Dateline: The Icelandic Inter-Webs
CCP Fozzie recently made two posts on the EVE Forums about the future of the Thukker Component Assembly Array and the Hyasyoda Research Laboratory.
The Replacements
June will see the release of new rigs and a new service module to replace the structures.
The Hyasyoda Research Laboratory will be replaced by a service module that will have the same function as the current Standup Research Lab I. The new module has an 8.3% fuel use reduction. It will reduce power grid use by 16.7%.
Replacing the Thukker Component Assembly Array will be a set of rigs. These will be targeted at capital component production in Lowsec space. This amounts to a 7.03% reduction in capital component materials.
The L and XL rig variants will provide the other standard bonuses of L capital component rigs and XL structure and component rigs. These bonuses will only be available in Lowsec according to the post on the forums.
All respective labs and arrays will continue to operate in June with phase-out of bonuses in August.
Phase Out and ReSeeding
As part of the phase out of these structures will be reprocessed into materials and a Data Chip that will allow players to get a BPC for the replacement structures.
Existing Thukker Component Assembly Array BPCs will be replaced by the new Data Chip that will allow players to get the new BPCs.
The same mission that supplied the Hyasyoda Research Laboratory will now supply single run BPCs for the new service module.
Commentary
The response has been low to both of the forum posts made by CCP Fozzie today. You can read the posts for the Thukker Component Assembly Array and Hyasyoda Research Laboratory on the forums.
I have never understood using the vehicle of replacement to move new items into the game. The new items do not translate all the existing bonuses from the old. When replacing an item, rightly or wrongly, players tend to think the new items will have similar bonuses to the old items. You can see that in the line of questioning in the forums.
These are new items and not really replacements. The scope of the new structures demands new items with a new way of doing things and new bonuses. It doesn’t make sense to translate all the old bonuses when you consider the other benefits fo citadels. CCP should stick to old items being retired and have a consistent method of remuneration with a slight benefit to the player.
There isn’t a good translation of the items to new structures. The removal of Starbases means fewer, not more structures. Small corporations that once had many Starbases will not necessarily be deploying structures that will use these items.
