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Eerie comparisons between MMOs and real life surface
We all joke about how unrealistic MMOs are to our mundane, tax-filled lives, but Redcentric did a little digging to compare how virtual worlds and the real one stack up in various ways. Some of the results proved astounding. With World of Warcraft, Redcentric noted that the population in both the game and the US military have about the same percentage of males (84% to 83%), while EVE Online's male population (96%) is more similar to that of the astronaut crowd (90%). The agency also noted how Second Life has 10 real-world embassies in it and that a previous ban of real-money trading in the game caused a very real financial crisis for a bank that wiped out $750,000. So how do these three titles compare to real-world cities in regards to population? World of Warcraft at its peak was close to Moscow's population (11.5 million), while Second Life almost hit the levels of San Fransisco (825K) and EVE Online barely surpassed Edinburgh's 495,000.
The Daily Grind: Do you turn MMOs into work?
Confession time: I like spreadsheets. I can turn any MMORPG into a spreadsheet, into what most folks would consider work. I made fun of Warehouse and Logistics Simulator on Steam, but I admit to a twisted urge to buy it and play with numbers management all the same. It's a sickness. So while I join in the mockery of EVE Online as "Spreadsheets Online," it's mostly disdain for the game's falderal than for the gamers who genuinely enjoy making elaborate crafting and production spreadsheets, long lists of character plans, and auction hall arbitrage notes. You themeparkers can keep your level grind; I've got my own right here in Excel. How about you guys? Do you turn MMOs into a multiplayer version of Warehouse and Logistics Simulator? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
EVE Source hardcover edition now available
First introduced at last year's FanFest, EVE Source aims to be the largest official illustrated guide to the EVE Online universe and its history. The full-color, 200-page hardcover edition is now on sale for $39.99 at brick-and-mortar comic book stores and online for both the seasoned vet and the complete noob. If you're heading out to the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle at the end of this month, you might be happy to hear that 200 copies of the previously sold-out EVE Source Limited Edition ($89.99 retail) are waiting for you at the Dark Horse booth. [Source: CCP press release]
Ship painting is coming to EVE Online
For some people, the idea of painting the outside of your ship in EVE Online is pointlessly frivolous. For others, it's the cue to immediately get out some swatches and start talking about how nice a battlecruiser would look in hot pink and safety orange. The bad news for players in the latter camp is that those aren't available colors, but an early test version of ship painting will be introduced with the game's next major patch. Nine total paint schemes are being introduced: eight available for Aurum and one available via in-game acievements. This is an intentionally narrow field, as the developers want to see what kind of player interest exists and whether or not having custom-painted ships will affect play patterns. For more details on exactly how you can space-pimp your space-ride, take a look at the full rundown on the pilot program. And be sure to ask for that pink-and-orange number with the next wave.
EVE Valkyrie Oculus Rift demos available in London this Friday
A gaggle of CCP devs will be hanging out at Goodman's Field pub near the Tower of London this Friday, March 7th. CCP Guard, CCP Xhagen, CCP Duchess, and CCP Masheen are bringing their Rifts, too, and starting at 6:00 p.m. the quartet will be demoing EVE Valkyrie on the new Oculus virtual reality device. The announcement post says that the number of sessions will be limited due to time constraints, so get there early!
EVE Online's second New Eden Open starts this weekend
EVE Online's second New Eden Open begins tomorrow, March 1st, and will continue until a team takes the top prize on March 16th. Thirty-two teams will be facing off during the double-elimination tournament for a shot at part of the $25,000 and 700 PLEX prize pool. Each of the first three weekends in March will feature several 8v8 deathmatches that will be streamed live with commentary from the developers. Out of the 32 teams, 28 secured their place by silent auction, three got in by a random drawing, and one is returning to defend its title.
CCP's Craig Scott switches to lead designer at Bigpoint
Free-to-play-focused publisher Bigpoint has announced the newest addition to its design team: Craig Scott. Scott jumps into the role of lead designer on a new game for Bigpoint. A 14-year gaming industry veteran, Scott was previously at CCP where he first worked on character creation in EVE Online, moved up to manage the game's design team, and ultimately worked to turn the fate of Dust 514 around. Scott noted that his new position affords "space for trying new things, which is a premise for making really innovative games." Of Scott, Bigpoint CEO Khaled Helioui said, "Craig brings a genuine passion for game design and innovation for the benefit of the players, and he fits perfectly with the game development philosophy we are promoting at Bigpoint. We are focused on attracting the most brilliant minds in the industry to develop innovative and incredibly fun games." [Source: Bigpoint press release]
World of Darkness drawing inspiration from sandbox survival games while EVE CE goes on sale
CCP assured World of Darkness fans that the project is "evolving rapidly" despite recent layoffs, will have a presence at Fanfest in May, and is even taking cues from sandbox survival games for its development. CCP CEO Hilmar Pétursson told RPS that survival games have given the team inspiration for World of Darkness' social dynamics: "DayZ and Rust have shown us the power of a sandbox when you bring it into a more recognizable context. The creators of those experiences often reference EVE Online as an inspiration for their things. We're now cross-inspired by what we're seeing there. How the absence of all these structured game mechanics -– by just allowing these natural interactions to happen -– that is something we're definitely incorporating into how we think about World of Darkness." Speaking of EVE, the space game's collector edition has gone on sale for $99.99. This 33% discount will last from today through February 17th.
Some Assembly Required: Is this really the sandbox renaissance?
It's funny, but this whole sandbox renaissance feeling has got me a little worried. I'm of course ecstatic at the number of sandbox MMOs currently in development, and I'm even happier that one triple-A outfit has finally acknowledged that MMOs are supposed to be sandboxes. EverQuest Next and Landmark aren't the only reasons to be amped, either, as games like Star Citizen, Elite: Dangerous, and The Repopulation are all putting their own spin on emergent virtual worlds and standing on the shoulders of genre giants. It's not all roses, though, and amidst the cautious optimism on display from starving sandbox fans, I feel the need to remind myself of the various personal pitfalls that still need to be addressed.
EVE Online, now in text adventure form
While it came out last July, EVE Online: The Text Adventure has only now come to our attention and so we bring it to yours. This satirical fan project attempts to "look at a day in the life of a grounded pod pilot, poking fun at CCP Games and some of their developmental missteps whilst celebrating the community and the people involved with EVE Online." The adventure takes a few spirited jabs at CCP's "walking in stations" concept while challenging players to explore and perhaps escape their officer's quarters. If you're a fan of the MMO or need a quick diversion from the mundanities of life, give it a whirl and see if you can't beat it.
EVE Online graph shows connection between production and destruction
According to CCP, EVE Online is a constant feedback loop of production and destruction, each feeding off of each other in enormous amounts. The studio posted a colorful infograph that shows how much of each side was done in the game last year and under what level of system security. The devs explain the key difference between the two sides: "Most wars take place in the outermost regions of space (red on the scale), far beyond the safety of the high security regions of the Empires (light blue on the scale). The most favorable conditions for production are a mix of close proximity to major market hubs and the safety provided by the high security regions surrounding them. This visualization tells this story, showing the total produced- and destroyed-value of end products (ships and modules), where production mainly takes place in higher-security space (yellow to blue) and the majority of destruction takes place in low- or null-security space (orange to red)."
CCP plans monument to EVE Online players in Iceland
More than an in-game monument to a single battle, EVE Online fans will soon be able to visit a tangible monument in Reykjavik, Iceland recognizing and honoring all players. The monument will feature two main elements facing each other through a reflective stainless steel barrier, a quote from the EVE universe, and the names of all main characters created as of March 1st, 2014 (including a special mention of players who have passed away). Underneath the structure, a laptop containing videos and messages from players and staff will be buried as a time capsule. The completed work will be unveiled April 30th, just in time for Fan Fest 2014. Of this endeavor, CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Petursson stated, "Our intention is to immortalize the contributions of the millions of people of the EVE universe in a way that extends beyond their immortality in our games. Honoring them as part of a timeless monument shows how virtual lives and adventures have reached a new level of meaning and impact that weaves into and enhances those that happen in this world. We are humbled by all those that have joined us on the journey so far, and it's our hope that this physical piece will continue to gather energy and relevance into decades to come, becoming like EVE Online and outliving us all." [Source: CCP press release]
EVE Online assembles a new guide for new pilots
Getting started in EVE Online can be a daunting task. Most of what people know about the game comes from secondhand sources -- there's a lot of money being thrown around, there's an atmosphere that makes a prison shower seem welcoming, there are plenty of people who will blow up your ship because it's there and they can. But what do you do? How do you start? Hopefully, your questions can be answered via the new FAQ for new pilots. The FAQ clocks in at around 38 pages and covers everything from death and respawning via clones to what you can actually do in the game for content. For veteran EVE players the information will probably seem like old hat, but for novices or those who are just curious it can provide plenty of insight. So if you want to learn more about the game, go ahead and take a gander at the full new player guide.
EVE Online: Rubicon 1.1 patch inbound tomorrow
EVE Online is prepping its Rubicon 1.1 patch for tomorrow, January 28th. Clocking in at a little over a gigabyte, Rubicon 1.1 will supplement the most recent expansion with new deployable structures, the final Sisters of EVE ship, graphic tweaks, UI improvements, and the usual kids-clean-up-the-mess-you-made fixes that post-expansion patches typically contain. The full patch notes for Rubicon 1.1 are currently available to read as your ship prepares for drydock.
Here's an EVE dev diary video on Rubicon 1.1
CCP released a dev diary video focused on EVE Online's Rubicon 1.1 patch today. CCP Guard is your host for a sneak peek of the content drop that will include renovated station exteriors, the Nestor class battleship, new mobile structures, capital ship wrecks, a redesigned Amarr Crucifier, and Encounter Surveillance Systems. See for yourself after the cut.
CCP releases more info about EVE Online's second New Eden Open
Time is running out to get in on EVE Online's second New Eden Open tournament for a chance at this year's $25,000 in prizes; sign ups close on January 20th. Need to know more? CCP has posted additional helpful facts and reminders about the upcoming tournament, including information about sponsorships, player advertising, and the silent auction process for acquiring a slot. The tournament, a modified double-elimination set up that culminates in a best of-five final match, will play out over the weekends of March 1st, 8th, and 15th and be streamed live on EVE's official twitch channel. An additional stream will provide Russian coverage for this year's event.
Play EVE: Valkyrie at Sundance Film Festival
If you want to strap on an Oculus Rift headset and give EVE: Valkyrie a spin, head to the Sundance Film Festival this weekend in Park City, Utah. CCP will be demonstrating the virtual-reality game as part of the festival's New Frontier presentation Friday, January 17th through Saturday, January 25th. Besides experiencing the game for yourself, you'll get to hobnob with CCP staff; CCP t0rfifrans, CCP BADCOP, GM Nythanos, and GM Ukulele will be on hand to answer questions and just chat with EVE fans.
The Daily Grind: Are player councils a good idea?
Turbine recently announced a new Player Council for Dungeons and Dragons Online. The company previously put together a similar panel for Lord of the Rings Online, but thus far we've not heard much in the way of initiatives or results. Back in the day, Star Wars: Galaxies had its own version of player representation that never seemed to actually accomplish anything. EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management has been meeting for years now, and it's probably the most impactful of the ones listed here, though whether that's due to the actual CSM or the fact that EVE is one of the few MMOs permanently affected by player action is up for debate. The question I'm coming to is this: Do you think player councils are a good idea? Would you like to serve on one? Why or why not? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Some Assembly Required: Virtual world roundup for 2014 and beyond
Just over two years ago there was a great disturbance, as if millions (or so) of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Yes, something terrible had happened: a beloved virtual world was destroyed. And that left a number of sandbox refugees looking for a new place to call home. At that time, Some Assembly Required offered a roundup of the then available virtual worlds that could possibly offer accommodation, depending on what qualities players most desired in their games. But as things are wont to, they changed; a lot can happen in the MMOverse in 24 months, from additional features in existing games to new games to the loss of more worlds. So it's time to update this list of virtual worlds to reflect 2014 and beyond. Take a look and see what titles or titles-to-be have the sandbox features that best make a game a home for you.
EVE's CSM8 summit minutes released
From the better-late-than-never department, CCP brings you the minutes for the first scheduled summit of CSM8, which is shorthand for the eighth incarnation of EVE Online's player-run Council of Stellar Management. The meeting happened in August, 2013, and even though it's now January 2nd, 2014, there's plenty of info to wade through including bits on the economy, the state of balance, and EVE Valkyrie.
