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Whatever the specifics are, a side effect that hurts armour amount on an armour tanking booster is a Bad Thing, but side effects (that are still meaningful) in general are a Good Thing.

QFT. This sums up my sentiments exactly.

And as an added note, I for one ENJOY the masochistic process of hunting down gas and harvesting it. It's rarely a "carebear" activity, there's never been once that I've engaged in it that I haven't had to dodge, evade, or ECM my way out of danger, and the challenge / thrill of "stealing" valuable materials in dangerous place (and getting back "home" with them intact) has always been part of the fun.

For years now there's been a mystique about boosters, many myths abound about their use and how easy it is or isn't to produce them, creating opportunity for the dedicated and intrepid capsuleer. It still makes me smile when I hear "boosters are usually made at a net loss in terms of isk" or "smuggling is such a pain in the ass" because those of us who are involved have figured out ways around this and profit from a combination of creative logistical management (hauling), exploration, and a dash of market magic.

Ytterbium is right - boosters are a niche thing. But they should be a niche thing. They should be challenging to produce, continue to require a diverse skillset (manufacturing knowledge, market savvy, and defensive PvP skills), and ultimately be rewarding for those that pull it off despite its many challenges. Ytterbium said And thats exactly how they are today. Increasing spawn rates, removing side effects, handing them to the masses, all of this compromises a system that is already working like you say it should.

I totally get that without modifying supply end, prices will get jacked hard after the changes. I'll be the first to tell everyone though, i'd much rather make my isk because I found easier ways to pull off a feat that others thought was too difficult / impossible, than profiting simply because I got lucky and beat out other people camping / farming LADAR sites, and found something rare that can be arbitrarily priced sky high with little bearing on what it actually takes to produce that booster.

Anyone can farm a rare / fought over loot drop, sell it, and profit. Big freaking deal. The current manufacturing system is much more complex and nuanced though, meaning its much more satisfying for those of us that have found ways to be successful despite the common idea that "its too much of a pain in the ass".

CCP, please reconsider these changes. This dumbs down boosters in so many ways. Those of us who produce don't need kid glove treatment, and booster users don't need to be coddled by removal of side effects either. Most people agree they are well manageable, and that the element of chance and risk is exactly what makes them embody the spirit of EvE gameplay.

All of the reasons Ytterbium mentioned for changing boosters could be focused on Synth boosters, and synth boosters alone. Give them a bump to 5%, you'll see more people get more involved in Synth production and an increase in Synth popularity. Let the "gateway" drug be just that - a gateway to a world of increased danger and increased reward.

The current changes will see prices jacked, effectiveness reduced, and most players in New Eden (except the filthy rich) will simply shrug their shoulders and give up using boosters entirely. I might personally make a killing as I sell off my stock, but no amount of isk is worth watching a really clever and fun system be destroyed by making boosters cheap candy that sees widespread use (like Faction Ammo), or the "I win" button of the rich.

The current changes will see prices jacked, effectiveness reduced, and most players in New Eden (except the filthy rich) will simply shrug their shoulders and give up using boosters entirely.

It's number of users vs frequency of use.

Right now, you don't swallow a booster unless you need it, because of duration and side effects. After the changes, there is no side effects, and longer duration via skills. So it becomes a no brainer to swallow one every time you undock. No reason not to do it, except cost.

So prices will go up initially, then many people will stop using them, but the ones who do will use them more.

I'm still not convinced that 'price rises' are a reason not to implement a change. Equally you could argue that those that use them more, become more successful in PVP contests so others start using them to remain competitive and so on and so forth.

Even if the argument that they will become 'mandatory' for effective PVP is a false argument as that just reflects back upon the value of the resources and production chain. The only group in this case who can argue are those that can't get them, or cant afford them: which just means they need to try harder.

About to get into a fight with someone who outranges you a bit? Pop a frentix. Think they might outdamage you a bit? Take a standard exile. Fighting a battleship with a hurricane? Drop some x-instinct.