Nukleanis
Falcon Advanced Industries
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Posted - 2011.06.24 12:36:00 -
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I'll have to admit that I'm a huge fan of EVE, but this last update has me seriously worried about the direction of EVE and CCP. My concerns are outlined in this wall-o-text.
1) CQ: Why would a dude wired into a pod for a few months go through the trouble of unplugging from his goo-hole, being weak and needy for a few moments in full-view of an entire station hangar just for a simple cargo transfer that takes ten seconds? It's immersion breaking and you're going back on your word when you stated that CQ would be completely optional. I do not take kindly to being lied to. I doubt anyone does.
2) CCP's internal newsletter: At first, we're presented with a discussion about if MT is good or not. Then we're treated to this little gem: "So, as a player,
while you are inside a station, you will find gameplay that links other aspects of the game and that also presents you with virtual purchasing opportunities." Why debate over something you have already decided on?
3) Virtual goods prices: $60 for a monocle. Please tell me how this made it to release and why the people in Marketing, QA and Game Design didn't filter this out by thinking "this price is a little high." This is a truly monumental mistake on an extremely basic level, and if I tried grossly overcharging something like this where I work, my customers and my boss would have a very long chat with me about the validity of what I was doing. Probably a very profane chat that ended in my termination.
4) Trust. CCP has stated that trust is important. I see no evidence of this, and even the gaming press has stated that devotees are being fleeced. CCP and the CSM always want greater transparency, and while an internal newsletter is a CCP-only affair, the planned content changes therein are still something that we should be privy to if if affects the product we pay for.
5) Finance. The recent 99$ license fee, vast MT prices and the fact that CCP is developing three games from the profits of one has me worried that CCP won't be around for much longer. Please tell me that your coffers are healthy enough.
6) Make-up: I feel betrayed. Betrayal is a simple word, but recall that betrayal is a pretty serious offence in the real world (usually paid for by imprisonment or capital punishment), and it is not one that I apply lightly. How will you make amends to the consumer base? (Personally, I could easily see the irony and funny side of a free monocle for each account but a lot of others won't.)
7) Asking us to lower our collective pitchforks: I'm glad that the head honcho of PR is on the ball, but please realise that we have very good reason for our outrage. Please think of this from our perspective. If you discovered that a product you were paying for was being changed against your wishes despite previous statements to the contrary, would you continue to use it? Could you trust a company that did this?
8) Deliver: CCP's Mantra this year is Deliver. But what are you delivering? So far we only have one room with the grand vision of WiS. If you need more subs, then shouting "Hey guys! We have a space MMO and you get to walk around in a room with the same functionality as a bar on the left of the screen, too!" wouldn't entice me. Releasing unfinished content is unprofessional at best.
9) Apologies and Accountability: An apology is certainly forthcoming, but apologies mean that someone has to be held accountable for these issues. Is the entire company at fault, or is there one person or team accountable? Ultimately, is the executive producer of EVE to be held accountable?
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