Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Structureiffic!

Looks like tuesday is another productive Eve day, with a new Dev blog out about the structures getting added. Everyone can read the important bits here : http://community.eveonline.com/news/dev-blogs/shake-my-citadel/
Hey these look pretty cool! The main problem will be linked with how the stations are handled in the overall structure of the game.

To me this is all about scaling proportionately and correctly. For a long time POS's have been so overblown with HP, defenses and hardeners that it's not a content generator but the exact reverse. Small and medium POS have very little importance in cost or use, but they have so much HP that it makes it hard (if not impossible) for small gangs to do anything meaningful against the structures in the short term. Of course this is barring having your cap based ship orbit a POS for 24+ hours of non-stop shooting.

Anyways, the thing that will make or break this concept in my mind is pretty simple, how much HP will the structures have, as in how hard will it be to place them in a vulnerable state, how much of an offset will the structure going into a vulnerable state be, as in how long will it be re-enforced before becoming vulnerable, how will notifications of attack be sent out, and all the other small details. And secondly, how powerful will these defenses be in practice. Yes make the large and XL structures tough, but don't make the small and mediums overpowerful as well!

In short, give them too much HP (even for small to mid sized) or too many abilities or option for Defense, and they become non-viable targets for small gang roaming or engagements. Go the opposite route and they will never be used because they are too vulnerable/expensive no matter what the upside. I guess we will be looking closely as they roll out how the Entosis modules interact will everything, just as much these structures as everything else.

Like I said, sure making the Large and XL structures impossible for smaller gangs to attack effectively is GOOD, but doing the same with the smaller structures makes it that much harder for them to be content delivery and more to be PvP denial structures (much like current POS mechanics).

More good news though, at least ships will be off the scanner when idling inside!

See you in space.

OTHER USEFUL, RECENT DEVBLOGS
Sov Part 1
Sov Part 2 (Includes information on the Entosis module)

Monday, May 4, 2015

Eve's 12??!! No really.

It's 2015 already and in eve terms that means eve is about to turn 12. So as my wife would say "I can't believe you are still playing that damn game."

Also known as my mistress, and also known as the thing that I have (off and on) been playing since late 2004, and with Logan since 2005. Bottom line, it's been a long time. In fact so long that I can't remember being any other gamer tag but Logan, even though it was not my first gamertag, I find that I am just as responsive when someone says Logan as my real name!

Anyways, into the meat of this post, first off, free stuff! (The real dream of Eve)

First, space barbie stuff, and Logan IS looking for a new look....
He may make it look good, but Logan will make it look FABULOUS! lol

Okay jokes aside, current subs will get two of these jackets, women's model looks just as good. Okay maybe a little better. So I have a weakness for the women of Eve...
Anyways we also look to get a couple of the commemorative implants... specifically:

  • CA-3 willpower +3; Provides +1.5% ship velocity and shield capacity bonus; 30% bonus for set (CA1-4 is a set)
  • CA-4 memory +3; Provides +1.5% ship agility and armor hit points bonus; 20% bonus for set (CA1-4 is a set)
The full details can be found at this link - https://community.eveonline.com/news/news-channels/eve-online-news/eve-is-twelve/

So it's time to re-up those alts and reflect on 12 years ago...

2003- Still in the Navy actually, completing my last deployment and last few months in, I didn't even know Eve was a thing at this point, and it would be a good full year before I realized what I was missing.

I got into Eve in 2004, before I had even met my now wife (feels like a lifetime ago) but boy did I play it like a habit. I started out pretty industrial, okay I did I lot of missions and mining before I got into the first big nullsec wars in the north (The really old ones) and it was downhill from there. Logan got created as my combat only alt, and my main, who soon turned alt, was split focused. By 2006 Logan was my primary character, and a minmatar specialist.

Back in those days the whole game was different as were figuring out new and better fits, and I delighted in the metagame of coming up with the new best thing. I spent a ton of time in lowsec around here and still miss those careless nights of roaming, slaughter and death.

I can't even list without more time than I want to dedicate all the things that have changed in 12 years, but while not all were good, either in Eve or outside of it, this is one game that has had a distinct impact in my life, and I don't think there is many games that can say that for me.

In short, happy Birthday Eve, may your soon to be teenaged years help mature you further.

-Logan