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Playing EVE with no commitment
Pewsquare
Member Posts: 7
(sorry for the wall'o'text... if that bothers you, my last questions sum up the post)
Hi everyone,
I've been turning around this game for a couple of year, interested but never crossing the line to try it, not knowing why.
A couple of days ago, I created a trial account of of the current boring MMO environement. After a some hours of playing, reading local chats and some forums while on long delivery agent missions, I realized why I could not get intro that game before :
It does not feel like a "game", and it doensn't look like it's made to be "fun". While you play, you'll encounter people having some "fun" indeed, but you also run into people who are enjoying themselves ruining your "fun". EVE is a parallel universe, in which you can be harassed, walked on, without anyone looking at it as a problem.
I think you can "enjoy" EVE online, but can't expect it to be "fun" : you cannot "play" it as long as you do not get it's a dangerous and merciless universe (yep, you need to have to lose something if others are to take it from you, that makes sense).
The primary answer to that problem is "Join a Corpo". Yeah, but with all the tolerated metagame, the absolute need of Teamspeak (I just hate TS) so many people dual boxing and the real war going on between corpos, you can't be the casual contributing player : the least you can be is an assiduous well informed pilot with a smaller connection time... And you'll just be sticked to mining (with all due respect to all the miners out there). I'm exagerating this a little, I know. But it sounds like damn serious buisness out there.
Considering this, I'm still not sure if I will subscribe. I like EVE gameplay (that can not be found in any other solo / multi / MMO game), but I'm a CASUAL player (yeah, caps on "casual" are necessary). So I figured out doing combat missions will just do : I will not be a stupid prey for pirates (being fitted for combat) - even if I know some will kill me along the way and out of nowhere (i consider danger as a part of the "fun", as long as I can do something beside watching them destroying me). But as I can understand my gaming style cut me from some of the possibilities, I don't want to pay a subscription to play solo, and avoid PvP at all cost.
So, is this possible in this big universe not to be commited, and still meet other people, do something with them, leave them ? Is it possible to play alone when I feel like to without going boom as soon as missions will lead me to lowsec ? Can I be a casual player, still have a chance to "enjoy myself", and find something to do beside solo agent missions ? Can I still enjoy EVE without "a lot of work" ?
Comments
"I" "don't" "know" "maybe" "use" "more" "quotation" "marks"?
Can EVE be played given the conditions you have outlined? Yes, most definitely!
Will you enjoy playing EVE under those conditions? Without knowing you as well as you know yourself, I don't think there is a way to answer that. You'll just have to try it and find out.
What I do know is that EVE is a sandbox. You can do most anything you want, make your own fun, set your own rules. Whatever.
Also, EVE is a harsh and unforgiving world, but not nearly so bad as you make it sound. A smart player can avoid most or all of the unpleasantness you describe in most circumstances. Even in low-sec. From my point of view, the danger is very real, but also quite manageable.
So, try it out, see for yourself!
The simple answer is yes. I play rather casually myself. I contribute to my corp by doing exploration and scanning whcih is a casual friendly trade and when I feel the irge to pvp I either jump in a solo setup ship and go looking or I check in corp / alliance chats and see if anything is going on.
Eve is as casual or hardcore friendly as you want it to be.
I think you've slipped into the trap that many new players find themselves in (and it used to be even worse!). In order to effectively play EVE, there are a few things you'll need to do/find. I know that you really shouldn't have to "work" to find the enjoyment in a game, but with this type of open-ended world, there is just too much you can do for it all to be offered right up to you in the beginning. They do a fair job of creating a basic introduction via the tutorial, but it doesn't last long enough to guide you through some of the things that can be done.
So, as I said, here are the things I believe you need when first starting out in EVE. First, find a corporation (which are the guilds in EVE) that fits your personality and play style. I consider myself a very casual player as well, and I have no problem enjoying myself in EVE doing a variety of things. Secondly, you should do a little research on the forums of EVE and even some other 3rd party sites to learn about the "basic" professions you can begin with. I know that can be a pain, but there is also the new "certification" system in game that can serve as a guide for trying to fit into one of those roles. And it really is best to focus on one role at a time.
I consider those initial roles to be the following:
1. Combat - This would be a character pretty much dedicated to doing missions for one faction or another, and you could quickly find yourself doing factional PvP warfare if that felt fun. Later you can start doing more complex things like open low-security PvP or hunting down pirate ships in deep space for bounties. It can be quite fun, not to mention the new Unknown Space and Sleepers. I haven't gotten up the courage to take them on yet, but I hear it's quite fun.
2. Mining/Archaeology - This division of industry is pretty straight forward. You go out and mine asteroids, refine the raw materials, and sell them. There are missions for this as well. (You can also keep the materials if you want to do industry along side this role). Archaeology is a slightly more advanced skill for use at special hidden sites. There are also hidden asteroid belts to be found spread around the galaxies.
3. Industry/Manufacturing/Hacking - This would be someone who uses ores (either mined or purchased from other players) to create things for the rest of the universe. The economy is entirely player-driven, so someone always has to be making things. Ships get blown up and ammunition gets destroyed, etc. Hacking is a somewhat more advanced skill that can be used in special hidden sites found throughout the universe.
4. Industry/Trade - This is what I would consider the merchant or stock broker sort of player. You can make money by buying low cost items and selling them in systems with higher demand for a profit. This takes time of reading through the market pages, but can be VERY profitable if done right. You just need to fly an industrial ship to haul your cargo around, and can eventually even get a freighter to haul MASSIVE amounts of goods. Stick to reasonably high-security systems, and your risk is pretty low. Get an armed escort and you can make some more dangerous runs. Personally I spend some of my down time as a drug smuggler (don't tell my mom). I can make over a million ISK in a run sometimes.
So, take those basic roles into consideration, and try to find a good corporation. Don't worry about what system the corp is in, as it's more important that you're with people you like than in your race's homeland. Good luck!
some people only play this game on week ends so yes its possible
Thank you all for your answers.
I'm glad casual players can find something to do in EVE. I'm currently looking for some more information about exploring and faction PvP, which seem to fit my expectations... I still got some learning skills to train before choosing something to do anyway
Oh, and no, I don't consider TS like metagaming. I don't like it at all nonetheless. Perhaps I'm too oldschool, or something like that.
Sorry for the "quotes", I just found it cool :P
Find a corp that suits your needs. During the week I play less because of my work and other commitments, maybe even just log in to say hi and check out what's going one before I go to bed, while my corp is very active in pvp and has operations every day. As long as you find a decent ran mature corp that understands out of game obligations, playing casually won't be a problem even in a rather hardcore corp.
Voice comm over long distance fits perfectly in EVE universe from a RP perspective. Even though I'm not a roleplayer in other games, I found out that EVEs sense of realism within the universe is so strong, that you find yourself roleplaying unconciously, which I think is worth much more than a game where you have to work hard to stay in character. Most of the things you discuss ingame with your corp mates, unless you are discussing whats going on on the TV, can safely be named roleplay.
Hmm, I only started playing EvE again recently, being a former miner... but I really enjoy running missions atm.
It's ''fun'' to see your ship n' guns becoming stronger and stronger.
''Fun'' = subjective though.
Plato once said: 'Only a dead man, has seen the end of war.'
I dont think so
I immensly respect EVE. And think it is well ... the only MMO worth the name MMORPG.
But I have same gameplay style as you. Tried to play several times, and i always came to same conclusion as you.
Ultimately, answer is "Yes, you CAN play" - but you will never get to be involved. And withouth this , I dont really feel like playing.
To bad there is not something like EVE lite , for rest of us
I have played eve a long time now, it is sometimes hard to get what you want.
now the good news is the people above are correct eve has so many facets find one you like and do that for awhile, you can change later. my primary toon can perf mine (ore/ice) drive freighters, run a few hunderd buy/sell slots, be CEO, and drive almost anything the caldari have. for fun I run high level instances or use a falcon to jam people.
Now does that mean without moving into a large corp in a large alliance that you can do all the content in the game.
no.
some content is regional or area specific and since those areas are controlled by players they make the rules.
played:WoW and Eve off and on 5 years
Tried:CoH/V, PoTBS, War, TR, STO, FE
TOR is likely to rock
With faction wars and all going on, yeah. You can enjoy eve without it being a second work.
You could also do as some people do. Create/join a corp that doesn't make eve become a second job. That's what I did for a while.
Play the game like you want to play the game. Find some people you like, and play with them.
Follow my tweet (: