EVE Online

[gothwalk]

For anyone who's interested, I've posted some of my impressions of the sci-fi MMO, EVE Online, on dukestreet.org (which is also available as a feed on LJ: dukestreet). While it's not going to get me away from World of Warcraft, it's interestingly different.

Comments

[ex-agname.livejournal.com]

I must say that I never took to Eve. It was pretty boring after a short time. It's very pretty indeed to look at, but the game feels like a big scam to me. You spend a terrific amount of time going on "missions" to mine ore in one place, just to sell it in another and so on and so forth. The game was mostly about sitting around and waiting.

The gameplay wasn't easily exposed either. There was no introduction that quickly swept you up into everything that you can do in the game or how to get ahead or anything. But then they've called that a feature, given that the makers say that the game has just such a vast number of avenues to explore that they can't provide any tutorials as such.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

When did you try it? At least in the current version, there's a massive and excellent beginners tutorial, which took me about five hours in total to complete. You can do it (or parts of it) more than once as well.

[ex-agname.livejournal.com]

Ah, maybe they've improved it then. It's been about 2 years since I played it.

[yrthilian.livejournal.com]

ah yes must get back to EVE been far too long since i have played it

so how do you find it so far?

the new stuff is so much better since the last upgrade they did.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I find it interesting more than good, if you get the idea. It doesn't reach out and grab me the way WoW does, but I find myself thinking about it in more depth - that is, there's more inherent depth to it.

[aidian.livejournal.com]

i played eve for about 4-6 months or so. it was expansive, beautiful, deep, and... well... kind of boring. That about about 6 months ago, iirc. yes, mine the ore, shuttle the package, blow up the npc rats. But by god, you'd better do three things: enlist the help of someone who's been playing longer than you, stay within major trading lanes, and have a LOT of spare time. Particularly if you decide not to throw in with a major corporation or have a buddy who's played since the beginning. Player balance was a gigantic issue, at least for me, because it seemed like everybody I ran into had not just a lot more money than me, but actually enough money to buy and sell me _a thousand times over_. There wasn't any "safe" or "assured" way of making even small amounts of money without hours per day of legwork at the console. It was fun when I had the time, but I'm convinced that most of the players are locked in basements somewhere and probably wear special helmets while they play.

I turned in my commission when I realised how painstakingly slow it was going to be to develop, otherwise.

I also didn't like the habit of bad guys in huge ships hanging outside jump gates and acing anyone smaller than them. Literally. It added an interesting edge of realism, but a little too real, if you ask me. They were able to actually blockade a major newbie travel route that happened to basically have a PvP zone dissecting it for about two jumps. The comms system was full of angry chatter about that one. I don't know about anyone else, but I play games in part to escape from the mean of everyday, even if they're bloody or gory or whatever, it's all in good fun. Essentially getting mugged by PC's wasn't fun at all and felt quite malicious, particularly when I realised that _nothing could stop them_.

yeah, bleh. Shockingly pretty, and I loved the character face-maker, but all in all, it wasn't for me. I really didn't feel like becoming a galactic stock broker or truck driver.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I can see how it would go that way after a bit. I'm not sure I'd pay for it, to be honest - I might try a month at some stage to see how it goes, and get a feel for the larger structure, but not immediately.

[aidian.livejournal.com]

yeah, bleah. combat sucks, too. it's kind of naval style, auto-firing until someone dies or runs away. and as for who wins? all comes down to ships and equipment, which all comes down to.. money. you got the cash backing, you buy the biggest and baddest, you win. that's it. bleh.