I think the first step in solving the problem is rebuffing faction police back to their old strength. Then make player ship and cargo scanners contraband. It will make the Sanctum constellation a very safe gated community.
Plus you have the revamped bounty hunting system that’s live on Thunderdome. Much more useful than killrights for dealing with these so-called “gankers”.
Whoa! Slow down. That’s too much truth for this forum. Not sure the members are ready for that. You’re supposed to get mad, call some posters names and rage quit. That’s the way it’s been here for several generations, that’s the way it’s done.
And this is where a certain someone is supposed to say “Calm down, miner”
I think harassment is particularly bad in chess. I mean, I just want to sit there and admire my 16 pieces and move them around a bit while watching Netflix…and some dude keeps knocking them over and removing them from the board !
And I am sure he is cheating by making his knight jump over other pieces to attack me. I mean…real life horses can’t jump like that. This behaviour is just immoral. People who tell me chess has been this way for 500 years are clearly psychopaths. ‘Checkmate’ is clearly an abusive and griefing thing to say.
The entire game of chess needs to be changed…just for me !
Chess analogies never get old. 
Mine did! Dang, I miss ol’ Rusty. 
Your horse can do 90 degree turns while galloping ? Well, now we have an explanation for all those UFO reports. Could CCP make your horse one of the ships in Eve ?
Your high-sec saga does indeed paint a grim picture, suggesting that the true enigma of EVE’s universe—null-sec (NS) and low-sec (LS)—remains underexplored, spaces where freedom isn’t just a concept but a way of life, untouched by those who, paradoxically, seek PvP yet cling to the safety and stability of high-sec’s crowded lanes. My own foray into the tranquility of LS, a recent encounter with a Slasher’s grip notwithstanding, underscore this point. An expected end turned into a mutual nod of respect over my ship’s resilience, leaving me, one 10% structure’d Venture, to ponder the unique camaraderie found in these less governed spaces.
Consider for a moment the psyche of the high-sec ganker. In their eyes, the thrill lies in defying what is seen as a taboo—the very act of ganking where the rules of engagement are most stringent, where their defiance not only challenges the system but also, in their view, those they perceive as exploiting it. To them, you, the solitary miner pursuing your trade in high-sec, symbolize a flaw in the adventurous spirit of EVE. They rationalize their actions as a crusade against a perceived evasion of risk, an attempt to purify the game by targeting what they see as its less daring participants.
Yet, it’s within this chaotic tapestry that the opportunity for true adventure and growth beckons, beyond the reach of those who dominate the high-sec narratives. NS and LS are not merely refuges from the predations of high-sec gankers; they are the stages upon which EVE’s most compelling stories unfold, where danger fosters not just caution but a deep-seated respect among pilots. Here, amidst the unpredictability, alliances are forged in the crucible of shared challenges, and every encounter can pivot from conflict to mutual admiration.
The turbulence you’ve encountered in high-sec, while frustrating, may just be the push needed to embark on a journey where the essence of EVE comes alive. Beyond the well-trodden paths of high-sec, in the dynamic realms of NS and LS, lies the heart of what makes this universe enthralling. It’s here, between risk and isk, that pilots truly find their mettle tested and their spirits kindled.
In closing, your EVE story is far from over; it’s merely awaiting its next thrilling chapter. Perhaps it’s time to set a course for the unknown, where the real adventure—and respect—await. There, amidst the cosmos’ untamed beauty, you may discover not just new horizons but a renewed passion for the game, free from the shadows of high-sec’s complacent turmoil.
Of course, if venturing into the unknown depths of NS and LS, if embracing the unpredictability of EVE’s vast universe, and if seeking camaraderie amidst the cosmos’ untamed beauty sounds too daunting a leap from the familiar skirmishes of high-sec, there remains one final, unexplored frontier. A choice so bold, so fraught with existential peril, that it dwarfs the challenge of facing down a fleet of gankers single-handedly: the unsubscribe button. Yes, rather than charting a course through starlit mysteries and the thrilling unknown, one could choose the ultimate escape pod—an exit from the universe itself. A decision so steeped in unbridled cynicism, it can only be seen as the last great adventure: abandoning the cosmos for the calm, predictable void of ‘real life.’ But really, where’s the fun in that?
…okay…
…you seem…to be grasping at…credibility, is it?
…it’s so nice when random forum-posters reveal that they have been educated at the School of Hook, Line & Sinker.
…Acts which are normal within the parameters of a given set of circumstances (in this case, a video game about shooting spaceships) do not need to be rationalised.
The error you are making in focusing on some of the external manifestations of the gankers’ art arises from their need to provide some sort of narrative to accompany the wanton and thoroughly enjoyable destruction of solo mining vessels in Highsec. If you started playing after 2008 or so, you mightn’t be aware of such nuance.
Full marks, though, James, for a well-written, properly formatted and grammatically rigorous piece of work. You have used a semicolon, too! I salute you.
Thanks, Sasha.
Your critique? I loved it. More than writing my bit. It’s the kind of truth bomb I’d drop on my corp mates if I could. You caught me practicing.
About rationalizing acts—we do it. We all do. It’s how we’re wired. Social models? Dual-process theories? Could go deep, but only if you’re asking. Otherwise, it’s just academic fluff.
And yeah, I got poetic. Overdid it. You called it. Bravo Zulu to you for cutting through my crap.
But rationalizing isn’t all we do. Sometimes, crap sells.
Consider for a moment the intention of the game’s developers. That “ganking” is possible at all in hisec is intentional. That counters to ganking are present is by design. And, referring to the thread’s title, of course ccp didn’t fail hisec players in any way.
That a subgroup of players choses to populate the ganker niche is normal. If one wants to project a psychological thumbprint on to them, that is entirely one’s privilege for whatever reason or incidental evidence one may have.
At the same time one could also do the same for the eternal hisec dwellers, those that never venture out into other areas of the game. My guess would be that there are rotten apples in both groups, as well as perfectly good ones.
As you say, staying in hisec deprives a player from the multitude of thrills and possibilities elsewhere. As long as that is a conscious choice, that’s fine. But only if the consequences of that choice are accepted. And that is not something that is obvious in OP, quite the contrary. What should be “kicking in an open door” (repeating that hisec is not a pvp free zone) seems undigestable to some. One might wonder if they are playing the same game or are just pretending and primarily failing themselves.
Fortunately, most hisec players did accept the rules and the consequences of their choice. Those that do not, they complain about the dangers, and start threads like this one. That they do not accept or see the larger picture, that’s entirely their own doing.
Beautifully said.
The question you raise about high-sec players’ awareness and acceptance of the game’s inherent risk/reward dynamics is an intriguing one. It prompts a deeper examination of whether these players choose safety over broader experiences under a fully informed perspective or if they lean towards safety as a default, perhaps misunderstanding or undervaluing the richness of opportunities elsewhere.
Indeed, many high-sec inhabitants are likely well aware of the distinctions between the game’s regions, making a conscious choice to prioritize security and predictability. This preference does not inherently signal a lack of understanding of the game’s broader possibilities but reflects individual priorities and playstyle choices. For some, the attractions of high-sec—whether through industry, trade, or PvE content—align more closely with their goals or the time they can dedicate to the game.
However, the notion that some players may perceive high-sec as ‘inherently better’ without fully exploring or understanding the alternatives is worth considering. This perspective might stem from a variety of factors, including limited experience, community narratives, or simply a personal inclination towards risk aversion. Loss aversion, a well-documented phenomenon in behavioral economics, suggests that the fear of losing assets can have a greater impact on player behavior than the potential rewards of risk-taking. This can lead to more conservative gameplay choices, such as staying in high-sec, even when other areas of the game might offer higher economic returns. The role of the community and the information available to new players can significantly shape these perceptions, guiding their early choices and potentially influencing their long-term engagement with the game.
It’s also critical to recognize that player goals and preferences can evolve. Engagement with the EVE universe is not static, and the journey from high-sec to the outer regions can be a gradual process of discovery, learning, and adaptation. As players become more comfortable and familiar with the game, their appetite for risk and exploration may grow, leading them to venture beyond the safety of high-sec and embrace the full spectrum of experiences EVE Online offers.
In sum, “project[ing] a psychological thumbprint” is not the same as isolating a factor in behavioral economics and discussing the possible impact. I believe the discussion is valuable to creating better community standards for how newbros are treated, with the understanding that someone’s fun will be to break those standards, and that the community has no obligation to discuss this or agree.
The wheel turns.
This is rarely the case. Most people are biologically wired to act like lemmings. Society even needs for this to be the case in order to function properly. You can take these people and train them perform certain additional functions under the micromanagement of leadership (for example, real-life military service, or taking part in large null-sec fleet warfare in EVE Online), but the moment you remove them from that element, they go back to doing lemming stuff, because that’s their natural state of existence. Many times I’ve caught “elite null-sec PvP warriors” outside of that element, and they would cry, beg, plead, and curse just like some generic two-month-old high-sec miner, even though when I’d look them up, they’d have thousands of big null-sec fleet kills on their combat record.
The exception to this rule is people who already biologically had it within them to be able to achieve a higher state of function, needing only time or impetus to unlock that potential.
Get out of hi sec. It’s an awful place.
Why?
I love it here, I’ve also done NS before anyone says anything.
Many others like it here as well and enjoy playing how they pay to play.
Because its full of crybabies.
But that’s what makes it so fun. This content has been removed - ISD Kai
Are they really making threats like that?
I heard there’s a blog you can read that documents instances of such behavior.
That has been recognized for a long time, both by parts of the community and by ccp. The latter have made a genuine effort, especially in the last couple of years, in broadening the initial horizon, falling just short of organizing public pvp fleets - which is understandable. The initial information is as limited and as vast as the new player explores it to be - it takes effort, something that is rarely a prerequisite for what appears to be just another game. And therein lies the contradicttion: the information is available, both within and outside of the game. Unfortunately we no longer have an initiative like “ISK The Guide”, which I was lucky enough to read back in 2011 and being rewarded with hundreds of pages of reference material on what EvE had to offer in basic PvE alone… The community made a huge effort over two decades to make the game more accessible for new players, but of course the paths to all that info are diverse.
That is one of the unique features built into EvE Online, the Catch 22 of risk and learning to take risks. As any seasoned player will attest to, one tames the beast called “risk” by handling it, not by running away from it. Loss aversion in EvE is overcome by knowledge to make risk controllable, almost calculable, and the acceptance that investment is a necessity to progress - whether that be in terms of wallet size or in terms of in game-activities. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it takes commitment. It may even require a player to take a hard look at him/herself and identify the factors limiting the progress.
On the other side we have the communities in low/null/w-space and in the hisec ganking community who are more than welcoming to newer players and would gladly show them how to balance risk and reward at first, and then boost the reward side by means of knowledge and experience. Flight or fight reflexes are in our DNA, but the transfer of knowledge comes from living in a community.
Of course, that is not the same. I am however very careful with the urge of some folks on the forums who label ganking as a sociological deviation from the norm, or anything resembling labeling of players who play within the confines of the game’s rules. Those real life norms do not exist in New Eden and even have no place in it in terms of judging subgroups. There is no “breaking of standards”, those standards are not part of this particular game universe. This is, after all, a fictional, alternate universe, which has had its links broken with its origin, lore-wise. This is what (should) dictate(s) our behavior in terms of gameplay. There are however thousands of veterans active in the game at any one time who can tell - and show - anyone how to avoid getting ganked.
Now, what is the biggest mistake ? Having the possibility of ganking, and thereby perhaps losing a few potential subs ? Or refusing to learn, including from others ? There is absolutely no need to lower the learning curve. Fighting for your survival rightly has a steep learning curve. And that is what this game is about. If one plays the game as it is intended to, that fight for survival never stops. Newbros stumbling into a snake pit shouldn’t complain. They should learn their lesson and avoid it next time, and be mad at themselves for not paying attention or for not learning from others. But perhaps that is “old school” ?
In all my years I’ve been ganked once in hisec. That was recently, and it was under a wardec !
But in answer to your original question, do players choose safety as a default or as a conscious perspective’, given that “losses are real in EvE” I’m inclined to say it would be the first option - keep what you have and avoid risk, for the majority of new players. Nice learning curve we have going there…