Jita Park Speakers Corner

6. JOVIANS

We need to see some more storyline action with the jovians. Considering what little I know of their story, They might need our natural resources. If they gave us their technology in trade, we would become too much of a threat to them, so naturally, they'll only give us non combative technology.

Stolen Jovian technology should be something radical that everyone puts on their christmas list, but it can't be overpowered either. So again we have to stay away from the raw combat power that the Jovians guard so secretively.

Jovian tech needs to wormhole technology. The abilty to create "gates" like the one that we all traveled through so long ago when we came from earth. And also a module that can be fitted to ships that will open an unstable wormhole on-demand. Perhaps these wormholes might even lead to parts of space beyond what we currently know as wormhole space. Of course there would be factions that would want to eventually attempt to rebuilt a gate back to earth which would be a very nice seguey into eve's third decade, but that's getting ahead of ourselves.

These technology trades would be npc courier contracts to the Jovian owned stations in our space. These courier missions would then provide loyalty points, which could be used to obtain tehnology for better colonization of wormhole space.

We would use these to start making semi-permanent in-roads to wormhole space. These gates would be destructable, and would have an owner-defined fee for passage through them. This is a natural leap, and what people would be trying to do when they found out about wormy-space to begin with.

Now there are those folks in eve that love the isolation that wormhole space provides, and if it's not enough to know that you can destroy these new constructed quasi-permanent wormholes ( which sounds like a wonderful source for more player driven content! ), then perhaps the Jovians might also share with us more of their knowledge the universe and show us how to manually open wormholes to new and exciting regions of space yet undiscovered. These might be populated or unpopulated, barren or rich with treasures.

I have many more ideas, but if you're looking for a roadmap, you simply need to give the players the tools to control as much of eve's story as you possibly can. There needs to be new and exciting things to do. The universe has to be dynamic and you can never rest in giving us the ability to create the future of eve, and of course, to blow the crap out of each other in the process.

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TL;DR

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Modular pos is artwork intensive, but Tech 3 would not have to be. I don't think people would rage-quit if you simply scaled the current cruiser models for now, and gradually released new models for the new ships slowly over time. At least we'd have the new toys, and the new content, and the artwork could catch up. Perhaps this would free up more resources to work on the modular pos art. The t3 modules would require nearly no work from the artwork department either.

Then after those are caught up the T4 ship art could go gang-busters.

The rest of the stuff should be relatively easy on the artwork department, which I understand from previous blogs is rather expensive in terms of money and time.

I guess they're all busy with the POS threadnaught.

I'm fine with that, as long as you're not talking about more themepark type content.

Most of the time I'm a solo player myself atm. But this is due to rl restrictions mostly. Or maybe I just have not found the right group of people to hang around with yet. In the meantime I can generate my own content in EVE as it is and I like the game. High sec seems to be a little too safe, but that is just my opinion ofc.

In general one can see a lot of entitlement and little patience among many players nowadays. And many aspects of EVE do not cater well to this kind of attidude, which may be part of the problem a lot of players have with this game. But this is ofc also just my opinion and may be a result of my age.

Whatever. A MMO is first and foremost a multiplayer experience by definition and should be designed to support and encourage group activities. Being out there all on your own shouldn't be impossible, but come at a distinct disadvantage or an additonal hardship in whatever kind of environment.

Isn't it just screams LOCAL CHAT!!? Dealing with it would change alot and could have great positive effect if done right. It's hard to believe that EVE is going to celebrate its anniversary with current local seen by many as artificial and illogical.

I've been playing for 2 years now as a (mostly) solo player and I just wanted to give some of my own insight to the Dev's.

The reason why some of us enjoy a solo play style is simply because there is less hassle. A solo player never has to worry about what time he or she logs on; we don't have to worry about griefers infiltrating our corporations and causing isk/item/member losses, and we are free to make our own choices in the game. And let's face it, some of us are smart enough to realize that some corporation owners out there are only concerned about what their members can do for 'their' bottom line- nothing more.

Because of these things we are well aware of and very comfortable with the idea that it is ultimately up to 'us' to make ends meet. If we lose a ship, it is on 'us', not on someone else's precious little KB where we then have to hear about it for the next several weeks. We may be a bit anti-social for whatever reason/s, but make no mistake; we are definately some of the most driven, motivated, caring, helpful, and resourceful people in the game and it would pay CCP to at least hear us out for a change.

It is my belief that the game mechanics and learning curve of the game are right where they need to be for 'all' new players. But when a person chooses to play solo, it definately becomes more of a challenge to get ahead. In this regard, the game is not broken-it's right where it needs to be. However, where/when there are problems that effect all players in the game, solo players always take the harder hits.

Based on personal experience (as a solo player), the last 4-6 months have been chaotic at best. The nice, quiet & peaceful hisec systems that I have mined, probed, and missioned for almost 2 years have been overrun by an abnormally high number of other players, some of which do nothing more than grief other players. Planetary resources in hisec have become so rare that it almost 'forces us' to buy the mats for our projects, cutting into profits needed to start new projects. Weeks will go by before I see even half an ore belt to mine. There are now 60-80 people mining ice in belts that normally never had more than 30 people in a weekend, and cosmic signatures & mission areas being looted at rates I've never seen before.

So, what are the options a solo player has to get beyond these issues? Well, we could do more missions, but the story lines are broken, they are too repeatitive, and the reward system needs work. We could move to NS, LS, or WH, but to do what? A solo player is very limited in what he or she can do in these areas of space to be productive, short of piracy, ninja mining & PI which arn't exactly safe or all that profitable- especially for the inexperienced. And because of this combination of in-game issues and lack of alternatives, most will eventually choose option 3. Leave the game.

Now, many of the people who have posted here had some really great ideas, but I'd like emphasize some of them and possibly add a few of my own:

1. Make it so that all cosmic signatures, complexes, and mission areas have one 'unique' key card specific to a main entry gate that the player and his fleet must obtain from a boss before advancing further into the dungeon- one that actually works and cannot be obtained from another mission or complex and used by a would be thief. The key vanishes when all rats are destoyed, 'and' the last player leaves the last room of that specific dungeon/area, just like when you turn a mission in to an agent.

2. Create and integrate a few new ores/minerals into current technology or new technology that gives miners something else to go after. Make asteroid/ice belts a more dangerous place to be based on sec level. I personally like the idea that some of these ores/minerals can only be found in another Empire's space, and/or low, null, wh space- thus adding to the confict and forcing more players to explore places they currently stray away from. Make them priceless (no cash value), non-tradeable, extremely rare, and/or very hard to obtain but needed for certain specific equipment.

3. The use of jump gates and WH's could be a very valuable asset to expansion, as one player within these posts has already mentioned. Solo players and small corporations could seek out WH's or dead space pockets, in which to take refuge. Once again, gates can have keys to limit access- maybe the locks can be picked by someone with an Advanced Hacking skill and special module. Not only can these entrances limit the size of the ship that can access the area/s beyond, but why not also limit the number of ships. Simply put, a single pilot or small gang should not have to defend his/her or their home from an endless barrage of enemies. To go on, these WH's and pockets don't have to be rich in resources, rats, or even signatures to support the purpose of giving the little guy a fighting chance.

4. Lastly, re-locate all new players/toons with less than a certain number of days, weeks, months, playing hours, or experience points to a brand new set of systems that I would call a Stellar Nursery- one for each empire's space. This area would be completely segregated from more experienced players- no trade, no isk advances, no ganking, or scamming because there would be no need. Each Empire's Nursery would have their respective schools and training. The rookie ship program, skill books, ammo, implants, ect (all within a limit) would all be freely provided. Ship losses by pvp or ganking would not be recorded on a toons record in this area. Plus nothing tangible could be farmed or collected and then moved to regular space. Upon graduation, the toon is allowed to keep skill and standings points, plugged in level 1 or 2 implants, his rookie gear, certificates, and is alloted a set isk award. He or she then accepts a prompt confirming graduation, and then appears at a specific or random station, relative to their chosen profession, empire, or sec staus.

When calling out Solo players, and calling them "lurkers" - I don't do it because I see them as a problem - I do it because I believe it's a style we must support and cultivate - but as a part of the sandbox. Solo actions and activities should still have meaning as a part of the EVE universe, but through for example indirect interactions with other people, like the market, or like depleting resources that are gone when someone else shows up too late, and through interactions you can seek out when playing solo - like solo piracy - not through forced social interactions, that require time and organization and syncing with other people and dealing with them and their schedules and wishes and troubles before you can play EVE.

I believe we should not be building activities in EVE that you could just as well do in a single player game - and that solo play does not mean immunity from all effects of other people in the world - but I also believe that forcing people into direct social participation is just the wrong strategy.

I hope that clarifies my approach a bit.

/Seagull

When Blizzard changed from the strictly community driven experience to a much more flexible evenly distributed mix of both, the games population exploded. Eve I feel has the enormous potential of a whole universe to work this concept. You've got backstory, characters developed, fan fiction and art, novels... What you are missing is the interaction to all of this. Your missions, excluding the epic arcs, are stagnant and don't really progress in any meaningful way. Like WoW, it's the same grind for reputation everyone hates. The best part of an MMO for me is playing through an engaging story, one i can play through with friends is even better.
Instancing encounters is awesome, but doing it with a Boss or mini boss character, like a Hogger of EVE, would put a personality to the game that it currently lacks.

[quote
1. Make it so that all cosmic signatures, complexes, and mission areas have one 'unique' key card specific to a main entry gate that the player and his fleet must obtain from a boss before advancing further into the dungeon- one that actually works and cannot be obtained from another mission or complex and used by a would be thief. The key vanishes when all rats are destoyed, 'and' the last player leaves the last room of that specific dungeon/area, just like when you turn a mission in to an agent.

2. Create and integrate a few new ores/minerals into current technology or new technology that gives miners something else to go after. Make asteroid/ice belts a more dangerous place to be based on sec level. I personally like the idea that some of these ores/minerals can only be found in another Empire's space, and/or low, null, wh space- thus adding to the confict and forcing more players to explore places they currently stray away from. Make them priceless (no cash value), non-tradeable, extremely rare, and/or very hard to obtain but needed for certain specific equipment.

3. The use of jump gates and WH's could be a very valuable asset to expansion, as one player within these posts has already mentioned. Solo players and small corporations could seek out WH's or dead space pockets, in which to take refuge. Once again, gates can have keys to limit access- maybe the locks can be picked by someone with an Advanced Hacking skill and special module. Not only can these entrances limit the size of the ship that can access the area/s beyond, but why not also limit the number of ships. Simply put, a single pilot or small gang should not have to defend his/her or their home from an endless barrage of enemies. To go on, these WH's and pockets don't have to be rich in resources, rats, or even signatures to support the purpose of giving the little guy a fighting chance.

4. Lastly, re-locate all new players/toons with less than a certain number of days, weeks, months, playing hours, or experience points to a brand new set of systems that I would call a Stellar Nursery- one for each empire's space. This area would be completely segregated from more experienced players- no trade, no isk advances, no ganking, or scamming because there would be no need. Each Empire's Nursery would have their respective schools and training. The rookie ship program, skill books, ammo, implants, ect (all within a limit) would all be freely provided. Ship losses by pvp or ganking would not be recorded on a toons record in this area. Plus nothing tangible could be farmed or collected and then moved to regular space. Upon graduation, the toon is allowed to keep skill and standings points, plugged in level 1 or 2 implants, his rookie gear, certificates, and is alloted a set isk award. He or she then accepts a prompt confirming graduation, and then appears at a specific or random station, relative to their chosen profession, empire, or sec staus. quote]

These are excellent ideas! Me likes!

I am a solo player and proud of it.
I do not need to be fixed.
I feel an opportunity is being missed by CCP by not taking into account solo play style and pretending it doesn't exist.
Maybe at one time solo play style was the wrong way to play EVE.
Maybe it was designed for a "mob" play style.
But I do not like the "gang" mentality of doing things.
And there are others like me.
Please give us more content.
You will not be sorry.
I promise.

That's my point exactly.

CCP should stop worrying about what they want eve to be.

They should provide the tools ( the content ), and allow they players to decide what eve will become, with as little regulation as possible.

Remove the restrictions.
Expand the possibilites.
Give us new and interesting toys to play with.
Be sure to include things that can change the shape of eve.

Then sit back and see what we do with it.

That what eve felt like back in 2003 and the early years to me.

Less so now.