Ecliptic Rift

CCP announced a call for candidates for the Fourth Council on Stellar Management recently. I don’t have any intention of running at this time, but I have thought about what I’d like to see in a candidate. I’ve heard that parties, or at least shared platforms, may have started to develop among players. In lieu of that (at least for now), two areas concern me principally.

Immersion

I care about the “Prime Fiction,” EVE canon lore and background. I care a great deal about feeling that we inhabit this fictional universe. Note that this doesn’t always require roleplay, though that certainly can contribute. CCP has already noted that they will fix the “corrupt” astronomical data, which provides a great example of what I mean by this. So I want to see candidates that care about immersion.

In particular, I want CSM candidates who will champion player participation in the storyline. We may not have the outsize influence that Tibus Heth does, but we want to feel that what we do matters. The STPRO defeat of the FDU and subsequent moving of Caldari megacorps into Gallente low-sec has started to light the way, and hopefully we will see that increase. In fact, factional warfare could use a good dose of immersion, because the problems with plexes (speed-tanking Vigils, anyone?) really disrupt this feeling.

I also want to see the CSM continue to address faction standings recovery so that players can align with the so-called “pirate factions” even after having run missions for some time. Note that I don’t think that CCP should make it easy, just possible.

And of course the CSM needs to keep an open dialogue with CCP on Incarna (ambulation / “walking in stations”). We’ve started to hear that it should come in a 2010 release, but we need to understand this vastly increased scope, what it will mean, and how it will grow the player base and allow us to inhabit New Eden more fully.

Mechanics

Of course, I love the game itself of EVE Online, too. In addition to the FW mechanics I mentioned, we need further low-sec upgrades, perhaps a scaled-down version of  the nullsec changes coming in Dominion or more. Moving level 4 agent missions to low-sec might play a part in this, but the fixes to low-sec should encompass much more. I don’t have all the answers, but I want CSM members who understand the issues and believe in the value that low-sec space can bring to EVE.

In general, I want CSM members who believe in boosting over nerfing. For example, rather than nerfing ECM and jamming, let’s see target painting get upgrades. As players come forward with reasonable arguments about what doesn’t work, fix those things rather than bring down the competition. We want to feel awesome, not mundane.

I’d like to see the CSM push for more ship types, both factional and T2. Factional battlecruisers, another class of T2 destroyers, and something based on the tier 3 battleships  (a glaring hole). EVE has tremendous variety in the sandbox, but I want to see more.

So who will stand?

Image credits Bruno Postle, arnaud bertrande, and tim_d via Flickr

We’ve known for a while that CCP CEO Hilmar Pétursson will make an announcement at his GDC Europe 2009 keynote presentation in which he will reveal the next big project CCP will produce.

I believe that he will announce that their long-delayed “walking in stations” feature has grown to include a full-scale add-on including ground combat.

Of course, that sort of ambitious prediction doesn’t come out of the ether. We know at least the following:

• A recent trademark filing by CCP seems to hint at a new EVE-related game. And based on the logo, I’d say it focuses on individuals rather than ships.
• The Art of EVE book includes a section devoted to the concept art they have developed related to ground games.
• Rumors surfaced last year of some sort of EVE FPS.
• The oft-delayed WiS feature will not come in the winter expansion.

Thin stuff? Maybe. But I have every confidence that early next Tuesday morning, Hilmar will make me a very happy player. And I think he’ll do it with some awesomeness related to WiS and a ground game. However, I really hope that, rather than actual FPS mechanics, they focus in some way on RPG-style combat. This would fit the EVE player base and approach much better than bunny-hopping, rocket-jumping soldiers.

What do you think he’ll say?

Cross-posted to Chrome Bits

Those of you who read my blog Chrome Bits may know that I have a strong interest in Metaplace, which is a platform for building virtual worlds. Unlike Second Life, it requires no additional client beyond a browser with Flash (though at the moment worlds are all 2D or 2.5D at best). These worlds can range from simple coffee bars to extensively developed Japanese spirit cities.

While we continue to wait on “walking in stations,” then, I started thinking about building a venue or two in Metaplace. Perhaps captain’s quarters, or a research lab, or a ship hangar, or a bar / lounge… I have a lot of options here. And if the planned in-game browser revamp this winter allows for Flash, we could really do something cool.

So for those of you EVE Online pilots with a strong interest in social media: what would you envision for these venues? When you envision these sorts of locations, are they sumptuous and luxurious, or do you think of slightly seedier locales? Star Trek or Blade Runner? What would definitely be in them, or definitely not be in them?

I’ve posted similarly on Chrome Bits.

Photo credit Cesar Haradan via Flickr