So, in other words, we’re sliding more and more into P2W. Gotcha.
The only buff period is the rep bonus. We’ve covered this, it’s a ■■■■ change. extra gun, forced into blaster range, can’t fit two nos anymore (not if you want to hit hard), easily defanged (smaller drones, or less heavies take your pick), extra gun burns more cap, that you can’t replace with your single nos and cap booster AND keep two reppers running.
The people that “balanced” the CNI are part of the same braintrust that came up with this turd.
The VNI was actually perfectly balanced in pvp. It was fine. The problem was the ■■■■■■■ anoms, it always has been.
I’m an alpha pilot and run level 3 missions in a Gila w/ augmented vespas and according to pyfa these changes will be a 35% nerf to my DPS. My options are extremely limited because the majority of my 5K SP are in drone skills with little in gunnery or missiles.
The unlimited time alpha account changes and the follow-up skill enhancements expanding access to many T2 modules and ships for all of the 4 empires was a surprisingly generous free to play option put forth by CCP. Both changes were implemented with the goal of increasing the number of active users logging in, playing the game, and making cash transaction purchases. This goal was clearly achieved as the newly enhanced Alpha population grew significantly in both numbers and popularity among new as well as existing players. Skill injectors were being sold and the stagnation of new Subs was improving. Things were looking up.
It is however not a coincidence that these changes were made at the same time CCP as a company was up for sale and being shopped around to potential buyers. A key element in estimating the overall valuation of a gaming company (on paper at least) is being able to show the specific number of active repeat users who are spending both money and time playing the game on a regular basis. The new Alpha population along with the existing Omegas fulfilled this need. With the sale of CCP now complete and Pearl Abyss now CCP’s new owner parring back the enhanced strength and ISK / PLEX earning capacity of both the legit free Alpha players and the Botters who abuse them is in my opinion is a business decision. Revenue stream growth is the goal here not quality of life preservation of the enhanced Alpha players like myself who have grown accustomed to their new skill sets. From a business perspective I understand such a decision and do not begrudge it. As a gamer however I am inclined to cry the obligatory “Reeee !” as we Alphas sadly seem to have served our purpose and now must be put back in our box.
As an Alpha I mourn the loss of access to level 4 missions. I miss the old un-nerfed Gila which I was scrimping and saving to buy and the pending loss of my valuable long trained drone skills is quite bitter indeed. Will I run out and subscribe or buy more skill injectors because of it ? Probably not. Taking abilities away and charging to regain them is in my opinion a much less effective motivator for players to spend money than offering new and innovative services. Will other Alphas do the same ? Will the value of Pearl Abyss’s ultimate purchase price for CCP be negated by this incremental and ongoing correction to the now inconveniently enhanced Alpha population? Will it result in the loss of active player subs and a decrease in micro-transaction revenue? Unknown at this time. Pearl Abyss and CCP will certainly be watching the numbers as will their competition who will gladly pilfer as many players as they can. Should such a loss occur the “Blame the Bots” tagline will fall woefully short for both players and shareholders alike.
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Cool, now VNI becomes blaster+drone ratter instead of just dronecarrier carebear 
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I’d like CCP to focus on removing the mining bots CCP put in the game a couple years ago.
The sp might still be there, but if you can’t use it, it’s wasted.
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Oh I agree they should extract the sp for u to apply elsewhere if you so wish.
That’s not what my reply was about though eh.
Did you read the post i replied to or just replied to mine lol
Just only one thing that you did not consider, what about not-bots, real PvE-players? Ive started to play with Vexor and I like drones, my home is high-sec, so here I can farm in anomalys . My “final” step is Ishtar, but I need much time to learn skills for it so if I want to farm with drones I need VNI or Gila, Gila is a little expensive for a new player(and other gameplay), so the best way to up from Vexor is a VNI, and I can use 5 x sentry for easyer gameplay. So what, I need to say “thanks” for making the one only avaliable newbie good PvE ship piece of ? Dont give drones for alfas, or make special ship bonuses only for omega, dont care how, but dont touch this ship at least for Omega-players , please.
These changes to VNI and droneskills for Alpha’s are total and utter BS
Really CCP, you are selling it to the public as an exiting change, but reality is you lost the war against Botters???
Now, we, the normal player, have to suffer and forced to play this BS
Leave the VNI as it is, you already broke enough of the game which was once EPIC, but now getting more and more MEH.
Don’t touch the drone skills of Alpha’s, leave them as they are.
Deal with the Botter, ban them, you know who they are.
These changes smell like moneygrabbing by CCP, make isk out of pve harder to get and force players to buy isk from CCP.
If CSM is supporting these changes, well…………CSM is BS too
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@Medb- Normally I’d suggest you use smaller words/shorter sentences, but IMO you’re trying to explain your position to:
-
trolls
-
the cognitively impaired
Please note the Venn Diagram of these groups overlaps. In either case, you’re wasting your time.
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Well spoken, I fully support your view and want to add as a 2006 player, I miss the old EVE days and on the brink of abandonning EVE Online totally and never log in again.
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I would love to go to omega, but sadly the fee is to high and my exchange rate is over 30%. Over the term of a year, that is a car payment. the car is more important, don’t you think?
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@Sleddie- I sympathize and agree with your choice.
Unfortunately, some of the “contributors” to this thread cannot/will not see the difference between a 20plex Alpha skill injector and a 500plex Omega subscription. 
I’d suggest they try to get refunds from their schools for being shortchanged in math ability, but they’d likely prefer to suck it up and not whine about their misfortune.
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True, but last time in WH all I got was a Wingspan torpedo delivery… 
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Sure, but maybe then the priority should be more on life, instead of the other poster complaining about some skillpoints being locked in a video game. 
I joined by receiving a referral. In this referral, I received 750,000 skill points. I also bought plex.
The new alpha skill point restrictions to drone skilling steals my skill points obtained in joining and my money through purchased plex.
I used my skill points and plex for a ship, Ashimmu to be specific, and trained for that ship. There was a heavy drone… MEDIUM DRONE to level V… and skilling performed as well on drone interfacing (10% to damage modifier).
You are reducing both medium drone and drone interfacing WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION BACK, thereby stealing skill point time and ship purchase decision isk without giving me back skill time and isk for a drone dependent DPS ship.
This isn’t fair that I loose my skill points and plex isk “just like that” without any compensation whatsoever.
And then you send me an invitation to join for more money. Sure I can upgrade and make use of my skill time lost and plex isk through a specific ship purchase decision lost… but that’s not an appropriate way to get me to decide between Alpha and Omega; stealing my skill points (that could have been used to skill ALPHA USED SKILLS and my plex money THAT COULD HAVE PURCHASED A DIFFERENT SHIP NON-DRONE DPS FOCUS.
I want compensation for:
- $4.99 Plex purchased to get my drone Gila dps ship.
- Skill point reimbursement for ALL skill points lost just skilled which will become obsolete unless I upgrade to Omega.
- The Price of my ship reimbursed since it won’t function as originally purchased; the medium drones are a very functional part of this ship.
- My game time lost skilling for skills that are being torn from me and their use.
What you are taking away from Alpha clones after they just spent money and skill time isn’t right and gives me a very good indication of what this game is about.
To just take time and effort away because of “bots”… hits are the very core of gameplay; the ship decision I made, the skill focus I began, and the outlook I had for this “free Alpha play” character. Now you say, I’m taking the skills away that you purchased this ship, with real money plex, and I’m not reimbursing you whatsoever for it; you’ll have to give us more money in an Upgrade to Omega to use what we freely gave you and spent your time on?".
I want compensation for your decision.
Thank you.
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Wow! I spent a lot of time skilling for my Oracle with Large Turrets, and now my lengthy level 4 is going to level 3 for the large turrets?
How does this compensate me for my time?
How does this effect the bots?
Are you going to just take away something you gave as an Alpha to lure people to become Omega to keep what you gave them?
I won’t be upgrading. I want to receive something for my lost Skill Points and my time and my isk investment in the ship I chose, a ship which relies heavily on the Large Turret dps; Oracle.
- GrandMuther
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Well shoot. Literally. I just got done planning my Alpha around the Gila, which is a medium drone DPS (mainly) ship. I trailed Medium Drones up all the way, and now you’re taking that away?
Unless I upgrade?
Nope.
Indian Giver.
Why bother skilling as an Alpha at all? You never know when you game owners will just take that away; ruined ship focus and all that time spent skilling.
Upgrade to keep what is already mine?
Bahumbug.
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You’re just forcing us anom farmers to move from VNI to Ishtar, making us spend a tiny bit more ISK and be slightly more attractive as targets. Mostly, you’'re just making my existing VNI inventory worthless, and that pisses me off.
Try fixing other stuff that’s actually broken, instead.