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Old Hermit
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Posted - 2003.12.19 17:12:00 -
[1]
As I see it CCP is trying to raise the "Bar of Competency" to seperate the so called "men from the boys" (or "women from the lasses"). In their attempt to make it so that those (In larger volume) less dedicated to agents, or Eve, can not skate by with easy missions or "cruising" as it is called now CCP has made agent missions harder to complete. This is an overall trend to the whole patch when you step back far enough to take a overall view.
However there is one key factor about raising the "Bar of Competency" that those who ply it always tend to forget. It doesn't take much to change it to the "Bar of Incompetency".
It seems that the current changes have made it nigh impossible, or at least very difficult, for those who can not dedicate significant time to Eve. Which is bass-ackwards. You should encourage more casual play style to reduce server loads. If Eve can be rewarding with only maybe 1-2 hours play per day then you actually hit more of the player market... not what you are hitting here.
And the frightening thought that occurs to me, at this time, is if there is such difficulties with the mid range agents, Level's 2 - 3, exactly how many more orders of magnitude will be encountered when Levels 4 - 5 get activated.
Mind you I am probably one of those fools who will continue to stay on. The time investment since beta is significant and throwing it away is not very easy. These are just thoughts of concern on direction....
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sir tristan
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Posted - 2003.12.19 17:34:00 -
[2]
as with most mmorpg's it is the powerplayers who always have the most to the gain
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Old Hermit
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Posted - 2003.12.19 17:45:00 -
[3]
That's the Lord's truth... however predicating the system to only benefit powergamers is a tad weak.
Besides like I said from a user base growth perspective would it not be more important to cater to that casual gamer then to the power gamer?
That was actually one of the points that drew me to Eve in 1999 when I first heard about it.
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Majin Buu
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Posted - 2003.12.19 17:50:00 -
[4]
powergamers will always end up better off then people who only play it for 1-2 hours per day.
with this new system they have fixed this a little bit because if u have powergamers in your corp doing agent missions, they they will boost your corps standings towards the agents corps standings, so eventually the standing will get to a point where people in your corp who have never done agent missions will be able to get a lvl 2/3 agent easily :)
BoB KillBoard |
Harisdrop
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Posted - 2003.12.19 17:57:00 -
[5]
PC corp standing to npc corp is based on the number of pc corp members. Soo if one member in a large pc corp is doing missions he hardly moves the standing. The smaller the pc corp the more movement....
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Garsh ma it soo cool killing people in there space thingies |
Old Hermit
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Posted - 2003.12.19 18:16:00 -
[6]
One of the points that strikes me about the current implementation is that it is designed to avoid even the smallest "exploitation". But yet in the process of trying to eliminate that the system is also eliminating those who are not exploiting it but are not power gamers.
And it's something of a double standard. Reduce exploitation but allow the rewards if it came from a screw up by CCP.
A - You can't have it one and another. Inconsistency by the referree, of anything, is a travesty.
B - So basically the agent system is only for Power Gamers? Is that the kind of word of mouth that should be described for Eve?
As I said... powergamers in effect are a drain upon a company as they spend significantly more time online. Thus eating up more resources. Is it safe to say that with many of the changes going on that only power gamers will play... may be. And with the loss of the casual gamer, and what power gamer wants to be in a corp of non-power gamers (oxy moron there), CCP will lose the cash cow of customers. And thus putting the game at risk of shutdown.
All you power gamers out there... apply the winning gamestyle and thinking you use in game to the situation. Even the PvP'ers, and pirates, have to admit. Without the casual gamers... who is there to be the prey?
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Harisdrop
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Posted - 2003.12.19 18:36:00 -
[7]
I dont believe there is a power gamer. I believe there are fanatics and casual. The difference is the intent of playing not the time they play. Cause in eve you really dont have to play 5 hours a day. Types of players might have to play longer than others. But CCP does not force anyone to have to play long stretches of time.
Most occupations could be developed in an hour of play. 90% of this forum is based on pirates. Pirates in my opion have to be fanatics. Cause to be a pirate you have to be on to take the target out. Production people could set thier buy orders of minerals or ore and produce and make items all online maybe a couple hours a week. They get a window of a couple hours they can do other things; hunting, getting new bp or setup factories.
Bottom line is the more you play the more you get out of it.
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Garsh ma it soo cool killing people in there space thingies |
SUNscatcher
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Posted - 2003.12.19 19:23:00 -
[8]
Another way to look at it is that the degree of difficulty has risin and thus so has the learning curve. Power gamers aside it should make for a game that can hold a persons interest for a longer period of time.
The flip side was the complaint prior to castor that the game was to boring. Boring it may become but with the difficulty setting raised several notches it'll take considerably longer than it took before.
This is a good change.
If you can catch me you can have me. |
Old Hermit
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Posted - 2003.12.19 19:43:00 -
[9]
LOL... agent missions are still essentially boring. No change there. Now you just have a greater amount of boredom to swallow.
Not that I'm saying things should be made easy. But there must be a better balance. The current solution is not quite "draconian" but it's in that direction.
All I'm saying is that in the attempt to control power gamers, fanatics, cruisers (whatever you want to call them) other, more innocent, people have been excluded as well.
The thing you also have to realize. Faction ratings affect alot now. So agent missions become something of a requirement. And when other aspects come online, i.e. docking fees and what not, CCP now forces the issue.
The only hope that exists for many is to join a small corp with a serious agent runner or join a large corp with a pack of agent runners. Solo, you have to do alot of agent missions yourself just to keep from having some rather pointed negatives in your life.
So the bottom line is this: Agent missions are effectively becoming a required variable in every player's life. EVERY Player, not just power gamers and the like.
So to setup a system that makes something a requirement but increase the difficulty till the average person can not effectively remain competent is to not raise the "Bar of Competency" but the "Bar of Incompetency". Some will succeed but many, many, will not.
And as I was also saying... considering the difficulties involved with many level 2, and level 3, agents how much more difficult for level 4 and level 5?
The solo and casual player is effectively being forced out.
Now I am not either one of these types. However I do know quite a number of them, help many with advice and what not, and I'm at a loss for any real good advice for them. Equally I don't really have much I can share with any new poeple I meet or rl friends asking me about the game.
Many of the changes in particular or of no moment to some of us power gamers/old timers. But that does not exclude the inherent problems.
Difficulty is not a replacement for content or interesting things to do. It is just an added burden in an attempt to slow down the power gamers. But it also slows down those who are not unfairly, and unjustly, so.
Is it kosher to punish all in an attempt to punish those who exploit a situation?
Or would it not be better for "Opportunity to be equal while acheivement remains individual?"
[Note that is a paraphrase of a qoute but a darned good qoute!]
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Ronyo Dae'Loki
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Posted - 2003.12.19 20:10:00 -
[10]
I used to hate agent missions with a passion because they seemed boring and pointless.
Now I really don't mind because the rewards I'm getting are pretty cool. 
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My salsa makes all the pretty girls want to dance and take off their underpants.
I <3 ( . Y . ) |
SUNscatcher
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Posted - 2003.12.19 21:30:00 -
[11]
Well i am a solo player in a solo company. Getting by just fine. The only thing that I couldn't do now that I have an interest in is rat farm some of the lower security areas.
I've only been doing agent missions for a little while and though extremely boring to me when I first started are getting a little more interesting now that there are elevated goals.
If the challange of the game is too much for you then simply ask for some help. There are many accomplished players that are more than willing to lend a helping hand to someone that just can't seem to figure things out on their own.
If you continue to let your frustation get the best of you in the end it will be just you that misses out. 2/3 days is much to brief of a time period to pass judgement on the sweeping changes that have just occured.
After the initial shock of the castor patch wears off I'm sure you will come to realize its just a game and that given enough time most of the problems you are currently experiencing have in game solutions.
Your char's name says it all but from someone else that has spent considerable time playing solo, I play solo because its more challanging, not because I think eve should be a single person game. With the castor patch i may have to rethink that philosophy because with the elevated difficulty just introduced, I may find sufficient challange in the game while being a member of a large corp.
If you can catch me you can have me. |
Old Hermit
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Posted - 2003.12.20 00:28:00 -
[12]
LOL.... research me in the game.... exactly what kind of character has zero standings with anyone but has been here since about launch?
I am not solo... And as a matter of fact I wasn't careful about my config today and I had a Ammatar Slaver kicking my arse till I withdrew a little bit and called in for some Corp BS support. Damn shame it is a bugged mission that is incompletable... (Check it out here)
Please if you would re-read what I'm saying. I'm not crying foul for my sake, I am part of a corp that is without a doubt a well function, finely tuned machine. We decide what we want to do and we hit the target, always. When it is stuff outside of that, we help each other in the personal little crusades whenever possible.
But as I go through all of this I see a trend and it is that trend that I am railing against. I have ever spoken out for the solo, or the new, players. Ironically I have been one of each at any given time. I have not forgotten my past nor will I just shrug it off either.
So please .... Don't think I'm biching and moaning. I'm bringing up a valid concern as I see it. Unfortunately a majority of those people I'm arguing for rarely even view these boards.
I think that is silly too, no matter how much peace of mind if brings them... as long as it lasts.
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