We know the typical failure pattern of the game: new player joins, gets told some activity is “great ISK”. They do that activity, isolated from everyone else. The gameplay can only hold their attention for so long though: they get bored, log off, and are never seen again.
What’s missing is the interacting-with-players element. I’ve been made aware that there’s good souls on an established Eve Online Twitch channel (Rushlock) (Discord link) who has started up the Bad & Dumb corp which this past month of March have been helping players of all ages overcome their isolated socialization situation and chatting with them. And hopefully, befriending them, and generally getting them exposed to the multiplayer element.
Where things get interesting though, is when direct communication fails:
They’re AFK, so no conversation is accepted
They decline the private conversation
They close the private conversation
They block the person performing the socialization checkup
In these instances, catalysts usually show up shortly afterwards and promptly force a social interaction in a fair manner mediated by CONCORD. So all in all, a win-win for player interaction – whether by conversation or fire.
What’s interesting is seeing where this leads the players who opted not for the conversation route. Spot checking some of these individuals, it looks like quite a few left their NPC corporation and high sec and are now out in a player corp and in various spaces in New Eden.
Ive had players from rookie chat decline private conversation after trying to give detailed help instead of chatting in rookie, and blocking afterwards
Not sure what the point of the post is. Why would you force communication on newbies?
I remember being paranoid when a GM (didn’t actually know what it is back then) contacted me after some hours of play to offer help, and my only impulse was to get rid of that conversation as fast as possible.
If you’re asking this question, then I’m not really surprised you don’t understand.
The meta is to be a passive communicator and either shoot, get shot, and ignore everyone who isn’t in your corp nor alliance (though many people ignore their alliance-mates anyway). Some people are social animals and want to chat in local, or with strangers on their grid, and generally make the system they are in feel more alive, sociable, and sometimes filled with small dramas. This is just a step in that direction, making the universe feel alive with sociable people again, and I think that’s worth highlighting.
It used to be that way, especially in high sec, but Crimewatch changes put an end to that social fabric.
Different people like different things and stay around, or quit, for different reasons.
I would say that the introvert/autist “leave me alone and let me focus on numbers” mentality is very prevalent which can be good for some new players but anyone who is expecting a traditional “real” MMO is probably going stop bothering very quickly. Newbies are told to much to focus on optimising (the fun out of the game) where it’s all about profit, long term skill plans and boring low effort gameplay. I really do think this is one of the big reasons why newbies quit.
It’s not “the danger of being ganked” or any nonsense like that, it’s actually “I’m bored and people told me to do boring things and I have to wait 500 days before I should do stuff and have fun”.
You need to chill on your accusations. I am not affiliated with what’s going on over there, so please direct your confrontational energy to those actually doing it.
Edit:
I agree, you might want to start by applying it to yourself and let people that want to chat with locals be free to play that way.
It seems to me that new players are not children, and should not be expected to behave like children. Most of them are surely able to seek and find the EVE experience which suits their particular psychology.
If they leave early, it’s because their experience of the game thus far leads them to believe that it holds nothing for them. It is a failure in persistence, in my view. Of course, it may also be true that the game is simply not for them. I’ve experienced that with many games in my Steam Library. But I always persist until I’m sure there’s nothing left to persist for.
My eldest is a console player. When he was younger, the first thing he’d do on discovering a new game was to find out whether if offered ‘Co-op’ mode or, less attractively, ‘Multi-player’ mode. If it didn’t, the game was ignored.
I’m very different. I decline most formal invitations to ‘chat’, except those which arise naturally in the course of playing EVE. It’s good that the game offers enough flexibility so that players like me - who are not necessarily introverted or autistic - can pursue their interests and derive entertainment on an equal basis with those whose behavioural emphases might be different.
People who really must have social interactivity, like my son, will be persistent in seeking it. Those who shun such things will also be persistent. There will also be folks who fall between the two extremes; we have them in EVE, too.
If me merely trying to start an adult conversation about other players‘s actions winds up offending your sensitive inclinations and your reaction is to shoot the messenger, consider me surprised. I am totally fine with that as it says less about me and more about you, but I expected better.
I agree. One aspect that’s unfortunately more prevalent these days in gaming is wanting to be handed things. Whether it’s called „content“ or „engaging gameplay“, I at least respect those that are out hustling trying to generate it for themselves and others. Even if it’s the kind of gameplay people don’t exactly want in the moment. The freedom to do this is something I value in Eve, and find adds character and color to the universe.
Sincere question: do you believe „being chatted with“ is a very bad thing in this game, when someone does not want to be chatted with and has tools like blocking, CSPA charges, and the „decline conversation“ button? To such a degree that justifies your vehement and visceral reaction to this thread?
Example, not yet known players convo me for the following reasons:
scam corp invite
scam channel invite
distracting me in PvP situation
begging for mercy / offering ransom
after fight conversation (cursing, begging for money, or genuinely interested)
Players in EvE are indoctrinated from day one, that if they get contacted by randoms its very likely not coming from good intentions. This is combined with the fact that socializing in highsec is not required and even disadvantageous for most activities.
Not sure if this is all bad or just as it is. As long as CCP is not able to create real co-op PvE low-level content, this will not change.
Isn’t Homefronts quite literally the low level PvE group up activity CCP created?
Sure. I also have had random people contact me, in a wormhole. A guy and I were playing hole games eyeing each other up to fight. A third party Golem came up on DScan and he convos me. I wasn’t sure if it was bait but he wanted to group up and kill it. I took the risk. We fleeted up. And kill it we did. We split the loot and parted ways in peace, jettisoning billions in a can in an impromptu loot split. Had I been a paranoid asshole to him I likely would have had my ass kicked in (turns out he had more than me).
Not every social chat window is „aggression“.
People here are so indoctrinated and paranoid that they can’t fathom there existing anything else. Not wanting to chat, being antisocial, and getting ganked in the process is the status quo. Safety and others bring that gameplay already. Being chatty and talking to people and not getting ganked is rewarding. And the OP is outlining that reward and positive reinforcement.
People just want the thread shut down because for some reason it offends them and they think it a troll.
Yes and they then infect any new player with that attitude, and when this newbie then keeps running into the same type of people saying and doing those same things they simply expect the whole game to be like this and… go play something else. And it’s the same with corporations whole mass invite newbies.
A lot are, some not. I didn’t mention that I usually take the convo except the ones of the distracting kind. Else I wouldn’t know what people would have to say. Co-op with randoms can work, may not. I have experienced both kinds. Depends on situation, space, and your “cards”.
Still convos are the more intrusive contact option. There is still local in known space where you can see if the other is responsive to your point.
Also important or maybe even the key is the trust level needed to co-op with randoms. You want it as low as possible to mitigate the risk and consequences of betrayal. The outcome of such judgement surely depends on your personal attitude to loss, and overall game experience.
Co-op with randoms can work, may not. I have experienced both kinds. Depends on situation, space, and your “cards”.