Our goal is to build up the arsenal of Rookie PVPers, starting with Frigates and working up to larger classes of ships, to help ease the growing pains of PVP as much as possible. While we acknowledge the fact that many sites offer “setups” or “configurations” it is through my personal experience that such sites rarely have content suitable for lower SP players. When one can find a low SP requirement setup it is rarely “Rookie”friendly or to be more specific, friendly to their wallet.

We wish to help change the common misperception that PVP is out of reach of new players. We also wish to show that PVP is not only about T2 fitted Battleships, HACs and Recons but also includes Frigates, Destroyers and Cruisers. By creating and publishing setups which are sturdy,effective and easy to afford we hope to encourage this change. Rookies will soon find that getting kills does not start at 30,000,000 SP or two billion isk. Instead they will learn that they can easily afford to PVP. That even with 1.6mil SP a Rookie can easily contribute to fleet operations within their Corporation or Faction.

By blunting the edge of defeat and empowering PVP Rookies with knowledge we hope to tempt them from the safety and boredom that is the hangar. We believe that once a player gets a taste for PVP they will start to resemble a shark that detects blood in the ocean. To help create a desire, a frenzy and “appetite for destructi

on” is the ultimate goal of this feature. So forget what you have been told before about your inability to PVP and start the revolution within as you help leave a wake of destruction with your fleetmates!

Let us begin……

Race: Caldari

Class: Frigate

Hull: Merlin

The Merlin is the heavy hitter of the Caldari’s Frigate class ships. With its bonuses to shield resistance and hybrid optimal range this ship can take a beating most frigates could not hope to withstand, all the while fighting outside of web range. This is particularly useful for newer players that find themselves in a fleet taking on larger ships where maneuverability and speed are the key to surviving a firefight. As with all Frigates, once they lose their speed and maneuverability advantage against larger ships, they become nothing more then sitting ducks. With its small size and heavy resists the Merlin can prove to be a frustrating target for Cruisers and larger.

The bonuses of the Merlin are bound to be most attractive to 2 types of players. First off would be the Rookie pilots looking to bring some DPS to the fight or for those to nervous to rush headlong at another ship in as a dedicated “Tackler”. The other type of Pod Pilot the Merlin seems almost custom made for would be the aspiring Fleet Commander,or “FC” for short, participating in Faction Warfare. Both types of pilots would find the built in tank of the Merlin comforting, allowing both to keep their cool during a fight. The endurance of a fully fitted Merlin will give the Rookies extra time under fire, something that will eventually help remove some of the edge off of the adrenaline rush you can only find in EVE PVP, which is far from propaganda churned out to entice new players. The aspiring Commanders will gain additional time to lead his fleet of Frigates as he leaves fleet mates to server as tacklers while he provides supporting fire from range.

While the DPS of the Merlin is in fact lower, on average, when compared to other heavy Frigates of other factions, its range helps balance it out. The range allows the Merlin to engage most targets at warp gates and warp in points to FW complexes without having to close or camp a position. This allows the Merlin to forgo Afterburners and MWDs and invest the additional slot as well the PG/CPU into its tank and weapons. In EVE PVP a lot of players will take high damage per second versus range and average DPS. One thing Caldari pilots must remember is that not all fights are within 5km and with a web you can negate the speed the other player needs to close to their effective range. While they struggle to close you are continuously firing away, slowly ripping them apart, completely unopposed.

The Merlin’s mix of missiles and turret slots allows for flexibility in range and damage output. This helps to reduce the difference in DPS between the Merlin and other Frigates. While this can lead to shorter range set-ups using a mix of rockets and blasters, I feel the longer range configurations along with the durability of its tank will allow the Merlin to deal more damage over time. The range will also augment the tank as it allows the pilot to stay outside of the range of webifiers, smart bombs, medium neutralizers as well as NOS which can quickly mean the end for any Frigate. It is this overall flexibility that causes many players to doubt it, instead opting for faster, higher DPS Frigates as they are easier to understand. However a smart pilot should always take into account the possibilities a ship can offer before relegating it to the darkest corners of one’s hangar.

Configurations:

Setup: Standard fleet Merlin

Highs:
2x Standard Light Launchers
2x 125mm Railguns

Mids:
Small Shield Extender
Small Shield Booster
Warp Disruptor
Target Painter

Lows:
Damage Control 1
Overdrive Injector System

Effective HP: 2710
Damage Per Second: 24
Capacitor Endurance: 34 seconds

Pros:

The standard Fleet Merlin is a great starter ship for either new players to the game or to the PVP side of EVE. The Merlin’s resists in this configuration are supplemented by a shield extender and booster to help repair any damage taken during a fight. It’s Warp Disruptor allows it to help the fleet tackle any war targets they encounter and with the quick lock on time of a frigate. While it is not a dedicated “Tackler” every “point” helps in a fleet battle, be it a 5 on 5 or 100 on 100 fight, an additional “point” helps ensure that targets are unable to leave the fight. Rounding out the Mid slots is a Target Painter. The Target Painter is especially useful in a Caldari fleet as missile launchers gain the biggest benefits from a “TP”. The Fleet Merlin has exceptional range for a Frigate, striking out to an effective range of 24km allowing it to put fire on any target within seconds in most combat situations.

Cons:

The Merlin, again, is the heaviest of the Caldari Frigates and its emphasis is on tanking as opposed to speed. This makes the Merlin a slug against opposing Frigates. Due to the lack of a Stasis Webifier it cannot attempt to control the speed of hostile ships. This means fast, short range, high dps Frigates are bound to close quickly and stress the Merlin’s tank shortly. This will also lead to tracking issues against fast targets at short range. Also the Target Painter does not do much for the Merlin itself. Overall this setup is not recommended for roaming solo or in a gang that does not have enough Tacklers to keep short range Frigates from closing with the Merlin.

Conclusion:

The Fleet Merlin is a great starter ship for those looking to participate in PVP as part of a fleet. This makes it a great setup for those participating in Faction Warfare where fleets typically have a range of ship classes working together. The Merlin will be able to fire upon most targets before the bulk of the fleet and will help pin down a hostile ship. It also makes it an easy mark for his missile using fleetmates with its Target Painter. While the Merlin is still slow for a Frigate it was not designed to serve as a dedicated Tackler however it help bolster a fleets tackling ability. In the end the Fleet Merlin helps its friends in ways faster, short ranged Frigates rarely can.

Most new players will find that their Level 1 mission agents will hand out frigates as rewards making replacements relatively easy. Most players will find most of the mods during their missions further easing the pain of replacing combat losses. While the Merlin is not going to be putting out huge DPS it helps new PVP pilots gain experience in working as part of a fleet. The Target Painter and “point”, a “point” being a Scramber or Disruptor, gets the Rookie thinking about setups that are not pure tank or pure gank. Instead they will begin thinking about how to fit to help the whole instead of only themselves. I am sure that most FCs will agree with the concept of the setup even though they may have differences of opinion on weapons or speed. In the end the standard Fleet Merlin is a great starter PVP ship from which players can then branch out and explore the other areas of PVP all while starting strong in the mindset of working as part of a fleet.

Setup: Buffer Merlin  ::EDITED::

Highs:
2x ‘Malkuth’ Standard Missile Launcher
2x 125mm Carbide Railguns

Mids:
Medium Suborbinate Screen Stabalizer (Medium Shield Extender)

2x Invulnerabilty Field Sheild Hardeners

Prototype Sensor booster (scan resolution script)

Lows:
2x Micro Auxiliary Power Core

Effective HP: 5071
Damage Per Second: 25 with Iron hybrid rounds, 39 with Anti-matter
Capacitor Endurance: 1 minutes, 6 seconds

Pros:

While slightly different then your basic Merlin setup this configuration focuses on defenses which will allow the pilot to endure more punishment then normal. This is effective for plexing in FW where even a few seconds more can mean success or failure. The weapons load allows the pilot to strike at range, something that is useful for taking down plex rats while still being able to support your tacklers holding the warp-in point at a moment’s notice. As the enemies start to close in the pilot can swap the Iron Hybrid rounds for Anti-Matter rounds, increasing his DPS.

Cons:

This setup does not look to remedy what some would consider the problems with the Merlin. Without a Micro Warp Drive or Afterburner this configuration is still a slug. It also lacks a web and “point”. This means the Merlin pilot is unable to contribute to the fleet’s ability to tackle.

Conclusion

This config clearly needs to work as part of a fleet as it is unable to tackle its own targets. While useful in a fast roaming fleet made up of Frigates and Destroyers due to its range, DPS and tank it is the wrong configuration to bring to a fleet with larger ships. In mixed fleets, all Frigates should be equipped with at least a Warp Jammer or Disruptor due to their lock on speed when compared to Cruisers and larger. This configuration is also great for Faction Warfare “plexing” where its range can help pick off rats while being in effective range to support Tacklers quickly.

Edit Notes: The Buffer Merlin setup previously posted was a prototype for the configuration and stored in EFT under the same name. The revised Buffer Merlin is the configuration that I have used many times while a part of the Amarr Militia in 2008. For those that did not see the incorrect set up the difference was primarily in the midslots. Its effective hitpoints went from 2.6  to 5,071. Also its DPS went from 16/20 to 25/39 (Iron/Anti-Matter).

Setup: The Berlin(short range Tackler)

Highs:
2x Light Ion Blasters
2x Rocket launchers

Mids:
1MN Micro warp drive
Stasis webifier
Warp Scrambler
Small shield extender

Lows:
Micro Auxiliary Power Core
Overdrive Injector

Effective HP: 1792
Damage Per Second: 35
Capacitor Endurance: 48 seconds

Pros:

The Ion Blasters and Rocket Launchers give this Merlin configuration greater punch then the typical weapon load out. The Merlin can make for a great tackler against larger targets, especially post QR due to its small signature radius. The small signature radius backed with the shield resist bonus will help ensure the Merlin’s survival. The Microwarp could be replaced with an Afterburner which will reduce the strain on the capacitor but reduce its top speed.The Warp Scrambler backed by a Stasis-Webifier will turn most PVP ships into sitting ducks waiting to be ripped apart by the Merlin’s fleetmates.
Suggestion: If the pilot is feeling confident they could drop the small shield extender and fit a Sensor Booster with a Scan Resolution Script to increase the Berlin’s chance of catching hostile ships before they warp off.

Cons:

The Merlin is the largest of the Caldari frigs designed with damage and resistance in mind making it a ranged fighter. When facing other Frigates a player will quickly realize that lighter designs have the advantage of speed which can be frustrating if the target is attempting to flee. The Merlin should only be used to tackle ships larger then itself as it will need more time to lock and close with the target then lighter Frigates such as the Condor.

Conclusion:

The “Berlin” configuration attempts to address some of the problems with most Merlin setups, that is speed, tackle and DPS. While the Berlin can close with targets and deliver higher levels of damage when compared to setups with light missiles and rails, it puts the pilot within range of Scramblers as well as Webs. Both will rob the ship of its speed leaving it unable to close meaning it will not be able to deal damage. In spite of this it allows a Caldari pilot to serve as a short ranged Tackler for mixed ship class fleets. They will be able to deal higher levels of damage then normal while helping their fleet lock down targets and hopefully bag additional kill mails. In the end this config is best used as a durable tackler for a mixed fleet or as part of a fleet of fast ships where its MWD allows it to keep up with running battles.

The Capacitor is limited when all mods are in use so the pilot must take care to monitor its level. The pilot should always give his Scrambler and Webifier priority over weapons fire. A tackler is useless if it cannot do its job! When necessary, shut off the blasters and stick to your rockets and tackling gear. The Micro-Warpdrive should be used when closing with the target and shut off within scram range as the drain on the cap and increase in signature radius will work against you by making you a bigger target for hostile ships.

Setup: BloodSucker!

Highs:
2x Small Nosferatu
2x Small Rudimentary Energy Destabalizers (small energy destabalizer)

Mids:
Initiated Warp Disruptor
Stasis Webifier
Small Converse Deflection Catalyzer (small shield booster)

Lows:
Micro Auxiliary Powercore
Overdrive Injector System

Effective HP: 1480
Damage Per Second: 0
Capacitor Endurance: Negligible

Pros:

The “BloodSucker” is based upon an encounter I had recently with a hostile Merlin pilot in FW. I was in a Moa thinking I had an easy kill in front of me but I was in for a surprise. This configuration is what I believe the pilot was flying. Due to its small size and ability to tackle backed with a boost in speed,thanks to an Afterburner, the Merlin was able to slip under my effective range with my medium rails making it extremely hard to hit. The shots that did land were reduced by the Merlin’s natural resistances. Once I had fired the Merlin proceeded to tackle me and begin draining my capacitor. Any damage I had inflicted was soon repaired. I was left there kind of embarrassed as I was unable to keep my tank online while firing at this little nugget that was unable to kill me. Thankfully he didn’t have friends with him.

Cons:

While the pilot that I encountered mounted a rocket launcher, it did virtually nothing as my natural regeneration exceeded his damage output. The fight ended as a stalemate as we had a good laugh in local and decided to disengage. The pilot had mentioned that he was able to beat other Frigates using the setup but mounting a single rocket launcher. Against Cruisers and above, the DPS of the launcher is going to prove useless. The cons of the above configuration is that you will be unable to deal any damage, leaving that role to your fleet mates. While he left my Moa unable to use most of it’s guns throughout the fight a ship with light drones would still pose a serious threat to the Merlin.

Conclusion:

The BloodSucker proved to be a nasty surprise. A surprise that would have allowed a hostile Cruiser to rip apart my Moa with out effort due to the capacitor drain the Merlin was able to execute. Thus bringing down my tank. The same tank that has had several groups of Cruisers and larger pounding away for some time before taking me down. While this configuration does not have a rocket launcher it increases its ability to drain the target.

The Merlin should feel free to burn up his capacitor in order to make use of the Nos. With the Afterburner, tackle gear, shield booster and destabalizers this should take little to no effort. The shield booster combined with the Merlin’s resists should negate any shots the target can land. In fact most of the damage the Merlin repaired during our fight was thanks to my own capacitor recharge rate being used against me. I must also mention the cap drain was exceptionally fast due to my own tank and weapons and his destabalizers and shield boosting which allowed the Nos to do their job.

This setup is extremely specialized and even with the removal of one Nos or Destabalizer and mounting a rocket launcher, the setup is best used as part of a gang where another ship can provide the firepower as you lock down and drain the target. This would be best accomplished with a wing mate on a safe spot just outside of overview range. They can then quickly join the fight once the Merlin knows that the target is unable to warp off and cannot use the warpgate. I can see a group of 2-3 frigates having great success against solo cruisers and maybe even against Battlecruisers that do not rely upon drones for its offensive capability.

:By Request:

Setup: SlowMo-Solo PVP(Warning:This fit is purely EFT theory at the moment!)

Highs:

2x ‘Malkuth’ Standard Missile Launchers

2x 150mm Carbide Railguns

Mids:

‘Fleeting’ Warp Disruptor

‘Initiated Harmonic’ Warp Scrambler

2x ‘Langour’ Drive Disruptor (Stasis Webifier)

Lows:

Micro  Auxiliary Power Core

200mm Crystalline Carbonide Plates

Effective HP: 2665

Damage Per Second: 29 w/Iridium charges , 40 w/Anti-Matter charges

Capacitor Endurance: Stable

Pros:

While the Merlin is slow for a Frigate this setup will be able to turn even the fastest Frigate into an even slower space brick with its 2 Webifiers and Warp Scrambler. It can also slap a point on a target out to 20km with its Warp Disruptor which also serves as a means of deception. Its pair of 150mm Railguns and dual Light Missile Launchers ensure that it can return fire on any hostile Frigate. The 200mm plate offers the Merlin additional protection while allowing you to carry a more then impressive array of tackling gear.

Cons:

This setup relies upon deception in order to work so do not expect this setup to work against the same pilot twice,  assuming you win.  1 vs 1 fights against a speed tank Frigate shoud, theoretically, give you the win. Against a buffer tanked ship with similar range will likely send you home in a pod.

I would not suggest using this Setup while next to a gate as it will take a while for the target’s speed to bleed away. Your best bet would be to sit off the gate and have the target come to you and away from the gate. This will allow you time to bleed their speed without them getting smart and jumping away.

Conclusion:

Again this configuration is EFT theory mixed with personal experience with the Merlin using other setups. At first glance this Merlin appears to be your typical long range Merlin that is lacking in tackle. Of the Frigate battles I have had in the past,thanks to Faction Warfare, the Merlin was my favorite ship and hostiles treated it the same way. Most wartargets that I encountered were Micro Warp Drive using speed machines. They simply rushed at my Merlin to close the range and take advantage of their higher DPS but extremely short ranged weaponry. Normally this would give them the advantage as their speed gave my Railguns hell, making it difficult to land a shot. My launchers however did hit but I was still left with 50% of my effective DPS sitting there, useless. This resulted in a few destroyed Merlins.

To a hostile Frigate pilot a Merlin is a sitting duck waiting to be picked off without a dedicated tackler supporting it. At first this setup appears to be a standard Merlin, long range weapons and a Warp Disruptor. This allows the target to believe he can simply MWD in,engage and MWD out of Disruptor range if it gets to hot for him.  If he believes he can take you down he has you pointed and most likely webbed. Even without the web he holds an advantage in speed meaning you cannot escape. Of course “All warfare is based upon Deception.” a bit of Sun Tzu if you will.

The pilot is now thinking how you wanthim to think. They kick in their MWD and rush you, laughing at your Disruptor’s pathetic attempt to tackle their 3km/s+ Frigate. You start to fire but they know its a matter of seconds before their greater DPS is in range and your rails become a joke. They get within web range and notice their speed is dropping, “big deal” until they realize they are dual webbed. As soon as they are reacting to that problem they realize their MWD just shut off and their speed is dropping even more. You turn off the Disruptor and the capacitor levels off around 50%.  You realize that you now control the range of the fight as your weapons continue to hammer away at a target that has no serious response.

While I have not used this setup before I will be sure to make use of it soon. Once I have a number of fights under my belt using this setup I will revise it with information based upon its performance. Feel free to leave a comment on its performance if you decide to try this or any other setup.

Final Words:

These configurations can easily be modified by most pilots with an average of 3 in the related skills. These configurations are also in no way,shape or form the only setups possible. Instead these setups are meant to give the Rookie PVPer solid configurations from which to build upon. As the player gains additional SP, Isk and PVP experience they will find new ways to fit their ships that will bring them success against their opponents. Our goal is to get the thought process started as well as to encourage players to take a risk on a great aspect of the game. So good luck and happy hunting!

Tip: Since Railguns and Blaster deal Kinetic and Thermal damage I would suggest loading your launchers with EM and or Explosive missiles. By determining what kind of tank the enemy has may allow you to switch ammo types. While most people will say that changing ammo in a fight is suicide I have found in many FW plex fights,while using a Merlin, that I was able to do so successfully. Based off of the damage information saved I realized that switching to a different flavor of Missile that I matched and exceeded the damage output I would have had if the switch was not made. Also covering all 4 damage types allows you to strike at their weakness with at least 1 weapon which beats striking it with zero weapons, instead focusing fire on its strengths.

Tip: If you missions with any corp within the Caldari State you will be able to apply your Loyalty Points (LP) towards “faction ammo”. Doing so allows you to aquire Caldari Navy Hybrid charges and missiles. While the damage output may seem small when compared to the cost, in PVP you want every advantage possible no matter how slight it may be. If you must choose 1 type due to cost I would suggest Caldari Navy Small Anti-Matter rounds as the bulk of the Merlin’s DPS is from its Railguns.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

PVP Revolutions – The Merlin(Revised)

Photo credit: padraicb

Cheat:
1. To act dishonestly; practice fraud.
2. To violate rules deliberately, as in a game

As an Eve-Mag contributor I put in a lot of effort into the articles I write. I do what I can to help better the site as well as help the other writers when possible. All of it is a continued “effort”. The reason I put forth the effort is because it is going into something I enjoy but also something I want to see become more then it is or will be. Effort is something you put into something you enjoy and or believe in.

A lack of effort suggests that an individual does not care about the subject. When someone no longer cares about the subject their judgment can become questionable. When you add “personal gain” to the equation that judgment will inevitably fall in favor of the individual’s desires as opposed to what is right. What is “right” can be morally correct. “Right” can also be what is allowed by the rules of game. “Right” can also be what the laws of the land have put forth. The idea of doing what is “right” can also be a mix of all of the above. Doing what is “right” is not in the interest of individuals that have something to gain and no longer care about the subject at hand.

Personally I have a feeling that the author of “The Sky is Falling” may be bullshitting about what he says is fact. However my style isn’t to just brush it off as bullshit and ignore it. Instead I prefer to look at what someone says and start to dismantle it regardless if it is true or false. Truth or lie, the goal is the same and that is to reduce the opposing point of view to scrap. It is in such a state that the argument cannot be used again with any chance of success. If they wish to present another argument or point then it receives the same treatment until the person is left with nothing to defend his self and or actions with. It is through personal experience that I can say that a liar, cheat or fraud will become increasingly desperate as you rip apart their arguments. At times these people appear to be nothing more than whiney, selfish and obnoxious children in the body of an adult. Their arguments never consider others, instead they focus on what they want and disregard the effects on those around them. EVE is a Massive Multi-player Online game with thousands of players. The following article’s goal is to thoroughly dismantle the argument made in favor of allowing the author of “The Sky is Falling” to macro mine. To reveal the selfish ideas behind the article whose supposed goal is to inform everyone on how macro mining works. In the end I hope the readers will see the unnamed macro miner and the rest of his kind for what they truly are, nothing more than selfish, whiney, self righteous, obnoxious cheaters.

“Not only am I LIKE the Cheshire cat, I’m also just like you! ~The Evil Macro’er”

Who does the macro’er think he is fooling besides himself? Personally I always liked the Cheshire cat and for him to compare himself to such is an insult to a work of literature as well as memories of every kid that saw or read Alice in Wonderland. The Cheshire cat served a real purpose within the story unlike a macro miner within EVE. The Cheshire cat had a personality, unlike the faceless macro miners. The funky purple cat was memorable again unlike the macro miners. The cat also served as a sort of guide or aide yet a macro miner is nothing but a faceless annoyance robbing new miners of potential profits. How one such as the “nameless” macro miner could compare himself to the Cheshire cat suggests he is as backwards as his justification for macro’ing in the first place.

I find it even more amusing as he offers up nothing to suggest that he is anything remotely like me. He believes in ignoring the game rules while I abide by them. He believes in doing nothing to earn what he has in game, unlike I and the vast majority of EVE. He believes that because he has justified his actions to himself, no matter how weak his reasoning may be, that everyone else should feel that he is anything but a cheater. His entire article is full of fallacious arguments, white washed with weak comparisons in an attempt to hide the truth. If you’re a cheat its always a good thing to start an article with a massive lie since it makes all of the smaller lies seem less. I guess its how articles are written in the backwards world of a self justified macro miner.

“Mr. D and I met because of my wife’s (who is just as avid about playing MMOs as I am) great skill in networking. She’s a chick playing an MMO, so the advantage is hers from the get-go, right? Well, she played a particular MMO for a few years, one that was small and not well known and eventually she started talking to the guy that happened to run the MMO. A few months later and Mr. D is over at our house spending the weekend just to hang out.”

When I read this I had to laugh as it seemed as though the guy was blind to Mr.D’s possible intentions. I laughed again as someone responded to the article with the same thoughts, that Mr.D wasn’t there to “just hang out” with a few fans of the game he was working on. Had the macro miner been able to befriend Mr.D on his own then I and others wouldn’t have thought that D’s goal had anything to do with his wife. The whole scenario seems suspicious otherwise and it would be unlikely for all of this networking to be done without someone calling foul. Such a thing would have caused players to lose all trust in the company as it would have been bigger than the BOB-gate.

The macro miner, we’ll call him MN (short for Macro-Nub) from now on, goes on about showing Mr.D his macro and telling us that D basically said it was cool as long as it wasn’t bothering other players. We’ll most people have this strange thing called manners where they avoid arguing with people while they are their guest in their homes. Its why most of us don’t complain that they offer us a Pepsi instead of a coke or refuse pepperoni pizza when you would rather have mushrooms and onions pizza. Even if Mr.D wasn’t trying to get with MN’s wife, manners would have kicked in and caused D to just brush the macro off. Maybe Mr.D thought he could cut a deal by using MN as a source of info to help crack down on other macro’ers. Much like law enforcement will cut a deal with a lesser thug to get at the head of a criminal organization. Whatever the reason is for Mr.D’s passive disagreement with his host it is unlikely to be what he was truly thinking.

Who loves going to work and having someone undo everything you have worked hard on? Better yet who likes doing something they want to do and loves to have someone come along and trash it, forcing you to start over. It is unlikely Mr.D who worked on creating a product honestly couldn’t care less about someone breaking his work. Games have rules, MMOs have massive EULAs for a reason. The reason is to safeguard their product and ensure profitability by offering entertainment that is fair for those who wish to subscribe. MMOs are different in many then traditional 1 or 2 player games. MMOs are the only games that have a section about harassment of other players. How many non-MMO games have you played that forced you to agree to a clause about not harassing other players if you want to play? The EULA covers a whole slew of things that can ruin a game. No matter how you ruin a game you still ruin it. If you’re a Dev then someone ruining your game is screwing with your job and job security.

I cannot look at what an unnamed dev may or may not have said about macro’ing and accept it as law for every MMO out there, including EVE. When you put the unnamed dev in a situation where he may be working on fulfilling a possible and human goal by pacifying and gaining acceptance while deceiving the male in order to get closer to the female, leaves me with serious doubts. Mr.D’s supposed comments suggest he didn’t truly approve of the cheating MN was doing however he was in MN’s house and didn’t want to be rude which forced him to word his disapproval the way he did. But still it’s not a professional opinion as it was not said in a professional manner , in the sense that it was not an official statement. The comments made were not said in a neutral setting, this reduces the credibility even more. If there was nothing to lead readers to believe a specific female was the goal of the dev, it would have strengthened MN’s claims. Instead it creates additional cracks in the foundation of the self-justification of cheating by MN.

Even if Mr.D was a real dev and he had no intention of getting some of Mrs.MN and he actually approved of macro’ing, it means nothing! It means absolutely NOTHING within EVE as it was not a CCP employee or the entire dev team. Unless Mr.D’s company buys out CCP and switches the EULA to say that macro’ing is fine, then macro’ing is still cheating and still against the EULA in EVE. How do I know it wasn’t the devs of CCP? There was no mention of a six pack of kegs and a truckload of steak and pizzas. Until I read a dev blog or see a EVE TV broadcast with the CCP crew announcing that they couldn’t care less if everyone macro’ed, I’m going to have to say macro’ing in EVE = cheating. The EULA says its cheating. The Devs of CCP say it’s cheating. That must mean if your macro’ing then your cheating . That means cheating is still cheating regardless of what a faceless dev of an unknown game didn’t aggressively disagree with.

Of course I could have simply said 1 dev does not make this quote true. “You would be surprised about the attitude MMO game developers take when it comes to people figuring out how to macro their game.” But that would leave MN some wiggle room or a place to backpedal. Instead it’s better to have just killed this completely. The only real way MN can counter is to reveal his identity as well as the dev. That or get CCP’s devs to create that broadcast but I have a feeling that I’ll sooner win the lotto 3 times over before that happens.

Should I even bother pointing to the fact that the macro’er admits that the game is small and virtually unknown? Would it be fair to suggest the game is in such a state because of the lack of professionalism shown by the supposed Mr.D? I’ll just let that thought simmer in your mind as I’m sure we will come to the same conclusion anyways.

“So, you are thinking by now, “Pirates don’t mess up my game!”. They are not breaking the EULA either! While the first point is somewhat arguable (another article in and of itself) the second is not. They certainly are not breaking the EULA. I’m such a rebel”

I find it strange and almost self righteous for someone that is clearly breaking the rules to compare himself to those that are not. Why bother mentioning pirates and pirating when its clearly within the EULA? Is it a weak attempt to get the reader to sympathize with the macro’er that doesn’t look to blow your ships up, especially when big bad pirates will? There is simply no other reason to mention pirates and their effect on the game other than to be used as a psychological ploy. MN is no rebel, MN is nothing other than a cheater and no matter what way he spins it, his actions are nothing more than cheating. I guess he thought it was a good idea to give an example of players that are gaming within the rules of the EULA and then remind us that he is proudly breaking said rules. Imagine being in court and saying your “guilty” as a means to prove that you’re not guilty! Foolish indeed.

Would anyone really be interested in an article written by someone who shows such bias? In a game where forum posts are dismissed due to someone using anything but their main, how can people take a writer serious when he cannot even use an alt to write under?

“For the last few months or so I have been cautiously inquiring to others about why they are so zealous about ganking those they perceive as being macro’ers. I have yet to get a thoughtful and even agreeable answer, let alone an analysis on the impact of macro’ers, specifically macro miners in the game of Eve Online.”

Maybe it’s just me but MN appears to be looking for someone to prove that he is cheating even though he already knows he is. He knows it’s against the EULA but still comes off as though things weren’t really clear for him. I didn’t realize it was up to the player base to justify the rules of the EULA to cheaters, prior to enforcement. I would ask where in the EULA I could find this rule but if MN doesn’t have to go by it, why should I have to? Apparently MN believes he is special and should be able to play EVE in ways that would be considered cheating for the rest of us. Perhaps CCP should amend the EULA to include,” all of the above rules apply to everyone but MN because he met a dev for another game and didn’t get chewed out in his own house for macro’ing.”.

“A thoughtful and even agreeable answer.” Well, let this article stand in for the thoughtful aspect of the answer. What it will not do is be the “agreeable” answer. Of course we should look at what that exactly means. Yes that means its definition time, again!

a-gree-a-ble
adj.
1. To one’s liking; pleasing:

Since MN has made it clear that he believes he received a mandate from heaven that its okay to macro in one game and surely it must transfer to any game MN plays, not to mention MN believes he doesn’t have to follow the EULA, there is no chance for anyone to give him an “agreeable” answer! This means there is no chance that he will ever believe that his cheating is in fact cheating. The question he should be asking is “why am I so zealous to cheat in a game?” instead of why others are zealous of enforcing the rules of the game. There should be no question as to why people would want to enforce the rules of the game, these people aren’t the ones going against the EULA. Of course why doesn’t MN give a thoughtful and agreeable answer as to why he feels the urge to cheat?

It is truly moronic to expect the playerbase to have an analysis on the impact of macrominers. The last time I checked I couldn’t determine the number of macro miners within EVE. I cannot tell how many hours they are operational. I do not have the total ore output per day, their mining and refining skills. I do not know what ores they are mining. I do not have a list of how much they sell the minerals for either. I am not a dev nor a GM so I can only run numbers on any macro miners I may encounter but those numbers mean nothing without knowing the total macro’er numbers. CCP would have far more information available, even if they do not have solid numbers they have enough information to extrapolate with any degree of accuracy. CCP with the Dr.’s help could shed some light on the effects of macro mining, at least the “monetary”effects. CCP however cannot estimate the damage macro’ing has on the fun or sense of accomplishment of EULA abiding miners. Of course we are talking about MN’s fun, since apparently it’s the only thing that matters according to his article. His “zen like feel” > your fun and accomplishment as well as any sense of fair play.

1.“Macro’ing is against the EULA! – I don’t care. I don’t care in the way that you don’t care that you have not started a fair fight in Eve in a very long time.”

Ahh…assumptions. The majority of my fights have been against superior numbers or ships. Normally it’s a combination of both. An assumption is not the best thing to base your argument off of. I do like how he clearly states that he does not care that hes going against the EULA. I enjoy how again compares his cheating to players that are playing EVE and abiding by the EULA. It’s as though MN lives in his own little world where he can truly compare apples to oranges and say that “oranges are in fact better apples then apples are!” and make sense to the audience of 1, himself. His comparison is similar to someone robbing banks for a living and suggesting that it is just the same as working to earn the money through hard work, sweat and elbow grease. We should really call MN, Dr.phil as he is just as much a psychologist as that fraud on TV.

2.“You sell your ISK for real life money, not fair! – No, I certainly do not. I spent a long time making and learning how to make this macro and I am going to use the proceeds to enjoy the game. True, some could do this, but I do not. It also benefits me to not get caught by selling ISK.”

Dr.phil is a cheater and damn proud of it and couldn’t care less. It’s strange that we are supposed to believe that he does not sell his isk for RL money. “ I did not shoot the deputy” much? Everyone join me in a facepalm at the stupidity dr.phil presents us with. If hes macro’ing 23/7 he is bound to pull in enough isk to run 2 accounts. With 2 accounts he can macro twice as much so he could have any number of alts meaning he could definitely look into ways of washing the isk and selling it on the black-market for RL money. There is supposedly honor among thieves but we aren’t thieves and there was never mention of cheats. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to believe someone such as him. Why in the world would someone that believes he is so clearly justified in cheating not move onto the next step in his chosen path? Of course he could very well be trading his ill gotten isk for GTCs which opens him up to additional questions.

3.“You are ruining my game, stop it! – If I don’t sell the ISK I make but instead use it to purchase items, buy skill books or produce them then I’m helping the economy, not hurting.”

Anyone that is cheating in a game is ruining the game for others. Imagine what professional sports would be like if players could cheat without consequences. How many games would have swung in favor of the losing team if its players could simply bullshit the referees to justify their actions? Could you picture yourself watching baseball if a player could call a foul ball a homerun instead? What would soccer hooligans do if the opposing team decided a goal scored against them was going to be added to their score instead? Would the best players be the best cheats as opposed to the most skilled? Even if you’re not actively participating in the game where someone is cheating it can be frustrating just knowing it’s happening.

But we aren’t just spectators in EVE. While not everyone is a miner it’s unlikely that we do not know at least one that is. For them macro miners are ruining the game. Macro miners are a lot like a swarm of locust as they consume everything in the area and move onto a new system. Macro miners also pull in vast amounts of ore that wouldn’t have been introduced to the market in the form of raw minerals. These raw minerals lower the price your mining friend can get for his own minerals, minerals he worked for. The idea that the macro miner is justified in his actions because he is “helping” the in game economy is negated by the fact that he is ruining the economy for a number of players who have chosen to take up mining as their source of income. This weak and seriously flawed argument is seen in the real world here in the U.S. when it comes to the topic of illegal immigration. In both scenarios “illegal” actions are in one way contributing to the economy but at the same time destroying the economy for those that are playing by the rules. Miners, just like RL workers are left powerless to do anything about the diminishing profits due to the actions of those that are breaking the rules. Which is in no way fair no matter how you try to spin it.

4.“It’s just not fair! – No one is stopping you from taking the path that I did. I’ve never taken a programming course, no one taught me any of this and the macro’ing “playing field” is an even one.”

It isn’t fair and the macro miner knows it. Trying to justify cheating with the idea of “ No one is stopping you from cheating just like me!” flies as well as a brick. Just because someone took the efforts to learn how to cheat the system in no way entitles them to rewards for such. Players are not complaining that they can’t macro mine just like macro’ers, that is taking the argument and reversing it. The true argument is that players that are miners are spending their time to actually do the mining while others are able to cheat the system and profit. The miners are not asking to be allowed to macro as well, instead they are asking for their efforts to mean something by removing those that rob their actions of meaning.

5.“You can mine all day, I can’t, no fair! – I love this one. The amount of time any given player can put into playing Eve has never (NEVER) been fair. It is a fact that some people fall asleep playing Eve, drool on keyboard and everything. Did you ever truly believe that all players are equal in the amount of time they have, what about skill? Do you really think you could ever compete with that proverbial fearless 12 year old that never has homework?? If I can mine 23/7 that is only because everyone else has the same amount of time per day to play.”

Another example where the macro’er takes what people are saying and spinning it around. People that bring up the fact that a macro program can mine 23/7 and that a player cannot has nothing to do with how much time they personally have available. It has to do with the fact that a player is using a cheat to automate mining. No player should be allowed to cheat, be it for 1 hour a day or 23 hours every day of the week. Players should only be able to make gains by efforts that are within the rules of the EULA. While the wording of their point may need to be revised the idea behind it does not. Only a fool would be unable to read beyond the obvious to grasp the idea behind the complaint. Then again doing such may very well be beyond the ability of the macro miner. Not to mention it would hurt his argument in favor of allowing him to cheat.

6.“You hurt the in game economy! – Are you kidding me? Logic this one out a little. Ever wonder why mineral prices shoot up after an expansion? Some of that upswing is because it takes awhile for the macro miners to adjust their code! We defiantly have an effect on the price you pay for minerals and that is, we keep it down. More plainly put: The less minerals on the market, the more you pay.”

“Logic this one out a little”??? Are you serious?! Of course macro miners hurt the in game economy! For those players that are mining asteroids that contain any minerals that a macro’er is also mining, the player is being hurt economically. Every tritanium a macro miner brings in helps to lower the price of all tritanium. The in game economy cannot tell what is a tritanium that was mined illegally and which was brought in by an actual miner. All of the minerals are being pooled together in the market which creates the supply available. Everyone knows the more the supply outweighs the demand the lower the prices are going to be. The fact that macro miners are admitting they are lowering the prices of minerals everywhere proves they are in fact hurting the economy. Just because something does not hurt everyone does not mean it is justified to hurt those that are being affected.

Imagine someone shooting 1 in 20 people and getting away with it because “hes not hurting everyone!”. Could people really look at the situation and say that its okay just as long as they weren’t shot that day? Could sane people ever buy into such illogical nonsense such as this? I think not. People would be complaining by the millions to get the laws changed and the shooters locked up. Unfortunately, because some people benefit from macro miners and couldn’t care less about those being harmed by them, the EVE populace hasn’t called out as one for CCP to take even greater measures to stop macro’ing. To many people are to focused on getting others to play in a way where they will always have an advantage to ever care about working together on anything that hurts the game. I could only hope that the majority of EVE players would be willing to set aside their differences in play style to push for the eradication of cheating.

Unfortunately the rest of the macro’er’s article is justification through the idea that CCP would need to constantly work at busting macro miners. Sure CCP could and damn well should constantly work at breaking up macro miners, forcing them to rewrite their macros to adjust. The fact is FPS games have anti-cheat software built into the game. While it doesn’t always catch everything it forces the cheaters to constantly work harder. It is through this “arms race” as the macro’er put it that cheaters are kept at bay. By mitigating the effects and life span of a particular cheat the game developers increase the endurance of their game by allowing the real players to have fun without worrying too much about cheaters. Games that make little to no effort to reduce cheating are bound to fall quickly as players abandon it. Actual players want a challenge, they want to go against other players and see who is better. This contest between players should be determined by a mixture of reflexes, intelligence and perception, as opposed to who has the best way to sidestep the rules of the game.

One has to ask what was the point of the macro’er’s article? We all know macro miners exist. We all know that there are never enough GMs. We all know from past gaming experience that cheaters and game developers are always trying to outsmart one another. I know that I have seen several macro miners that had automated responses. The only real point of the article appears to be an appeal to lay off and to accept macro mining as a legitimate “play style” if one could go so far as to consider it such. The author appears to have worked hard to twist as many things as possible in an attempt to fool others just as he fools himself into thinking his actions are justified and anything but cheating.

If someone is unwilling to work for their isk in game one way or another within the constraints of the EULA then they need to leave EVE. The reason they need to leave is that they are sidestepping the part of EVE that truly sets it apart from other games. Ask how many EQ2 and WOW players how many times they have permanently lost their best gear due to losing a fight. I doubt there will be many who come back with anything comparable to what the average player in EVE will report. The risk of permanent loss is a big selling point for the majority of players that enjoy EVE. At the same time it is one of the aspects of the game that sends many with lesser nerve to pack up and head to softer, friendlier games such as Warcraft. In the end the macro miners are not earning their isk, meaning anything they lose has no effect on them as no effort was ever made to acquire it.

When there is no risk of actual, permanent loss the player is no longer playing EVE. Instead they are playing a version of wow with spaceships. Let’s face it, if you’re unwilling to play EVE the way it was meant to be enjoyed, including the difficult aspects, then you need to pack up and head to wow or any other game where losing means nothing.

Related article: The Sky is Falling by EVE Player

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When losing means nothing … a gentler, kinder EVE

by ShardowRhino … The latest “expansion” for EVE, Quantum Rise, is here. At least I think it’s here. With it came the typical flood of threads questioning the various changes presented in the latest patch … I mean “expansion”. Unfortunately I have to agree for the most part with those suggesting the expansion was nothing more than a massive patch as there were few additions to the game. The problem is the word “expansion” is used normally in association with new areas to explore, new weapons to use and new types of targets to use them on. In the case of Eve, the laundry list of additions within an expansion should read as such:

New
• Ships of varying classes.
• Ship classes
• Weapons for each race and ship class
• POS additions
• Skills
• Types of ammo
• Asteroids
• Invention possibilities
• Rats
• Missions
• Exploration sites
• Faction Warfare content

Unfortunately the patch notes, which will make most human’s eyes bleed, has very little of the above. Instead we have a swarm of fixes. Fixes are great, as a former Planetside player, a game run by the notorious Sony Online, it is impossible for me to suggest that fixes are not appreciated. For years Sony took the money of the subscribers and did absolutely nothing with it and to be honest most of us believe the revenue was being diverted to fund projects in Everquest 2. Fortunately we don’t have such to worry about when it comes to CCP and EVE. Instead the problem is CCP misleading the playerbase by using the word “expansion” when there is very little to justify the use of the word.

As a patch QR is a bloody success and nothing short of such. The amount of fixes listed boggles the mind. But what is Quantum Rise when viewed as an expansion? To be fair to CCP, we must take QR apart and examine the individual parts and that is the intention of this article.

Industry based Ships

The Orca

What did Quantum Rise deliver in the ways of Midas, the codename for an Industrial based expansion? The 250,000,000 kilogram whale in the room would be the Orca. Carebears and macrominers have a reason to rejoice as it means the end of can-flipping. Now empire based corps can have a taste of what their 0.0 counter parts have been able to enjoy with the Rorqual. With the Orca’s bonuses to tractor beams, large corp cargo bay and Mining gang link modifiers; mining corps will have a lot to love about the sub-capital ship. These industrial minded players will soon see their productivity and security increase making the Orca a worthwhile investment for any serious mining corp.

But is there much of a reason for the rest of us to even bother looking the Orca’s direction? Some are interested in the Orca’s ability to transport rigged ships, which is a good thing if you’re unlike me and buy the expensive stuff. Some continue along the lines of the Orca serving as a smaller freighter. Meanwhile those lurking within Empire space looking to remind even the fuzziest of carebears that pvp can find them in even the most well lit of 1.0 systems will be looking to use the Orca as a carrier of sorts, making good use of its ability to refit and transport ships and large amounts of supplies. Those looking at the Orca as a makeshift Carrier are thinking along the same lines as myself. The way I see the Orca is all of the above but even more. I see the Orca ushering in a new line of combat ships filling out the “sub-capital” class.

Of course the idea of a sub-capital, gate using combat ship may cause some players’ skin to crawl, others will be able to see how it may change the game. First the question of “what would a sub capital combat ship look like, what will it do?” must be asked. The most obvious answers would be a mini Dread or Carrier. What would they do? The Minis would allow fleets in 0.0 a chance to bring capital class support to the battles within Cyno-jammer protected systems. The Minis would also allow Empire corps to assault a POS with greater firepower then a group of Battleships. Considering Invention and Alchemy will continue to increase in popularity, moons in Empire may soon become hotly contested in the future.

Of course the idea of mini Dreads and Carriers is the easiest route to go. I hope CCP would find something a bit more interesting, perhaps a mini dread and carrier hybrid. Either way, the Orca makes this a possibility. But until CCP decides to go for it the Orca is bound to be used as an empire based carrier just as often as an aid to miners. Regardless of what your personal opinion of the Orca is, it may very well be the birth of a new class of ships that could change how many battles are fought. This without a doubt makes the Orca “expansion” material.

Blockade Runners

The modification to the Blockade Runners line of Transport ships is bound to be a dream come true for many low-sec and 0.0 merchants. Not everyone in 0.0 has the means to jump in vast amounts of gear, ships and weapons with a capital ship. Nor do they have means to sell off loot and minerals that would fetch better prices in the trade hubs then in their own backyard. The revamped Blockade Runners will help remedy such problems.

From my experience in 0.0, the movement of goods was restrictive and risky. There is nothing like making a 10 system run through hostile infested territory with a cargo hold full of goods that took days to acquire. Within weeks, 0.0 PVPers will feel the effects of the improved Blockade Runners. The cost of fitting replacement ships will begin to drop as competition on the local markets begins to increase. The selection of goods will also increase as Merchants look to fill in the gaps of the market place and their wallets at the same time.

While the Blockade Runner change will have a positive impact on pvping in lowsec and 0.0 it may also have a negative effect. The negative effect is debatable, however. Gate campers may see a decline in the number of industrials caught and destroyed, resulting in fewer loot filled wrecks. While the change will reduce the number of easy catches, campers and industrialists alike must remember that the Blockade Runners are not a guarantee to slip through gate camps unharmed. Nor is it a guarantee that hostiles will no longer be able to profit off of sloppy security. Those eyeing the Blockade Runner change with suspicion might take comfort in the idea that a cloak may lead to some players hauling even greater riches then before due to the security a cloak affords them. The paydays may become fewer but the payoffs will likely be far more rewarding in the end.

DeepSpace Transports

Unfortunately the Deep space transports such as the Bustard have little in the way of change. The +2 warp strength, while appreciated, seems lacking when compared to the Blockade Runner modification. The +2 bonus will allow a DST to allot more low slots to cargo expanders instead of warpstabs for security. The change is not enough to turn the world of DSTs upside down but it definitely makes justifying the purchase of one a bit easier. All in all it is a solid change that is unlikely to rock the boat but provides additional value to the ship class itself. But in the post HIC age +2 warp strength can end up meaning nothing.

Mining Barges

The rest of the industrial leaning ships got little in the way of change. The Mac got a slight buff to help it compete with the Hulk. While the Hulk should have always been king of asteroid munching, it should have never rivaled the Mac when it came to mining ice. This, along with the addition of missing text on the Skiff’s description makes these changes nothing more than patchwork as opposed to stepping up the Industrial game of EVE.

What the Rhino would have wanted to see …

Mini Freighters, CCP could have easily created 2 new freighters, both smaller than the standard. By reducing the capacity by 1/3rd and increasing the speed by an equal amount, CCP could have created the Medium Freighter. By following the same rules but applied against the size and speed of the Medium Freighter, we could have the Light Freighter. The Medium Freighter would cost 33% less than the traditional freighter while the Light Freighter would cost 66% less. These new Freighters would have allowed newer Industrialist to enter the logistics aspect of the game without having to save a billion isk first. Three hundred million isk would serve as the entry point with the possibility to step up towards the capacity of the Medium Freighter at Six-hundred Million isk. This would allow Industrialists to gradually increase their ability. Something I would believe the Midas project would have had a desire for.

This possible expansion of the freighter class of ships could have increased the number of players capable of moving large sums of goods, they or their corps produced or even from the trade hubs. These goods could have been moved to systems with under developed markets. I myself recall many missed opportunities to make a profit due to the high price of a freighter and space limitations of a Bustard. Unfortunately the time that would have been required to move enough goods would have destroyed the profitability. Doing L4s would have required the same amount of effort but with a bigger pay off, unless I had a freighter. Reducing the initial investment to enter the logistics aspect of EVE would allow younger Industrialists to tap into these potential sources of isk that would have otherwise remained unprofitable using a transport ship.

Speaking of missed opportunities, it is this missed opportunity for CCP to deliver such ships that force me to see this aspect of the patch as “sub par”. The changes to the Transport ships will breathe new life into some areas and open up doors for their pilots. However the Orca and the idea of “Midas” should have assured the Industrial player base a new line of freighters. While some will use the Orca as a mid-sized freighter it will still come up short one way or another be it capacity or price due to supply and demand(remember the Orca is being eyed as a mining ship, Empire Carrier and a Medium Freighter). I still hope for mini freighters in a coming expansion but CCP didn’t do the concept of “Midas” justice by ignoring such an obvious gap in the industrial game!

Invention and Manufacturing

What else did the industrial players receive in this “expansion”? Did they receive new ways to produce goods or even more efficient means of invention? Why am I even putting Invention and Production into the same category? T1 production is similar to flying T1 ships or using T1 gear as they simply require the standard skills. Invention, much like T2 ships and mods, required specialized skills. Invention is nothing more than T2 Industry. So the question is what did CCP add to both T1 and T2 Industry?

Alchemy

First off, I have not gotten into reactions or the creation of T2 components. However, I have had my hands in T2 mod and ship production for over a year now, so I have seen how the change in T2 component prices can affect the viability of T2 ship/mod production. T2 mod and ship production is tied to the price of T2 component production which is in turn tied to the costs of reactions. The costs of reactions are based off of moon minerals. The price of moon minerals is based off of the rarity of the moon. Unfortunately these moons are under the control of very few but powerful groups. Most of us have heard of insane levels of profit various alliances are making off of a single moon. While its hard not to be taken aback by the astronomical figures thrown at us we have to remember that certain moons are extremely rare. It is this rarity mixed with the desire for T2 that fuel the prices of the minerals which can make some of those insane figures feasible. As a side note, it is in a way ironic that many players find themselves using T2 in clashes against the very alliances that make it possible for T2 production to take place. Imagine, paying your enemy to supply you with weapons to oppose them with. This is where Alchemy steps in.

Alchemy will do what Invention did for T2 ships and mods. Much like those that hold onto T2 blueprints are able to produce ships and mods below the costs of Inventors, those alliances with a hold on a few rare moons will generate far more isk then an Alchemist. No matter what an Inventor or Alchemist can do they will simply be beat by those with access to the originals. While that idea may annoy some, myself included, we can look at it as an opportunity for profit. I for one appreciate CCPs move to bring in a true professional to look at the economy of EVE. The Doc’s mention of the players’ inability to work around problematic resource shortages surely carried a lot of weight behind it. The idea of Alchemy beats the idea of possibly seeding a few more of the rare moons that would surely fall into the hands of those controlling the pre-existing moons. It also allows determined individuals to avoid sending their opponents money by allowing them to generate their own rare moon mins to be used in T2 creation.

While the full economic impact of Alchemy could take up to a year to fully materialize we can expect some slight changes in the near future. Thanks to Invention there are many more players with a POS at their disposal. These players are clearly interested in T2 components but may have avoided the creation of components due to rare moon mineral prices. If a portion of these corps and individuals were to start work in Alchemy we could see the rare moon min market start to sink, slowly but surely. At the same time the prices of lower end moon minerals will slightly increase which will be a boon for corps that see moon minerals as a means of reducing operational costs of a corp POS used for any number of activities.

What Alchemy means to POS operating players is a potential source of profit. For alliances, opposing those controlling the rare moons, Alchemy will help reduce the income of the opposition by creating their own rare moon minerals, T2 components and finally mods and ships that are 100% home grown. What it means to the rest of us is a possibility of slightly cheaper T2 goods. For those of us that are in Invention that could be yet another hit to the bottom line, yet the reduction in T2 component costs could offset lower mod prices.

Personally I love it when a monopoly gets hit with a sledge hammer. So I must say that Alchemy is a quality addition to the game and worthy of being “expansion” material.

Large Ship Assembly Array

There isn’t much to say about the LSAA other than it’s another possible addition to a POS. The 0.75 time modifier backed by a 1.0 material modifier is bound to lure some empire based BS manufactures out of the public manufacturing slots, freeing up space for smaller fish. It is unlikely to effect the trade hubs when it comes to supply but it will have an impact in areas such as FW borders, lowsec and 0.0 space where demand is bound to outstrip supply. I doubt we will see an increase in the price of a battleship though a slight dip may happen due to the reduced production time but no more than a few million ISK at best. Those with the most to gain will be large corporations and alliances that have a large internal demand for Battleships. But for consumers on the outside there will be little in the way of change.

I myself like the idea of expanding upon what a POS can do. The POS should evolve into a “must have” for anyone serious about Industry. The addition of the large ship assembly array is another step in that direction especially since it is bundled with alchemy in the same “expansion”. The LSAA , in my eyes, qualifies as “expansion” material. It’s something new for the players that Midas was intended for. It’s not a massive change but is a quality addition and hopefully CCP continues to expand the role of the POS as much as I loathe thee….

Unfortunately that is all CCP wrote for Midas ……. onto the rest of the “expansion”.

For Whom the Nerf Bat Swingeth….

To be upfront I must say absolutely none of the nerfs qualify as “expansion” material. Not a single one. That isn’t to say that they are not welcome or needed. I am going to ignore the majority of the changes made in Quantum Rising as they are more along the lines of fixing minor annoyances. The nerfs however play a significant role within EVE and should be examined by any individual regardless if they are a PVPer or PVEr. There are a lot of complaints on the forum right now but I’m not too sure if many of them have actually took the time to step back and take it all in and see the big picture.

Before getting into the following I would like to say a bit about myself to help the reader grasp where it is I am coming from in this review. My character is Caldari and I have trained in Caldari ships and weapons for half of my time in EVE. I have also spent time as a barge pilot. I eventually started to skill in Gallente ships and weaponry. I have chewed asteroids for hours on end, mined ice, grinded countless missions and PVPed in every possible way in Empire to 0.0.

A bit about my PVP experience thus far. I’ve PVPed in lowsec, in Empire wardecs, in 0.0 under the Roadkill banner as well as a participant in Faction Warfare under the Amarrian flag. While I cannot boast of massive numbers of kills or amazing K/D ratios I can say I have taken in the various aspects of PVP. That includes the use of drones, missiles and rails, tackle, DPS and EW support. I believe that allows me to look at the nerfs beyond that of a Caldari PVEr or a Gallente PVPer where the difference between the two can be vast.

Much ado about nano…

Before going into the missile and drone “nerfs” we need to take a look at the death of the nanoships as they are all connected to one another. Those that got into nano will say it was the whiners who got CCP to break the game and that EVE will eventually become wow. Its natural for those that used nanoships to start complaining, everyone is going to complain about something, sometime and this is their moment. While nano-pilots will complain that CCP and the whiners broke their play style it would help if those players would step back and look at what “their” play style was doing to everyone else’s.

I don’t have figures as to how many players went with the nano play style but it was a minority due to the SP and isk requirements and carried the FotM marking. It was this Skill point and isk requirement that justified the outrageous benefits of nano, at least to the players using such ships. SP and isk requirements should net the individual an advantage over players with lower levels of SP and cheaper fittings, however, the benefits were too extreme. The ability to outrun interceptors, ships designed to be the fastest class, was just the beginning. Even if the Interceptor got within range to do its job it had to face the superior firepower and defenses of one or more nanoships. Ships that knew the biggest threat on the field was an interceptor left unchecked.

The resulting death of the Interceptor didn’t require a crystal ball to predict. From my personal experience in 0.0, going against the Triumvirate alliance, I can recall several fights where Roadkill Interceptor pilots “suicided” their Interceptors, declaring it a suicide run before attempting to catch a nanoships. There were times 2 out of 3 interceptors were destroyed before the survivor got within web range. Once the web was in play the rest of our ships waiting had to warp to the interceptor immediately before he too was destroyed. It was obvious at that point that nanos and interceptors were busted and needed to be fixed.

Many nanopilots abused the idea of “adapt or die”, on the forums. The means to counter nanoships was limited. This limitation was game breaking when it comes to PVP. Every class below that of a Battleship was rendered useless by the presence nanoships. Even a BS couldn’t ensure the death of a nanoship. Instead it was able to force a small group of nanoships to back off, forcing them to consider finding smaller targets. This wasn’t adaptation, this was nothing more than a band-aid. True adaptation would have been beyond the means of the players as true adaptation would be creating longer range webs/scrams, faster missiles, faster drones with longer ranges and improved tracking systems.

Unfortunately true adaptation was in the hands of the Devs and not the players. Therefore the majority of the PVP playerbase was held hostage by CCP’s lack of action and the abuse of CCP’s mistakes at the hands of “nano-pilots”. Unfortunately the problem was allowed to exist long enough to be regarded as a “playstyle”. Thankfully CCP got off its ass and broke up the nano problem. This death of a single “playstyle” normally using a single class of ship is a fair trade as all other classes are now free to be used in PVP once more, including the interceptor. However the length of time it took for CCP to actually address this problem should be cause for concern.

“WTH did you do to my Missiles?!?!?!??!”

No, that isn’t what I said, instead it a title of a thread in the Eve-O forum that sums up the shock of a lot of Caldari pilots. The changes appear to be drastic, that’s because they are. The changes appear to hit all aspects of missiles including the use of the various T2 ammo types. The biggest complaint is not about what the nerf has done to the PVP aspect of missiles, instead the uproar is about the effect it has on PVE.

CCP didn’t make any radical changes to missiles, instead they refined them. Torpedoes and Cruise missiles are not quick or nimble types of “missiles” in real life. Cruise missiles are normally used against stationary targets such as buildings. Torpedoes are not going to be used against speed boats due to the time it would take for it to reach its target. While I myself use both and hate the idea of being nerfed, the change makes sense. If you want to hit a fast moving target you should use something designed for speed that can adjust as quickly as the target can change direction, not something with the maneuverability of a Freighter.

Those complaining about the nerf are taking it personally, as though CCP had it in for them. What the nerf to missiles is meant to do is allow smaller ships to participate in PVP. It wasn’t intended to nerf anyone’s PVE. As a FW participant I have no problem with the change as it will allow additional ship types to have a fighting chance. For pirates this means additional targets. For alliances it may mean new members with greater levels of PVP experience. For all of us it means PVP will no longer be restricted to a choice between a BS or nanoship. Players choosing to use lighter ships will gain the benefit that should have been theirs’ all along. That benefit is the inherent difficulty of hitting a small, fast and maneuverable target with large weapons designed to attack large targets.

For those that still wish to complain, I would suggest investing in a Target Painter as it increases the signature radius of the target. This mysterious piece of gear will allow your larger missiles to do more damage than without it. There are also target painting drones that can be used in conjunction or in place of a mid-slot eating TP. A webifier will allow you to slow down your target which will further increase the damage you will do per missile. In a PVP situation you should take advantage of a lighter ship’s small capacitor by using an Energy Neutralizer, NOS or Energy Neutralizer Drones. Sapping the target’s capacitor will force their After-Burner or Microwarp to shut down reducing their top speed drastically. If one was to combine a Target Painter, webbifier and energy neutralizer, either on their own ship or spread throughout their group, you will likely find that the missile nerf is nerfed by a little thinking and preparation.

… but my Medium drones?

The medium drone nerf was part of the death of the nano “playstyle”. Medium drones played a big role in destroying many interceptors making a futile attempt to fulfill their intended role. The drone nerf follows in the footsteps of the missile nerf, reducing the damage larger weapon systems deal to smaller ships then they were designed to defeat. For those running Ravens in L4s this is another hit to their ability to destroy the smaller rats which is bound to fuel even more complaints about the recent change. Of course Mission running Ravens are not the only ship hit by the recent change as all races, cruisers and up, use medium drones extensively.

Medium drones needed to be nerfed if order was to be restored to PVP in the EVE universe. CCP needed to make sweeping changes if smaller ships were ever to become viable once more. To quote the patch notes put out by CCP, “The optimal signature radius has been increased to 125m and increased tracking by a factor of 1.2x giving a change of -42.4% against smaller targets.”. One would do well to look at what CCP said the change consists of and find a way to negate it, if you wish to restore the destructive capability that medium drones used to have against smaller targets. The signature radius of the target and the tracking of the drones are the key. As we covered above when going over the missile change, a Target Painter will increase the signature radius of the target but another piece of gear will further help beat down that 42.4% difference. An Omnidirectional Tracking Link will reduce the impact of the nerf by increasing both the range and tracking of your drones making this piece of gear a “must have” on dedicated drone ships.

My opinion regarding the nerfs

“A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future.”~General George Patton.

CCP could learn a lot from the quote. All of the negativity regarding the nerfs and the “playstyle” could have been avoided had CCP put together a “good plan” and introduced it instead of waiting to find the “perfect plan”. CCP could have changed some values as a quick fix until they came up with the perfect plan. People would have complained, sure, but CCP would have given some relief to those who saw how game breaking nano was. Would it make sense to withhold help to someone in need, just so you can give them something better at a much later date? Would you pass on giving a starving child a ham sandwich while you prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for him 2 months down the road? Would forgo first aid if you were cut because you would rather wait 3 hours once you reached an Emergency Room? The child would have starved to death and you would have bled out if you followed CCP logic when it came to the nano nerf. I hope that CCP might read this article, this point in particular in hopes that they will realize a stream of constant, even if small, tweaks applied against a problem will beat waiting for the perfect fix.

Also, CCP shouldn’t appear paralyzed in fear of pissing off a handful of players, they need to remember they are the ones in charge of developing the product. Those crying about nerfs will eventually calm down and go to the next flavor as soon as someone bothers to look for it instead of screaming. At the same time individuals need to realize that CCP is still running a business, even if the Devs can drink you under the table or scarf down more pizza then you. This means CCP must do what it needs to keep the game balanced for all customers and this means allowing all ship types to remain competitive. For without competition there is no “PVP”, there is no proving who is better then who. If that is the case then those who will scream and shout at those who hated nano, as well as what it stood for, must take a serious and hard look at moving onto Hello Kitty Online for their “PVP” fix. As for CCP it needs to consider a Designated Dev program where 1 stays sober to watch over EVE while the rest go out and party.

The Extras…

A lot of players are going to immediately dismiss the addition of certificates and medals as a waste of server space. In a way its true as it does not directly affect how the game is played, at least for those with experience. Most of these players are bound to have been in EVE for years. But these additions are in fact aimed at the newer players and its goal is to fuel them on. To fuel the newer players to get deeper into EVE, to get them hooked as opposed to confused, frustrated and abandoning the game. While people gloat about the difficulty of learning how to play EVE it is something that can and will hold the game back. Additional revenue leads to additional staff to work on projects ruled out due to time or financial requirements. In game it also reduces competition in every aspect of EVE. With some help and encouragement even reformed wow players have the potential to become a PVPer or next billion isk Industrialist. It is this encouragement to delve deeper into the game that CCP clearly sought when developing certificates and medals.

Certificates

Certificates is a long needed change to EVE for all new players. Even when they are in a player run corp and have friends that have been playing for a while, new players can still get lost in the flood of skills they can start training. It is this wide array of skills backed by EVE’s skill training system that can leave new players frustrated. In order to help new players beyond the basics of moving and fitting a ship CCP needed to give new players some direction with skills. While new players are free to train what they want, when they want, the bulk of new players will want a training plan. Certificates deliver this guide to skill training.

Now new players will start with a greater number of SP then most of us but also smarter skill training. Certificates gives new players direction but also accomplishments to help get them fired up about the game. These accomplishments will also allow CEOs to track the progress of newer members. Of course the certificates can help a CEO determine if the individual is qualified to join in the first place. This gives players in EVE a way to be transparent when needed. Transparency is often times needed in order to gain trust, something that is hard to do in a game riddled with alt-spies.

While some could suggest that programs like EVEMON make the additions of certificates unnecessary, I have to mention that I have met a number of players that never heard of the program. Even with EVEMON, as great as it is, it only helps those that already have an idea of what they want to do in game. Most of the times players will find their niche on accident as opposed to long term planning. Things change and Certificates gives new players immediate goals. Goals they can work on and achieve sooner rather than later all while building up their skills in a way that will better help the player in the long run, by avoiding useless skills. The certificate itself is a sign of progress that is real. Seeing real signs of progress is a sure fire way to encourage individuals forward, in game and in real life.

Medals

Medals are similar to certificates as they can be awarded to players when they meet certain goals in the game. A corp that sets up a line of medals for reaching certain marks will undoubtedly encourage new members to make efforts to gather as many as possible. Medals are nothing more than carrots but these carrots will help corps and CEOs move their members in the direction they want without the use of the stick.

One of the first things I did after logging in after QR was released was to poke away at the medal creation process. There is a nice array of options to generate a medal. It’s unlikely to see similar medals in different corps due to the variety in medal items, ribbon options and colors. The only complaints I have about the medal creation process is requirement to click 1000 times to reach the final item and the lack of colors for the items on the medal itself. Personally I don’t like being restricted to bronze, silver, gold and I suppose platinum. Hopefully additional designs will be added down the road. Even though I have complaints about medals, they are small and take nothing away from this cool little addition to the game.

In the end Certificates and Medals are nothing more than psychological tools. While people can easily dismiss them I would suggest that CEOs avoid doing such. I have seen how small goals have encouraged people to break out of their normal play styles or methods both in game and real life. Medals can be used to fuel competition among other members. Medals can be created for bagging 20 kills or for attending mining ops. Medals can also display the level of PVP experience a corp has which may deter some from attacking or at the least encourage your members to stand and fight with the knowledge that their corp mates will be there with them. Medals could also be given out when a player acquires an Elite certificate, the possibilities are limited only by the CEO and the corp wallet. In my opinion Medals and Certificates are 2 additions worthy of being “expansion” material as they increase the level of immersion in EVE.

Pilot license extensions

In a past article I covered the possibility of increasing the prices of GTCs through fraudulent threads in the time code bazaar. Unfortunately many people were unable to comprehend such an obvious flaw in the system. Instead they suggesting that it was 100% “supply and demand” and completely ignored the possibility that someone could use their many alts to create bogus threads selling non-existent GTCs to their alts. CCP had no verification system in place to ensure that any thread advertising the sell of a GTC did in fact have a GTC. There was no way for players to know if the person buying a GTC for 50mil more than normal was in fact real or an alt. Basically the Time Code Bazaar was begging for price gauging.

The point wasn’t to criticize true supply and demand based prices. Nor was it suggesting CCP create a fixed price for a GTC sold for isk. The point was to criticize CCP’s lack of effort to ensure the players that it was 100% supply and demand effecting GTC prices. QR delivered a system in which all parties are able to track the volume and average going rate of units that are actually sold. This isn’t to say that the system is fool proof as anyone is able to sell to their own alt at whatever price they want. Since the transaction is between a single person the isk stays with the seller/buyer. Since the PLEX can be traded, put in a contract and sold on the market until a player applies the time to the account, a single card could be made to look like 20 being sold to actual customers. With each hand off of the PLEX a greedy seller could slowly raise the price.

The addition of the PLEX card is a positive change for EVE as it streamlines the GTC trade. Unfortunately I am left wondering how many will resist the thought of pumping up prices artificially. Also we have yet to see the reintroduction of the true 30day GTC as well as the good ol 90day GTC. CCP took a step in the right direction and I as well as others hope they continue to do so by reissuing 30 and 90day gtcs. Hopefully there will be a slight discount for the larger GTCs as it could help reinvigorate the GTC trade and help restore some of the lost revenue due to a flood accounts going inactive.

Weapon Linking

Weapon linking is something that may or may not mean much to the individual. I myself find it as a nice idea but nothing special. As a fan of BattleTech and Mechwarrior video games and virtual world, I find the idea of linking one’s weapons together as an old one. I remember the first time at a virtual world in Pasadena, California with 2 of my good friends. Unfortunately the pods resembled crates that were painted black but that was soon forgotten as soon as I was inside and the side was sealed as my screen and controls came to life. Within seconds I was linking like ranged weapons together without instructions, a tutorial or even mention that it was even possible. It just seemed so obvious and natural, being a big fan of the tabletop for years certain got ideas into my head that made me react when finally in what is as close to a RL Battlemech anyone will get into in our lifetimes. Unfortunately CCP didn’t seem to have a single BattleTech player within the group. Never made a trip to a Virtual World center and never played a round or two of awesome mech combat with a flood of lit up buttons surrounding them.

In EVE weapon linking means little to me. It saves me the effort of mashing my hand over F1-F8 with a single move by allowing me to arrange my Raven’s launchers to F1. But there is a significant positive associated with weapon linking. Linking allows players to quickly change ammunition types for all like weapons with just a few clicks as opposed to a few clicks per weapon. The difference can mean little in PVE but during PVP, when your able to swap ammo out, it can mean squeezing off 1 round or a full barrage. It also creates a true “alpha strike”(have I mentioned I am still a big fan of the BT Collectable card game??).

Weapon linking can be of dubious value depending on who you talk to. However there is one aspect of weapon linking that all of us can agree is worthwhile. That aspect is the impact it will have on the server. The amount of “instructions” being fed to the server will be reduced by 1 -7 or more per player per weapon cycle. While it may mean little to a miner or PVEr in some out of the way system the difference can mean life or death for those in a fleet battle. This makes weapon linking a hybrid of sorts. Its part in-game feature, part patch which makes it interesting once it is examined. While I don’t feel it is exactly “expansion” material it is definitely an interesting addition not because of its in game effect but the dual nature of the change.

Conclusion

Quantum Rise delivered on a few things CCP can honestly say are expansion material. We saw the release of a new ship which resulted in the creation of the new “sub capital” class giving potential rise to combat variants. CCP delivered a blow against the moon mineral monopoly, easing the stranglehold and influence they have on T2 components. The changes to the Transport Ships will help merchants get their goods through hotspots to supply out of the reach systems. It also gave players a means by which to measure their skill training progress. It also pushed EVE closer to the 1 handed play style of traditional MMOs with weapon linking.

At the same time we received things that were needed but do not qualify as “expansion” material. Those changes would be Stackless IO, the nanonerf and a freighter full of fixes and dead bugs. Unfortunately lag is always going to be an issue with the game and steps taken to keep it under control should never be seen as an expansion, instead they should be released as soon as it is available. Lag can break a game but never makes one. The reduction of lag is closer to maintenance than anything else. You can give us tons of new stuff but if we are to lagged to use it the new content is worthless. The nano nerf was needed for far too long, as I said before, and CCP should never withhold a balance patch that is as game breaking as nanoships were. CCP did no one a favor by ignoring the problem for so long when a few changes could have been made quickly before anyone would have ever complained about the death of a playstyle. Most of the fixes were for things I have never encountered but for those that were plagued by such they are welcomed changes.

QR falls short on delivering what “Midas” was promised to be, an expansion aimed at the Industrialist. 1 POS addition, 1 mining aid of a ship, transport ship modifications and the cracks in the moon mineral monopoly were steps in the right direction. Unfortunately it did absolutely nothing to bridge the gap between a transport ship and a freighter. It didn’t introduce new asteroids, ores or minerals. The possibility of new asteroids could have been numerous even with preexisting minerals. A new ore could have delivered even a trace amount of megacyte , low sec could have received more condensed materials to help lure out empire mining corps. CCP could have delivered a hybrid mining ship. A ship that has decent defense and some light offensive weapons but still capable of mining like a barge. Of course the ship would trade a strip miner and cargo capacity for additional survivability. Such a ship alongside condensed ores could lure out a large number of mining groups as it would reduce the need for an escort who would be bored off their ass.

As a standard expansion QR again fails to deliver as there were no new combat ships introduced. We don’t really need T3 to be introduced yet, we could use additional T1 ships of all shapes and sizes. Imagine if EVE was real, is it hard to see a mega corp taking good things about Caldari ships and mixing them with the positives of Amarr or Gallente? The challenge would be to mix the flavor of 2 empires without creating a ship to powerful, costly or rare. Another path would to create new ships that simply use weapons the empire normally wouldn’t use. These ships could be justified in the storyline as attempts for megacorps to lure podpilots of another empire away with shiny new ships. T1 mining frigates could be turned into T2 logistic ships along the lines of electronic attack frigates. Smaller web drones could have also been added. Basically CCP could have added any number of new ships to help boost the level of expansion material within QR.

Faction warfare got absolutely nothing. QR was aimed at Industrialists, the players that generate the ships and gear used in PVP. FW has fueled the use and abuse of T1 and T2 ships and mods of all sizes. It seems logical to add to FW content and stick with the ideals of “Midas” by finding ways to mix the 2 together. A simple idea would involve control of a system for X amount of days would spawn slightly better asteroids, even in small amounts. Maybe a slight boost to production capability if the player was an active participant in FW, requirements would need to be in place to ensure they are actively participating instead of sitting behind friendly lines. FW could have also been expanded outside of the goals of QR but alas CCP did nothing.

….In the end Quantum Rise was a nice idea but like most nice ideas it doesn’t mean much without the actual delivery. I would like to thank CCP for fixing problems in their game, unlike sony online entertainment. But next time call things what they really are so we don’t get to excited only to be left wondering where our content is. In the end QR is the equivalent of a kid being told they are going to Disneyland only to find that his parents have taken him to the local Home Depot. Home improvements are great but it sure doesn’t beat a good spin on the ol’ Tea Cups.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

Quantum Rise or Falling?

I myself have been running 1+ accounts for a year off of GTCs purchased with isk. I have bought a combination of 30 and 90 day GTCs for my 1+ accounts (actual numbers withheld due to normal eve induced paranoia;) ). I have watched the prices swing in favor of the buyer and then to the seller and back again. I have also noticed that the difference stays within + or – 50million isk. While not the most seasoned timecard bazaar inhabitant I would say that I have avoided getting ripped off but also offered the GTC seller a fair trade 100% of the time.

Onto the subject at hand, within the past week I decided it was time to recharge my 1+ accounts so I wondered to the bazaar to scope out the prices. I was shocked by what I saw. The prices of GTCs were slowly climbing up from their past maximums to obscene new heights! As most know CCP has replaced the 30 and 90 day GTC with the 60 day GTC. The 60 day GTC started its life between the old 30 day and 90 day GTC prices but eventually assumed the price of a 90 day GTC. The 90 day ran between 350mil with a “maximum” of 400mil.

I say “maximum” as those sellers attempting to squeeze another 10mil more were scoffed at and found their threads at the bottom of page 10 within the hour, in the days of the 30 & 90day GTC. I was shocked to find threads advertising 60 day GTS averaging 450mil and upwards of 500mil! All for 33% less game time then the same amount of isk would have bought you at the beginning of this year. The climb started at what is now considered to be an innocent 410mil but soon snowballed into 475 and up all within a matter of days stabilizing at 450mil.

I have seen people attempt to explain away the increase in the price of a 400mil GTC that has lost 1/3rd of its game time by pointing to the price of oil. They have also pointed to the economy over here in the United States. While the economy in the U.S. does have an effect on other markets as does the price of a barrel of oil no one seems to bring up the loss of 30 days of game time.

To be honest I cannot look at the majority of the EVE community and take anything they say about how RL markets are somehow effecting GTCs even remotely serious, not without a barrel full of salt. My experience with the market in EVE is that the mindless outnumber those of us able to do some basic math. So I take the RL economy and oil explanation and throw it out the window. I know it landed somewhere near the “I mined it so I can say how much tritanium is worth based off of what I THINK MY TIME IS WORTH!” line that is repeated by many a market reject.

The real world economy shouldn’t have such a significant role in the price of a GTC. I know many will suggest that their RL income is buying them less, as though that explains the price of a GTC today. If we were to really look at the suggestion that someone’s RL income is buying them less today then it was before the spike in oil prices and shake up in the U.S. market and ripple effect in other areas of the world, we would come to a question. That question is, ”why, in a world where you are paying more for the same or less goods do you expect that you should somehow receive MORE for your RL money in a game?”

EVE is a game, it is not some kind of alternate universe where you can go and get more for your money to sidestep the changes in prices in the real world. I cannot walk into a store today and demand that I get not just 1 shirt for the going rate of last year but also a 2nd shirt for free. I cannot do that in a market, suggesting I will receive 3 pounds of beef for the price of chicken 2 years ago. I just cannot go and make insane demands that will net me prices from before the recent price increases so I might as well start making even more insane demands just for the hell of it! Unfortunately we are all paying more for less in every aspect of our lives right now and EVE shouldn’t be the exception. Not that I would endorse a raise in subscription fees.

The reason EVE shouldn’t be the exception is because the isk people want to trade their GTCs for needs to be made. That means someone has to do something in the game to earn that isk. Since the price of oil jumped, CCP did not add anything to EVE to help people make more isk, faster. That means the time it takes to grind 400mil through L4 missions still takes the same amount of time it did at the beginning of this year. Miners did not receive a buff to their yield or additional mining laser hardpoints. Those manufacturing did not see their BPO mineral requirements shrink. Those players working the markets are still receiving the same level of profits as before. Basically making isk in EVE has not changed in volume or the speed in which it is made.

In the real world people did not get a buff to their paycheck to negate the increase of prices of the things they need. Unless you’re the CEO or owner of a business you would be laughed at in one way or another for believing you are entitled to more money because the price of oil went up or a shake up of the U.S. economy, regardless of where you are from. The work you are doing remains the same as it was before the oil price increase, you are still compensated the same even if it doesn’t buy you as much as it did before.

People should not look at EVE and suggest that the same amount of isk is going to buy you less in the RL, that would be thinking backwards. Even though it is backwards thinking, people need to keep in mind that those using isk to buy a GTC are getting less game time for the same price they used to pay for 30days more in the recent past. People looking to trade a GTC for isk should have to think that their paycheck is, just like everything else, going to get them less then before. The 30day reduction in that GTC doesn’t apply to them, instead the amount of isk they receive should be less.

I might have to put it in an extreme way for some to understand. If CCP were to dump the 60day GTC and to make a 1day GTC and only a 1day GTC, people shouldn’t expect 400+mil for that 1 day GTC. Instead they should receive 1/90th of the isk they would get for a 90 day GTC. If the price of oil were to jump, the GTC trader should receive a bit less isk, assuming the RL market were to even have an effect on EVE. No one should have any sympathy for anyone attempting to twist RL economics in with EVE to demand more isk for a GTC with 30 fewer days. Regardless of their skill in sophistry.

90 day cards went for 350-400mil, I know that from my personal experience. Others have also suggested the same lows and highs for the same GTC. We know that people are getting less for their money in the real world due to the economy and oil. We know that people are not getting buffs to their paychecks to negate the price increases on all fronts. We also know that CCP has not changed the mechanics for making isk nor the speed of doing so. We also know that CCP has left players with just the 60day GTC. So what in the world would suggest that a 60day GTC should receive the maximum price of a 90day GTC? What would cause people to believe that giving 1/3rd less should net them another 100mil over the max price of a 90day GTC?

I am left with 4 possibilities, GTC buyers, GTC sellers, gold farmers and CCP. These 4 possibilities are likely to be feeding off of each other directly and or indirectly. These 4 are the possible reasons GTC prices have reached a level that should make a level headed, clear thinking player’s head spin or at least cause them to say “WTF!?”.

I’ve already pointed out the flaws in the logic of the GTC sellers that assume they should receive more for less, at a time where RL says otherwise. So I’ll point out what is wrong with the GTC buyers. Those players that are actually buying a GTC for 450mil are screwing themselves as well as everyone else that wishes to keep their sub afloat by purchasing GTCs with isk.

By purchasing for 450 you validate that price and encourage other sellers to follow suite. 450mil becomes the average and the old high of 400mil and anything below 450 is considered low even if it is 430mil. Worst of all a new high will emerge and we see that in the “wts: 60day for 500mil” threads. If this trend continues within a months 500mil will become the new low. Anyone suggesting such thinking is crazy I would like to remind them, again, that 90days used to go for 350 with a max of 400mil, as opposed to 60days for 450.

Those looking to purchase a GTC with their isk need to realize something. Isk will always be in demand as long as there are people playing EVE. CCP has not given you new ways to make isk that is faster and easier then 6 months ago. CCP has added what some call an isk sink which is Faction Warfare. While FW did invigorate some areas of the market we have seen prices decline at the same time. This decline in prices balances out the increased demand for T1 and T2 gear and ships. I know this from personal experience.

L4 mission runners should still average anywhere from 10 mil an hour up to 15mil. Not every player looking to purchase a GTC has an army of BS flying alts, so to bring up what could be made with 1 or 2 alts is unfair to the average isk earned per hour by most players.

Mining in highsec is near pointless, mining in lowsec can be as dangerous or boring as 0.0 with less isk per hour. Mining in 0.0 can be nice or impossible depending on how your alliance is doing, anyone out there on their own is suicidal though I know a few will suggest that its possible. Again CCP has added nothing to increase the isk brought in per hour of mining.

When CCP has not introduced anything to increase your isk flow, I have to ask why in the world would you consider giving increasing amounts of it away for a GTC, especially for 30 days less? Those buying GTCs shouldn’t feel as though they are at the mercy of the GTC sellers. The GTC sellers are just as much at the mercy of the buyers as buyers are to the sellers. People need to start demanding lower prices. If no one does then we will soon consider 450mil as a cheap price as opposed to outrageous. Both sellers and buyers of GTCs need to find a happy medium. Remember, those looking for isk have only one other source for it and that source will get them banned if caught.

Those buying GTCs to trade for isk are saying that they do not wish to spend the time to grind the isk or may not have the capability to do so. There should be a premium to be paid. This all reinforces the idea that both buyers and sellers should find a medium which is fair to both sides. If such cannot be struck then those selling GTCs will find fewer players interested in trading half of a capital ship for 2 months of time, as opposed to 3 months. Soon the red gold farmers will be the only choice and we know where that will get you.

Next we have to look at the “gold farmers” and their role in this mess. Farmers are still rampant in EVE. I know I have reported some macro miners in the past and received nothing from CCP about it. This feeling of disconnect does not cause the player base to stay vigilant because they feel that they are being ignored and wasting their time by reporting such players. The fact that players can stay in NPC corps indefinitely does not help the playerbase attack this problem at the source, getting some vigilante style justice.

While the change to high sec suicide ganking isn’t necessarily bad in my book, I can see it creating a safer haven for macro miners by punishing players looking to do CCP’s job for them. Though popping a hulk is merely a pinprick it is still more then players are seeing from CCP.

“Gold farmers” will always have the advantage in isk flow over your average Eve player. If a player is running 1 mission running account it should be assumed that there are no less then 4 being run by a gold farmer. For every player operated mining barge, assume there are 4 more being run by gold farmers. If your average Joe in EVE can offer you 400mil for a GTC it took him at least 4 times more time to grind then a gold farmer. Which if you were to take a look into the “Rookie help”, channel recently you would see that 1.1billion isk is being offered for the same price as a 60day GTC.

No GTC seller should ever look at the amounts being offered by the farmers and believe they should get that much in a legit trade. Your average EVE player is always going to be at a disadvantage when going against what gold farmers are offering. If a player is looking to buy isk they need to consider the sources and the consequences of their actions. If you want a huge sum of isk but with a risk of being banned then you’ll choose to go with the farmers. If you want a legitimate trade then you need to realize you will receive a fraction of what the farmers could offer you for the same amount of RL money. It might not look like a fair trade but then again gold farmers aren’t here to abide by the EULA nor do they care if players are receiving 60days instead of 90 days of game time in a trade.

Next on the list is CCP itself. While I respect CCP for their business model of giving players free expansions while others charge you, superior customer service to that of sony online entertainment as well as constant upgrades to hardware as well as the game itself, I have a problem with how they do a few things. These problems with CCP have to do with how GTCs are traded, advertised as well as the ever present gold farmers and their “diplomatic immunity” of sorts.

First off I like the idea of being able to trade in game money to keep my sub open. However I have a problem with how it is done. As it is now anyone can start a thread suggesting they are selling a GTC for any amount of isk they wish. No one verifies that the supposed GTC even exists, prior to the creation of the thread. There is also nothing to prove to the legit players that a GTC was actually traded for the advertised price, as no one verifies the transaction actually took place. Gold farmers, greedy GTC sellers and your average asshat have the ability to artificially jack up the prices of a GTC all without ever having to purchase one.

Players looking to trade their hard earned isk for game time are left in the dark. Should we believe everything we see in the timecode bazaar or put on our tin hats and wait? Eventually players will run out of sub time and the pressure is on to make a decision, do we fuel a possibly fraudulent price increase or do we set up a long skill and hope a buddy can start a thread for us later on, since CCP doesn’t allow unsubbed accounts to post at the very least in the timecode bazaar. That is something that should also be reconsidered.

CCP needs to take the secure method a step further. Not only do we need CCP to continue the secure transactions we need a change that will kill any doubt, mistrust between GTC sellers and buyers. What we need is the timecode bazaar to be introduced into EVE’s ingame market. Instead of looking on the forum starting a thread with a limited number of daily bumps for each thread, integrate GTC trading to the marketplace. Allow players to sell a GTC the same way they would any other item in game, from missiles to minerals.

This change would allow players who are looking to sell a GTC to post and compete with each other. All the while those looking to buy a GTC with their isk will have to compete with other buyers as well. This competition on both ends will balance what a GTC is worth. Not only will up to date prices be shown but players can then look at the prices a GTC was going for a few months back and find a true average, this will without a doubt promote a fair trade between sellers and buyers of GTCs. Of course GTCs on the market would need to be global as opposed to region wide, doing such will help avoid adding to the likes of Jita in some form or another.

In order for a player to sell a GTC they must first purchase one and verify said purchase with CCP before they can put it on the market. By forcing players to verify that they do in fact own a GTC we avoid the possibility of false threads working to raise the average going rate of a GTC of X amount of days. I believe by doing such will help keep the isk price of a GTC in check. It will be the death of “wts 60day gtc for 500mil” threads with 20 people supposedly lined up to jump on such an obscene price, with their alts of course.

While integrating the bazaar with the in game market will take a while there are things CCP can do to help remedy the situation sooner. CCP needs to force players to choose 1 character on their account to use in the forum. If there is anything CCP can actually learn from the much maligned sony online entertainment operation is that forcing players to choose 1 name per account regardless of number of alts on said account is a good thing. It reduces the amount of trolling, flaming and bsing done on the forum. Players are forced to either go with an unknown alt and never have a word they said attributed to their main or risk their main starting some shit their corp can’t handle, by running their mouth on the forums. CCP Force players to make a choice.

Even though there are many players with 2 or more accounts, forcing them to choose 1 character per account reduces the number of alts posting on the forum by 2 per account. If we were to take the average number of accounts logged into Tranquility at any given time and multiply that by 3 we would end up with a total of 45,000+ possible alts. 45,000 alts capable of posting on the forum is a large amount! I know there are many more accounts then 15k and the number of alts able to post as things are now is staggering. It is this massive number of alts capable of posting that can be used to artificially raise the prices of GTCs either by gold farmers or dirty GTC sellers. This of course ignores the fact that players can recycle 2 of their alts in 24 hours per account further increasing the number of possible false sellers and buyers.

In addition to this CCP could and should help the players regulate gold farmers. CCP should always do everything it can to find and ban those going against the EULA but they should allow players to wardec obvious macro miners. Not everyone will like this idea, especially solo players but CCP should make a player’s stay in an NPC corp a temporary one. Players should have the option of staying in an NPC corp for 3 to 6 months, no more, the entire lifetime of the account. After their stay has run its course players are released into the world on their own as free agents. They can always choose to stay solo or join a player corp. Nothing would change when it comes to joining a player corp except they become free agents again if they decide to leave. As a free agent players are seen as 1 man corporations by Concord and all game rules are adjusted accordingly.

This free agent, 1 man corp, idea would change the game for macro miners without a doubt. While it might sting those solo players with a big mouth the majority of those affected will be tied to illegal isk sales. Players will then be able to wardec these players without interference from concord or worrying about their sec rating. This will force gold farmers to constantly be on the move or see their ship losses starting to stack up and their time outside of a station decreased. The long term effect will be a reduction in gold farmers operating in EVE as they find its difficulty infinitely harder then dealing with an ore thief. The illegal isk will soon start to dry up until the farmers realize they should move along to the likes of wow to make their living instead.

In the end I believe that there is a problem with the current prices in GTCs as well as how they are traded. I believe both sellers and buyers have their part in it as well as gold farmers but most of all, CCP. While it is hard to blame just 1 party over the other it is CCP that has control of the game, not the players. If CCP is truly interested in protecting its bottom line from gold farmers as well as loss of subscriptions, they need to take a good hard look at how GTCs are traded, the kinds of GTCs available and possibly the pricing for EU players as well. It is one thing to talk about it, it is another to take action. Unlike sony online I believe that CCP will take action to fix the problem, the question is how long will it take them? How many players will let their 2nd or 3rd accounts slip into oblivion before we see changes needed to assure both sides of the GTC are getting a fair trade?

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

State of the GTC

First off, A BS rat is a BS rat is a BS rat. I’ve been to 0.0, to empire, to lowsec, to empire, to 0.0 and back to empire again. When you start out playing EVE in 0.0 on day 2 of your trial and move about during the past few years, you pick up a few things…besides strippers, tourists and sheep. One thing I have learned is that the rats are equal in difficulty regardless of the security level of space and how or where they spawned. With that said a L4 BS rat of the Gurista flavor is no tougher then its 0.0 Gurista counterpart of equal value. So based on difficulty, a BS rat is a BS rat is a BS rat. This also holds true for frigates, cruisers and battlecruisers but no one complains about them.

If the difficulty of destroying any rat in X sec space is equal to that of a rat of Y sec space, why should there be a difference in the level of isk made per kill? What I have, as well as so many other EVE players, have noticed is that a BS that is harder to kill will have a completely different name as well as a change to it’s bounty. However the threads on the forum do not take a look at the difficulty of destroying the rat, merely the fact that it is worth a specific amount of isk. Normally they take the highest bounty of a L4 BS rat and flaunt it as though it was the average. There is a rather large difference between a BS rat worth 1mil and the average BS rat being worth around 650k. That to me is a big difference and over time only the most ill mannered, illogical frak-ups will attempt to argue against it.

2nd, most BS rats in L4,empire missions do not hit the 1mil mark as mentioned above. However in 0.0, both times and in different regions, anything under a mil was considered a joke by the locals. Even 1 mil was seen as “cheap” and no better then vendor trash in other mmos. There is no officer spawns to be had in Empire L4s. No phat lootz to scoop off of them either, which to cause problems between fellow ratters. Does one chain BS rats all day long or kill them all in hopes of getting that spawn with loot worth days of ratting? You will never hear 2 Empire mission runners arguing over such a subject as there is no Empire equivalent now or ever.

There is no chaining multiple BSes worth over 1mil each. It just doesn’t happen in an L4. You simply kill your blob of frigs, cruisers and sprinkling of BCs and take your 600k BSes and hope for more then one, 1mil BS. You finish the mission, turn it in and hope the next mission pays better in LP, agent payout as well as higher BS count. You either do the mission or you don’t. If you don’t like the value of the BSes in the mission you suck it up, pop them and hope for better ones next time, though you know better. The other option is to simply not do the mission and not make any isk.

That brings up the 3rd point, Empire, L4 mission loot is pure junk. When I do L4s I don’t even bother looking into the wrecks because I know already that it is nothing but junk. I have calculated that I can make more isk per hour by getting another mission instead of scooping loot and avoiding the thought of salvaging. However in 0.0 you can have officer spawns with nice loot that will have you set for some time. You can find
hauler spawns carrying a few Indy loads of tasty minerals around. Even the lowly cruisers can have items such as Arbalest heavy launchers you can sell in jita for a good 5mil on a bad day. The average, meaning the vast majority, of L4 loot is complete junk, especially compared to what you find in 0.0. Most named items commonly found in L4s don’t even sell for 50% of the mineral content’s value in either of the trade hubs. Besides how many meta 1 or 2 remote armor reppers does one need any how?

The 4th point goes into the story, the RP aspect of EVE. If I was in charge of concord or any empire I would be worried more about the BS rats that infiltrated “secure” space as opposed to those floating 100 jumps away from the nearest .5 system. Sure those pirates are bound to be causing hell for those unfortunate civilians living on backwater planets and stations but the big money is in keeping empire safe. You will never worry about Concord coming to the aid of a neutral being attacked in 0.0 for good reason. While you
wouldn’t want a pirate organization to amass a navy that could take on concord and an empire at once, it would be pointless to put a higher priority on their forces in 0.0, then those in you secure areas.

The higher bounty should actually go to the highest threat and the highest threat is the one right under your nose that you can’t catch. As opposed to the one light years away and out of your jurisdiction. So in an RP sense, like it or not, L4 BS rats would have a higher bounty then 0.0. Also from an RP aspect how likely would Concord care about what is happening outside of its sphere of influence? This idea could actually go against the value of 0.0 BS rats as opposed to being in favor of 0.0 Players farming them. But no one on the forum will dare bring up such an idea!

The 5th point is how do you view 0.0 space? Did you set out to 0.0 to make tons of isk or did you go out there for the freedom it gives you? Did you go out there to help carve out an empire created and maintained by the players involved or did you go out to become a billionaire hiding in a station and letting others do the fighting? To me 0.0 should be about player freedoms that you don’t get in Empire or even Lowsec, not to
make big money. Both times I was in 0.0 it was to work in a group with people I knew from another mmo. The 2nd time in 0.0 was also to gain access to pvp. Making isk was only something I did to make sure I had the ships needed to pvp in. I was always disgusted when I encountered players that only talked about ratting and making isk and found to be “docked up” when hostiles were intruding in nearby systems.

Better rats, better ore as well as better exploration sites should only be a fraction of the reason to be in 0.0. The main reasons to be out there is to leave Empire space and get away from the crowds, to pvp without worrying about your security rating as well. The biggest reason to be in 0.0 should be about becoming a part of a whole that is out there creating their own empire. The struggles, not just the gains should be reasons to head out to 0.0. I’m sure there would be a lot of people in the various alliances that would agree that isk shouldn’t be the biggest factor of joining an alliance.

The 6th point is why does anyone complain about L4s if they are out in 0.0? Why now, why not 2 years ago? As far as I know CCP has not done much to increase the income of Empire mission runners. Most mission runners I have met have never done a L5. The one I have met that claims to have done L5s on his own was actually making less isk per hour then he could have doing L4s. I can understand that some people believe that because they are in an area with a higher potential for risk that they should be rewarded for it.
However unless CCP increases the difficulty involved with ratting in 0.0,outside of the assumed risk of pvp, there is no reason to suggest they increase the value of BS rats more then they currently are.

Both times in 0.0 it was rare for anyone I knew to be attacked while ratting. They adhered to a few basic rules and made it safely back to a station or POS when a hostile entered the area. By “area” I mean within several jumps from the actual ratter. Those that did manage to lose a ship while ratting were those not paying attention to the various intel channels and ignored local to top it off. These ratters basically got what they were asking for. They made themselves an easy target by ignoring very basic rules. It was those players who I had absolutely no sympathy for when they lost a ship as they may as well have self destructed to save the hostile the time and ammo it took to kill them. If there is a risk to a ratter then the ratter is most likely doing something wrong. If it was not the ratter then something is wrong with the intel channels available and should be looked at by the various CEOs who want to see the tax generated isk keep rolling in. What they do with that isk is none of my business.

In the end the call to nerf L4 missions is flawed, deeply flawed. That ignores the question of what the “carebears” are doing with all of that isk they are bagging. It ignores the fact that they contribute to the access of faction gear that 0.0 players purchase off of the markets. Another question is how much fun are they having with that isk if all they are doing is sitting around in empire? Either way if 0.0 was worse then L4s, Empire corps would have a swell of players abandoning 0.0 for the lucrative missions of empire space.
Until such a ridiculous exodus takes place or a whiner comes up with a half convincing argument it is safe to say that 0.0 is still seen as the destination for making big isk and for very good reasons.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

The Value of a BattleShip … a NPC BS that is!

The idea that people can differ greatly between how they conduct themselves in the real world and in a “virtual” setting has been of interest me for some time. In a way we are all subjects of an experiment, an experiment where the goal is to see how people differ and may or may not change over time.

We all know from experience that there are people out there willing to run their mouth for absolutely no reason other then the fact that they feel safe from reprisal due to anonymity the internet affords them. These people, for various reasons, decide that its completely fine to be a complete tool for no reason other then the fact that no one can put fist to face. since the person is behind a computer monitor, in a room X amount of miles away in an unknown location he is safe while making an ass of himself.

These people are unlikely to act like such tools in real life, again, for various reasons. One possible reason that seems to make the most sense is simply because they would never get away with such things in RL or have the guts to do so. These are likely to be the people to say something under their breath and talk behind the backs of others. They want to make their moronic thoughts and feelings known but want to reduce their risk of taking responsibility for such. Of course the fact that these people don’t have the nerve to say something to another person’s face negates anything they actually have to say. They make up for their lack of spine with a big mouth.

Of course there is really little to be said for such pathetic sacks of flesh. They can run their mouth from their computer, stroke their ego to it but when they go to bed they know, as well as everyone that is witness to their stupidity knows that in RL they wouldn’t dare open their mouth to say a single word that could anger others around them. But enough about the morons that give the internet a bad name.

What this article is about is something more. It’s about what could be another positive of playing games, especially online. We all know what the detractors say about video games, that there’s to much violence, to much sex ,drugs and rock and roll(okay maybe not but they’ll have keep digging for more to attack games over.) Yet we have over the years heard low whispers about the positives that come from playing games. Instead the media and politicians and misguided groups of mothers who should be spending their time making sure their kids aren’t playing the newest Grand Theft Auto game, not by protesting but by paying attention to their children. Instead of working with game makers to create more games that bring out the positive effects of gaming while avoiding some of the imaginary negatives, they do what all forum whiners do best, cry, cry and cry some more all while ignoring the facts.

This article isn’t attempting to cover the various good games can create, instead I’d like to focus on one that is hard to gauge. That is the effects of gaming, particularly within a group with mmos being the biggest and most robust when it comes to interpersonal interactions. This article can apply to any team based game or MMO out there due to the fact that the social fabric is for the most part similar between the majority of games with slight difference due to the actual game itself.

Months ago I was talking to someone that meant a lot to me and I found myself discussing the effects of a particular MMO, www.Planetside.com (not that Soe deserves a plug but the community does) has had on my personality. The effect isn’t exactly what haters of video games would like to hear. Instead it is something that they would brush off if they were to ever come in contact with this article. I haven’t become a blood thirsty killer out to blow up nearby schools or torch innocent kittens or go play a RL game of DOOM at the local mall. People that do that are fucked in the head before they play games but their parent’s probably didn’t care to address that and game haters are looking
for something to destroy a multi billion dollar a year industry(as opposed to going after makers of cocaine).

I have to say that before I started playing PS I had some time in a small time FPS game, “small time” referring to the size of the servers, typically 15 vs 15, there on xian’s Wolfenstein servers things started to change. However it wasn’t until a year of playing PS that I started to notice the real effects the social interaction was having on my personality. I was always the quiet kid, the one that put up with more crap then he should have. The reason was that even if people were being stupid it wasn’t enough to warrant smashing their face in for it. Most people backed down before getting near that point. I used to “want” to say certain things in various situations but I just didn’t have something that would allow me to do so. Other times I didn’t act when I should have, I wanted to but I was to worried about what would happen if I did.

Things started to change, in Planetside I didn’t have to worry about what would happen if I got into an argument with someone. I was almost assured that I would never see them in RL. That anonymity that drives certain people to be obnoxious assholes over nothing can have an effect that isn’t so negative, one that some will actually find desirable. Without having to worry about what happens if tempers flare and having to base my responses on what I thought to be justified, I could say what I felt. I said what I felt because I felt sort of safe in a sense. That led to more problems with other players that are the typical anonymous asshole we tend to run into a lot while online.

This slight element of safety to say what I really thought about a situation or another person that needed to be told off led to experience. In a way this all served as practice, an exercise in letting myself respond the way I “wanted” to in the past in other situations. This practice became experience and just like in games and RL, with experience you become better at what your practicing. What I was practicing was being who I really am. The “Me” that I had restricted over the years fearing that maybe I’ll over react and hurt someone beyond the point I could justify to myself. Be it mentally, emotionally or physically.

Through playing an online game and interacting with people from different areas, different backgrounds and various personality types I was learning to let myself be myself. While there were times where the arguments were nonstop and an assumed daily affair long before logging in, I kind of reveled in the idea of such. I didn’t loathe the idea which my own personal detractors would have liked me to feel. Instead I saw it as a challenge on different levels. One was to keep in mind how little their opinions about me meant, their problems with me were based off of fiction and bruised egos. Another challenge was to stay calm and collected while still being aggressive, some thought they
had pissed me off but when they eventually realized I was relaxed and laughing at them they themselves went ballistic. Then there was the practice of ripping apart an illogical argument against me or my decisions that affected 100+ players who were on the same team as myself.

Those that could not stand me, what I stood for and my methods were digging their own holes. All of their hot air, smack talk and forming of “Anti-Rhino” cliques only made me better over time. Those that sought to silence me so that they could consolidate power and use the other 100+players on our team as nothing more then pawns eventually found themselves marginalized, discredited and for some …forgotten. The smart ones fell in line and learned how to act and accepted it. They realized that to get respect one does not demand it, instead you show it first. Perhaps they were the only child of their family and thought that throwing a tantrum was the way to move up in the world outside of the bubble their parents built around the spoiled one.

Because of the constant practice of being myself in game those that berated certain players and successfully boxed in others for no particular reason were now on the receiving end. Those that were being harassed and forced to be silent less they face a deluge of verbal abuse were finding themselves in a new situation. They were able to relax, talk and play the game and have fun like they used to. While they “wanted” to say and do things against the aggressive players they hadn’t reached the point I had. Through my gaining of experience in being myself and applying it against the hostile
personalities of others, those that were silenced were finding their own ability to speak up and speak out against the aggressive players that kept them down for so long. Once this began to happen the social aspect of the game within our “team” started to change dramatically. It became a lot more relaxed, fun and cooperative. It became a team game as opposed to a dictatorship with a small group wielding all the power.

I soon found that what was happening in game was spilling over into the real world. At various jobs I have had, I encountered people that used their position to bully others around. Some had family ties to the management while others had already established dominance over a group of other workers, some were backed by their friends who worked with them. I soon found myself acting differently, instead of grinding my teeth just waiting for someone to push things to a point where I felt I was justified in responding, I found myself just doing something about it.

Sometimes it was just firing off my own smart remarks in response to someone else’s. At other times it meant moving away from the view of security cameras where the offender was daring me to go, supposedly to fulfill their empty threats of force against me only to find me more then willing to “step outside” as well as taunting them hoping they will have the balls to at least try and make good on their promise. At other times it was merely making sure they were doing their share of the workload instead of sitting around.

Much like those in the MMO that had a problem with me, those in RL had to deal with similar changes to the situation. Those that went around making threats soon found they were the “company bitch”, the laughing stock. The weakest of the group soon found themselves taunting the one that used to control the situation. Once people found that there was someone willing to stick it to the jerk they too started to find their voice and ability to speak out. They too also found that life was a lot better when you can work in peace without worrying about being pushed around by the company asshole. The jerk(s) found themselves reduced to nothing forcing some to leave the company while others
learned to accept the change and fall in line and relax with the rest of the group. A positive outcome for many due to a small change in one person in the group.

Now I don’t suggest that everyone try to go out and mimic the changes I went through, going from someone that keeps it to himself and just puts up with it, to calling out those that want to intimidate everyone into submission. Not everyone needs to work on such, instead some may have to work on controlling their temper. The changes will vary greatly from person to person. The point is that online games, including MMOs are not just breeding grounds for the idiots of the world. People, regardless of the amount of RL social interaction they may have, can find that being part of an online community can have benefits that can significantly alter the way a person approaches life and its various
situations and not just serve as a place to meet others that are into the same games your into. Even a person that is normally considered talkative and outgoing in real life can find something that they need to work on in their life. They could possibly notice they are gaining experience at being more of who they are or need to be while gaming as part of a group.

Now while it may sound like only gamers may be learning to be themselves behind the safety of an online persona, non gamers have always had their own ways of doing the same. Over the years I have talked to different people and there was one girl in particular that found her safety of a persona in a new hair style and hair color. She herself acted the same way initially but she noticed that some people were acting slightly different because of the change in her appearance. This slight change and equally small change in how others acted towards her gave her that safety similar to what we receive when logging in under a screen name into our game of choice.

From that point on that safety allowed her to act more like who she really was all along, she was gaining experience in being herself. Eventually after more time had passed and us discussing the slow changes that assuming the name of StoneRhino in Planetside(ShardowRhino in EVE) had allowed, she started to understand what she was doing with the change to her hair. My persona was online while hers was in RL but yet both had the same effects and the more we understood it the faster the changes came.
The more we looked internally the greater our certainty was that we weren’t changing into someone else, into a false version of ourselves, instead we saw that we were bringing forth the various aspects of our own personalities that for some reason or another were always kept hidden.

Some people may look at online games and think we are all simply wasting time or hiding from life. As crazy as that may sound there are people that believe that and will never change. However that is their problem to deal with, while there are cases of addiction which is obviously a negative effect of gaming on some out there, its not true for everyone that picks up a controller or takes to a keyboard and mouse combo. While people may see us BOOM(!!!) headshotting noobs all day long, blowing stuff up, slaughtering mystical critters wholesale or playing Internetspaceships and never get past the surface appearances, some of us know better. For some, if not most of us are slowly changing for the better.

People that may have always been picked last in gym class and never captain of any team may be learning leadership skills while running a squad, fleet or any other form of player grouping. Those that were always the best at everything they did may find they are a noob and will learn how it is to be at the bottom of the food chain and learn to respect others more. Younger gamers may be finding that paying attention in class pays off even while gaming and that people do talk about what they learned in history class on a normal basis! Female gamers will learn that not every guy is going to be hitting on them and will learn what its like to be “one of the guys” and to be respected for their skill instead of the physical. People from different countries will eventually have an interesting conversation with a gamer from the side of the world and find similarities as well as interesting differences.

The possible, positive changes are many and would be beyond the scope of my article to cover even a fraction of them. However, when you next log into your favorite games, take a second to think about the things you have learned about yourself and about others over the years. Also know that as anti-social some people think gaming is, such thinking is far from the truth.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

Growing Behind a Digital Mask

The end to pvp is not coming. I know a lot of you were hoping it was so you can indulge your secret fantasies of being a female night elf archer bouncing around a fairy infested forest and picking flowers to make “fancy perfume level 10”. Your excuse to abandon ship, that you were forced to “resort” to playing a fantasy mmo has yet to materialize. So settle down, shut the frak up and read before thinking of a name for your guild.

I’ll start with what is likely to be the least controversial change coming up, the high sec ganking nerf. Some people are wondering why Concord would respond faster then in the past. Why would there be a bigger sec hit when attacking someone in 1.0 as opposed to .5? It’s rather simple. Ganking someone in highsec is an “illegal” act as far as concord is concerned, that would cause them to respond. The patch will cause concord to respond realistically, if you were to stop and think about it. I being from the U.S., in California, I have been to various areas where the police presence varied greatly. That difference in presence corresponded with the “value” of the area to the city I was in.

Over here areas such as Airports have a higher level of security then a McDonalds. City hall has a higher sec rating then the rough side of town. Banks receive priority response times as well as force level while a corner liquor store will receive a slower response with a fraction of the force of the bank response. Did the police lag? Did they not spawn enough patrol cars on accident? No, what happens in RL is areas of high value such as airports, banks and city halls receive quicker response times and with a greater level of force to any calls about a problem. Areas of lower value such as the rough side of town or a corner market are towards the bottom of the preferential treatment list. An increase in response time makes sense but so would a response time based on the security level of the system.

What we are seeing with the change to Concord is bringing them more in line with RL police forces. Punishment will be scaled based upon the value of the system. It doesn’t mean that crimes cannot be committed but simply put there will be a higher price to be paid for that crime. Much like punching a rich guy is bound to get you sued with a pack of rabid lawyers but punching a guy barely eking out a living will not get the same response. You committed a crime in a high value area, in order to keep the high value area secure the police force needs to crack down harder on any infraction. You don’t create highly secure areas by allowing people to slide, that’s how you create low sec areas. Feel free to commit the crime, just be sure you’re aware of the increased level of punishment for your choices in a high value system. Your ability to recover from your actions has been modified but the actions are still an option for you to play. Carebears still need to worry about being ganked after the change, which is far from being a “no fire zone” that they have called for in the past.

The fact that CCP has announced that the sec hit will be modified based upon the attacker and target’s sec rating, as well as that of the system leaves a lot of room for low sec hits for an attack. Not everyone is a bloody saint, not everyone grinds missions for their isk. Those that have complained the most about getting ganked in highsec seem to be industrialist moving high value goods to and from trade hubs. There is a good chance that hauler alt you’ve been wanting to gank have never been used to do a single mission and is carrying a big zero for their sec rating. Add in the fact that not all of “empire” is 1.0 space and that leaves you with a lot of areas in which to gank the hauler without taking the maximum sec hit for your act of aggression. Does it really matter if you gank the target in Jita or 3 jumps out?

Those crying that the change to hisec ganking being a sign that CCP is bowing to the carebears really need to take a look in the mirror. Attacking another player in a high security area and expecting very little to change between you and the law enforcement agency is rather “carebear” like. To expect an insurance payout for a ship that the police destroyed because you went against the laws they are there to enforce is “carebear” like. Look in the mirror and see if your starting to grow brightly colored fur and getting a desire to mine veldspar in jita.

Something I have seen in a large number of threads is, “Eve is a cold, harsh, uncaring world so get used to it”. Of course if your idea of a “cold harsh world” is one where the criminals are not punished severely then your idea of such a world is distorted. Cold and hard does not suggest it will be warm and fuzzy for the aggressor simply because he has decided to attack another person. Cold and harsh should envelope everything, every play style, every area, every player and every reaction. In short, you got your cold, harsh and uncaring world upgraded and balanced. I myself am not a hisec ganker but that does not mean I am against it. In a way it serves to shake up the safe and cozy life of some players and while they may not like it, it keeps the game semi realistic separates it from mmos that use arenas for conflict.

What does the change to high sec ganking really mean in the end? Simply put the haulers, miners and anyone else that has been ganked is still not safe. You’ll receive support sooner but it appears that the hand of God will not be reaching out and slapping the attackers as hard as in the past, just faster. Take it as a mixed blessing, faster response times but with a lighter force. For the attackers, it means you will have to rethink how you pick your targets and where you attack them. As well as question if they are worth 100% loss of your investment that is your ship. It doesn’t mean you can’t gank or be ganked in highsec, it simply means the mechanics of the gank has changed. For the better or worse is still up in the air and will likely end up being different with every gank. Maybe some of those that dread the change will find it beneficial in the end.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

Why Eve is not going the way of the carebear …

The question is no longer, “Will FW succeed?”. It is now “How big of a success is it?”. FW was a bloody success but where does one begin to explain as to how much so! It is nearly impossible to imagine a player that has not seen the effects, the changes, which FW has brought about. From the Trial players looking to emulate their favorite BattleStar Galactica players to the inner circle of leadership of 0.0 alliances FW has in some way altered the game forever.

There are some that questioned if Eve would still be “EVE”, the game that has become the sanctuary and MMO of choice for Sci-Fi fans. While it’s now clear that FW has left the “sandbox” approach to the game intact, it has in fact boosted the various aspects of the sandbox. It has done this all while introducing something new, it has brought the storyline of EVE to life. I don’t know how any TRUE fan of EVE could hate such a thing!

The word “Empire” has lost its stigma. No longer is it just the safe haven of macro miners, mission farmers and carebear hulk pilots, it has become the staging ground for fleets of full time and part time PVPers. Not comprised purely of T1 frigs and destroyers as many believed prior to FW launch, even though it’s how I roll in FW. Militia FCs, on a mission, have to state and enforce the use of specific ships because many FW pilots are looking to field their finest ships and fittings. Ships any 0.0 FC would love to have in their fleet as well as the eagerness and daring of its pilot! Of course the squads of ships that are comprised of T1 ships are setting out on a specific mission where it is a must. However its still far from uncommon to see fully decked out Recon, HACs and Command ships flying escort duty regardless. FW hotspots normally resemble 0.0 with an infusion of T1 ships piloted by eager players to “GET SOME!!!!!!”. Empire HAS without a doubt changed.

Things have changed for the “noob” or “FNG”s, whatever you like to call the players fresh out of the clone vat. I’m talking about those players looking to become the next star of their chosen profession even though they have yet to hit the 2mil SP mark. Eve itself is the most difficult MMO to get into and I’m just referring to learning the basics of traveling, using the market and equipping a ship. This fact has made more then a few players smile with a feeling of superiority over traditional MMO players. Once a player has survived the basics of Eve they are left with the burning question of,”now what do I do?”. FW helps answer that question, directly and indirectly.

The sandbox idea doesn’t stick with all gamers, even if they would enjoy the game in the long run. The reason for that is the fact that the “sandbox” is in fact alien to gaming. Not many games in the past have given the player the goal of simply doing what they like to do, something that requires time and experimentation. I myself have had the goal of blowing up every possible enemy I could find in past games where the goal was to reach the boss at the end of the level, kill him and repeat till I get the ending screen and credits rolling. That is clearly not CCP’s style.

This “alien” game style might go over well with more female gamers that are into the likes of “The Sims” and other games geared towards what the industry believes females that play games want to do. Of course there were other games in the Sim series that didn’t involve dressing characters to go dance at a nightclub, Sim Earth, Sim Ant, Sim City1-50billion as well as games as well as Theme Park, one of my personal favorites. But most gamers ignored such games in the past. Most gamers are used to having defined objectives which some eve snobs may view as below them, for Gods knows what for. FW has given new EVE players a choice to play in the sandbox how they chose by giving them the chance to have defined objectives. It is inevitable that rookies that go right into FW will eventually want to explore the rest of the game over time. FW will hold their interest until that happens and this is a good thing. Why it is might be out of the grasp of many, need I point at the blob of, “FW WILL FAIL!” threads?

I have to say that I had a good laugh when I read the ranting and ravings of the pirates and wannabes declaring FW DOA, because they were going to slaughter the FW “noobs” wholesale. Apparently being alone in low sec for a number of years has gotten to the pirates and wannabes. They all assumed that everyone that would be in FW would be players still on their 2 week trial backed up by carebears coming after them in covetors, badgers and Mission running BSes complete with a tractor beam and salvager. It seemed as though everyone and their mother decided to side with the ignorant hooting and hollering of these crystal ball viewing pirates. Clearly their crystal balls weren’t so crystal clear (maybe its sabotage?).

Even though the pirates haven’t make good on their promise to destroy FW, they, like everyone else, has benefited from FW’s release. Not all militia pilots will be traveling in a large fleet. Someone has to move goods to the front lines. Some players will still afk through low sec due to inexperience or sloppy setting of waypoints. The number of ships going through low sec has irreversibly skyrocketed. This brings an almost unheard of number of possible kills for all the opportunistic pirates out there. Should they be mad about FW? Hell no, they should embrace it. For every 10 or 20 T1 fitted ships there is bound to be a high price, e-peen boosting t2 ship for their Killboard or at least some nice t2 gear.

Even though FW fleets might have numbers on their side, as well as some ships of equal strength, the pirates still have the experience on their side. However that is bound to change as FW progresses. What was yesterday’s rookie in an overpriced ship is tomorrow’s seasoned pvp vet. Things will change and change quickly. Such will provide 3 things that will benefit the pirates.

First is a tougher challenge, lets face it a pirate that runs from a challenge is never going to be feared, famous or successful. 2nd as FW players become more confident they will most likely make some bad moves due to clouded judgment, with such comes the possibility of fat profits for the pirate at the right spot at the right time. 3rd is the possibility of new recruits, recruits with experience thanks to FW. FW will without a doubt have its share of internal strife, causing bitter rivalries which may lead players to the path of the pirate to extract revenge on militia mates of the past. How can any pirate dare to say that FW has not changed EVE and done so in a positive way with a freighter load of kills to be had and future allies?

Let’s not forget the Industrialist, the miners and manufactures, as well as the Margin Traders working the trade hubs. Without a doubt they had been given a double serving of the positive of FW’s sweeping changes to EVE. Gone are the days where Frigates and destroyers were the tools of the newest pilots only to be discarded as soon as they can pilot a Cruiser and work the Level 2 agents of their selected NPC corp. The days of frigates being merely a glorified shuttle for those of us with 3+ mil SP are fading away. So to is the loathing of the Caracal, apparently becoming the mainstay in the Caldari Militia, taking part in daring raids into the heart of Gallente space. Ships that have long been unused are now being considered and flown into the thick of combat. These ship need weapons, defenses, drones and ammo before entering the battlezone. But before this can happen the majority of Pod Pilots will need to purchase their tools of the trade.

It is the Industrialist and Margin Traders that will make things happen on the battlefields that is the Economy of EVE. Without such players the Militias of the 4 Empires would grind to a halt. Trade Hubs would wither and die. Systems will turn without the defenders able to mount a resistance. Though some view these players as greedy and selfish it is through them that goods are available in large quantities, always ready for purchase. It is through the fierce competition to make an Isk that the Pod Pilot is bound to get what he needs at a discount price at a Trade Hub. In distant systems the profit margins go from razor thin to one that resembles real life retail markup. But when you need something on the spot and immediately you can thank one of the Economic minded players for stocking the markets closer to the front line with much needed gear.

Without a doubt the Economic movers and shakers of EVE have benefited from the hellacious fighting burning 23/7 thanks to FW. It is no doubt thanks to these players that FW’s constant battles can be had thanks to their dedication to their craft. So if you see a mining barge farming a roid , the jet can next to him might be going into building your next ship that nets you your next kill or helping you score victory points for your Empire. With such a thought in mind you may want to reconsider “sampling” their ore.

While Industrial corps may be raking in the profits they may soon find themselves under fire. As the war continues to evolve and as players start to figure out the role Industrialist have to play when it comes to victory in FW, Mercenaries may find new contracts waiting to be filled. You may soon find your corp counter dec’ing those looking to besiege Industrial corporations of your Empire. Economic warfare will eventually spill out into the various systems instead of being confined to the market place.

How does FW effect 0.0 Alliances? Right now FW has nothing to do with entering 0.0, who knows what CCP has in store though. Also members of an alliance are barred from participating in FW directly. Unless alliances continuously make mistakes that lead to the destruction of their Carriers or the siege of their low sec POSes, FW’s effects are not so straight forward. Even though they are not so obvious as the benefits to the other aspects of EVE, they do exist.

It is without a doubt FW is a dream come true, albeit a bitter one, for RP alliances CVA and U’K. I have seen several CVA patrolling the battle zone, flying along side Amarr Militia fleets. I myself have received help from a CVA Nighthawk pilot when a pack of Mimtar and U’K pilots were attempting to destroy a ship of mine as I undocked in low sec. I have grinded my teeth in anger as I notice U’K pilots acting as scouts for the Mimtard militia, knowing full well my ship wouldn’t be able to tank the sentry guns as well as the slave’s ship.

While FW allows RP alliances to take part in the now living story of EVE, those that want nothing to do with Empire are still receiving benefits from FW. Some benefits such as the increased demand for all types of ships and gear which leads to t2 components flying off the shelves, fattening the wallets of alliances as they sell their rare moon minerals to the Industrialist and Traders. The other benefits have yet to emerge. Give it some time.

As time goes on and new players and reformed carebears participate in FW and get a taste for PVP, they may turn towards 0.0 alliances to further their careers. These new recruits will be more then the greedy punk looking for 0.0 ratting access, instead they will be looking for more pvp or at least a different pace of pvp. While I myself found alliance warfare to be rather slow moving (chasing 100 members of Tri back to their home will make you think that way), those that have yet to join an alliance will want to give it a shot.

These pilots will have worked as part of many fleets in FW and will know the drill. They will respond quicker then recruits of the past with higher morale and a greater appetite for destruction. They will have the drive for pvp that most recruits didn’t have before and significantly less training required. They will have learned how to build an effective ship long before joining the alliance as well. It is this experience and desire for pvp that will change how recruiting is viewed by alliances. The new guy will already have a long list of kills as well as a FW rank that will help show if they will work as part of a fleet before you accept their application.

New recruits with experience and motivation as well as some light FC experience may in fact change 0.0warfare. Where we see multiple, small, groups of ships moving through FW instead of relying purely on blob tactics, we can expect the same if they were to join an alliance. More recruits will have the initiative to create squads to drive deep into hostile territory for skirmish battles, eroding the feeling of safety some hostile alliance members have in their own space. Others will be quick to rally a defense of alliance owned systems before a long established FC tells them to.

Without a doubt these players will have a higher tolerance of risk. Where some long time alliance members might need to be shoved out of the hangar to defend, these new guys will be the first ones out and looking to make the hostiles regret even thinking of entering their space. FW may in fact alter the way 0.0 alliances fight in the future. At the very least it will create a new breed of recruits. In fact I don’t doubt that any intelligent alliance leader already has members acting as “talent scouts” within the various militias. If not then they are truly blind to what is in front of them. However the pace of POS warfare may not sit well with FW pilots but there is always a trade-off.

As you can see Faction Warfare has had an impact on EVE on all levels. Some may be negative but they are clearly offset by a greater number of benefits. These benefits will be permanent. This article hasn’t even touched on the changes that FW has had on the social fabric of EVE but perhaps at a later date. Nor has it gone in depth on the various aspects in which FW has changed the game. CCP has clearly increased all aspects of the game both directly and indirectly through the addition of Faction Warfare. This faster paced, easily accessible version of “traditional” pvp has added to the “sandbox” without destroying it. It has created that bridge from traditional ,pre-determined objective based games to the “alien” sandbox that EVE has been. With the release of FW and CCP advertising during a Sci-Fi epic, as well as the alteration to the social aspect of EVE, we will all likely see more new faces. It’s these new faces that will stick around long past their 2 week trial and eventually become the next experts in their chosen EVE profession.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

Why Faction Warfare is the best thing to happen to EVE

From the fleets roaming 0.0 fighting for glory, territory and a home to the newest participants to enter FW and everything in-between there is one thing in common. That is the use of the market to acquire the ships and mods needed to further your in game career or leaving your opponent’s a smoldering wreck. With that common bond there is a common issue for those of us that fill the hubs of Eve with the tools of destruction.

This common problem, this issue has been a major annoyance in Eve for me and I know a large number of other Industrialists as well. It has made me want to crack some skulls of the jokers that cause it and break their mother’s favorite tea set.

The problem stems from the level of pure ignorance by some that have the gull to even enter the market place. While I am openly, clearly hostile towards these players if you happen to be one I would like to invite you to read this article in hopes that you will consider what I have to say. It won’t only help other Indies but it will also fatten your wallets as well. Even the non-Industrial players will benefit as goods that are needed will always be in stock and available in a greater number of places with far more stable prices.

The problem is the number of players who short change themselves by selling goods on the market at extremely low prices. Easily solved by buying them out, right? Wrong. while it is possible it tends to require a significant investment. This significant investment is a risky due to the fact that the player you bought out isn’t the only one that can’t be arsed to use a calculator and some common sense. These others as well as the one you bought out will continue to produce goods and sell them thus making the investment a volatile one a best, due to the deluge of cheap goods and eroding profit margins.

Anyone worth a damn on the market will know that having a large stockpile of a particular item, where the prices are on a downward spiral, is bad for business. You want the goods coming in at an equal rate as they are moving out the door. Spending 10mil to buy out a player one day, only to see the value of the goods drop to 8mil hurts and continue to plummet is a nightmare. This is made worse once the new prices have taken hold where several others are selling in bulk make it impossible to reverse the situation by buying them out. Everyone has a breaking point where they have to decide to take a loss or shelve the stock and walk away.

These roving Wal-Marts in space tend to have 1 thing to say in response to the question of “why the FRAK do you do this?!?”. They recite the answer with “because I mined it myself and I have the bpo. Since all I lost was my time I feel I can decide how much my time is worth!” with robotic accuracy. I can’t help but wonder if perhaps we aren’t dealing with a swarm of like minded players but perhaps one poorly designed AI controlling a slew of computers that some how has taken an interest in Eve.

I would like to apologize to such players for what I am about to do and that is burst their warm fluffy little bubble. There is no way to truly say, “I can decide how much my time is worth.”, In the sense that they suggest. You can choose to do nothing in Eve but stare at your ship but that is a choice to pass on making X amount of isk where X is the average amount you could make per hour of activity.

Everyone in Eve has the ability to figure out how much their time in Eve is worth. Its easy since everyone in Eve needs isk, wants it, and dreams it. Take a look at your skills, your ships, your standings with various NPC corps and the security level of space you can operate in without being attacked. All of these things determine how much isk your time in eve is worth, per hour.

Are your skills geared towards combat or Industry? If you said combat then your biggest money makers will be ratting or grinding missions, maybe pirating or even mercenary work. If your skills are industrial in nature your likely to be piloting a barge, refining and producing.

For the combat orientated players your isk per hour average is going to be based on the level of missions you have access to or the sec of space you have connections in. Pirating and Mercs will have a hard time calculating isk per hour based on their chosen paths. However they will have the skills to do missions and ratting and can figure out what they could average if they chose to do so.

First rat or grind missions for an hour for a few days. Simply look over your journal and find the average of isk that you can make ratting or grinding missions per hour over the course of a few days. Ignore loot and salvage as it can vary greatly. For L4s using a single BS you will average at least 10mil an hour. The minimum and maximum will become clear once you have enough missions under your belt as well as experience in using the LP store.

The industrial players, those that mine and produce goods, take a look at your ship and its mining lasers. You will find that the lasers bring in X amount of M3 of ore per cycle. For barge pilots using t1 strip miners you’re likely to bring in around 1,000 M3 per laser per 3 minute cycle. If we are talking about a Coveter with 3x t1 strip miners that is going to average 1k M3 of ore per minute. This gives you 60k M3 per hour. Skills, gang bonuses, implants and drones will modify the numbers obviously.

Once you have figured the amount of ore you pull in per hour you can stop there and find the average going rate for that ore on the market. This is your minimum isk per hour, sort of like minimum wage in RL, you can generate while mining. But this article is about reversing the trend of short changing yourself, take note of the minimum but keep reading.

Before you start producing anything stop and find your maximum amount of isk per hour. Knowing this value will change how you see things when you produce items. You have the ore, now its time to refine, either on your own or through a friend with zero loss. Make a list of the minerals as well as the total number of units. Now open up the market window and find the minerals you have mined and check their prices one at a time.

Finding the “average” going rate of each mineral is easy. Simply look for the highest paying buy order that will take the bulk of your stock. If you check the buy orders paying slightly less you can eyeball the average buy order value of your mineral. This is the lowest you can net for your minerals.

Before you do anything else take a look at 5 of the cheapest sell orders and find the average. Multiply that value by the number of units of the specific mineral to find the maximum value of your stock. While you can sell for a higher price you’re going to be waiting for the other guys to finish selling before you see a cent. Not a good thing unless the other guys are making very little over the highest buy orders, if so they will sell out quickly and make way for those interested in profits.

If you do this for all of the minerals you mined within an hour of mining then you have found the maximum, minimum and average isk per hour of mining. If you’re looking to produce anything at all to sell on the market you need to exceed the max isk/hour value of mining. If you have looked through all of your bpos and can not then stop before making anything. Simply sell your minerals to the highest buy order or shoot for a bit more by putting up a sell order at the price of the highest buy order +10% or more.

The only reason anyone should sell anything on the market is to make isk. The only reason to produce goods and sell them is to what? Make a profit! Again if you can’t sell your goods for more then you could sell the minerals for your losing money so stop. You’re not doing anyone a favor by selling for less then production costs, at least not in the long run and in no great numbers.

You have the minerals and likely a bpo as well. It’s almost pointless to produce off of a raw bpo, which is a bpo straight off the market without any ME research done to it. If you research it be sure to tack on the cost of the public research lab you used onto the value of the bpo. If you used a mobile lab, at minimum look at how long it took to research and find the cost of pos fuel used to power the pos during that time, divide by the number of ME slots available and add it to the cost of the bpo. Its not going to be 100% accurate but it helps get a clearer idea of how much the bpo costs.

At one point I calculated that I would need to sell 40 Caracals in order to finally see a single 0.01isk of true profit. The reason for that is I first had to pay off the total cost of the bpo out of the “profit” per ship sold. The “profit” was the amount of isk that I received that was above the mineral costs + production cost. Yes the npcs do charge you to use their facilities and if your pos has the right mods you need to factor in the slots available and amount of fuel used as well. On the 41st Caracal I would actually make a profit as the bpo+ research costs would be paid off. I doubt a lot of these problematic producers ever factor this into the costs of the goods they sell.

Once you have gotten into production, properly, you can now find the average isk per hour of mining + production. The minimum will be : average of all minerals + factory slot rental costs + 1+% of true bpo costs + 10% . Now the 10% is simply the average profit margin Eve players aim for. You should always look to make more then 10% however if its lower then 10% you should stop production immediately and look for other goods to make.

Shooting for 50% or even 100% profit margins is nothing illegal or morally wrong, especially those of us from capitalist nations! Your “max” isk per hour should be production costs(mineral value + all other costs) + 50%. 50% profit margins can be hard to find but if you start thinking like other players it becomes easier to find areas where such profits can be had

Okay so now you know that its not as simple as mining and buying a bpo and blindly producing an item in order to turn a profit. You know how to find the minimum, maximum and average value of your time in Eve. Now there is absolutely no reason to suggest that you can magically calculate the value of the load of minerals or Iteron full of mods based on how much you “think” your time in Eve is worth.

Every object in the real world has a value that can be calculated and the same is true within Eve. Even if you wanted to simply log in and stare at the screen you can calculate how much you’re paying to do that. You had to pay one way or another to access the game in the first place then divide that by 690 to find the hourly cost to sit and stare. You can even find the absolute isk value of sitting and staring by getting the average of a 30 day GTC and doing the math. 30daysx23hours = 690hours a month. 690/300,000,000.00 isk= 434,782.60 isk per hour to sit and stare at your ship.

I truly hope that those players that have caused those of us in the know so much trouble for so many years have learned something. If you know one of these players I would appreciate it if you pointed them to this article. There is no reason why everyone cannot profit regardless of how they procure, produce or harvest what it is they are selling. All while keeping a sane and stable market value that benefits both sellers and buyers. If there is demand they will buy, if the prices are truly unfair it will be adjusted by another seller.

It is when people, through complete ignorance of all of the factors involved in putting a price tag on a mod or ship, which can destroy the market. That ruins the market aspect of the game. While the market is “pvp” You don’t win on the market by slashing prices, to the point where you are actually taking losses. This is something that needs to be changed and is the reason why I chose it as my first of many topics.

This article is brought to you by EVE-Mag.com - an independent EVE Magazine, ©2009 EVE-Mag.com. Read more of New Eden's finest writers here!

Everything in Eve has its price