Potential Solitude gate suggestions, and a plea to maintain the region's uniqueness

Communications Center General Discussion
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I’d like to amend this OP with the current consensus that I’ve seen Solitude residents voice, in that they would prefer not to have any additional gates to Solitude. As I (an on-off Solitude resident myself) wish for the uniqueness and integrity of the region to be maintained, I would think it feasible to listen to the people living there who have the experience to speak on such matters, as to whether this would be a good idea or not. Most if not all residents that I’ve seen so far say that it isn’t.

TL;DR to this thread, OP and posts included: additional gate to Solitude bad, please don’t do it. However, if it must be done, do it in a way that maintains the fidelity of current access to the region, such as my suggestion where the current Agaullores-Shirshocin gate is disabled, perhaps due to Amarr-Gallente skirmishes, and a new route from Kenninck in Placid to the Babirmoult system is established, as it is about the same amount of jumps whilst still going through all lowsec systems.

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In the new World News, there is an article contained within that teases a potential Federation gate to Solitude. For anyone who has never been, Solitude is a Gallente region that has no gate connection to the rest of the Federation, and is only accessible from the Intaki Syndicate region (null) or through a lowsec pipeline in Amarr space. While it’d make sense for there to be such a connection as it’d be annoying to work around those logistics for the Feds, I’d also implore CCP, if they were to do something like this, to consider keeping in mind what makes the region unique. Eastern Solitude is the largest contiguous highsec island in the game currently, and the state of how the region exists has cultivated a unique populace. It may be an ultimately small one, but I’d like to imagine that people there came and stayed because of how unique it is there.

I’m certainly not against a gate from Fed space to Solitude, but I’m hoping that CCP keeps the highsec island uniqueness of it intact, and that they don’t just turn it in to another copy/paste empire region. I’d therefore propose that a gate connecting the two be either lowsec-lowsec, or highsec-lowsec. I don’t think it’d be a difficult ask to keep Solitude as the big highsec island it is currently, even for lore reasons, as there’s a precedent for lore important systems being in such places with the Ni-Kunni home system in Aridia (Mishi). There’s also systems like Intaki that are flat-out lowsec, yet continue to function as a unique home for one of the playable races in the game.

Here’s where I would feel like gates would make sense, from the perspective of keeping the fidelity of the region intact:

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1: Covryn (0.4)-Aimoguier (0.2) and Ausmaert (0.1)-Meunvon (0.3)

Covryn is a low-sec FW Placid system a jump away from Stacmon, and while I haven’t really traveled there much, I can’t imagine that it sees much traffic besides people in FW plexing the system. On the map, it’s just about close enough to Solitude whilst also being close enough to the oft-traveled semi-market hub of southern Placid. There’s a couple jumps through lowsec to reach highsec eastern Solitude, but I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal. But perhaps such a situation might lead to gatecamps, and make people not want to travel that route. Which is why I’d propose 1 1/2 to go with it

I’ve spent a little bit of time in western Placid, and I feel like it’s a contender for some of the most desolate space I’ve ever been in. Alselbosier and Ganoure are two lowsec constellations in Placid that are not part of the FW system, and therefore likely don’t see nearly as much traffic as the rest of the region does. Even when it comes to traveling to Syndicate, there’s much faster connections there through systems like Harroule and Reblier in Verge Vendor. I feel like putting a second gate here would incentivize people to utilize space that isn’t often utilized as a way around the Covryn gate, which I suspect would be the target of gatecamps.

The systems listed apart from Covryn, as all the other lowsec Fislipesnes systems are much farther away, can be switched around a bit, but the general idea behind them would be Covryn-(system in eastern Braille) and (system in Alselbosier/Ganoure-system in eastern Braille).

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2 - Vivanier (0.5)/Toustain (0.4), Grispire (0.2)/Straloin (0.2) or Mollin (0.7)/Pochelympe (0.6)

I’m aware that one of these is a highsec-highsec gate, but I think with some given context, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Placid has its own highsec island in the Josmaert and Unour constellations which require traveling through dangerous systems like Ouelletta, Oulley or Ostingele to get to. Or Vlillirier if you want to go the really really long way around. Given that it’s sandwiched between FW Placid, it does see a decent amount of traffic. Mobrault, the constellation that all three of these gates would connect to, barely sees any traffic apart from the people that live there. What better purpose could the north-facing growth on the region of Solitude serve than as a welcoming zone for the rest of the region?

I’m admittedly in favor of the two former gates than the latter, as there are people that live in the mini-version of highsec Solitude in the Ondree, Eggheron and Pochelympe systems, but I think if CCP ultimately wanted to do a highsec-highsec gate, that would be one that works without compromising the integrity of the region too badly.

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3 - Vifrevaert (0.4)/Pertnineere (0.4) or Ladistier (0.3)/Conomette (0.3)

These would be closer-to-home gates, and maybe since in the lore, Federation President Aguard is the one driving the cause behind a gate to Solitude, these would be more palatable options. I don’t spend too much time in Essence, but I believe that Ladistier is an often-traveled system, which might make the journey more treacherous than it would need to be. Which is why there could also be the other gate from Vifrevaert to Pertnineere. Or maybe Ladistier to Pertnineere would make more sense, since they’re both EDENCOM fortified systems in one way or another? Those systems could be interchangeable, but those would also be good options for connections.

Of course, there’s another connection I included in that screenshot, a “nuclear option” if CCP has it set in their mind that it absolutely has to be a gate that connects to the larger section of highsec in Solitude.

Channace (0.9)-Larryn (0.6). A long time ago, CCP added in these systems near starter systems, that for all intents and purposes, functioned exactly the same as the old starter systems did, although I never created characters around the time these systems were created, so I don’t know if the tutorial ever sent you to Channace instead of the usual CAS starting system of Cistuvaert. Regardless, these systems have languished for the longest time as dingleberries tacked on to actual important systems, with only some such as Urhinichi, Sakenta and Senda for instance, finding new purpose as Trig systems. I’m anti-trig so I’m supposed to grrr something like that, but I can’t deny that those systems are probably seeing more use than ever before because of the fact.

If there absolutely had to be a connection like that, I think the best course of action would be to use a system like Channace to do so. The Larryn system would be a good connection from there, as it’s only a couple jumps away from the now-landmarked Gererique system. Also, at least on the DOTLAN map, it’s just about a straight line. That looks nice.

Anyways, these are just suggestions for CCP, from someone who has spent a not-insignificant amount of time in the region. I think these gate ideas would be good for the region, although I’d like it if CCP considered all except the last one just a little bit more, as I still think that it’s important to maintain the uniqueness of Solitude.

edit: Also, I should mention that I’ve numbered the suggestions based on the screenshots I took. Just because one gate is in one suggestion doesn’t mean that another gate in another suggestion couldn’t also be used.

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No reason to do this at all. We need more interesting space like that, not less of it.

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It’s not like there isn’t already an empire system that connects to Solitude, though. It’s just through Amarr space instead. I don’t really see how a gate in western lowsec Placid, which takes more than a couple jumps to go through, would harm the integrity of the region all that much. It’'d make sense lorewise for the Federation to be fully connected, and potentially bring new life to some barren parts of space that aren’t even in Solitude.

Also, CCP has floated this idea around through lore news for about a year now. I’m personally fine with or without a new gate if I have to really get down to it, but in the event that they do, these are suggestions that I feel would work the best.

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Why do you want more easy access high-sec space? Half of all high-sec systems have zero people in them, and another 40% have single-digit populations. Are there not enough underpopulated systems in Gallente space for people to farm?

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I don’t though? I live in lowsec lmao. I’ve mentioned multiple times in my OP that I’d prefer CCP to maintain the integrity that the highsec islands provide. The vast majority of my suggestions allow for people to camp said connections if they so wish, and I’ve even stated with the highsec-highsec connections that they would most likely be unpopular with the people living there, and I’d prefer CCP to explore the lowsec connections instead.

The longest-distance suggestion of mine only shears five jumps off of the 15-jump journey it takes to get from Bherdasopt in Genesis to Yvelet in Solitude. And that’s if you even want to use that route, since it’s often camped by White Sky and whoever else lives in lowsec Genesis. Having the journey be longer doesn’t make the area more unique; it just makes it more annoying to get there than it needs to be.

If you don’t think people would take advantage of those connected systems to camp the gates, then you’ve never been to Solitude. There’s one guy that lives there that religiously camps the lowsec island in Orvanne even. Making the journey less jumps wouldn’t make it less dangerous.

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It does make it unique, for that exact reason. “More annoying” means that less people will bother trying.

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Stain is a unique region because it has no gates to lowsec, despite being built up in comparison to other parts of NPC null with all of the stations around it. Doesn’t stop people clamoring for a lowsec gate there, though.

What I mean from that analogy is that just because something is unique in some aspects, it doesn’t mean that those aspects are necessarily well-liked. I value Solitude’s uniqueness in the fact that it is the largest highsec island that exists in the game. It does take a unique amount of time to get to, but I don’t think that that aspect of it is productive to its existence. I don’t really see why you’re arguing against this in particular, as adding gates to the region would help advance many things that I’ve seen you argue for, like PVP and miner ganking.

Outside of chokepoints like Vevelonel and camped systems like Sarline, Solitude lowsec is empty. I can, and very often did farm anoms and sites without a need to really need to check local all that much, because not only would there barely be anyone in system, but those that were were often just passing through in travelceptors or something like that. It’s essentially safe lowsec. Hell, it eventually got so boring that I moved for a couple months over to lowsec FW Metropolis just because Solitude was that dead and boring.

MMOs should push for player interaction in as many places as they can. “Opening” Solitude up in this way would open it up to PVP as much as it would PVE. It’d certainly make the region more dangerous. Maybe even get the BPA’s closer to that of actually utilized lowsec like Rancer, Amamake, Gondista, etc.

Solitude would still have the largest highsec island in the game. It’d still manage to maintain its uniqueness. These gates would just lower the bar to entry for the region, and encourage more people to actually interact with each other, instead of it being the far-removed PVE farming fields that I’ve managed to treat it as for however long I’ve lived there.

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Well, I only read the first 3 paragraphs, but it is my understanding that he’s arguing to keep solitude interesting, instead of making it like the rest of HS.

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Groan.

And those people are rightfully punted for their selfish desires, because they’re nothing but self-serving farmer trash who want more opportunities for easier access to higher-paying content.

Not necessarily. In order to add PvP there, it would have to take PvP away from somewhere else. This would lead to a more homogeneous experience across the entire game. The only change that would actually lead to an increase in PvP in the game is the game getting more players who are interested in PvP.

Which is exactly why it’s good. It offers something different, as opposed to more of the same you can get anywhere else.

Not necessarily. At least not all the time, and not in every place. A variety of experiences is just as important as interaction.

You’re literally contradicting yourself from one sentence to the next. Do you really not realize why what you’re saying here makes no sense?

I’m pretty sure I’m the one arguing in favor of keeping it unique and interesting, and he’s asking for new connectors that would provide quicker, easier access to it, in effect making it more like the rest of empire space.

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Okay, I think I understand.

To OP, my like comes with a caveat. I’m for keeping Solitude interesting. Not convinced it needs any new gates though.

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I don’t necessarily think it does either. What I’ve got from the now year-long teasing of it, and it being mentioned again recently, is that they do plan on doing it. If they do, I figured it appropriate to offer up suggestions of where it could work without, in my opinion, compromising the identity that the region has. I understand that people have different ideas of what that identity is, but I don’t think my suggestions are unreasonable.

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So CCP literally keeps track of what I’m doing in the game and f-cks with me it seems.

No new gate to Solitude. It’s not needed. The region is unique and profitable because it’s not easy to run logistics. Don’t need more generic NPC players out here. Keep Solitude great!

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If it was a real thing, Im sure it would be the centrepiece of an “expansion” that would also include such wonders as

  • GUI Spelling Error Fixes
    -New GUI Spelling Mistakes in the Gate Description
    -The gate works out perfectly fine
    -The gate in takes you to Pochven by mistake
    -A Nerf described as a buff
    -A Buff described as a nerf
    -Database failures and the launcher turns inside out
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It is called Solitude for a reason! Leave it alone!

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It was pretty crowded last time I have been there. Few months ago.

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This is some excellent work on the OP’s part. This is the second time a World News Article has hinted at this. Rather then try and convince CCP to do it in a less bad manner, I am against the idea entirely.

I cannot stress enough how bad for Solitude a direct gate connection to mainland empire would be.

Solitude has a unique character entirely defined by how hard it is to get in and out with bulk m3. Few people live there because (and I say this from experience having lived there over a year now) not everyone can hack it over the long haul. The local residents know each other better then in other areas because we are forced to regularly interact with the same faces to do business. The regular trickle of groups trying to settle Solitude, failing and then leaving, returning control to local residents is a pattern that brings great and regular change to the region, whilst not flooding it with the population figures seen in say, Essence.

If a direct connection were made, Solitude would no longer be the island it is, with its unique player culture and would gradually turn into just another Placid or Verge Vendor. I can think of no greater tragedy for my favorite and home region. People who live in Solitude, who chose to stay out here long term despite the added hardship, would be gradually muscled out by groups moving in who are no different then a standard cross-section of Eve players. Small gangs, small scale industrial operations, solo play, all of it would lose viability and Solitude would become nothing more then another cookie cutter empire region.

Is not the player culture that developed in Solitude as a result of the environmental isolation not the pinnacle of player driven game play? I beg you CCP, please don’t actually do this.

EDITS: My spelling and typing is atrocious.

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If a pirate is too lazy to migrate into the region to hunt us, then they don’t deserve to kill us. This notion of free targets that PvPers have is so toxic to game health. Sorry buddy, you do have to work for it, just like we have to work for it if we want to avoid you. You want me? Come in and get me. Local residents moved here the same way. I remember huffing my first Raven through Syndicate (pre-covid, so I made it), and what a rush that was.

EDIT: There’s nothing about Solitude’s geographic isolation that favors carebears or pirates. Geographic isolation is a flat feature which impacts everyone in the same manner. We deal with it to live here. The hunters should have to choose to deal with it to come after us.

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Groups regularly come in and try and settle Solitude. At that time is was the Apex Collective. Like all the others they failed, and the locals are back in control now.

Heck, even Eve uni only lasted a few years out here.

Living in Solitude takes a certain kind of person and not everyone is that person.

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Solitude is not lacking in PvP at all despite the lower population. Every type of PvP happens out here, from solo and small gang to fleet actions. There were just recently big structure fleet fights in Anckee and Straloin.

A direct mainland gate to Solitude is a solution without a problem in every sense of the notion.

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The President made the construction of a new stargate to Solitude a campaign promise emblematic of her commitment to the periphery of the Federation.

This was just more lies by politicians. Very unlikely that anything would ever become of it.

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