The ENTIRE WORLD of online gaming erupted in a massive conflagration of hate, bile, controversy and intrigue, and naturally it was EVE Online that was to blame for it all. It seems like any time a major newsworthy meltdown occurs, this sandbox space simulator is the culprit behind the uprising.
On today’s MMOrgue, we’ve brought on a veteran EVE player as a correspondent to cover the highs and lows of the launch of the Incarna expansion, and editorialize on what CCP did so very, very wrong.
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Show Notes:
OPENER:
Today’s T-Shirt: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LUZQRS/?tag=thelinactsho-20
RIFT discounts…
* $10 on Steam during their summer sale (now $40)
* Subscription discounts
* “Come back” weekend
* … feeling the pressure from other upcoming titles?
HELLGATE REVIEW: Delayed until NEXT WEEK
And now, on to EVE!
List of ignominious CCP quotes:
https://www.eveonline.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=1534552
Leaked pdf: “Greed is Good”
Confirmation of authenticity: https://www.eveonline.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=1536065&page=5#126
Dev Blog response:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=932
Devs fly CSM players out to Iceland:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=934
Statements from each side:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=935
My thoughts:
It seems, to an outsider, that the purpose of the Aurum store was to allow players to circumvent the ISK:PLEX exchange, and shortcut the economy straight from RL money to in-game items.
This, on a certain level, makes sense.
The issues arose from rumors of new Aurum-only items, and the feeling that allowing cash-purchased items devalues the time-based skill investments of long-time players.
TIME is the ultimate currency. In a way, every MMO is just a complicated barter system for your time investment.
With the widespread shift to F2P+CashShop mechanics, will this have a lasting impact, or will it be looked back on as a “silly debate”?
An Aurum-incentivized viral marketing campaign:
https://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=937
Post-Thoughts
Tease of the Week:
According to Paul Darrow (well-known voice actor) his work on SWTOR will be published by Christmas
https://www.mmocrunch.com/2011/07/13/swtor-coming-out-by-christmas/
Add this to a rumor I’d heard that the SWTOR Razer gaming peripherals will be released in November… it’s looking like a pretty solid launch date for this much-hyped title.
But jeez… that’s still 6 months away! pout
Next week:
Hellgate and MORE!