Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Training Level 5 skills

If you are anything like me, you have some skills out there that you have no choice but to train up to Level 5. Most recently, I had to train Drones to Level 5. This skill has a 1x training time multiplier, and it took me a bit over 5 days. The worst I've trained is Mining Barge which has a 4x multiplier and took over 20 days. I've browse through EveMon and noticed skills that have a training time multiplier of 12x. One example is Fighters. The Level 5 skill for that (with my current implants which quite honestly are terrible) takes 65 days to train!

I understand that Level 5 skills are the creme de la creme and that they shouldn't come easy. But I've got to admit, it is hard to put those suckers on your skill queue knowing that they're going to be there for so long. A case in point for me is Anchoring. It has a 3x multiplier and is about a 15 day training slog for the Level 5 skill. I need this not because I do a lot of anchoring and want it to go faster. No, I need this so I can train Starbase Defense Management so I can shoot you guys if you try to attack our POSes. I keep procrastinating on this skill because I have skills that I can get done faster that I want, when I know that I just need to drop this thing on the queue and get it over with. If there's anything worse than taking 15 days to train a skill you need to level 5, try training a skill to level 5 that you don't need!

Here's an idea! Perhaps CCP should create a super skill injector system that speeds up the skill learning process dramatically. Perhaps this device could be used to increase the training speed of 1 skill by a factor or 10 for a single level, and could sold it for real money like PLEX. How much would you pay to speed up training for a skill? I know I would seriously consider it for certain skills...

7 comments:

  1. Nice idea for sure. I'd consider paying just a few bucks for it, but I'd rather it be more integrated into gameplay.

    What if it was a new type of black-market Booster that had to be smuggled into hi-sec areas? Demand would be high of course but there's legitimate risk in using them, possibly hurting sec status if you dock while skill-boosting?

    May be a naive suggestion as I don't know much of anything about smuggling in EVE, but it sure would be nice to hear more about it as a viable profession option.

    I've got something to add to my research list, dammit…

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  2. I like that idea: it's a drug that makes you more receptive to the training or something. Perhaps it could even be something that you could take to speed the training but it could kill you some percentage of the time!

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  3. Get a jump clone and put it somewhere safe, plug in +5's and sit in it when training long skills. Two +5's for the main and secondary attribute are enough. The whole should cost you 250-300m depending on market prices.

    Also, does anchoring make it go faster by a fixed ammount of time or is it a percentage? Because if it is the latter like a lot of EVE skills I would simply not get level 5 until you want to be a POS gunner.

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  4. Level 5 is required in order to train Starbase Defense Management, and SDM is required by my corp...

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  5. Personally I think Level 5 skills are right as they are. For most things you don't need them, level 4 is more than enough. The added time sink means that if you really want to specialise you have to invest time in it. I guess it suits my playstyle that because I'm willing to invest the time to become "perfect" at something while other people get distracted by other shineys then I am better in my ship than they are.

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  6. I agree with Wensley, I think the extra time taken for specialisation is correct and mirrors RL in that respect. SDM does suck eggs however, as unless your corp is in constant POS battles you will never use it. I'd just train Anchoring to 5 and SDM to 3 and then move on with your life!!!

    As for the idea of paid for skill time enhancers! That would just be another rich man's play thing. CCP already gave noobies a 100% training time allowance under 1.5m SP. With good choices of attributes and implants you can manage the time taken on your chosen path quite well. EvE is not a game for the impatient, but rewards those who have patience... any change to that system will unbalance the game and generally annoy older players with years invested in their characters! ;-)

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  7. I don't agree with this at all really. There is nothing wrong with skill training. If we add an item to speed up training, that seriously will affect the balance of the game.

    Imagine goonswarm buying these unconditionally for all their members?...or other large alliances?

    I don't see any way to balance an item like this...

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