By Alexis Strathom
If you think Resources, OU’s, tiers, jewels, prospecting droids vs sadge droids, HB sizes and mentars are con-fusing now, wait until you see what could happen in the future! Basically enjoy this easy-game collecting whilst you can, it’ll probably become a lot harder in the future!!
EVE Online
Resource transportation in EVE Online can offer insights into how E2 could do this for their resources. In EVE Online, players must take into account the following: -
Scanning for Resources:
Players must scan planets, using sensing skills on their ships, to reveal to concentration of commodities (tiers).
Generally players must then start collecting these in real-time and can be open to attacks by other players.
It is common to find most players will not collect resources, rather they will buy from a in-game market. These resources may then need to be physically delivered [transported], potentially from the other side of the universe, by actual players.
Commodity Tiers:
In detail; there are five tiers of planetary commodities, ranging from Tier 0 (directly mined) to Tier 4 (processed via planetary facilities).
Players must decide which commodity they want to produce based on their planet’s attributes and available resources.
Planetary Facilities:
The first facility to build on a planet is the command center, which provides CPU and power grid resources.
Other facilities include extractors, factories, and processors, each serving specific purposes in the production chain.
Interplanetary Transportation:
Moving planetary commodities between customs offices and stations cannot be automated. Players must use hauling ships.
The specialised hauling ship for this purpose is the Epithal (not mandatory, but it significantly streamlines resource transportation), requiring the a specific skill to be gained by a player.
Just look at some of the considerations a mere transporter needs to take into account!: -
Route Planning:
Failing to plan your transportation routes properly can lead to inefficiencies and wasted time.
Consider factors like jump distances, security levels, and potential bottlenecks.
Players will use tools and maps to find optimal routes.
Risk Assessment:
Resource transportation often involves risk, especially in low-security or null-security space.
Players may encounter pirates, gate camps, or hostile players. Not assessing these risks can result in lost cargo.
Overloading Haulers:
Hauling ships have limited cargo capacity. Overloading them can lead to slow movement or even getting stuck in warp tunnels.
Players must balance the amount of cargo with the ship’s capacity to avoid problems.
Defensive Measures:
Haulers are vulnerable targets. Fitting them with defensive modules like warp core stabilizers or cloaking devices is a must.
Some players group together by forming escort fleets and scouting ahead to ensure safe passage.
Taxes and Fees:
In EVE Online, players pay taxes and fees when moving resources between customs offices and stations.
These costs can significantly impact profits if ignored.
Customs Offices charge taxes for storing planetary commodities!
Market Timing:
Prices fluctuate based on supply and demand (this is also true for crypto gas fees!).
Transporting resources at the wrong time can lead to losses.
Players generally keep an eye on market trends and adjust their transportation accordingly.
Diversifying Routes:
Relying on a single route can be risky. If that route becomes well known, blocked or contested, you’ll face delays.
Diversifying the transportation routes will mitigate this risk.
Competition:
Other players are also transporting resources. Competing for limited routes or resources can be intense.
Be prepared for competition and adapt your strategies.
Collateral Contracts:
When hiring courier services, players can use collateral contracts to protect the cargo should something unfortunate happen.
This basically specifies a collateral amount that the courier must pay if they fail to deliver the goods.
Considerations for Other Metaverse Games:
Resource Scarcity: Just like in EVE Online, metaverse games could introduce resource scarcity based on planet types or regions. Players would need to strategize their resource acquisition.
Transportation Mechanics: Designing transportation mechanics that involve player-driven logistics (e.g., hauling ships, trade routes) adds depth to the game.
Risk and Reward: Balancing risk and reward in resource transportation can create engaging gameplay. High-risk routes may yield valuable resources, while safer routes offer stability.
Player-Driven Economy: Metaverse games can learn from EVE’s player-driven economy, where supply and demand influence prices and trade dynamics.
Thinking about how EVE Online deals with resource identification, scanning and collecting through to their transportation how do you think this could be done in E2. Specifically, E2V1 in the future?!
In E2 transporting resources across a 3D world the size of Earth will likely be an immense undertaking with far-reaching implications. Let’s delve into the challenges, successes, and potential losses associated with such a monumental task:
Challenges and Pitfalls:
Scale and Distance:
Earth’s vastness means that transporting resources from one point to another would involve immense distances, how do we power [and charge] these transporters?!.
The sheer scale could lead to delays, inefficiencies, and logistical nightmares.
Will some properties potentially be cut off from being able to receive ANY resources? - bad for developers, good for naturalists?
Moving resources over oceans may require refuelling stations - could these stations be the equivalent of EVEs taxes and fees mentioned previously?
Infrastructure and Connectivity:
Building infrastructure across the entire planet is a colossal challenge.
Connectivity gaps in remote areas could hinder efficient resource movement/ again, increase costs and scarcity.
Will there be maintenance costs associated with any [and everything] built inside of e2?
Terrain and Obstacles:
Earth’s diverse landscapes—mountains, deserts, forests, oceans—could pose other specific obstacles.
Crossing mountain ranges, navigating dense forests, or crossing vast oceans could require specialised infrastructure.
Security and Piracy:
The big issue; will protecting resources during transit be needed? Piracy on seas and theft on land could pose significant risks depending how PVP is adopted, and how these pirates [aarrrgghhhh!] can detect other players.
Safeguarding against theft, sabotage could be essential!
Cyber warfare - as mentioned in another post in this Zine; knowledge of transportation routes could be a big bonus to pirates!
Resource Scarcity and Competition:
We know some regions may lack certain resources, leading to scarcity.
And ultimately intense competition for valuable resources could escalate the need for pirates - will pirates be paid by other players to steal and pillage?.
Economic Costs:
All of the above can impact transport costs and resource prices.
Long-distance transportation will undoubtedly increases expenses.
Successes and Opportunities:
Global Trade and Prosperity:
In a nutshell; efficient resource transportation will enable global trade, economic growth, and prosperity across the whole of E2.
Access to diverse resources fuels innovation and development.
The early years of E2 may see high resource costs but as infrastructure and experience they become more integrated into the community, prices may start to fall and settle to a reasonable level - all until some pirates declare war on one particular resource!!
Technological Advances:
We assume their will be different types of transporters, with the ability to be upgraded [using jewels??].
Speed vs cargo hold vs energy efficiency vs travel distances vs other factors will need to be carefully balanced by players.
Intermodal Transport:
A more complex system could involve combining different modes of transport commonly found in the real world (e.g., ship-to-rail, air-to-truck) as these optimises resource movement.
Possibly specific E2 intermodal hubs will be needed to facilitate these safe and seamless transitions.
Resource Exchange and Specialisation:
We know properties specialise in producing specific resources (e.g., oil in Antarctica anyone?). Grouping of these areas could create specific resource power houses!
Problem with this is obviously monopolies are not good for reducing resource prices, and would produce a lack of supply chain resilience.
Diversifying resource sources reduces dependency on a single region.
Resilient supply chains withstand disruptions (are natural disasters going to be a thing Shane didn’t rule out!).
Potential Losses:
Could these be a thing inside of e2? it would be unprecedented for a metaverse platform!??!
Environmental Degradation:
Habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change impact ecosystems.
Loss of biodiversity due to resource extraction and transportation.
Community Disruption:
Infrastructure projects could limit the type of communities in a place - imagine New York with only heavy industry.
Resource Depletion:
Shane hinted a tile may only produce a certain amount of resources.
What happens when these run out?
Conflict and Geopolitical Tensions:
In the real world, resource-rich regions often face geopolitical tensions - will the same happen in E2 as players fight for dominance?
Conclusion
We can definitely draw parallels between the complexities of EVE Online within the metaverse of E2. Think about the challenges of transporting resources across Earth’s vast distances and diverse terrains, the risks of piracy and theft, and the economic implications of infrastructure and scarcity. Think about the potential for global trade, levelling up of transports, the creation of specialised resource hubs, and will the environmental and community impacts be a thing? Whatever happens, resources are a major foundational component to a metaverse [underpinned by Utility!!!], it will significantly influence the game’s dynamics, economy, and player strategies.