EVE General Discussion

Instead, how about we compare this to something similar in operation to EVE combat? Other RPGs come to mind. Very few RPGs have FPS level Time To Kill, because then the game would be incredibly boring. In RPGs, you have concepts like tanking, healing, crowd control, and buffing. These things prolong the fight, create more tension, and make individual engagements more meaningful by adding more variables. Knowing that I could lose my PvP fit cruiser before I have time to react (Cue alpha jokes here) would do nothing but make me stay in my pos shields.

As for the 2 vs 1 thing, that's mostly true, with some exceptions (skilled Cynabals taking 2-3 ships and winning handily). On the other hand, 4 vs 2 is far, far less certain. EVE is not balanced for solo PvP in a general sense, even though solo is accounted for and can be viable. On a slightly larger scale (5-10 people per side) you can actually start to see tactics instead of just comparing stats.

You know the WH alliances have even less security

SK: There are a handful of things I would really like to see. At the top of my list is a revamp of the risk to reward ratio of nullsec, and some kind of changes to make it easier for newer, smaller, entities to get a toehold in nullsec. As is, if you're a newer, smallish group, you'd be far better served doing wormhole operations or faction warfare. More isk, and no risk of having your stuff smashed to bits by a super blob. And if you're a solo guy who just wants isk, you can abuse the faction warfare system for tens of billions of isk per week for little in the way of risk, few skillpoints, and the cost of a bomber.

As it stands right now there is very little incentive for new people to get involved in nullsec. There's really not much reason for established people to stay in nullsec either, beyond perhaps a name on a map. What I can say is this, as a diplomat in a coalition that owns a fair chunk of solid space, if I had any interest at all in making personal ISK, I'd be doing it in empire. And that's kind of sad.

I should be clear, I don't begrudge players for choosing what is certainly a more lucrative and safer route in wormholes or empire, but the strain on 0.0 vibrancy is showing. Worse, 0.0 drives the narrative and publicity engine of EVE. The New York Times and the BBC don't care how much isk per hour you can make doing faction warfare versus sanctums. They care about narrative, and very little besides nullsec provides that kind of gripping broad base appeal that prompts the media and bloggers alike, many of whom don't even play EVE, to marvel in awe at our spaceship game.

Weaselior laid out the problem quite well, and I think he is spot on in his assessment that nullsec should be a place for space empires. But I'm deeply concerned that CCP's focus lies elsewhere as I've seen no evidence whatsoever that they understand what 0.0 is supposed to be or are actively engaged in working on it. I sincerely hope things change, but time will tell.

Organizing tens of thousands of dudes is an incredible undertaking. But without reasons and incentives beyond map blobs, I'm not particularly optimistic about the fate of EVE's great narrative engine.