Nuala Reece
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Posted - 2003.11.02 13:57:00 -
[1]
 Quote:
The pirate is left with free gear and he is left wanting to quit, the thing is the ones who are caught in this dont know until its too late. For CCP it cannot be a good thing as i have seen many irate players because of this.
Well, this seems to be the main reason for most of the changes that have happenned, leading us to this sorry state of affairs. I can see the reasoning, but I think it's a little off.
I'd agree that jump-in camping isn't the only option left to pirates. Just as jumpgate camping wasn't the only option left a month ago, when some pirates complained that it was. Just as there are things still to do other than killing people after you've bought your battleship. Just as being pushed out of empire space isn't damaging the chances for piracy and/or PvP combat. But how does the game encourage players to explore their options more widely?
The problem really, is that camping in one place is the easier option, not the only one. It's more a lack of imagination (or choosing not to use it) that encourages people to gate/jump-in camp rather than trying something else. But CCP's responses have been very much along the line of spanking the pirates to keep them in line. And so, of course, the pirates have reacted as you would expect and taken up a role of rebellious passive-aggression against the devs - through expolits, excessive podding, and deliberately using tactics that **** people off and make it more difficult for the game to keep new players long enough for them to stand a chance. Obvious examples of this were the Reverend's killing spree through 1.0 space a couple of months ago and the threats from others in M0o at the time to do the same 'and what can the devs do to stop us as we're selling our accounts anyway'.
What I'd like to see are changes that encourage players into imaginative responses to the challenges of the game. Introducing player built stations would be a start, for one example. Then instead of complaining about being forced out of empire space the pirates can go find those miners and traders who are out there (because it's a falsehood that we're not travelling into lawless space becuase it's too dangerous). They could find some ways to lure other people out to lawless space where they can be pirated. Or build their own stations to increase trade, providing a new source of prey and/or protection rackets.
Like the original poster, I'm not trying to be anti-pirate - I was stopped and destroyed in Aunenen myself last night (nice to see you again *****Cat, say hi to the others for me :) ). I knew the risks and took it anyway; I thought the toll demand was unreasonably high, but I'm not here to criticise SI and Biomass business sense. And I'm not bitter about the loss of a shuttle and the collateral from one agent mission. It just seems like hanging around a jump-in point attacking shuttles can't be the kind of stimulating and adventurous gameplay the pirate players were expecting when they started. Part of the responsibility lies with CCP to provide the opportunities for their chosen profession, and part lies with the players themselves to extend their range.
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