Loading... EVE FanFest: A Crazy Way to Build a Game

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Posted Mon, Nov 10, 2008 by Ethec

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Daily Column

I hope you had a great weekend. Here in Iceland for EVE FanFest 2008, it was a great weekend for both present and future EVE gamers. The Summer 2009 expansion, with a working title of "True Exploration", will precede the much talked-about Walking in Stations (WIS) expansion. WIS is CCPs initiative to allow players to interact outside their ships with corporate offices and player-owned establishments - shops, bars, tattoo parlors, and Amarrian weight-loss clinics and more, as we learned - but True Exploration is more about EVE core gameplay. If it works as promised, should do much to allevate the pet criticisms EVE has justly accrued in its five year history.

You can learn more about True Exploration from our feature article and two videos from the CCP keynote on True Exploration features and release details, but this is one of those expansions where the most exciting things about the expansion probably aren't the most exciting things to the hardcore player. While the incredibly customizable Tech 3 ships and wormhole exploration features should keep the EVE veterans busy for a while, CCP is finally addressing its new player retention problems (otherwise known as EVE's "steep learning cliff") with a more relevant, more active tutorial and epic mission arcs for solo players (and I would argue that new players are usually solo players in EVE, and vice versa).

It's been a crazy backwards journey for EVE Online. After four years of developing a game almost purely for hardcore players, we saw factional warfare in the Empyrean Age expansion - a PvP gateway drug aimed at post-pubescent noobish types who don't have a strong corporate affiliation. Now, after working on the gap between the moderately enthused and the thoroughly hooked (and, not to mention, shoring up its one shard network infrastructure), CCP is ready and willing to make another push for new players. They'll do so with not just better new player features, but one of the least mentioned but pretty huge announcements of the event: EVE in a box. Traditional retail distribution might not be the best choice for newer games, but for EVE, a game that's well-established, unique, and a proven success yet is absolutely yearning for new players, it makes a whole lot of sense. I'll probably buy it just to get a manual.

I should note that it's not like CCP has been ignoring the plight of new players - this is at least the third tutorial revamp that I can remember. And EVE remains the only game where, from day one (if you have the right friends) you can experience fleet warfare and possibly contribute to the outcome. This is the first time, however, where I feel like CCP could finally connect all the dots, from new to low sec to null sec for achievers, killers, explorers - the whole gamut.

More on EVE FanFest 2008 tomorrow, but for now I've got to catch a plane home! What do you want to hear more about from EVE FanFest? Post your thoughts in the Loading... forum, or just email me with your response to the FanFest announcements.

Ten Ton Hammer Epic Thread of the Day

Sometimes they're funny; sometimes they're foolish; sometimes they're flaming; sometimes they're cool. Whatever this one happens to be, it's our Epic Thread of the Day.

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From our WoW: General Discussion Forum

Powerleveling scam buyer beware

Peterpaulmary's first post on our forum was filled with angst. It seems our hapless adventurer wanted to level a World of Warcraft character from 1-70 in 3-7 days...to the tune of $299 US dollars. Alas, things between Peterpaulmary and the power leveling service he hired didn't go very well, and what resulted was a cautionary and, if you've never been thus screwed, funny tale. The copied and pasted conversation between our friend and a customer service rep, ironically named Smile, is nothing short of epic. But never fear, Peterpaulmary! Smile can "see your feelings," and as soon as Smile's mythical boss appears we're sure you'll get that refund you demanded.

Awesome Quote from the Epic Thread:

"For all the time spent contacting a powerleveling service and getting the run around you could have leveled to 70 twice on your own."

- Rocqu
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Do you have a favorite Epic Thread? Let us know!

21 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 49 in November! 2846 in 2008!

New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today [Thanks Phil Comeau for links and Real World News]

EVE FanFest 2008

Images/Video

Chronicles of Spellborn: Travel Trailer

Reviews

NCSoft's Exteel

Previews

Final Fantasy XI: Exclusive Update - A New Beginning

Interviews

Community

Guides

Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to:

Real World News

Packs of robots will hunt down uncooperative humans [Link courtesy of Matt N.!]
All hail our new Boomjack-hunting robot overlords
90-yr old living with 3 siblings' bodies [Link courtesy of Tristan M.!]
Was using them to level out that wobbly dining room table
Man attempts to pay $32 bar tab with gum wrappers
Bar owner was not amused at how he attempted to wrigley out of the situation.

EVE Online at Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMOG Gamers to the Next Level!

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