EVE General Discussion

Ugh, I love ya Sole but officially, the sandbox analogy has now gone TOO far... LOL!

Look, we really have about 3 threads hitting hard on this same topic or at least are always brought back around to it.

We are mixing up desire, speculation, stats, and a whole junkyard full of opinion into a subject that will never get any kind of resolution until we get CCP to officially acknowledge the future.

They are afraid, we are afraid, there's enough fear mongering to fill an ocean of tears. I suggest we all stop and come up with a HANDFUL of questions we demand CCP answer. Something like a "State of EVE conference" and not the convention style, or with sales and marketing running blocking interference, give us the low down truth, we can handle it. Things like:

1. Are you growing EVE to be more inclusive of players that do not possess the desire to do ship to ship PvP?
2. Are you intentionally protecting players that would rather play against the computer instead of against other players which would seem to violate your past direction of the game?
3. Do you realize that much of your more experienced player base is actually terrified of items #1 & #2? And what do you intend to do to protect THEIR game experience from being nerfed by the vs Computer players?
4. What is the roadmap for EVE in the future and are you actually going to respond to player concerns about the push toward marketing EVE only for the sake of gaining more money and not consulting the player base at all?
5. Will you ever listen to the player base about balance issues because much of the game is altered when you rebalance things to fix one problem and create another. Entire player careers for their capsuleers are being wiped out with play balance issues. Does it actually matter to you?

There, FIVE solid questions that might help resolve this discrepancy.

I think CCP would be afraid to answer those questions for fear of losing subs one way or the other.

In my view though, I think them being open and honest with us about the direction the game is headed at a high level strategic direction, not just the latest gizmo being added would actually create a tighter bond with the player base. It would at least give us the illusion of being heard.

I think that might be what Solecist is actually trying to get at with all this but it's probably a mix in my head of several viewpoints from many posters that is gelling around up there.

What say you guys, do you think we are capable of generating a small list of questions we can push either the CSM or CCP directly to get answered?

Customers have the right to answers as much as shareholders do, in fact, a good shareholder would insist on it because it's the customers that actually matter.

Don't throw away your purchasing power or think it only gives you access to the game. Enough players insist on the answers (yeah, the word is demand) you will get answers.

They may not be what you, me or anyone wants to hear, but you'll get an answer.

"The customer is always right!"

I hear that a lot in my profession, its wrong most of the time. Plus the ones who say that are the people who throw tantrums at Wallymart.

CCP has often informed the player-base (their customers) of their 'future and direction'. But more often then not, its just not what a few toxic loud individuals (who feel they can't manipulate the game to suit their sense of 'entitlement') want. So we end up with articles like the one presented to us.

Plenty of us welcome the changes in place, as they are far superior to the past. Adapt.

If history is to go by, "the feck you" option has been CCPs approach on occasion.

The buying power of 'the community' did affect CCP back in 2011 because so much of the community was disillusioned with CCP's direction for Eve.

Hilmar apologised (or signed an apology written by someone else) and as a community we have so far gone back to individual buying power, rather than coordinated buying power as a community.

There is no 'coordinated buying power'. Each of us make individual spending decisions and individually we don't make much of an impact on CCP's revenue. 2011 was a bit of a rare situation, where there was coordination.

That goes back to my earlier statement. Buy or don't buy. That's where our influence over CCP lies.

On the whole, CCP are great at engaging with its customers. They do it across a number of platforms both formally and informally.

Dude, your hair!
It's gone! :O

And so is half of your face!
Is this your war portrait?

I didn't even read the blog past the 1st couple sentences. If 9 years playing EVE has taught me anything, it's that CCP should never listen to null sec players when it comes to null sec. I still cringe at the words "Farms and fields".

If someone chooses to just mine (as an example) and do very little else, then that is as valid a game play style as any other.

So long as none of CCP's rules are being broken, you pays your money, you makes your choice.

Everything else amounts to, 'play it my way or you are doing it wrong'

This is usually disguised as, if you do it 'my' way, you will get the 'real' Eve experience.

We can ask.
Asking works often.

Weirdly enough does it feel easier to ask for the catsuits than asking for this...