Skill Discussions

+1. They're nice, but not mandatory. Learn the difference.

This argument has gone nowhere for three pages now. The OP has their opinion, the rest of us have ours and never the twain shall meet.

It's really hard to get podded unless you're in 0.0 space. If there's no bubble just start spamming warp when you hit structure and your pod gets away 99% of the time.

There are two core positions, that we see here in a completely polarized manner.
Both answers have points, but the problem is those points on either side do not address the core issue.

The question that should be being asked is " what gameplay improvements do these bring to EVE"

1. They are a major driver of the loyalty point store.
Why? Because most other items in many stores, either lack desirability or are disfunctional, ie tag requirements.
They could easily be replaced by other desireable items if removed.
2. People like seeing their loss on killboards, balanced by the opposite, some hate it. Net neutral
3. Training occurs at an improved rate, everybody likes faster training. Balanced by "punished" for actually PVP'ing in dangerous space. Net result fit "3's" and suck up the losses. Not training at a sane speed is a stupid choice, so much so it is actually not a choice at all.

In summation they add nothing to the game that could not be achieved by improving the loyalty store. (This is in major need of a good sort out anyway.) And they DO discourage active or risky playstyles, not really what we are looking for, when trying to encourage newer players to diversify out of low risk play choices.

But of course, no one is going to change their position as the way they weight the value of the gains and losses reinforces their position.

But try to take an outside view for a moment and ask, are they actually a positive good for the game, and would we introduce them if they did not already exist?

Edit, hardwires and pirate implants are a choice, and a good one, to be able to make, but the attribute aspect of these is very much a secondary deciding factor.

Generally speaking, expensive ships, and hard wirings have active, during ship based pvp... value. The isk, and utility it brings through the wirings or fancy ship are applicable to the pvp that occurs while un-docked. The learning implants or the secondary aspect of implants with attribute increases, only impact the passive, long term, offline skill paths characters take.

You have two conflicting options, or games, in play. The instant short term gratification and the delayed long term gratification of goal setting and new styles of game play skills make possible. The conflict often leads to people favoring the long term game / goal setting play style. While infuriating those who prefer to only play for instant gratification.