Eve-Expansion
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EVE Online: Odyssey promises huge changes, dual character training
It's time again for another enormous EVE Online expansion. This latest chunk of tweaks, changes, and updates, titled Odyssey and due for launch June 4, marks the 19th free content addition in the space-based MMO's 10-year history. And like the expansions that came before it, Odyssey promises to make a host of changes to the EVE universe -- some big, some small, and some even game-changing. We sat down with CCP to get a look at Odyssey and some of its more major components, including a huge exploration overhaul, more user-friendly controls, and a dramatic change to the way in which resources are distributed across its vast, starry expanses. Here's what we've learned.
Roguelikes inspire EVE Online's revamped hacking minigame
June 4th is coming up fast, and with it EVE Online's new Odyssey expansion. The content drop will feature improved explorer pursuits, with particular emphasis on removing the "'sit and wait' aspect of exploration gameplay" in favor of "something interesting to do." In the case of today's dev blog, the interesting thing to do is hacking, and CCP says that it drew inspiration from roguelikes for the new minigame's "procedurally generated levels, turn-based combat, and permadeath." You can read all about it on the official EVE Online website.
EVE Online releases 17th expansion, Inferno
CCP is a pretty polarizing topic in MMO circles these days. Whether you love or hate the studio's flagship EVE Online title and the community that surrounds it, one thing you can't say is that the devs lack a work ethic. Today marks the release of EVE's 17th expansion, and when we say expansion, we don't mean a glorified content patch that's been dipped in PR sauce. Inferno boasts a reworked war declaration system, substantial faction warfare updates, a new mercenary marketplace, enhanced graphics, new missile and launcher effects, and a host of other features focusing on everything from inventory to new modules and ship balancing. CCP has also released a slick new Inferno trailer, which we have for you right after the cut. [Source: CCP press release]
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The Empyrean Age blasts onto Singularity
Fighting for your empire of choice? Of course. Complexes full of militia fighters hacking away away at each other? That is there too. A few bugs that result in the beloved EVE Online police, Concord, blasting you for fighting the good fight in high-sec? Well, it just would not be a war without Concord and a test without flaws! The good, the bad, and the ugly parts of factional warfare in the EVE Online expansion Empyrean Age are at every pilot's fingertips. The details are conveyed in a blog, hosted on Nuyan's Hangout, that presents an in depth look at the concepts currently floating around the test server.Factional warfare is not going to be a big ship destroys little ship game of domination. Newer players are encouraged to participate since some zones restrict ship class and eliminate the chance for a Titan to destroy your little frigate. In these zones, players attack and defend systems in an attempt to control outposts for a certain amount of time. This factional warfare feature sounds similar to the timed capture methods World of Warcraft employs. Nuyan is quick to point out that the design does have a slight hint of tauren and orc, but that EVE maintains a unique flavor that separates it from the open PvP zones in World of Warcraft. We remain hopeful that EVE will retain it's unique style and eagerly await this long awaited expansion to go live.[via Crazy Kinux]
Matt Woodward interview gives us a glimpse at Empyrean Age
Over at EVE Online's pavilion at New York Comic Con, one man would add to the hopes and dreams of thousands. Matt Woodward took a few moments of his time to talk to TenTonHammer on a subject close to the heart of many capsuleers. The subject? EVE of course, but most importantly, the expansion Empyrean Age. Take a few moments to put aside those evil schemes, dock, grab a Quafe, and tune in because the interview is packed with exciting hints at what is to come. Matt explains in the interview that Empyrean Age will have fighting, glory, new missions and reputation, and plenty of fleet battles. One of the points made by Matt is that "the big fight that is coming" will allow everyone to be involved in one way or another. Rewards will be given, the front will shift, and the design is being hashed out to bring empire, lowsec, and 0.0 players together to duke it out. The expansion is going to pack one hell of a punch and is long overdue in the minds of many EVE pilots. When the expansion finally does arrive, players will rejoice as new ways to destroy one another are introduced. To us, that smells like victory.
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EVE Online braces for total war in the expansion Empyrean Age
For years the war waged between the empires of EVE Online has been a cold war. Well, now it is time to break out the Clausewitz ladies and gentlemen. The long awaited clash of the titans is coming and there is nowhere to hide. Corporation warfare has nothing on what is about to occur. Systems will change hands, empires will fall, and the galaxy as we know it will change forever. To hell with putting blasters on stun, this will be a fight to the finish. With the launch of EVE's expansion Empyrean Age sometime in the future, the entire universe, players and NPCs, will be duking it out in the name of their empire in an epic struggle for galactic domination. The war is not going to be easy and players may participate alone, running missions for their empire of choice, or they may bring their entire corporation into the fray. You thought piracy was a problem, imagine finding yourself in the middle of an Amarr fleet bent on your merciless destruction! Kick in the afterburners and train up those tanking skills, there is going to be a torrent of destruction hellbent on finding your ship.So what about you carebears? All is not lost for the industrialist at heart! In addition to an EVE proximity alert to keep you safe, all of the fighting will provide plenty of scrap metal. The empires and players need resources for the larger conflict and the usual struggles between corporations. Someone needs to make sure everyone in EVE is supplied with guns and ammunition. This means plenty of trading and market watching for players eager to make a few isk as gun runners. Stock up on Quafe and void ammo while you are browsing the market, you are going to need it!
EVE Fan Fest 2007 videos - Make your weekend an EVE-flix one
How would you best describe the EVE Online 2007 Fan Fest? I'd say it was filled with players that talked about ships, consumed copious amounts of alcohol alongside the developers, drooled over the Trinity II expansion, drank more alcohol, some pew-pew and a few bruised hairy man boobs egos afterwards, and it all went down in Iceland. I'll sum it up as a frozen mixture of freakishly-EVE debauchery. I'm still bummed, no "mozom" Fan Fest action for me this year; not that I would want my corporation to obtain proof I mingled with some hostiles, and later use said evidence to black mail me as a spy unless I paid a lofty 25 billion space-bux fine. Thankfully, for those of us not in attendance or those wanting to relive the panel discussions, CCP came through on their earlier promise to feature full-length videos from this year's EVE Online Fan Fest. Currently, 12 videos are up for viewing, and length times vary, some go for 20 minutes and others that last a little longer than 60 minutes. It doesn't cost a dime to watch them either. If you are too lazy to click over and to see the EVE-TV guide, I have you covered with the line-up below. If you would rather read coverage from the Fan Fest, I recently updated the ultimate EVE Online Fan Fest link wrap-up with a few more links. Day 1: EVE History; Oveur on Trinity Expansion; Hilmar on World Domination; CCP Panel, Dev Q&A Session Day 2: Council of Stellar Management; Alliance Panel Discussion; Dr EyjoG on EVE's economics; Ambulation Info Day 3: Tuxford on the development and history behind the in-game ability Heat; How to PvP like an expert with Eris Discordia; Pann gives tips on running an EVE fansite; Tony G discusses his work on the EVE Novel
The ultimate EVE Online Fan Fest 2007 wrap-up link post
The EVE Fan Fest held in Reykjavik, Iceland ended days ago, and aside from some poor schlep blogging about his nipples freezing off there wasn't much information to "reblog" early-on since everyone was partaking in the Icelandic imbibing culture. I'm disappointed, I wasn't getting drunk off my ass at the EVE Fan Fest, none of us from Massively were able to attend, and provide up-to-the day reports on the various round-tables and panels, but now that the jet-lagged reporters and citizen journalists have returned back to their abodes across various ponds, how about a link-mmorgy to make up for it. Don't forget to bring your own toga, capsule, and most importantly, your own booze because I'm not sharing.Last Updated: (11/16/07 3PM PST) EVE Trinity teaser video after the break! Several more links added!
Download details for EVE Online's Trinity expansion
It's time to make sure you got room on your hard drive as CCP Gamesis planning on dumping incremental bits to help ease Trinity's digital distribution, which is being estimated to be over 1 gigabyte in size. Trinity is the next expansion in the EVE Online universe that will be free-to-download and features an ultra new shiny graphics engine and numerous updates to the cosmic battlefield in the form of combat advancements; New Tech II ships; hundreds of missions; and metric tons more. CCP developer, 2kay has posted a slew of details on how this distribution will work and the need for a separate client that utilizes the improved graphics engine to its full potential. It is important to note in order to use the new graphical content players will need a graphics card that supports Shader Model 3, a format newer graphic cards already do. To help determine if your card supports this technology CCP put together an application to help players check, available here. Another alternative is to check in the device manager under display adapters or if you already know your video card make and model, do an internet search to make sure it has SM3 capability, it only takes a few minutes so get off your butt and do it before it's too late. If your graphics card does not support this technology you will still be able to play via the classic client and the patcher will not force you to install the higher end client. The new graphics look absolutely breath-taking, sadly I'm running antiquated video technology so I'll be upgrading shortly after Trinity launches. Crazy Kinuk is a screen capping maniac and has over a thousand Eve screenshots available for your viewing pleasure on his blog -- be sure check out his flickr for some comparisons of old and new ship graphics as pictured. I drooled.
