An Open Letter to CCP from Current and Former CSM Members on the "Prospector Pack"

[CCP_Swift]

Capsuleers,
We hear your concerns about the Prospector Pack.

As all EVE players know and remember, being a new pilot in New Eden has many challenges. Some players are lucky enough to make their way into player corporations quickly, where they are shown the ropes and supported by our veterans. For others, however, this path can be hard to find or feel intimidating, so they go it alone. We’ve spent much of 2020 and 2021 devoting resources to researching these players and trying to find ways to help them through early content barriers. Recently, we added a whole new chapter dedicated to mining in New Eden to the New Player Experience (NPE), as well as a new tutorial on Invention and T2 Production to our regularly updated EVE Academy.

Part of our experimentation in the new player journey has included the introduction of various packs and sales that give new players strong but limited options to jump forward and catch up with their peers. The destroyer-themed starter packs showed that there is not only an appetite for this kind of option but that these pilots transition into bona fide EVE players; they have aspirations, desire to interact with others, and contribute to EVE’s thriving ecosystem – they become tenured and impactful citizens of New Eden.

The prospector pack expands this concept to offer a more significant upgrade for young pilots in theme with our updated Mining NPE. We hear your worries about the continued escalation of this kind of sale and want to reassure you that our design will remain directed towards new players finding their footing in New Eden.

Economic impact and the integrity of the player economy are a top priority. We have limited this pack to one per account and are closely monitoring its effect on the player market. One of the topics for Fanfest is a new project that we’re in the middle of developing, that will transform these and any future packs - a paradigm where packs of this type will be supplied by players, ensuring that any ship we offer to new players through sales, will have origins from actual player work in New Eden: Made for new players, by veterans. This feature will also not only supply each ship from the player base but allow the community to influence which ships will be put in these packs. Additionally, the CSM will now have a quarterly meeting to discuss specifically these types of packs and other commerce topics. Not only to be in the room and have discussions on future packs but also to share feedback that the community desires.

On that note, we have removed the Prospector pack from secure.eveonline.com until this program is in place, intending to introduce a career-entry level option for mining in the future.

[Shipwreck_Jones]

@Khlaa_Sor

By supplying ISK in exchange for PLEX bought with Terran credits, does one not become a cog in the P2W machine?

And that’s a good point. Plex is definitely P2W in nature, yet I accept it. So, what gives?

• P2W Spectrum- First of all, I don’t think P2W is a binary, but a spectrum. Thus, I am more tolerant of a P2W monetization methods that do not offer insurmountable advantages and that can be obtained through normal game play. In fact, consider this -a sub is technically P2W as it gives you a rather large advantage in exchange for cash. However, even vehemently anti-P2W players are fine with subs. Why?
• Eve is Still a Skill Based Game- In spite of P2W elements, Eve is not a P2W game. You can try being a credit card warrior, but those that do typically only manage to frustrate themselves and/or enrich their enemies. And that’s because, in spite of Eve’s P2W elements, skill is still the biggest factor in determining outcomes. And no amount of cash spent can overcome this fact. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely opposed to some of CCP’s P2W monetization methods. However, I can grudgingly tolerate some as long eve remains a skill based game.
• Plex Offers Other Advantages- Not all P2W is created equal. Some can offer tangential benefits, while others can have more damaging effects. For example, Plex provides players with an investment vehicle and a method of wealth storage, allows players with less time on their hands to skip the grind, and allows players with more time on their hands to pay through play -which is of great benefit to people living in countries with terrible exchange rates and/or those who might not be able to allocate alot of money to their entertainment budget.
• Plex Does Less Harm- Moreover, Plex has fewer downsides because it doesn’t circumvent the player economy. Plex can allow you to buy ships, bling, and injectors, but you still have to purchase all those things from the market. There are no infinite supplies, and player incomes aren’t negatively impacted. In fact, plex might even increase the velocity of isk and strengthen the economy. But this is a subject that is well beyond my area of expertise; so take that with a grain of salt.
• Who does plex empower?- Finally, who does Plex actually empower? Well, it’s certainly not the people who think it will provide them a shortcut to success. In fact, the big winners here are not the people who buy it with cash, but the people who buy it with isk, as it allows them to create and sub specialized alts that increase their isk efficiency (i.e. multiboxing rorqs, WH sites, abyss, incursions) and PvP capabilities (i.e. FC scout alts, cloaky campers, logi/booster backup, multiboxer gank squad). And while it’s true that you can pay subs to do this, a significant number of these accounts would not exist if their owners had to pay cash for them. As I said before, I can’t justify spending thousands of dollars on a video game every year. However, I do suck down thousands of dollars worth of plex and MPTC’s a year because I can pay through play.

TLDR: All P2W is not equal, and Eve is still a skill based game. Thus, I have some tolerance for some P2W (like subs and plex).

[Induce_Deadline]

Oh thank goodness, you were doing it out of the kindness of your hearts to help the new bean along… For a second there I thought you were being greedy!

… Wait a second!

[Evie_Kouvo]

I showed a new player this pack and he quit on the spot. On top of that everyone knows pushing new bros into mining is a sure fire way to increase your turn over rate.

[teddy_Gbyc]

One of the topics for Fanfest is a new project that we’re in the middle of developing, that will transform these and any future packs - a paradigm where packs of this type will be supplied by players, ensuring that any ship we offer to new players through sales, will have origins from actual player work in New Eden: Made for new players, by veterans.

is this some kind of sick early april fools joke ?

[Xeux]

Isn’t that what the market is for?

[Prometheus_Hinken]

Dude just sell cosmetic skins for our space barbies and things will be chill for both us and y’all

[Spodumain_Isu]

Not good enough, if anything your statement only but confirms a doubling down on everything wrong with this…

[Charlie_Night]

@CCP_Swift

t. One of the topics for Fanfest is a new project that we’re in the middle of developing, that will transform these and any future packs - a paradigm where packs of this type will be supplied by players, ensuring that any ship we offer to new players through sales, will have origins from actual player work in New Eden: Made for new players, by veterans. This feature will also not only supply each ship from the player base but allow the community to influence which ships will be put in these packs.

soo, like, RMT?

[VONDITCH]

Like when are they going to get ,give me a corp/alliance logo and i will pay real money for it no rubbish ship fits.
That would be nearly 100% sale = profit from every eve player \o/

[Loki_Yamaguchi]

[Ranshe]

@CCP_Swift

ensuring that any ship we offer to new players through sales, will have origins from actual player work in New Eden: Made for new players, by veterans.

So, exactly like buying it ingame from the market, in Jita, which you could point new players to but don’t in any noticeable way?

@CCP_Swift

This feature will also not only supply each ship from the player base but allow the community to influence which ships will be put in these packs

This already exists for every player in this game, old and new.

It’s called the market.

Credit Card Please doesn’t need to reinvent it.

[Evie_Kouvo]

It’s not rmt if ccp does it silly goose

[Xeux]

Can we come up with a way for players to scam newbros out of RW cash and just pay CCP a vig?

[Xenocy]

CCP In with the Friday afternoon news dump.

[Francisco_Belaqua]

HTFU, huh? Not so much anymore. Probably should just delete this video at this point… Good god, you guys have lost your way

[Shipwreck_Jones]

Well, I’m glad that you guys are listening, and I’m open to the idea of these packs originating from the player driven market. However, I still have some concerns.

• First, these packs tend to be bad deals for players, as they would typically would be better off buying plex. So, will the value of these packs be brought more in line with the value of plex, or will CCP continue to price gouge newbros that don’t know any better?
• Second, I am more tolerant of packs that are aimed squarely at newbros, and am glad to hear you say that that your intent is to make packs designed for them. However, my concern is that you guys will eventually walk back this position. After all, there is a precedence for it.
  
  
• Third, you say this helps newbros catch up to vets, and that it helps them transition into fully fledged eve players, but I am highly skeptical of this claim. Of course, my opinions are based off of anecdotes, so I could be wrong, but from what I’ve observed, the guys that try to credit card warrior their way to success end up getting frustrated and leaving. For example, this guy plexed his way into a skybreaker, and raged quit within two weeks. In fact, the following quote is quite illustrative of what actually happens when you try to sell newbros on the idea that spending cash will help them succeed.
  

Edit: I realized that my concerns might seem contradictory, and wanted to clarify. I am adamantly opposed to selling more powerful ships/items (for example, you can apparently get marauders and AT ships on Serenity). I am, however, more tolerant of lower level stuff being sold, as that will have less impact on balance. So, for that reason, I like the fact that CCP is making packsthat are targeted at newbros. On the other hand, I question if these packs are actually beneficial to them.

[Robert_Toland]

they always post stuff like this late friday so they can avoid all the baclkash this is going to cause.
This is basically EVE’s version of NFT’s. I’ll bet that they’re going to offer players a small amount of money if they sell them the ships to put in their packs. This is a SCAM.

[Greg_Haza_Haza (Greggles)]

Please take care of your existing player base. We’re the ones keeping the lights on.

[Vix_Sparda]

Signed By Vix Sparda

Absolutely Screw yourself CCP and Pearl Abyss