Well since quitting the game three years ago, I come back for a month every year or so to see what is going on in the game. I log on and see improved graphics and clients but alas I also see things that haven't changed. I end up playing off and on for a month and then quitting the game again. Now I realize I am probably wasting my time and the devs probably doesn't care but I will say why for the third year I am not renewing again.

Back in 2004 CCP had a game that was dedicated to PVP warfare and it was grand but then they started adding stuff for the non-pvper. And they kept adding and adding and in the process nerving 0.0. Many of us warned this would have a disastrous effect on the intended gameplay focused on player organizations. We ware all flamed like burgers on the 4th of july. Of course it happened. When concord was put in to protect non-pvpers, CCP assured us they would be defeat able and wouldn't become invincible as we warned. We were told to shut up again and flamed again. When they added megacyte to empire space, we warned of the disastrous economic effects to 0.0 economies and we were flamed and told there were only trace amounts and that we were full of it. When they introduced level 4 missions we warned they were pushing all financial incentives to empire and were again flamed to hell. We complained that other than a couple of areas most of 0.0 was now worthless. We were told to shut up.

In the meantime we asked for things. The ability to secure our empires with gate guns and implement real border warfare. We asked for the sovereignty system to focus on border, not jumping 500 capitals into the main heart of the player empire. We asked for low sec to be declared a disaster area (as it always was) and just added to 0.0. We asked for many things to assist players in making their own game.

Some 8 years later all of the bad predictions have come to pass and none of the requests have ben granted. Over the last two weeks I have flown through deserted 0.0 space where the only time you see anyone is occasionally in passing and the deeper you get in 0.0, the more the population density looks like upper siberia. There still is no way to create player made empire, sovereignty management is still a joke and 99% of the population is in empire. Don't take my word for it, log on and pull a star map. I just logged off when there are 43k people online and 99% ofthem are in empire. Empire is a bright star of population and 0.0 is all but deserted. Some people camp the entry gates but otherwise it is largely empty. Once you are past the high sec and low sec chokes you can fly for hours without seeing a soul.

What's more it that nearly 10 years after the start of the game players still can't secure their empires against marauders and form real communities and nearly everyone in the game makes their money in high sec lucrative pursuits and trays 0.0 like a glorified arena. Its very sad and depressing given what it could have been. I still think of the player made content that could have insued from this game and shake my head sadly.

In short, Eve has become a care bear game. I used to make fun of people that played WoW but at least that game has stayed true to its vision, a game with corporation generated content and only a fleeting nod to player content. Eve still says it is sandbox on the front page but its a well regulated, tightly controlled sand box with concord over each child's shoulder ensuring they don't play dodgeball because someone might get hurt. There is almost no incentive to take risks, to move into high sec.

CCP might as well get it over with and keep a couple of 0.0 regions as arenas and make the rest of the game high sec. Say the jovians finally invaded the galaxy and get it over with. Since CCP has been making the game slowly a care bear game for years, they might as well get it over with.

This is the last year I will be back and trying it out. It is a lost cause and that, strangely, makes me sad. CCP, you started something wonderful and then let bean counters and hand wringers mess it up. Its too bad really.