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EVE Evolved: Having a fire sale
One of those strange rituals all EVE Online players go through at one time or another is the fire sale. Over the course of normal play, we buy, loot or otherwise acquire assets all over New Eden. After a time, our asset windows become a mess of long lost items and treasures hidden away in the cargoholds of ships we forgot we had. We all eventually reach breaking point and need to sell off our distributed stockpiles of odds and ends. Maybe it will happen when you run out of ships to PvP in, or perhaps when your subscription is about to lapse and you need to buy a 30-day PLEX. With the recent five-day reactivation offer on many expired accounts, I imagine a lot of EVE players are currently scrambling through their assets in an attempt to raise enough ISK for a PLEX. Whatever the reason behind it, that dreaded day when you need to have a fire sale on your assets will inevitably arrive. A monumental logistical task now lies ahead of you, but it doesn't have to be the headache you'd expect it to be. Having been through countless cycles of accumulating bits and bobs and then selling them to buy PLEX, I've picked up a few tips to make the process as painless as possible. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the tools and strategies you can employ to squeeze every last drop of ISK from your misplaced treasure troves, and how to complete the task with a minimum of effort.
Plex arrives on jailbroken Apple TVs (video)
Boxee might get all the attention but Plex is without a doubt one of our favorite Mac media center apps. So it's with wide-eyed interest that we tell you about the Plex client making its first tentative steps onto the second generation Apple TV platform. Naturally, Cupertino's not behind the initiative to replace Apple's own "Lowtide" 10-foot user interface -- this work is being done by the Apple TV jailbreak community. The ATV2 build is still just a proof of concept so it's buggy and limited to video playback (no music, images, or app management) for now. But hey, it's another iOS app for ATV2 and it does work as evidenced by the video after the break. Man, we're getting all tingly at the thought of scattering a few $99 boxes around the house to serve up the wide variety of codecs supported by Plex in addition to Apple's more limited AirPlay.
Questionable EVE attack deals 30 billion ISK in damage
reddit_url = "http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/questionable-eve-attack-deals-30-billion-isk-in-damage/"; reddit_target="gaming"; Tweet It's often said that EVE Online is a game that revolves around PvP. Even people who engage only in PvE aren't safe from the wrathful influence of other pilots. Players are almost forced to compete with each other in a ruthless open sandbox where all the rules are thrown out the window. Even in the relative safety of high-security space, the threat of harm isn't completely removed. Scams, spies, corporate infiltrations and suicide attacks are a common occurrence in New Eden, forcing players to stay aware of their surroundings and exercise good judgment. This week, a player by the name of Solarius became the unfortunate target of EVE's more ruthless player element. Solarius, CEO of Quantanamo Corporation, was running missions in high-security space in his Paladin when players destroyed his ship in a coordinated suicide attack. What makes this particular suicide attack special is the sheer magnitude of the loss. Solarius had fit the ship with an impressive array of rare and expensive officer modules, putting the total value of his ship at over 30 billion ISK. Since a destroyed ship drops around half of its modules as loot, flying a ship with such an expensive setup is almost guaranteed to draw some unwanted attention. Pilots from the corporations Honorless Internet Jerks, Ex Obscuritas, Suddenly Ninjas, Alarm Clock Corp and Defner.org jointly participated in the attack and split the proceeds from the loot. To put the magnitude of this kill into perspective, 30 billion ISK could currently buy over 80 PLEX, which is around seven years of game time. To buy the same number of PLEX with cash would cost over $1200 U.S., making this a costly warning to all EVE players that you're never completely safe in New Eden.
EVE Evolved: EVE players debate microtransactions
Sometimes it seems as though the entire MMO industry is moving toward microtransaction-based pricing schemes. With the success of free-to-play titles like Runes of Magic and Free Realms, it's clear that microtransactions are becoming a popular alternative to the standard subscription model. Famously, Dungeons and Dragons Online also proved that a hybrid model with both subscription and microtransaction options could be a great success. Even World of Warcraft has hopped on the microtransaction bandwagon with its infamous sparkle pony and cosmetic pets. With the industry moving firmly in one direction, questions have been raised over whether EVE Online will ever implement any kind of microtransactions. Believe it or not, the first steps toward doing just that have already been taken. It was discovered some time ago that the Incursion expansion this winter would give players the ability to buy extra neural remaps with PLEX. Neural remapping allows players to re-assign a character's attributes using a points-based system. As attributes are only used to determine the speed with which skills train, remaps allow players to max out the stats required to train a particular branch of skills. In this opinion piece, I look at the microtransaction debate currently raging in the EVE community and weigh in with my opinions on this controversial issue.
EVE Online raising money for Pakistan flood victims
In a second act of charity springing from the eerily lifelike financial depths of EVE Online, players are being offered a chance to donate to victims of flooding in Pakistan using 30-day subscription codes (or "PLEX") as currency. The game's proprietor, CCP Games, will convert the month's worth of playtime into actual, real-life dollars -- worth between $11-$15 each, depending on the subscription plan -- which will then be given to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. Players are allowed to donate as many times as they'd like. CCP raised over $40,000 for Haiti during its last PLEX donation drive, though we're sure the game's economically studious players can do even better this time around. Right?! That said, we should probably note that CCP sees "any scamming attempts surrounding this effort to be morally reprehensible" and warns that "they will be met with swiftest action." For specific details on the donation process, the CCP dev blog and FAQ page have more.
Plex announces partnership with LG, pledges to beat Boxee Box and Apple TV for free
We're excited about the Boxee Box, and the new-look Apple TV is intriguing, but no single box is as good as a box that doesn't exist yet does the same stuff. Confused? Sit down, let us explain. That's the point Plex is making in announcing its new partnership with LG, which will integrate Plex software into its 2011 Netcast HDTVs and Blu-ray players. Plex enables the same sort of functionality as those smart little boxes mentioned above, letting you serve content from a machine running OS X and push it to your TV or to a mobile device (iPhone and iPad right now, Android coming). Plex also supports all the major online streamers, like Netflix, Hulu, and even the BBC iPlayer. Lack of PC support is something of a bummer, but a Windows version is said to be coming, so even your beige box can soon get in on the box-free fun.
TUAW's Daily App: Plex
Plex's big tease last week turned out to not be an Apple acquisition, but instead a big release, of both a rewritten Mac client to keep all of your media together in one place, and also a brand new iOS app, available now on the App Store for $4.99. Sure, the app's a little pricey, but if you use the new Plex as your media center, it's actually a must buy -- not only does it work as a remote control, but you can actually stream media from your Plex library directly to your iPhone or iPad from wherever you are. And with a little more tweaking (you need to have the server running and know how to set up port forwarding on your router), you can even stream Plex content out over 3G, so no matter where you are with your iOS device, you can watch anything stored on your Plex install. Now that's pretty cool. The latest version of Plex is available as a free download from the website, and the app itself is available in iTunes for US $4.99. We Mac users have always been spoiled with terrific media management software, and Plex is another great solution.
Oh, Plex. You tease!
All sorts of buzz in the blogosphere this afternoon after Plex, makers of a respected Mac-based digital media center application updated their blog with a cryptic hint that seems to point to next Wednesday's Apple event. Plex provides a centralized way to access your media library from a simple TV interface -- think FrontRow on steroids. Many Mac mini-based media centers have been built around Plex. So does Plex's post add weight to "Apple TV" refresh rumors? It certainly tantalizes. Thanks, Robert Update: It's Plex Nine! Rewritten from the ground up, offering a better organized underlying architecture.
EVE player destroys over $1000 worth of game time
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/EVE_player_destroys_over_1_200_dollars_of_in_game_time'; Like many MMOs, EVE Online has a problem with players buying ISK from shady websites to short-cut the ISK-making process. On the other end of the spectrum, many players are great at making ISK but unable to afford the monthly subscription. To kill two birds with one stone, CCP created PLEX. Sixty-day game time codes purchased for cash can be converted into two 30-day Pilots License Extensions, which become items in the game. The PLEX can then be traded to other EVE players for ISK, creating a legitimate way to buy ISK without fear of being hit by the ban-hammer. Players with some ISK to spare can buy PLEX from the market and redeem them for game time, essentially playing for free. It's an innovative system, and until recently it was a completely safe market to deal in.
Changes to EVE Online's PLEX make it possible to loot game time
When it comes to fighting the gold-sellers, Icelandic game developer CCP Games took an innovative approach to the problem. Players of EVE Online can buy game time with cash and then trade it with other players as in-game "Pilots License EXtensions" (PLEX). This lets people with cash to spare effectively purchase ISK from other players, while those with plenty of in-game ISK can effectively play for free. With a legitimate method for buying ISK, players needn't face the inevitable threat of bans and key-loggers from nefarious sources. Fearing that the market for PLEX might not take off if they were at risk of being lost during transport. To combat this issue, CCP made it impossible to move them from the station they were redeemed at. In a new devblog, CCP Zulu explains plans to remove all the transport restrictions on PLEX. In addition to being able to undock with a PLEX in your cargo hold, you'll also be able to place them into courier contracts. When these changes come into effect, you might see someone hauling game time from station to station. If you plan to move any PLEX around, be extremely wary of suicide attacks. EVE's darker social element routinely scans passers-by in high-security space, looking for juicy targets to gank. The possibility of finding game time amongst the loot may send them into overdrive. The changes are due to come into effect on Tuesday the 13th of July.
Win EVE game time with the Planet Risk podcast
As EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion draws closer, CCP has been avidly supporting community competitions surrounding its launch. In addition to our own three massive contests centred on planetary interaction with a huge prize total of 50 PLEX, there have been numerous smaller contests on other popular websites and community blogs. Unfortunately, while any EVE player is sure to get excited over the chance to win some free game time, not everyone's contests have been successful. The Planet Risk show, one of EVE's popular podcasts, launched a contest where listeners were encouraged to record themselves mimicking the show's presenters. Despite thousands of hits to the contest page and vocal support in the community, bizarrely not a single entry was received. In response, the show's presenters have extended the contest until the end of the month and relaunched it with more accessible entry requirements. Players can now enter either by writing something about planetary interaction or recording themselves talking about it. Pop over to the Planet Risk contest page for details on how to enter the contest.
Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest
Over the past two weeks we've been running some awesome weekly contests for readers to win EVE Online game time courtesy of CCP Games. In celebration of the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion, we gave away 10 PLEX in our planet screenshot contest two weeks ago. Last week, we ran a caption competition with a 15 PLEX prize total and received a flood of entries. So many in fact that we're still debating which captions should win a prize. The winners of that contest will be posted as an update to the second contest post within the next few days and the winners will all be notified via email. This week marks the last week of our Tyrannis contest trilogy and to end on a high-note we're giving away a whopping 25 PLEX. Ten top prizes of two PLEX are available and a further five runner-up entrants will get one PLEX each. To enter, all you have to do is write a short piece of fiction based on the planets and moons of New Eden and submit it to the comments on this post. Entries are limited to 200 words or less as we're sure to get a huge number of entries and we want to give each one the full attention it deserves. Your entry can take the form of a short story, a poem or any other type of written fiction. Prizes will be awarded based on creativity, writing style and presentation. As with the previous two competitions, this contest is open to readers from any country. UPDATE: Entry is now closed. We are now reading through the submissions and picking winners! UPDATE 2: Winners have been selected! The list of winners has been added to the end of this post. Each winner will be contacted via email to arrange delivery of their prizes. Skip past the cut for the contest rules and full submission guidelines.
Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition
Last week we launched the first of three awesome EVE Online contests in association with CCP Games. To celebrate the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion with its impressive planetary interaction feature, we asked players to submit their best screenshots featuring planets. We expected around 25 entries but with the contest being open to international readers, we received an absolute flood of responses. A total of 114 screenshots were sent in before the deadline last night and we began the difficult process of choosing our favourite shots. Thanks to the generosity of the fellows at CCP, we were able to increase the number of winners from 5 to 10. Congratulations go to EVE players Agara Mnemion, Aurum Pax, Banana Ninja, driv4r, Garnoo, Ice Monster, Lamthara Lachesis, paritybit, SpiroTris and Vladmir Skef. Each of you will soon have a 30 day pilot's license delivered in-game by CCP. For those interested in seeing the winning screenshots, they're the first ten images in the colossal 114 entry gallery below. %Gallery-92556% Skip past the cut for this week's second part of our amazing Tyrannis contest trilogy. Think up a funny caption for our screenshot and you could win two months of EVE game time! UPDATE: Winners announced at the end of the post! All winners will be emailed to arrange delivery of their prizes.
Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE
The planets and moons of EVE Online received a major graphical overhaul in the Dominion expansion, with some impressive results. Those previously boring brown-gray blobs in space were transformed into lush paradise worlds, frozen wastelands, hellish volcanic planets and more. When the Tyrannis expansion launches on May 18th, EVE players will finally get to interact with the new and improved planets, exploiting them for their natural resources. With the launch of Tyrannis just around the corner, Massively have teamed up with CCP Games to bring you a series of three exciting contests. Each Saturday from now until May 15th, we'll be running a new competition where readers can win some in-game pilot's licenses. The licenses can be redeemed to add 30 days of game time to your EVE account or sold on the market for a quick 300 million ISK. For details of how to enter the contest and full submission guidelines, read after the break. UPDATE: Due to the popularity of this contest and CCP's generosity, we're expanding the prize total to ten pilot's licenses. Instead of five winners, we'll have ten! UPDATE#2: Entry to the contest is now closed!
EVE Online devblog discusses account security
Every MMO suffers the horrors of gold spammers and EVE Online is no different. The RMT (Real Money Trading) industry is massive and EVE's developers CCP have waged a constant war against it in recent years. The PLEX initiative gave players a way to safely buy ISK for cash while at the same time helping players who couldn't afford their subscriptions pay with ISK. The result was a dramatic hit to the RMT market, who had to drop their prices to compete with a legitimate service replacing their own. As part of Operation Unholy Rage in August of last year, EVE GMs also banned over 6200 accounts belonging to farmers known to be supplying the RMT industry. The effect on the market was instant, with the population in farmed mission systems like Ingunn disappearing overnight. Almost immediately, the farmers reacted with a spate of account hackings to claw back some ISK.
Over $40,000 donated to EVE Online "PLEX for Haiti" initiative so far
When the Republic of Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake on January 12th, groups around the world struggled to give as much aid as possible. Proving that gamers are givers, several MMO companies rushed to provide a way for their players to donate to registered relief aid charities like the Red Cross. Sony Online Entertainment raised over $25,000 in just three days by selling in-game items in Free Realms, EverQuest and EverQuest II. They donated 100% of the proceeds to charity and even added $10 of their own money for each purchase made. CCP ran their own EVE Online "PLEX Aid for Haiti" initiative where players were encouraged to buy PLEX and then contract them to the "CCP PLEX for Haiti" character in-game. Even PLEX purchased in-game with ISK helped the appeal as every two PLEX contracted to CCP equaled $35 US Dollars of cash that was bought but not converted into game time. CCP could then donate the full $35 without making a loss. It was a clever scheme that allowed players who were short on cash but rich in-game to donate real money to charity. CCP have just announced that so far the total tally of PLEX donated to the appeal has reached 2,290, which has a real cash value of just over $40,000 US dollars. One player donated a staggering 341 PLEX, which has an in-game value of over 88 billion ISK and makes a real world donation of almost $6,000. Of note is the revelation that only 1.4% of the donated PLEX were bought directly for cash, while players buying the PLEX using their spare ISK contributed the remaining 98.6%. That's a testament both to the generosity of gamers and the innovative system CCP used to collect aid. Hopefully we'll see this strategy used in future when someone is in desperate need of aid as it has proven very successful. For those that still want to donate, CCP are currently still accepting donations of PLEX to help the people of Haiti.
CCP Games 'PLEX Aid for Haiti' initiative to help Red Cross relief efforts
The devastating January 12 earthquake which struck the Republic of Haiti claimed many lives, and has left even more people homeless. It's a terrible situation, but at the very least there are numerous aid efforts underway, and some companies in the MMO industry are finding ways to help as well. CCP Games now ranks among them, with their PLEX Aid for Haiti initiative. The company is offering a way for the EVE Online playerbase to get involved and help with donations. Here is the message from Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP Games, in its entirety:
Massively's EVE Online PLEX contest: "New Eden"
Massively's "Enemy at the Gate" contest for EVE Online was quite popular last week, and there were some very good entries. It was a contest where there could only be two winners (to be announced shortly), but as promised Massively is running a second contest this week. The contest is simply titled "New Eden," named after the social network for EVE Online that will extend the game experience beyond the game client. Ultimately the New Eden social network will bring aspects of EVE to mobile phones and the web, the hope being that it creates a number of new ways to access and experience the game. Just like last week, this will essentially be a writing contest, where we pose a question to you about EVE's Dominion expansion (and beyond). Your entry (limited to 200 words or less, details below) will be judged by the Massively staff on the merits of creativity and presentation. You'll have one full week to enter, by answering our question in the comments below this post. Two prizes will be awarded. The grand prize will be 15 Pilot License Extensions (PLEX), which is 15 months of EVE game time. First prize will be 10 PLEX, so 10 months of EVE game time. Got all that? Great. So here we go -- to enter Massively's PLEX contest, answer this question in the comments below, limiting your response to 200 words or less: How will the "New Eden" social network for EVE affect your playstyle? Will the ability to handle tasks when you're unable to log in change the game experience for you?
Massively's EVE Online PLEX contest: "Enemy at the Gate"
We let you know earlier this week that Massively is running a contest where you can win up to 15 months of EVE Online game time! We're kicking this off today, and the contest will run over two weeks leading up to the Dominion expansion launch. This week's contest is called "Enemy at the Gate," so-named for the major changes coming to EVE Online and its Sovereignty game mechanics, where stargates will be at the center of conflicts between alliances. This will essentially be a writing contest, where we pose a question to you about the Dominion expansion. Your entry (limited to 200 words or less, details below) will be judged by the Massively staff on the merits of creativity and presentation. You'll have one full week to enter, by answering our question in the comments below this post. Two prizes will be awarded. The grand prize will be 15 Pilot License Extensions (PLEX), which is 15 months of EVE game time. First prize will be 10 PLEX, so 10 months of EVE game time. Got all that? Great. So here we go -- to enter Massively's PLEX contest, answer this question in the comments below, limiting your response to 200 words or less: With EVE's new focus on developing infrastructure in 0.0 space in the Dominion expansion and beyond, how will the changes to Sovereignty impact your corporation or alliance?
Massively to hold EVE Online contest this week, win copious amounts of game time
In the time our columnist Brendan Drain and I have spent covering EVE Online for Massively, it's grown into one of the site's most popular game categories. With that in mind, we've decided to run a contest that's really a thank you to our readers who've been following along with our EVE coverage. CCP Games was kind enough to provide Massively's readers with 50 Pilot License Extensions (PLEX) as contest prizes which we'll give away over the next two weeks. As most every EVE Online player knows, one PLEX = one month of game time, but is also a virtual item that can be bought and sold on the market in-game. Massively's EVE Online PLEX contest will actually give our readers two chances at winning -- once this week, and once next week, too. The first thing we must note is this contest will only be open to North American residents (U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec). Sorry to our other readers abroad, but it's a legal thing. For everyone else who is eligible to enter, read on for more info:
