Lowsec – wtf to do?
So you’re bored of highsec? Tired of mission running, mining the same old minerals, or just missing the pew pew but don’t want to risk going into nullsec? Well, you might be thinking lowsec is for you. The following guide summarizes my views on lowsec, spanning over roughly a 7 month time period from the occasional roam, frequent ratting visits, and ultimately setting up real estate.
Overall Review
Honestly boys and girls, lowsec is not what you dream it to be. In the end, as you will most likely discover, lowsec is most easily compared to a wet towel. A towel’s primary purpose is to dry something, and must be itself dry to accomplish this task. A wet towel is useless for its primary purpose. However, at those rare times you may happen upon a headache or your dog shits on the carpet, a wet towel can be used for a quick fix. Ideally, the very purpose of lowsec presented within official CCP descriptions, headlines, and trailers, (at least from what I’ve derived) is to offer players the following:
DISCLAIMER: This description of lowsec is not a rage against lowsec. Of course I have opinions on what I’d like to see improve the place, so at the end I will discuss. However, first I am going to list the realities I have discovered and classify them as positive or negative in an effort to show you what lowsec is really like. In the conclusion, I will summarize proposed fixes of lowsec I have observed on the forums, as well as a few less controversial ones I have pondered. In the end, decide for yourself!
The Dream
This is what lowsec is marketed as:
1) The chance to “hit it big” in the supposedly edgy, somewhat outlawish badlands of lowsec where nearly every turn has the potential danger, but without the blob warfare, no holds bars rules of nullsec. Generally, you have the chance to “make bigger isk” than in highsec without the high risk stakes and alliance politics of nullsec. (You still have gate guns and station guns, and sec status penalties for engaging non-reds).
2) A place to test out your POS (player owned structure). Lowsec is framed as containing many systems “ripe for the farming,” where you can set up your POS and begin raking in the isk within somewhat lower traffic systems, testing out the kinks in places which should make profit without the danger of nullsec (as opposed to highsec where moon goo will not break you even in profit/investment).
3) Faction Warfare and a training ground for nullsec wannabees. Test out your corporation by taking fleets out to engage other roaming fleets on the faction warfare battlegrounds or merely engaging other roaming fleets.
4) A pirating haven. Yes, you can engage anyone you want anywhere in lowsec, as long as you can tank the station/gate guns and put up with a decreased sec status. No CONCORD will come, and the potential for a “juicy” target dropping expensive loot is great.
5) Cosmic Anamolies/Ratting. Engaging rats in roid belts to gain lvl 4 comparable bounties, faction drops, and the cosmic anomaly scan down for potentially big isk rooms.
The Reality (Generally Negative)
The following, to me, is the reality of lowsec which is unlike what is marketed, or what is currently not quite right. A few of these points may be seen as positives or negatives to you, but my analysis is as follows:
1) VACANCY of lowsec. To me, the biggest let down of all time in Eve. The pvp starved, danger seeking, high risk taker WANTS it. However, it’s generally more empty than a theatre on the opening day of a new Cameron Diaz movie. Yes, there are a few notorious systems in lowsec where one can venture to and almost guarantee some pvp action, whether it be fair or gang pwnage. Such systems like Amamake ring the bell. However, I have visited many lowsec pockets throughout all of New Eden and most of them are tumble weeding the majority of the time. I actually did a lengthily experiment to prove lowsec was generally vacant to come to grips with the reality of the space: Overall, these systems are empty. Over a span of 3 weeks, I logged online and ventured through 29 of the same lowsec systems each day, at varying times of the day. Out of these 29 systems, an average of two systems contained over 5 active people. An average of four additional systems contained 1 or 2 active pilots who were actually out and about.
- NOTE: Out of the 29 systems, I did indeed find at least 7+ systems with at least 5+ people in them. However, these other 7 systems had stations, where alts are permanently stationed to maintain research/invention/manufacturing lines, never undocking from station. This was proven through actual messaging to those players or the day-to-day observance of them in system.
- i. If you are lucky enough to find discover a pilot out of lowsec the will be one of the following: -10 sec status pirate, hapless noob (only a few jumps into lowsec), a gang of heavily fit and remote repaired ships, an Eve University blob, FW blob, and in the rarest of rare cases a 1v1 PvP taker.
- Positive: Yes, the vacancy of lowsec may appeal to the miner, industrialist, ratter, and explorer (cosmic anomaly runner). It may give the miner or industrialist the general safety of empty systems, rarely to be ganked by roaming players. When your usually empty system lights up, you simply warp to a safe spot.
- Negative: To all other players of New Eden, this general emptiness of lowsec is only broken up by only 2 systems for every 30 or so others and feels just boring. Those epic solo 1v1 engagements you seek are rare and hard to come by, those gang on gang fights may only appear by pure chance if you run into another gang (though these small gang roams I have seen less and less over the past year). For the pirates, you may camp a system for hours just to get one hit. For faction warfare, many engagements are taking place in high sec to avoid ganking by non-FW related players who track the FW engagements for free kill mails. Overall, the “danger zone” lowsec is marketed to be feels more like a “be careful you don’t trip on the occasionally wet floor” zone.
2) Nothing “Special” – Calling back on the wet towel concept, trying to find something more “exciting” to do in lowsec is like picking up a towel to dry yourself with only to find out it’s soaked. Yes, you will dry some of the water off yourself, but you were immediately let down upon feeling the dampness, and there will always be that uncomfortably annoying film of water still coating your skin. Like the wet towel, lowsec after the first few activities gives the vibe of an always present, uncomfortable letdown. Yes those bounties on rats are higher, there are cosmic anomalies with potential rare goodies, POS’s abound, ore is a bit more profitable etc..but these are all activities which can be accomplished in highsec and nullsec. Where are the “lowsec only” events and activities? It’s the same Christmas toy repacked in a slightly different wrapping paper, with that paper representing the potential for PvP without CONCORD.
3) POS Setup – I must admit before this analysis, I have not had the most thorough POS experience. Yes, I have set up all three sizes but just for a few weeks of testing. The following information I have gathered from my own short experience in POS’s and from other players who have. These positives/negatives are NOT describing if it is good or bad to have a POS period, but just setting one up in a lowsec location. (That is for a different guide!)
- Positive: Yes, setting up a POS in lowsec is much earlier accomplished due to the lower sec status required for an empire to do so, is generally much closer to highsec than nullsec, and has the added protection of gate/station guns for escaping. You can even break even from your initial investment if you are experienced, have the isk, have a bat phone, or are just plain lucky. Here, lowsec DOES succeed at allowing players an alternative, potentially profitable area for setting up shop.
- Negatives: Setting up a POS is not for the faint at heart. There are corps in New Eden whose sole purpose is to find your lowsec POS and rape cage the shit out of it or ransom you until you’re broke. This is technically a “negative” to setting up a POS out there, but it’s part of lowsec that actually has that “higher” risk and gamble feel to it. Your POS is much more at risk in lowsec than highsec due to anyone being able to fire upon it without CONCORD (duh).
The Reality (Generally Positive with Some Negative)
1) Outlaws (the RED sec status) Haven – The game mechanics force characters with extremely low security statuses to live in lowsec or nullsec. Yes, indeed lowsec does excel in this manner, allowing the outlaw to not be instantly CONCORDed when traveling. The outlaw can continue destroying the hapless newcomer, continuing his/her life of tear collecting. However, the fun in being an outlaw may be slow at times – the vacancy of the void leaves less to pew!
2) Engagement Mechanics – Being able to engage another player without CONCORD busting in clubs swinging is fun. Limiting yourself to PvP during highsec wardecs, constantly playing the station camping game, gets very old very fast. Since you can engage anywhere in lowsec, there are a few players actually willing to engage. You also have the potential to catch the miner offguard, clueless mission runner, etc..However, to me, the security status decrease for popping another player (if they not red to you initially) is STEEP, almost comparable to a highsec suicide gank. Thus, many potential lowsec PvP entrepreneurs are dissuaded from entering and PvP’ing in lowsec due to this drop in sec status. On the other hand, I do believe the gate/station guns are realistic. It is not nullsec, so therefore a small bit of protection is realistically warranted.
3) Faction Drops/Good Anomalies – Lowsec gives the chance for decent faction drops in the belts and (sometimes) profitable scannable sites to run. (The increased isk factor is the only real difference between high/low sec).
4) POS Crap Shoot –If you use your d-scanner on any system which contains NPC systems or is right on the other side of a highsec/nullsec gate, you WILL see POS’s. For POS hunting corporations, these area is perfect to tackle the many solo POS’ers and other corps’ POS’s off guard.
5) Hiding/Wardec Aversion – If you are an outlaw, besieged mercilessly in high sec, or are on the run from a corps you recently robbed blind, lowsec is a great place to hide. “But Band they will just locater agent me and come on their way.” Yes indeed, they will locater agent you. However, if they know you are chilling in lowsec, the chance of them risking the roam to camp you is very low. Most high sec players do not understand the above reality of lowsec, and thus are afraid of it.
Potential Fixes
The realities of wet towel have been detailed. There are many a forum post on the lowsec debate, heated with claims of the space being broken and abandoned by CCP etc. Below, in an effort to get the gears turning, are a quick list of a few possible fixes to make it more appealing and FUN to people.
Forum Threadageddons
1) Modifications to Gate Guns/Station Guns – On the chance you do find an outlaw fitted to the nines in deadspace mods at a gate, you will most likely materialize into another yellow wreck on his screen while he happily tanks the gate gun damage. Some propose buffing this to make sentry guns impossible to tank. However, some argue this further increases safety in lowsec, ruining the purpose of a more “low security” area. Some propose lessening the sentry damage or removing them; this will keep the outlaws there and may potentially encourage more people to become camping outlaws.
2) Buff to Moon Goo – So tech II production and the BPO enterprise are the big isk makers POS’s are used for. Buffing moon goo profits, less rarity of big isk goo, etc. may bring more people out to the moons. However, the market will rebalance the prices, lowering isk prices of those big ticket goos anyways due to supply and demand.
3) Change in Sec Status Drops – When attacking a non-red ship or popping a non-red ship, substantially decrease or remove the current sec status penalty. This may encourage more pilots to enter lowsec to PvP but will at the same time encourage ganking more.
My Proposed Improvements
4) Making lowsec “Special” – I don’t know for sure what this may be, but something needs to be added into lowsec to make it more unique from highsec and nullsec beyond basic game mechanic differences. Lowsec-only events, activities, or SOMETHING. For example: Incursions are enjoyed by many players in Eve, but occur in all types of systems. Perhaps have something incursion-esque which is only limited to lowsec. Have the different pirate factions (angel, serpintis, etc.) invade lowsec systems like the Sansha do. Have planets which are threatened by natural cosmic disasters which need evacuated or, in reverse, repopulated (now we can use all those NPC slaves or marines etc. and you transport them around for LP or isk), or have the stargates malfunction and people have to go in there and RR to fix them, blockholes open up near stargates which suck you in then you must fight your way out to another exit, or have CONCORD vs. PIRATE epic fleet fights where you join in on the CONCORD side and duke it out over scheduled live events. I don’t know, the possibilities may be limitless. Have something to bring in the people and make it exciting!
5) A Drive for Nullsec “Space” – Similar to the Western drive for land in the American past, have a month for discounts on POS’s or specific fuel types etc. which can be set up in lowsec. Get the people out there. Maybe modify a few of the moons in lowsec in a patch which adds a few extra “gold mine” moons. Then, as in the epic wars of nullsec, lowsec may become filled a bit more with people vying for power and politics over these moons. Or perhaps offer a limited of time “free” moon scans (much like planet view in PI mode)? This might take a bit in the coding and stuff, but it would be interesting to see implemented.
6) Setting up a “Starbase” – So lowsec is considered not “fully” counquered space, but is still under sovereignty and a bit of protection under their faction…have it possible to not gain “sovereignty” over a lowsec system but be able to gain “security” over a lowsec system, in effect owning the actual NPC stations within them? Perhaps be able to enforce your own law in that space without sec status penalties, or gain isk tax profits in that system from the NPC stations. Something to this effect, giving people more of an incentive to “take” a lowsec area.
Conclusion
Well, after five MS word long pages I have finished this brief overview of lowsec. I hope you’ve enjoyed the reading and forced some reality into the current state of the wet towel. Hopefully, in the future, some sort of game changing characteristic will be added to lowsec to make it more interesting. Remember: Make the decision for yourself!
theevewalk 