Some of you might remember the old promise of One Universe / One War that was presented to us a long time ago. And for those who need a refresher, here is the video that was presented at Fanfest almost a decade ago:
Years later, with EVE:Valkyrie still hot, Dust 512 sunsetting, but still around, and with some echoes of a potential successor, there was a real possibility that the EVE universe promise could happen and cover multiple aspects of what would be an all-out war, both in Space and on the Ground, and thus extend the franchise to a significant degree.
However, we all know what happened, the VR fad passed, Dust:514 was discontinued, and Project Legion AND Nova both froze and/or disappeared, and thus with that the entire hope of this idea disappeared.
Even if the idea is no longer out there, I’m sure CCP still thinks about it. I remember CCP Rattati evoking that Nova needed its “Ring of Fire”, as-in a killer feature that would sell the game, and we all know that the most self-evident feature it could have is a EVE Connection. I’m pretty sure that’s part of the reasons why the game was put away.
As for EVE Valkyrie, it realized the promise of what EVE tried and still tries to do, be an actual Space Simulator instead of a Submarine one with the makeup of Space. Still CCP no longer supports it and they seem to go back to trying to make EVE the Space Combat simulator, as things like the Dr. Who event shows (with emphasis on navigating the space), which is a Fool’s Errand as you will never be able to beat proper 3D navigation with an overview and a 1-second game upda.
Seeing the current competition EVE has right now, with Elite Dangerous filling the Space Simulation side, Albion Online covering the Competitive Sandbox side, and plenty of MMOs on the market, I struggle to see anything that can carry the franchise in the long run other than this capacity to make and do things that matter in the universe of EVE and also outside, with things like Fanfest or the Scope!
And in that vein, the capacity for what happens in the game, the Consequences EVE is known for, to bleed into other games. And that, of course, means other games of the One Universe / One War promise.
EVE:Valkyrie never had a connection with EVE Online, but if it were to have one, you would supposedly have in the same space ultra-nimble Valkyries and slow-moving but warping Capsuleers. Hypothetically, Capsuleers would never be able to hit/track Valkyries well, but would be able to warp out to other locations where Valkryies can’t assail them.
As for Dust:514 it had a connection, but it was limited to Faction Warfare, and there was only one significant interaction. However, a suggested interaction had been the capacity to board enemy Ships and this suggestion made me think about how to make that interaction possible. And that would involve essentially making Ships last long enough so that Dust players would have the time to enter the ship, do what they have to do, and get out with some semblance of a game.
This realization made me think of what essentially is the place of EVE in that trifecta with Dust and Valkyrie.
Essentially, EVE Online is the place where installations of gameplay can happen before being interacted with by Dust players or Valkyrie pilots.
Whether it is through PI Installations that are exploited for months, if not years, or through Ships that are supposed to be those giants platforms of shields and armors (but have now been trivialized into common ships that get blapped by the second), *EVE Online should be the place where slow, durable, and lasting vessels interact with each others to create battles (whether they be on planets, or in sites) and battlefields (between ships), where other games get to interact with.
Ship vs. Ship => Quick Match
PI Installation => Series of Matches
Incursion/Storm => Campaign
Of course, with how EVE is right now, the Ship vs. Ship part wouldn’t ever be possible. Even Titans in some situations get blapped in a second. Frigate fights can finish in less than a minute. Overall, if you had to board a ship as a Quick Match, you wouldn’t even get the chance to get out of the pod.
As for integrating Valkyries in all this, the Sites deployed during several events are perfect places for the Valkyries to do their fights. But the problem is what would a Capsuleer do against something as nimble as a Valkyrie?
Simple, but Tankier.
A LOT more Tankier.
Pretty much, EVE Ships would have to be Durable, Tanky Platforms that Valkyries would be raiding, hampering, and around which they would do their fights against each other. While Capsuleers establish control of the sites and remove higher threats that the Valkyries can’t handle.
This leads to a picture, where contrary to what CCP is trying to do right now with EVE, EVE Ships and Capsuleers should have slower, less frantic, less twitchy. Longer lasting, and more site-based gameplay instead of Transversal-based and Alpha-based gameplay, making it so that even a Frigate would last long enough to offer the opportunity to be boarded.
Pretty much, switch the gameplay of EVE from Tactics to Strategy, and let the other layers of other games handle the twitchy, quick kind of gameplay.
Tell me what you think, and more importantly tell me what you of how the One Universe / One War concept could be make to work!
