Player Features and Ideas Discussion

I'm a third year University student who has to propose and carry out a research project relevant to my area of study, which is primarily animal behavior. Whilst it is certainly permissible to relate much of what we are taught to how humans behave, one must do so with a pinch of salt as most of the basal challenges to existence have been removed as civilization has progressed (especially true in the western world). No longer must one fight for territory, or resources; except that is, in EVE online.

Looking primarily at optimal distribution, EVE provides the perfect sandbox in which to test if humans are acting optimally with regards to their distribution throughout New Eden. Now you may argue, why couldn't this be done in any game? and whilst to some extent that may be true, the structure and nature of EVE makes it (in my opinion) the most suitable candidate for such a study. The contrast between that of hi-sec and low-sec draws many parallels with that of habitats offering high and low resources, and the fact that the game is devoid of 'safe' zones means that unlike other games risk is persistent and will influence your every action.

To cut a long post short, what I am asking for (if possible) is a database of players, their home system (one most frequently visited/time spent in), the security status of the system and whether or not they are in an alliance. No personal information need be obtained. I am simply wishing to evaluate the relationship between the aforementioned variables to see if eve players are behaving optimally.

Any comments or feedback on the feasibility of such a research project would be gladly received.

I knew that would come up, replace player names with a number and alliances to a boolean value. Ideally I'd like to know the size of the corp but wouldn't want to risk people deciphering who was who. To increase the chances of this being feasible, data for a single system would work, albeit a heavily populated one.

No malice is intended here, although that will likely fall on deaf ears.

Results would be published if this were to happen.

so, population wise, they live in Safe, safest, dangerous, camping-land? honestly first two should be switched (though honestly about null that is slightly LESS true after recent and hopefully future changes)

You would need to take into account the 'alts' mechanic too. A large number of losec/null/WH players will maintain hisec alts for various activities. This would skew the relevance of the %'s living in each area as a good chunk of hisec numbers will be dedicated trade/hauling accounts for players who live primarily elsewhere.

Game theory defines optimal behaviour, whether or not it truly is is irrelevant. Basically if the trend meets the criteria set out in my last post it would be considered optimal. The reason it's considered optimal is that it presumes that the distribution allows for greatest resource acquisition per individual (on average).

Imagine if you will a fish tank where twice as much food is deposited at one end than is the other. Come feeding time you would expect twice the number of fish to aggregate on the side with twice as much food. That is optimal and the example I've used is a famous experiment used to justify the existence of optimal foraging behaviours.

ALTs and such needn't skew results, every character regardless of who controls it can be seen as a separate entity, for evolution favours the individual and not the group. The group selection theory has been debunked since the 60's.

Well let's run the data and see if it agrees with your assumption. I personally don't care what the result is, I care about the reasoning behind it being what it is.

Being logged out for a year is analogous to hibernation or migration. Find me a player that literally does nothing and then convince me they make up then majority and your argument would hold. Furthermore as eve allows you to pay for game time with in game credit, there is your resource upon which the individual depends.

I didn't think I was making an argument. I just don't see any parallels between real life needs and "needs" in a game. Because I don't actually need anything in the game. I don't even have to play at all. If I don't satisfy my needs in real life (do nothing) I will die. If I do nothing in game my character does not die. Therefore my motivations for doing things in game are not comparable to my motivations for doing things in real life.

But I don't mean to try to disused you from your research. Only saying that I disagree that it is meaningful.

Because in nature we have these arbitrary zones where you cannot kill and eat another animal without God seeing it and visiting divine punishment upon you with 100% efficiency.

Limit your project to nulsec where God (CONCORD) does not exist. NPC rats are sheep/prey animals.

EDIT: Forgot about the whole immortality thing. That might kinda make the entire study moot.

Separating the Human from the Cave Beast


my area of study, which is primarily animal behavior.


Go into Null.

Place an expensive module in a cargo can.

Remain cloaked and watch how many people investigate the can before someone loots it.

Create a statistical analysis based on how many approached compared to when the can was looted.

Those who do not loot are rational human beings. The one that loots the can is the irrational cave beast or the primary animal behavior that you are looking for.

Then stage other experiments where you place more expensive modules in a cargo can to see how many cave beasts you can lure to one spot at a time.

Then watch to see who attacks who for the dominance of the cave beast behavior of the group.

Continue your experiment until the systems you are conducting your experiment in are littered with wrecks and corpses. Enjoy the reward.

What did you establish based on your findings regarding animal behavior?

I see, but wont the results change depending on how you define your "resources"? Different players are after different things. Not everyone's resource they are foraging for is rats and asteriods. Large number of players forage for resources such as kills, tears or lore.

Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing the results. And let me know if you need anything wormhole related for this.