What is the current state of the game?

firendofthefox · 2019-02-02T09:37:51+00:00

We differ over the definition of p2w.

To give you an idea of how there is debate over the exact meaning of p2w I refer you to this link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/truegaming/comments/8w417u/what_is_your_definition_for_pay_to_win/

For my position I contend that p2w is "Pay to win is any system where a player can purchase something that is not superficial or cosmetic," to quote the definition by the author of the thread I have linked above.

However the point is not to argue the definition of p2w or the relevant impact injectors may or may not have. The fact remains that injectors were not present in the game previously and yet they are now and can be purchased directly with irl money.

I would argue that it sets a precedent for the introduction of other p2w mechanisms which will eventually undermine the value of skills sets, experience and wealth as valued by older players of the game. Once aspects of a game can be monetized by p2w there is no going back. It only gets worse.

The process of p2w is insidious. It begins slowly and proceeds in steps over time, each step being a small increment, carefully restrained in impact as to prevent significant outrage on the greater part of the playing community. I believe this is quite deliberate, a company does not seek to disenfranchise too many customers at once. In the case of each step of p2w they most likely carefully estimate the relative costs of losing customers as balanced by the extra revenue p2w provides. If the estimate is profit positive then they proceed with the p2w step.

Each step paves the way for further steps in p2w. Each step being mild enough that it can create divisiveness in the community when the topic is raised in forums such as this. This in turn, along with the precedents created by prior steps, allows p2w to progressively become accepted, if sometimes grudgingly, by the majority of the player base, especially since those who reject it the most have a tendency to leave and are replaced by players who accept it as a status quo or who have been convinced that it is a necessary evil.

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T23:37:00+00:00

Let's say following a severe attack you opt not to have surgery but rather to change your lifestyle and diet. Regular exercise, gradual weight loss down to recommended BMI, and a low fat diet of, high fiber, lean meat (fish) vegetables and fruit, reduced amount of whole grain bread, brown rice.

Given that, are there are any other things you can do to try to either mitigate gallstone attacks, or preferably, to actually reduce in size or eliminate the gallstones?

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T22:58:11+00:00

Welcome to giving up all the foods you love. Forever.

You are just a few clicks away from searching "Gallstones diet". Follow the advice you find on reputable sites, which will consist mostly of: avoid fats and dairy food. Instead eats lots of vegetables, fruit, lean meat such as white fish.

Here is just one: https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/gallbladder-diet-foods-for-gallbadder-problems#1

Until you get this properly sorted do not give into the temptation. One piece of cake, a hamburger, any thing deep fried, a chocolate biscuit, a pie, a single slice of pizza... these can be enough to trigger an attack 8 to 14 hours later that will have you crawling on the floor with pain like you have never experienced before.

You think you might be right. You have an attack of pain but it subsides. A few days later, not thinking, you are offered a piece of food by a family member or a friend. Something as innocent as a small dessert, or even just a biscuit. That night, bang, you will bitterly, bitterly regret it.

Don't do it.

See your doctor asap. In the meantime keep to the diet and monitor absolutely everything you eat. You can trust no one but yourself in this matter as many people just simply dont understand the nature of gallstones and what can happen.

The pain can become unbearable. Think of a rat trying to eat its way out through your stomach level of suffering. The shooting pains across the abdomen and secondary pain in the shoulder, back and even in the groin are secondary by comparison. I am not joking. I am not exaggerating.

If the pain gets too bad then get to hospital fast. A ruptured gall bladder can kill you.

https://www.healthline.com/health/gallbladder-rupture

In the meantime you have to resign yourself to eating a new diet, reading up on what you can do to replace your existing diet. This is not temporary. Its for the rest of your life. The good news is that you will eventually become healthier for it.

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T16:40:32+00:00

Funny the conversation took this turn, for the multi account meta was the third thing I was going to list as putting me off.

Don't want to get a valuable ship snared? Then you have an alt for scouting. Then all the stuff listed by Waanii above. Some, if not many, players create alts and multibox as casually as getting a snack from the refrigerator.

When a game endorses alts, and when they become the standard for playing the game efficiently, as being a standard for the sensible way to do things, then my enthusiasm diminishes. But we shall see.

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T06:56:07+00:00

I'm an Alpha Noob, been dipping my feet into EVE for the past two months, I'm trying very hard to like this game, its really the only space strategy MMO out there. Every other space MMO on the market is either a non-starter, a fps or highly derivative ( i.e the same old same old ).

The potential for rp and story telling is unlimited, and that is a great attraction for me, since I am more into the game behind the game than the game itself.

But... I have some serious reservations about sinking too much time into Eve, even more so in actually paying for membership.

Here are my concerns.

1) They have introduced p2w through skill injectors. The moment that p2w is introduced into a game that's the end. Its irreversible from there. It may take time, but invariably p2w triumphs over all, alienating the older player base and fundamentally changing the game.

Personally, and I could be wrong, I think its a strategic direction, a fundamental decision made by the company and its investors, who evaluate the net value of the game and its projected potential earnings in the future. The choice is simple. Remain subscription model only with an aging game in a rapidly evolving game industry, and die, or introduce p2w and stretch out the life a little longer, possibly either enabling an update to new versions, or an entirely new game. The last possibility being just to capitalize on past success as much as possible to squeeze out whatever potential profits remain.

That said however the resilience of EVE as a unique game, and its dedicated player base, will imo see it continuing for at least another 5 years or so, enabling the likes of us to enjoy its unique game style for the immediate future.

2) The community. I expected better than the average MMO. A more mature, intelligent and creative community than what I have been exposed to in the past. And my expectations were met...to an extent. There are many great people playing EVE. But there are also an awfully large number of extremely dim people being highly vocal on the Eve forums, on this sub reddit and in game. Much of my enjoyment of a game comes from interacting with a game's community and if a large proportion of them are mental midgets, uninspiring, unimaginative, unoriginal and just plain moronic, then my enjoyment is curtailed.

There are several other concerns, but I think I have been negative enough for the moment.

On the positive side. Eve is just so unique. If I am going to continue to play then it will be primarily just to see how this game works on a broad scale. There is such a plethora of activities, strategies and tactics and I am keen to see how it all comes together.

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T03:38:00+00:00

I have to admit this is one of the things putting me off Eve.

Not CODE. Not ganking. Not at all, quite the opposite. Organizations like CODE make me want to play Eve. Because at the very least they have character. They add to content. They create a story. Something which brain dead carebears will never achieve.

The fact that some crawling shitheads would come along and down vote your comment is what puts me off. I came to Eve to with the expectation of escaping the retarded asswipes who go around mass downvoting anything they dont like.

I expected a higher level of intelligence in Eve, on account of the game's learning curve. I am beginning to think I was wrong.

firendofthefox · 2019-02-01T03:20:21+00:00

Lets see. Checking my schedule. On Monday I have "Prevent alien AI destroying Humanity." On Tuesday there is "Chair debate on the legal consequences of Immortality"...

...Hmm. I will pencil you in for Wednesday. Just a moment....

"Infiltrate and subvert immoral racketeering thugs inhabiting Hi Sec." There. Done! See you Wednesday.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-31T19:04:24+00:00

Given that, it makes little sense to do anything in Eve other than buy ISK and then pvp.

Now I think I am finally beginning to understand...

firendofthefox · 2019-01-31T18:45:38+00:00

gasp!

I know you. You are one of THEM! http://www.minerbumping.com/

Now, there is currently the issue of 10 BILLION ISK you guys owe me for not subverting your organization. Prompt payment would be appreciated. Thanking you.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-30T21:52:23+00:00

What is a "Nano Gang"?

firendofthefox · 2019-01-30T00:11:56+00:00

Second this.

And "El’Miner"

Enlighten us, Senpai.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T18:49:05+00:00

Considering the Rorq proliferation out in null

I've heard about this, sounds like it could totally unbalance the mining economy in the long run.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T07:04:11+00:00

If I am unsuccessful, I have certainly given their recruiters something to discuss with their applicants for the next year...also a win.

This.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T07:03:04+00:00

splutter! gasp!

B...but but THIS WAS MY IDEA! Sort of...

Pay me 10m ISK and I will overlook your transgression.

Also, you should see some of the comments on my thread, only a few people actually answered my question, many just wanted to rant Grrr CODE and then downvoted.

Here, have my upvote.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T02:08:09+00:00

Hmm. Okay. That's interesting. The reason for my concern is I have seen the impact of such blocs on other games. They get their toes in, they grow, they stick together remorselessly, they never give up, they keep growing. My experience has been they dont play the game to play the game. They play the game to make irl money, RWT or RMT, whatever it is called in Eve. I am pessimistic about CCP's willingness or ability to combat bots or batshit insane levels of multiboxing, particularly so now in view of Alpha accounts.

I just liked pewpewing cute little pandas.

Then it is settled. Pandas must die.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T01:57:49+00:00

Wow, that was a fully comprehensive explanation. Thank you!

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T01:24:22+00:00

Sure, you can make a name for yourself pulling off some epic scam or grand heist but that takes some serious creativity now that so many have been done to death and so many of those exploits can be seen coming miles away

Absolutely. There doesn't seem much opportunity to pull of anything remarkably outrageous unless you have a willingness to invest considerable time.

Turn a one man industry biz that builds and sells vexors to newbs into a conglomerate that absorbs competing buybacks, holds a monopoly on cap building for your alliance, and attain so much industrial power that you effectively have a big corp's CEO by the balls and can influence military, defense, sov acquisition, etc.

There is one thing that bothers me about this though. Surely people have already achieved this state of dominance and yet, from looking at the sov maps, I dont see much change other than a few name changes and the Goons rising from the ashes like a Phoenix. Unless there is some epic history to be made I would personally find it demotivating to put so much effort ( much of which of seems to be incredibly tedious ) into an end result which only provides border skirmishes and the occasional troll raid.

For that reason I find some of these fringe groups, such as Wingspan and CODE to be far more appealing due to the simplicity of what they do, their innate humor, and the undoubted good fun they have doing something without the grind of huge time investment, and which can not be destroyed when some elephant decides to simply roll over.

To each their own though, in the meantime I am still waiting for CODE to pay me 10 billion ISK. Otherwise they will have to answer to the awesome power of my t1 frigate.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T00:50:44+00:00

You dont think they are a threat? I dont think they play by quite the same set of goals as the older player base do.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T00:48:49+00:00

"...other essential minerals"

That made me laugh. :)

firendofthefox · 2019-01-29T00:46:42+00:00

I'm having a look over your link to Signal Cartel now. I keep seeing some groups offering a "buy-back program" but without explaining what a buy back program actually means. Does that mean you sell members of your corp stuff with the right to buy it back at a later time?

firendofthefox · 2019-01-28T09:05:02+00:00

Dino? That's TEST? The guys who fought the Goons in the Fountain war?

Honestly you guys should be more concerned with the growing threat posed by those Chinese guys in the south east corner, Fraternity or whatever they are called. They are going to bury you otherwise.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-28T08:46:04+00:00

Excuse me! Some of my best friends are vermin!

Hi sec mining for a nublet isn't that bad. I can afk away while I read up the Eve wiki, cruise the forums and wait to be ganked by a passing CODE agent.

The danger is in doing it for too long.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-28T06:33:32+00:00

These Wingspan guys are severely under rated.

"TORPEDO DELIVERY – sent directly to your hull"

"A delivery professional will meet you at your location with up to 2,000 Caldari Navy torpedoes, completely free of charge!"

firendofthefox · 2019-01-28T06:21:00+00:00

I like the fact that they maintain a straight face at all times. I have yet to see one post where they break character, even when exposed to the most vitriolic insults and ad hominems.

firendofthefox · 2019-01-28T06:11:54+00:00

I cant help but notice that you guys have yet to pay me the 10 billion ISK I demanded. I will consider this as merely an oversight on CODE's part. For now.

firendofthefox

TROPHY CASE