EVE Online is one of the most unique properties in the world of MMOs. Its dynamic player community, rough-and-tumble atmosphere and intricate economy make it very much the only game of its kind. EVE is, in many ways, the coolest MMO on the market. In what other game can you hold another player hostage, steal all of his stuff and then use your ill-gotten gains to pay your subscription fee?
Of course, EVE Online's steep learning curve and reputation for harboring some of gaming's worst personalities often turns new players away. Because EVE is such a ridiculously complicated game and much of its player community is relatively entrenched in years-old conflicts, it can seem like there's no room for a new guy to get started. Most of what the non-EVE community learns about the game has to do with stories of epic corporate espionage or insane events waged by a massive player alliance.
Take, for example, this story over on Massively about a particular group of players rigging mechanics introduced in EVE's latest expansion to the tune of 5 trillion ISK, or roughly $170,000. There's also this article, outlining players' attempts to destroy the economy by blockading EVE's primary trading hub--or this article, covering one of the biggest in-game heists of all time. When you scroll through the comments on any of these stories, you tend to see the same sentiments crop up over and over again.
Since I'm an EVE player (and streamer, check me out Mondays on Massively TV), I thought it might be fun to gather some of these familiar statements and run them up against a gentle reality check. I should note that I'm no EVE expert-I'm not even in a corp. But I do play the game, and I do have fun while playing.
So, let's get started:
"I'd love to play EVE, but it's just too complicated."
Yes, from an outsider's perspective, EVE is complicated. And while the mechanics of any MMO can seem confusing to a newcomer, EVE's are especially so. However, EVE is not so complicated that it's impossible to play. CCP has made big upgrades to the tutorial system, and most players should be able to get a rough understanding of the single-player game by completing the tutorials. It's all about taking things one step at a time.
The broad, thousand-player political struggles are as complex as they are intriguing, but as a new player, your job is mostly to learn the game and find a profession you like. You can worry about the big stuff once you're comfortable with the core game mechanics. If more EVE newcomers approached the game like any other MMO and learned a little bit at a time instead of trying to digest the whole thing at once, I think they'd find more to enjoy. After all, it's not like you had a full understanding of your three talent trees and full spell listings the first day you signed into World of Warcraft, right? Of course not-you started with Smite and worked your way up.
