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How many Expansions Has Eve released?
Static_Wolf
Member Posts: 80
in EVE Online
Has the game gotten really good, I want to get back into it:)
Comments
The game has changed tremendously since release. The developers kind of blur the line between "Expansions" and "Content Patches". Besides the 'expansions', the Devs also make regular (almost monthly) patches to the game code, as well as hardware updates on the server.
Eve was originally released in June of 2003, the build was codenamed "Gemini".
The game had a ruff start and so had an 'expansion' in December 2003 that was to resolve the problems that were uncovered after release. The 'expansion' went only by its internal codename "Castor". It change the way turreted weapon systems worked (making them more realistic with tracking speeds and such) and expanded the economy with Tech Level 2 items and production. NPC sentry guns (guards) were changed, highway jump routes added (these ultimately failed to relieve the travel time problem as core systems filled up with over 300 people just trying to pass through, and were later changed again) as well as other smaller changes I can't remember.
The next expansion was initially scheduled for March 2004, but was delayed until November. The "Exodus" expansion (codenamed "Shiva") added many graphical improvements and a new GUI, new ships, official recognition of player alliances, deadspace areas (ala "space dungeons"), player operated mini-stations ("starbases" or POS, but not meaning "piece of s#!t"), and other smaller additions.
"Cold War" was Eve's latest expansion, released July of 2005. Officially, this is not even an expansion and still bares the "Exodus" name. This added a lot of features. Among them are a modification to missiles much like what happened to turrets in "Castor", the release of Capital Ships, player built, full-scale stations ("outposts"), full Unicode support for foreign languages, and a completely new and comprehensive tutorial, which in my opinion, was the most needed feature in Eve yet. Also in the expansions, player alliances were allowed recognition of system sovernity. New constellations were opened up that offer enhanced missions and 'quests' ("COSMOS"), and the "New World Order" changes took place. These were an effort to regionalize the game world and solve the highway route issues from earlier.
Slated for a December 2005 release, the next 'expansion', though still not officially an expansion (weird) is "Red Moon Rising". This addition will bring more Capital Ships for corporations and alliances, next generation production, smarter NPCs, more ships, a re-balancing to ships and modules that are currently regarded as 'useless', and changes to the law system that will allow players a better opportunity to get their revenge. Also in the works, though unofficial, are changes that will reduce travel time significantly (these will be "Jump Clones" and a systems that allows more accurate warping). Oh, and don't forget the new bloodlines being added for character creation.
The future expansion will be codenamed "Kali" and is due out in Q2 2006. It will add faction warfare when the war finally breaks out between the major empires, and a contract system for player created missions as its core features.
You might hear the words "planetary flight" and "Kali" in the same sentence. This was a little tidbit the Devs said might happen at the fanfest a year ago. Since then, this feature has been pushed back at least two expansions after "Kali" so don't get disappointed.
Most of the information here I got from the Eve Features Page. Unfortunately, some things listed under the "Exodus" release never saw the light of day, and have been pushed back or are now obsolete. Expect a page for "Red Moon Rising" to appear there in the next week.
Wow, thanks, sounds great. I just hope the game is not heading towards mainstream pvp with the other expansion in 2006, pvp is kind of childsih in mmo's, just my honest opinion (I would prefer to build/explore/interact than destroy/kill wipeee). I ll have to try the game out before red moon rising starts. Thanks again, nice info.
I just hope the community is not rampant with little tenagers or imbeciles running around screaming I pwned you man!
Unfortunately in every game, there will always be such behavious and cheaters.
But thankfully I have yet to encounter one in EVE. And the community is the best I've ever been!
So they're finally crumbling to the pressure? I'm amazed they've held up this long. It seems as if the age of Instas is over (depending on how the work this).
The biggest reason that they are 'nerfing' instas with a new faster system is because bookmarks are actually one of the biggest strains on the database servers. Most people that use instas don't just have a few, they have hundreds, if not thousands of them. Our alliance leader alone has bought over 10,000 bookmarked instas that cover just about every route through Eve imaginable. Everyone I know has said they'll be relieved when they can finally delete them all and stop worrying about keeping them all organized. There are a lot of concerns about the system that is currently on the test server, mainly that if the 'dice' are rolled wrong, it can take longer to move larger ships around. One thing to remember though is that it is a "Test Server" and will probably get revised many times before coming out in 'Red Moon Rising' if even then. The Devs are good about keeping everyone's intrests in mind.