To all those who play EVE Online: Game Over

[Eltargrim]

In what may be the most significant case of in-game espionage in history, one of the largest guild of players in CCP's spaceship MMO EVE Online, Band of Brothers (BoB), was entirely disbanded today when a BoB director defected to the SomethingAwful-derived Goonfleet.

In a story that only EVE Online could spawn, Goonfleet Intelligence Agency (GSA) leader The Mittani and his league of spies managed to "encourage" a Band of Brothers director to turn coat, transferring trillions of BoB's in-game ISK currency to the Goons before nullifying BoB's control over all of its territory.

"A director with full access to BoB alliance controls defected to Goonfleet and The Mittani was happy to accept his conditions," writes Shacknews tipster Frylock, who noted that while BoB can reform, the name "Band of Brothers" is now permanently owned by Goonfleet.
Shacknews readers may remember The Mittani from our 2007 article series on his expansive, fascinating spy network. At the time, Band of Brothers was already the Goons' larger, more powerful arch-rivals. Now the Goons, long the underdogs in their fight for universal dominance, are gloating over a massive victory. Meanwhile, The Mittani himself was the first to deliver the news to EVE Online's official forum.

"Today we destroyed BoB," said The Mittani. "Thanks for the free capfleet towers and isk."

The Mittani added that the defection also produced a copy of the Band of Brothers director forum, which Goonfleet plans to publish in full.

"Tonight was one of the most historic and epic nights in EVE history," added Frylock. "The universe will no longer be the same."

Band of Brothers was the primary target in The Great War, in which many of EVE's larger corporations formed a coalition in order to oust BoB from its territory. After a long and bloody struggle, BoB eventually retained much of its space, with Goonsfleet being the last member of the coalition to eventually withdraw.

I'm honestly very impressed that a) the game allows for such dynamics, and b) they actually pulled it off. I don't have time to actually play EVE, but reading about it is always interesting.

[Mannix]

I just started playing EVE and have been thinking about joining the SA forums in order to join the Goonfleet. This really kicks that urge up a notch.

Do you have a link for where you got that news?

[Fifthfiend]

Seems like kind of a stupid system where one person can transfer ownership of an entire organization's wealth property and existence. Clever of them to take advatange of it and all but seriously who sets a massive multiperson organization up to work that way?

[Mannix]

Seems like kind of a stupid system where one person can transfer ownership of an entire organization's wealth property and existence. Clever of them to take advatange of it and all but seriously who sets a massive multiperson organization up to work that way?

Western Society does. That's pretty much the last couple of decades (at least) of capitalism in a nutshell.

[Fifthfiend]

Okay let me clarify that: what organization lets (from what I've gathered here) one among several guys, who aren't ostensibly the one guy actually in charge, give away all of its assets property and existence with no approval from anybody at their own level or higher up?

I mean yeah a guy can sell his company off if he's like the guy who has 50%+1 of the stock and thusly owns the majority of the company. But as far as I know the like, Vice President of Accounting at Warner Brothers or whichever random one of the Board of Directors can't walk into the offices of Vivendi Universal and say "Here is our title you own Warner now."

[Eltargrim]

Oh yeah, link (http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=57098).

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Yeah, I'm wondering whether the game forces organisations to set up like this or they made the choice to be so ridiculous.

[Nikose Tyris]

As I understand it there is stock you can purchase in controlling investments in the different organizations and this guy appearantly had 51% control.

[bluestarultor]

Yeah, I'm wondering whether the game forces organisations to set up like this or they made the choice to be so ridiculous.

We're talking about a game that rewards you for not playing. By not playing, you can train your skills without worrying about being wiped out and having to basically start form scratch. EVE has a few major flaws for an MMO, if one puts it against the backdrop of other MMOs. As a standalone, non-genre title, I find a few of the ideas quite unique and intriguing, but not necessarily best served by the format it's in.

Plus, I understand they have some really wicked balancing ideas for their spacecraft.

[Aerozord]

Seems like something that would upset more players then draw in. Sounds exciting and all but that means this organization you are happily a part of can be completely disolved in a day.

Imagine this in another MMO like Everquest or WoW. Where you log on after a long day at work or school for a raid with your guild, only to find that your guild no longer exists.

[Mannix]

Seems like something that would upset more players then draw in. Sounds exciting and all but that means this organization you are happily a part of can be completely disolved in a day.

Imagine this in another MMO like Everquest or WoW. Where you log on after a long day at work or school for a raid with your guild, only to find that your guild no longer exists.

It's happened a couple of times with big guilds on my old WoW server. Vault emptying and everything.

[The Wizard Who Did It]

Imagine this in another MMO like Everquest or WoW. Where you log on after a long day at work or school for a raid with your guild, only to find that your guild no longer exists.
Here's the thing; if you're not actually playing the game to a significant degree, no one's gonna fuck with you. Small things may happen, but people probably aren't gonna try and clean you out. Once you try to become part of the big leagues though, you're more or less agreeing to play hardball. The 2007 article referenced in this one has the Spy Master of the Goons (Mittani) say something similar. "EVE is considered by many to be a 'sandbox' MMO, and in such a place, only the ruthless survive."

And Mannix, from what I've heard this game is a horrible one to jump into. Because of aforementioned AFK leveling, there's no real way to catch up in this game. Unless you want to become a spy. Do you want to become a spy?

[Fifthfiend]

As I understand it there is stock you can purchase in controlling investments in the different organizations and this guy appearantly had 51% control.

That makes a lot more sense then but in that case I don't get why they're talking about "destroyed" when really they just bought out another company.

It is kinda cool that the game lets you do hostile acquisitions and I'd be interesting in knowing the nitty-gritty of how the whole deal went down.

Seems like something that would upset more players then draw in. Sounds exciting and all but that means this organization you are happily a part of can be completely disolved in a day.

Imagine this in another MMO like Everquest or WoW. Where you log on after a long day at work or school for a raid with your guild, only to find that your guild no longer exists.

I'm given to understand the main appeal of the game is 1. as a quasi-interactive space-themed screensaver and 2. the chance to perpetrate shamelss corporate dickery against your "friends".

[Mannix]

And Mannix, from what I've heard this game is a horrible one to jump into. Because of aforementioned AFK leveling, there's no real way to catch up in this game. Unless you want to become a spy. Do you want to become a spy?

Well, one thing I like about the Goonfleet is that they used hundreds of starter ships and new players to swarm and destroy one of the rarest and most powerful ships to exist in the game. You don't necessarily need to "catch up" if you have a specific goal/role in mind and are able to use good tactics, etc. Most of the game occurs at the relatively low level - frigates and cruisers instead of death stars. Of course having higher level skills helps but a "high level" frigate or cruiser isn't unstoppable, especially in solo/small group pvp situations. Superior numbers/organization are often more effective than superior firepower. Or so I've gathered.

[The Wizard Who Did It]

Well, one thing I like about the Goonfleet is that they used hundreds of starter ships and new players to swarm and destroy one of the rarest and most powerful ships to exist in the game. You don't necessarily need to "catch up" if you have a specific goal/role in mind and are able to use good tactics, etc. Most of the game occurs at the relatively low level - frigates and cruisers instead of death stars. Of course having higher level skills helps but a "high level" frigate or cruiser isn't unstoppable, especially in solo/small group pvp situations. Superior numbers/organization are often more effective than superior firepower. Or so I've gathered.
I guess the question is how you want to be an aspect in the game. Usually one plays to have a certain amount of wealth to themselves, so that they have more to bring to the table when the time comes. I mean, you can build a lot of power and have fun solely off influence, but you'll always be a step behind in terms of wealth.

Also, the spies and crap seemed to be made up of secondary, expendable accounts. Just saying that people may not be living off of this low level star cruisers. However, this is just what I'm gathering from reading articles.

[Mannix]

I guess the question is how you want to be an aspect in the game. Usually one plays to have a certain amount of wealth to themselves, so that they have more to bring to the table when the time comes. I mean, you can build a lot of power and have fun solely off influence, but you'll always be a step behind in terms of wealth.

Also, the spies and crap seemed to be made up of secondary, expendable accounts. Just saying that people may not be living off of this low level star cruisers. However, this is just what I'm gathering from reading articles.

Right, and I intend to approach this casually anyway until another mmo comes along. Conan and Warhammer left me kind of flat and at least this is interesting for the time being.

[MasterOfMagic]

I had a good laugh the day this happened. I'm just waiting for all the details to come out. Looks epic, though.

. By not playing, you can train your skills without worrying about being wiped out and having to basically start form scratch.
Or, you can play and not have to worry about starting from scratch unless you make a really huge mistake: Not updating your clone. And by playing you make Iskies/friends/etc that help you quite a bit. I mean, yeah, afk leveling is awesome when you can't make it to the computer, but if you can be there and be doing stuff, there's no reason not to be (unless you just don't like playing the game...but then...don't pay for it?).

Being behind on skill points from everyone else doesn't make you worthless unless your a spy, either. The game just requires a different way of thinking about things.

[The Wizard Who Did It]

Being behind on skill points from everyone else doesn't make you worthless unless your a spy, either. The game just requires a different way of thinking about things.
I guess the question is how you want to be an aspect in the game. Usually one plays to have a certain amount of wealth to themselves, so that they have more to bring to the table when the time comes. I mean, you can build a lot of power and have fun solely off influence, but you'll always be a step behind in terms of wealth.
I apologize if my implication was that it meant you were useless. My point was more that this game depends on time played = wealth moreso than other games, ergo you're at a larger disadvantage for starting late in terms of wealth. Just because you lack wealth doesn't make you useless, however. As I said, it's a tool that you will lack, and some people might not like starting out with the odds stacked against them.

Then again, others relish in it.

And of course if you're casual, none of this matters.

[Lumenskir]

Because of aforementioned AFK leveling, there's no real way to catch up in this game.
From everything I've ever read about this game, the best way to have a real presence is to start playing about a week before it went beta.

[Damaged]

I'm honestly very impressed that a) the game allows for such dynamics, and b) they actually pulled it off. I don't have time to actually play EVE, but reading about it is always interesting.

I once played EVE, as one of BoB's haters. Its good to see that the Goons have gone and done it again. They always impressed me by playing the game like chess, by risking the expensive Capital class ships like any pawn-like fighter. Now, I get to smile even as I miss out on the game due to not have the bandwidth to support it. The thought of some one being a thorn in BoB's side while I'm away encourages me to find an excuse to log back in and go back to high piracy on the outskirts of BoB space as (Character Name Undisclosed).

[Rokrin]

I once played EVE, as one of BoB's haters. Its good to see that the Goons have gone and done it again. They always impressed me by playing the game like chess, by risking the expensive Capital class ships like any pawn-like fighter. Now, I get to smile even as I miss out on the game due to not have the bandwidth to support it. The thought of some one being a thorn in BoB's side while I'm away encourages me to find an excuse to log back in and go back to high piracy on the outskirts of BoB space as (Character Name Undisclosed).


It's good to hear someone else was a pain in the ass for these guys; the short amount of time I played EVE (around 6 months) was pretty well spent pirating as far into their space as I could get without getting caught. Smuggling and doing what I could to annoy them was what made me keep playing for 6 months.

I hope the Goons don't go and become the new BoB though, it might give me an excuse to start playing again.

[Amake]

I think the goons take too much pleasure in disorder to become the new BoB.

But maybe I'm just projecting. The destabilization of the established power structure in these present events, I'm noticing, is a big turn-on for me. Is that wrong? ^_^

I think I might start playing again. . .

[mudah.swf]

This is the EVE Online forums thread about this event if anyone is interested. (http://myeve.eve-online.com/ingameboard.asp?a=topic&threadID=990381&page=1) Most of the thread is people going "holy shit" and the like though. Having sort of followed EVE drama, this is funny to me because from what I gather BoB contained staff members who played with normal accounts and openly hated Goonfleet along with a lot of the player base. The one thing that will save BoB now is a server rollback.

I also enjoy reading about Goonfleet's trolling of BoB and other corps, such as what happened to that poor player in a rival alliance whose son died. Another thing worth noting is that almost all EVE discussion was banned from Something Awful, despite Goonfleet being SA members.

[MasterOfMagic]

I apologize if my implication was that it meant you were useless. My point was more that this game depends on time played = wealth moreso than other games, ergo you're at a larger disadvantage for starting late in terms of wealth. Just because you lack wealth doesn't make you useless, however. As I said, it's a tool that you will lack, and some people might not like starting out with the odds stacked against them.
Ah, yes, that sounds about right then. Carry on~

[TheWolf13]

If I had controlling interest in one of these major guild/companies I'd be having an auction on E-bay. It is already crazy what people will pay for characters imagine what a guild would get you.

[Jay]

From everything I've ever read about this game, the best way to have a real presence is to start playing about a week before it went beta.

In my experience, I've heard this almost exclusively from people who haven't played the game. It doesn't really work out like that in practice at all.

Man, perhaps there's a more appropriate title for this thread, though. I've been off EVE for about two years now, but my first thought on seeing it was quite a bit of disappointment. I was expecting news about the game being shut down. :sweatdrop

[Amake]

Wait, why would you aim to "be a presence" in a game world with a population of I think 250 000? That's about as realistic as trying to get the key to the city in Hull (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_upon_Hull). It's not something that most people can do, particularly if the time you've spent there amounts to almost 1% of that of a member of the old guard. (Which it would after a two week trial.)

Also, BoB got as close as anyone to winning the game, and see how well that worked out for them. Being popular is pretty risky.

[Mirai Gen]

EVE Online in my experience of playing it god-only-knows-how-long-ago, evil is generally rewarded more than the forces of good.

I'm glad to see that, years and years after I quit, this one thing is still true about EVE.