Rogatien Merc
Red Star.
EoN.
1637
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Posted - 2014.04.17 03:42:00 -
[1] - Quote
It's not a matter of abuse.
Such a mono-polar state of affairs was nearly inevitable eventually; it just required the will to do it.
Literally the only reason EoN didn't do what DNS has done is because the EoN community is built by FPS types here for the 'good fights', who 'caught feelz' and didn't want to 'ruin the game'. During EoN's rise they also weren't tied to EvE so didn't see the point of MAXIMIZING ISK generation and to a certain extent MAG types seem to be against being perceived as the evil empire. Timing related to the growth of the economy, SP, and the size of the 'challenger' pool has a lot to do with it too I think, but I digress...
The inevitability is a matter of the design of PC and more importantly economics of the game. The people who are on top are part of a class that has been, and always will be on top given the current model - OBT/CBT vets who started PC with the seed funding that was the post-Chromosome item refund and rose out of the first couple wars on top and achieved a period of successful ISK generation (or have allied themselves with those who did)
The fact is... those powerful people either left the game or finally realized the benefits of banding together against... the peons. It was a bit of an inevitable conclusion made possible through politically savvy leadership supported by undeniable skill on the ground.
Icing on the cake for the current donut is the fact that on top of that, in a model where there IS no market on which capital can be made to work for you through trade, Spero created a way for capital to work for him through leverage of his rep in the community, implicitly endorsed by CCP through tags, to market his escrow services. Respect; no hate.
Each successive donut was larger and more powerful than the last because the PC model and the broader lolconomy is a system where power and wealth aggregate to large PC land holders (and escrow services lolz), and the wealthy have a significant advantage over the poor.
Economically, there is no realistic way to build up funds to challenge this 'upper class' while building a competitive corporation. Note that I am talking about the PC 'class' not the current 'donut'.
You can compare the PC model to the EvE Sov model which after many years has resulted in a similar situation in sov nullsec. The flaw is that at least in EvE there are plenty of active and passive ways to generate wealth in HISEC which can then be leveraged to challenge (ha!) existing sov power players. With the notable exception that you could trade massive amounts of EvE ISK for Dust ISK ... through services controlled by the current power block of course... in Dust, the only non-PC income available is through pub matches.
Let's repeat that.
In Dust, the only non-PC income available is through pub matches.
This is ... flawed ... in several ways, mostly related to the fact that pubs pit PC challengers directly against the class of PC powers (i.e. pubstompers).
The current "power" has the advantage that they can run top-tier gear while experimenting with any fit or vehicle they like. If you want to nerd out, they are in essence 'training' for PC because they get to 'pub' how they 'pc'.
Potential "Challengers" are forced to either accept routine defeat and forego 'training' in their preferred PC gear by running cheapfits and getting stomped, or they proto up themselves - which degrades their income and puts us back to square one: No one can generate the ISK to effectively challenge the PC class.
One can argue some of the above points, but it's basically a solid assessment of the situation. It's... not news. We've known it since the week PC came out.
DNS gets hated on because they're at the top of an unbalanced, imperfect system.
So looking down from on high one can either play the snide, arrogant aristocrat or have some class.
I vote arrogant aristocrat, but I also <3 Amarr so opinions may vary.
"Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price."
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Rogatien Merc
Red Star.
EoN.
1638
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Posted - 2014.04.17 04:26:00 -
[2] - Quote
<3 Z...
Good points all, and part of the 'some bits are debateable' but ... I hear you did good things with FA so not taking away from that obviously, but think your core's status as 'PC class' is pretty solid lol. Your income through Mercing is something I didn't think to add, but ... the fact that you got paid to fight for someone else is an indicator of the established "PC class" status. Even things like having a viable FC on the field are part of the 'PC class' thing... expensive and hard won experience that just adds additional layers to the difficulties a 'green' organization would have. So... I get what you're saying, but not a good case study of 'PC Challenger' corp :-)
Haven't played in a while but I'll agree you can profit in proto; every suit lost just cuts into income significantly and tougher against top tier guys.
"Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price."
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