Wednesday, June 08, 2016

The Wormhole Conundrum


Keepstars are huge extra large citadels of which only one exists so far. Wormhole dwellers alliance Hard Knocks built the first and only one in a C5 wormhole system, an amazing accomplishment not only for the cost of the BPO, materials, and construction, but also the danger in transporting from high sec to the wormhole and then build the citadel in space. Kudos to them. Fort Knocks Keepstar will always be remembered as the first.

But it does create a bit of a conundrum.

You see, this impressive feat of engineering creates a structure with massive stats and defensive capabilities in an area of the universe that is notoriously easy to defend with determined pilots. And the extra large citadel is designed to combat against fleets of capitals and super capitals. In essence, as long as Hard Knocks has pilots the citadel is extremely difficult if not impossible to destroy since an opposing force would have to work around the clocks for a long period of time against hostile residents to build up the military force to even challenge the doomsday wielding structure.

The irony that the area of space never initially intended for long term occupation and pilot safety now has one of the most unassailable player owned structures in the game is not lost on me.

While I like that wormhole space has evolved from the initial vision of CCP designers into something wholly emergent I have concerns that wormhole space is going to eventually because a series of next-to-impossible to dislodge large and extra large citadels where pilots are only evicted from internal drama or burnout. This is the exact type of stagnation FozzieSov was created to disrupt in null sec.

I suspect CCP will live to regret allowing extra large Keepstars deployed in wormhole space as long as there is no efficient way to bring a large fleet quickly.

5 comments:

  1. That was something I wondered about when I saw that the Keepstar was in a wormhole. My 1st thought was "Nobody will ever take that WH away from them." Which then also makes one wonder... if other WH corps manage to build their own keepstars, will WH space become static as a result?

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  2. Hey eveyone!! Look what Hard Knocks DID!!! This is AMAZING...

    (... followed by the inevitable)

    and here's why it sucks and is Bad For The Game (TM)...

    By Bob people... can't we just ENJOY things for once?

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  3. I don't think wormhole space will become static because of this. Evictions are such a small part of wormhole pvp. There are still pve fleets to drop and supply convoys to ambush. Plus us wormholers are already known to take great lengths to attack people. I'm sure someone will spend to the months to seed Rage with enough ships to take on keepstar and I'm sure hard knocks will welcome the fight.

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  4. risk vs reward.

    What they did was incredibly hard and very risky. I'm ok with the reward.

    As stated, wormhole life is harder that anything anywhere else.

    While I am surprise that the Keepstar was able to be created within a WH, I am not angered by it.

    I would not be above having CCP increase sleeper aggression against structures located in WH space (I have long called for it for POSs) and such a strong structure should draw an overwhelming sleeper response . . .

    Sleepers may not be able to kill the structure, but I can see an increased sleeper presence making ISK making efforts inside the WH even riskier. thus making the perceived safety of the citadel a principal cause of a real reduction is ISK earning potential.

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    Replies
    1. Kung, I too have always wanted a more interactive experience with the NPCs in EVE. They should not be so static. The New Drifter we fight in sites is a decent step in the right direction... breaking contact when things get rough (if not pointed) warping around, coming to the aid of fellow Drifters.

      We are a seasoned Anoikis band, the vets all have 5 to 6 or more years of almost continuous Anoikis experience. We have lived in all classes and flown solo to a stint (with HBHI) in SYJ (a at-the-time middling big fish in Anoikis).

      The balance HAS to be always enough in favor of humans that increased Sleeper activity is never a real factor in whether or not one lives in Anoikis... that should always be reserved for player interaction... and yes, as always risk must balance reward.

      Anoikis is the most lucrative space and must be the most dangerous... but not so dangerous no one will live there.

      Balance is everything.

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