Few would have ever guessed that on the eve of EVE’s 15th birthday, CCP would unleash a cataclysm of a patch. A small update to most, it would seem innocent enough if not for one simple thing: Within the ‘arms race’ event is the ability for NPC’s to “print” ships out of thin air.

Thirty minutes worth of effort (or merely parking a Vexor and watching Netflix) can net you not only a free Battlecruiser of random make and model, but a free Battleship as well. Lo and behold, our doom! Fifteen years of trial and error, ups and downs, all beset by the slow tide of change (and not for the better).

First, the Resource Wars update allowed for players to “unbox” whole Battleships. Now, players are merely given the box with the Battleship in it. Some might say “what’s the problem”, but we’re faced with the fact that these ships are not made by players.

For roughly fifteen years, ships have been crafted by hand and manually cobbled together by players. Crafting a vehicle takes more than one person generally and in the past, it often involved more than three for even cruisers.

Now? We have boxes that just make ships out of thin air.

Analysts within the industry are growing increasingly concerned that minor Twitter and containment forum backlash may impact sales for the coming quarter. A vocal minority of players continue to state that DLC (Down Loadable Content) is “no good” for the video game’s ecosystem, and encourages gambling in some extreme cases. Experts have yet to prove anything negative from a system of scheduled rewards intent on creating addictions to drive consumers into buying more.

The issue stems from entirely optional consumable items available at a premium within the game’s store. The game itself is free to play, generating the majority of its income from optional “luxury” items such as monocles, different shades of “skin paint” (ironically for space ships, not people) and character customization options, such as “skill points” that allow for an expanded inventory and gear. Traditional cosmetic options are available to paying players to create unique and exciting characters within the game world including highly detailed shirts, pants and shoes, but even analysts were surprised at how often players would simply “whip out the plastic” to pay for things like thick rimmed glasses for sci-fi, space-faring people, who obviously had no use for barbaric glass lenses suspended in front of their faces.

Consulting firms across the country weighed in on the issue; many citing that optional purchases of convenience have no notable effect on the player base as one player ‘getting ahead’ of another in terms of “in-game unlocks” does not create a ripple in the vast digital world of EVE Online. Allowing more customization options for the players—as well as offering a premium month-to-month acceleration options—is seen as a universal constant in the gaming world, to pay for lightning-fast servers and global support teams in a variety of languages.

In a note to clients, analyst Justin Thyme said:

Management within CCP Games has highlighted both depth of play and high quality of the product, but did not provide an update on unit sales expectations for the coming business quarter. As expected, profits will be high given the new Micro-Injector update (referred to in video game terms as “Daily Alpha Injector” after focus groups identified that the majority of players could relate to wanting to be “alpha males”). As for the controversy itself, CCP has indicated that the rate a player unlocks content is consistent with established statistics gathered over the course of a fifteen year life of product survey. As such, we expect the backlash to be contained within the free forum we have provided for the players, as well as third party outlets such as “Reddit” and “Digg” for the vocal minority that wish ill for the product and its active players.

He went on to continue:

Cost for optional purchases of convenience go through months of highly targeted, multi-volume stress testing including approval by a select council of “hardcore” players. Unfortunately, these selected players are often outside of the target demographic as parents are unwilling to sign legal paperwork deeding their offspring to Icelandic flights twice a year. Thus, the majority of “council” members are often well outside the product’s target demographic and the fact that they’ve signed off on this latest round of monetization only further confirms that the majority of our customers—young or old—have no qualms about further optional in-game purchases.”

Moving past the controversy, Justin clarified that,

CCP has also indicated to us that potential blow back risk from minor changes is slight, given the “old guard” of the game is very vocal about any change at all and will try to make things difficult for paying players. After further analytical review however, we see the controversy as a potential risk for unit sales vs buy side expectations, although CCP has again expressed conservative estimates for CCP’s premium subscription service.

To put it simply, CCP’s latest round of video game adjustments further streamline the product for paying customers by adding game play elements as encouragement. “The intent is to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different ships.” CCP was quoted last summer, shortly after a corporate restructure further insured that the “general forum” would be a containment snare to keep toxic opinions from bitter, non-paying customers from seeping further and impacting the brand negatively.

With the vocal minority and their pseudo-outrage kept at bay, CCP continues to explore other outlets for monetization to further encourage growth within the industry. Citing high player numbers (up 18% from last year), CCP has taken the bold steps of reeling in blooming outside costs, cutting taxes in half and reducing redundant employees in the same stroke as wasteful spending. Non-Paying and ungrateful fans of CCP’s original products (namely, EVE Online) have voiced harsh opinions of these moves; some going as far as to say CCP’s closing of their top of the line (but unused) American “virtual reality” studio caused the closure of nearby Dunkin’ Donuts. CCP cites this as a prime example of, in his own words, “bitter oldvets trying to cause trouble” and went on to say that “It’s a business. You’d think these eggheads and all their spreadsheets would know by now that we need to make a profit or there’s no space ships.” CCP later retracted the comment on Twitter by saying “eggheads” was meant in an endearing way.

Analysts remain torn over the projected sales numbers regardless of CCP’s continued re-assurement to the contrary. Some have quietly stated that, should CCP’s latest monetization options prove fruitful, they could drive consumers towards more luxury goods within the game’s ecosystem. A win-win in the business world, as moving more digital goods involves pure profit with no shelves to stock or employees and management to pay, suppliers of digital entertainment are always looking for more hooks.

A LINK TO THE PAST

This is not CCP’s first brush with player outrage before. Years ago, CCP had announced to shareholders that they intend to monetize minor transactions within the sprawling space utopia, namely missiles and things like “hybrid charge ammunition” and these would not harm the delicate, yet fiercely competitive in-game economy because “it’s not like, a ship or anything major.” This was met with near universal outrage that “Nearly cost me my shirt” said CCP. “But we managed to claw our way back up there by hiding the advantages of paying behind “it has to come from somewhere” economics, and the players ate that right up.”

Looking back, CCP stands by his choices. “I don’t have any regrets. Well, except one” he went on to state during a candid interview with industry consultants flown in by the Icelandic government to help stabilize the virtual world last year after a minor dispute left Sporc in a copyright claim war with the owner of Spork Holding Products last year. In the end, CCP changed the product’s name to Sparc. “I’d say my one big regret is not putting in skill injectors sooner. You would not believe the income stream we generated off people skipping ahead of players who had played for years. Had to double the amount of 8 day skills because players are twice as likely to just pay it off instead of waiting the full eight days.” A hearty chuckle was shared among the gathered men, some stopped abruptly to adjust their ties and suit lapels before continuing with business as usual.

LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW CHARACTERS AND CONTENT

It only makes sense that, nearly a year after that interview, CCP has announced micro-sized injectors that do not use players as a source of their skill points, but instead are generated out of a new named character: A sentient black hole named Billbert who requires Plex to feed his insatiable hunger.

“Players should be happy” CCP stated on Twitter. “They’ve been asking for black holes in EVE for years and now they’ve finally got one.” In a request for further interviews, CCP has repeatedly sent us a short fact sheet detailing that micro-transactions within video game worlds are “not evil”, but instead a requirement for a healthy, growing business and the phrase “nothing in life is free, buddy” was sprinkled liberally throughout the document. On the back of the fact sheet is merely an advertisement for EVE Mobile with the caption “Get your kids hooked on the basic economics and margin trading for free.”

Following hot on the trail of “World of Warcraft: Classic” and its big announcement, CCP appears to be following suite with a big reveal of their own.

Simply called “Eve Online: Classic”, it features “gameplay enhancements” such as minefields and the inability to warp to stargates and stations directly. The internal build lists tag lines such as “One universe, one massive community”; “Solo and large scale epic combat”; “Advanced player-driven economy”, and “Unique real-time skill advancement” though just what is included in the live launch is yet to be seen.

Various podcasts and even Reddit discussions lit up in the wake of the leak with the majority of players vocally decrying the efforts of CCP, some going as far as to say that investors will “never back” such an “inane concept” for an MMO.

Eve Online: Classic is expected to share the same persistent server as Eve Online, though many players suspect that this may cause population imbalance issues. Some players have pointed out that CCP will have to make “ancient, boxy” versions of newer ship. Fortunately, a “Corax: Classic” was found buried in the leaked files, hinting that CCP has been doing something since Vegas.

CCP has yet to answer any questions regarding the leaked build or even the Classic product which, admittedly, isn’t even officially announced yet but looks to be on-course with internal development.

This reporter would have given the leaked build a try, though finding a CRT monitor capable of 800×600 in this day and age is nigh impossible. The rise of retro gaming gear and throwbacks to the 90’s like “Virtual Reality Goggles” may alleviate this issue, but that is yet to be seen.

Eve Online: Classic is expected to launch in early 2023 for the “20th anniversary” of the franchise.

Embedded deep in RMT territory, your humble spai continues to bring you, dear readers, all the salacious details as Rushlock, Frank the Bank, and Hazelton, the Rushlock Media Triad (RMT), continue to nurture their growing RMT empire, and scheme to dominate New Eden’s present and future.

1ronBank, unaffiliated with RMT, has recently returned to streaming—where scores of watchers lurk—hoping to get a slice of his unassailable wealth. 1ronBank may or may not have anything to do with this article or with RMT, but it just seemed wrong to omit the opportunity to drop a famous name in the context of the initials RMT, and possibly miss better visibility on Google.

CCP*, in a brilliant move to avoid criticism over microtransactions, and lay a foundation for the EVE 2: Rush to Second Genesis business model, announced that all microtransactions and loot boxes would be managed by and for players under the watchful eye of CCP_SorryGuysNoStreamToday (formerly known as Frank the Bank). CCP_PlausibleDeniability affirmed that “CCP_SorryGuysNoStreamToday is not a CCP employee, but is clearly the right choice to coordinate, observe, and advise this player-run initiative as part of our growing community team. Even his name makes it obvious he’s a financial wizard!”

“Our new model, which we refer to as P2P, or ‘Peer to Peer’ RMT, is the cornerstone of our future success,” CCP_SorryGuysNoStreamToday clarified. “CCP will apply a small per-transaction fee as consideration for facilitating each transaction between players, and may or may not choose, at some point, to seed the market or sell items directly after determining which items have the highest value, in order to ensure the market remains fluid, dynamic, and fun!”

“This takes us to the next level,” a well-informed insider source promised. “New Eden had the first and only fully player-driven economy. The Second Genesis cluster will offer the first player-run organized virtual crime network and black market with both in-game and out-of-game assets and influence. We are breaking new ground!”

CCP_SorryGuysNoStreamToday, in light of his new responsibilities as under-secretary of RMT asset whelping, announced he would transition his portion of the stream schedule to personal grooming and ship cleaning, in order to focus more specifically upon EVE 2 scams. “I hate beards, and people who have beards,” he said, stroking his scruffy chin.

The real news, as it always is in anything related to EVE Online, is the community’s response.

In this case, the RMT viewer response to the previous exposee on the EVE 2: Rush to Second Genesis beta key scam is sickening. RMT viewers, eager to cash in, have embraced the idea wholeheartedly, and are now advancing multiple proposals to dominate the Second Genesis galactic cluster before and upon arrival.

In addition to selling EVE 2 Beta keys, RMT viewers presented a proposal to sell permits to transfer assets from EVE to the EVE 2 Beta. The transfer would necessarily involve assigning the assets to an authorized RMT agent in New Eden, with a promised delivery of said assets from New Eden to the Second Genesis cluster Soon™, depending upon availability of this area to star system citizens. Rumor has it that contracts are already flooding in.

The Second Genesis cluster, with initial access via Jove space, has no existing stargate or station infrastructure. In light of this, RMT associates announced plans to monopolize early stargate anchor points, then offer Cluster Organization Distribution Entitlement (CODE) permits to a small selection of corporations and individuals with sufficient assets. These “Non-Organizational Permittee or Organizational RMT Subscribers” (NOPOORS) would have exclusive access to the Second Genesis cluster. Basic CODE Permits would allow time-limited permission for NOPOORS to enter the Second Genesis cluster.

Add-on permits available as P2P microtransactions would allow transit between systems in the Second Genesis cluster. CCP_SorryGuysNoStreamToday, in his first press appearance, indicated, “the intent is to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different permit levels.”

James315, of New Eden’s CODE. fame, was not approached for feedback, but is assumed to back this plan wholeheartedly, as it establishes a high barrier to bot-aspirancy in the Second Genesis cluster, even if it borrows his meme. “It’s true that anyone can claim control of anything,” James 315 proclaimed, in a quote taken entirely out of context, but clearly indicating that RMT may claim control of the Second Genesis cluster and stargates, and use the CODE acronym.

*Community Content Providers. Any resemblance to Center for Competitive Politics, Capacitively coupled plasma, CCP Games, Certified Cheese Professionals, the now-defunct CCCP (USSR), or any other “CCP” are entirely coincidental.

J150625 – C4 Space

The scene around Asterion’s Pleasure Hub was all hugs and smiles last week as House of Asterion—a Wormhole corporation that focuses on PvP content—celebrated yet another successful operation. Eve Onion News received a tip on the merriment, and immediately reached out to CEO Meneer Wolf for comment:

“We had mapped out a secure highsec chain about 7 jumps from Hek. I immediately pinged for a highsec roam gang.” Meneer continued, “We had 24 pilots logged in, all piloting Confessors with some Caldari Navy Hookbills and Deacons in support. Overall, things were shaping up nicely.”

Then, Meneer explained, disaster struck, “We had undocked and were two jumps from our highsec exit, when one of our members spotted a POS Party scout in system. Per our protocol, we immediately sent out another ping, and in two minutes, we were able to get all of our members safely logged off without detection.”

Eve Onion reached out to POS Party for their take on the story and was able to interview one of their scouts, Kendrid Spirit. “We were scouting out our chain, looking for a brawl,” Kendrid states, “I assumed we would get one too; small ship fights can be super fun and we love PvP.” Eve Onion pushed Kendrid for more answers. “Say what you will about House of Asterion, no one logs off like they do. I counted almost 30 members online and within, I don’t know maybe two minutes, everyone was gone. They had three people all convo’ing me telling me they were going to bed or just doing PI. I was still scanning down the chain.”

When asked if she had pinged to muster her corp, she replied, “No. I mean, I knew they were going to log, so why bother?” She continued, “I was able to find a couple of dreads ratting a few systems over, so we eventually found our content.”

Eve Onion was able to determine that of the 24 House of Asterion members, only two had made it back to HoA’s home hole, with the rest getting into high sec or safe logging in some random C2 w/HS static. “I could not be more proud of this corp.” Meneer said, “It just goes to show you that practice makes perfect, and when you take this as seriously as we do, you can rise to any challenge.”