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My first four days with EVE: Some reflections during DT
tmersana
Member Posts: 5
I thought, being a noob to EVE, I'd take the opportunity in the DT to divulge my thoughts on my first few days playing... Consider it my testimonial, if you will, of why I am now an EVE loyalist.
I didn't think I would like this game this much. It seemed.... overwhelming. Huge. Complex. Intricate. Challenging.
Those were the reasons I first downloaded EVE, gave it a quick spin and then uninstalled it to preserve disk space. I didn't get it at first. It seemed so far beyond my understanding. But, then again, I wasn't really listening to what EVE was telling me.
After reinstalling EVE and deciding to give it another go, I merrily created a Caldari character, played through the tutorial, amassing some fun weapons, modules, and other things, and joined a corporation. I thought, hey, this is pretty easy. It's fun, kinda care-free, and entertaining. I was roaming around my home system, doing some mining and doing some scattered agent missions, when I was sent a message by our CEO, stating that he recommended I relocate to their home system as soon as I could, since our allies and support were there.
Sounded easy enough to me. So I gathered my belongings from the hangar, loaded them onto my shiny new Merlin, and began the massive 11-jump journey to my soon-to-be new home. Being new to the game, I thought, "okay this will take a while. I'll go AFK to do the dishes while it jumps."
Needless to say, I found out rather quickly how misguided that was.
As I finished the dishes, I came back to find that I hadn't even made it three jumps before I was gutted and podkilled without warning. It took a moment to sink in, but I suddenly realized... I just lost everything I owned. My new ship was gone. All my cargo, modules, skillbooks, tritanium, all of it was gone. I was furious at first. I had no idea what to do. I had very little ISK, fortunately a new Ibis (thanks to my insurance policy), and no modules at all. For about an hour after that, I gave up on EVE.
But I eventually came to this conclusion: this felt more real to me than anything I'd ever experienced in WoW. I experienced a near total loss. I literally felt like I had lost something. If I died in WoW, no big deal. All my gear was in tact, and all I had to do was go fetch my corpse, but this.... this was different.
The more I read the forums and guides, trying to find some answers, I started realizing that everything I did in this game held meaning. Not just to myself, but to others as well. This wasn't a linear romp through the stars. This was an existence. There was true struggle in this realm. True heartbreak from loss. True elation from a hard-fought victory. True paranoia in never feeling safe.
I had to think to survive, not just rely on the mechanics of the world I was playing in to protect me. And that's just it: the vulnerability makes it all too real. If all of this was real life, and you were a new pilot and you were flying around in space trying to learn, you would certainly come across pirates and/or goons who would either kill you for fun or rob you for profit. That's what makes this game so exciting to me: the challenge of survival.
This isn't about amassing the best loot or becoming the best fighter or conquering some dungeon. It's about securing your place in a world where there is no real security. It is a true quest to survive. That, to me, surpasses the typical game experience. It makes this game unique and brilliant.
This is why I am now a loyalist to EVE.
I've read the complaints of many who want a PvE server... but I agree with the cries of others that to strip the game of PvP is to truly strip the game of any meaning. This is a game driven by the players, not the "game masters" or CCP. We decide what happens next. We write our own story, blaze our own trail. And our encounters with others in that universe who may be our friends or foes are what give this game its lifeforce. In some ways, it is truly a second life, a second existence. Granted, yes, it's a game. But, it's very easy to get lost in this world because everything you do here can lead to so many other things. Nothing is terminal. Everything is in perpetual motion, ever-changing, ever-evolving.
Anyway, I'm sure those of you who have been around a long time have heard all of this before. But I felt compelled to praise this game for being what it is: a playground teeming with excitement at every corner of the universe. These are just the ramblings of a noob, but I hope you will welcome me as one of you.
I look forward to growing in this community. 
- Talia Mersana
PS: I realize this is TL;DR fodder... but thanks for making it this far, to those of you who have.
Comments
Amen --
In EVE, no one is safe -- no matter how many skills you have, no matter what equipment you have -- EVER.
It is all about the risk...
When the hair stands up on the back of your neck... and your hand starts shaking on the mouse... that is what seperates EVE from the pack...
~ Wydo
On the other hand I cringe and STILL (even after more than 2 years later) get a stomach ache thinking about the silly losses. The stupid mistake I or our fleet made causing our loss.
Spot on man! I too am semi new to EVE but I agree with your post 100%.
~Cheers
I`d be surprised if you got no support from the Corp you joined, most will freely advise you
I run 2 player Corps, and help out as much as I can
I have been playing Eve for a long time, and have noticed it must be harder for the new players, as the game has grown more complex. At least the tutorials actually teach you a few things now...
Being a Eve player myself. That is why Eve is such a fun game. Very well writen assesment of Eve.
Welcome to EvE
OP was spot on. I am also a new player and I couldnt write a better assesment of my experience.
I have tried countless mmo's since 2001 and have never found one that held my interest like Eve. Too many mmo's these days try to hold a players hand and tell them what to do next....in eve you simply to what you want when you want to do it. You can be good, bad, sneaky, even dishonest.
It is truely a testament to the game that I enjoy it so much because I am in no way a sci fi fan.
Don't forget you can also loot your targets wreck for what is not destroyed with the ship.
If people want a pve server the closest option is to just stay in high security space. Don't anyone hold their breath for a EVE PVE server.
Just next time you have a long trip switch your map autopilot to "Safest route" instead of "Shortest" By default it is set to shortest.
Also remember your attackable with no NPC police protection in security areas 0.4 to 0.0
0.5 to 1.0 unless your corp/alliance is at war, the police will pop anyone attacking you (Although if they feel like suiciding to get you they still have that option).
There are other rules to High sec fighting like if you steal someones cargo can they can attack you, so be carefull.
If you find your corp is not teaching you well enough, feel free to look up the player corp "EVE University". They are a great corpfor new players to learn the ropes in all areas of EVE.
SHOHADAKU
nice post.
it is great to see when someone actually realise the potential of the game instead of whining that it is unfair. The shear unfairness of it all gives it its challenge/joy/sense of accomplishment.
In re: Shohadaku...
Thanks for the advice. I wasn't aware there was an option to take the "Safest route." I will admit, the corp I had joined was not at fault in the least. It was purely my lack of experience that led me to try and make the journey unassisted, as I didn't even think to ask for an escort. As angry as I was at the time, I took a valuable lesson away from being PK'ed, so I don't consider it a total loss after all. In fact, I'd say I gained more than I lost.
I actually like the pvp aspect of eve, but I need something else to do besides just pvp, so I couldn't keep playing the game. But I'll always agree Eve is a great game.
nethervoid - Est. '97
[UO|EQ|SB|SWG|PS|HZ|EVE|NWN|WoW|VG|DF|AQW|DN|SWTOR|Dofus|SotA|BDO|AO|NW|LA] - Currently Playing EQ1
20k+ subs YouTube Gaming channel
I agree with the intricacies described by the OP. The problem I found was that I like exploring too much. Traveling around in EVE I found that I didn't get to see much of anything different wherever I went. That's one of the things I liked about Earth and Beyond. I just got kind of bored seeing different colored floating balls and gassy backgrounds. I sort of dig monsters and different terrains.
I keep coming back and checking EVE out though, just because of those complex things. But just can never seem to stay.
===============================
Map is a great tool. When traveling somewhere far, open the map and plot your course, use the "statistics" panel, it is a great help.
Options like "ships destroyed in the last 30 min" etc, can give you a good picture about the hotspots and the ways arround them.
When moving through doubious areas or when hauling worthy stuff, dont autopilot, use "warp to 0" on the gate and immediately jump, then warp to 0 to the next one and so on.
Do you not think perhaps that sometimes Eve is just TOO real ?
yeah, it can be. You have to remember the goal is to have fun.
If you find yourself dreading logging in something has gone awry. I have been in this possition, i have full time work and an active life outside of eve and work, so i can only play casually. Over the almost 3 years that i have been playing eve i have taken two 3 month breaks, and moved myself between different roles as i had started to find the game becoming more of a chore than a pleasure.
Remember, you can take a break (and set a long skill training) and you can try something different in the game as well. just keep an eye on your commitments in game as well as how you feel about them.
strange how people who play EVE have no trouble writing a longer consistent text while the forums of AoC reek of fanbois who can't even write a consistent sentence
anyway... I agree with the OP. great post!
EVE needs new players and new players need EVE
Well I'm quite new, always trying the trial but never staying because of the coplexities but its defintily gotten onto my interests. I love the idea of 0.0 space, where player runned empires battle it out for space and to be in that cog is exciting. The only problem I would say is that the PVE side of it is quite lacking, though with this new expansion you won't need the PVE much to get into PVP.
strange how people who play EVE have no trouble writing a longer consistent text while the forums of AoC reek of fanbois who can't even write a consistent sentence
anyway... I agree with the OP. great post!
EVE needs new players and new players need EVE
It was nicely broken up into paragraphs so I actually read it... if the OP is a wall of text I normally give up and read all the flames underneath instead.
and with a name like Talia, I'm guessing the filters on the "There are no real girls on the interwebz" firewalls need replacing again
I gotta say...
I started a 2nd 14-day trial yesterday for almost the same reason. I played 10-12 hours the first time, started to get the hang of it and then lost my shinny new ship doing what I tough was an easy mission. Of course I had no insurance, no clone, ect... I learned about those things after...
After this setback, I said to myself "screw this".
Fast forward 1 month later, I still play wow, last week-end we tried to raid again and I just got fed up of carrying a bunch a newbs again(about 10-12 core players out of a 25 man raid...). We got a few wipes, eventually I told the raid leader I was outta there for the night.
Then I tough to myself, what if dying had REAL conscequences. Not just a 10% lost on your equipment and a 2 minutes walk back to your corpse.
I came to realise this is what EvE has.
Conscequences for your actions
It's a while different type of world/game/line of tought but in the end, this a HUGE degree of depth other MMOs dont have now that actually makes people think twice before going gung-ho on someone/something.
So I started a new caracter last night, I'm still going through the tutorial and eventually will be on the look-out for a corp and see how I can make this game my "second home".
edit: corrected some spelling errors, english being my second language means it's not my best...
OP, you experienced something far greater than just EVE. You experienced
FULL LOOT
. EVE is just one of those (rare) games that has managed to make it all work.
Anyway, another one has seen the light
By the way, from now on PvE games are dead to you. Gratz.
I upgraded my trial account last night
, after blowing up my 2nd tristan 
I just wish we can get out of that dam ship....and
walk around on the planets.
Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~Ernest Gaines
That day is coming closer and closer