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EVE Online Previews: Fanfest: Avatars, Linux & Announcements!
EVE's Fanfest was a big news event. In the second of three articles, we cover a grab bag of major and minor announcements as well as some big changes on the CCP horizon.
By Dana Massey on November 16, 2006
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EVE Fanfest: A wealth of announcements and news in the second of three articles
Walking on Stations - Avatars Coming to EVE The most titillating announcement came courtesy of Tofi Olafsson, a Technical Producer for CCP, when he not only announced, but demonstrated some early concept work for the game's avatar system. The plan is not just to toss some simple avatars and let people run around their ships. Olafsson wants to push the boundaries of character art, just as they did in space. He told the audience that the major problem he sees in video games is that characters do not move in a lifelike manner. To date, the excuse had always been technological barriers, but Olafsson believes that the technology is now there. To solve this problem, he is hard at work on a form of procedural animation for the avatars coming to EVE. "[The characters he was showing are] not run by playing back pre-created animations, but are dynamic," explained Olafsson. Procedural animation is probably a dirty word among the animators of the world. Typical video games are created by hiring an army of artists to pre-render each individual movement of the character. They are then called up to perform them as appropriate. In recent years, games have added animation blending to make characters more life-like. An example of this is the ability for a character to turn his head to look at something as he runs along. Procedural animation throws all that out and mathematically has an avatar respond within their physical limitations to outside stimulus. The result is more dynamic, lifelike and promotes less art-intensive development. Will Wright's eagerly anticipated existence-simulation Spore promises to use this kind of technology to animate the creatures that players create.
There has also been a lot of debate among fans and developers about the use of realistic graphics vs. stylized art. Since World of Warcraft launched, style has been a mantra in development circles. EVE is bucking that trend too and heading for ultra-realistic visuals that match their gritty universe. They showed off two prototype player character renders that looked like they could more than hold their own with any next generation game out there. As high-minded as all this got, it has some concrete implications for fans of EVE Online. The plan is quite simply to allow players to walk in stations. It's a small first step, not altogether unfamiliar for fans of the game. They're not sure where it will take them, but they did mention over and over that the plan is not for players to "bash each other's heads in". Ideally, Olafsson sees the time in stations as a social experience. He used the example of an airport. To get in, you need to surrender your weapons and no matter how angry you get, you cannot just kill someone. Stations in EVE are much the same. Also, like airports, stations can be full. To maintain performance and still have high quality art, each station will have a limit on the number of people who can be on board at once. Since you cannot fight, what will you do? Olafsson emphasized socialization. They often joked (I think), much to the delight of Vivox rep Monty Sharma, that they really want karaoke bars. Beyond that, they also mentioned costumes, clothing, customization and other basic hallmarks of a social MMO. At the most basic level, Olafsson admitted the intent is to release a very basic shell - not unlike the original game - and then fill it up with content over time based on what they feel their community wants to see.
Olafsson also placed the emphasis on walking. He hates that in every MMOG, characters run everywhere. Why bother walking? It takes long, true, but it's not realistic. So far, their solution is escalators and moving sidewalks, much like you'd find in your local airport. While the idea is noble, it seems a bit idealistic. To me, it seems a world full of moving sidewalks is more ridiculous than the initial problem they're trying to solve. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if this ideal survives to release.
Graphically Leaping Forward
Soon, EVE will have three available graphical states. For those with ancient computers or a desire to play EVE on an old laptop, the original client is not going to be abandoned. However, for anyone who bought a new video card lately, the DX9 upgrades bring some of the latest tricks to the EVE world. Speed demonstrated a host of ships side-by-side with the ship they're replacing. For a game that consistently wins awards for its graphics, it was amazing how terrible the old ships looked compared to the new ones. It is the difference between plastic toys and believable space cruisers. |
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...and there has been a horrible sequence events that leads to all my photos being locked in the camera.
Oddly, EVE is just about the worst company for having screenshots online, so for now, we're stuck with the same 10 images in each article
ooo i want a guild leader that'll pay me, so i can just fly around and kill things and be like, 'sorry honey, have to go to work', flip on the computer and get to killing!
Whoa...avatars in EVE?? This is the only thing that's stopped me from continuing to play this game. I just need more than just a headshot and a ship that looks like two dozen others out there.
-G
OMG if they get avatars i think this may be the game i play FOREVER, i love what eve online has done with there flying portion of the game,...so i know as soon as avatars become reality its all uphill,we can expect some amazing things to hapen ,when we can walk around the stations,next will be planets,..then misions on planets..,.smaller land vehicle ,cities,itll be an amazing game and will dominate sci fi mmo at that point,..and i am sure it probably already does ,but it will make others who dont like flying around in a spaceship come and play too, like me,
also i would like to coment on the pvp in asia , someone said , a few replies back that they would love to be payed by there guild leader to go kill pvp for them,..well taht wont hapen in non asian marckets,..those guys over there are too serious about there games and just take it too far,..i know if the people in america where put on the asian servers(with exceptions of course) they would be anialated, you just dont see super guilds in america lol just not wirth our time, i play to have fun, with a side order of pvp,..not vice versa ;) talk to you guys soon i am sure :P
Well that sucks...
I regretfully like Eve, though I don't really play it anymore, the game has become to rife with ganking/griefing/scammers/liars/asshats etc... choose your own description. I love the ideas presented and the viable avatar has been something the community has been asking for quite a while. I don't agree with the segment that wants to use them for FPS action.
The one thing that would bring me back full time, would be to create a separate server to allow those of us that just want to enjoy the game without the afore mentioned baboons. If PvP is your thing then have at it but don't expect everyone else to share your view. I will eventually allow my "subscriptions" to lapse since the game lost the fun factor long ago and I am merely hanging on for old time sake.
Guess what EvE is a PvP game be it in combat or PvP in the markets.
I have to agree with the above poster that Eve is PVP based like it or not. PvP serves as a reasource drain on the economy to keep it in balance, and the economy is something very vital to the game.
If there is one critism I have to the game is that there is no way for new players to catch up with Vets. Also the learning skills are a pain, why should a new player need to spend their first 6 months of the game optimizing their next few years of playing.
Oddly, EVE is just about the worst company for having screenshots online, so for now, we're stuck with the same 10 images in each article
Aye, but the fans pick up where they left off:
Official Fanfest Video and Pictures resource Thread
EDIT: I just realized you wanted screenshots of new game content, not pictures of the fanfest itself. Oh well, leaving it up there anyway.
Guess what EvE is a PvP game be it in combat or PvP in the markets.
I really don't know what a PvP game is anymore. The line between what is and is not PvP has been blurred into incoherence over the years, especially in CCP's mind. To say that I can go for entire months on end without encountering anything that resembles a human being, and saying its PvP, is a bit absurd unless you take a very broad view of what PvP may be.
However, I do know what a ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery game is. If that is what a PvP game is, or needs to include, then EVE shouldn't be a PvP game. In fact, I'd say that if a PvP game includes ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery, then EVE is, in fact, not a PvP game, simply because there are a lot of good qualities still in it (but maybe not for long) to warrant consideration.
Now about:
That's a great post.
As it turns out, it is me who is at fault for the images. My apologies, but they did in fact provide a press kit. I am so used to a CD everytime I go somewhere that I entirely forgot about the letter with the information for their online kit. It is found now, so the final article will be full of new Revelations and other screenshots/art.
Screens and Concept art : Press Kit screens and art @ EVE Vault
Excellent article, Dana! It's some of the most detailed coverage of that day that I have seen so far. Looking forward to the next installments!
I really don't know what a PvP game is anymore. The line between what is and is not PvP has been blurred into incoherence over the years, especially in CCP's mind. To say that I can go for entire months on end without encountering anything that resembles a human being, and saying its PvP, is a bit absurd unless you take a very broad view of what PvP may be.
However, I do know what a ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery game is. If that is what a PvP game is, or needs to include, then EVE shouldn't be a PvP game. In fact, I'd say that if a PvP game includes ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery, then EVE is, in fact, not a PvP game, simply because there are a lot of good qualities still in it (but maybe not for long) to warrant consideration.
A PVP game is any game where your actions can directly effect other players, whether good or bad. So dominating a market region is PVP, competing for mining resources is PVP, hiring a merc corp to disrupt a rival corps operations is PVP or blowing up passing ships for their cargo is PVP.
Ganking should be reduced with the HP increase coming out. Griefing is used far too much as an excuse for people just being lazy. Scamming an lying there is nothing wrong with as it's easily avoided if you just spend the minute amount of energy required to pay attention. Asshattery happens in all MMO's, difference with EVE is if someone is being an asshat, you have the option to blow the living crap out of them.
I really don't know what a PvP game is anymore. The line between what is and is not PvP has been blurred into incoherence over the years, especially in CCP's mind. To say that I can go for entire months on end without encountering anything that resembles a human being, and saying its PvP, is a bit absurd unless you take a very broad view of what PvP may be.
However, I do know what a ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery game is. If that is what a PvP game is, or needs to include, then EVE shouldn't be a PvP game. In fact, I'd say that if a PvP game includes ganking, griefing, scamming, lying, and asshattery, then EVE is, in fact, not a PvP game, simply because there are a lot of good qualities still in it (but maybe not for long) to warrant consideration.
I don't know where in the EVE universe you are, but ships are all over the place. Unless your way out in 0.0 space where no one has claimed yet, or just play at way off peak hours. Most locals in Min space has anywhere from 2-3 to over 100+.
EVE is one of the most PVP games I have seen in all my MMO's/years playing. They kind of encourage infiltrating and spying on other corps for gain. You go to most .5 and below area's and you can always find corps in a war. And someone is always trying to get an upper hand by spying, or buying info to do that. Hostile takeovers of Corps is allowed, and such.
Ganking, Greifing, Scamming, Lying, are ALL in EVE. Been many nights in a small gang doing some mining when some pirate (player not rat), comes in either trying to steal from us or trying to blow up our mining ships.
Now on to the article...
I like the fact they are going to put in Avatars. Now when the RP part of the Alliance takes place we can do it normally. Adding Bars and such to stations would be cool.
FINALLY a corp that listens to the gamers asking for Linux and MAC clients.... I mean, come on all you others, intel now has a chip in a MAC, lets get moving. There are a lot of gamers out there that want's Linux and MAC clients so they don't have to have 3 computers sitting around them.
Voice - Another item on the list of gamers so they don't have to have a another server sitting somewhere and worry about keeping it going. I for one keep a Vent server running for my corp. This is a nice added item to gamers all over.
Corp logo - Not a bad idea, nice first step into the having your ship painted. Thats one thing that bugs me about most MMO's you can just look at someone and tell what race/class they are just by looking at them, and even in EVE, you look at a ship and can tell if it is tech 1, 2 or tech 3, etc. Nice to be able to paint your ship whatever color and someone not able to tell what you are just by a look.
Nice to see that sometimes a gameing corp actually listens to it's gamers. They may not be the biggest kids on the block, but at least they are in a class of their own.
Terrible misconception.
Time spent learning skills only impacts diversity in options when fitting ships. While there are certain skills which provide an "advantage", these skills are readily accessible to new players early on in EVE.
Just because someone has 20million skill points does not mean they are capable of utilizing them all during combat. Focusing and streamling character skill development will ensure that less then 3m-5m (3-5 months) skill points will make you as capable as the "veteran" in anything you could fly.
To the original topic, all I have to say is, "Yay." I am stoked about the direction EVE is headed for sure!
Yes this is terribly common misconception.
I had 2 million skill points when I became viable in pvp....skill points just allows you to utilize yourself further...like by allowing you to fly different kinds of ships and fitting different types of equipment on them. In group fights actually not even half the pvpers use the largest gunboats but rather frigates and cruisers....and 95% of fights in eve is alliance vs alliance with hundred(s) involved.
If there is one critism I have to the game is that there is no way for new players to catch up with Vets. Also the learning skills are a pain, why should a new player need to spend their first 6 months of the game optimizing their next few years of playing.
I think he is actually talking about the "Learning Skills". Dont spend 6 months doing learning skills then. I do one here and there, and my ship and skills are just fine. Learning skills are dull.
I am glad there is a linux and mac client in the works, now I can get rid of windows finally. Games are the only thing keeping me in Windows, and now that they are getting away from MS only clients, I can make the switch!
Great screenshots, cant wait until the new patch hits!When i first played this game i thought it was the greatest thing that had ever been come up with,
from the looks of things to come. In another ten years i will be saying that again.Alas Ive become sceptical
of such promising endeavors and in no way expect this to all happen very soon.
In case you still haven't got it, mail pann at ccpgames.com and ask for the press/media kit. By some strange reason they had the media kit password protected.
Guess what EvE is a PvP game be it in combat or PvP in the markets.
I think this is the beauty of eve-online. The freedom to do as you please. A real lawless space universe. However, you usually don't get scammed or ganked beyond repair unless you are extreamly dumb and bad with your money. I like that CCP doesn't mind Scamming in the game. This is why you don't trust others with your money (Just like real life) you won't want to hand billions of dollars to some shadey bank dealer in real life, so why would you do it in eve? If you have alot of money and items on you that you can't afford to replace and no friends with you, why would you go to the ghetto knowing you could get it all jacked? You don't. This common sence street knowledge applies to EVE Online as well. It's called being smart and using your brain. You gotta try it sometime.