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[Ghost Hunter]

scandalous controversy
One of the things that has always interested me is the concept of 'soulbound' or restricted items that can only be used by a defined character or characters.

One of the big things in EVE is the often exalted ability for players to use anything in the game - all they need to do is train up for it. Restricted items for all purposes do not exist: the Jovian technology is basically GM gear and has never existed in any accessible way by the player base. I have no issue with that, considering Jovian tech is pretty much high up meta.

We're seeing a very basic introduction of restricted items in the form of training gear and promotional goods from special retail purchases. This is only the source of those items, and provided the conditions are met, all players can access/use these items.

I'm very interested in the community's thought of restricted items being introduced as special rewards for certain things. Not super powerful items like Jove tech, or rare one of a kind things, though.

Here's an example I'm thinking of: dude finishes the Amarr Epic arc, gets awarded 1(one) Amarr faction ship of his choice. That ship is 'restricted' to the dude's character: it cannot be traded, it cannot be ejected out of it, it cannot be in any shape or form transferred or used by other players. Dude gets a spiffy ship, the EVE market for that ship does not necessarily explode into bits and pieces, and overall galactic economy does not flipfop. Demand may slightly drop depending on how easily it's acquired, though.

Another example would be getting awarded a set of faction guns at the end of a storyline mission, again falling under the same restrictions as above. They cannot be traded, they cannot be jettisoned, and they have a 0% chance to drop. They will always only be usable by the one character who finished the storyline, and never anyone else.

One of the reasons I like this idea is because it can give players some fancy gear that won't be superabused by metagaming alts, bots, etc. A new player getting awarded a Navy Slicer unique solely to that character, for instance, for completing a training arc or something. It's no stronger or weaker than any other slicer, it's just a slicer locked to that character. So on, so forth.

I am aware CCP have a certain distaste for special items if the nature of PLEX's first form is any indication. I do not feel that is an accurate comparison to what I am speaking about though: PLEX could be traded. These items cannot be.

gimme ur brains and ur opinions

[Casiella]

Opposed... I like the idea that, once introduced into the world, any object may be acquired by anyone. Whether or not they can use it depends on training, of course.

I don't know what this would actually gain, to be honest.

[Ken]

I would like to see more unique/extremely limited items in the game like the ships that are awarded as prizes for the Alliance Tournaments.  I think having very rare and ultimately irreplaceable things out there is an important part of the game's economy, and I don't see why CCP couldn't simply whip up a few interesting, super-rare T1 hulls like the Guardian-Vexor and run some fun and challenging live events every now and then to give them out.  Specifically addressing your point, Ghost, I have to agree with Cas in that I don't think there should be anything in the game that someone else can't take from you either by force or fortune.

[Lyn Farel]

I don't see the point to this, it makes not much sense in eve.

[Amann Karris]

Here's an example I'm thinking of: dude finishes the Amarr Epic arc, gets awarded 1(one) Amarr faction ship of his choice. That ship is 'restricted' to the dude's character: it cannot be traded, it cannot be ejected out of it, it cannot be in any shape or form transferred or used by other players. Dude gets a spiffy ship, the EVE market for that ship does not necessarily explode into bits and pieces, and overall galactic economy does not flipfop. Demand may slightly drop depending on how easily it's acquired, though.

What is the benefit to the player, aside from gaining access to such a ship, and ensuring that no one else can have it?  What is the benefit to the developer?  What will this add to the game in the long run?  Aside from the economic impact of such a game feature, what other detrimental effects could it have?

Clothing, trophies, etc. are the only items I would expect to be anywhere close to "soulbound".  Think of it like this; those items that are soulbound in other games are far more personal than ships.  They're armor, weapons, clothing.  I play Star Trek Online, and they have "bound" items for ships.  There is nowhere near the death penalty that exists in EVE.  It's ridiculous to a certain extent, but it fits that setting.   Do you really want EVE to be "just another space MMO", or do you want the wonderful, emergent, player-driven and interactive canvas that it is today?  What do you think the developers would say to this proposal?

In short:

Soul bound items, in my EVE?  Good day to you sir!  I am however very interested in your views for this very drastic shift in the reward scheme and what you believe it would add or subtract to the game and user experience.

 

[Ghost Hunter]

Wow I just lost my 2 page post. Right, this is going to be quick and ugly.

Here's an example I'm thinking of: dude finishes the Amarr Epic arc, gets awarded 1(one) Amarr faction ship of his choice. That ship is 'restricted' to the dude's character: it cannot be traded, it cannot be ejected out of it, it cannot be in any shape or form transferred or used by other players. Dude gets a spiffy ship, the EVE market for that ship does not necessarily explode into bits and pieces, and overall galactic economy does not flipfop. Demand may slightly drop depending on how easily it's acquired, though.

What is the benefit to the player, aside from gaining access to such a ship, and ensuring that no one else can have it?  What is the benefit to the developer?  What will this add to the game in the long run?  Aside from the economic impact of such a game feature, what other detrimental effects could it have?

Clothing, trophies, etc. are the only items I would expect to be anywhere close to "soulbound".  Think of it like this; those items that are soulbound in other games are far more personal than ships.  They're armor, weapons, clothing.  I play Star Trek Online, and they have "bound" items for ships.  There is nowhere near the death penalty that exists in EVE.  It's ridiculous to a certain extent, but it fits that setting.   Do you really want EVE to be "just another space MMO", or do you want the wonderful, emergent, player-driven and interactive canvas that it is today?  What do you think the developers would say to this proposal?

In short:

Soul bound items, in my EVE?  Good day to you sir!  I am however very interested in your views for this very drastic shift in the reward scheme and what you believe it would add or subtract to the game and user experience.

 

For the record, I resent your implications I want EVE to be "just another spaceship MMO". I have played this game for 8 years for a reason, and I do not appreciate that gesture in the slightest.

Moving on.

My primary motivation for supporting soulbound items is its parent concept of Faction loyalty. EVE is driven by a Mercenary ideology, and the closest system we currently have to Faction loyalty is Faction Warfare. However, case in point, one of the big attractions of Faction Warfare is farming its obscenely cheap LP store for goodies and $dosh$.

Perhaps soulbounding an item to one character is too short sighted, but I do support the general vein of there being heavy restrictions on the items. A more suitable system, may be for instance, having restrictions necessary to use that faction's gear that anyone can work themselves up to. Example given, a set of faction guns from a storyline require +5 Faction standing and maybe -3 standing to that Faction's primary enemy. Anyone who meets those requirements can use those weapons, but anyone who doesn't cannot use them.

There is an instant submarket for each faction and its loyalist bloc. A fully pimped out navy ship full of restricted gear may be useless to the pirates who destroyed it, but they can sell that gear back to that faction's loyalists. It's not pretty or ideal, but at least they can turn a profit off what they looted.

I would like to see more unique/extremely limited items in the game like the ships that are awarded as prizes for the Alliance Tournaments.  I think having very rare and ultimately irreplaceable things out there is an important part of the game's economy, and I don't see why CCP couldn't simply whip up a few interesting, super-rare T1 hulls like the Guardian-Vexor and run some fun and challenging live events every now and then to give them out.  Specifically addressing your point, Ghost, I have to agree with Cas in that I don't think there should be anything in the game that someone else can't take from you either by force or fortune.

I agree with your last point, please see my summarized viewpoint above.

I am not certain about giving out super rare gear for live events, because there is a precedent where the player base goes ballistic when that happens. I don't know how it would go over today, since I only have the AURORA timeline to reference. I am completely supportive of giving out existing faction gear, however.

[Louella Dougans]

Amarr Epic Arc rewards:

choose between:

Louella's modified Apocalypse
Louella's modified mega pulse laser x8

Amarr tutorial mission rewards:

Louella's modified Punisher


That sort of thing?

Where the player can choose an aspect of a ship/module/other item to modify from the base item in some way? thereby creating a unique entity that few other people would have?

[Ken]

A more suitable system, may be for instance, having restrictions necessary to use that faction's gear that anyone can work themselves up to. Example given, a set of faction guns from a storyline require +5 Faction standing and maybe -3 standing to that Faction's primary enemy. Anyone who meets those requirements can use those weapons, but anyone who doesn't cannot use them.

I can actually see that working and being a valuable addition.  Sort of like digital rights management for weapons.  Makes perfect sense and adds more meaning to faction standings.

[Misan]

A more suitable system, may be for instance, having restrictions necessary to use that faction's gear that anyone can work themselves up to. Example given, a set of faction guns from a storyline require +5 Faction standing and maybe -3 standing to that Faction's primary enemy. Anyone who meets those requirements can use those weapons, but anyone who doesn't cannot use them.

I like the version of the idea mentioned above. Having stuff that wouldn't have a chance of dropping or being acquired by anyone else especially if it could be flown or equipped to a ship feels counter to the philosophy CCP has maintained with everything else.

[Ghost Hunter]

Amarr Epic Arc rewards:

choose between:

Louella's modified Apocalypse
Louella's modified mega pulse laser x8

Amarr tutorial mission rewards:

Louella's modified Punisher


That sort of thing?

Where the player can choose an aspect of a ship/module/other item to modify from the base item in some way? thereby creating a unique entity that few other people would have?

That was something along my original thoughts. I've since revised it into what,

A more suitable system, may be for instance, having restrictions necessary to use that faction's gear that anyone can work themselves up to. Example given, a set of faction guns from a storyline require +5 Faction standing and maybe -3 standing to that Faction's primary enemy. Anyone who meets those requirements can use those weapons, but anyone who doesn't cannot use them.

I can actually see that working and being a valuable addition.  Sort of like digital rights management for weapons.  Makes perfect sense and adds more meaning to faction standings.

is talking about.

Basically instead of a unique item, make the item have standing restrictions, pretty much.

Unique items in hindsight was mostly dumb. Restricted items, however...

[Amann Karris]

I'm not worried about this being implemented, because it does not make sense to me to have the equivalent of "DRM-like" protections on fully constructed gear in EVE.  Now, would I support this sort of thing if the LP store only gave out blueprints?  Yes... if the DRM feature were only for the blueprints.

Another option?  Reverse-engineering pirate faction gear.  Pirate faction gear that only works on their ships, and needs to be modified to work properly with SCC regulated gear.  Faction ships that need to be modified (in other words "reverse engineered") in order for a capsuleer to pilot it.  That would be a good addition to the game.  Maybe use some rare and hard to find items to produce the final product.

Further:

1.  Faction standing requirements to have access to the right people who can assist.  This would be for both Empire and Pirate factions.

2.  Must be engineered within the stations of said faction.  Not too hard for Empire factions, but for pirate factions...

This would make some new gameplay necessary.  It would create a (potential) rush into null-sec in order to get standings for the production of pirate gear, thereby creating more opportunities for pew-pew.  On the other hand, the potential downside would be frustration over such a fundamental change in gameplay; I don't think many people would leave over it.

Another consideration is loot drops; do these need to change, or is it alright for fully functioning and DRM-free gear and blueprints to drop as usual?  Should the changes above be implemented in all the LP stores?  What about ammunition, implants, etc.?  Lots and lots of considerations.

Also, a note; CCP has pretty much said that they don't like the idea of Epic Arcs, and that they did not turn out well.  I for one think that they are far too much of a "theme park" element for EVE.  What are your thoughts on this?

[Saede Riordan]

I gotta say, I understand what you're trying to accomplish here Ghost, but I just don't see this as the way to get that. It just rubs me, and I think a lot of other people, the wrong way. I like the idea of faction weapons though, but what if instead of restrictions, give a bonus to people with high faction standings?

I dunno, the whole bloody standings thing honestly needs to be tossed in the bin and rebuilt from the ground up.

[Matariki Rain]

Against the idea of binding items to pilots: I don't see a benefit, I see a number of drawbacks, and it's not consistent with my view of EVE.

Cautiously okay in principle with the idea that certain rare faction stuff might require intimate faction knowledge, as represented by standings, but I'd want to see the idea developed a lot more before saying "Yes". It seems a bit "And once you have entered unto the Seventh Circle of Blood the Mysteries of the Energy Neutralizer shall be revealed unto you!" which is, again, not really something that's consistent with my view of EVE. Taxes based on how much work you've done for a them: yes. Gear that recognises how much work you've done for them and works harder if you have a good file with its maker... not so much.

I also expect it would be seen as carebears with their mission standings wanting special toys that weren't available to nullsec PvP demigods, in case that's a concern.

[Akikio L]

If anything standings should restrict docking rights...but itamz 

[lallara zhuul]

I think CCP dangled the carrot of nameable equipment at some point.

Also 'reverse engineer' was an option in science jobs for a long long time.

'Soulbound' items, a no-no, how about certain missions that you get a prefitted ship for, which you cannot leave before you complete the mission. If you lose the mission, you get a standing penalty.

Kind of wagering with the agents for greater profits.
Agents themselves have the ship fitted with so much surveillance gear, so that they learn more about how the capsuleers deal with certain situations.

Of course people would try to cheat with fleets, but it could be easily overcome.

Have the whole thing be a 'simulation', as soon as a cheat is detected the whole thing goes pear shaped and you get a greater standing penalty.

Of course the greatest problem is that CCP want's the game to be such that most of your actions have no repercussions, therefore penalizing for anything has been kept to a minimum. Also 'soulbound' items could be seen as such.