I am Voets and have been playing EVE, on and off, for 14 years. What originally attracted me to the game was its skill-based system where a well-skilled pilot was more effective than not. However, as time flew by, priorities changed to that of mass slaughter vs individual skills – this is evident in the kill-fests that CCP are touting as the ultimate test of our flying skills.
I don’t make any claim to be an effective PVP pilot – I am not: too old and reaction-slow to compete; as it should be in a natural world. However, I do wonder about the role of technology in the modern game that is EVE when young bucks compete head to head. By this I mean the sheer weight of ISK against a young, skilled pilot with limited resources. “So what,” I hear the chorus. “That’s the game: best equipped is the best. Get a life! Have some fun. Kill someone!”
That’s fine.
I love analogies so here comes one: The world’s greatest tennis player – let’s call him Rod – is challenged to a match in an arena for the “Greatest of All Time” title. When he walks out to play the match he sees that the challenge is 20 world class players combined against him - simultaneously. Rod can’t play a passing shot for love of money and he loses 0-6, 0-6, 0-6 and that was the only love he got. The player who hit the final, winning shot (a gentle lob to centre court while 10 of the opposition held Rod down) won the TITLE and was duly lauded world-wide.
SHAME!
“Don’t cry if you cannot suggest something else.”
I suggest the BANTAM PILOT CHALLENGE. Bantam ‘cos it’s the cheapest frigate, uses guns only and can flight a drone. The frigate MUST be a ship of (no) choice that does not have any solo combat attributes to offer the pilot.
There would be 3 grades of challenge – each equal in importance – with appropriate titles:
a. Foundation
b. Senior
c. Tertiary
Each phase is obviously aimed at differing levels but the great leveller is the ship, its fit and pilot attributes per level. Skills are the key and can be maxed at any title level.
Level A: The Foundation Level
This is the core of PVP skill flying. Each ship is equipped with a standard fit for the tournament (to be decided) and each pilot is a ‘clean’ clone with no Implants or drugs allowed. Trained skills only!
Level B: Senior Level
As above but with the ship fitted to each player’s ability within Tech 1 (non-Faction) limits. I’m sure there’s a meta number in there somewhere.
Level C: Tertiary Level
As above but with no fitting limits and with implants/drugs allowed.
How the denizens of Eve view these levels is up to them. Personally, I would compete at Level A and, if I could beat 1000 pilots one-on-one, I would think I am pretty damn good (fat chance!)
As is obvious, this is purely for CCP’s consideration. I offer no actual ‘how-to’ best do something like this but, if CCP can offer mass slaughter kill-fests with a grand champion, surely they can offer on-going ‘ladders’ of title contenders?
Ok, a possible way:
Pilots register with CCP as contenders for one or more Title phases ;
CCP notifies contenders of others in a Region or Solar System. CCP already has a private duel system. If 2 registered pilots decide to duel, CCP aligns that with the table of results. CCP knows who you are!!! If things align for a Championship duel, Confirm and off you go – maybe to a gated area, each 30 Km away from a beacon. There is no penalty for pod killing at L1 and L2. If a pilot can pod a player at this level then he/she deserves the extra point(s). No Pod killing point(s) at level 3 allocated.
Ps. CCP keeps an eye on the rules of the competition.
Be safe forever,
Voets
Unfortunately, CCP doesn’t support tournaments in any way
@Achura_Deteis
It was actually the latest offer from CCP to kill everyone in sight to be claimed CHAMPION that triggered my response. I suppose they call it a Contest - which could be the same thing. I honestly believe that they could do it with a little imagination. For example:
I live in an area of HiSec, along with many others. We are generally all Care Bears or only interested in NON-PVP activities. For me to give them ships to use they must be my connections and reasonably local to the ship ‘terminus’ to ease panic while travelling. Communication takes place! They collect a ship from me, fit it themselves and challenge for a private duel. I check the kill board for their result and start a Spreadsheet ladder. This is only at the Foundation level. Keeping the tennis analogy, this is like a round-robin singles tournament where you ‘go home’ only when you have played enough.
Live Safe,
Voets
Feel free to ask Jin’taan about his streamfleet invitational, or Sothrasil about his anger games, or eve_nt about any of their projects.
Thanks, I will.
I don’t want to let go of this bone yet but I do realise the odds are stacked.
Live safe,
Voets
Of lowsec is a bit of bs, its fair to say many large blocs will probably try to strangle the area whilst being mostly blue to each other - though there may be more ‘content’ it would have been nice to have several categories, not simply most amount of isk killed but, cest la vie.
There already is a leaderboard of the greatest pvp pilots:
@Australian_Excellence
I assume that’s you. Well done, indeed!
That skill board does not measure what I want to measure - it’s an indication of your POWER for sure, but not of your skill as a PILOT. There is no real record of the battlefields.
Please don’t get me wrong, that award is awesome and well done, again. I could not dream of emulating that.
It’s funny kind of strange that the “Rod” I refer to is, in my opinion, an Aussie of supreme ability and skill who started the tennis power game but could not cope against the advancing tech of the racquet. As I say, strange.
Live Safe,
Voets
Using a tennis analogy, I’m like a Lleyton Hewitt who instead of fizzling out after winning one grand slam, won all 4 every year till I retired
@Australian_Excellence
Hello “Lleyton”,
You get me wrong. I grew up idolising Rod Laver and all that crew that started the pro tennis circuit many years ago. I also remember ‘you’ for a while but that was a different era. Rod was different to you. He was a leader and a forerunner. He stood for Pro Tennis and took all the knocks that went against him and the others that played then. His genius is his legacy - check it out one day.
There is nothing wrong with being you - please accept that. The analogy I refered to is purely that of an uneven battlefield and the killing of a champion - that is all. No name calling!
Live Safe,
Voets
I dont think you can really compare your self to a contender, I mean suicide ganking; it’s mostly more like a 16 stone heavyweight finding a kid in the playground and smacking him in the face with a bat… just for a laugh… though looking at your killboard i must admit your more YARR! and likely surely must be rich af by now…
but not even at the top of that list either…
nice awoxxing btw 
The new guys to code that roam and get actual fights have almost caught up with you!!
Slacking I say…
Quoting this because all of those events were canceled due to lack of CCP support. The employees that did support those events either quit or were fired / laid off.
a pre-fit Bantam tournament is way to limited, imo a huge part of becoming a great PvPer is knowing how to fit ships, how to engage different other ships and knowing engagement profiles as well as keeping a cool head in stressful situations on more complicated grids then 1v1s, which is what made the old tournament so good.
Then there is of course more to piloting then just module management and pressing orbit or keep at range. Even if you wouldn’t need more to win in a all-bantam slugfest.
Hey, thanks for your input.
Pre-fit is level one where the concentration is on your Personal training skills as well as your tactical acumen. Given an even arena, which pilot would emerge as a consistent winner is the aim.
All of what what you say is true, thus there are a further 2 levels. These are designed to extend piloting expertise in fitting, skilling and fighting.
Perhaps the biggest aspect is to create a cost-effective means of fighting for anyone. Yes, get out of a Bantam when ready but know that the arena is not even when you do.
There is scope for gangs and such-like where survival is key - there are no real limits except for the ship.
It would be fun to see a swarm of bantams in full fight mode!
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.