Skill Discussions

Such a system existed for a very brief time early in the game's history. In-game activities had the effect of modestly accelerating the rate at which certain skills were increased. The feature was removed from the game at least in part because it was being exploited: people used automated means to repeat the various activities that augmented skill growth. Therein lies concern number one. Is it possible to implement a system like this so that it is "bot-proof"?

The second concern that comes to mind has to do with one of the original game design concepts (and perhaps another reason for the original feature's quick removal). One of the goals behind the use of "real-time" training rates was to create an environment in which casual players could keep pace with "power gamers" in accumulating skills. A player with the time and motivation to play hours daily did not have the ability to quickly level up to a significant advantage over a weekend warrior. Interestingly, implementation of a system that avoided that issue in the game's early days ultimately led to the opposite issue in today's mature game: newer players, no matter how hard they play, can not catch up to the skill levels of veteran players.

The second concern could probably be addressed through the mechanics of how skills are augmented through in-game activities. One way would be to limit the amount of time in any given day/week/month that activities augment skill growth, or diminish the effectiveness of the activity on skill growth as the activity continues over an extended time. Another might be to diminish the effectiveness of the activity on sklll growth as the skill approaches higher levels.

A third concern, also coming from original game design, and one that is of popular current debate, is the notion that EVE is intended to be a long-term game, not a game of instant gratification. I have mixed feelings on this one... I buy into the long-term game concept, but I also recognize the value of enhancing the game in ways that help promote continued growth in EVE's subscriber base, as that is crucial to the success and survival of the game.

Regardless, skill system issues pose significant challenge to our Development team.

I believe that changing the current system, or adding to it, would be a MASSIVE undertaking and would require hundreds of man hours of thought and consideration before you even hit the drawing boards!

I don't think the idea should go and die though. I'd still like to see a skill category that can only be trained through player action. Connections would be an example that in real life would come through your actions, rather than through a book. Diplomacy as well.

The reason vets have a lead is because they started earlier or stayed with it.
It does not take long for a new player to specialize and have some kind of accomplishment.

I maxed out my sub-caps...a new player with the correct mindset could come along and fly a taranis just as well as i can in a couple months.

BTW there was no accelerated learning or lack of learning skills when i started. i got my sp back for the learning skills but would still like to have the double learning time new players get.....for free.

Yes. Look up the last several times it's been mentioned and try to address the many, many arguments against if you're going to post an idea. That's my criticism.

Im for active skill training bonus.
Like pay 1.000.000 isk per hour for +50% training speed. 10.000.000 per hour for +75% speed increase and 100.000.000 per hour for +100% speed increase.


Obviously it will in addition solve the isk inflation problem.

I never once claimed it to be new. Please cite me if i did. Although it may be intellectually new if you haven't given it the attention it most surely deserves
And as i said about 3 times now, this change would not in any way change the stance CCP has set for the game. Most mmo's take about 1-2 months on even mediocre time to basically beat the game. Even with a giant active system in place, it would still take 4-5 years (playing 24/7, meaning still like 10 years) to train everything. Are you so set in your ways you cannot see the win-win of this?

There is no lose situation. It's an economic "free lunch". Older players are still better and can stay better easily. This just makes the game friendlier to people willing to put in more time.

Buy a character with the skills you want. See, it's already in the game.

This will never happen anyway. I would much rather be playing EVE than grinding boring activities for skills, which is what you are forcing upon us all by effectively saying you will train at 1/5 speed unless you grind these activities. No thanks, grindquest is ------> way

What could people hate about something that basically puts them behind if they don't do a certain activity almost constantly? I don't think the activity thing would ever happen, but the idea of just generally increasing the speed of the skills is interesting. 5x is too much though, as I'm pretty sure a 2 month old pilot could then sit in a mother ship. Also, think what this would do the the existing character market. They'd basically be worth 1/5th of their value. If anything was changed about the skill system, I think a little non-transferable bonus unallocated SP could be given to each character or account on the anniversary of its creation, or birthday.

You still haven't looked up any of the older threads, have you?

Eh, you're thinking about it the wrong way. In traditional MMOs, raising your skills makes your character tougher, e.g. lower level players have trouble hitting a higher level character. Generally speaking, skills in Eve are a means to an end. They don't actually make your character tougher, they just give you more options or help make you more efficient at something.

In Eve, a more active player doesn't deserve to be better. Instead, an Eve player is "better" by becoming better at doing things. Meaning, tactics, organization, and brains make you a better player. Since there are no levels in Eve, being Level 100 in Eve won't save your hauler from a Level 1 player in a basic frigate.


As for raising your skills by active gameplay, it's redundant. Everyone already trains as if they were online 24 hours a day. How can you improve on that?