www.massively.com/2009/07/21/eve-online-social-network-cosmos-coming-with-winter-expansion/

Is this the future of MMOs?  Built in social networking?  Web 2.0 brought us these social networking sites that have become the norm, but are we going to start seeing them in MMOs now?

Once again, CCP is on top of their game when it comes to innovation.

 Very interesting, web features, but I didn't expect them to come in this way.

Sounds kind of.. the same, they already have all those features in Eve why do you need to play the game on the web without the graphics? I was looking forward to the next expansion adding in the 3d stations :P. Oh well, just some more fluff I guess.

I want the ambulation b4 social networking.

Originally posted by MaGicBush

Sounds kind of.. the same, they already have all those features in Eve why do you need to play the game on the web without the graphics? I was looking forward to the next expansion adding in the 3d stations :P. Oh well, just some more fluff I guess.

I think you're missing the point.

Originally posted by Sheista

Originally posted by MaGicBush

Sounds kind of.. the same, they already have all those features in Eve why do you need to play the game on the web without the graphics? I was looking forward to the next expansion adding in the 3d stations :P. Oh well, just some more fluff I guess.

 

I think you're missing the point.

What was the point? CCP combining Eve with Twitter? lol

Originally posted by Zorvan

Originally posted by Sheista

Originally posted by MaGicBush

Sounds kind of.. the same, they already have all those features in Eve why do you need to play the game on the web without the graphics? I was looking forward to the next expansion adding in the 3d stations :P. Oh well, just some more fluff I guess.

 

I think you're missing the point.

 

What was the point? CCP combining Eve with Twitter? lol

 

rofl, exactly we dont need myspace/facebook/etc for a game :P.

While for the most part have enjoyed EVE's expansions... I was really hoping they'd be putting their best foot forward with Ambulation than a web project of this nature.  I would see this as a welcomed addition AFTERWARDS in terms of ambulation but a priority I think not.

Either way it will be a nice addition but now what I think a majority of customers were looking forward to.

I am not at all surprised that CCP have gone with something 'smaller' for the next expansion.

This is because CCP uses the Agile method of development (a relatively new methodology in the software creation business).  What this means basically is that they have lots of teams working on separate parts of the game.  Agile also means that you release in 'iterations'.  So, each team works on something, and gets their bit of the code to be 'release ready' as soon as possible.  This does not mean it will be 'feature ready'.  With agile development, you build on what you create.

So with COSMOS, obviously the team is managing to get the first iteration complete.  Walking in stations is undoubtedly a larger project, and will require more time, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying COSMOS at least in a basic form.

Would you rather have nothing to play with for several months longer, or have little bits of different areas to play with in short amounts of time.

part of the expansion, along with a rework of sov, which is a pretty MAJOR change.

given how important politicing is to eve, can you not see the value of this?

 Walking in stations? No?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Originally posted by Xennith

part of the expansion, along with a rework of sov, which is a pretty MAJOR change.

given how important politicing is to eve, can you not see the value of this?

Not really, when orgs and alliances already have their own vent servers up, forums, hell even each others phone numbers in most cases.

Everything Evetwitter brings has already been handled years ago.

I doubt there are many significant corporations (let alone alliances!) out there that don't already have dedicate voice comms, forums and other ways to accomplish the same things. Sounds like a lot of unneeded fluff to me.

well, im looking forward to accessing corp and alliance chat at work, checking my evemails without logging in, and chatting with some of my friendly enemies without having to log in.

i think people are too quick to dismiss any and all changes that ccp make. if you dont like it, just dont use it, no skin off your nose.

checking my evemails without logging in, and chatting with some of my friendly enemies without having to log in

That's something of an assumption isn't it? I don't think that article said explicitly that the new features would be completely independent of the EVE client.  That was the big downfall of EVE-voice after all; you had to be in the client to use it.

Okay, so a better mail client will be nice, so will more functionality with the in-game-browser and some other bells and whistles; but that seems to be all they are really promising. A lot of the offline access/management stuff looked to be in the "coming soon, maybe" category...ya know, like where ambulation in stations has been for 18 months+. 

It's not that people are chomping at the bit to walk in stations, but that it has been CCPs "holy grail" of the "coming soon" feature for sooo long now that people are wondering wtf is up with it. 

Then there is the tiny little point that all the changes and new features to the social networking side of EVE don't do a thing to fix the horrible state of affairs with system SOV/POS spam and maintenance, super capitals or the horribly boring grindfest that is EVE pve-mission running.....So yeah this seems like a nice feature and all but, really not what anyone who has recently left the game or is thinking of it would cite as even close to a reason.  

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Originally posted by mpoz
I am not at all surprised that CCP have gone with something 'smaller' for the next expansion.
This is because CCP uses the Agile method of development (a relatively new methodology in the software creation business).  What this means basically is that they have lots of teams working on separate parts of the game.  Agile also means that you release in 'iterations'.  So, each team works on something, and gets their bit of the code to be 'release ready' as soon as possible.  This does not mean it will be 'feature ready'.  With agile development, you build on what you create.
So with COSMOS, obviously the team is managing to get the first iteration complete.  Walking in stations is undoubtedly a larger project, and will require more time, but that shouldn't stop us from enjoying COSMOS at least in a basic form.
Would you rather have nothing to play with for several months longer, or have little bits of different areas to play with in short amounts of time.

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As Torfi stated last year, EVE larger projects are suspended or moved much lower on low priority list.

Their focus is now on releasing bugged, not/half working features and mostly fluff content with stress on crude marketing.
Fair from business point of view though, as user of their provided service...

Originally posted by ericbelser

Then there is the tiny little point that all the changes and new features to the social networking side of EVE don't do a thing to fix the horrible state of affairs with system SOV/POS spam and maintenance, super capitals or the horribly boring grindfest that is EVE pve-mission running.....So yeah this seems like a nice feature and all but, really not what anyone who has recently left the game or is thinking of it would cite as even close to a reason.  

Well, those people would do well to realise that the winter expansion is scheduled to be a massive change to Sov/pos and capital ships. The grindfest that is eve mission running will probably stay a grindfest until eve shuts down, which is why people tend to do exploration instead.

This cosmos thing is in addition to all that stuff, and after the mini expansion which has the different sized rigs, rig rebalance, FW tweaks etc.

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Originally posted by Xennith

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Originally posted by ericbelser
Then there is the tiny little point that all the changes and new features to the social networking side of EVE don't do a thing to fix the horrible state of affairs with system SOV/POS spam and maintenance, super capitals or the horribly boring grindfest that is EVE pve-mission running.....So yeah this seems like a nice feature and all but, really not what anyone who has recently left the game or is thinking of it would cite as even close to a reason.  

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Well, those people would do well to realise that the winter expansion is scheduled to be a massive change to Sov/pos and capital ships. The grindfest that is eve mission running will probably stay a grindfest until eve shuts down, which is why people tend to do exploration instead.
This cosmos thing is in addition to all that stuff, and after the mini expansion which has the different sized rigs, rig rebalance, FW tweaks etc.

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The question is, will the next expansion change sov/pos mechanics such as was QR an industrial expansion?

With notoriously lousy testing process there is rather more to be affraid of than excited...

Sure, this is just part of the patch and there are other fixes/updates/etc...

Sure, it's neat to see something new being added to the game, fluff or otherwise.

Sure, it's cool to see CCP trying to keep the game evolving and growing.

That said, I am starting to think WoD will be the first time we see characters walking around in a CCP game. :P

Have to say, being a "mature" gamer social networking features in EVE was not something I was looking forward. (What's a facebook, some sort of reading aid?)

Ambulation, I'm starting to think that's actually vaporware, and has been moved way down the priority list in importance.  Entire games have been built in less time than this one "feature" is taking.  I don't think they are trying that hard.

i hope some day there will be a chat program + eve voice soon just like ICQ/msn/etc :D

To me, this is a really cool creation.  Out-of-game to in-game chat.  Accessing EVE features from out of the game.. evemail, friends lists, etc. (they said skill training would be in a future release of COSMOS).

While it doesn't allow you to -play- the game, it allows access to in-game features.  They even talked about tying it to API, and they're re-doing their forums completely.   By blocking access and restricting it to subscribers, I feel this is a cool way to bring your community even closer.  While I agree that myspace and facebook are completely retarded with the sheer amount of apps and crap they have, I don't think of this as -that- type of social networking.  I think of it as a way of tying together EVE's features.  IE - In WoW, social networking might not be nearly as successful, with its multiple servers.  But in EVE, where everyone can affect everyone else, it might be a cool way to keep your community tightly-knit.

As far as people being disappointed it's not Ambulation - Uh.. duh?  They have said multiple times up to this point that the winter expansion would NOT be Ambulation.  It's not like they even led anyone on.. they've said that from the start that it would not be in this expansion.  So don't be disappointed when they keep their word.  It doesn't make sense to be angry that they're not putting in a feature that they never said would be in by this time.

Originally posted by Sheista

 In WoW, social networking might not be nearly as successful, with its multiple servers.  But in EVE, where everyone can affect everyone else

I think the off-line skill training really plays into this aswell. It seperates the player from the idea that you have to be online to progress.

Lets say you what to buy a ship but want some item to sell before you make the move or you want to buy massive amount of some item but only at a certain price, with this you only need to log in when the time comes for you to do what you need to do.

not a bad little tool all in all.

ugh this expansion looks fraking awful what are they thinking

why? whats so bad about it?