[OOC] Of Space and Sand

I've found myself having numerous conversations and posting responses to other blogs regarding the Hulkageddon event, so I think I'll sum up my own thoughts on the topic in my own post.  This is going to be a bit back and forth as I see valid points on both sides, but I assure you that I do not consider myself on the fence about it, in any sense.

First, allow me to point out that I have mining friends, carebear friends, ninja friends, pirate friends, and friends like me who just do whatever they like whenever they like.  I'm not biased against any of these groups, and though I do playfully tease my girlfriend about being a carebear, I do not harbor any ill will toward any of these groups, in game or out.

Okay, formalities aside, let's get to the opinionated portion of this presentation.

[ Directed at the victims ]

I actually like the idea behind Hulkageddon, and I absolutely applaud the effort to disrupt AFK mining and macro mining.  I do see the mining side of the coin, though, in that most of the people getting their arses handed to them with this second event are, in fact, not AFK.  I do understand the losses incurred, and I've been shot down while defenseless and offenseless on several occasions myself.  It's frustrating, it makes me swear vehemently, it makes me not want to play--for a couple of hours at most.

In the end, it's a game.  If you aren't having fun, then don't play.  If you're a pirate bored out of his mind and station spinning 9/10 of your play time: don't play.  If you're a miner bored to tears in an asteroid belt 9/10 of your play time: don't play.  Rarely, if ever, does anyone hear complaints about AFK pirates shooting people down and stealing their loot, so don't expect to get any breaks while you're AFK mining and raking in potential millions of ISK.

If you are having fun, then by all means play all you want.  I only ask that you remember that Eve is intended to be sand-box and no amount of crying, cajoling, coercing, crudeness or politeness is going to change the fact that pirates can come into your asteroid belt and shoot hot hug all over you whenever they want.  It's part of the risk inherent in the playing of Eve.  If you don't like the risk, don't play the game.  If the developers take away the rights of the pirate to enter high sec and gun down the unwary, then the entire game would be ruined simply because it would soil the sand-box so thoroughly that we'd never find a big enough scoop to clean it out with.

Yeah, pirates can often resemble the playground bullies, but as children we were forced to deal with bullies (or were the bullies), and as adults we can surely deal with them in a game where no physical harm can possibly befall us through their actions.  If you cannot appreciate the freedom given to us by the developers, then you cannot truly appreciate the game.

If you'd like to do something about the pirates, then by all means, hire mercs to defend your mining op, or organize a force to route them out of the area; you have that freedom.  Don't expect them to just turn tail and run, be prepared for a fight, and who knows--you might just win.  Regardless of your success or failure, enjoy the fight and most importantly enjoy the game.  The pirates will enjoy the game regardless of their success or failure.  If mining in peace and solitude is truly your only method of enjoying the game then perhaps you should seek another game, because you'll never achieve that in New Eden unless you convince the developers to ruin it.

[ Directed at the aggressors ]

As stated previously, the idea behind the Hulkageddon is fantastic.  But truthfully it's false.  I don't care if you continue the Hulkageddon, but tell it for what it is.  I've seen a few comments that I applaud for the authors' honesty.  It's no longer about the AFK miners, it's about the fun.  So why the pretense?  Helicity, update your site to say that it's a competition in which people can have fun ganking mining ships and win prizes.  The true fans of the sand-box style won't care that you are taking out defenseless mining ships, as it's an accepted part of the game, and in real life pirates have terrorized defenseless transports and caravans for centuries.  We deal with it.  Those who can't handle it shouldn't be miners or haulers.

[ Directed at everyone as a whole ]

We all will always catch hell for our actions in Eve.  Miners and Industrialists catch hell for being carebears, ninjas and pirates catch hell for their own playstyles, people like me catch hell for playing so many different styles that we're not particularly good at anything but we can do a little of just about everything in game.  Everyone should still realize that it's just a game, and no matter if you're being victimized, victimizing others, or watching others victimizing victims from a virtual distance, you should be having fun.  If not... then try out something else.

Kids in the sand-box do not always play nice, and the parents are letting us build what we want and defend it how we want.