Should the Passengers be Allowed to Fly the Plane?

~or “Should the Coalitions allow CCP to change Nullsec?” 

On Sept. 28^th 2014, a TMC post entitled “The Null Deal: A Statement from Sovereign 0.0” by Das Mittens. This is a “…joint statement agreed upon by the leadership of sovereign nullsec.” 

This “Joint Statement” is signed by 28 Null Alliance Leaders and 11 current CSM members (of the 28, 3 have ‘CSM’ after their names denoting past CSM membership). There are also 4 “Opinion Leaders” who signed…

(This one baffles me a trifle TBH as 2 of em are Goons, 1 is from PL and the last is from EVENews24... none of whom represent MY opinion nor the opinion of anyone I know ingame... so meh).

Basically it specifies 3 key points;

They (the Nullsec Alliances) are deeply concerned by the risk of: 

   a. another Dominion-style expansion that would make the SOV mechanics even worse than they are today… and 
   b. They hope that this ‘announcement’ “… gives game developers at CCP the freedom they need to make the following drastic yet necessary changes.”

Due to this they propose the following changes to EVE Online SOV Mechanics.

1. Occupancy-based Sovereignty: 

Ownership of conquerable space should be reflected by Alliance occupancy using an “occupancy index”. This should: 
   a. Shrink the footprints of current absentee empires, 
   b. Free up large sections sov space for smaller entities and 
   c. Remove the need for Coalitions.

2. NPC 0.0 in every SOV Region: 

   a. The belief that NPC regions inside SOV null are good for PVP and small Alliances, 
   b. They wish to see small footprints of NPC 0.0 in every SOV region that does not now have them.

3. Increased Player Density:

   a. Belief that ‘vast swathes’ of SOV Null are worthless to THEIR line members and can support limited numbers of players. 
   b. They want the value of these systems increased to support a larger player population.


OK, let’s take this a step at a time… Please understand this is just one (wormholer, not nullseccer) 4 yr veteran player’s reaction…

Intro A

   - Current Nullsec SOV and power projections mechanics are not healthy for the game as a whole  - Agree
   - (inference that) CCP is incapable of making good changes without Nullsec Leadership advice and consent - Disagree

Intro B

   - This one bothers me greatly as it makes the assumption that the players in nullsec have the power to stop or allow CCP to do ANYTHING they want to or feel is necessary to THEIR intellectual and real property.

Point 1.

   - Reduce current SOV holdings – Agree

   - Free up space and systems for ‘other’players – Disagree
Does anyone seriously see CFC/GSF et al NOT immediately taking full advantage of this the second it drops? I mean really?
   - Remove current need for vast coalitions - Disagree 
As I see it there never was a NEED for Coalitions and they are, in large part, responsible for the reprehensible peaceful situation in nullsec today. Coalitions were and are a political and power tactic that happened between the nullsec Alliances as they grew in power and size. And I doubt they will “just go away” with these or any changes that don’t break the Large Alliances grip on Nullsec SOV.
   - WTF is an Occupancy Index? and who gets to code that? Goons? Too much grey area, not enough "Here is what we propose." for me.

Point 2.

   - NPC regions inside SOV Null are good for PVP & Small Alliances – Agree… except

I see CFC et al being careful to use these ‘surrounded’ players as ‘diversions’ and ‘training grounds’ for their bored line members…  They would have to be very careful to not force their new ‘chew toys’ back to Empire.

   - Increased NPC regions inside SOV null – Agree 

Point 3.

   - Vast Swathes of Null are (underused) worthless to THEIR line members - Agree

   - Systems value increased to support larger populations – Agree… except

Again, does ANYONE believe the CFC et al will just ALLOW non allied players, corps and Alliances to freely move THROUGH their SOV and take over these systems??? Oh please.

So let’s sum up…

Sov Null needs fixing, that’s easy for anyone to see… but these are not the changes that will do it. Reduced or removed Power Projection via Ttian bridges AND decreased Coalition political power will. But Das Mittens and his followers have left those little points interestingly off the plate and not up for discussion.

And the sheer damned hubris that THEY can write anything that can stop or allow CCP to do ANYTHING that they want to their game actually pisses me off just a bit.

Reducing SOV holding to just those systems their members ACTUALLY live in and HOLD via boots-in-station as twere is fine… but to play it off like the null alliances/coalitions would not take full advantage of these changes FOR their members benefit is just more of the ‘same ‘ol same ‘ol’ line of BS from Mittens… never ever forget his origins and experience as a spymaster and propagandist. Yea I bet they want to see all those poor systems values increased for OTHERS to enjoy the benefits and income from… yea… right.

No, as I see it these changes are more of the same shit we always get from nullsuc… all dressed up to sound like it’s for the good of ‘other’ players while actually being of real benefit to the large nullsec Sov holders and members. Nothing offered here makes ANY guarantees that non allied corps and non coalition groups or individual players would actually be able to effectively fly and live in any of these freed up null systems… and I would bet much we never will see any such guarantees unless or until CCP gets the balls to make it so.

Remember the guy who wrote this is here to ‘Ruin YOUR game’… he does not believe in honor in this game (I can quote him on this) and he is NOT on your side. Believing he is doing anything for YOUR good is like believing a gunbarrel is a lollipop…  go on, suck it.

OK, some additional info has come to light...

I think I agree with blastradius1 over at his blog, Blastrad Tales. His post, "Hmm..." he also looks at the "Null Deal" and I agree with his assessment.

He says generally the same thing I did, that you have to be wary when it comes to the leaders of SOVnull (and evidentally even some NPCnull entities). He asks two very pointed questions...

"Why did they do this?" His answer... and I quote; 

"These interested parties are doing their best to ensure that CCP has a tough time implementing any changes that fall outside of their manifesto by giving it the strongest unified voice possible."

Changes that fall outside of their manifesto huh? And it is in Evehermit's post, "Invalid Space" where he takes us to the first episode of CCP's WebTV show, "o7" where I believe we find the answer to this and Blastrad's second question...

"What the hell have CCP come up with that might actually make a difference to null-sec that these chaps don’t like?"

In the show "o7" there is a segment with CCP Nullarbor (Sr. Software Engineer) and CCP Greyscale (Sr. Game Designer) about 0.0 and some 'changes' that they are working on. Changes that are not about adding some NPC null inside SOV null and are not about Occupancy Based SOV... oh no...  =]

Go here... "o7". The segment in question starts at 33:30 and at 34:30 CCP Greyscale states... unequivocally... that Nullsec has become boring. That the Nullsec players have "won" EVE and you aren't supposed to be able to do that... and this needs to change.

At 35:24 they discuss changes... Imminent changes to...

Capitols, Force Projections, jumpdrives and Movment in Space. They want to "slow down" and "constrain" Force Projection in Null.

Oh my. Now that would 'bout piss off the Great Nullsec Coalitions, now wouldn't it? CCP Nullarbor speaks of "...groups of players refusing to engage because they know of the threat of a huge force that's just within a few minutes reach..."

OK well I don't know about you but I am pretty fairly convinced that the whole "Null Deal" manifesto was exactly what Blastrad thinks... A premptive "...open statements to head unwanted disturbance of the status-quo off at the pass."

I mean, do the great Nullsec Coalitions really wants to lose their biggest tactical and strategic advantage, Instantaneous & Overwhelming Force Projection?

CCP Greyscale and CCP Nullarbor both flatly stated these are, "significant changes" and they are "in motion" now and WILL BE included in a release BEFORE the end of 2014. 

All I can say is... FFS CCP... finally!


Fly Wreckless and see you in the Sky  =/|)=