I want to discuss killmail visibility and the integrity of EVE’s combat records.
Right now, it’s possible for players to hide their losses by setting their zKillboard to “opt-in” or using other blocklist tactics. This has created a trend where certain groups—especially gankers—will proudly broadcast every freighter or miner they pop, but when they lose something? Magically invisible.
This creates a lopsided and misleading combat record, and it undermines the entire value of zKillboard as a community-driven combat archive. It’s not just petty—it’s strategic reputation management. And frankly, it’s cowardly.
If killmails are public when you’re on the offensive, they should be public when you’re on the receiving end too. Combat is a two-way street. If you want to post your kills for clout, your losses should be fair game.
Suggestion:
Make killmail publishing automatic and mandatory (or at least, consistent across the board). It should be visible if you’re involved in a fight, win or lose. You shouldn’t get to selectively craft a narrative of dominance while hiding your own wreckage.
If we value transparency, balance, and truth in New Eden, then hiding losses should go the way of the old CQ.
Are you suggesting CCP create an “official” killboard for EVE Online?
My reason for asking is zKill is a private entity, and I don’t understand how a privately run entity could be allowed to demand access to all EVE Online player’s combat records.
We don’t value transparency, balance and truth here though. I didnt realize killmails were something you can opt out of, thats fantastic. Going to do that right now.
I’ve seen people post their character stats on third party websites which makes it public knowledge to see how much SP they are or which skill they are training.
In a game like EVE I like that we can choose to keep some information private and only share the data we want to share.
In case of killmails I like sharing my killmails, but also like that people have the choice to opt in, that it isn’t mandatory.
This creates a lopsided and misleading combat record
It’s only misleading if you don’t know that killmails are opt-in.
We both know that people can choose to share killmails, as this is public knowledge, so it’s not misleading to us. Only occasionally a newbie is misled until they hear of how this third party website works.
The folks who obsess over a “green” zKillboard tend to be the same ones who hide their own losses, pad stats with cherry-picked fights, or conveniently forget to mention the 3 billion ISK pod they lost two minutes later.
I said that killboards get selectively curated and shouldn’t be taken at face value—which is exactly why they matter. The moment someone flexes their zKill like it’s a resume, the burden’s on them to be honest about all of it, not just the parts that sparkle.
So yeah, thanks for agreeing with me while trying to argue. Much appreciated.
