My new theory is that anybody who started after 2006 will never achieve anything in this game.
Those that started pre-gold or whatever had the opportunity to get items and assets that today are worth many thousands of times what they got them for (and in many cases, they looted for free.) Also, those that started early have more skills than anybody who started later, partially because they've been playing longer, but far more likely because MA changed the system since the early days. One example would be ESI's sold from the TT, allowing early players to chip without the 650% surcharge we pay today. Then, if you look at the "events", many, if not all of them, are won by either those with the highest skills (e.g. landgrabs) or the most assets (e.g. those who got PotE armors bought the necessary pieces, not found them.)
ESI or GSI never sold from the TT and in the beginning you could not sell skills you had to grind for them. There were fap skillers who took advantage of MA's lacked stance on A/C to abuse the system and fap in acid pools and with low level drones and what not. Some skilled on trapped troxes and on each other so the system was not perfect back then and yeah there are many who attained what otherwise would not have been attained had they not exploited. Things like that still go on today maybe not the same actions but people will always try to get ahead.
Events IMO are designed to motivate people to skill up to participate or figure out ways to do so without using as many resources. LG will always change to some extent and those with the means will try to win that is just the nature of LG. Other events like Merry Mayhem are structured for certain skill levels and more than likely like LG will be tweaked in the future but that is just my opinion.
Loot was different even when I started in 2004 but it has grown. You don't need to max out a repairable items these days to be competitive and skills do move at a faster pace in SIB. I've been using XT to max it and will probably do so in two more (L) purchases unless I decide to chip but I doubt that since its nice to get a payback on money spent.
MA will always change the system some of which is good and some of which is not. Not everyone who uses a MM or IMP MKII or IMP or MOD FAP got them back in the day. Before I started and as far as I can remember you still had to deposit to play and loot items unless you were really lucky.
I've never quite got all this boohoo about the past when there are opportunities as we speak that people in the future will look back on and boohoo just the same.
Anything is possible in EU, sometimes it takes money sometimes time and sometimes a combination of both but make a goal and stick to it eventually it will happen. I want 100 blp dmg and 100 hit professions that is my goal I do what it takes to attain those goals will it take time? yeah money? yeah but today I am closer than I was 2 years ago and that happened on the heals of taking money out of EU during SGA. I'm not pre-gold, I never looted a repairable adj, imp, or mod item but I make it happen albeit a slower pace than others.
One of the fatal flaws in this game, imho, is that the best equipment (UL weapons, for example) can only be used by a small percentage of the players, meaning that there's little or no chance for a player starting today to get one nor use one without an unrealistic "investment."
un(L) weapons can be used by anyone at any time although it might not be the best eco wise to do so that is a personal choice as is using (L). SGA dropped a number of items in the market so there are more opportunities to acquire these items as well as a price drop on many. New planets might present new opportunities as well. There are some fairly reasonable (L) alternatives out there until one day you come across that great deal or awesome loot. I've taken a step back in my equipment setup and still enjoy EU a lot. I've gone from PoE to eMine and other specialized (L) and un(L) armors. From Adj VI and ML-35ME to DOA LM SGA and M71a1 from Adj FAP to Adj Hedok SK-50 SGA and still do OK hunting what I used to hunt and using (L) here and there to compete in events and what not. There are so many options available you can explore so many different avenues until you find a workable setup. Also an unrealistic "investment" to you might not be for someone else.
As the system continues to change, the gap between the haves and have-nots increases as well. The last mod fap to drop in the last 3 years, for example, was gotten by a person who could kill daspletors. Someone who started after 2006 was a) highly unlikely to be able to kill daspletors, and b) had no chance to get a mod fap from any other monster, and c) needed to deposit somewhere in the neighborhood of $30k US to buy it from the person who found it.
That person could kill Daspletors because someone was FAPing him. Not sure what equipment he was using but I don't think he could solo them or do it effectively. I also can't remember was it a Dasp Stalker or Dasp young that looted that FAP? I've seen new names globaling on all types of hard creatures and I know they have not been here for years so they are making it happen. I don't see any defeatist statements coming from them or am I just missing them? Contrary to what many think you can still play EU without all the Adj, Imp, Mod items out there. If you loot one, then awesome, if you can afford one, then great, otherwise you take the tools and skills you got and make do until you reach a goal like saving up enough ped to buy and item or skilling to the point where its cheaper to use an XT or some other weapon than fork out cash for a Mod Merc.
This is just a theory, and my observations on how the system keeps getting worse and worse as time goes by. I'd love to be proven wrong by someone who has made great achievements since VU 9, but as of yet, no-one has.
I get your theory believe it or not. My point is that there are a lot of opportunities today and yet to be seen. Many who start today or tomorrow might one day be looked back upon just how you look back on those prior to 2006. If you always stand looking back you will never see where you are right now and where you will go from there.
Lastly IMHO EU has always been about thinking long term "how can I set myself up for the future?" is something I ask myself in real life and in EU. EU is never going to be completely bug free, fair, or transparent. If it appeals to you then find your niche in the system if not there are plenty of other options available out there in the world. People are continually making it happen in EU from veterans, to mid levels, to newbies. I am constantly impressed with what I see from this community at times even from those who might not think I am their friend.
We were all newbies once and we all had daunting aspects to PE and EU but somehow many of us looked past the "impossibles" and saw something possible and its why we are still here today plugging away at mobs wondering when that great item will show up or that mining tower to appear. Aside from that its about growing your avatar, pedcard, personal knowledge, and tangible wealth IMO while having fun in Sci Fi - ish MMO with other like minded individuals. If it seems impossible or your not having fun than you need to be asking yourself some serious questions about what you can live with and what you can not.
