New Unidentified Wormholes Excite Explorers
Neville Smit
An example of the new, huge structures found in Unidentified Wormholes. Captured by tgl3, and used with permission.
The new anomaly sites are designed to be run by at least two pilots simultaneously. They require using hacking modules on a series of two or more separate structures at the same time, requiring cooperative small gangs to work through the sites in coordination.
CSM representative Corbexx, who was elected primarily by the wormhole-dwelling community, said of the new Unidentified Wormholes, “From what I see, [the new content] looks really good and promising.”
Approaching an Unidentified Wormholes structure. Captured by tgl3, and used with permission.
Unique Structure and Content
EVE Online lore expert and author of the Interstellar Privateer blog, Rhavas, shared what he has learned so far about the new Unidentified Wormholes: “It is worth noting that the real meat of these wormholes is not accessible without a group. Each [Unidentified] Wormhole leads to a specific type (e.g., S877 leads to a ‘Sentinel’ type), each with an existing effect (e.g., Pulsar). There is one Unidentified Wormhole type with each effect except for a Black Hole. Each seems to have five combat anomalies, along with wormhole connections, and nothing else.” “Keep in mind that these things are entirely subject to change because it’s on SiSi – and an early build at that,” Rhavas is quick to remind players. “Some things [in the new wormholes] seem to have wrong or incomplete names or descriptions or be placeholders, which is a common thing on [the test server]. It also is the way CCP hides what it can before releasing content to TQ – the last thing to go in is the final Show Info [descriptions].”
The new Unidentified Wormholes also include monoliths like this one – purpose as yet unknown.
Citing the unusual structure of these new Unidentified Wormholes, Rhavas explains, “Oddly, while there are wormholes in each system, there does not seem to be a way back out. [On Sisi,] people have had to leave via the /moveme command. In addition, of the wormholes you can scan, a static D382 to a Class 2 is the only actual wormhole. All others, though you may scan them down, are not actually on grid when you get there.”
Rhavas finds the naming of the Unidentified Wormholes to be of special interest. “It is noteworthy that the game considers these systems to be ‘Class K’. Currently A-F are Class 1-6, G is Thera, and H is the Small Shattered type. There are no Class I or Class J. This seems like a strange oversight – and thus, likely intentional [by CCP Games’ designers].”
The five types of Unidentified Wormholes observed on Sisi so far are:
- Barbican (J110145 Cataclysmic Variable). Entry: B735 Unidentified Wormhole Beacon. Known systems: Nasreri
- Conflux (J200727 Pulsar). Entry: C414 Unidentified Wormhole Beacon. Known systems: Otelen, Pashanai
- Redoubt (J175618 Wolf Rayet). Entry: R259 Unidentified Wormhole Beacon. Known systems: Murzi
- Sentinel (J055520 Red Giant). Entry: S877 Unidentified Wormhole Beacon. Known systems: Ami
- Vidette (J164710 Magnetar). Entry: V928 Unidentified Wormhole Beacon. Known systems: Kurniainen
Another unique structure in an Unidentified Wormhole.
tgl3, a fleet commander with the Wormhole Engineers corporation, confirms the unique nature of the Unidentified Wormholes. “My initial impressions are good. Unidentified Wormholes will add a fair bit of mystery, with weird anomalies in each, and they encourage cooperation with timed dual-lane hacking sites and a stupidly huge, mysterious structure at the end, whose main purpose is yet unknown.”
The structure of the hacking site “maze” in an anomaly in a new Sentinel type of Unidentified Wormhole. Multiple pilots must hack access units on each side simultaneously in order to gain access to the next part of the site. Documented by tgl3, and used with permission.
Rhavas confirms tgl3’s findings. “The anomalies [in the new wormholes] also appear to be entirely new, although made out of lots of old spare parts, especially Sleeper components and rocks. I’ve recorded twenty entirely different anoms so far, and while I can’t be definitive yet, my suspicion is that there are five unique ones per system that appear only in that [type of Unidentified Wormhole].”
tgl3 reports that the Unidentified Wormholes are populated with NPC Sleeper cruisers and the occasional battleship, which have been relatively easy to overcome, so far. “The main challenge [in the new wormholes] are the new exploration and hacking puzzles.” However, Rhavas cautions, “These systems will have multiple, obvious entry points in k-space if they stay the way they are, [so] it might not just be Jove and Sleepers you need to worry about while you’re going for the big payoffs in the new beacon sites.”
The new structures found in Unidentified Wormholes are of incredible size. The small dot in the middle of this picture is a Tengu. Captured by tgl3, and used with permission.
Lore Implications
Rhavas believes that “good lore speculation will have to wait” until the new Unidentified Wormholes are released on TQ and are available for full discovery by explorers. However, Mark726, editor of the EVE Travel blog and author of the Lore Survival Guide, is excited about the potential for Unidentified Wormholes to reveal more about the emerging story of EVE Online. “It looks like we may finally be starting to get to the heart not just of the Drifters, but potentially the Sleepers as well,” said Mark726. “Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we’re finding our way into what I think is going to be the Sleeper’s inner sanctum, which could split the storyline wide open. For a long time, there’s been a lot about the Sleepers that we did not know in-character, but I suspect these wormholes may be a giant leap towards filling in the holes in our knowledge.”
A “Sleeper Preservation Conduit”, one of the new giant structures to be found in Unidentified Wormholes.
tgl3 echoes this excitement as well. “I’m sure there’s more to come and a lot for us to figure out. What are these new Vaults? Why the weird new structures and anomalies? Even as a guy not really into the lore, being in the initial expeditions was amazing. There’ll be more to come, in both game mechanics and lore-wise. I plan to be on the front of figuring it out.”
“These are majestic structures in the middle of these somewhat oddly named sites, breathtaking both in their scope and in what they represent,” Mark726 reflects. “I have no doubt that we will uncover new mysteries, but I’m hoping its not too much to ask that [the new wormholes] will answer some old ones. I’m excited to dig into them!”
About the author
Neville Smit
Neville Smit, a former director of education for EVE University, is now a non-violent space hippie in the Signal Cartel, living in wormhole space and making a meager living as an explorer. He has been trying to learn how to play EVE Online since 2009. You can read more about his misadventures in New Eden at NevilleSmit.com or on Twitter @NevilleSmit.
