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Stratics Presents: Eve Online Fanfest 2006

There are few ways to truly test the dedication of the playerbase for an MMO. Some people will spend dozens of dollars on gold that has little to no value outside the game, or hundreds of dollars on an account just to avoid grinding yet another character to level 60. For CCP's breakout hit, EVE Online, that dedication takes a different approach. Every year, the most hardcore of the hardcore players -- or just those in need of a vacation -- travel to CCP's home city of Reykjavik, Iceland, for the EVE Online Fanfest.

ISD Speaks

The ISD (Interstellar Services Department) is EVE Online's volunteer support organization. Acting in a role similar to the Guides of EverQuest and Anarchy Online's Advisors of Rubi-Ka, ISD members assist in roles ranging from the oft-dirty task of customer support to the more rewarding task of ensuring EVE's high learning curve isn't too high for new players. We asked several ISD members why they originally joined the program, and what was most memorable about it for them.

Why did you join ISD in the first place?

"I wanted to pay something back to the community...it's an excellent community, I wanted to do my share"
-Ridae

"I wanted to take a hand in EVE...help make the world richer and more enjoyable for everyone."
-Apollo

"I was enjoying the game a lot...I wanted to give something back."
-Gluon

What was your most memorable experience within ISD?

"Particularly, one event where we played mad scientists and got players really...they actually began to chase us from station to station."
-Aporat

"When I helped a player who was having problems trying to get the game. I offered my help, and CCP sent me a small pin...just for doing my job."
-Coffeecup

"Probably this Fanfest, to be honest...I've never done anything like this before."
-Wystler

In The Grim Darkness Of The Far Future...Wait, Wrong Game

EVE Online takes place in a distant future, where humanity now walks among the very stars -- at the price of its ancient homeworld, Earth.

It was in the late 24th century when the wormhole was discovered. The only known natural wormhole to exist anywhere in the universe, it led to an unmapped region of the universe that swiftly lured travelers for its beauty and resources. This portal would come to be called "EVE", and the solar system it led to "New Eden". By the millions, new settlers came to New Eden, and a new era seemed ready to sweep across humanity.

That era would indeed come, but not in a fashion any expected. In a horrible twist of fate, the wormhole collapsed, stranding countless colonists far from home. Knowledge of the technologies that preserved the settlers slowly faded. The residents of New Eden were cast from their paradise into a dark age that would last millenia.

Earth was a memory at best, a myth at worst. All that remained were the stars beyond EVE. But eventually, technology advanced once more, and civilization rebuilt itself in the form of four nation-states: the Amarr Empire, the Minmatar Republic, the Caldari State, and the Gallente Federation..

Today, these nations fight a cold war rapidly turning hot over a prize never before imagined: an elite caste of society capable of piloting starships using only the power of their minds. Plugged directly into the control systems of awesome spacefaring vessels, these people run vast interstellar corporations, mine ores worth millions of credits, plague the starways as pirates, and fight battles amongst each other over far-flung regions of space where the only law is that enforced by railgun and cruise missile.

They are called capsuleers. And you are one of them.

Kill Ten Rats

But make no mistake, EVE Online is not your typical "kill giant rats to get a new shiny sword which is used on bigger rats" MMORPG by any means. Its closest kin may in fact be old-school Ultima Online, where you had to be quick on your fingertips to survive in anyplace worth adventuring in. Offline skill gain means that you can't just grind undead for 10 days and get a max-level character -- two people who started at the same time will be just as strong, but the design of the skill system allows even the newest of players to compete against the established veterans if enough player skill is there. And a literal universe of over five thousand star systems means that you'll never run out of new worlds to conquer.

Vampires In Space

So now you know what EVE Online is. But there's a good chance that most of the people reading this already did know, and are reading this article because they want to know just what happened at the 2006 Fanfest.

Let's start with the big story, then. As was swiftly leaked onto the official forums for EVE Online within seconds of its announcement at the Fanfest, CCP is merging with American role-playing game developers White Wolf Game Studios. Best known for the World of Darkness line in general and the Vampire RPG in particular, White Wolf is one of the largest RPG publishers in the world.

So what does this mean for EVE Online? Well, despite the title for the section, there aren't any plans for vampire capsuleers, and the goth makeup will remain restricted to Minmatar of the Sebiestor Tribe. EVE Online isn't going to change much -- CCP, such as they are, will retain control of the title. What will happen is, basically, that White Wolf will be in position to create new products set in the EVE universe. Mentioned at the Fanfest as possible new products were collectible miniatures games, a resource-management board game in the vein of Settlers of Catan, and graphic novels set in the EVE universe.

And, almost certainly, a World of Darkness MMOG will come out. Eventually. (After Duke Nukem Forever.)

Tap Two Crokite And Summon A Megathron

As much as White Wolf is known for their roleplaying games, it's hardly the only product they have produced. Long-term CCG players may have heard of Vampire: the Eternal Struggle (whether by that name or its original and more controversial name of Jyhad), a CCG set in the World of Darkness and focused on its more literally bloodthirsty inhabitants. It should come as no surprise that White Wolf was also closely involved with the development of EVE: The Second Genesis, the CCG based on EVE Online which I had an opportunity to play at the Fanfest.

Gameplay of Second Genesis cannot be compared easily to most of today's popular card games, but is at times reminiscent of the Battletech CCG developed by Wizards of the Coast until 2001. Players assume control of one of the four nations of EVE, build various starships, take control of outer regions such as the Khanid Kingdom and Insmother, and battle fiercely to be the last one still standing. As in EVE Online, the game mechanics of Second Genesis are very strategic in nature -- can you amass enough force to deal with enemy ships and take control of your enemy's home region, or will that kamikaze Typhoon under development allow him to annihilate your starbase before you can even put up a fight?

Behind The Space Suit

Mind you, the White Wolf/CCP merger wasn't the only bit of news about EVE Online to come out during the Fanfest -- just the biggest. Other bits that got leaked out included a massive revamp of the sovereignty system, to include plans for alliances to claim dominion over entire constellations rather than just single systems; planetary exploration; the opportunity to exit your ship and walk around one of the many stations in person; and plans to allow events to take advantage of existing static content, such as mission-giving agents. Little information was given about these, as they remain largely in development even now, but rest assured that there's still plenty of changes coming to New Eden, and for the better.

The Event That Launched A Thousand War Declarations

As good as EVE Online can be, few people play MMOs to be alone. As EVE would not be what it is without the players, the same can be said of the EVE Fanfest; both for good and for ill. While during the day players were largely cordial even to hated enemies, at night the flow of beer stole away inhibitions and led to comedy. Drunken hijinks were the order of the night, perhaps culminating late on the final evening of the Fanfest when Remedial -- leader of the infamous GoonSwarm alliance -- obtained a Mercenary Coalition lapel pin, which he promptly affixed to the crotch of his pants before approaching members of the mercenary alliance and making crude jokes.

Truly, for those who play EVE Online, the Fanfest was an experience worth the cost of traveling to Iceland...as the sold-out crowd can attest to. EVE Online has tripled in active population in just one year, reaching half the size of its native Iceland, and CCP's staff has grown to match. With this many players, and enough so dedicated as to travel to Iceland for three days just to talk about Internet spaceships, EVE Online looks to have a bright future awaiting its playerbase.

I hope to return next year with even more news.
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