Eve Online ? ?Not for Dummies?

Why is Eve Online doing what no other MMO has ever done: growing steadily 5 years after release? That’s the question we posed to Dr. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, the lead economist for CCP’s space-based MMO.

?It’s the depth,? he said. ?There are so many things to do.?

We caught up with Dr. Gudmundsson at the Game Developer’s Conference earlier today to talk with him about Eve. He holds an unusual position at CCP ? no other game company has hired an economist to keep their game’s economy running smoothly ? but even he can’t simply define why Eve is continuing to grow after 5 years. He was quick to add that CCP execs are well-aware that Eve is doing several things differently than most other MMOs, and that these things have contributed to the game’s ongoing success. Among the innovations contributing to Eve’s continuing growth:

• The game has a vibrant, growing economy

• CCP is continually adding new content to keep the game interesting

• Eve Online offers a very level ?sand box? playing field ? everyone starts out the same, and can grow extremely powerful over time

• There are many options for endgame gameplay ? economic growth, PvP, and new PvE content to explore ? and this maintains ongoing interest

• The game is very challenging to play, and some aspects of game-play may not be mastered for years

• CCP has made ongoing efforts to help new players understand Eve’s very challenging play mechanics

On that last topic, Dr. Gudmundsson was eager to point out that helping players get started in Eve did not mean that Eve was getting ?dumbed down?. Quite the contrary, CCP is very well aware that Eve is a very hard game to learn, and much harder to master. And they are making no effort whatsoever to change that.

In a shocking turn of events, we discovered that the Eve Online booth was staffed almost entirely with Icelanders!

For that very reason, Gudmundsson explained, Eve tends to appeal to very intelligent players. It’s not an MMO that panders to more casual MMO gamers, but to ones that enjoy the challenges built into the game. He also indicated that making the game easier to play would ultimately harm Eve ? it’s the challenging game-play that keeps players involved and coming back for more.

Thus the Eve developers were willing to put additional tutorials and play aids into the game to assist new players. Their goal was to help players learn the game more quickly and easily. But that, folks, is where they draw the line. They simply won’t make the game easier ? and ultimately more dull and bland – to play.

In this photo, we see Pig using his patented “wave the hands around and make a stupid face” interviewing technique.

This is certainly a novel approach to the topic, but Gudmundsson was clear that Eve was, and will continue to be, a difficult game to master. Further, he reiterated several times that CCP truly respects the gamers who play Eve. Several times during our interview with him, he referred to Eve players in a variety of complimentary ways, notably several times as particularly smart. It was clear from his demeanor that Gudmundsson’s respect for the player-base is very real.

Gudmundsson went on to add that Eve is implementing a new method of communicating with players. It’s a democratically elected council composed entirely of players, called the ?Council of Stellar Management?. Gudmundsson stated that it’s a concept that’s still in development, but that the council will, at a minimum, advise CCP on things the players’ want to see in the game. There is also the possibility that the council will take on some governmental functions in Eve. As that would likely alter Eve’s environment ? which is currently more akin to anarchy than any kind of government control ? the exact nature of the council’s governmental role, if any, has yet to be fleshed out. Gudmundsson was quick to emphasize that the primary purpose of the council was to help guide Eve as the game continues to grow, and that CCP was very anxious to hear player input.

Dr. Gundmundsson — “the Alan Greenspan of Eve”.

Overall, the conversation with Dr. Gudmundsson was a very positive one. While Eve’s ongoing success cannot be easily boiled down to a simple formula, the depth of the game, and keeping the game challenging, are keys. What’s more, the profound respect the CCP devs have for their players was a topic that repeatedly came up. As Eve continues to grow and flourish as a unique MMO, it’s good to see CCP treating it’s players with respect and, consequently, giving them a greater role in the future development of the game.