Von Ulrich
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Posted - 2008.04.01 01:38:00 -
[1]
 Originally by: Barbelo Valentinian
Originally by: Xublai
Excellent Essay
I think this analysis is absolutely spot on. CCP have kind of painted themselves into a corner. At some point they decided that they'd invite the griefing playstyle (that other MMOs reject) into the game, and protected it with low-risk for griefers and gankers, thereby cornering a market niche that no other MMO did. But now this decision is coming back to bite them in the ass, as the amount of duff, immersion-ganking gameplay in low sec has completely broken any idea of progression into 0.0 sec, and into the deeper parts of the game.
So the game, as you say, looks pretty much like it's divided between vets (of all stripes, mostly good players, and then this large minority of silly griefers and n00b-gankers, with even some decent vets indulging in that kind of playstyle too because they're bored, and it's a protected playstyle) and newbies who play for a while, get ****ed off with the amount of silliness and leave, with a few who bite the bullet and go in for the long slog, hoping to find some joy later in the game.
Instead of doing something like you say - making it possible for newbies to do what they really want to do, which is get together and stop the silly griefing themselves, CCP still tries to protect its pet griefers' playstyle while at the same time, out of growing economic necessity, trying to make Empire a reasonable starter playpen. This actually satisfies nobody.
CCP needs to stop protecting the gankbear playstyle and return to the idea of a serious, player-driven PvP-oriented MMO. It would be a shame to see all the wonderful work they've done go to waste - the game world, the assets, the lore, are all beautifully designed, everything is set for an immersive, serious MMORPG, just as it was (by all accounts) in the beginning. This game could go on for years and years yet, and could even grow. Just stop protecting the minority 12 year old schoolyard bully playstyle, forget about that niche, and get back to the roots - a truly open, truly Darwinian universe for mature players, not a universe in which any particular playstyle is ring-fenced, far less the juvenile griefer/gankbear playstyle.
Exactly correct, and outstanding analysis. I'm in the group that is simply waiting in high-sec until I have a character that can survive more then a few seconds in low sec or 0.0. I know vet players want unskilled newbs out there to add to their killmails and ego trips but it just isn't worth it for me. The sad truth, I get to sit here and wait for 3-6 more months, mission grinding to get a character who can compete. Yes, I'm sure I could go do something now and add more sport to a veteran players day, but I just don't want my ship, modules, and pod destroyed so I can go grind some more to outfit it again.
Perhaps it is worth it for CCP to have a player like me for every (whatever the number is) that just quit after seeing how stacked against them the game is. Doesn't seem like a viable long-term business model to me.
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