Not trying to be chicken little etc. . . Just pointing out that CCP’s recent push to make eve easier, more causal, etc. . .; its current emphasis on flash rather then substance, isnt working and that it is way past time that they change direction. Its been approximately a full year since alpha’s were introduced - we as players have always evaluated the relative success and merits of CCP’s various expansions/updates. We all have those expansions/updates that we love/hate. Well, its long past time that a hard look is taken at the alpha change, its success or lack thereof and the merits of the reasoning behind it. Sure the game is still limping on, but that’s all its doing. BTW, the alpha changes could have been good - only problem was that ccp emphasized driving the new players to the npe and the pve side of the game. Eve pve is probably the single worst component of the game, since imo and this is only my opinion, it is just endless unthinking grinding. When I first started, new players werent molly coddled - there were countless trolls in the system that tried to get you to engage in pvp - resulting in a sure death - imo figuring out how to deal with these new player killers was a much more engaging npe - it got you immediately into pvp and the meta game - sure people died alot but it was fun, which is exactly what is lacking from the npe.
Sure things could have been handled differently with alpha, but what patch or expansion couldnt have been better?
This is where WE the players need to be part of the NPE, and try and pick up these new alpha players and help them get off that grind and introduce them to other aspects of the game, like Faction Warfare, or Corp wars… or the hundred of other things there is to do.
I’m more interested in the ‘scared cows’ from the OP than anything else.
You’re right. Unfortunately, in my opinion, EVE’s PVP is just as bad if not worse. So, for someone who feels the same way I do about EVE, what is left? EVE has a lot of potential and a lot of great ideas but nothing has been done with it. In regard to Alpha clones: I never would have played EVE if it weren’t for Alpha clones. EVE always seemed like a game for rich elitists to me. A subscription based game where people lose spaceships worth thousands of real life dollars? No thanks. It wasn’t until F2P became a thing that I even considered playing EVE.
I’m having more fun with my alphas than I ever had with my mains, and it’s free.
Isn’t working based on what metrics? Is revenue down? You don’t know. Looking at how many players are online based on the log in window provides no real data other than a single number.
Just because you don’t like where you THINK CCP is going has no basis to support your claim.
#make_eve_great_again
As I’ve posted elsewhere in these forums:
Alpha clones are actually the only reason I tried Eve. As much as I enjoy MMO’s I can’t always afford to pay $10-$15 per month. It’s frustrating to be completely locked out of a game when a sub ends, though I completely understand that “devs need to eat” and do not expect a completely free game, so I avoid subscription based games. The Alpha system is perfect for me though, months I can afford to sub I do so and train up my Omega skills while months I can’t afford to sub I don’t and enjoy the game within the Alpha clone limitations.
I’m also not nearly as pessimistic about the changes. I dont think it needs to be about gaining heaps of new players, but instead about opening up new venues for some players. Slow growth of people who enjoy the game and create content is far better than spikes due to marketing. At the end of the day, people who don’t want to play Eve won’t. The goal should be making sure that all of those who do want to play, have options. As others have pointed out, I do think alphas accomplish that to some degree.
Indeed, and that’s the real nub of it. Options.
Well put.
Alpha clones were intended to bring both new players in and old players to experience what EVE offers today. They revamped the NPE, which was much needed, but then failed to follow up. If you want to increase the server population on a long term basis, you cannot lure players in, explain the game for them, and then drop the ball in the next step of playing.
What I suggest is that each faction has a jump gate the only works for Alpha class clones or Omega below 5 million SP. This leads into a system of HS that offers multiple low value objectives/isk sources. From only this “alpha only system”, a couple LS systems with the same restrictions could be reached. The gate guns at these HS/LS gates would have a new higher dps gate gun defense to prevent gate camping, but allow for,the turning of these secondary systems into a “alpha arena” style area where players of similar sp values and ships could battle under a more equal environment. I know that FW currently holds this position, but I feel that it is too far a step from noob pilot to a FW veteran facing potentially very long odds. More new players could learn PvP under a more controlled environment, established players could engage in PvP under more equal ship,restrictions, and corporations could recruit and evaluate new players in a central location. Old vets could have an Alpha alt available for having some fun in these systems, but noob exploitation would be reduced as you start the process of getting people out and integrated into the EVE universe.
Alpha clones are why I decided to sub. The old 14 day trial was no where near enough time to decide whether the game was interesting enough to pay for. I could barely figure out my way through the UI by day 14, and I sure didn’t know if I wanted to sub even by the end of month 1.
CALLIN FO PIZZA
CALLIN A CALL GIRL
AND CALLING THAT ALPHAS ARE A FAILURE