EVE Online Expansion Announced

[Evil Avatar]

Icelandic developer CCP sends along a Press Release announcing a new Expansion Pack and updated graphics for their massively multiplayer online starship combat title, EVE Online (https://secure.eve-online.com/ft/?aid=101512&nogreet=1).

The upcoming expansion to EVE Online—codenamed Kali—will introduce an innovative Advanced Reactive Content System (ARCS), in which the political landscape and physical borders of nation-states within the game can be altered dynamically through the collective outcome of player actions, thus directly controlling the game universe destiny and resulting storyline.

CCP will also release a newer version of the current award-winning graphics engine for EVE Online, which will take advantage of the latest DirectX 9 features to produce superior imagery and detail than the existing client. This Herculean effort requires that the game’s three hundred plus starships—each of which is composed of millions of triangles—be remodeled in ultra-high resolution. Players will then see these ships rendered by the power of per-pixel lighting, HDR, and soft-self shadowing.You can also find the Path to Kali E3 trailer (http://www.gamershell.com/news/30212.html) over on Gamer's Hell.

Click on the Headline for the Full Press Release.

[Evil Avatar]

EVE ONLINE REVEALS THE PATH TO KALI

Content System Will Empower Customers with Game Universe Destiny Control

ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO, LOS ANGELES, CA -- MAY 10, 2006 -- The upcoming expansion to EVE Online—codenamed Kali—will introduce an innovative Advanced Reactive Content System (ARCS), in which the political landscape and physical borders of nation-states within the game can be altered dynamically through the collective outcome of player actions, thus directly controlling the game universe destiny and resulting storyline.

CCP will also release a newer version of the current award-winning graphics engine for EVE Online, which will take advantage of the latest DirectX 9 features to produce superior imagery and detail than the existing client. This Herculean effort requires that the game’s three hundred plus starships—each of which is composed of millions of triangles—be remodeled in ultra-high resolution. Players will then see these ships rendered by the power of per-pixel lighting, HDR, and soft-self shadowing.

"Games either provide active content, in which the player reacts to artificial changes in the game universe, or they provide reactive content, in which the entire game universe reacts to the actions that players decide for themselves," said Magnus Bergsson, CMO of CCP Games. "CCP believes strongly that the players should be the center focus of the storyline and control the evolution of the game universe. The Path to Kali will lead EVE Online to great heights in reactive content and further establish EVE Online as the premium free-form MMOG on the market today."

Parallel development of an entirely new graphics engine called "EVE Vista" is also underway. The new graphics engine—named “Trinity II”—will take full advantage of the new features and optimizations offered by DirectX 10, which will ship with the new Windows Vista OS. The highly anticipated graphics API will give Trinity II the ability to render far greater detail by leveraging the fully programmable shader pipeline and utilizing the API’s built-in instancing support. The combined technologies will allow CCP to continue building dynamic environments with visual effects that will surpass the already stunning graphical presentation of the game.

The final component of Kali will be factional warfare, in which players will have the option to align themselves with an NPC faction. Also included in the Path to Kali will be the opening of new regions in the game universe, the addition of significant exploration content, next-generation player R&D that includes reverse engineering capabilities, additional ship upgrades and player professions, the introduction of combat boosters, and the addition of new warships.

The Path to Kali will begin in Q2 2006 with the first release, and end in 2007 with the factional warfare implementation.

About CCP
CCP Games is a privately held company that specializes in the creation, development, and distribution of massively multiplayer online games (MMOG). Founded in 1997, CCP is recognized internationally as a pioneer in the single-server persistent universe concept of the MMOG genre. CCP Games is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland.

About EVE Online
Set tens of thousands of years in the future, EVE is a breathtaking journey to the stars, to an immersive experience filled with adventure, riches, danger, and glory. Supported by a vast player-run economy, EVE offers professions to choose ranging from commodities trader to mercenary; industrial entrepreneur to pirate; mining engineer to battle fleet commander; or any combination of these and much more. Your greatest asset is the starship, designed to accommodate your specific needs, skills, and ambitions. Complementing its lethal arsenal are thousands of modules and components, allowing for countless customizations. From brokering business deals to waging war, you will have access to a diverse array of sophisticated tools and interfaces to forge your own destiny in EVE.

# # #

[Rakael]

CCP kicks ass.

[Echani]

EVE is like the friend I keep intending to call (and really wanting to), yet I never seem to do it.

[Varsity]

EVE is like the friend I keep intending to call (and really wanting to), yet I never seem to do it.
Same for me. I've posted enthusiastically about it in the past, but when it comes to actually laying down the time and money...

Edit: Holy crapola, a DX10 renderer as well. That really ought to be in the newspost.

[Rakael]

Well, as cool as Eve is, I already have a job.

CCP is really great to their customers though.

[Evil Avatar]

EVE is like the friend I keep intending to call (and really wanting to), yet I never seem to do it.

Click on the banner (or the link above) and try it out for 14 days free. It is a good way to get an into into the game. I would try it on a weekend or on your days off so you can really put some time into it during your free trial.

[gloknine]

I remember watching my friend play this game on its release and being very unimpressed. Almost 3 years later I've been drawn into it and can say its one of my favorite games period. As for as I'm concerned CCP can do no wrong. Kali sounds so ridiculously good I can't wait!

[DiBiddilyBop]

EVE is the first MMORPG that I've ever played that I have never felt the urge to smack the developers. It's obvious they play the game as well and know not only what the players want, but what direction they think the game should take. Nothing but good stuff.

[Varsity]

The trailer was the current renderer. Are there any screens of the new one?

Also, was it only me who thought the music in the second half was quite good until it started looping twenty times over?

[Nameback]

Q2 2006? Isnt that like now?

[BadIronTree]

this expasion is directX 9 but in next expasion all eve will be redone in Directx 10
Microsoft is in bed with CCp ::) check the directx download page.. on the right say eve-online
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx

[BadIronTree]

The trailer was the current renderer. Are there any screens of the new one?

Also, was it only me who thought the music in the second half was quite good until it started looping twenty times over?
ee??? this is ingame man.. but with new camera moves.. there is an option ingame to make it move like that.. but is not good to play with advance camera on... only if you make video..

some new ships in the video are made in directx 10 we have seen the photos in the EON magazine like 2-3 months ago

[Varsity]

some new ships in the video are made in directx 10 we have seen the photos in the EON magazine like 2-3 months ago
Just goes to show how good it looked in the first place! :)

[Echani]

Click on the banner (or the link above) and try it out for 14 days free. It is a good way to get an into into the game. I would try it on a weekend or on your days off so you can really put some time into it during your free trial.
I have, twice! The first time, I played it for a week before popping off to Spain, and the second time I guilted myself into uninstalling it so that I'd spend more time studying. When the finals are over in a couple of weeks, I'll probably check it out again, but try a different way of playing.. I found the combat missions a bit boring, so maybe that aspect of it's not for me.

[captainstrombosis]

I do really enjoy EvE, and if I still had the time. Would still be playing it faithfully. However I do maintain my account to support the company and keep my skills up. It's such an amazing game. Just not noob friendly.

[ElPresidente]

I'd say not for you, EVE isn't like other MMOs and while missions and instance style activites are there they are far from the focus and are really only there as filler. The real meat of EVE is in the player interaction. I still consider it the best MMO of all time for its truly freeform gameplay.

Been waiting on the roll out of Kali for some time now (it been in development for a while now) but alas real life began to deem that Pres was not allowed to play EVE anymore. It is just too much of a time sink... great if you have the time but on top of my journo work I work full time as a marketing consultant and try to maintain and active social life.

Cancelling my sub was one of the hardest game related decisions I've made. I REALLY like EVE... just don't have the time anymore. :(

Alas I still get Eon. I've not recieved one since my cancellation of my game sub but I know when the next issue comes it will be like a punch in the guts. :P

[Namielus]

In the beginning, combat is simple frigs vs frigs, but as the ages progressed technology advanced. Destroyers appeared with turret systems to crush flocks of frigates. Then rose up cruisers, with heavier firepower, these machines of war easily outclass the destroyers and frigate class ships.

Then to counter the vast threat that cruisers offered Battle Cruisers first appeared. These hulking Cruisers no longer contained the nimbleness that let them effectively shred the smallest frigates. But with this lose they gained huge shield and armor capacities to dismantle cruisers. As ages passed this were the limits of battle but deep in space manufacturing of a new class of ships appeared.

Battleships, these massive ships had formidable power and have become the new standard of arms in any prolonged conflict. This huge weapons platforms are very capable against there own but they are virtually helpless against the nimbler ships (in large quantities).

Once more time has passed and now we have seen a new class of ships emerge from adapt technology manufactures. Capital ship sightings have become more and more prevalent. These ships are so large they have built in jump drives as well as moving entire fleets inside them. These capable craft can destroy fixed emplaced turrets as well as stations. Who knows what is in store after these huge vessels become outclassed?

[Goronmon]

I love playing Eve for certain periods of time, but for some reason I can't stick with it for more than a month or two at once.

[Jetherik]

The first few days of EVE are a struggle - but once you play for a week, you begin to see the possibilities of the game. Like a lot of you though - my pockets are empty and time is short.

[Testcase]

I quit EVE because I was dissatisfied with their response to a support request I made.

[Mjolk]

Ooo did you get scammed and cried to the GM's about it?

[Testcase]

Nope, not even close. But congrats on taking the booby prize.

[miah]

Click on the banner (or the link above) and try it out for 14 days free. It is a good way to get an into into the game. I would try it on a weekend or on your days off so you can really put some time into it during your free trial.

Seriously because the tutorial takes over an hour to complete. Its a great game, I just felt like all you could do was mine astroid fields, do delivery runs, or bounty runs.. Of course my char was from one of the science schools so fighting wasn't really my thing. You the way skills increased was cool though.

[miah]

I'd say not for you, EVE isn't like other MMOs and while missions and instance style activites are there they are far from the focus and are really only there as filler. The real meat of EVE is in the player interaction. I still consider it the best MMO of all time for its truly freeform gameplay.

Been waiting on the roll out of Kali for some time now (it been in development for a while now) but alas real life began to deem that Pres was not allowed to play EVE anymore. It is just too much of a time sink... great if you have the time but on top of my journo work I work full time as a marketing consultant and try to maintain and active social life.

Cancelling my sub was one of the hardest game related decisions I've made. I REALLY like EVE... just don't have the time anymore. :(

Alas I still get Eon. I've not recieved one since my cancellation of my game sub but I know when the next issue comes it will be like a punch in the guts. :P

The cool thing about eve, like wow is that you can rejoin later and your characters will still be there =)

[balamoor]

Here is the thing about EvE I play it and get so absorbed and nothing I mean nothing else gets done. There are no l337 d00d Asshats because you actually need some semblance of intelligence to play the game, and it is an entire Universe. There are betrayals, Alliances Life and death battles being played out. If Asimov were alive today he would play EvE.

Is it possible for a MMO to be too good?

[BadIronTree]

EVE is famous for the PVP not for mining ore
IF you have never pvp you lose 60% of the game
i am a carebear but man i still pvp sometimes

[ElPresidente]

The cool thing about eve, like wow is that you can rejoin later and your characters will still be there =)

Oh you so didn't just tell me that!!!!! Suddenly my EVE depression is over! Huzzah!

[jacktion]

Is that true? Your character stays in there and you can start it up again at any moment? That would be smart of CCP if they have the space to store it.

Also, an earlier poster writes that there is an option to make the camera look like the one in the most recent Eve Online video "No Further Destiny" or whatever it is called. The camera zooms in and has a natural "shake" to it that looks super badass. The poster says that you can play in that view? Is that right?

[BadIronTree]

Yes all caracters that last 3 and 1/2 years are still here... none is deleted ever

[J Arcane]

I would love to go back to EVE, but WoW sort of consumes my MMOG time lately.

Plus, apparently the latest patch will make it no longer run on my OS. Plus, if they're talkign about going DX10, then I won't be joining them period, because I have no intention of going Vista anytime soon.

[BadIronTree]

LOL MAN LOL

you have windows 98 or milenium?

directX 10 will be optional
they will be 2 clients!!!! one for Vista one for win 2000/xp