The difference is that it’s likely going to be much cheaper to try barge mining through the Expert System compared to buying skill injectors with plex or training it normally. Newbies can then try if they like something for a much smaller investment at the possible risk of paying for it twice if they end up liking it (once through Expert system and once through training normally).
If it isn’t much cheaper then yes, I agree it’s a scam.
Even if it sells for just $5 it’s still a rip-off, one month of Omega sub costs $20 (a lot less when multiple months are subbed) and those skills stay with the character. If a player wants to fast track Omega skill training, there’s Cerebral Accelerators, Attribute Implants and Neural Remaps.
Now I can understand paying out money for Skill Injectors to quickly train Omega skills, however paying money just to try out different Career choices at Omega level for a very limited time sounds very foolish.
As for having skills trained that don’t get used very often, it’s better to have them already trained when needed compared to not having them trained when needed. For example, I have Mining skills trained up which I rarely ever use and the few times that I needed them, I was glad I had them trained up.
you know what used to keep new players in game ? the lore , the vast amount of things in game to do , the technical proficiency of the game itself . the idea that you were training and building a character then met something over time
there isnt that same vibe as it was 10 years ago . you have a different crowd of people who want it quickly and that’s it . that’s why this game is the last of its kind cause there is no real sandbox anymore . zero patience and eve feeds on that . instead of working on content like new missions . walking in stations other things that even vaporware like sc has , this is a one way road . all you have to look at is pearl abyss in general and see that the shady business practices are slowly but surely slinking their way in here . this is just another example with rent a skills
The difference is that (at your example costs) the player can try the skills now for $5, or in a month for $20.
With expert systems, the player can choose to have fun now for a week and eventually have fun for $25, or know now that mining isn’t for them right now for only $5.
When compared to knowing whether you like mining in a month for $20 I think that’s a very attractive option to players who don’t care that much about the $5.
I’m not saying I’d use it (I wouldn’t) and I’m not saying I like that CCP is adding instant gratification for cash, but I do see the benefits for new players in this system and wouldn’t call it a scam.
ccp will lose money with that feature.
when the newbie get ganked while trying his new shiny mining barge he will be pi.ssed and moves along to xy with his friends.
Seems I made a mistake, 1 month Omega sub is $14.95
Anyway, I think it’s nothing more than a cash grab which will ultimately lose more players than it will gain…
That you may be right in.
I really dislike the big icons integrated with normal gameplay (ship tree) telling you ‘buy this for $ to unlock!’. It makes the game feel cheap.
Usually I avoid games like that, especially when that’s the first impression I get as a new player. Pay cash for this, pay for that… makes me shut down the game and try another game with more dignity.
I get it, games obviously need to make money to continue development and maintenance. But please keep payments separated from the regular gameplay.
Then the complaints come that it is difficult to pay, and there is no clear indication on what you can do on the alpha trial. No matter which way CCP approaches the problem there is going to be complaints.
This 100000%
Really, really cheap, and tacky, and EA like.
It’s the stuff of mobile games, unbefitting a self-respecting MMO.
I agree.
CCP will need to find a balance between making payment accessible enough for new players and shoving payment options into people’s faces to the point that they get discouraged to play the game.
The hard part is, this balance is subjective and will have different effects on different players. Some players may find it easy enough to find stuff they want to buy in the store, others need reminders everywhere. Some players may find it easy to ignore payment options in their daily gameplay, some may start paying just because of it while others may start to dislike the game. There’s no way CCP can do it completely right.
I just hope they find the right balance. And that I don’t have to see it.
No real surprise there. Eve deep in milking phase of life cycle, such things to be expected.
I really don’t think this is going to encourage new player retention. I get the idea of having a trial capability. However, Eve really isn’t set up that way unless you already have a good idea of how it works. As it is, it looks like you may end up encouraging some extra early spending. However, that doesn’t translate into better knowledge of how to explore the game. The inevitable loss and confusion that will occur will likely result in the same loss of interest as before.
I think getting new players more comfortable with what Eve is, how its loss mechanics work, and how to find enjoyment in that environment would work better in terms of retention. That path would be more geared to finding ways for people to engage with the Eve community so that they form the interests that keep them in the game. Being able to “try” out some ships or a career path for a short period of time doesn’t really do that.
Sorry but this is a really bad idea for several reasons. You are squeezing money out of the very core group that you desperately want to stay for the long run in a time where they are low-skilled and vulnerable.
Hilmar said that EVE Online had over 1 million unique new users last year. So there is an enormous opportunity out there for getting more players to become full-paying members.
The core problem with EVE isn’t that players can’t fly all ships. The problem is that there isn’t a fair arena for new players where they can meet other new players in battle and learn.
That’s why EVE feels unfair for new players. It would be like if you in Starcraft didn’t have different leagues/ranks and you were randomly put in matches with masters and grandmasters that would just wreck your day. That’s what EVE is like now for new players.
The starter systems should be made into regions where you can only stay for X amount of time as a new player. say 100/200/300 days. No veterans can come in there with their faction fitted astero with maxed implants and seal club because older characters won’t be allowed.
In these systems, you could also limit mods that could be used and make other adjustments to the game that are tailored towards new players.
The problem you run into now whenever you make a change for new players is that it also has to be in tune with the meta and can’t destroy other mechanics in the game. But if you separated new players and veterans a bit more you could MIN/MAX the new player experience to a much larger extent. You could make a much better fresh new player campaign and lots of other opportunities arise when you don’t have to worry about how this might affect the rest of the community.
If a veteran wanted to try this new place out he could but he would have to create a new character for it so that he is put on the same skill level as his opponents.
So please, focus on making the new player experience better rather than trying to ask new players for the money. What you’re basically saying to new players is. You want to have fun? Well, you can’t unless you have good skills. and you can’t do that unless you pay us. That’s not the message you want to send out.
The message should be EVE IS FUN, try it for free and you’ll see for yourself because we made an AWESOME new player experience. If the new players get hooked they will pay for omega, skins and other stuff eventually. You don’t have to push payment on them if they like the game.
I proposed something like this along time ago. The starter systems should be something like a trio of systems - one high sec, one low and another null. The tutorial could have all of the usual missions in the high sec area but then it should have missions that send you to the low and null sec areas where you are encouraged to engage in pvp. I wouldnt necessarily ban vets - as you want old players to interact with new - but you could limit access to the area to ships and fittings that a new player could use - nub ships, t1 frigs and t1 desy with t1 fits - no t2, no faction.
IMO the problem with eve new player retention is that it focuses new players on the worst parts of eve - ratting, mining - basically anything to do with pve. Its boring and awful. Eve new player experience should push players towards the fun parts. I remember coming into eve and quitting because it was boring as hell - fly 5 systems, orbits some red xs and then fly back. The computer almost did all the work for you. I couldnt understand how anyone could think eve was fun or hardcore. Several years later I came back and was determined to figure out why people called eve a hardcore pvp game. Once I found my niche I was hooked and have been playing ever since.
Giving players “skills” isnt going to equate to them having immediate fun. The problem is that a new player with all the mining skills or all the exploration skills or all the combat skills, etc. . . is still not going to know what to do. The gap between player skill and in game “skills” is huge. So now they get thrown a bunch of temporary skills - they are still going to need the isk for a barge or exploration ship or a combat ship. Then they got to fit it. And then they have to figure out what to do. They going spend that five bucks or whatever its its going to be a frustrating disappointment - because eve does not revolve around instance gratification.
Yep, I arrived in Eve having no idea what to do, how to do it, or what to expect.
I’m still not sure half the time, but one thing I know I do not want is anything resembling pay to win.
I have no problem paying CCP, they have to make a living, but if doing so starts to feel like I’m cheating I’m out.
This is called lazy pay to win and it has destroyed a lot of games.
Most MMO are trash because of this type of decisions.
You should fire the person that had this idea. After this lazy idea he will find new ones like a AFK auto play that I’ve seen on some other games. Just push a button and it will kill and harvest the loot.
People play games to progress and to achieve a goal. If you give them the end goal at the begin why would people be interested in playing the game?
Why would people pay for a game that plays by itself or that you can buy your goals?
Get people new challenges not lazy auto play.
Most people don’t do PVP and don’t even go to low secs. Null secs are also empty.
Has a matter of fact the vast majority of the people live in the High sec’s. So I think they prefere to create stuff instead of destroying other persons. The idea of fun is not equal in every persons.
The best part of an adventure is the path. Not getting to the goal. If people receive the goal at the begin
they don’t value the path or the goal.
A lot of MMO are launching the servers with the classic version of the game. EVE can’t go to the classic version. So don’t spoil it… hard players will leave if they see it has become too easy and a pay to win cheat game.
CCP are looking at Star Citizen (a vaporware) and the suckers who pay CIG for buying JPEGs and they say “if they can milk their backers for something that is barely even a game, why can’t we milk ours when we do have an actual game”…
I mean I can’t fault them for trying. after all, the gaming industry is all about the following
the saddest part is, there will be plenty and I mean PLENTY of suckers who will buy this Expert System the moment it goes live, and that’s exactly why CCP and other gaming studios do that - because it ALWAYS works!!! ALWAYS