Friday Video: An introduction to Captain's Quarters

With the recent dev post from CCP Zulu about the up coming Captain's Quarters, it looks like we're going to get our first glimpse and opportunity to interact with CCP Games' Incarna. As such, the below video gets the nod for the "Friday Video".

EVE Blog Banter #23: Rome wasn't built in a day, neither was New Eden

Welcome to the twenty-third installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week or so to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

With Incursion giving us glimpses of what Incarna will have to offer (the the Character Creator), this month's topic, by @Minerpewpew, comes just at the right time. He asks "What are your thoughts on how Incarna will effect the current EVE Online social dynamic?" I'd like to see this questioning go a bit further. How will this affect EVE's player base? Who will Incarna attract? New players to the genre? Seduce old players back into the game? Will we see new players come in that will never leave their station? Please explore to the best of your abilities!

EVE Online is a game about spaceship combat. Right? I mean, in the end what ever you do in this virtual world, the result is some ship, somewhere, somehow, gets blown to smithereens! That's the whole purpose of the game right? Not quite so.

EVE has always been a lot more then just blowing ships up, whether against NPCs or real flesh and bones opponents. New Eden is a world of traders, miners, industrialist, mercenaries, espionage, political intrigue. And so much more. Over the years, CCP has built upon this universe of alter egos to create much more then a "game of Internet spaceships".

Over three years ago, when we first saw glimpses of - as it was called then - "Walking in Stations" all of a sudden EVE was no longer just about Space, about Ships, or Asteroids and minerals. Suddenly our avatars were no longer simple portraits. They were no longer this abstract concept of a body in a capsule within a powerful spaceship. To some, this was the promise land. To others, an inconvenient waste of precious developer resources. To many of us, it was a far away illusion that could not be grasped. Like sand in water.

Incarna has the potential to a lot for EVE Online. If CCP plays its cards right, Incarna could be the most important expansion to launched. But the window of opportunity is very narrow, and the potential for disaster exists, even if it is small.

If Incarna is to be successful, it will need to

• No impact on the current game as it is. That is it must not create lag to the "spaceship game", or be a requirement for those who do not wish to partake (missions for examples should still be accessible from docked ships)
• Be more then a simply avatars in an empty station. It needs to provide a means to create, to manage, to interact in a constructive and fun way with patrons (other players). And from what we've seen demonstrated, CCP understands this very well.
• Be part of the EVE universe, and not simply a separate game within a game. 

If done well, Incarna will attract both some of the current players - myself included - curious about this new land of opportunity, and new players for whom the personification of an avatar is important. Let's face it, some MMO players out there have a hard time identifying themselves with a spaceship. We don't, they do. And Incarna will be a way to bring them in New Eden. At first they may not venture outside their station, but some will. And a whole new world will open up to them.

Now I can see a few of you already raising their hands and jumping up and down to tell me that CCP shouldn't change EVE, just fix what's broken and let the spaceship game be. I also hear the others that say that Incarna is just a test bed for the other MMO CCP is developing - which I believe involves fangs if I'm correct. You're all correct. But Incarna is a lot more then that.




Incarna is a means by which CCP will attract new players, new paying customers. Revenues which will help both the current "spaceship game" and the up coming "avatar game". It's a delicate balancing act yes, but one which I believe they can deliver. With new players, comes the assurance that EVE will continue, that it will evolve. Not everyone will be pleased of course, but who would expect that.

We've been waiting a long long time for it, but I for one am willing to give CCP and their Devs the chance they deserve.

And I hope to see you walk into my bar, sometime in the not so far future, and we can share a pint of whatever it is that you drink. The first one will be on me!

Participants List:

1. BB 23: What comes with Incarna? | A Mule In EvE
2. Captain Serenity: Eve blog banter #22 - Force Fed
3. Blog Banter XXIII – Incarnal Desires | I am Keith Neilson
4. Blog Banter 23: Nobody Will Use Incarna — the remix « OMG! You're a Chick?!
5. Confessions of a Closet Carebear: Blog Banter #23: Who enters the new incarna(tion) of EVE...
6. Depth of Vision (Blog Banter 23) | Interstellar Privateer
7. Blog Banter #23 – Shiny « Roc's Ramblings
8. Drifting: The 23rd EVE Blog Banter (December 2010 Edition) - Topic: Incarna
9. Blog banter #23: The Incarna effect « Diary of a Pod Pilot

INCARNA: an EVE Online Trailer (low quality)

Filmed today by @jamesremuscat this is the Trailer for Incarna, or what was formely known as Walking in Station, originally Ambulation. You're still with me here? Enjoy this little gem of a preview!

Walking in Stations teaser looks amazing in HD

I recently hinted about my desire to add mini-games within the confines of a space station. The idea came to me after seeing the SecWars mini-game created for the Walking in Stations expension, which last I heard should be released before the end of the year. Here's a glimpse of what to expect.


It's evolved nicely since the first time we saw Ambulation over 2 years ago don't you think? It'll also be interesting to see how our avatars look evolve when WiS (aka Ambulation) comes out!

EVE Blog Banter #8: Care for a little game of SecWars?

Welcome to the eighth installment of the EVE Blog Banter , the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed here . Check out otherEVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month's topic comes to us from me, Ga'len at The Wandering Druid of Tranquility. He asks: "What new game mechanic or mechanics would you like to see created and brought into the EVE Online universe and how would this be incorporated into the current game universe? Be specific and give details, this is not meant to be a 'nerf this, boost my game play' post like we see on the EVE forums."

EVE Blog Banter #1: Exotic Dancers, Corporate Meetings & more

Welcome to the first installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed here. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month's topic comes to us from PsycheDiver: Ambulation: What are your hopes for your avatar and new functionality of stations?

When I first heard of Ambulation back in May of last year, I was truly floored. I mean here, finally, one could stretch his or her legs outside their capsule, walk around in those vast and fascinating stations and explore every nook and cranny.

Over time, CCP provided us with bits and pieces of what was to come. And still is, since Ambulation will not be the next expansion. But that leaves room for dreams and caviar wishes. From what we know so far, and what we've been allowed to see, CCP have done a great job at trying to achieve a look and feel that should be quite immersive, as well as impressive.

Getting back to PsycheDiver's question, there are a plethora of things I'd like to be able to do, to see, to experience and to learn through Ambulation. As some of you know, I'm a carebear. And proud to be one! As such, the possibility of spending time in a station, interacting with other players, is something that I'm looking forward to.

But what of these interactions? What to do? As CCP have stated in the past, Ambulation must have a purpose, must add to the game experience. Otherwise it's just a glorified chat room, and the channel do a fine job at that.


So what would I like to be able to do? I'd like to see stations inhabited by lots of NPCs and other players. Not because I want to interact with all these non-players, but simply because as stations are huge facilities, I expect to see lots of people walking around going about their business.

I'd like to see definite differences in the look, feel and configuration for each of the Races stations. I expect to be awed by the cathedral look of the Amarr stations, to be impressed with the military-like efficiency of the Caldari stations, to feel the gritty, minimalist approach of Minmatar stations and to feel at home in a Gallente station.

I also want to be able to quickly and easily access Phoenix Labs corporate offices. To be able to meet and discuss upcoming operations with my corp mates. I'd like to have private quarters that I can customize and invest in. After visiting my corps office, I would expect to be able to visit a few local bars and clubs, discuss the current political situation with fellow capsuleer, engage with a few agents while I'm there, all to the sound of background music and exotic dancers doing their stuff.

CCP has a chance here, to create a whole new aspect of the game, one which would allow part of the player community to experience a different kind of EVE. Of course, PVP and fleet battles will still be core to the game, but so much more could be done through Ambulation.

Just imagine the setting.

Your sitting down a table in a bar, playing Texas Hold 'em and chatting away with three other corp mates, when all of a sudden, walks in 20 capsuleers shouting and laughing, having just returned from a successful fleet battle. What if you could eavesdrop on their conversation, learn the location where the fighting happened, then head out on a little scavenging operation.

Or here's another one.

You're sitting in the corp office, doing some of the paper work, when a customer walks in, asking to see the latest builds. Having run a quick check on his credentials (yeah, he's got the ISK), you offer him a visit of the back store, where he can see the latest available merchandise; ships, ammo, modules.


These are but a few of the (long term) possibilities Ambulation could allow, and I look forward to all of them. In just over a week, I'll have a chance to experience Ambulation in its current state. I expect to be amazed by it, as I've often been with the work done by the folks at CCP.

I know I'll be like a kid in a candy store, running all over, excited and overjoyed. Suffice to say, I'm looking forward to it!



Participants:

• CrazyKinux's Musing: Exotic Dancers, Corporate Meetings & more
• The Wandering Druid of Tranquility: Ambulation - what I hope to see
• Semper EVE: Ambulation and Me
• Roc's Ramblings: Blog Banter #1 - Ambulation
• The Ralpha Dogs: Ambulation/Walking in Stations: A "Second Life" for EVE?
• Drunk in Space: Look at how much weight he put on…
• Diving into PsycheDiver's Psyche: Ambulation and Her
• Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah: Eve Blog Banter - Ambulation
• I am Keith Neilson: Going For A Stroll Through EVE
• Life in Low Sec: Ambulation Fantasies
• Shahirs Journey: Hopes for Ambulation
• A Mule in EVE: Ambulation
• Protosolus: EVE: Gawking in Stations
• One Man, One Ship: Ambulation
• Achernar: Avatars in a spaceships game
• The Shard: Ambulation
• Mad Rant: Saturday Night Fever
• I May Find Peace Within The Emptiness…: Walking Around…
• Ombeve: Ambulation
• A Merry Life and a Short One: Ambulation