EVE Events

This article describes live events in EVE, how to participate in them, and important things to keep in mind.

This is the most current official document explaining live events. An older (but still useful guide to live events can also be found here.)

EVE Vegas Live Events Presentation

CCP Dropbear delivered a 30-minute presentation at EVE Vegas, July 2011. The presentation covers the basics of events, where to get more information, and plans for current and future events.

Download the .pdf (Acrobat Reader required).

What are Live Events?

Live events are a part of EVE’s storyline. They are moments in game where EVE's factions come to life momentarily through the use of “actor” characters. These characters are controlled by CCP staff.

Events happen in-game via these actors. Out of game, events are supported by news articles, forum posts, and in the past, entire websites.

Live events aim to serve various goals:

1. To provide fun, rewarding, and meaningful experiences.
2. To help evolve the storyline of EVE and create a "living, breathing universe".
3. To promote EVE's storyline and empower players to have a degree of influence over it.
4. To catalyze emergent gameplay in all its glorious forms.

The Live Events chat channel continually posts information regarding current and ongoing live events, and are occasionally visited by CCP staff.

Brief History

Originally, live events were run by the ISD volunteer organization AURORA. Since that time, CCP has taken the production of live events in-house. For more information on the return of live events under CCP, see the Dev Blog: All These Worlds: The Return of Live Events

The first "series" of CCP-run live events saw Sansha's Nation invading empire systems via wormholes. This eventually led the way for the Incursion expansion, which implemented Sansha invasions into a new group gameplay mechanic.

The second "series" of CCP-run live events is more broadly focused. The Sansha storyline is continuing where it last left off (the events ceased just prior to the launch of Incursion proper). Additionally, the Arek'Jaalan project has marked the beginning of a long-term Sleeper-related live event.

Sansha's Nation Event Information: Nation War of Resurgence, and the "I Have Returned" Website.
Sleeper Event Information: Arek'Jaalan

How do I find an event?

This depends on the sort of event you are looking to participate in. Sansha Events are typically invasions that happen suddenly and without warning. Those wanting to get involved often have to react quickly when attacks happen.

For those wanting to participate in Sansha live events, here is some advice:

1. Follow the In-game news: The Sansha attacks primarily happen without warning, but an eager pilot can sometimes catch battle reports of recent invasions, as well as information about how to get involved with recent events.
2. Follow the Intergalactic Summit: This forum sometimes has event actors posting, and frequently other threads relating to current live events.
3. Being at the right place at the right time: Sometimes it just comes down to luck, but you can help make a little luck as well. Keep an eye on the local channel, join any event-related channels you can, and be ready to relocate quickly - do these things and your chances of getting involved are much better.
4. Pay attention: Events themselves can clue you into future happenings.
5. Collaborate: Work with your fellow capsuleers to share information and alert each other to new developments.

For those seeking participation in the Arek'Jaalan Sleeper events, involvement is more leisurely and timezone-friendly. You can join the channels listed on the Arek'Jaalan portal, the mailing list in-game, as well read about research here on the Evelopedia. Event actors can be found posting on the mailing lists and using the channels, as well as perhaps running other kinds of events in-game.

As with the Sansha events, participation is easier when you have more information at your disposal. The previous list can just as well apply to the Sleeper events.

How do I identify an event actor?

Event actors make themselves easy to identify in three ways:

1. They typically have employment histories that players could not possibly have. For example, they will be in NPC corporations such as CONCORD, or CreoDron.
2. When they speak in chat channels, their text is purple.
3. When posting on the forums, they will have green bars around their post. (Note: this will not mark the thread itself similar to the way CCP Dev characters can with "blue bars").

Can I kill other players participating? What about event actors?

You can only kill other players if the usual rules are met, meaning you will be destroyed by CONCORD unless you are in low-security space, have an active war declaration, etc.

Event actors will talk in purple text so that you can identify them. You may be able to fire on them depending on the situation, although you should be fully aware of the risks in doing so:

Risk 1: You may lose standing with the faction the actor belongs to. Risk 2: You may lose security status. Risk 3: You may be fired back upon by the actor.

Because each event is different, you may find that none (or all!) of these things happen. It all depends on the specifics of the situation.

Be careful; losses incurred in events are for the most part not reimbursed, and the event actors are experienced pilots packing considerable firepower. Do not fly what you cannot afford to lose into a combat event.

Can event actors kill me?

There are no clear-cut rules of engagement. It depends on the specific event. Typically with Sansha events, they will attack with zero or very little warning.

 

If I lose my ship during the normal course of an event, will I get reimbursed?

Most likely not. However, you will not lose a ship to an actor for just being in their way (with the exception of entering Sansha's Nation incursion sites). You will only be ‘brought into the event’ if you choose to participate, which you can do by saying so in local or by deciding to ignore any warnings given by the actors. So if you see people talking in local with purple text warning you against doing something, just carry on with your own business and you won’t be attacked (unless your business is disobeying them).

How come the people with colored writing are talking funny and not answering my questions?

When an actor is doing an event; they are "in-character" or "roleplaying" (robes and wizard hats not included). This means they can only answer questions which relate to the setting and character they are currently playing.

Can regular players get involved in the creation/suggestion of events?

Yes, they most certainly can! The idea of live events is not to tell a static story from down on high that players can only passively consume. The aim is to create interactive experiences that players can impact and influence in meaningful ways. The best way to "create" an event is to get involved with the live events and, in-character, propose the event.

For example: In the previous series of live events, the player Malarthi Behemoth approached a CONCORD actor with the idea of self-destructing a freighter on top of a wormhole the Sansha were invading through. This became an event. The freighter made a pretty explosion.

We cannot guarantee that your event will be integrated, but we have had many player-suggested events in the past and will continue to do so. The best advice if you are particularly keen to have an event run is to make sure it is simple, and not self-serving.

Additionally, "regular" (Out of Character) feedback on events is just as welcome. The EVE Fiction forum is the best place to provide feedback and ideas for future events.