I have played eve since Beta. I stopped when Incarna dropped. and I am done with it. CCP and the devs never listen to any body. they are going to ruin Dust 154 or what ever it is. CCP IS AN EPIC FAIL! HELLMAR END YOUR SELF YOUR TOO STUPID TO BE INCHARGE!
For me, Eve is a frustrating game. There are some very unique and cool elements to it. But I loathe being dependent upon others in a video game, and even more, I cannot stand non-consent pvp. It's like a game I really, really want to play, but with no PvE server, I never will.
They sent me an offer to re-subsribe to EVE for only $5.00 a month for the first month. If thats not a strategic win-back campaign I don't know what is.
They sent me an offer to re-subsribe to EVE for only $5.00 a month for the first month. If thats not a strategic win-back campaign I don't know what is.
Moving along...
No secret, they run those campaigns for the quarterly reports to pad paid subscription number. Look at the timings for all those and oddly a lot of mmos tend to run those at the same time, as least my inbox in outlook says they do since I have a subscribe auto-filter and they all come roughly around the same time (give or take a weeok.)
Ohh look last quarter we added 5000 more subscribers (too bad they are all the $5 resubs). Next month they are all gone.
e.g.
"Shit we just lost 6k subscribers.... fucking <<insert new mmo name here>>. Quick dump a $5 resubscribe. That should float us until they come back after trying out the new mmo or at least buy us time to wash the spike with more PLEX alts...."
Who even plays this game anymore if you're not at the top of the food chain? The game offers nothing for new players nor is it very enjoyable. Deep? Yes. But exciting? Interactive? No. New players have no reason to stay beyond their trial as there really is no point.
As someone said before; all of that above text is nice but in the end, nothing really happened. At least for the vast majority of people who play the game.
It would be news if they said "You now have avatar based combat! Such as ship to ship boarding or docking at a space station!" but that isn't in the books, never will be, and probably shouldn't ever be considered since the game isn't about that. But what this would do is add something to actually do for anyone not aligned with top dogs in mega battles with limitless funds.
Don't get my post wrong. I do like CCP as a company. I have faith that Dust 514 and World of Darkness will both be fun, unique games in their own right ... but EVE itself is worthless for new people and those who haven't been playing 6 years or know people in the right spots. And all of those changes hardly effect anyone not in those categories ... except for ship spinning. Let me go reactivate my account for that .....
They sent me an offer to re-subsribe to EVE for only $5.00 a month for the first month. If thats not a strategic win-back campaign I don't know what is.
Moving along...
No secret, they run those campaigns for the quarterly reports to pad paid subscription number. Look at the timings for all those and oddly a lot of mmos tend to run those at the same time, as least my inbox in outlook says they do since I have a subscribe auto-filter and they all come roughly around the same time (give or take a weeok.)
Ohh look last quarter we added 5000 more subscribers (too bad they are all the $5 resubs). Next month they are all gone.
e.g.
"Shit we just lost 6k subscribers.... fucking <>. Quick dump a $5 resubscribe. That should float us until they come back after trying out the new mmo or at least buy us time to wash the spike with more PLEX alts...."
Sounds about right. They did lose a lot of subs and I give them credit for admitting that Incarna was a failure. I also read some patch notes saying they were going to to weaken supercaps. Sounds like they definately listen to their audience.
I use to praise this company until I realized just how terrible they actually were. CCP caters to the few and neglects the rest. Ship spinning? Seriously? This is more important than getting meaningful avatar game play up and running? Oh I forgot, to many EVE players are still playing on circa 2003 gaming rigs. Plus lets not forget the handful(maybe 20%) of the players that play in null sec that seem to have CCP in their pockets.
CCP is always putting out expansions. The problem is they promise a lot with these expansions and then when they rlease it it is never complete. They promise to finish them but never do. Seriously go b ack and look at the expansions they have released - you'll see a trend. All these years and I just never paid real attention to how they operate - should have though.
Sure the expansions are free. No complaint there. But they have to be free - due to the nature of how EVE is structured so that is CCP's own fault. I'd gladly pay for expansions. But you know what...after seeing how they do things, forget it, we'd end up paying for shoddy, unfinished programming. Incarna is a prime example.
Take this as a warning. If you are a thinking of playing this game, you should really consider other alternatives. CCP is without a doubt one of the worst game companies that has ever managed a game. I place them right up there with SOE.
teala, i couldn't have said it any better, BUT... don't hang them out to dry just yet. remember the one main difference between $oe and CCp is that, at least CCP is beginning to admit its mistakes.
i am unsubbed to eve for the first time in years too, but i admit i have faith in the majority of ccp (the ones who really love the game) to eventually earn my 15 a month back.
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
Who even plays this game anymore if you're not at the top of the food chain? The game offers nothing for new players nor is it very enjoyable. Deep? Yes. But exciting? Interactive? No. New players have no reason to stay beyond their trial as there really is no point.
your wrong, i joined the game about 7 weeks ago as a total beginner and I love it, and I know several other people who say the same. Remember from a new players perspective they have a game in front of them that has many years of matured content to enjoy.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
1) I use to praise this company until I realized just how terrible they actually were. CCP caters to the few and neglects the rest.
2)Ship spinning? Seriously? This is more important than getting meaningful avatar game play up and running?
3) Oh I forgot, to many EVE players are still playing on circa 2003 gaming rigs. Plus lets not forget the handful(maybe 20%) of the players that play in null sec that seem to have CCP in their pockets.
4) CCP is always putting out expansions. The problem is they promise a lot with these expansions and then when they rlease it it is never complete. They promise to finish them but never do. Seriously go b ack and look at the expansions they have released - you'll see a trend. All these years and I just never paid real attention to how they operate - should have though.
Sure the expansions are free. No complaint there. But they have to be free - due to the nature of how EVE is structured so that is CCP's own fault. I'd gladly pay for expansions. But you know what...after seeing how they do things, forget it, we'd end up paying for shoddy, unfinished programming. Incarna is a prime example.
5) Take this as a warning. If you are a thinking of playing this game, you should really consider other alternatives. CCP is without a doubt one of the worst game companies that has ever managed a game. I place them right up there with SOE.
@ Teala, I'm going to play Devils Advocate
1) As a business, you have to look at the core that are making most of your sales. If you have (estimated) 7,000 subs coming out of one alliance, then that is a voice to be listened to. Just so that voice is the goons that have a HUGE following and their hands into everything EVE related, especially the CSM
Its the 80/20 rule, 20% of your customers will do 80% of your business - better listen to that 20%!
2) EVE just doesn't run on outdated machines, it runs on old laptops, new netbooks and new netbooks running linux. That access has done wonders for World of Warcraft. If anyone can run it, then everyone can play it. If you lower your barrier of entry by lowering the specs, then more players can run 2 maybe even 3 accounts. That seems to be CCP's catch.
3) They need more expansions like trinity and Apocrypha. Adding new ships, new areas and new ways to provide imbalances that players can exploit until they are discovered and fixed.
Back to the dual account nature or eve, they can afford to give free expansions because it costs a the average player double what it would cost to play another MMO.
5) I have to agree with you there. Cancelled both of my accounts, but right now I am hard pressed to find a sci-fi sandbox MMORPG of the same quality as EVE. CCP never said they were angels or saints, they are businessmen like any other developers. I have become very leery of them and have sought alternatives, but my leaving EVE keeps me from enjoying the fruits of months of work that I put into the game.
Anywho, the difference between CCP and SOE is that SOE has blatantly shown they do not care, at least CCP makes it looks like they do to some extence.
this is interesting development. but right after that they burried it with the proposed supecap changes. if the promised refocusing and new content will look like that, not many people will be happy.
anyway I'll have a look next year after summer expansion. maybe they get kicked into something good eventualy.
I too have received the $5 offer. I have read all the promising words. I have thought about returning... and all I feel is meh - why bother?
The thing is, I'm a lone industrialist and if I'm going to return, I intend to remain a lone industrialist because I have little choice. My RL situation is pretty shitty right now and is going to remain so for quite some time. Any time I spend in an MMO has to be enjoyable, low-stress and free of commitments or it's just not worth my time and subscription. That rules out 0.0 or any PvP for that matter. Problem is, it's pretty clear who CCP is in bed with now. It's the 0.0 crowd who dominates the CSM. There's almost nothing of any use to me in the winter expansion and then this little http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&nbid=2899 gem of a dev blog show up today about PI which will screw me over. That dev blog made me remember another dev blog from a while ago about 0.0 changes they were considering, including industry changes that would affect me even more than the upcoming change to PI customs offices.
So it's obvious to me that not only am I not the type of player they want to cater to, but they're also quite willing to wreck my style of play in order to please the players they're trying cater to. So why bother going back? Rebirth or not, when EVE isn't sailing in the direction I need to go, then no point getting on board.
I'm a big ol' fluffy carewolf. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Lets see if i get this straight they ignore want the counsel and the players aask for till they see a huge backlash and then say "oh all right we'll do some of the things you all request"
next the games been out for how many years now and their main priorty is Still working on "Flying in space"?
last whast up with the hyperbol there has been no change in the game at all since incarna really yet the Op states there have been huge changes in the Eve in the last 2 weeks.
Watching EVE... the sad part is, CCP really does have a great vision for the game - a truly innovative vision, and innovation is something everyone cries about 'round here - but who knows if they'll ever make it a reality. Then again, how can any company make it without support? Let's at least watch and see what they come up with in the winter expansion.
The thing is, I'm a lone industrialist and if I'm going to return, I intend to remain a lone industrialist because I have little choice. My RL situation is pretty shitty right now and is going to remain so for quite some time. Any time I spend in an MMO has to be enjoyable, low-stress and free of commitments or it's just not worth my time and subscription. That rules out 0.0 or any PvP for that matter.
I highlighted two parts of your comment because I feel your pain, as I am a lone explorer / adventurer / salvager and occasional combatant, and I don't plan to ever again join a megacorp where I'm used and abused and then tossed away with nothing to show for it or say about it other than some extra kill mails and perhaps some insider knowledge of how the corp functions and such.. which, for the use of espionage and intel, are great reasons to join megacorps.
I'm just not into how serious I have to take all the politics considering it's all imaginary and represented by pixels on my screen. I love the depth in EVE, I do. I just feel that 'every single player' shouldn't have to be ushered into the megacorps for enjoyment. Makes the game feel linear when in fact it's supposed to be everything but.
[create character > run tutorials > run missions/mine/build/gather/salvage while you train skills> join megacorp>blob.blob.blob.blob.blob ...] - really just kind of reminds me of every other themepark post 2004 with it's [create character > quest/grind to level cap > join raiding guild > raid.raid.raid.raid.raid.raid.... ]
I don't want EVE to feel like that, but it's slowly starting to. I'm not at all saying that it's easy mode or turning into a themepark or anything extreme that way. EVE has plenty to do and gives plenty of freedom to the player to choose what to do. Just starting to feel like there's no reason to do any of it if i'm not part of or aspiring to be part of a megacorp.
Did I miss something? I've been playing since 2004 (cancelled and came back a few times for one reason or another) and during these last 7 years I was never under the impression that EVE was only for people who wanted to join megacorps. I'm glad they have them. I'm glad that's an option. I'm glad people enjoy them too. I just don't. Does that mean I'm not supposed to play EVE?
Watching EVE... the sad part is, CCP really does have a great vision for the game - a truly innovative vision, and innovation is something everyone cries about 'round here - but who knows if they'll ever make it a reality. Then again, how can any company make it without support? Let's at least watch and see what they come up with in the winter expansion.
YES.
That kind of thinking is why I always come back, or why I don't click 'cancel subscription' every time I rage over something in EVE.
Though.. all the battleships I lost in my noob years each were followed by me cancelling and feeling jipped lol! I've learned my lesson...
The fundamental problem in Eve is a lack of structure and controls.
They use the excuse of "It's a sandbox game" to masqurade the fact they neglected to place any sort of structure, controls, and objectives.
The whole point of a sandbox game isn't "players can make their own goals." That is lazy bullshit talk. A sandbox game is "Here are some goals, objectives, structure, and controls that enable you to pick and choose, as you playstyle warrants, that you can pursue." One only needs to look at the successful sandbox games in the past and see what is missing in Eve.
I can fix it. CCP feel free to give me a skype and 45 minutes, 4 sessions and I'll fix it. You can fly me there but I insist at staying at the Rek.. hostel (not the downtown one, the one next to the swimming place.). VIK IS NOT AN OPTION. I'll even do it free. You have my contact information in my Eve account.
They want you to join a megacorp because their statistics show that those players tend to have more accounts and sub longer.
So they try to force people into them. The 11% tax on NPC corps. Wormholes that are really only doable as a corp, 0.0, corps.....
To hell with the single players (even if they had multiple accounts, like I did)!!!
Sadly, this is what I think is going on behind the scenes too.
What sucks is, I'm not even one of those "solo" types that play MMORPGs without wanting to deal with others. I'm not anti social. I love meeting new people in MMOs and adventuring with them or KILLING with them, or whatever the game offers. It's nice to have a new story to tell, with new people to tell it to. I don't turn down invites (usually) in other games. in EVE, I never turn down questions from new players or the opportunity to help out someone in need of info/isk/friends.
I simply do not like the playstyle of megacorps after being involved with many of them and seeing what they have to offer.
The cons far outweigh the pros for me. I just want to be my lone adventuring self, available to play with others when I have the time and choose to do so. I do not want to "conquer the whole game by myself rawr" like in WoW.
I used to ba part of goonswarm, and maybe SOME alliances are like that, but I was never less than a king my first day in EVE because I hooked up with such misfits and had a blast until the disband. These changes might make me resub and get my pubbie kill on once more.
Yeah it'd be nice to see a mining and industry update in there some time. Hasn't been one for YEARS.
There never will be. The current model requires multiple accounts and that is more money for them. To bad like a real estate bubble eventually the model collapses under it's own weight. Why do you think they brought out a micro-transaction system? Because they know the real player count is down, way the fuck down, and the PLEX bubble will pop once there aren't enough new players trying to use PLEX to play catchup. The new player learns quickly they simply cannot complete with the uber-corps and stop using PLEX after the first time or two to try and have 'fun'. They cancel. As PLEX coming into the system dries up the alt accounts fall apart as inflation kicks in, and they take a massive shit of accounts. The business side shits a brick just like they did with the mass bot banning.
Just log in, look at the PLEX costs and tell me, is it trending up or down? If down then supply exceeds demand, trending up means not enough supply. At what price point do you think they'll hit when Joe player cannot justify running 6-8 accounts? At what point does uber-corp stop doling out PLEX to their key members? At what price point will the bubble burst?
Eve could dump PLEX out of thin air to try and stophide the inflation but that cuts into their operation costs.
They can't get WoD done fast enough to stave off that bubble bursting, they are at serious risk at this point for their ability to survive. As an investor, I'd be leary of CCP at this time.
At this point I'm waiting for some action, to follow all of the words. Talk is cheap. Action will determine the future. But one doesn't have to be part of one of the mega corps to enjoy yourself. I have 45 million plus SP, and I'm still part of SWA. I've never been part of any player corp.
I have my own fleets of battleships (L5 or L4 all racials) and mining barges. I went my own way for almost six years, until Incursions. So, its possible. At this point I doubt I'll go back. CCP has changed too much. I regret walking away from all of that time and effort, but I really disagreed with where the game was going, and CCP's attitude. If that changes for the better, I'll have to see.
At this point I'm waiting for some action, to follow all of the words. Talk is cheap. Action will determine the future. But one doesn't have to be part of one of the mega corps to enjoy yourself. I have 45 million plus SP, and I'm still part of SWA. I've never been part of any player corp.
I have my own fleets of battleships (L5 or L4 all racials) and mining barges. I went my own way for almost six years, until Incursions. So, its possible. At this point I doubt I'll go back. CCP has changed too much. I regret walking away from all of that time and effort, but I really disagreed with where the game was going, and CCP's attitude. If that changes for the better, I'll have to see.
So, are you saying that "someone doesn't have to be in a big megacorp to have fun. just run 5+ accounts and create your own fleets and go your own way. That's what I did. Its possible." ??
Comments
I have played eve since Beta. I stopped when Incarna dropped. and I am done with it. CCP and the devs never listen to any body. they are going to ruin Dust 154 or what ever it is. CCP IS AN EPIC FAIL! HELLMAR END YOUR SELF YOUR TOO STUPID TO BE INCHARGE!
Well CCP Hellmar, you were right:
CCP Hellmar: "I can tell you that this is one of the moments where we look at what our players do and less of what they say."
Your players have become ex-players, so the "do" part was right on. Not only did the playerbase *say* they were going to leave, they *did* leave.
And I do find it humorous that you keep sending me emails begging me to come back, that things have "changed".
This is one of those moments where we (the ex-players) look at what CCP does and less of what they say,
For me, Eve is a frustrating game. There are some very unique and cool elements to it. But I loathe being dependent upon others in a video game, and even more, I cannot stand non-consent pvp. It's like a game I really, really want to play, but with no PvE server, I never will.
I have serious doubt whether ccp can deliver it's promise up to the player expectation as they're currently involve in WoD and dust fps
They sent me an offer to re-subsribe to EVE for only $5.00 a month for the first month. If thats not a strategic win-back campaign I don't know what is.
Moving along...
No secret, they run those campaigns for the quarterly reports to pad paid subscription number. Look at the timings for all those and oddly a lot of mmos tend to run those at the same time, as least my inbox in outlook says they do since I have a subscribe auto-filter and they all come roughly around the same time (give or take a weeok.)
Ohh look last quarter we added 5000 more subscribers (too bad they are all the $5 resubs). Next month they are all gone.
e.g.
"Shit we just lost 6k subscribers.... fucking <<insert new mmo name here>>. Quick dump a $5 resubscribe. That should float us until they come back after trying out the new mmo or at least buy us time to wash the spike with more PLEX alts...."
Who even plays this game anymore if you're not at the top of the food chain? The game offers nothing for new players nor is it very enjoyable. Deep? Yes. But exciting? Interactive? No. New players have no reason to stay beyond their trial as there really is no point.
As someone said before; all of that above text is nice but in the end, nothing really happened. At least for the vast majority of people who play the game.
It would be news if they said "You now have avatar based combat! Such as ship to ship boarding or docking at a space station!" but that isn't in the books, never will be, and probably shouldn't ever be considered since the game isn't about that. But what this would do is add something to actually do for anyone not aligned with top dogs in mega battles with limitless funds.
Don't get my post wrong. I do like CCP as a company. I have faith that Dust 514 and World of Darkness will both be fun, unique games in their own right ... but EVE itself is worthless for new people and those who haven't been playing 6 years or know people in the right spots. And all of those changes hardly effect anyone not in those categories ... except for ship spinning. Let me go reactivate my account for that .....
Sounds about right. They did lose a lot of subs and I give them credit for admitting that Incarna was a failure. I also read some patch notes saying they were going to to weaken supercaps. Sounds like they definately listen to their audience.
teala, i couldn't have said it any better, BUT... don't hang them out to dry just yet. remember the one main difference between $oe and CCp is that, at least CCP is beginning to admit its mistakes.
i am unsubbed to eve for the first time in years too, but i admit i have faith in the majority of ccp (the ones who really love the game) to eventually earn my 15 a month back.
RIP Ribbitribbitt you are missed, kid.
Currently Playing EVE, ESO
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.
Dwight D Eisenhower
My optimism wears heavy boots and is loud.
Henry Rollins
your wrong, i joined the game about 7 weeks ago as a total beginner and I love it, and I know several other people who say the same. Remember from a new players perspective they have a game in front of them that has many years of matured content to enjoy.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
@ Teala, I'm going to play Devils Advocate
1) As a business, you have to look at the core that are making most of your sales. If you have (estimated) 7,000 subs coming out of one alliance, then that is a voice to be listened to. Just so that voice is the goons that have a HUGE following and their hands into everything EVE related, especially the CSM
Its the 80/20 rule, 20% of your customers will do 80% of your business - better listen to that 20%!
2) EVE just doesn't run on outdated machines, it runs on old laptops, new netbooks and new netbooks running linux. That access has done wonders for World of Warcraft. If anyone can run it, then everyone can play it. If you lower your barrier of entry by lowering the specs, then more players can run 2 maybe even 3 accounts. That seems to be CCP's catch.
3) They need more expansions like trinity and Apocrypha. Adding new ships, new areas and new ways to provide imbalances that players can exploit until they are discovered and fixed.
Back to the dual account nature or eve, they can afford to give free expansions because it costs a the average player double what it would cost to play another MMO.
5) I have to agree with you there. Cancelled both of my accounts, but right now I am hard pressed to find a sci-fi sandbox MMORPG of the same quality as EVE. CCP never said they were angels or saints, they are businessmen like any other developers. I have become very leery of them and have sought alternatives, but my leaving EVE keeps me from enjoying the fruits of months of work that I put into the game.
Anywho, the difference between CCP and SOE is that SOE has blatantly shown they do not care, at least CCP makes it looks like they do to some extence.
Nice seeing you around the forums.
this is interesting development. but right after that they burried it with the proposed supecap changes. if the promised refocusing and new content will look like that, not many people will be happy.
anyway I'll have a look next year after summer expansion. maybe they get kicked into something good eventualy.
I too have received the $5 offer. I have read all the promising words. I have thought about returning... and all I feel is meh - why bother?
The thing is, I'm a lone industrialist and if I'm going to return, I intend to remain a lone industrialist because I have little choice. My RL situation is pretty shitty right now and is going to remain so for quite some time. Any time I spend in an MMO has to be enjoyable, low-stress and free of commitments or it's just not worth my time and subscription. That rules out 0.0 or any PvP for that matter. Problem is, it's pretty clear who CCP is in bed with now. It's the 0.0 crowd who dominates the CSM. There's almost nothing of any use to me in the winter expansion and then this little http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&nbid=2899 gem of a dev blog show up today about PI which will screw me over. That dev blog made me remember another dev blog from a while ago about 0.0 changes they were considering, including industry changes that would affect me even more than the upcoming change to PI customs offices.
So it's obvious to me that not only am I not the type of player they want to cater to, but they're also quite willing to wreck my style of play in order to please the players they're trying cater to. So why bother going back? Rebirth or not, when EVE isn't sailing in the direction I need to go, then no point getting on board.
I'm a big ol' fluffy carewolf. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Lets see if i get this straight they ignore want the counsel and the players aask for till they see a huge backlash and then say "oh all right we'll do some of the things you all request"
next the games been out for how many years now and their main priorty is Still working on "Flying in space"?
last whast up with the hyperbol there has been no change in the game at all since incarna really yet the Op states there have been huge changes in the Eve in the last 2 weeks.
So much spin soo little real change
Watching EVE... the sad part is, CCP really does have a great vision for the game - a truly innovative vision, and innovation is something everyone cries about 'round here - but who knows if they'll ever make it a reality. Then again, how can any company make it without support? Let's at least watch and see what they come up with in the winter expansion.
I highlighted two parts of your comment because I feel your pain, as I am a lone explorer / adventurer / salvager and occasional combatant, and I don't plan to ever again join a megacorp where I'm used and abused and then tossed away with nothing to show for it or say about it other than some extra kill mails and perhaps some insider knowledge of how the corp functions and such.. which, for the use of espionage and intel, are great reasons to join megacorps.
I'm just not into how serious I have to take all the politics considering it's all imaginary and represented by pixels on my screen. I love the depth in EVE, I do. I just feel that 'every single player' shouldn't have to be ushered into the megacorps for enjoyment. Makes the game feel linear when in fact it's supposed to be everything but.
[create character > run tutorials > run missions/mine/build/gather/salvage while you train skills> join megacorp>blob.blob.blob.blob.blob ...] - really just kind of reminds me of every other themepark post 2004 with it's [create character > quest/grind to level cap > join raiding guild > raid.raid.raid.raid.raid.raid.... ]
I don't want EVE to feel like that, but it's slowly starting to. I'm not at all saying that it's easy mode or turning into a themepark or anything extreme that way. EVE has plenty to do and gives plenty of freedom to the player to choose what to do. Just starting to feel like there's no reason to do any of it if i'm not part of or aspiring to be part of a megacorp.
Did I miss something? I've been playing since 2004 (cancelled and came back a few times for one reason or another) and during these last 7 years I was never under the impression that EVE was only for people who wanted to join megacorps. I'm glad they have them. I'm glad that's an option. I'm glad people enjoy them too. I just don't. Does that mean I'm not supposed to play EVE?
YES.
That kind of thinking is why I always come back, or why I don't click 'cancel subscription' every time I rage over something in EVE.
Though.. all the battleships I lost in my noob years each were followed by me cancelling and feeling jipped lol! I've learned my lesson...
The fundamental problem in Eve is a lack of structure and controls.
They use the excuse of "It's a sandbox game" to masqurade the fact they neglected to place any sort of structure, controls, and objectives.
The whole point of a sandbox game isn't "players can make their own goals." That is lazy bullshit talk. A sandbox game is "Here are some goals, objectives, structure, and controls that enable you to pick and choose, as you playstyle warrants, that you can pursue." One only needs to look at the successful sandbox games in the past and see what is missing in Eve.
I can fix it. CCP feel free to give me a skype and 45 minutes, 4 sessions and I'll fix it. You can fly me there but I insist at staying at the Rek.. hostel (not the downtown one, the one next to the swimming place.). VIK IS NOT AN OPTION. I'll even do it free. You have my contact information in my Eve account.
They want you to join a megacorp because their statistics show that those players tend to have more accounts and sub longer.
So they try to force people into them. The 11% tax on NPC corps. Wormholes that are really only doable as a corp, 0.0, corps.....
To hell with the single players (even if they had multiple accounts, like I did)!!!
Sadly, this is what I think is going on behind the scenes too.
What sucks is, I'm not even one of those "solo" types that play MMORPGs without wanting to deal with others. I'm not anti social. I love meeting new people in MMOs and adventuring with them or KILLING with them, or whatever the game offers. It's nice to have a new story to tell, with new people to tell it to. I don't turn down invites (usually) in other games. in EVE, I never turn down questions from new players or the opportunity to help out someone in need of info/isk/friends.
I simply do not like the playstyle of megacorps after being involved with many of them and seeing what they have to offer.
The cons far outweigh the pros for me. I just want to be my lone adventuring self, available to play with others when I have the time and choose to do so. I do not want to "conquer the whole game by myself rawr" like in WoW.
Yeah it'd be nice to see a mining and industry update in there some time. Hasn't been one for YEARS.
My EVE YouTube Channel
I used to ba part of goonswarm, and maybe SOME alliances are like that, but I was never less than a king my first day in EVE because I hooked up with such misfits and had a blast until the disband. These changes might make me resub and get my pubbie kill on once more.
There never will be. The current model requires multiple accounts and that is more money for them. To bad like a real estate bubble eventually the model collapses under it's own weight. Why do you think they brought out a micro-transaction system? Because they know the real player count is down, way the fuck down, and the PLEX bubble will pop once there aren't enough new players trying to use PLEX to play catchup. The new player learns quickly they simply cannot complete with the uber-corps and stop using PLEX after the first time or two to try and have 'fun'. They cancel. As PLEX coming into the system dries up the alt accounts fall apart as inflation kicks in, and they take a massive shit of accounts. The business side shits a brick just like they did with the mass bot banning.
Just log in, look at the PLEX costs and tell me, is it trending up or down? If down then supply exceeds demand, trending up means not enough supply. At what price point do you think they'll hit when Joe player cannot justify running 6-8 accounts? At what point does uber-corp stop doling out PLEX to their key members? At what price point will the bubble burst?
Eve could dump PLEX out of thin air to try and stophide the inflation but that cuts into their operation costs.
They can't get WoD done fast enough to stave off that bubble bursting, they are at serious risk at this point for their ability to survive. As an investor, I'd be leary of CCP at this time.
At this point I'm waiting for some action, to follow all of the words. Talk is cheap. Action will determine the future. But one doesn't have to be part of one of the mega corps to enjoy yourself. I have 45 million plus SP, and I'm still part of SWA. I've never been part of any player corp.
I have my own fleets of battleships (L5 or L4 all racials) and mining barges. I went my own way for almost six years, until Incursions. So, its possible. At this point I doubt I'll go back. CCP has changed too much. I regret walking away from all of that time and effort, but I really disagreed with where the game was going, and CCP's attitude. If that changes for the better, I'll have to see.
So, are you saying that "someone doesn't have to be in a big megacorp to have fun. just run 5+ accounts and create your own fleets and go your own way. That's what I did. Its possible." ??