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11 months
ago -
EVE Online
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| 9s | We were kind of early 2004 |
|---|---|
| 12s | The game had been out for a year |
| 16s | Most of our interactions with the community |
| 18s | were through our forums |
| 21s | And people on forums on the Internet |
| 24s | maybe not the best versions of themselves |
| 27s | And in a kind of an offhand comment in a meeting, |
| 30s | I say something like I wish we could |
| 32s | just have them over here, talk it out |
| 35s | We naively at the time thought that coming to Iceland |
| 38s | to talk about the computer game wouldn't be enough |
| 41s | Boy were we wrong |
| 67s | Fanfest is kind of a mixture of a few things, |
| 70s | people coming together to celebrate the game they're very passionate about |
| 74s | It's talking about the game in various formats, roundtables, panels, etc. |
| 79s | And in a way it is almost like an extended parliament |
| 82s | meeting around the future direction of the game |
| 86s | Fanfest is a gathering of our top tier players, |
| 89s | our dedicated player base. |
| 91s | It's an opportunity for us developers |
| 93s | to reflect on the last year between Fanfest |
| 96s | The last couple of years and this current one |
| 98s | and then it's just a big party |
| 100s | It's a party for everyone to |
| 102s | Vent the things that they want to hear |
| 104s | and they want to see in the game, |
| 105s | Their frustrations, their hopes and dreams |
| 108s | It's a very warm, fuzzy feeling |
| 109s | That's what happening over the past couple of days |
| 112s | It has been an amazing, chaotic mess |
| 115s | just watching thousands of space nerds descend |
| 118s | onto the tiny volcanic rock in the Mid-Atlantic |
| 121s | It's something that you cannot recreate anywhere else |
| 124s | This is my first Fanfest as a developer, |
| 127s | but I've been to, I believe, ten other Fanfests as a player |
| 131s | Going to the other side from a player to the developer was surreal |
| 135s | I got to do the opening stage introducing everyone, |
| 138s | and it was so surreal |
| 139s | looking at the crowd of people being like that was me just a couple of years ago |
| 144s | A little bit more work, a little bit less play, |
| 147s | but still, it's so awesome to see |
| 149s | the friendships and stuff just emerge |
| 152s | It's great seeing people back after four years |
| 154s | Obviously we had to have a hiatus from Fanfest, |
| 156s | during the COVID pandemic |
| 158s | and in the year before that |
| 159s | We went around the world in different locations |
| 161s | in what we called the Invasion World Tour, |
| 162s | but we didn't have the Fanfest in 2019 here in Iceland |
| 166s | This is also a great opportunity |
| 167s | for the whole dev team here in Iceland |
| 169s | You'll be able to hang out with players |
| 171s | and get reminded that the game that we work on |
| 173s | every day is a game that lots of people around the world are enjoying |
| 177s | So it's really a blast having everyone back here |
| 180s | So now that everyone is coming back together, |
| 183s | you can just kind of feel the energy in the air |
| 186s | And it just sort of elevates everyone |
| 189s | That kind of passion that seeps through |
| 193s | When so many people celebrate something they love |
| 202s | Freedom has got to be the most important thing |
| 207s | Because there's a lot of games out |
| 208s | There's a lot of MMOs that have come and gone |
| 209s | I've played quite a few of them |
| 211s | You grind your grind, grind, grind, grind |
| 213s | You get to hundreds and you don't until the next expansion comes out |
| 216s | Whereas EVE, the world's your oyster sort of thing |
| 218s | You don't have to just grind to the biggest thing you got going |
| 222s | I mean, I'm 16 years in I just gotta a Titan |
| 226s | You can do what you want with it |
| 227s | It's just the freedom of it |
| 229s | Plus the community is second to none |
| 232s | The thing I found that that really interested me |
| 235s | was that the complexity of the game |
| 237s | suddenly you get dropped into this EVE universe |
| 240s | and after 20 hours you basically |
| 242s | know nothing still |
| 244s | And so you know that every time you're logging in you're potentially |
| 247s | gonna be finding out something new and and I found that very attractive |
| 251s | Then as you get further into the game |
| 253s | that's when you start to meet other players and you get kind of more |
| 256s | Engaged into the community aspect of it |
| 259s | I think the variety of people that we're playing the game |
| 262s | was a surprise to us |
| 264s | We maybe just had like a stereotype |
| 267s | of like what an EVE player would be |
| 269s | and the stereotype was probably largely based on ourselves |
| 272s | because we was ultimately in a way |
| 274s | just making our game for ourselves |
| 276s | But EVE has an extremely diverse players base |
| 278s | in terms of backgrounds, ages, where they come from, etc |
| 282s | Well actually my son got me in to EVE |
| 285s | he was 14 at the time |
| 287s | And he asked me to come to his room |
| 288s | and he showed me the spaceship floating in the hanger |
| 291s | And then he started to rotate it |
| 294s | And I said, is this a, is this a game? |
| 296s | and he's like yeah, it's made by a company in Iceland |
| 298s | It was kind of a thing that we could share |
| 300s | as a father and son, something we talked about all the time |
| 302s | And I mean, I grew up on video games |
| 305s | from Pong all the way through, but |
| 307s | it's the only game that I played this way |
| 310s | I started to EVE in like a month |
| 312s | after the game went online in June of 2003 |
| 315s | as my oldest character |
| 317s | Started off pretty much being what everyone has done, |
| 319s | the solo miner trying to make some ISK |
| 322s | so I can get into my next ship |
| 323s | and figure out kind of where did I want to go from there |
| 327s | It's a sandbox game, you make of it what you will |
| 330s | and I had always wanted to explore |
| 332s | and visit every system in the game |
| 334s | but never really had a reason to go out there and do it |
| 337s | In 2009 they released a Dominion expansion |
| 340s | and started their beautification of EVE Online |
| 344s | They started with the planets and making them more |
| 347s | Visually appealing, |
| 348s | they upgraded the Nebulas in the background |
| 351s | and I thought this |
| 353s | this might be the motivation I need for my next chapter |
| 356s | in my EVE Online career |
| 358s | so I set off to visit every system in the game |
| 361s | and actually achieve that 10 years later |
| 364s | in 2019 and have now become the only player |
| 368s | to have visited every system and not lost a ship |
| 370s | and got a Guinness World Record for it |
| 373s | You'll hear these stories of the backstabbing |
| 376s | and the evilness of the game |
| 377s | If you will, that is very dark |
| 379s | Those aspects are definitely in there |
| 381s | and those are the stories that you tend to hear about |
| 384s | But I would like to think that my story kind of shows |
| 387s | a lighter side on it, that there is |
| 388s | a community out there, you just got to find it |
| 394s | There's so many good stories, |
| 395s | just like over the years, |
| 398s | the silly thing like the |
| 400s | karaoke rooms |
| 402s | just like being completely not serious at all |
| 405s | To like the serious fights |
| 407s | where you really feel like we all work together |
| 409s | like we blew up the thing or whatever |
| 411s | There's so many like that. |
| 413s | The big war in Pochven probably sticks out |
| 417s | as the most impactful moment |
| 419s | that I was ever part of |
| 421s | The fight started to escalate |
| 422s | People poured in on both sides and out of this RP conflict, |
| 427s | suddenly battles of hundreds and hundreds |
| 429s | of people pouring into these fights, |
| 431s | and they got many times bigger than the initial |
| 433s | conflict of two relatively small groups fighting each other |
| 437s | And it culminated in a battle |
| 440s | where we were fighting over a big structure called an Azbel |
| 444s | And we came in being the last ones on the field |
| 447s | with the structure just like a minute |
| 450s | away from just being repaired and we |
| 453s | Sacrificed the battleship lead to destroy the structure |
| 456s | that can never be replaced |
| 458s | It was basically the moment that won the war |
| 461s | It felt like after being told |
| 463s | we didn't matter so often we ended up very much mattering |
| 468s | There are so many memorable moments for me, for EVE |
| 470s | One of the biggest things that stands out to me |
| 473s | is like a blunder I made |
| 474s | I was leading a fleet |
| 475s | There were like 150 of us and I had this great plan |
| 478s | There was bad guys chasing us |
| 480s | I was gonna hide into this pocket wormhole, |
| 482s | wait them out and then catch the stragglers later |
| 485s | And I was like, I'm a genius, I'm a savant at this game |
| 488s | I felt so smug |
| 489s | But I was also a little bit of a noob |
| 491s | So as soon as we went into that pocket wormhole |
| 493s | they collapsed, |
| 494s | which I didn't realise it could do, like I knew it could do, |
| 497s | but I like, I didn't think about it |
| 498s | So The enemy fleet went by and we were stuck |
| 501s | We had no way home, no way to, like, chart our way out |
| 505s | So I had to tell our fleet to just shoot each other, |
| 507s | like that was the only way out |
| 508s | Like, we either leave these ships or we go out in a blaze of glory |
| 511s | So we split up |
| 512s | 50/50 shot each other, |
| 514s | and of course we're in like the tanker ships you can imagine |
| 516s | So it took 20 minutes |
| 517s | It was just like, shame, shame, shame |
| 520s | Yeah, I know |
| 523s | I think it was last year, they had the giant titan fight |
| 526s | which is like, I think the |
| 527s | most number of titans killed in a fight |
| 530s | It was so massive that I think we crashed the server |
| 534s | We were just jumping into the system |
| 536s | and I have my big ships so I had to tighten |
| 538s | I had a super carrier, I had a fax |
| 541s | and they all jumped in |
| 542s | But I jumped the titan last, which was good |
| 545s | because right when she was jumping is when |
| 547s | the server crashed so she didn't jump in |
| 551s | The titans were just getting blown up left and right |
| 553s | and my super carrier made it in |
| 556s | but they weren't shooting that because they were |
| 558s | shooting the bigger ships that were more expensive |
| 560s | I was so on edge for like 2 hours |
| 562s | trying to get her out of the bubbles |
| 565s | and my titan didn't blow up that day, which was very nice |
| 569s | It can be very nerve wracking |
| 571s | I've been involved in a shocking number of the big fights straight away |
| 577s | I was fighting the big boys of BoB, ACN, Morsis Mihi |
| 581s | even Goons versus White Noise |
| 585s | All these huge battles, Boat accidentally throwing his titan into |
| 589s | like bad situations |
| 590s | and causing then biggest fight going |
| 593s | The stories of EVE are unlike anything else out there |
| 595s | There really are, because it's the players that do it |
| 597s | Some games out there that have like fantastic stories that go along with it, |
| 600s | but we get just as good things |
| 602s | just coming out of random people doing random things in EVE |
| 605s | that spiral out of control |
| 606s | and you never really know where it's going to go |
| 610s | There was a lot of moving moments you can make like an entire miniseries |
| 613s | out to some of the incidents that happened in game |
| 616s | The kind of thesis of EVE Online |
| 618s | was that the world would have elements which you could |
| 621s | piece together differently such that you could create |
| 624s | your own experience |
| 625s | Here's a bunch of sand in a box, and here are some toys |
| 628s | Go figure it out |
| 630s | Trusting that people will come |
| 632s | and they would do something with the game that we could not foresee |
| 636s | And they did |
| 638s | Wars that go on for years, |
| 640s | espionage plots that go on for years, |
| 642s | rivalries that span decades |
| 644s | There are so many things that have been created |
| 647s | The things that these players have done over the past 19 years are |
| 651s | the bulk of the mind |
| 654s | I think the thing with the EVE is that everyone always thinks about, |
| 656s | the big battles and stuff like that. |
| 658s | The reality is everyone's perception of their moments in EVE |
| 662s | can be just very singular and very simple |
| 664s | Now for me we basically have these things called home defence fleets |
| 667s | So, we have miners out |
| 669s | you know, and mining resources for our group |
| 671s | and they will get attacked and then we have to then create a response fleet |
| 675s | Now normally we have fleet commanders or FC who perform that role |
| 678s | At the time the FC was basically shot by the enemy |
| 682s | and there was no one else to handle the situation |
| 685s | So I thought, well, I kind of know what to do, |
| 687s | so I'll just step up and do that. |
| 689s | And when I did, rather than just be |
| 693s | ohh, you completely messed that up |
| 695s | It was more a case of, oh, you made an effort to do that |
| 697s | and suddenly I got helped into FCing more |
| 701s | And for me that was kind of a turning point |
| 703s | where I was no longer just kind of following |
| 706s | other people's lead in the game, |
| 708s | but I was being given a position where I could generate |
| 711s | the content and be the content creator |
| 712s | and I was getting support for that. |
| 714s | It's not so much the mechanics of the game or an event in the game |
| 718s | It was just kind of more the interaction that I had with other people |
| 722s | and how I saw my role kind of change in the game |
| 725s | was really just really memorable and interesting |
| 728s | I could talk about wars that I've started |
| 730s | or other things that have happened, but |
| 732s | I think something that recently happened is pretty cool |
| 734s | I like to talk about it |
| 736s | 12 years ago I started a player event inside the game |
| 739s | I called it a Death Race and we did a race through a null sec region |
| 743s | and hopefully people are gonna get killed |
| 745s | We have prizes and only about 50 people showed up |
| 749s | Recently we held the 8th annual Frigate Free 4 all, |
| 753s | and last year we did it, we had about |
| 755s | 12,000 people explode and die and this year |
| 759s | we doubled that and we set you know, |
| 761s | 4 different records for the most deaths in a low sec system |
| 765s | And the thing is, |
| 766s | a lot of players who would never experience PvP because |
| 769s | they're afraid or just getting over that hump will come and do it |
| 774s | because it's popular |
| 775s | And CCP really supported it and promoted it for us |
| 779s | While I get a lot of feedback from young players |
| 781s | and people starting out, you know, this is my first time, |
| 784s | this is the introduction that I've had to PVP |
| 787s | So I think that's that's something I'm super proud of |
| 789s | and really looking forward to doing it again next year |
| 792s | You have to approach EVE as not just a game, |
| 795s | but 30 games in a trench coat, |
| 798s | and you shouldn't |
| 799s | listen to people who think they know the one way to play |
| 803s | Enjoy the game in your way, not the way that |
| 807s | you get told is the way to play |
| 809s | One of the moments that really struck me |
| 811s | over the past few years |
| 812s | of the amazing things that EVE players do together |
| 814s | is a event that's become known |
| 816s | and famous in EVE as Chappy's birthday party |
| 818s | It was a player who actually had a terminal illness |
| 822s | Him and his friends started a little event |
| 824s | to just have people come and shoot each other |
| 826s | and have some fun on his birthday |
| 828s | And other EVE players heard about it and it spread and it spread and it spread |
| 831s | and we ended up with a gigantic number of players |
| 834s | bringing in very expensive, large ships and brawling it out |
| 837s | They donated some ships to him as well |
| 839s | to be able to fly some of the largest spaceships |
| 842s | like dreadnoughts |
| 843s | and we actually were able to make that into a permanent monument in the game |
| 846s | since then, a location that has the wrecks of all these ships |
| 850s | from this big celebration and a birthday party |
| 853s | For them to recognise those kind of things and incorporate it into the game |
| 857s | it's really and truly makes it a living, breathing universe |
| 862s | Right after I had done my achievement of visiting every system in the game, |
| 865s | I had a couple of devs behind the scenes |
| 867s | tell me "don't miss the EVE Amsterdam Fanfest opening ceremony." OK? |
| 874s | What are they up to? |
| 875s | Then they had the big reveal of a monument |
| 877s | that they were going to put in the game |
| 878s | of my character for the achievement |
| 881s | To see your character written into the lore |
| 883s | not only written into the lore, |
| 885s | but actually presented in the game as a monument statue |
| 888s | that people can now go visit and be inspired by it, which is |
| 893s | very humbling |
| 895s | We have these huge fleets, these huge battles |
| 898s | These aren't in the pages of the book |
| 900s | These are people behind characters fighting it out |
| 904s | It's just amazing for the devs to see those things happen |
| 908s | and allow those things to happen |
| 909s | in the sandbox and then recognise them with monuments afterwards |
| 913s | It's just there's no way the game that does that |
| 935s | The start of COVID, |
| 938s | everyone was kind of in survival mode. |
| 941s | Obviously the pandemic has been difficult for everybody. |
| 944s | A lot of people i know were, you know, they're in IT, |
| 946s | they're in offices and stuff, they managed to get furloughed |
| 949s | I wasn't quite as lucky, I was a frontline worker |
| 951s | so I had if anything, even more to do |
| 954s | Obviously not having contact with other people and stuff |
| 957s | Gaming is great for that |
| 958s | and I think gamers probably had a better time |
| 962s | dealing with the isolation of COVID |
| 964s | than a lot of other groups |
| 966s | I think everyone, of course, overall appreciative |
| 969s | that you had some escape from kind |
| 972s | of the anxiety of what was really going on in the pandemic |
| 976s | The players returning to the game |
| 977s | and having kind of a different way to experience life from home |
| 980s | Well, in the case of a players it was the same way |
| 983s | as they have been experiencing it, |
| 985s | but people got a lot of camaraderie |
| 988s | and connectivity and purpose |
| 990s | During the Pandemic games like EVE were really very valuable |
| 994s | for people to be able to connect |
| 995s | But now that things are calming down, |
| 998s | getting everyone back together, |
| 1000s | I think it's something that's really a big energy boost |
| 1023s | It is good to be back |
| 1025s | Doing this again, really is. Well, I've said plenty of times |
| 1029s | I mean, I come to these things every single year |
| 1032s | Two years since any meet ups has been difficult |
| 1036s | Four years since been to Iceland has also been rather difficult |
| 1039s | I love this country, I really do |
| 1041s | Iceland is just such a great place |
| 1044s | and it's gorgeous and I love everything about it |
| 1046s | One of the bigger parts of me coming to these events |
| 1049s | is just seeing all my friends |
| 1051s | So I try to go to as many of these meetups as possible, |
| 1054s | Just being able to get to see them in real life is really great |
| 1057s | I think once you get involved in the convention side of it as well, |
| 1061s | that opens up new doors as you get to know people on a personal basis |
| 1065s | I have met people that originally I met in game |
| 1068s | and then met at Fanfest, |
| 1070s | which is kind of a whole new experience in itself |
| 1072s | You're in your minds eye, |
| 1074s | you always have an idea of what that person's gonna to look like |
| 1076s | and then you meet them in real life |
| 1077s | and they're very, very different |
| 1079s | You know it's been four years since we've all been together so it's |
| 1083s | A lot of catching up to do |
| 1084s | It's really the community, |
| 1086s | the players that have kept me in the game this long |
| 1089s | Not just those people that are in my corporation |
| 1091s | or in my alliance or that I know, |
| 1093s | but also the wider community |
| 1095s | Having players come join Fanfest, share their stories, |
| 1098s | it charges you up a little bit |
| 1100s | at sykes you out, |
| 1101s | and it kind of reminds you of the scope of this game |
| 1103s | and what we do |
| 1105s | The intensity of EVE just makes these relationships |
| 1108s | so much stronger |
| 1110s | Working on EVE is great because I just get to interactive with players every day |
| 1113s | I can't put it into words how cool it is |
| 1115s | It's just, ohh players, nice |
| 1118s | I hang out with these people all the time |
| 1120s | You'll see people that come back year after year after year |
| 1122s | And it's not just to meet the developers, |
| 1125s | that's great and fine and good, |
| 1127s | but they're here to meet their friends, |
| 1128s | they're here to hang out with their space friends |
| 1130s | from around the world |
| 1131s | We're doing a tonne of work coordinating player events, |
| 1135s | meetups, just making sure |
| 1136s | the event runs smoothly and it has been a hoot |
| 1140s | Even the hardest moments, even the worst days, |
| 1142s | they're always pretty great |
| 1145s | Coming back to Fanfest getting everything set up |
| 1147s | meeting the community has been unbelievable |
| 1150s | We're definitely a little out of shape, |
| 1152s | like everybody is active in the last two years, |
| 1154s | but we all came together |
| 1156s | and I think we had a pretty cool presentation |
| 1158s | and justice overarching event for everybody here |
| 1161s | It's incredibly important for us staff to meet the players |
| 1164s | It's easy to be anonymous on the Internet |
| 1167s | and you only hear a very small fraction of your user base |
| 1170s | Everyone here, they're happy, Everyone's happy |
| 1173s | Everyone's here to talk about these |
| 1174s | These are loyal people to our game |
| 1177s | It really changes your perspective |
| 1178s | so much people and |
| 1180s | they are absolutely the best versions of themselves |
| 1182s | Everyone is super nice |
| 1184s | It has been extremely pleasant |
| 1186s | and I think that is kind of due to to the fact that |
| 1189s | people are passionate about the same thing, |
| 1190s | even if they have slightly different opinions about it |
| 1193s | When they come together in person, |
| 1195s | very easy to unite around that |
| 1198s | and overarching theme |
| 1199s | throughout Fanfest and old fan coverings |
| 1201s | is that people leave their political rivalries |
| 1206s | at the door when they come in |
| 1208s | Doesn't mean they leave politics at the door |
| 1211s | People for sure do a bit of metagaming, |
| 1213s | try to get the information and fill out the enemy of sorts |
| 1221s | There's so many multifaceted things about it |
| 1225s | It's often referred to as the meta game, |
| 1228s | which when people say the meta, what they really mean is |
| 1231s | there's actions that you take inside the game. |
| 1234s | Then there's actions that you also take outside the game |
| 1237s | You need to get everybody coming here |
| 1239s | from around the world and the different alliances |
| 1241s | and corporations to have a beer with each other |
| 1244s | and to try and scheme with each other |
| 1247s | and to talk shit |
| 1248s | This is the whole meta game, |
| 1249s | This is the meta game of the meta game |
| 1251s | And then everybody goes back home and returns online |
| 1255s | And then you see those things that happen at Fanfest start to unfold |
| 1258s | At player events they're always like ohh we want her to join like |
| 1262s | I've had the leader of the Goonswarm federation |
| 1265s | he's come up to me several times |
| 1268s | and he's like hey we could use more logi like you |
| 1271s | I'm always getting people coming up and saying something like |
| 1275s | will you come back the first 2 Fanfests |
| 1278s | I went to I was in Goons |
| 1280s | and I ended up at the Pandemic Legion parties |
| 1282s | and joined Pandemic Legion and the first year |
| 1285s | I came here I ended up with the Goons party |
| 1287s | despite the fact I haven't been to the Goons party before |
| 1289s | We've all been to everybody else's |
| 1291s | It's just the way things worked out |
| 1294s | You know who's talking to who |
| 1296s | You know who has sway and influence |
| 1299s | and you know who are just really good friends on |
| 1301s | these things too and you see people rekindling those relationships |
| 1304s | It's especially heartwarming to see that this year, |
| 1307s | because there are people who haven't |
| 1308s | been able to see each other for a couple of years |
| 1311s | It's really about players in the game |
| 1313s | using the tools and the things we create to make their own stories |
| 1316s | That's the true meaning of the sandbox, |
| 1318s | and Fanfest is just another one of those tools in the sandbox |
| 1322s | There are people that you'll see here every year |
| 1324s | They know what they're doing here |
| 1325s | They're haning out with their friends, they wanna meet the devs |
| 1327s | They want to get that first line connection with this |
| 1329s | and then they also want to conspire with everybody else |
| 1333s | There's new people here you get the starry eyed Fanfest look, |
| 1337s | it's like, ah, this is my first one and they need to be corrupted |
| 1340s | and they need to be brought into these conversations as well |
| 1343s | And they need to start scheming with us here |
| 1345s | and just strengthen those bonds |
| 1346s | This is the human interaction at its finest |
| 1349s | and you strengthen those bonds with people in real life |
| 1352s | It changes when you go back to behind your computer |
| 1359s | Ohh what does EVE mean? |
| 1362s | That's not really something I can answer cause |
| 1365s | It's like asking what the rest of your life sort of is |
| 1369s | I've been doing it that long, it's just something you do |
| 1372s | It's it's a hobby, but it's also like the social thing, so it's how you get in contact |
| 1375s | It's like saying, well, what's life like with the telephone? |
| 1379s | You can't really answer that because you know you've had it around that long |
| 1382s | What EVE is to me it's all the players together |
| 1387s | Without everybody coming together there would be no game |
| 1391s | It's not like other MMOs, where at least there's like a whole story |
| 1393s | that you could do all by yourself and not have to interact with anybody else |
| 1397s | Which, I mean, EVE has some of that story, but we're also the story |
| 1402s | Having everybody together it's just, is huge |
| 1406s | As a role player, |
| 1408s | a lot of what keeps me in the game now is, |
| 1412s | of course, the friends i've made along the way |
| 1415s | That sort of community and the stories that we write together, |
| 1420s | you don't see that any other game, if you look at any other MMO thats currently out |
| 1425s | the gameplay and the RP is sort of very disconnected |
| 1430s | Not everybody can be like the hero of light |
| 1433s | who slays all of the gods, |
| 1436s | but an EVE, your gameplay is your RP |
| 1439s | Who you shoot is what your character is actually doing |
| 1443s | and actually is going to reflect on how people |
| 1446s | See your loyalties, |
| 1447s | or your motivations or the kind of character you are, |
| 1450s | you can't claim to be a badass without being a badass |
| 1453s | So all this talk about complexity, |
| 1455s | all this talk about the meta, game and the universe |
| 1458s | changing things and all of that |
| 1460s | That's yet another way to make the game sound really daunting, |
| 1463s | and not something that a lot of people wanna try |
| 1465s | It's also possible to play this game very casually |
| 1469s | There's a narrative that gets pushed |
| 1470s | that you need to have a lot of accounts to play EVE, |
| 1472s | or that you need to get involved in the meta, |
| 1474s | or that you have to post on art Reddit |
| 1477s | Total experience that you have to commit yourself to |
| 1480s | And there is room for that |
| 1482s | I mean, obviously it's up to you as an individual to choose |
| 1484s | That's one of the great things about a sandbox, right? |
| 1486s | And I think that word gets thrown around and misunderstood a little bit |
| 1490s | But because of the sandbox nature of it, |
| 1492s | you can really choose what you wanna do |
| 1493s | You can play this game very, very casually |
| 1496s | There is no typical EVE player |
| 1498s | The game is so vast and so complex |
| 1501s | that there are some people that like to fly spaceships, |
| 1503s | there are people that like to build stuff, |
| 1505s | there are people that actually like to just |
| 1507s | be financiers and sit in a station trading commodities, |
| 1511s | and all of these elements all play a role |
| 1514s | And so you kind of end up with this real melting pot |
| 1517s | of players within the game |
| 1519s | and i think that's why it makes these conventionsso interesting as well |
| 1522s | Fanfest being back after four years of being so cathartic |
| 1525s | just this smile on everyone's face, CCPers and like players alike |
| 1530s | Something about EVE Online, |
| 1531s | the friendships forged in this weird, intense crucible |
| 1535s | are so, so strong and being able to see that in person |
| 1539s | as a company, we didn't realise how much we missed it |
| 1542s | and I know players didn't realise |
| 1543s | how much they missed it until it came back |
| 1545s | The virtual becoming reality, if you will |
| 1549s | Coming to Fanfest, |
| 1550s | making these connections, |
| 1552s | putting faces to names |
| 1554s | It's really the community that has kept me in the game |
| 1557s | It's no longer a game now |
| 1558s | it's real life friends, |
| 1560s | long time friends that I've made playing since 2003 |
| 1564s | If someone hasn't had the opportunity to do that, |
| 1566s | I would strongly encourage them |
| 1568s | Yeah, there's nothing like it, yeah |
| 1571s | The fact that we have something like Fanfest |
| 1573s | for a single game like this, |
| 1575s | it's incredibly inspiring |
| 1577s | It's a different vibe |
| 1578s | You have that direct feedback, |
| 1580s | whether it's positive critique |
| 1582s | or negative critique |
| 1583s | to drive what you're doing, It's incredibly motivating. |
| 1586s | There are many games that have incredibly huge fanbases |
| 1591s | that don't run conferences |
| 1592s | that are just part of some of the bigger industry conferences, |
| 1595s | and they aren't necessarily |
| 1596s | the fans bonding in the same way. |
| 1599s | It is one of the core things that make our game very special |
| 1603s | What I personally get the most from it now |
| 1606s | is actually sharing it with new employees |
| 1609s | of CCP living their first Fanfest through them |
| 1614s | Frankly, it is at a place where half the employees of CCP |
| 1618s | have not experienced the context of a Fanfest |
| 1621s | Seeing that kind of |
| 1623s | First Fanfest look and really seeing |
| 1627s | how it changes your impression |
| 1629s | of what EVE players are and what the game is for |
| 1632s | We always look towards EVE players for inspiration, |
| 1635s | so I think that gives us maybe a |
| 1636s | different relationship between us, |
| 1639s | the developer and the players of the game |
| 1641s | And we genuinely just want to be the janitors |
| 1644s | to make sure the lights are on and |
| 1646s | if there's a mess that it's cleand up |
| 1648s | I would say the EVE players, |
| 1651s | due to their economy to kind of shape the world |
| 1653s | to their own liking and their agency, |
| 1655s | puts them in a different relationship with us |
| 1659s | So I think we're a lot more at parity |
| 1662s | than maybe what you see in other games. |
| 1665s | That struck me really hard last night at the pub crawl, |
| 1668s | which is a tradition that I've been on for many, many years |
| 1672s | And walking around in big groups of EVE players |
| 1674s | throughout downtown Reykjavik, |
| 1676s | from bar to bar and giving people high fives, seeing each other in the streets, |
| 1679s | that was just a really great experience, that brought back a lot of memories |
| 1683s | The fact that EVE is a game that has history books written about it, |
| 1686s | that has academic articles, that has stories that have spread through the press, |
| 1691s | that everyone who's touched this game has a story |
| 1694s | that they will tell for years and years and years afterwards, |
| 1698s | that's something that's really, really rewarding for me, |
| 1700s | having the opportunity to work on it |
| 1702s | Been an amazing Fanfest so far, |
| 1704s | but next year with the 20th anniversary |
| 1706s | is going to be even better I think |
| 1708s | To me, EVE means an eternal challenge |
| 1711s | It doesn't have an end |
| 1713s | It's a to-do list that always has one thing crossed off |
| 1716s | and two things added to it |
| 1718s | It is exactly this way because of the community |
| 1721s | and the core mechanic of what a sandbox is |
| 1724s | It is a thing that can actually survive for decades and decades |
| 1728s | because it is always evolving |
| 1730s | You can't foresee what you should make in the future for everybody |
| 1734s | Everyone has their own personal agenda, |
| 1736s | so there's challenges upon challenges |
| 1739s | that will go on until the end of time |
| 1741s | It keeps it very fresh year over year |
| 1744s | This is why players play the game for coming up on decades now |
| 1748s | you can finally put the plural on this |
| 1750s | because it keeps it fresh |
| 1751s | It changes, it changes, and it'll just keep going on forever |
| 1755s | I know, it's just like our tagline is |
| 1757s | we make virtual worlds more meaningful than real life |
| 1760s | But then you see it, people getting married, |
| 1762s | people like going to weddings with one another, |
| 1765s | unfortunately, sometimes going to funerals |
| 1767s | But it's so real, it's so visceral |
| 1769s | And watching them have fun, it's great |
| 1777s | Every single time you learn something new |
| 1781s | you meet a new person |
| 1783s | Their story is different |
| 1784s | They've found some new way to play the game |
| 1788s | Inspires us to come up with better ways |
| 1791s | to make the game even more emergent |
| 1793s | To push the game and the potential even further |
| 1797s | It is so easy to lose sight of what we actually do here |
| 1803s | Should we make it a new game? |
| 1806s | But the community is really what it's all about |
| 1809s | Hello Fanfest |
| 1813s | Well It's been a while |
| 1815s | I feel incredibly privileged |
| 1818s | to be part of EVE Online community. |
| 1820s | You've been absolutely great |
| 1823s | Thank you! |