Alena Ventrallis wrote:Having played EVE since 2009, here is what I see.
When CCP releases new content, they release content for all races. When Tech 3 ships came out, it wasnt only for Caldari and Gallente capsuleers. All races had theirs. Same thing when destroyers and battlecruisers came out. And faction battlecruisers. The list goes on. When new content comes out, all 4 races have something to play with.
Lore wise, there might be discrepancy on who built it first (Caldari made the first freighter, and then the other races followed their example) but when it comes to the gameplay itself, no race had a ship type all to its own. All four races have equivalent (not in performance, but in style) frigates, destroyers, cruisers, battlecruisers, battleships, capitals, etc. The different tiers may perform differently, yes. For example, one does not fly the Abaddon (Amarr tier 3 bs) the same way you fly the Rokh (Caldari tier 3 bs) but in the end, every race has the same amount of options as the others in a given category.
Dust does not have this. There isn't a Minmatar tank, or an Amarr dropship. The symmetry that EVE has hasn't carried over to Dust yet. The idea in EVE is that every race has a ship for a given category, but they perform differently based on their race. All races have 1 version of the destroyer, but the Caldari one is specced for missiles, while the Amarr one has bonuses for lasers, and the Minmatar one is set up for autocannons. Caldari destroyer is made to shield tank, but the Amarr one is armor tanked (Yes, I know you don't REALLY tank destroyers in EVE, but the point I'm making stands.) But Dust is severely lacking in this department, with all vehicles being limited to two races, and heavy suits being limited to a single race!
There should not be a respec for Aurum, regardless of the time frame between them, because that DOES lead to FOTM play, which EVE isn't about. A respec every patch isn't good, because EVE doesn't give you a respec every patch. However, CCP should focus on giving all the races an equivalent item (dropsuit, vehicle, etc.) for all categories, and then do a ONE TIME skill respec so that players can then spec into what they would have if the option had been presented when it should have been anyway. If after the respec, you dropped your sp into Minmatar heavy dropsuits, but then Gallente turned out to be OP/Minmatar is UP/Caldari is more your playstyle, then tough-*****. EVE is about accepting consquences of your actions, but at least you had the option to choose Caldari or Minmatar or Gallente, even if you ended up going Minmatar and regretting it. If CCP has presented me with a wimpy-ass salad and a nasty platter of tofu to eat, then came out with a pile of amazing bacon after I'm 3/4 into the tofu and said too bad, I picked the tofu so I have to finish it, I'd be pretty pissed. At least if I had all three options presented to me from the get-go they would have a valid point in telling me too bad if I went with tofu and then decided I really wanted the bacon instead.
TL;DR Don't give us new types of vehicles and dropsuits until each race has an option for the categories already established, and give us a ONE TIME respec ONLY WHEN this condition has been met.