Some things I learned at Fanfest:

• players are passionate about Eve Online
• devs are even more passionate than players when provided with solutions to player issues

The Issue: Scars

Scars are cool. Scars are badass. Scars are shiny. Problem is, in the universe of the capsuleer, scars don’t make sense. Through clone technology, we are immortal; we die, and a new body awaits us.

Our bodies are still mortal. We bleed. We break. Aura clones us when our bodies are deemed unable to continue functioning in the capacity needed.

For the amount of isk we pay for the privilege of being immortal, I can’t imagine any of us not demanding a refund if we woke up in a less than perfect body; one not grown to maturity, or with deficient organs or limbs, or blind in one eye, or scarred.

It just doesn’t make sense to me from a continuity perspective. Can I be injured? Of course. Would I be scarred? Probably. But would that carry over to my new clone? I damn well hope not. A new clone is a fresh and unblemished copy; a new chapter in my immortal life.

I spoke with several devs at Fanfest about this, and the look of sudden realization and verbal response was unanimous; “You’re right, but it’s already on SiSi, and promised to players.”

The Solution

I’m not a cold hearted bastard. I’m not going to say this wouldn’t be the first time CCP has dangled the carrot, then failed to deliver. I know players want their scars. I know removing them would upset a great many people.

I also don’t want a “make work” project for the devs. There was talk of dynamically aging characters, physically showing the effects of boosters over time, etc. All great ideas for the future, but scars need to be dealt with now.

So what if they became badges of honour? What if your ship is destroyed around you, but you manage to get your pod away?

The structural value of your pod is one quick server call. The higher your pod damage, the greater percentage chance you’ve been injured in your escape. Randomly assign a scar; it’s a few lines of code, and a viable solution with quick turnaround that maintains continuity.

Imagine it, if you will. You see a player, blind in one eye, with several scars on their face and body. You just know they have stories to tell. You know they’ve barely survived some epic battles.

Could it be abused? Of course. Everything can. But were CCP to implement this minor adjustment, it would reinforce their commitment to their new slogan “Eve is real”. One more step towards immersion. One more step towards role-play and continuity.

Will all players be happy with this? When have you ever known all players to be happy?

Let the scars tell the story of just how harsh New Eden is. Let the scars serve a purpose instead of just being cosmetic fluff, “Oooooooh, I’m going to carve up my cheek today to look more badass.” Let the scars sing the anthem of “Harden the fuck up.”

My two isk.