They’re Core for a Reason

So Ripard has started “Throwing Grenades” at the Core Skills.  His reasoning behind it is frankly… bizarre.

…but if you think about it, I think you’ll agree it’s still pretty bad.

That 25 million SP or some subset of it consumes anywhere from six months to a year of training… six months to a year in which your sensors are getting 4% stronger or your ship is getting 5% faster or your ability to fit a shield upgrade module is being improved by 5% or your kinetic armor resistance is going up by 5%. They represent a lot of little incremental increases that the bulk of us EVE veterans have come to take for granted and just assume that any character worth anything is already going to have.

These skills provide a very important multiplier that separates people who use them from people who don’t.  Same as Implants, same as Faction ships and ammo.  If there aren’t advantages to be gained then some people won’t have as much of an incentive to keep playing, to keep striving to improve their character across the full spectrum of available advantages.

Yes these skills are going to be tied up in Malcanis’ Law, but as the law points out, it’s rather all-inclusive.  I am a huge fan of easing the curve for new players, but there has to be a curve.  This is what Ripard very notably leaves out.  These skills don’t “Just” provide 2-5% per level to a whole range of ship attributes.  They also gate modules.  Let’s look at two different viewpoints of Hull Upgrades (and yes I’m picking a skill with a lot of modules, deal with it) Ripard merely points out 5% to armor amount, as if that’s all it produces.  Let’s look at a bit more comprehensive view.

• Level 1
  • Armor Plates 50mm-100mm (T1)
  • Damage Control (T1)
  • Expanded Cargohold (T1)
  • Intertia Stabilizers (T1)
  • Nanofiber Structures (T1)
  • Overdrives (T1)
  • Reinforced Bulkheads (T1)
  • Resistance Plating (T1)
• Level 2
  • Armor Plates 200mm-400mm (T1)
  • Expanded Cargohold (T2)
  • Intertia Stabilizers (T2)
  • Nanofiber Structures (T2)
  • Overdrives (T2)
  • Reinforced Bulkheads (T2)
• Level 3
  • Armor Hardeners (T1)
  • Armor Plates 50mm-100mm (T2) 800mm-1600mm (T1)
  • Energized Plating (T1)
• Level 4
  • Skills – Armor Compensation (All)
  • Armor Plates 200mm (T2)
  • Damage Control (T2)
  • Resistance Plating (T2)
• Level 5
  • Skills Capital Repair Systems
  • Armor Hardeners (T2)
  • Armor Plates 400mm-1600mm (T2)
  • Energized Plating (T2)

That’s a bit of a difference.  These skills aren’t just boosting core abilities of the players’ ships.  They provide access to modules and playstyles that otherwise aren’t available.  Is it possible to play and enjoy the game without them?  Ask Brave Newbies!

Usually the Slippery Slope argument is a logical fallacy.  The argument when Learning Skills were eliminated was that it was the first step on a slippery slope.  I more or less ignored it, partially because I supported the initiative, and partially because I don’t buy a slippery slope argument when it’s based on one action.  Now we have someone who is smart, capable, and influential arguing for the next step.  Now I’m speaking up.  People shouldn’t be handed access to everything.  Players need to learn to handle the basics, and step up into bigger, more potent ships.  Handing them every module included in these skills, handing them every benefit that older players have earned, devalues it.  It roughly parallels theme parks handing out level-capped toons to new players.  You don’t get more good players by doing it, you get a horde of people who barely understand what they are doing.  Sure things could be fine-tuned, some skills could be rolled together (Armor/Shield compensation being high on the list) but simply lopping off all these skills seems a completely ludicrous idea.

I’m using it every time I can