If you don’t like it, this might not be the right game for you.
If you send me a billion isk, I’ll suggest another game.
Why are you speaking for me? That’s called a ‘strawman’ argument. In fact, I know darn well that I drive people out of the game. I get one point for each of them, and I’ve got hundreds of points. I relish making another player quit: that is my win condition. Here’s my counter: it’s ok to drive people out of the game. Every game needs losers - that’s what makes me a winner!
Absolutely. It serves to duplicate functions we already have and it’s not accomplishing those better, not to mention: at all.
I remember one of the things that guys were hoping it would provide, was a player-driven missioning system in the game. Although I don’t mission, I thought that would have been an interesting development.
Missioning system is outdated. But if freelance jobs could provide player-driven mission content, then it can’t be based off of cost-benefit ratio, because market will outcompete the system, which is exactly what it’s doing. For missions, it should provide a whole new content, like players able to create their own NPC/storyline pockets in the game or hacking sites, and have other players participate (with rewards for both parties on successful completion, let’s say). Such an option might also provide an outlet for those players more interested in the lore of the game, make their engagement with the game more meaningful, and maybe even have them steer some of the storylines.
Another thing that was hoped for was a way to test out potential new members for a corporation. I have no idea how that’s going, but I’m guessing not well? I didn’t understand why that was even needed. An invitation to a corp in EVE is not dependent on anything anybody can do through freelance jobs right now, so what’s the point in checking the ability of a player to haul cargo 10j once when you can just check their skills is beyond me.
I’m sure the thinking quickly devolved to: Why recruit actual members (work) when we can just hire a bunch of peons (slaves) with the promise of x (dangling carrot) that we never have to deliver.
I did search for the word “freelance” but for some reason missed this thread and started my own Freelance suggestions thread that asks “What would you like to see with Freelance Projects?”
I personally think the Freelance projects are good but need some tweaks and improvements like better filtering and options for destroy capsuleers ships (adding minimum loss value, maximum kill value to ship types or groups and % based payouts.) and the ability to add % bonus to rat bounties (and pick the faction(s) of rat) rather than all these flat rates.
I’d also like to see some exclusion options (I know the ACL exists but its uncertain how that works, if its open to anyone except those on the block list or only open to people in the ACL?)
NPC corps issueing freelance projects as well as adding bonuses for people running missions from a specific agent or their corp (both of these would be amazing)
Its only real function atm especially in highsec is posting of jobs that for all intents and purposes, are basically the same as buy orders with extra hoops that can be linked in regions other than the one the buy order may be in.
I think everyone can agree that more functionality could make change the way freelance jobs are both perceived and used.
Like most things in EVE the freelance jobs system is just a mechanic, sand for the sandbox. It needs players with vision to provide the real content, to build it into something interesting and engaging.
If I just take a transactional view of the jobs, how much ISK do I get out of this job, then they are mostly pointless.
But if there were a real purpose behind the jobs, something players thought was worth supporting and run by players they could trust, then they would be worthwhile. I would happily work to supply materials at a discount, make a loss on the transaction, if I thought the materials were going to be used for something interesting and worthwhile. But it is not the game developers’ job to provide that purpose, it is the players’.
If someone had a credible plan to take control of Ahbazon and provide safe passage for haulers for one hour per week, but they needed x number of this ship and y of that module then I would supply them with all that I could produce, I wouldn’t care about making a profit on the transactions.
If someone formed a miner’s union that had a credible plan to wage war against low-sec metanox structures, complete with Southpark’s “They terk err jerbs” meme, I would devote everything I could muster to that cause, I might even get into a combat ship and do some spaceship PvP for a change.
Freelance jobs could be used to organise those sorts of things, but instead it is used to scam and bait new players. I don’t think that is the developers’ problem, it is our problem as players.
I think freelance industrial networks are excellent for the game. They provide a vital stepping stone for solo players carving out their own path toward bigger things in New Eden.
Lately, there’s been a lot of loud opinions on how these setups run, which got me wondering: how many of you driving these threads actually have extensive, hands-on experience running or working them?
Can we keep the discussion grounded in actual knowledge rather than backend guesswork? I’d love to hear perspectives from people who actually know how the gears turn on this career path.
Can you provide some examples? Because you don’t need to look very hard to find that most Freelance jobs are outright scams, bait or slave labor. And that’s not guesswork.
If you want proof, look directly at the in-game Freelance Job Board channel. It is packed with active pilots who are consistently using the system every single day.
You can run a quick search of current industrialist listings from any major trade hub and see that the payout offers are incredibly solid. In fact, most of these public listings pay out significantly better than real volume or regional market buy orders—with the obvious exception of Jita 4-4, which is totally expected.
The volume speaks for itself, and the system works.
If you want to talk about slave labor, lets talk about nullsec buybacks paying horrible values because the miners have few options.
I can speak with authority on both sides of this argument, and that is exactly why I am here setting the record straight. I gave you clear, verifiable proof to look at, yet you refuse to check the logs and choose to spread misinformation instead.
Here is another live example: a massive 45 million m³ in volume with an unlimited order of follow-up job speaks for itself. When you compare apples to apples, these logistics lines pay out just as well as—and often much better than—any other offer in game. This is live Amarr EFA right now.
Today you will learn. Smart CEO’s can contact our corp in game for more details. Bye for now. o7
CCP is doing serious damage to freelance mining networks by forcing grade-zero variations onto high-sec ores. This completely breaks the utility of mining by Ore Groups. Instead of streamlined logistics, every single variant now has to be tracked, priced, and logged separately based on its specific grade and compression state. (also investment skyrockets for deposits on jobs)
At the same time, they have absolutely tanked the market value of these ores by allowing botting fleets to farm them unchecked in the new Exordium space. It is a completely idiotic mechanical change that punishes actual players trying to build local trade loops. Even industry resources like Fuzzworks are pull an average of the grade prices now so data is a mess.
What are they thinking? It is completely obvious what their goal is if you just follow the money. They want cheap, bot-farmed ore flooding into null-sec, because that is exactly what is happening right now.
I literally have the data to show exactly who the highest paid miner in highsec is and you want to guess where he is? Exordium. by far making more isk than any other miner in highsec doing jobs.
