On Wednesday 17 May a small mandatory patch (2017_R2.3) will be available for EVE: Valkyrie. It contains stability improvements and adds Carrier Assault mode to the Solitude Map. Soon you’ll be able to Skirmish, Attack and Breech above the snow-capped mountains of Solitude!
If you are experiencing any issues with updating, please check out our articles in the support center, and get in touch with us via a ticket should you need assistance.
We’re really looking forward to seeing you take down those carriers!
Check out these lightning quick Carrier Assault takedowns!
Cast your minds back to January this year and you may remember we ran a New Year Challenge in which we asked players to try and complete EVE: Valkyrie’s Carrier Assault mode as quickly as possible.
This followed a video that emerged showing a talented team of pilots achieving the feat in under just three minutes (2’56” in fact). Astonishing! The speed run was captured by ace fighter pilot General Stargazer and you can see the original footage in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFjhImBB5_A
And yet, there was better to come. Scant weeks later, another team (including regular contributors Anska and Nydwen) shaved more than 15 seconds off the previous attempt, coming in at a staggering 2’40”. See for yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ve5Zyd37f0
We thought that might be the end of it. Surely, no-one was going to better that.
A recent forum post by pilot Goatan has squashed that assumption. Has the latest team to attempt the speed run shaved a few tenths off the record? No? A second or two, then? More than that? Wha… ? We’d better take a look at the footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksf5mnYlejo
BY GREAT ODIN’S BEARD!!! They’ve done it in what must now be an unassailable 1’49”!
We salute you pilots. We bow before your unquestionable greatness. Your determination and perseverance is beyond admirable.
Warp over to Goatan’s forum post to see what people are making of the lightning quick takedown and, once you’ve done so, get straight back in the cockpit. It’s going to take some pretty intense training to beat it.
But you know what? After seeing this, anything’s possible.
Game on!
You Fly. You Fight. You Decide. Vote now to bring back a classic Wormhole event
Hello, fellow wormhole aficionados. How have you been enjoying life beyond the conduit, so far? We think you’ll agree that these first few months have been a blast. But which of the events that have happened so far is your favorite? Was it the recent friendly-fire feature on the Cathedral map? The epic bust-up featuring only Wraiths? Or those stunning rainbow trails on the oppressively dark Nightyard?
Well, with that in mind, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve set up a new poll to give you the opportunity to take your pick from a selection of favorites. It runs from today (May 12th) until Friday May 19th, so head over now and vote for the wormhole you want to see make a comeback.
There's more. Some of you will already be aware that we’ve been running a forum thread where you can post your comments and ideas for future wormholes. Posting wormhole concepts has proven to be quite a popular pastime, so we decided to kind of formalize the process, making it easier for you to get creative and let us know what you want to see during upcoming wormhole weekends.
If you have more ambitious wormhole plans, head over to the new thread. Once there, you can tell us - in detail - exactly the kind of wormhole and accompanying features and effects you’d like to see made flesh in the future.
All you have to do is let us know which map you want your wormhole based on, your desired ship loadout, weapons and effects mods, and finally a brief description of why you would like to see your wormhole implemented. Be bold, unleash all your creative juices and hopefully, if it's achievable, we'll be able to incorporate some of your concepts further down the line.
Excited, much? For more information, check out CCP TerrorShark’s blog post where you can find the poll and links to threads:
Wormhole 50B/255-53JU5 has opened in the Sinq Laison Region… Extreme Caution Advised
Attention pilots. There is some troubling activity occurring in the Sinq Laison region of New Eden, where wormhole event 50B/255-53JU5 has opened up. As you know, this region is located in Gallente Federation space, but acts as a central link to regions controlled by all interstellar factions. Its importance as a trade center cannot be underestimated.
We urgently need you to assemble near planet Esmes III and travel through the conduit, where you will find a dramatically distorted, parallel version of the area we know as the Necropolis.
Conditions on the other side have severely limited the effectiveness of our fleet. We have discovered that only the Ascent is functional in this wormhole, and even then, its capabilities are significantly limited. Specifically, shields are non-operational, so it’s possible to take out the Schism ships, or get taken out by them, with a single shot.
Getting involved in a Deathmatch in this area is brutal, so exercise extreme caution.
Good luck out there, pilots!
Developer Focus – Wormholes
Weekly wormhole events have been with us for quite a while now, since the major Wormholes update launched back in February. It’s been a weird and wonderful journey thus far, throwing some extremely enjoyable curve balls at our unsuspecting pilots.
We thought it was high time we found out a little more about where the Wormholes Mode came from and what goes into delivering a unique experience week after week.
We caught up with EVE: Valkyrie’s Narrative Designer, Andrew Robinson (aka CCP TerrorShark) to get the skinny on what lies beyond the conduit.
Can we start by saying we’ve been thoroughly enjoying Wormholes. Have you been pleasantly surprised by the response from the player community?
The community has taken to them with so much enthusiasm, it’s just been incredible for the team to watch them grow. We’ve got streamers and videos dedicated to revealing the mysteries of each wormhole, and it’s so rewarding to have that sense of anticipation leading into each new weekend.
This is coupled with one of my absolute favorite threads on the Valkyrie forums – Designing the Future. Now nearly 100 posts deep and still counting, we asked our players to actively start pitching their fantasy wormholes. Everything from tiny tweaks to total game overhauls have been meticulously detailed by our budding designer pilots. The positivity, engagement and creativity that’s coming from Wormholes means a great deal to everyone working on the game.
When did work first start on Wormholes, and where did the idea come from?
I have a sketch book from when we were working on the Valkyrie prototype that has a ship, surrounded by a ton of spirals, and the words ‘weird wormhole zones’ etched across the top. In that respect, the concept and desire for them to be a Valkyrie map has been around almost from day one. An environment where we could do something a little different, to defy the laws of time and space, was always very intriguing.
Fast forward a few years, we have a live game and a great platform to deliver new VR experiences to our pilots, hungry for new ways to fly. Wormholes developed from a prototype of a map with randomized player spawn locations (through the conduits), to a place that encompassed the spirit of invention here in the CCP Newcastle office.
With Virtual Reality being such a new medium, we build a lot of concepts here, and this allowed us to take some of those ideas a little further. Letting players experience snippets of what we are working on, polished into 48 hours of fun.
Delivering a new game mode every week is quite a tall order. Can you tell us a little bit about the process?
I really can’t divulge too much information about how all the magic happens, but it is quite a large commitment from the Valkyrie team to conceive, build and deliver fresh wormholes every weekend. It certainly has its challenges and we learned a lot from the process.
As for the design, they are all planned to try and emphasize a playstyle, or encourage pilots to try something new. By locking it down to specific ships, it gives an opportunity to fly differently and maybe, just maybe, become a new favorite playstyle. A top Wraith pilot finds they love healing and becomes the world’s best support! It’s our hope that the modifications teach you a new skill; see the game from a new perspective.
The community are coming up with some interesting ideas, and friendly fire was introduced off the back of player input.
How important is player input, and are there any other ideas that we might see making their way into Wormholes?
Communication and feedback from our players is one of the goals that we had hoped to achieve with Wormholes for EVE: Valkyrie; to create a discourse with our pilots and let them into the development. The Wormholes feedback and Designing the Future threads are a constant source of inspiration and guidance going forward. What are people enjoying the most? Sometimes we try something a little risky one weekend, is that something we can incorporate into the larger game?
As an example, we were interested as a team to know if a map could be too dark. We wondered if we’d have pilots bouncing between every wall and parked space ship for miles around with the lights turned off. So, we built the new Nightyard map, a heavily 80’s inspired, dark neon dream of Shipyard. The feedback was so positive that it’s definitely given us food for thought.
And of course, friendly fire mode. It was something we were able to do directly as a result of the wormhole design thread. It had so many votes and requests, it would have been rude not to. Going forward, we’d love to see more community requests making it into the game, so keep a lookout!
Any hints on new maps getting the wormhole treatment? Gateway? Solitude?
Haha! The sneaky ‘reveal all’ question for the end. Well I can’t give you too much information about the future of Wormholes, other than we have some great new stuff coming up. We’re always looking at which maps could deliver something genuinely new, where we could add a unique twist, or show an attribute from a different perspective. So, on that shifty, noncommittal, yet mysterious note, I’m out.
A big thank you to everyone who has flown in and contributed to Wormholes. You’re all superstars of the conduits.
A big thanks to you also, Mr TerrorShark. We look forward to the twisted and challenging wormholes coming our way in the future.
To echo CCP TerrorShark's suggestion, we would urge you to head on over to the forum thread and add your voice to discussion on future wormholes. We do love to hear your ideas for innovative new features.
Fly safe!
Outer Ring’s Resources in Jeopardy: Head Straight to Wormhole 32A/345-61LI5
Assistance is urgently required at planet TQ-RRB VII in the Outer Ring region, where we are continuing to see dramatic and continued wormhole activity.
Pilots are reporting a recurrence of the corrupted Fire Forge area on the other side of the conduit. It is crucial that we take on Fatal’s Schism forces who have already amassed there. As you will no doubt be aware, the Outer Ring is known for its rich deposits of the valuable Nocxium ore, so we need to protect this region at all costs.
This will not be an easy task. We need to wrest a single control point from the enemy, but the site of the conflict is riddled with deadly mines.
Rookie pilots can use this opportunity to familiarize themselves with some high-end support ships. We have Revenants, Sirens and Phantoms available for use.
There is also a Spectre waiting for any heavy pilots who can join the fight.
Make your way to TQ-RRB VII immediately to protect the area’s natural resources. You have three days to make the difference before the wormhole collapses.
See you on the other side!
Mini Masterclass – Flying Fighters in Solitude
It’s fair to say that EVE: Valkyrie’s new Solitude map is unlike anything we’ve encountered previously. We’ve often been faced with the possibility of death by collision, most commonly by faceplanting into an asteroid (or iceteroid in the case of the Gateway map).
That danger is heightened on Solitude, as you are constantly at risk of splatting yourself on one huge hunk of rock… the planet’s surface itself.
Add to that the complexities of the Solitude base and its network of underground tunnels and you have a very challenging environment.
We’ve already examined how to approach this unforgiving location with the heavy and support class ships. Now, it’s the turn of the fighters.
Let’s take the fight to terra firma.
First things first
Groundrush CanyonChase1920x1080 If you’ve played the map at all, you’ll already be aware of the unusual launch set-up. One team launches from the carrier and the other team launches from the Solitude base. As a fighter, you want to initially stay out in the open as much as possible and get a handle on the way things are developing.
In a control match, the heavies and supports will be heading for control points A and B. Both points are based underground in the tunnel networks, so it’s wise for you to take the role of team leader, assess where the enemy ships are going and inform your teammates to engage accordingly.
If you’re in a Team Deathmatch, you need to dictate the rules of engagement to a degree and a good tactic is to take the fight to the long ravine which runs between point B and the carrier. Chasing through the ravine will, of course, leave you open to more focused damage from the heavies should you get hit. But, on the flip side, your relatively more agile fighter will have a distinct advantage in this enclosed space.
Beneath the Surface
The network of tunnels under the surface of the planet can provide some amazing battle opportunities. Skilled flyers will be able to navigate them well enough, but these claustrophobic spaces carry multiple hazards for a gung-ho fighter pilot.
As already mentioned, any tight space is going to amplify the damage effect of a heavy’s weapons. You'll need to scout the area and liaise with your teammates so you know what you’re getting into.
Also, these tunnels, and more specifically the tunnel entrances, are a dream for the support ships and their pesky mine-laying capabilities. When launching a subterranean assault, approach with caution unless you want a face full of shrapnel.
Out in the Open
If you’re playing in a Team Deathmatch, much of the action is going to take place above ground around the Solitude base itself. There are complex structures here that can be utilized for taking cover and evading missiles without having to resort to your ECM (Electronic Countermeasures). However, that’s the case for all three ship classes so while using cover, as a fighter, you also need to drag the fight out into the open spaces when possible.
The heavies will tend to favor the cover afforded by the main structure, so it’s important you don’t offer them an easy target. That’s why it’s important to get in there and draw them out into more open terrain.
Spiderbots
Good teamwork and forward planning can make a real difference on the Solitude map. If you’re playing with friends who are flying support and equipped with spiderbots, this can prove decisive on this map. Solitude can be punishing because of the complex structures, the underground areas and the fact that even if you’re out in the open, you are constantly in danger of hitting the planet’s surface.
Be sure to pre-arrange locations for spiderbot placement with your teammates. If you know beforehand where there are reliable places to get yourself healed, you can take more risks, safe in the knowledge that even if you pick up damage you can dip into the warm embrace of a spiderbot cloud and rejoin the fight.
Have fun out there with the fighters.
Fly safe!
Full steam ahead! Groundrush, EVE: Valkyrie's free major update, adds Steam controller support on PC
We have some great news for our PC-based EVE Valkyrie pilots. The game now supports Valve’s Steam controller, so if that’s your gaming hardware of choice, you can now use it to explore New Eden without having to swap out different controllers. You can see the key bindings for the Steam Controller in the main screen above and find out about all compatible controller bindings in our helpdesk article.
Voila! Steam VR is now your central hub for all things immersive.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to go full Steam ahead!
Fly safe!
Friendly fire mode arrives in this weekend's EVE: Valkyrie Wormhole.
Calling all pilots. You are directed to travel immediately to planet TQ-RRB VII in the Outer Ring region to investigate and report on the latest wormhole anomaly.
It’s not the first time a wormhole has opened up in the Forge area but conditions this time around are decidedly more dangerous.
The area beyond the conduit is a corrupted version of the Forge, which we are calling IceForge.
The Schism are already present and engaging in ferocious Deathmatches with our pilots, so your assistance is crucial. You have the Wraith and Rhino at your disposal - be aware one of the effects of this wormhole is that any ship’s capacitor is greatly enhanced.
Be warned, however. For some reason, our weapons tracking systems are down so it is possible to be damaged, or even killed, by a teammate’s friendly fire.
The wormhole is fairly stable at this stage, so be sure to find out as much as you can within the next 72 hours.
It’s vital we receive detailed intel on this particular anomaly, so we’ve set up a central reporting system, or forum, where you can share your experiences. In order to do so, simply log in here.
Fly safe pilots, and deploy your weapons carefully.
Mini Masterclass – Taking the Supports to Solitude
A couple of days ago we picked up some top tips on how to take on the Solitude map in heavy class ships from ace pilot Nydwen. Now it’s the turn of the support class ships, and who better to give us the advice we need than super-skillful support pilot, Anska? She provides a mini masterclass on chucking mines and spiderbots at the Schism with joyful abandon.
Take it away, Anska!
Fan Love
Solitude support tunnels So, first of all, can we just stop to say how amazing this map is? Yet again the CCP Newcastle team has knocked the ball out the park. I could quite happily just write an article on how great this new map is, and all the stuff I love about it, but I’ll keep it short. First of all, it’s on a planet! Guys, we are fighting on a planet! Second, just stop and look at the amount of detail in this map. There are Thukker tribe symbols in the tunnels and you can even see your ship’s shadow on the planet’s snowy surface.
On top of all the pretty stuff, you get that story. Yet again CCP are showing how great they are at storytelling. If you’ve not yet done so, go to Scout Mode and first pick up all the echoes on Gateway, then the echoes on Solitude. You will not be disappointed. The echoes in these two maps are all part of the same story and EVE Online players out there might want to get their tinfoil hats out.
Solitude: An Overview
Solitude is a support class dream. This is the first map where I’m happy to work on any of the three control points… A, B and C. Even though point B is a bit more in open space, you have structures you can fly around to evade enemy fire, or you can use them to perform sneak attacks on your opponent. Not once on this map have I felt I did not have a place, structure or object that I could use to help me evade or hide to get shields back. Also, let's talk about this map and mines. If any map was made for a mine dropping support ship, this is it. In fact, it’s not just mines, but it’s also great for dropping those lovable spiderbots.
Going Underground
Solitude support entrance If you’ve already played Solitude a bit, you will have seen the underground tunnels. There are three entrances and exits and these openings are just asking to be fed some yummy mines. Then you can watch as enemies try to follow you in and… BOOM!
It’s also a good idea to lay mines around control points A and B themselves. Being in a small underground area, the person fighting you for control will fly into your trap. All you gotta do is play a little game of cat-and-mouse to get them there. The same can be said for point B. There are many nooks and crannies around this area where you can play a quick game of ‘chase me, chase me’ around in a circle before surprising them with a mine to the face.
Similarly, all this could also work just as well when using spiderbots to hurt your enemies, to help you or a teammate. After all, if you have someone chasing you and things are not looking great with you taking lots of damage, you can quickly dip into a tunnel entrance to get some healing. Alternatively, dodge past the pre-placed ‘bots, then quickly turn while they’re inflicting damage on your pursuer and finish off your weakened foe.
During Team Deathmatches, I’ve noticed on Solitude that people use the underground areas now and again, but the action generally takes place in open space. This map is fantastic for a support pilot taking on the healer role. Even if you're out in the open, you can use the bridge-like structure near the carrier, or the now Schism-controlled research base itself to dodge bullets, get a quick heal/shield strip, launch a phaser attack, or use mines and spiderbots before zipping away.
Another ace place for support is the canyon that runs almost the whole length of the map. You can use it effectively to get you from one underground place to another while remaining relatively out of eyeshot. Needless to say, because it’s a confined space, it is yet another great place for mines or spiderbots.
Awesome stuff, Anska. Surely there can be little as satisfying as dropping a mine directly in an enemy’s face?
