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Has this game gotten less or more ''hardcore'' over the years?
Krelian
Member UncommonPosts: 385
in EVE Online
Or has it generally stayed the same? What do I mean by ''hardcore'' ? Well, not easy to define.
I guess it could be anything from interface, tutorial and accesibility, all the way to death penalties, how they are implemented, more or less solo friendly, how easy it is to gain ''levels'' (I know, EVE doesnt necessarily have them, we've got skills instead) and money etcatera (use your imagination).
Just a reminder; I am NOT asserting that the game has moved to either tip of these polar opposites, INSTEAD, im asking YOU about what u think of it.
Thx in advance for any possible answers.
Comments
Certain things have become a bit more intuitive over the years (especially scanning), but the game's overall learning curve is still pretty much the same. The tutorial is definitely better though, and the addition of starter agents to give missions which acclimate people to certain professions as well as giving out money, equipment, and ships, make the first week or so much easier.
Fanbase is still very opposed to change though, and CCP still lets large groups of players such as the Goons pretty much dictate company policy (insofar as EVE is involved) which is why I don't play anymore.
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I'll say that the learning curve has decreased considerably since the early days. I'd still describe it as one of the more "hardcore" games out there though. As a 6.5 year veteran I still have 0 knowledge of the Industry side (Mining, Production, Research, etc) of the game. 0 Knowledge of how that shit works after all this time. And hell, I'm still no expert at the parts of the game I DO know about...
But lets hit this point by point:
Is EVE still the same level of Hardcore as it always was? IMO, yes.
Interface: Improved significantly, still a bit clunky.
Tutorial and Accesibility: OMFG Insanely improved
Death Penalties: Still the same, still harsh, still pretty damn good (imo)
Solo Friendly: Soloable? Sure, Solo Friendly? Well, it's designed to be a multiplayer game and I think that while you can play solo you miss out on a larger portion of what makes this game fun and you end up getting bored quick
"Level" Gain: Hasn't changed, still real-time based. Each skill still maxes at Level 5 so you can always catch up to Vets in that regard. CCP just keeps adding more of them...
Money: They've added so many methods to making ISK now
Fanbase: Heh, just check all the rants that take place here on this NOT their official site. Should splain enough.
CCP letting Goons dictate: Meh, fuck null - I don't go out there, don't care for the politics and, from what I can tell, that whole 0.0 Sov BS is still the same as it ever was.
annnd done.
GL HF Fly Safe,
o7
EvE has definately gotten less hardcore over the years, due to the introduction of alot of stuff that makes it easier for the players.
Jumpbridges and jumpfreighter for example made the game alot less hardcore imho, as it's now possible for a handful of people to do all the maintenance of POS and 0.0-assets, where there was lot's more time and and players required before that.
But that's just the one thing that bugs me the most actually. There have been lots of changes over time that made the game less hardcore and more casual-friendly.
CCP doesn't let player corps "pretty much dictate company policy", lol
If that was the case, hisec would've been abolished years ago !
The Goons will be dethroned at some point. That's the way of EVE. Many vast empires have come and gone in that galaxy since 2003...
QFT
Ill add another dimension to this ,eve online is managed by new player surveys since 2006 , a lot of things removed or added after survey results ; learning skills removed and attribute reset ,skill queee added etc. to bring new players .
It depends on one's measure of 'hardcore'. It's definitely far less hard to use and far less hard to understand. If those are your measure, it's certainly less 'hardcore'. The risk and challenge are still present and, if anything, with the greater transparency as to flagging (Crimewatch) and the changes in the bounty system in Retribution, there's actually more risk because there's more accountability thus making it more 'hardcore' than ever before if that is one's gauge.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I define 'hardcore' as: Any game where the endgame requires over 1 hour of gameplay on a regular basis, normally every day or every other day.
The endgame in Eve is easily hardcore by this definition because fleet actions take on average 2 hours.
PvE activity isn't hardcore though, but I don't think the PvE content in Eve is quite good enough to keep people subscribing for more than a few months.
Give me liberty or give me lasers
It's not the hardcore game it once was, when every gate was a death trap, and people made and sold bookmarks for ISK. Still, it's today's most successful hardcore MMO. Being hardcore in its self isn't something a game should strive to be. In 2004, was EVE hardcore or was it featureless.? It was both.
Games strive to hold on to players and add to their player base. This means adding new and better content . EVE has done this better than any hardcore game.
The biggest problem with Eve/DUST is that the amount of fun you get out of these games is directly proportional to the time you invest in them. This is ok for PvP, but not for PvE.
In other words, what Eve and DUST lack is a PvE system that keeps being fun without requiring you to be hardcore.
Most people go through periods in their lives when they can afford to be hardcore players and when they can't afford to be hardcore players. For example, students who can only play very occasionally during exam time, but can be hardcore during the holiday afterwards.
However, I can't really think of a single game that satisfies both situations.
The entry is easier, it's easier to have fun with different activities (in high sec).
If you are a pet, and play _for the big corp / ally you join, it's also easy to get a nice place in low / 0.0.
However the metagame got ridiculous and with how the local works, space got tiny.
Everywhere you go there will be dozens of 24/7 spy bots, cyno alt accounts for hotblobs etc.
If you are into exploration in low / 0.0 or wormholes and like to play with friends, this will not work unless you are willing to plex multiple accounts each of you. - off gridboosting etc, and naturally the alert bot (trial account) which rings when certain players enter local.
Well there is a tiny chance to find a place and corp (or create one yourself) to enjoy pvp roaming and such. But it's a steep uphill battle.
The average setup requires this: Cyno pilot character, offgrid boosting legion / etc, carrier pilot and your logi / damage ship. For roaming you want at least an tackler alt and a local spy. And don't forget the dread for siege times.
I honestly don't know anyone who plays eve seriously and does not have at least 3+ accounts, with multiple characters each.
That's pretty hardcore if you ask me.
You can always fit a cheap cruiser / frigate and go out on your own, but that equals fishing for pvp in a starting area of a fantasy mmo. (if you are into that sort of stuff)
But you won't get along with just one account (with one trained character or some low SP alts) with anything that is bigger than running (boring) lvl4 missions in a BattleShip solo in highsec.
Sooner or later you get sick of relogging every 3 minutes just to be sure not to warp into a camped gate.
Playing: EVE Online
Wants to play: ArcheAge, Lineage Eternal: Twilight Resistance / Star Citizen / FFXIV AAR / Neverwinter
Used to play for 5+ years: Lineage 2, Lord of the Rings Online and Ragnarok Online
Utter disappointing MMO experience for 1 - 3 Months:
WAR / AoC / SWTOR / RIFT / AION / STO / TSW / GW2 / GW / Vanguard / Planetside2
I could make bullet points that went on for pages describing how much easier this game has become since I came back to it in 2005.
So much has changed that if someone who played in 2005 came back to it today (with a really good memory), then they literally wouldn't have any clue what they were doing outside of traveling from one point to another, and even that would feel odd to them.
EvE has become less hardcore, in the same way that Mussolini or Franco were better leaders than Stalin. The were still fascist dictators, and EvE can still grind people up and spit them out.
One thing, and this is just my opion but... If you're really looking for hardcore, yuou need to remove 'more or less solo friendly' from your list. I don't think the two things match. I do think something can be hardcore and have 'solo possibility,' but the friendly to me suggest success by yourself without applying a terrible amount of effort.