Reshuffling The Dec With Fozzie-Sov For All | Part 1 of 2

An opinion piece in relation to Sov Mechanics and War Decs in EVE Online.

Seeking Understanding and Positive Change

So after months of hype, hypothesizing and anguish over one of the biggest changes to hit Eve in over half a real life decade, Fozzie-Sov (officially “Aegis Sovereignty”) has finally descended upon New Eden. Surely at this point there are few if any active null sec capsuleers who have yet to hear about this fundamental change in sovereignty gameplay mechanics. It’s anticipated the impact will be felt especially strongly across the Providence region, as everyone and their mum has openly declared their plan to descend upon our little (supposedly worthless) NRDS space patch. Foreign forces are looking to cause havoc in Providence all in the name of protest, practice, doctrine determination and demonstration. Whether you love or hate the idea of Fozzie-Sov it seems clear it is here to stay. The huge effect it will have on war and strategy in EVE is undeniable.
(Hmmm… Or is it?)

Perhaps a little fact that is escaping us here, buried deep among the galactic fanfare and red giant ticker tape, is that these changes directly affect the gameplay of a comparatively small fraction of EVE’s total capsuleers. While it is difficult to come across official statistics it’s widely estimated that between 15% and 30% of capsuleers actually reside in null security space. Even if we take the highly unlikely position that post Fozzie now absolutely everyone residing in null will in some way be actively engaged in the sovereignty process, we are still left with the hard reality that perhaps the most anticipated and hyped gameplay change in EVE’s Twelve year history, in the immediacy, likely provides very little if any direct impact to the gameplay of 70% to 85% of capsuleers.

When the vast majority of players across New Eden hear the word “war” they don’t think about sov war. They don’t hear “war” and think “I-Hub” or “TCU” or “nodes” or “indexes” or “timers” or “entosis” etc. Some may think “faction”, but the vast majority simply think “dec”. For most capsuleers and corporations that is all there is. “Dec”. That’s the word that follows war. Be you residing in Hi, Low, Null-sec or W-space, war-decs, well, they are a thing. Kind of a thing. Not a particularly impressive thing but a thing nonetheless. For those enacting war-decs they are usually a run of the mill, same old same old, no big deal thing. For those receiving war-decs they are usually another out of the blue, “oh look we’re about to be at war again”, “who with?”, “why?”, “no idea”, “should we bother to do anything different this time?” kind of thing. Wherever you may be located across New Eden it doesn’t take a Kaalakiota rocket scientist to realize that the current war declaration system is, let’s not say broken (as that may imply that it was at one point operating something akin to desirable), let’s just say in considerably less than optimal condition.

Now quickly, before anyone jumps out from under the Titan-Bridge, beating their chest to suggest this is all just newbro hi-sec carebear tears, that war-decs aren’t a concern to real clone warriors, those kind for whom old spice or a future fragrance affiliate is the preferred pod fluid and for whom oh how such conceptual tears are so lovely and delicious, I’d just like to confess this writer is indeed something of a low SP and industry focused returning newbie. That said I am also someone who recently chose to move from Hi-sec to Providence with the direct intention of being nearer to where the big fights (or ass kicking depending on your perspective) were likely coming. I fully understand that there are at least two sides to a fight and likely a minimum of two perspectives on a war. That someone’s isk or pride loss will often result in someone else’s isk and pride gain.

I am not trying to dismiss the gameplay value of an adversary or a nemesis, nor trying to suggest everyone take the moral high ground. Quite the contrary to that I believe strongly that a game like EVE provides a far more vibrant experience when some choose to play the villain. EVE is at its best (much like many games) when one has competition, enemies along with allies. I’m not going to try and advocate a change in the war-dec system simply on the basis that in its current state it is far too cheap and easy for skilled, experienced and wealthy mercs or griefers to turn a more than healthy profit playing cowardly PvP antics vs new, inexperienced, low skilled, PvE and Indy orientated persons operating in Hi-sec. I mean… that perhaps could be a good reason to look closely into the mechanic for some on its own, but honestly… I wouldn’t even try to go there right now. I’m just looking at it this way: The current setup, besides seeming imbalanced and heavily in favor of the attacking force, it is boring. Totally boring.

Let’s not muddle our words here the current war declaration process is linear to the extreme. The system doesn’t seem to seek to foster or encourage dialogue or much else in terms of dynamic gameplay between any of the parties concerned. An important aspect of real world politics and war are the ideas that one may have just cause or reason for engagement, or at least one has entered into conflict on the basis of seeking to achieve self established goals. While theoretically combative war can be declared unilaterally by any nation at any time, the preferred option is often to achieve economic betterment or quality of life goals without direct conflict. Real world entities usually seek first to advance their causes through negotiation, argument and diplomacy. Sometimes an incentive is given while other times a stick (or at least the verbal threat of a stick) may be wielded. Of course in EVE there is the capacity for negotiation and politics to happen by way of corp diplomats, utilization of chat channels, eve-mail and external comms systems. That aside though EVE’s current war-dec system itself appears to provide very little in terms of structure or content that might encourage a player to engage in genuine negotiation or diplomacy with a would-be adversary. The result of the current approach seems to be that while adversarial parties may have the capability to communicate, in reality they very seldom do it. There is not much in terms of an in-client framework provided to support goal setting when it comes to the area of basic corp vs corp warfare. This seems like a clear oversight and opportunity missed.

If CCP fear that directing players within client more towards options for negotiating war treaties or diplomatic settlements might negatively affect the war gaming experience, they only have to look towards a popular PC strategy series like ‘Total War’. Games like these demonstrate perfectly that more of an emphasis on negotiation through the in-game client does not necessarily mean less war. Quite the contrary, it almost guarantees that war is being waged on more fronts at all times. Then when relations do break down dramatically and there is an actual full scale declaration and physical combat is to happen, the experience is that much more dramatic and exciting. Unfortunately at present the entire act of declaring war within EVE, an act that it seems logical should be held with a certain level of respect and charged with some level of drama, is reduced simply to a tick the box over the counter style transaction with receipt of sale attached. This lack of complexity or depth in and of itself not only seems very un–EVE like, but the bleakness of the current system now seems even more apparent with the arrival of Fozzie-Sov in null.
While it’s believed Fozzie-Sov gameplay in these early stages may be more than a degree out of balance in favor of attacking forces, the premise for the change to a capture model over the former Dominion hit-point grind model is reasonably clear:

Under the former Dominion Sovereignty setup, solar systems were often too cumbersome to take and in many respects too simple to defend. The gameplay for attacking forces of near constant structure bashing and waiting out reinforcement timers (as they were set up) did not provide for much of an interesting gaming experience for either the attacking or defending party. In many ways Dominion Sov was similar to our ongoing war-declaration processes in that the system was fairly linear, boring, and heavily favored one party (though in this case that party was the defender). It is hoped that a move to the new capture mechanic system will allow for not only more fluid, dynamic and interesting gameplay but also strike a better power balance between the interests of those forces that would be attacking and taking sovereignty and those that are holding and defending it.

Another interesting aspect of the new sovereignty system is that it is in many senses considerably more real world. As touched upon earlier in this article, in real life in both war and civilian society goals often revolve around a desire to take control of set assets and strategic positions. We do not usually set a primary objective to just destroy someone’s property, but rather this is usually a last resort. Destruction is the act we turn to when we have failed in our efforts to simply take control of properties, possessions or positions which are held by our adversaries. In this sense a move to a capture system of structures, objects and open space within game is clearly a change that makes engagement in EVE more akin to real world human tendencies. While we certainly have to be very aware that what is necessarily held as true or beneficial in the real world does not necessarily hold as being true or beneficial within our virtual world (for thou must never forget that while internet spaceships maybe serious biz ‘tis also but a game!), it would seem fair to state that this slight but fundamental gameplay shift, if balanced correctly, could help to make New Eden as a digital universe all the more natural and immersive. Usually in the case of games and media we associate a greater sense of immersion as a positive trait and a demonstration of a designer’s prowess.

It seems natural to this capsuleer that the dramatic changes that have been applied to sovereignty warfare, while perhaps currently only directly affecting between 15% and 30% of the EVE community may represent a shining light for the desirable development path in other areas of the game. Even if all the kinks are yet far from ironed out, many of the core concepts and principles that CCP Fozzie and Team Five-0 have embraced with their work seem to be the right ones. These appear to be smart and positive choices for trying to balance and better the gameplay experience on multiple fronts. Though at first glance it could seem like a tectonic shift in design ethos is taking place here in many ways Team Five-0 have simply embellished upon some core concepts that have always been underpinning EVE gameplay. There is the idea that the assets of all should remain up for grabs to all but that there also needs to be a sense of balance in opportunity-cost. Within this balanced ecosystem those players that work smarter or work harder should more often than not win out and be rewarded. As much as possible the gameplay world should be immersive and the experiences within it dynamic. Fozzie-Sov embraces these ideals fully and I hope that the whole EVE community now uses it as a catalyst to further these same ideals to other areas of the game.

[Fin for Part 1.]

In part 2 will look further into some practical ways that the current War-Dec system (by embracing Aegis Sov principles) could perhaps be changed for the better.

by Guy Fleetgood.
Twitter: @GuyFleetgood.

** Please Note This Piece Was Originally Published on LoneStarWarriors.com Summer 2015 **

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