Good news the world didn't end, and we're all still alive. Except maybe for the people that passed away last night which is a god awful shame. I'm sure they would have laughed at the world not ending.
So its been a little while since I've blogged about something and I have some interesting theories this time around. So I have been away from eve for a while 2 months actually. In the mean time I have been playing dust and loving every minute of it. And as odd as this may sound power blocs of present maybe vunerable to lose there space. There biggest threat doesn't come from the new power bloc, or even themselves. But a dust corps I know, I know I'm speaking in tongues incomprehensible to a sane eve mind. But this actually might be truer then some may give it credit for. Dust corps have connections that go deep into eve's power blocs of both Null and FW.
A motivating factor is pure self interest to see there dust corp grow into an alliance and be a viable tool anywhere (bear in mind this is still a theory but a one grounded in factual basis). Corps like the Imperfects, Zion TCD, Tritan, Seraphim ect.. Have high up connections and probably have the ability to find work anywhere because of that. Moreover the pilots that call these corps home should be motivated to capture CFC planets to starve a good chunk of there player base of income. And you may think oh we can just hire our own mercs no problem. In the case of the Imperfects I hope you have enough isk to last you a good while. This corp has an attitude about them that would make the 1337 PvP corps look cearbear. I would blame it on ignorance that is if they were ignorant, competence and total faith in there gun game is there greatest strength. No one coalition could probably find a better group of bunnies. This is why no coalition could afford to kick them out on there own terms. Sure throw 100m at Zion TCD who placed among the top three in the testers tourney. They may even win against them but in short the imperfects will probably take it straight back.
How long are we willing to keep throwing hundreds of millions to billions at a planet worth 2b a month if that? Even if dust pushes into sov mechanics itself there is no structures to bash, stations to grind, or fleets to whelp. Eve alliances will wake up in a sobering rage when the bunnies they hire can't even achieve the conditions to orbital strike. Whilst getting battered and harassed by surface cannons mean while their space burns. So ignoring the aforementioned corps is only done so at your own risk. Take note of these corps especially the Imperfects who believe they can't be beat by anyone. Nor do they care how much isk coalitions can throw and a myriad of different dust corps/alliances. They truly believe that they can beat any coalition level organization just because they believe they are leet gun game. This is as I said is there greatest strength and I applaud their mindset. I actually believe this to be true because no one in dust can beat them right now corp battle or otherwise. No Eve organization can employ enough mercs to win against them. Thus the space will be weakened for ignoring it.
I also question where loyalties now lie not to what corp or which alliance. But rather which game? Will pilots stay true to there eve kin who they have played with for many years. Or will the pilots be motivated enough to be fleet commanders for mixed corps/alliances. Who get to command not only eve assets but dust ground forces in a sift coup. Or even putting eve on hiatus for good, not looking back and being a full time bunny. I've toyed with that thought myself and I can understand that decision to quit. But my spaceships are just to shiny to mothball and don't deserve that sort of treatment. Interesting idea of dust corps/alliances toppling whole alliances and taking away there player base. Something similar is bound to happen sooner then later. But one thing is for sure the reaction of the eve player base will be something of mass shock and awe as well as many tears. Tears of hopelessness that they lost there space because of a well coordinated alliance of bunnies and pilots, swept through there space and they could do nothing being popped as they orbited a district. And this is for sure to happen in FW.
But keep an eye out on the horizon dust isn't far of from connecting to TQ. Open beta is coming just around the corner and maybe we'll be scared of something that we can't control.
SHAM
Friday, December 21, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Exploring the different.
Well I've finally at a stable computer again! thank god because I have been itching to put a new blog out! This is going to be a change of pace as I put eve in the background. At the foreground I'll take you into a discussion about DUST 514.
The Revelry
I have been playing the hell out of dust. I like it a lot, its everything eve but from a different vantage point. And since its conception there has been talk about dust will fail. Or talk about if dust fails then eve might just kick the bucket. There have been questions about the integrity of the PS3 community. The speculation around the game has actually driven it to promote itself. Does this sound like a game we know? I for one can say dust has the intrigue, competitiveness, and retention the Eve PC players have been going on about. But the dust players can talk about it much because of that pesky NDA that envelops it. I will, but I won't go into game play.
The Game
So for how long I've been playing dust I have made a few conclusions. These maybe early conclusions but I feel like sharing. Dust has the same winning formula that eve has. New Eden has a very high retention. Eve sees ppl go to SWTOR, RIFT, MWO, even LoL. But those players somehow find there way back. The immenseness of Eve carries over to dust. Its very common that we take breaks from eve for a few months or so but we come back easy enough.
Dust shouldn't be any different tbh. CCP is putting the same philosophies behind a shooter. A social shooter, with the vastness of an entire universe, the persistence of an MMO, and finally gameplay that you only find in one place. This has what made eve what it is today. No game can compare to it, no game is like it.
In eve we talk about carebears all the time. You know those giant space pinatas that float about high sec and chomp rocks all day every day. They bitch and they whine but we all know high sec is where they reside and its where most of them stay. The dust community has named the same players as 'casuals' and they are every bit as bitchy. They cry for nerfs and only think about themselves in an infinite universe. And still the 'hardcore' crowd does the same as any pirate, null sec pilot, FW player, or anyone who PvP does. WE DON'T FUCKING CARE!!!! Because we know those idiots will stay in high sec. They'll never amount to much other then cannon fodder. They'll come and go simple as that. And if they ever venture even one parsec into null or low they'll pay! Does this sound a game we know?
I again point you to a familiar game and its Eve. The harshness of the community of eve, and the game itself, is what sifts the weak from the strong. Its this sort of Darwinism that persists through out new eden. So what we are left with is the fittest of the fit, the adapt, and the cunning. Hardcore dust bunnies are there and they're here to stay! Point being no other shooter can be like dust in scale and immersion.
The competitive 'hardcore' crowd is using the brain god gave them. Implementing ground warfare doctrines, planning corp battles, and setting up there next move forward. They'll alarm clock to a potential threat. And the alliances these smart cookies are forging is incredible. And its all for the sake of putting your name on the map. These players are not the console kids we thought they would be. Instead they'll be intrical part of the New Eden community. Small alliances that have very skilled pilots but can't out match the blob have fallen to the way side. But if they have a dust contingent there viable again for null sec conquest. Alliances will have huge standing armies at there disposal. Dust corps will amass coalition caliber fleets to help with there planetary conquest. And no, just cause you think your an eve player doesn't mean they'll follow your isk. Dust corps have there own ambitions and will shake the foundation of new eden in ways we will have to adapt to.
TL;DR
Dust is very likely to succeed and surpass current FPS'
There are stupid dust players, and there are smart ones.
Hardcore players will be the ones your alliance will be contracting. casuals stay in high sec.
The Revelry
I have been playing the hell out of dust. I like it a lot, its everything eve but from a different vantage point. And since its conception there has been talk about dust will fail. Or talk about if dust fails then eve might just kick the bucket. There have been questions about the integrity of the PS3 community. The speculation around the game has actually driven it to promote itself. Does this sound like a game we know? I for one can say dust has the intrigue, competitiveness, and retention the Eve PC players have been going on about. But the dust players can talk about it much because of that pesky NDA that envelops it. I will, but I won't go into game play.
The Game
So for how long I've been playing dust I have made a few conclusions. These maybe early conclusions but I feel like sharing. Dust has the same winning formula that eve has. New Eden has a very high retention. Eve sees ppl go to SWTOR, RIFT, MWO, even LoL. But those players somehow find there way back. The immenseness of Eve carries over to dust. Its very common that we take breaks from eve for a few months or so but we come back easy enough.
Dust shouldn't be any different tbh. CCP is putting the same philosophies behind a shooter. A social shooter, with the vastness of an entire universe, the persistence of an MMO, and finally gameplay that you only find in one place. This has what made eve what it is today. No game can compare to it, no game is like it.
In eve we talk about carebears all the time. You know those giant space pinatas that float about high sec and chomp rocks all day every day. They bitch and they whine but we all know high sec is where they reside and its where most of them stay. The dust community has named the same players as 'casuals' and they are every bit as bitchy. They cry for nerfs and only think about themselves in an infinite universe. And still the 'hardcore' crowd does the same as any pirate, null sec pilot, FW player, or anyone who PvP does. WE DON'T FUCKING CARE!!!! Because we know those idiots will stay in high sec. They'll never amount to much other then cannon fodder. They'll come and go simple as that. And if they ever venture even one parsec into null or low they'll pay! Does this sound a game we know?
I again point you to a familiar game and its Eve. The harshness of the community of eve, and the game itself, is what sifts the weak from the strong. Its this sort of Darwinism that persists through out new eden. So what we are left with is the fittest of the fit, the adapt, and the cunning. Hardcore dust bunnies are there and they're here to stay! Point being no other shooter can be like dust in scale and immersion.
The competitive 'hardcore' crowd is using the brain god gave them. Implementing ground warfare doctrines, planning corp battles, and setting up there next move forward. They'll alarm clock to a potential threat. And the alliances these smart cookies are forging is incredible. And its all for the sake of putting your name on the map. These players are not the console kids we thought they would be. Instead they'll be intrical part of the New Eden community. Small alliances that have very skilled pilots but can't out match the blob have fallen to the way side. But if they have a dust contingent there viable again for null sec conquest. Alliances will have huge standing armies at there disposal. Dust corps will amass coalition caliber fleets to help with there planetary conquest. And no, just cause you think your an eve player doesn't mean they'll follow your isk. Dust corps have there own ambitions and will shake the foundation of new eden in ways we will have to adapt to.
TL;DR
Dust is very likely to succeed and surpass current FPS'
There are stupid dust players, and there are smart ones.
Hardcore players will be the ones your alliance will be contracting. casuals stay in high sec.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thoughts on ranks and defensive plexes
Team Game of Drones did a lot of great things this expansion tackling ship re-balancing, overcoming language barriers(yes i watched CCP Yitterbum on fanfest), and most of all the FW overhaul. But did they give us a relatively big bone to chew on for a while? I think so, because even though the new FW system is quite fun and has that new feature smell it was half done so to speak. Yes great rewards for offensive plexing, good kills in the defensive plexing but that's about it for defending your space. How does this match up in 0.0 terms? Well in null defending your space does get you the fights, but it also allows your alliance(s) to continue holding the resource rich space bringing in the bacon. The offensive side can take the tech moon but will they use it as soon as as they have it? In most cases no, they'll continue their conquest until the region has stabilized.
I understand CCP's logic here, I mean this is a "forever war" and keeping things topsy-turvy keeps things interesting. But with no way to actually deny LP's to an enemy faction in a rewarding way people may just get bored and go back to shitty incursions. Drudge matches start and the tug-of-war happens without defense or can favor a winning side for a long time. The tug-of-war is being seen in the caldari-gallente contest not many want to defensive plex because it pays nothing! So when one side reaches tier 3 they are reduced to tier 1 within days.
This would be more to par as a "stepping stone" to null as more strategic points would be attacked. As well as bringing awesome small gang fights to the newer players needing the pvp experience. As I said before this gives noobs time to learn pvp while training those skills for the offensive actions. And provides them steady income after a good podding but not just for newer players older ones as well. Iteration needs to happen at some point hopefully, this is an outcry we need as FW pilots. I see things could become quickly one sided or dull over time with efforts down the sink and burnt out pilots. So what do you say Game of Drones you up for another challenge or did you stick a fork in us already?
SHAM
I understand CCP's logic here, I mean this is a "forever war" and keeping things topsy-turvy keeps things interesting. But with no way to actually deny LP's to an enemy faction in a rewarding way people may just get bored and go back to shitty incursions. Drudge matches start and the tug-of-war happens without defense or can favor a winning side for a long time. The tug-of-war is being seen in the caldari-gallente contest not many want to defensive plex because it pays nothing! So when one side reaches tier 3 they are reduced to tier 1 within days.
The Bacon
This inevitably brings me to my next point why not when you defensive plex contribute to going to a system upgrade? Let it effect it the same way offensive plexes work half the LPs going to the ihub. And then the other half going towards your promotion when you get said promotion. As i remember it CCP wanted ranks to be more meaningful and what better way to do so then this. I posted the idea of rank LPs on my last post, I'll explain the idea again if you rank up you get LP's toward each rank and every time you get podded you lose a rank. Now tying in the idea of LPs going toward an upgrade so your faction can still rapid deploy LPs to a an important hub if you choose.
This would be more to par as a "stepping stone" to null as more strategic points would be attacked. As well as bringing awesome small gang fights to the newer players needing the pvp experience. As I said before this gives noobs time to learn pvp while training those skills for the offensive actions. And provides them steady income after a good podding but not just for newer players older ones as well. Iteration needs to happen at some point hopefully, this is an outcry we need as FW pilots. I see things could become quickly one sided or dull over time with efforts down the sink and burnt out pilots. So what do you say Game of Drones you up for another challenge or did you stick a fork in us already?
SHAM
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Defensive Plexing
Defensive plexing in faction wars is as boring as it gets. In fact its more boring then mining and i do absolutely zero mining. And i know everyone in the militia is giving CCP a wtf moment. So when inferno was released, offensive plexes gave away "op" lp's and when you sat at a defensive plex for ten or twenty fucking minutes you got nothing but standings. I first found this out last week and was kinda disappointed to say the least. People don't want to waste their time defensive plexing and I get that but the whole point it is LP denial.
I thought maybe having a LP distributed by rank would be a fair system. Each and every time you rank up you get a bonus amount of LP's for your efforts not only offensive plexing but defensive as well. But each time you get podded you drop a rank because the gallente person stole it from you and his fleet mates. I feel this would make a more balanced war zone and bringing more kills inside of plexes. The solo pilots would love finding more targets and would probably make a steady income because of it. With all the newer players joining each faction it would give them a purpose while still flying "under the gun" so to speak. Noob squids are dead squids the way they have it now, I'd the defensive rewards be as such to get these young squids to stand on while training their pvp skills. A lot of the time you fight one-on-one and they'll eventually gain experience and be productive killing machines.
If the devs were to have it this way I think a lot of people would appreciate it. Providing newer players to learn pvp and forge their skills so they can fly with the big squids in fleets. Whilst still giving others good fights and a decent mode of spraining traps on the LP farmers.
SHAM
I thought maybe having a LP distributed by rank would be a fair system. Each and every time you rank up you get a bonus amount of LP's for your efforts not only offensive plexing but defensive as well. But each time you get podded you drop a rank because the gallente person stole it from you and his fleet mates. I feel this would make a more balanced war zone and bringing more kills inside of plexes. The solo pilots would love finding more targets and would probably make a steady income because of it. With all the newer players joining each faction it would give them a purpose while still flying "under the gun" so to speak. Noob squids are dead squids the way they have it now, I'd the defensive rewards be as such to get these young squids to stand on while training their pvp skills. A lot of the time you fight one-on-one and they'll eventually gain experience and be productive killing machines.
If the devs were to have it this way I think a lot of people would appreciate it. Providing newer players to learn pvp and forge their skills so they can fly with the big squids in fleets. Whilst still giving others good fights and a decent mode of spraining traps on the LP farmers.
SHAM
Monday, June 11, 2012
Entry One
The recent change in faction wars has definitely reignited interest in the warzone. Switching from a "Big Wardec" to a resource based system has been pretty fun. Each faction has grown due to the changes and I applaud CCP for being very balanced in they're approach to how faction wars works. Although not the perfect system *cough* defensive plexes the fights are still prevalent and actually mean more. And the war between the frogs and squids has been fierce from the new changes. A huge game of tug of war is occurring nether side is able to gain any kind of concrete war zone control.
The current strategies being employed are short term and are meant to cash in the LP's one faction has earned for a new supply of iskies. But the repercussions of this are being felt by the Fallente by now. It seems they've burnt the supply of iskies from the push they had this weekend. The start of friday they had an organized LP drop to get them into teir 2 but by the start of today they have been plexed back to teir 1 and had a intense week of fighting leading up to friday through to the weekend. This has something I've been exploring as far as the "Economics" of warzone control and it has lead me to conclude that teir 3 with organized LP drops to teir 4 is the most effective way for a faction to be successful as far as steady cash flow.
The reason why? look at the minmatar for example. They currently control 56 systems out of a possible 70. This is going very well for them against they're hated foes bringing they're faction steady cash but if they're conquest goes unchecked they're factional market will tank and burn a in a fiery crash. The results are already being seen in rens.
The tempest fleet issue market was soaring pre-inferno and if you stocked up on minmatar lp's before the expansion then you made it out fairly well.At its peak fleet issue tempests were selling for 410m-420m now look around the time of inferno given the minmatars war zone control at the start they severely depressed they're market when it comes to this faction battleship. But I calculate the minmatar's war zone control to be in the high teir 3 which is the "Goldy Locks" area of control if they are careful they can flat line (stabilize) the prices and keep them consistent.
Now the stabber fleet issue that we have been seeing prevalent amounts of. Again we see a downward trend at the start of inferno the prices are even cheaper in jita. The minnies are again seeing a depressed market and can easily push supply over the demand for the ship if not careful. But i'm sure enough of the damn things die so demand will be up for awhile.
These are interesting things to observe the "diminishing returns" CCP spoke of. Underdogs have a means to fight back effectively with planned drops and offensive pushes an underdog faction (like the amarr) can ramp up they're capacity for war. But lets say the tug-of-war we see in the caldar vs gallente the war here is different, we have a huge warzone totaling 606 points over 101 systems. Having 25 systems to lvl 5 would mean 1/4 of the warzone is under total control and is equal to 150 points toward warzone control if you account for a tolerance zone of 15 lvl 4 systems and leaving the rest at lvl 3 and keeping the out lying systems @ lvl 3would push one faction to a very desirable teir 3. I say keep the rest at teir 3 because its manageable LP to feed the hungry ihubs. It costs one person 50k LP to bring a system from 0-3 and that equals 2 20min majors to do. But if you were to having to constantly bring a system from 0-5 or even 3-5 is taxing to do on a daily basis.
Target selection of space is crucial to a long term tier 3 goal if a faction goes after targets that are too far away from where they are staged and don't push a plex to vulnerable into a favorable timezone they how are they gonna keep it? These short term lp drops have proved effective when a faction needs isk, but burn pilots out trying to defend systems that players aren't at, even going on a push can be taxing after seeing the efforts of the weekend shrivel and go back to where they started.
It will be interesting too see what happens next as the competition for systems reaches a fever pitch. If one faction is placed itself strategically placed in areas that are close by and have high LP values in them, and they defend those systems while only having to give low amounts of LP to keep those systems sustained they'll do well, in the market and apparently on the field. It gives me goosebumps thinking about the major engagements yet to come, don't worry frogs we'll make enough rape sauce for you too.
-SHAM
The current strategies being employed are short term and are meant to cash in the LP's one faction has earned for a new supply of iskies. But the repercussions of this are being felt by the Fallente by now. It seems they've burnt the supply of iskies from the push they had this weekend. The start of friday they had an organized LP drop to get them into teir 2 but by the start of today they have been plexed back to teir 1 and had a intense week of fighting leading up to friday through to the weekend. This has something I've been exploring as far as the "Economics" of warzone control and it has lead me to conclude that teir 3 with organized LP drops to teir 4 is the most effective way for a faction to be successful as far as steady cash flow.
The reason why? look at the minmatar for example. They currently control 56 systems out of a possible 70. This is going very well for them against they're hated foes bringing they're faction steady cash but if they're conquest goes unchecked they're factional market will tank and burn a in a fiery crash. The results are already being seen in rens.
These are interesting things to observe the "diminishing returns" CCP spoke of. Underdogs have a means to fight back effectively with planned drops and offensive pushes an underdog faction (like the amarr) can ramp up they're capacity for war. But lets say the tug-of-war we see in the caldar vs gallente the war here is different, we have a huge warzone totaling 606 points over 101 systems. Having 25 systems to lvl 5 would mean 1/4 of the warzone is under total control and is equal to 150 points toward warzone control if you account for a tolerance zone of 15 lvl 4 systems and leaving the rest at lvl 3 and keeping the out lying systems @ lvl 3would push one faction to a very desirable teir 3. I say keep the rest at teir 3 because its manageable LP to feed the hungry ihubs. It costs one person 50k LP to bring a system from 0-3 and that equals 2 20min majors to do. But if you were to having to constantly bring a system from 0-5 or even 3-5 is taxing to do on a daily basis.
Target selection of space is crucial to a long term tier 3 goal if a faction goes after targets that are too far away from where they are staged and don't push a plex to vulnerable into a favorable timezone they how are they gonna keep it? These short term lp drops have proved effective when a faction needs isk, but burn pilots out trying to defend systems that players aren't at, even going on a push can be taxing after seeing the efforts of the weekend shrivel and go back to where they started.
It will be interesting too see what happens next as the competition for systems reaches a fever pitch. If one faction is placed itself strategically placed in areas that are close by and have high LP values in them, and they defend those systems while only having to give low amounts of LP to keep those systems sustained they'll do well, in the market and apparently on the field. It gives me goosebumps thinking about the major engagements yet to come, don't worry frogs we'll make enough rape sauce for you too.
-SHAM
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