Firstly, hi Manasi, nice to meet you!
Manasi asks “How do we, EVE bloggers, adapt to changes as they are thrust upon us (speed changes, no more ghost training, all the dev blogs, etc), or as our lives make playing the game different (more time, less time)?”
Quoting from some of my favorite SF series (you get to guess which two), "you can see it as a burden, or as an opportunity." And it is not coincidence, it's fate: changes will always bring a new edge, that you can use -how? It will depend on what you do.
For me, a woman of market, racing and roleplay-lite, I choose to see change as a good thing.
It begins when the change is announced. It is always nice if it is announced, because then you can prepare. CCP will say:
Stuff is going to change, blah blah blah, the following modules are going to suck, and there shall be cool new internet spaceships to play around with.This means I have to study. If some modules are going to suck, then which ones are going to rock? What are the new spaceships? Where will the blueprints sell? So, step #2 is to follow the news, read other people's blogs (Kirith Kodachi's for example) or to follow the advice of better informed friends (hi demon!). I even logged into Sisi once, because I wanted to know how speed changes would kill my polycardboard-rigged ships.
Then, have a plan, prepare for the change. Scheme, think new tactics, buy modules, stock up on the market (you do not need to be able to fly that battleship to buy it low before and sell it high after...). Go meet the Thukkers, 'cause they are going to have Nomad implants in a few months; get LP with the Sisters. Make new friends in the vicinity of the new regions you want to explore. Go take a snapshot at silly speeds before they slow down. Do your last gate ganks (hi Lucas!). Train skills up so you can drive an Orca, or overheat, or get stoned with the new boosters as soon as they are available.
When the big day comes, regardless of you planning or not, things will be messy but promising. You still have an edge and it will depend on how fast you adapt. Market PvP will be crazy for a few days, but there is lots of ISK there. People out in space will be learning for a few more days, you can spook them with the new scrambler super-powers. So if you are first to market, or first out the dock with the new stuff, you have that edge. Go use and abuse and enjoy it!
Finally, some of the best is the RP that comes with changes. OOC I had a blast reading the news when Empyrean Age was done, IC I was worried sick about my parents in Lumi while I was stranded with the Thukkers, of all people. It was up to CCP to bomb the planet they lived in, they didn't so they lived; I did not join FW, went peacenik instead and since then I have IC-tried to talk my friends out of the war. Lots of RP fun, to see the patriots not figure out what to make of your politics. Speed nerf was tricky, you can't really explain it well in IC.
I guess what I am trying to say, changes bring outside influences to your character. Use them, go with the flow and, if you are daring enough, let the world make decisions for you and then play with the consequences. Come to think about it, the same goes for the modules and ships - outside influences, go with the flow and play with the consequences.
So there, I choose to see change as an opportunity to plan, play and roleplay.
Curtsy, end of banter. Cheers!
Updated: forgot to mention RealLife(tm), but I guess the same applies. Best is when RL changes announce themselves so you can plan, play and roleplay. I once went on vacation to Lag-Lag Land; in the weeks before that we linked with another race team and started to covertly cooperate -imagine Ferrari and McLaren together- so by the time I was away and my season ruined, my team still did OK thanks to Kay. And then we went with the flow, eventually RPing a merger.
Now as for life-changing RealLife(tm) events, like the "Credit Crunch" expansion and RL consequences, I'm ready. I will let you know.
Curtsy, end of banter. Really ;)
Posts
The more I read people's blogs, the more I realize that the blogging community is truly the "anti-eve-o-fourms-cesspool" influence in the game.
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective, everything is an opportunity, you just have to think.
If you look at many of the people who whine on the forums about the changes that are made, I think that you will find that they don't adapt to change well at all. That's why they whine, because they have to not be lazy and they have to think.
Way to think mate!!!
Well... *blush* I still whine a bit when I see 5+km/s in my racing boat instead of 8+km/s, but it's the sort of whining I do in private channels. No use whining on the Forums. As Quin says, adapting to the changes can be a lot more fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I'm the lazy variety of Eve players. However, changes usually breed some sort of interesting theme or seed of an idea to role-play through, and that's what I find the most precious.
All this talk of wormholes? Goodness, am I looking forward to having my poor Kay lost out there in unknown system after unknown system with a few mates, trying to find her way home :) That just has to make for a great story!
@Ga'len: And it's those who whine in the forums, and never change, that I get to kill and rip apart in low sec. muhahahahaha Let em whine, let em keep trying with the old way, I've already adapted to the new.
ReplyDelete@Quin: Great post, yes be daring.... ;)