old POS, it was useful, doable solo and gave practical chances for surviving an attack! Options are weaker in todays Eve, players are bigger targets with less comeback. At least it feels like that to me.
Everyone I've known in game I've known in real life or through such a person. While I trust the people I know irl I'm stand off-ish with those I'm not. Eve paranoia is real. Not that I'm a jerk, nasty or ignorant, I'm just a bitter veteran, cautious and cagey. Never normally all in on a whim. PvE and social interaction of any meaning is a heartbeat away from betrayal because the temptation has no real consequences. Not really. So I stick to those I really know(and not just as an acquaintance). It's what the game is.
I am what I hate even if that's 1% of me as an Eve player. Maybe I am a jerk, even if I justify it by saying they deserved it. Like the Walking Dead Questions 'have you ever killed anyone' and 'why'. Perspectives and rational. Circumstances can be damning. Eve may not me a Zombie apocalypse, yet the same trust theories apply. I've been too long a wanderer alone. I'm not sure I want or need any redemption for actions taken in the past. As for sharing the experience of gameplay with random players...... I don't do that, because it takes effort. It's harsh but I've seen it before(and did it that one time). Even the best of players in and out of game, weary at trying to keep things straight, keep all their people safe from their actions and decisions when enacted never mind others outside.
Taking both my main accounts and an Alpha alt I went mining for a screenshot; In the same belt was a month old player and I hesitated when I was about to message them. I didn't talk to them. I'd have said hello, asked if they were an alt of a 'real' new player. Talk them through aligning for quick warping(he or she was mining facing 2 inches straight into a rock). But I didn't. I can't really say why. I could have made a difference to them, maybe not. Maybe I didn't want the potential for hassle. There is no certainty with random people but that's all a deeper question(faith in humanity online) then a waffling blog post. Who knows who you'd meet. Friendlies and psycho's.
I've met two of my best MMO mates in WoW by me doing a random act of 'good'. The same can happen in Eve but when there is also so much to loose it's not easy. It's very situational. And as much as I'd like that kind of interaction to happen it's best to be weary and standoffish.....It's never 'just' that simple. Not even for me on an alt.
If I was to add to the mix of what you might think of me(as an Eve player). I've long avoided guild/raid responsibilities. Same for Eve. Not that I wouldn't do a good job but that my force of perspective, choices and decisions would or could effect others fun dramatically. Could I have lead and helped to lead my old guilds raid teams? Yes. Did I step back when offered? Yes. As anal as I can be I know that I don't want to force that on others. I can be serious and if I try and force others to take something just as serious then that's where conflict, annoyance and 'trouble' bubbles up from. I'm not in MMO's for Fleet/Armada/Corp or Guild 'drama'.
I read that even Mike Azariah handing out free items to newer players has hassle convincing them he is legit. What chance a bitter veteran trying to do their own thing in game when they come across another bitter veteran.... It's all turns into 3D chess.
It's Eve, someone is shooting someone somewhere right now. For some reason, for no reason.
It's Eve, someone is buying or being bought. For some reason, for no reason.
It's Eve, CCP are always going to be shifting the sands under whatever you want to build, however you want to build it. For some reason, for no reason( that a player can discern).
The game can be as much of a rat race as you want it to be. There's lots to do but I've done most of it before. That which interests me. There's not that much that's all that different from previous iterations of content today as opposed to years ago. As if grinding abyssal's is different from grinding missions. Ships, tactics, shoot and loot.... Whats really different between them...A timer..... Whooooooooo!!!!!
In reality, screenshot content maybe... I'm being overly cynical of course. I can't help it... Bitter vet 'an all. That's all not to say that players don't get enjoyment. Like I said if my friends were time zone friendly we'd be teaming up and grinding away at repetitive content just because.
I've noticed a lot of subtle changes to SKIN's for some of my ships more recently. If you bought a ship SKIN and really liked it. Odds are that some are 'different' from what you purchased. Maybe not worse but definitely modified(shapes, colours, coverage). Thankfully I've never been so into them that I'd be miffed about it but odds are someone out there is.
I'm a bitter veteran for sure. Perhaps you've read my blog.... I see Youtubers/streamers doing Eve and find so many are new and fresh and so very, very off-putting to me due to their eagerness.
While the newer warp animations irk some players I'm meh about them; What does irk me are that new warp sounds, they seem to be regardless of ship size. Maybe that's splitting hairs but to me the differences are not subtle, it's all like a bull in a china shop. They seem miss-timed and overpowered regardless of ship size.... Maybe that's just me. The sounds are grunty and industrial and do not fit with any smaller ships (imho), least of all a shuttle! The new sounds may be keyed to the animations of the ships but not to the warp tunnel effects....Not in my view. It 'feels' wrong.
Again personal perspective. It's not like players have a vote on things so I'm sure it won't be changed. It's fine for one warp in a system, I can bare it; But when your faced with 10 + systems it starts to grate on ones soul. Like so many other things, some can be ignored. To ease the hassle of this effect I need to change settings that I've not used before, thanks CCP for making life needlessly complicated.
Now which to alter... Advanced settings. Ship Effects? No, Ship Ambiance apparently. So I have to alter all ambient ship sounds to lower that which includes the warp noise.... Ambiance to 12% it is. One more thing to remember when the client resets.
Post that warping noise change things were subtle imho but these new changes are a revert to ye olde times. Just not in a good way for me. Bitter twisted vet. Old and cranky.
Anyway....
So what can I say to move this conversation waffling and my Eve gameplay along. Nothing. Not really. I'm a gamer, I will play the game as I play the game for myself in my own ways. Even if it's not what CCP wants. Like most Eve gamers(imho).
Always strange how CCP shout about the sandbox and shout about the playerbase and shout about the way things can be done by anyone anywhere..... Yet they always lean more into PvP events never mind other forms of player 'interactions'. It's strange how they protect certain activities, even PvP ones from their sandbox; But if a carebear wants to 'just' mission alone it's the worst thing in the world to do it in private pocket.... The majority of missions start by entering an acceleration gate.... Presumably it's access key was given by the agent you got the mission offer from... yet anyone an just wander in once they scan you(not the gate). Abyssals are the semi exception, plus being timed and then having PvP options on top.... Mind boggles.
My level of waffle is an indicator of my level of connection to the game. If only CCP had a non financial/profit connection to the game when considering it and what they do with it.... They don't make that obvious.
A long time ago there was more than profit pondered on. That has warped over time. That line of inquiry could fill volumes on it's own.
