I think you may have misunderstood my suggestion - I do agree that “created conflict, acts of piracy, warfare, extortion, non-consensual pvp, ganking, scamming and theft” are essential parts of the game and do make it much more interesting.
You all at Eve have created an incredible game that has become a world in and of itself.
My only suggestion would be a permanent “arena” - gate accessible or even another server to practice pvp againt eachother on an even playing field. The same way you have already done with your 2-vs-2, cruiser - v- cruiser, etc. However have a permanent place for this to take place with an AI for example that does not allow you to gate in if you have implants, does not allow a Tech III frigate engage a Tech I.
Instead of your monthly challenges like this, just create a permanent arena. This will allow players like me to gain more practice defending ourselves and be willing to loose our ships if we knew the playing field was even.
I have always wanted to “bling” out a Tech II frigate and battle another…say tech II frigate or even a tech I destroyer - but there is no place to do this - even if I ventured out into low-sec to try this, I would probably end up in a battle with a billion dollar Gila.
No, we don’t need any kinds of arena styles PVP contents. Even current Abyssal Proving Grounds and any other forms of filaments should be removed from the game forever.
Those Closed and highly instanced contents are insult to the original game concept.
There is nothing stopping you from starting an EVE arena and running gladiatorial duels. However, the unique character and spirit of EVE derives from content that is PLAYER DRIVEN, and not spoonfed by developers.
Go ahead and start a duel arena - but do not expect the developers to do it for you. You have all the tools you need, but you are lazy and want it automated.
CCP should create a few “convenience” items/game mechanics to enable this, but nothing outside of that.
A deployable structure that would create a “ring” in space, in one of various formats, like a sphere, or a cube, that would either be solid from the inside, or have disqualification mechanics if a ship tries to exit.
The ability to invite fleets to a duel as opposed to just individual players.
An interface that would make match tracking possible.
The ability to check for implants/boosters, either mechanically, or through some kind of API thing.
Nothing outside of that, such as some kind of “fairness enforcement” by teleporting players to a magical instance. If someone wants to crash a match with a bunch of Catalysts, and then execute all the spectators too, they should be able to do it.
I’m not sure what PA are thinking or what their goals are at this point. If they wanted big e-sport bucks, they would’ve moved this game to Asia, locked out all the western players, and added tit physics and anime clothing to it. But EVE is still (relatively) EVE-like, so maybe they have some foresight to understand that it couldn’t really compete in that environment. No one really cares about watching other people play EVE in any capacity. I don’t think even the most popular player-run EVE Twitch stream ever had more than like 150 people watching it at a time.
i genuinely do not understand why someone would spend time to watch someone else playing a game , especially mining . maybe its a generational thing but why watch instead of playing yourself.
I thought about launching a stream where I pretend to be a dumb carebear, and constantly do stupid things that get me killed and then rage about it, but I don’t think I’m good enough at acting to pull that off.
Some games can be exciting to watch. Like watching a good PUBG streamer can be pretty entertaining for example. Or watching a person’s reactions while they play horror games. But yeah, the most exciting EVE gameplay doesn’t even come close to the least exciting FPS gameplay. EVE just isn’t that sort of game.
maybe i/we grew up before the internet and had games like d&d for example that had no real physical presence apart from a set of dice and a few pieces of paper and the game lived in our imaginations only and i can assure you nothing can compare to that, not even Hollywood and a large CGI budget. so still struggle to understand why folk need to leach on another persons experience without playing. just a generational thing i suspect. folk that have grown up with access to the internet may feel different.
I am a teacher - I do not play eve for a living - and don’t forget that to become an Omega - you have to pay. However, I know where you are coming from.