Expansions of Eve Online

Infobox VG
title = Eve Online


developer = CCP Games
publisher = SSI (expired)
CCP Games
released =flagicon|USA 6 May 2003
flagicon|UK 6 May 2003
flagicon|EU 23 May 2003
flagicon|China 12 June 2006
genre = MMORPG Space simulation
modes = Multiplayer
ratings = ESRB: T (Teen)
platforms = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux

"Eve Online" is a player-driven persistent-world massively multiplayer online game set in a science fiction space setting. Since its release on 6 May, 2003 the developer CCP Games has added a total of nine expansions to the game. This article highlights the expansions and the changes they introduced to the game.

Released expansions

Castor

Release date: December 18, 2003

Castor was the first major content addition. It focused on refining current functions along with adding "Tech 2" elite components and ships. With its release, Eve players saw conquerable stations in 0.0 (deep space) security systems, the introduction of the agent mission running system, the introduction of research agents, and many other features released between the launch of "Castor" and its follower, "Exodus". [http://www.eve-online.com/features/castor/ Features of the Castor content expansion.] ]

Exodus

Release date: November 17, 2004

Exodus is considered by the developers to be the first major game expansion. The expansion added multi-level "deadspace" scenarios, new environments and ships, better handling of conflicts, additional market functionality, user interface improvements, and an updated in-game web browser. A formalized method for alliances between corporations and the ability to claim sovereignty of a solar system via new "player owned starbases" was also added. [http://www.eve-online.com/features/exodus/ Features of the Exodus content expansion.] ] Prior to its official release, this expansion was codenamed "Shiva."

Exodus: Cold War

Release date: June 29, 2005

Cold War Edition contained an extensive new tutorial sequence and a storyline background introduction. Challenging "level 4" agent missions were added for experienced players, as well as "COSMOS" constellations where in-space agents began giving out story-driven missions and unique rewards. The freighter and dreadnaught capital ships, full-fledged player-owned "outposts," and improved NPC pirate factions brought deep space play to a new level. [http://www.eve-online.com/features/coldwar/ Features of the Cold War content expansion.] ] This expansion also added Unicode chat support, allowing communication in Asian, Cyrillic, and Greek languages.

Exodus: Red Moon Rising

Release date: December 16, 2005

Red Moon Rising was split off from the "Kali" expansion in order to maintain a more regular patch schedule. It included many performance optimizations and updates to combat, research, and manufacturing gameplay. [http://www.eve-online.com/features/redmoonrising/ Features of the Red Moon Rising content expansion.] ] The expansion continued the focus on attracting new international players as four new "bloodlines" were introduced with Asian features and a boost in starting skills. Unicode support was also expanded from the chat system to game-wide. A major focus of the expansion was revamping existing ships and adding many additional ship classes. Twenty-three new Tech 2 ships were added including Exhumers, Force Recon cruisers, Command ships, Interdictors, and most notably the capital ships Carrier, Mothership, and Titan. (See Spaceships of Eve Online for descriptions)

Bloodlines

Release date: March 2, 2006

Bloodlines is the codename for the content patch that enabled players to create the new character "bloodline" with an Asian appearance. [http://myeve.eve-online.com/updates/patchnotes.asp?patchlogID=35 Eve Online Version 3896 (Bloodlines) Patchnotes] ] :* Achura, citizens of the Caldari State and expert scientists:* Jin-Mei, members of the Gallente Federation renowned for their legendary leadership traits:* Khanid of the Amarr Empire, the primary fighter-warriors of their culture:* Vherokior of the Minmatar Republic, the established manufacturers and engineers of the tribes.

Revelations I

Release date: November 29, 2006

Revelations is the second major game expansion of Eve Online. Previously known by the codename "Kali," "Revelations" was scheduled to be released in three parts. Major features of this expansion include an exploration / scan probe system, a formalized contract system, the invention replacement for the Tech 2 research lottery, ship customization with "rigs," and temporary "combat boosters." Existing features expanded include a "new player experience" that grants new players a large head start in capabilities, an upgraded fleet system, eight new deepspace regions, a new map that zooms from ship to galaxy seamlessly, popular new battlecruisers and battleships, and many more. [http://www.ccpgames.com/press/press_releases.asp?pressReleaseID=22 CCP Games Press Release: Eve Online Reveals the Path to Kali] ] [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=330 Developer Blog by Oveur: The Path Forward - Eve Voice, Lite, Vista, Kali and World Domination] ] [http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=395345&page=2#46 Eve Developer Skellibjalla responds to questions about the nature of a advert run in PCGamer] ] [http://www.eve-online.com/features/kali/ Features of the Revelations game expansion] ] :Eve Voice was integrated as part of Revelations content patch 1.4, it had initially been planned for release with "Revelations II". Eve Voice is a Voice over IP tool integrated into the Eve Online client, the software is licensed by CCP from Vivox.cite web |url=http://www.eve-online.com/voice/ |title=Eve Voice |accessdate=2007-08-23 |format=HTML |work=Eve Online Website ]

Revelations II

Release date: June 19, 2007

Revelations II is the second of three expansions, designed to show the increased tensions between the empires within the game universe. [http://www.eve-online.com/features/Revelations2/ Features of the Revelations II game expansion] ] Several new features were introduced; including a mechanism for overloading modules [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=473 "Can you feel the heat?" a Live Dev Blog] ] and area of effect bombs. [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=454 "It's getting hot in here" a Dev Blog by CCP Tuxford] ] A number of existing features have been extended including Level 5 agents, [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=469 "Hell is Freezing Ove(u)r, Revelations 2 is Coming" a Dev Blog by Oveur] ] changes to sovereignty [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=477 "building up your realm, one sovereignty at a time" a Dev Blog by LeMousse] ] , starbases [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=468 "In da starbase - a warfare revamp" a Dev Blog by TomB] ] outposts, [http://www.eve-online.com/features/Revelations2/combat.asp Revelations II Features Page: Combat] ] and balancing changes to the Amarr race. [http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=474 "Balancing changes for Revelations Two" a Dev Blog by Fendahl] ] Revelations II also changed the way new players start the game, in addition to new optional tutorials the existing tutorial has been shortened and refined, and players now start in a private dungeon to allow new players to get used to the controls in a protective environment. [http://myeve.eve-online.com/updates/patchnotes.asp Eve Online Version 33752 (Revelations II) Patchnotes] ]

Trinity

Release date: December 5, 2007cite web |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=30258 |title=Latest expansion for sci-fi MMO dated; supercomputer under construction |accessdate=2007-11-05 |last=Phil |first=Elliott |date=2007-11-05 |format=HTML |publisher=GamesIndustry.biz]

Features include an updated graphics engine and 5 new ship classes totalling 20 new ships. The 5 classes are interdictor cruisers (Heavy Interdictors) and electronic warfare frigates (Electronic Attack Ships) as well as battleships (Black Ops, designed for covert operations and Marauders, designed for long-range deployment) and freighters (Jump Freighters).cite web |url=http://www.eve-online.com/trinity/features.html |title=Trinity features overview |accessdate=2007-11-20 |author=CCP |publisher=CCP Games] Although "Factional Warfare," a major addition to game mechanics, had been planned for this patch it has since been announced that it will now be included in a future patch,cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=502 |title=War Is Divine |accessdate=2007-10-06 |author=CCP Ginger |date=September 14, 2007|work=Eve-Online.com |publisher=CCP Games] along with Ambulation (walking in stations and Full Human Representation, announced on the Eve Online Fanfest 2007). Starting with the release of Trinity CCP offers two editions of the Eve Online client. One with regular graphics content, called Trinity 1.0 Classic, and one with updated graphics, called Trinity 1.0, also referred to as Premium.cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=511 |title=Blog post "Delivering Trinity" |accessdate=2007-12-06 |author=CCP 2Kay |date=October 16, 2007 |publisher=CCP Games] Players who run a Shader Model 3-capable graphics card can choose whether they want the Classic or Premium content. Without such a graphics card the client uses the Classic content.

The initial version of the Trinity patch could under certain circumstances delete the player's operating system's boot.ini file, thus rendering the operating system unbootable.cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=652418 |title=Forum topic "Rebooting your PC post upgrade (boot.ini issue)" |accessdate=2008-01-14 |author=CCP Atropos |date=December 6, 2007 |publisher=CCP Games] Six hours after the release of this faulty patch CCP fixed the issue. While the number of affected players is unknown, 215 had specifically asked CCP for assistance.cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=526 |title=Blog post "About the boot.ini Issue" |accessdate=2008-01-14 |author=CCP Explorer |date=December 11, 2007 |publisher=CCP Games]

Empyrean Age

Release date: June 10, 2008

Empyrean Age, previously named Kali 4, is the name of the ninth expansion of Eve Online and the last one in the Kali tetralogy.cite web |url=http://www.warcry.com/articles/view/interviews/4743-EVE-Online-Five-Years-and-Counting-An-Interview-with-Valerie-Mas |title=WarCry article "EVE Online: Five Years and Counting, Interview with Valerie Massey" |first=Dana |last=Massey |accessdate=2008-04-19 |author=WarCry Corp. |format=HTML |work=warcry.com |publisher=WarCry (website) |language=English] cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=767858 |title=Eve Online forums topic "Live Dev Blog on Empyrean Age, Thursday 15 May, 20.00 to 21.00 GMT" |accessdate=2008-05-10 |author=CCP Wrangler |date=2008-05-10 |format=HTML |publisher=eve-online.com] cite web |url=http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=626236&page=2#53 |title=Eve Online forum post: Revelations 2.3 Patch Deployment on Tues, 6 Nov from 1100 to 1400 GMT |accessdate=2007-11-01 |author=CCP Explorer |date=2007-10-31 |format=HTML |publisher=CCP Games] CCP has included Factional Warfare in this release. In this expansion the in-game story plays a key role and the situation in the game reflects events depicted in the novel of the same title by Tony Gonzales. The expansion allows both individual players and whole corporations to fight for certain NPC factions and battle for control of certain regions of space.cite web |url=http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/14/feature/1909 |title=MMORPG.com article "New York Comic Con: EVE Online - The Empyrean Age Expansion" |accessdate=2008-04-28 |first=Jon |last=Wood |date=2008-04-24 |format=HTML |publisher=MMORPG.com] Agents provide missions and objectives which alter player and corporation standings with the factions accordingly.

References