Out of Pod Experience

Greetings,

Though it is long, this is not intended as a rant post. I aim to offer constructive feedback.

I have played EVE on and for the last 5 years or so. My entire EVE career has been centered on non-combat activities, and I've enjoyed playing the game in this way. Most of my time and money has been invested in maxing out my mining capabilities, as that is the activity I enjoy most. I last played before High Sec Miner Ganking was a thing, and the advent of groups like NO.

After getting unexpectedly ganked by a NO member, I did a good deal of research into the new development. After conducting this research, I have decided to UNSUB until further notice, or at least to hold off on a subscription and keep track of the community until this trend dies down. I will kindly summarize my reasoning below, and please take this an honest appeal from a player who really enjoys the game and always looks forward to being able to play.

I realize that we ought to be ready to defend ourselves in any part of the dangerous EVE universe. And, like I've read in most NO (or Hulkageddon, etc..) threads, I admit to not taking adequate measures to defend myself in high sec. Understand this though:

When I first joined EVE years ago, I was hooked by the idea that we could approach the game in a way that, for the most part, avoids combat. Therefore, I spent all of my skill training over the years on maxing out my mining capabilities, reading mining guides, researching builds, keeping up with patch changes, etc..I enjoyed this quite a bit, and was looking foward to having my mining capabilities maxed out and being able to reap the reward.

So, I re-subscribe wanting to get into mining again, though this time with intent of providing myself an ISK base through which to learn the rest of the game and branch off into other activities- become a more serious player. I innocently step out into a belt in 1.0 space ready to mine and get podded by a NO member. This wasn't from carelessness. I was under the assumption that High Sec was safe and intended, for the most part, as place where one could play peacefully, simple as that. For all intents and purposes I am still a new/causal player learning the ropes. I felt needlessly punished. When you spend your entire EVE career working towards mining, only to find out that the main enjoyment you get out of the game is frowned upon by most of the community (with posts even questioning the intelligence of players like me), it doesn't really make you want to continue. I don't feel like any of the negative feedback players who wish to mine peacefully get is necessary, though I would understand criticism for being/acting like a relatively new player, as I am. The thing is though, I've always intended to play casually, and have successfully done that until now.

I would be happy to continue playing and change my build/ect..to prevent future ganks. But, thinking about that, I realized most of the effort I put into maxing out my yield would be thwarted. So I've decided to wait until things change. Like what NO players say their goal is, I had every intention to learn the game, become skilled, and join the community. But since my only lucrative way of making ISK without more considerable effort was mining, and I can't do that now without considerable more time invested and my mining yield lowered to adjust my build, I've decied to wait and see if things improve.

I fear that EVE may continue losing it's more casual customers, or even dedicated players that enjoy the more peaceful activities if ganking is allowed to continue this way. A large amount of the appeal for me has been lost since peaceful mining is no longer viable. I will seek out other games where I can do similar activities.

TL;DR

Casual player who's only activity was mining feels like he can't continue that with High Sec not being safe from organizations like NO without considerable more investment into the game. That is not what I want to pay for. As advertised for years (to my knowledge, at least), EVE ought to allow for more peaceful activity so players who wish to play that way can do so.

I realize this post is probably going to get a lot of flak, but understand I love the game, and posted in this particular area of the forum to give my sincere and thoughtful feedback in hopes of improving it and my thoughts being taken into account, even if the exact changes I want are not implemented.

Reading that EVE was steadily losing subscribers over the years made me want to voice my feedback on how things might be improved. I understand that I am an inexperienced player, and looking only to play casually, so reprimand by more experienced players is expected. I just wanted my feedback to be earnestly heard, that is all.

I am happy to be corrected/encouraged to continue.

Farewell for now. I'll check back in a year or so.

Like you I'm someone who doesn't go looking for PvP. But when you undock you have to accept that PvP will come looking for you. EVE has always been that way. Always keep an eye on local.

Also I think you've overestimating the level of scorn for miners. It might be a meme amongst some members of the forum but in-game most people couldn't give a toss how you play.

If you want to continue mining in relative safety (there is no 'safe' in EVE) you might want to join a sov-holding corp/alliance who conduct mining ops.

Limiting yourself to non-combat activities in a PVP-centric game is pretty...um......silly.

First off, pay attention to your surroundings. If you are inattentive enough to get ganked in hisec, what are you going to do in low or null?

Secondly, mining is for idiots. Go explore. In null.

Most of null is empty. Take advantage of that.

You can make billions per week in an Astero (any scout ship will do, but Astero is the best for the money) assuming you manage to hack the sites right.

Need to get back to hi to sell the loots? Wormhole dive until you land in hisec.

Want to get back into null and avoid deathtrap systems like HED-GP or EC-P8R?

Wormhole dive until you land in a quiet spot of null.

The tools are there for you.

If you don't use them, then GTFO.

Ironically even as a miner you are involved in PvP. Every dead miner helps keeping the prices of minerals up for the rest plus for the industrialists producing and selling mining barges. This is how the player-driven war economy works.

No you didn't, ganking miners in hisec has been a thing since 2003.

Eve is a game of choices and consequences; if you choose to fit for maximum yield, the consequence is that your ship is easy to kill.

It's always been a solely PvP centric game, that hasn't changed; when the stuff you mine, or the stuff you build with the stuff you mine, appears on the market, you're engaged in PvP.

That aside, I hope you find something to your liking out there.

as said before, mining ganking is not new. its been here since day one. CODE just perfected it.

As said too, eve has over 5000 systems. A ton of null systems are empty. you could easily join a null sec group and go mine to your hearts content in most of there space. Some large alliances might even welcome you to help build ADM.

If null scares you, then travel around eve, there are thousands of HS systems, tons with no people in them. Find one and camp it. If you start getting harassed just move to another.

Seriously this is not THAT hard. Avoiding ganks while mining i a piece of cake, just pay attention.