Apologies for taking so long to write this post, lots of Coronavirus stuff to deal with this week. Stay safe everyone, wash your hands, and practice social distancing. It is vitally important to flatten the curve and keep our hospitals available for those that need it. Remember, you could already be infected and not know it yet.
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After what feels like an entire decade of asking for some attention to Low Sec, CCP has finally responded. On March 24th they will be rolling out what amounts to some significant changes, updates, and additions to the best space in the game. The one I rule over. So, let's take a look.
From my own perspective the biggest change is also the easiest and one I've spoken about to every single Dev over and over again in person every chance I've gotten. And yes, you could literally see their eyes roll back in their heads when I would do it. Now, when I enter a FW plex for combat, I will be getting a suspect timer. Which doesn't matter to me at all, I'm -10 anyway and fly around with a natural suspect timer built in already. (You can shoot me anytime!) But it does matter to some of the people in FW that might be inside that plex. Why? Well right now if they engage me they can take a standings hit for doing so and grab a nice suspect timer for the effort. And while some don't care so much, most do. I can't begin to tell you how many fights don't happen because of this. I've literally had people use this as an excuse for running away.
That one is a big deal. Now they don't have to worry.
Increased activation areas around FW plex gates. Essentially this is a return of a mechanic that was there at the beginning and got changed to 2,500. This is being tested on SiSi right now so we don't know what it will be yet, but it will be the same for all gates - so I'd guess 20k will probably be where it lands. Mechanics like this don't bother me either way, you learn the new way and adapt to it. So whatever. If it makes FW people happy then it makes me happy.
Also there will be lights around the gate to show the distance and those lights will change colors to express to current state of the plex. All good stuff.
And then we are getting a brand new gate class for Battleships. This, combined with the new Frigate Escape Bay, will hopefully help bring back BS to Low Sec. I hope so. So this is also something we've been asking for, so yeah.
For a short time between March 24th and April 6th warp speeds and loot drops will also be increasing. And there will be a contest to determine the "Champion of Low Sec" based on the ISK value of kills during that time. I only wish they would exclude Cap kills for this contest, but it appears they didn't do that. All of us in ABA will give this our best shot, but I suspect someone will just sit around blowing up Caps for a week and walk away with it. I won't mention any names.
Other things like LP rewards and whatnots are also getting changed, which is great. But those don't affect me other then making LS more better in general - which is always awesome.
While there was no word on the WCS Ban, all in all these changes are much needed. Hopefully this won't be the last of the Low Sec love we get from CCP, but seeing as how long it has been, I'm very, very happy right now.
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And now for the biggest change of them all.
"War HQ structures will now have a reduced armor reinforcement period of 24 hours (down from 4.5 days) giving defenders a realistic chance of taking down the HQ within 7 days."
This is friggin' HUGE. As things are now it is almost impossible to actually take down a War HQ within the time-frame of a War, which is just silliness. This change will allow certain groups that want to fight back against War Deccers a chance to actually fight back against War Deccers.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Comments
Come jump the crazy marble and spend some real time on the other side of the sky in MY beloved Anoikis my friend... Negative Sec! Come and put EVERYTHING you own on the line, use EVERY mechanic the game offers and THEN tell me what space is best space!
"Suspect timers", "standings hits"? PAH! Who cares? The Po-po don't even know we EXIST! I can POD KILL 10 guys and jump directly into Jita and the Po-po just wave me by with a smile.
"..lights around the gate to show the distance and those lights will change colors to express to current state of the plex..." PAH! We don't need no silly little "lights" to tell us when and where we can shoot you, the SUN gives us all the light we need for that... (sounds really confusing too)
"...hopefully help bring back BS to Low Sec." Huh... I have no words. We fly what ever we want as and when we want... We need and use every ship type damn near everydamnday.
"War Decs"? PAH! That anyone has to or simply can PAY to shoot you is just silly, always has been. We just uncloak and SHOOT... 'nough said.
"WCS Ban"... still tiltin' at that tired ol windmill huh Rixx?
We lost a KEEPSTAR to Hard Knocks & friends... so we and our friends waffle stomped their 'Draccous' Fortizar (and a lot else) in return... THAT is Deadly Space my friend!
Oh Annnnd... we can blow BUBBLES!!!! and bubbles BTW, don't care how many WCS you got fitted... But you can't use them can you Rixx? Nope, Po-po don't 'let' you use Bubbles do they? Awww, tsk-tsk.
Sorry, I just had to chime in after your "best space" leader there... =]
You kinda asked for that. I love all of space, but Low Sec is truly the best space for PvP in Eve.
We are alike you and I in our deep affection for and appreciation of the work, creativity and balls it took to create EVE Online much less keep it going for 17 years... even with all it's quirks, legacy mechanics that are seriously in need of some love and the oft truly weird twists and turns CCP has taken... EVE is still THE BEST SPACE in the 'verse, bar none. I think we both can raise a glass to that... =]