With EVE Vegas over and the playerbase now consuming the huge collection of new features and changes detailed, there has been a fairly polarized reaction overall. Somewhat expectedly, the capital changes are the biggest catalyst for feedback of all kinds.
With the effective removal of Triage Carriers and having their role filled by the “Force Auxillary” ships, a lot of players are sitting on both sides of the fence. The change overall seems like an honest attempt by CCP to address fleet composition and style of engagement issues in large-scale fleet battles. Whether this ends up helping or hurting existing problems remains to be seen. You can read the Dev Blog detailing the Citadel changes here. Read the one about Capitals here.
PvE and Standings Getting a Makeover
CCP is in the process of working out new features and changes to the PvE content within EVE Online. TMC has an excellent writeup that covers everything from changes to Drifters, to the introduction of new mission layouts and mechanics. The roundtables are always an interesting yet underrated part of player gatherings, but it must be said that there’s a reason for said lack of interest. In many cases the changes being discussed there are often very theoretical and subject to vast improvement. Nevertheless, anyone who wants to get an idea of the future of PvE in EVE should check the summary out.
RvB Effectively Shutting Down
The long-standing fixture of PvP within New Eden of RvB has announced they are effectively ceasing operation. The organization itself will remain open for players to join, but those players must now bear the responsibility of organizing their own content. The formal leadership and organizational structure is disappearing, citing a lack of player numbers and overall burnout as the cause. You can read the full announcement below:
After many years and numerous iterations, RvB will stop formal operations.
After much discussion among the principles within RvB it has been decided that we will cease formal operations. The corporations will remain and members can carry on with typical RvB style fighting as desired. However, leadership and programs will be suspended.
Declining numbers in Eve, in general, and an ever increasing workload on a small group of individuals lead us to making this very difficult decision. Our hat is off to those tireless members who made RvB what it was for so many years. RvB lead the way in Eve creating continual content through the Forever War, events where all of Eve was invited and reaching major milestones both individually and corporately for area based combat.
Many of Eve’s core players either make or made a home in RvB, boasting arguably one of the largest player alt bases. RvB also contained one of the most active alt spy bases in Eve as well (we knew who most of you were..). RvB’s unique style of quick PVP provided endless days of content for many of Eve’s citizens.
RvB will sustain the current forums for the foreseeable future.
Members are encouraged to seek community in one of the other fine corporations in Eve, or may remain in Red Federation or Blue Republic. We will be leaving a command member to handle applications and if RvB begins to grow organically without formal command interaction and may be revisited at a later date.
It is with heavy hearts that we make this announcement and hope the best for all of our members.
We appreciate the small number of command members and others who have put heart and soul into RvB for so many years.
Regards,
Delucian
Chairman, RVB
SXSW Cancels Panels About Harassment Due To Harassment
Two panels scheduled at the popular media gathering have been canceled. Both intended to discuss gaming as a community and it’s perception in the wider media.
Both panels were to focus on aspects of the gaming community and to discuss the perception of gamers in wider culture and media. While not apparent, the two panels are diametrically opposed. Level Up is hosted by Randi Harper, known for the creation of the GG Autoblocker, along with panelists Katherine Cross and Caroline Sinders. That panel was heavily supported by opponents of the hashtag #Gamergate, called either a fight for ethical and fair coverage and treatment of games and gamers or a harassment campaign depending on who you ask. The second panel, #SavePoint, was hosted by The Open Gaming Society, a group dedicated to fair representation of gamers in media. The panelists include Mercedes Carrera and developer Nick Robalik (better known on Twitter as @PixelMetal), who are well know proponents of #Gamergate, as well as Lynn Walsh, who participated in the SPJ “Gamergate” panel, Airplay. Airplay was similarly cancelled after receiving a bomb threat which caused the entire convention to be evacuated. SavePoint was to be hosted by Perry Jones, another developer and the founder of The Open Gaming Society.
Whatever the personal reasons for the targeting of these panels was, they seem illegitimate. The usage of coercion to silence opposing opinion is always shaky ground. There might be possible exceptions to this when it comes to outright hatred and violence, but a discussion about gaming communities and their public perception does not fit into those categories.
No doubt that the fallout will morph into a giant blame game with opponents of Gamergate condemning the movement as a haven for violent bigots; while the supporters of Gamergate will no doubt blame “SJWs” with a similar charge, as the movement does have a significant contingent of anti-feminists, there will likely be plenty of the usual anti-feminist rhetoric.
This ongoing battle that periodically spills out into the wider media between to diametrically opposed groups sometimes does more harm than good. It’s undoubtedly true that this event will fuel negative stereotypes about gamers. Sadly, the trend seems likely to continue.
