Me and my girlfriend recently started a one month excursion into EVE. However, neither of us has ever played another "traditional" MMO. We are, of course, generally familiar with how MMOs work, but on a specific level we don't know what makes this one different. Of course there are some big things that are obvious: the open economy, the single server, the always PVP, the player corps. What I'm wondering about is the more typical day to day stuff.

For example, I've been primarily into mining so far (I have a lot of reading that I need to do over the summer, so this has been a good compromise). This has consisted primarily of figuring out efficient routes and strategies, sitting with the window open and keeping my eye out for enemies while I drop ore into containers, then occasionally doing a few jumps in a transport ship to find a decent price. Is that basically how other MMOs work? What about the other mechanics? And even though other economies might be more closed, do they still have the same sort of industrial specialization?

Perhaps most importantly, are the goals in other MMOs more structured than EVEs? Thusfar it's felt very minecrafty in that I'm basically setting up my own goals and ignoring any kind of missions, is this also typical MMO behaviour?

On a side note, I'm enjoying the game so far. Whether or not that lasts till the end of the month will determine whether I renew or not...

High sec systems are the closest to regular mmos. Go out to null sec and it gets crazier. But you need to find a corp to do that kind of stuff. Most of null sec operates on Not Blue Shoot It, not Not Red Don't Shoot.

@Leptok said:

High sec systems are the closest to regular mmos.

Ok, so how close is "closest"?

Most MMOs are more directed, the gameplay is based entirely around player vs. world interaction. And when you get into player vs. player, it's relegated to specific arenas or worlds. People can play Eve without ever shooting at an NPC if they so choose.

There is some amount of player specialization in other games, but it's relatively shallow, you can be good at crafting armor or running dungeons, but you can't monopolize your industry or corner the market on a particular item. Also, item prices don't vary as widely as they do in Eve because the worlds are smaller, in Eve, if you can find a place to make a profit, it usually means a large margin.

The biggest difference is the world, Eve has no instances, everyone who plays Eve is on the same server and sees the same stuff, even when you play a deadspace mission, other players can pop into your area and interact with everything in it. (Which leads to ninja salvaging) Jita for one person is the same as Jita for everyone else. This is the most important thing about Eve and by far it's greatest achievement. In a game like World of Warcraft the playerbase is divided by continent (EU, US, Asia), then each continent is subdivided into servers, then each server (especially in Cryptic MMOs) is subdivided into dozens of instances for each area of the game.

Eve online is the most fantastic game ever made, but it's more of a lifestyle than a hobby, if you can play for 20+ hours a week for the rest of forever, then you should stick with it. Otherwise you'll never really get into the meat of the game, which is the player interaction.

@nintendoeats said:

@Leptok said:

High sec systems are the closest to regular mmos.

Ok, so how close is "closest"?

It's a bad idea to kill people in high sec unless you know what you're doing and you can't do stuff like build your own outposts. In other MMOs you usually aren't even able to attack anyone you want. The world is also static, with player actions not having any effect except to them personally.

High sec is sorta "minecrafty" as you said. Basically the entire drive of the game in high sec is to make money, and if that's your thing you'll have fun. Null sec is more focused on PvP and group PvE content, so in that sense it's more like an average MMO, but really EvE is very, very different from any other MMO I've played.

A better question is how is it the same, because it's really very different.

Make sure you and your girlfriend join the GiantBomb channel! the more, the merrier! There's always people in there willing to help you out, though I must admit I've been rather absent lately...

Pretty goddamn different. There's no levels really, you just keep buying and training skills which aren't like skills in traditional MMOs, more like the ability to use certain things, and they build up in real-time, so you could technically "grind" out skills without playing and... yeah I don't know. Where do you start? It's so fundamentally different from like any MMO out there that it's difficult to explain.

It's best to just try it out for free and make up your own mind.

@MikkaQ said:

It's best to just try it out for free and make up your own mind.

That's true to an extent, but you really miss out on most cool stuff without a couple months of training in my experience.

@Mikemcn: @Ragnarok512: @Pinworm45: @BabyChooChoo: @MikkaQ: @Fripplebubby:

Thanks guys, those were all excellent answers. You've really put the game into perspective for me.

@BabyChooChoo said:

Make sure you and your girlfriend join the GiantBomb channel! the more, the merrier! There's always people in there willing to help you out, though I must admit I've been rather absent lately...

Whats that, I've started playing EVE online recently and I was wondering if Giant Bomb had a corportation or channel of sorts.

High sec is sorta "minecrafty" as you said. Basically the entire drive of the game in high sec is to make money, and if that's your thing you'll have fun. 

@Marokai: That sounds alot like real life. I'm not saying your wrong.

@Marokai: That sounds alot like real life. I'm not saying your wrong.

@Marokai said:

@nintendoeats said:

@Marokai: That sounds alot like real life. I'm not saying your wrong.

It certainly is, far more than any other video game. In ways both good and bad.

EVE Online: It's a Lot Like Real Life

Quoth Yahtzee: "Perhaps I've underestimated the appeal of having a second job"

How is Eve different than other MMOs? I'd say in just about every way possible.

I'll break it down into a couple different areas.

High Security Systems ("Hisec"): These are controlled by NPC empires and anybody who ganks will be punished with the destruction of their own ship. The organization responsible for this is called CONCORD. This makes it safer because it becomes more expensive and difficult to kill random people due to retaliation; however, it's important to note that it's still possible somebody really wants you dead. Bottom line, never let your guard down. Typical highsec activities include:

• Mining asteroids, the backbone of EVE's online economy
• Trading commodities, buying low and selling high as well as actually hauling the stuff to lucrative markets
• NPC Missions, blowing up computer controlled ships for cash
• Manufacturing, researching, and planetary interaction (often collectively termed "industry")

Low Security Systems ("Losec"): These areas are the border between truly lawless space and hisec systems. Losec systems have no retaliation for ganking others, and at gates between systems there is only minimal protection from automated turrets. These are highly dangerous areas because many pilots, pirates, and mercenaries cruise around looking to catch stragglers from hisec or haulers to outer areas. Predators and killers in lowsec have their security status tracked, and if they kill enough players they'll be marked to everyone or even unable to enter hisec. Typical activities in losec are similar to hisec - abliet a lot riskier - and also include:

• Piracy for fun, profit, and most importantly, reputation
• Factional Warfare, enlisting in the NPC empires and capturing territory from rival enlisted militias
• General PvP with no goal other than the destroy the enemy or have a good fight

No Security Systems ("Nullsec"): Nullsec has absolutely no affiliation to the NPC empires; there's no protection from them through ships, turrets, or anything. Even security status doesn't exist out here. Generally, nullsec is controlled and governed by players (I won't get into NPC nullsec). This is considered one of the most impressive features of the game; to hold territory and grab more, massive alliances of many corporations are formed with thousands upon thousands of players. Politics comes into play and massive fleet battles with hundreds of ships are almost a daily occurrence. Nullsec is safe if you are on the controlling faction's good books, and death if you aren't and get caught by a patrol. In nullsec, you can:

• Mine moons and fight NPCs in 'complexes' worth tons of money
• Build and operate the largest ships in the game
• Capture systems, fight with fleets, forge an empire

Wormhole Space ("WH"): Wormhole space is unique and doesn't easily fit into any of the three categories above. If it had to be compared, it's most like nullsec; there's no safety and no security status, you can do whatever you like to whoever you find. However, wormholes themselves mean that much smaller communities of players operate within this kind of space and ships are more limited in size. Furthermore, wormholes can appear anywhere in the universe and thus WH space can be reached from either hisec, losec, or nullsec. Logistics can be difficult for those trying to establish roots there. However, they can be very lucrative to those dedicated enough to set up shop. Wormhole activities include:

• Exploration, finding abandoned sites in space and destroying ancient drones for valuable loot
• Mining of rare and exotic minerals worth lots of money
• Raiding and PvP without worrying about CONCORD, security status, or alliance fleets

@Marokai: Are you speaking mainly to Goonfleet's new quest?

@Marokai: While I don't agree with the bullshit ganking crusade that occurs often in EVE I find that it shows that there other ways. While high sec mining, trading, manufac, and so on is good it is not something that appeals to new players. I like my null PVP but I feel your pain... currently AAA is getting wrapped up in the same problem and its really fucking us over.

@Marokai: While I don't agree with the bullshit ganking crusade that occurs often in EVE I find that it shows that there other ways. While high sec mining, trading, manufac, and so on is good it is not something that appeals to new players. I like my null PVP but I feel your pain... currently AAA is getting wrapped up in the same problem and its really fucking us over.