Marlakh
Knights of the Silver Dawn The Fourth District
4
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Posted - 2011.09.13 02:33:00 -
[1] - Quote
My recommendation is EVE Online: Inflexion Point
Mathematical definition: A point on a curve at which the curvature changes from convex to concave or vice versa
Business definition: A major change due to introduction of new technologies.... a change in the customers' values, a change in what customers prefer...that which causes you to make a fundamental change in business strategy.
Warning (and apologies) for the long justifications ahead, borne of a true fanboi of 6 years:
EVE is undergoing major changes. As much of a technical leap as Incarna was, its main function was to be a testbed for Establishments that will (hopefully) be rolled out this Winter expansion. Similarly, the Carbon IO has been integrated but is dormant until it is deemed timely to activate it. We also see many upcoming null sec and ship rebalancing coming up, as well as closer integration with Dust 514 (FPS on planets and stations in the future).
Clearly, as CCP said, EVE is not just a spaceship game, but is envisioned to be eventually a complete Sci-Fi simulator. In this sense, it has disappointed and even alienated many who have been attracted by the spaceship combat of Eve, and who indeed see it correctly as its primary focus. But in expanding its scope, CCP has also sought to attract players with other interests, and hopefully get a slice of the console market too. We see that a lot of the groundwork is being laid for increasing player interaction at all levels, from within Establishments, between DUST-EVE players, and of course, in space.
From the next Summer on, we will see these changes fully implemented; but what can be extrapolated from there? There has been the Future Vision video, showcasing how DUST and Eve players interact. What lies beyond? The prospect for capsuleers actually walking and interacting on planets, moons, stations (POSes, artificial environs like Dyson's spheres) and ships can be expanded indefinitely. Similarly, the level of details on these celestials can poentially be infinite (imagine, WOW takes place on just one "planet", imagine what can be possible with over 7000). The levels of conflict can be expanded from inter-personal to truly cosmic proportions. Eve can be as boundless as any sci-fi setting imaginable. As a single shard universe, Eve is poised to expand almost limitlessly, as will her popularity.
Has CCP's ambitions over-stretched its resources lately in expanding the scope of Eve? Has it communicated sufficiently with the CSM and the players? Does it treat past expansions and game mechanics with the same level of importance? These are issues already discussed at length and will continue to be, and I'm not qualified to judge, being not an expert in this industry.
However, whatever the outcome, we see that both CCP and the capsuleers are on the verge of the most fundamental and extensive changes to Eve in her 8 years' history. If the recent login trends are anything to go by, there has been a gradual waning of interest in Eve. But I believe that the upcoming changes will herald a new era of renewed interest in the Eve, not just as a game, but as a single Universe in which we will all shoot each other in the face.
Hence, as the term implies, this is a true Inflexion Point that we are now seeing in the next expansion, both in terms of player base, as well as the growth of Eve. What happens next is up to CCP's imagination and corporate will to implement these changes. And that, in turn, depends on our passion for this great and unique MMO. |