At EVE London, CCP informed us about something they called the ‘Hypernet Relay’. The update was to arrive on Singularity on November 27, and go live to TQ as of December 10. Hilmar described it as “something future forward […] a trading paradigm that can be used for wealth redistribution that can be used in New Eden, but also in reality”. But what is the Hypernet Relay? CCP answered that question in a dev blog released on Wednesday, along with the system’s arrival on Sisi.
The Hypernet Relay
The Hypernet Relay is a raffle system. It will allow EVE Online player to sell items in-game, including items that can’t be placed onto the market. It allows players to set their own prices for the item, how many tickets to sell and the price per ticket. This lets players to gain access to higher-value items for a sliver of the normal price—if they win the raffle. They also run the risk of losing all their ISK and ended up with nothing. So how does it work?
First, to be able to sell an item on the Hypernet, you have to have it in an NPC station. Second, you need an item called a HyperCore. These can be purchased from the New Eden Store, or on the market from other players who themselves purchased it on the NES. HyperCores act as your broker fee. In addition, a further tax on your raffle is set to 5% of the total value you’re looking to collect. Each raffle lasts until all tickets are sold, or up to 3 days, whichever comes first. If the tickets do not sell out, all tickets are refunded, but not the HyperCores. In effect, the seller loses the broker fees. It is possible for anyone to buy tickets, including the seller, as a way to make sure the raffle completes.
Why? Or Why Not?
The Hypernet Relay’s goal, according to CCP, is to increase the sale of products. Where sometimes people might not buy a large ticket item, they will be more inclined to buy a raffle ticket for one, in hopes of winning the said raffle. The system was influenced by SomerBlink, a 3rd party system that operated in previous years. The main difference is that Somer offered cash-out value for the item to be re-added back to your gaming credits. As a result, if you won big you could take ISK credit and keep playing. CCP system has a block in place for where you have to sell the item first before you can use your winnings.
My main concern is that the system is an in-game casino full stop. It allows players to gamble tons of ISK quickly with no apparent safeguards in place. While it is possible for a user to contact EVE Online Customer Support and request to be banned from the Hypernet, this sort of self-policing does not work. It is interesting to see what horror stories come out. Am I going to spend my writer fee in 5 mins on some Hypernet Relay raffle, or most likely, am I going to get addicted and spend everything I got? Well, that’s something we find out later on.
I do have faith that this will be a good add on to the game. However, I feel more safeguards need to be put in place due to the flashy in your face win nature that the system currently has.
Hypernet Relay is on SISI right now and is penned for the TQ update on December 10.
