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EVE online review by me!
CrazyMonk
Member Posts: 143
Some time ago, long ago, when computers were based on model numbers, not the components you have plugged into them, when graphics were simple and sounds were, oh, I think we had to make the sounds back then. Oh, sorry, yes, OK. Back then one of the games that myself (and many of my friends) played was a space game called "Elite", which managed to live on through a few generations of computers (and players) but then, suddenly, nothing.
Now, I could explain to the masses what Elite is, however, there would be little point. Why? Well, for those fans of Elite, they will get the message and give this game a try, for those that didn't, well, if you are still with me, please read on.
EVE Online is a multi-player (some 3000-10,000 players online at any one time) game, where you shall, for most of your time there, be flying around in some form of space ship. Now, before some of you break into a cold sweat, dreading the thought of joysticks or complex keyboard layouts, I'll tell you now, there is no need for a joystick, the keyboard is mostly used to type messages to others in the game, this is not a space craft flight simulator Ladies and Gentlemen, no, it is so much better.
To break this game down fully would require a small novel, rather than a review, so I'll attempt to give you a somewhat simplified overview of the main aspects of the game.
You, the player;
Your life starts in the character selection screen. From here you get to choose your race (there are currently four alien races, all looking rather humanoid) your gender and your appearance (which is quite configurable, even fun, to play around with but not overly complex.)
After you are happy with how you look, you can continue to choose your characters base skills, there are many pre-set options here for the novice and quite some flexibility for the more experienced player. Please note; what you choose isn't going to determine how you play the rest of the game, just how you start it.
You start life with very few skills, these are based on what you decided to be in the character selection process. However, there are more than one hundred other skills to choose from (and learn.) All skills have a rank, which affects how long the skill takes to train, a level, ranging from 1 (basic) to 5 (fully trained) and most skills require you have certain other skills already trained to a certain level. As complex as I may have made this sound, it isn't. Oh, the wonderful part about skills are that they keep on training regardless of if you are playing the game or not. You skills training is a very important part of the game as they affect everything. From the ships you can fly to the equipment you can fit to the ship. Almost everything in the game has skills attached to it. This means that no matter how many generous friends you may already have in the game, you are not going to be an all powerful space pilot from day one, you'll need to work you way up to that.
You also start off with a basic ship to get you going, already fitted with a basic weapon and mining laser, you can do many different things with and in this ship but there are so many different ships in the game, you'll love the time when you can buy a better one.
When you enter the game for the first time you are taken through a tutorial session. This doesn't take up too much time but it must be completed. Trust me, the advice it gives won't melt your brain into some cosmic goo but it will put you on the correct path to getting started.
You will also be placed into one of the starter corporations, these are computer controlled. However, as time goes on you will probably want to join one of the hundreds of player controlled corporations. Within a corporation you will generally work as a team doing many different things and, most importantly, this is where more experienced players can give advice on the many aspects of playing EVE, they can even help you get better ships, equipment etc.
So, what can you, the player, do? Well, many things. However, unless you have friends already playing (and want to skip the basics) you'll start off with..
Mining.
Scattered around EVE, in almost every Solar system (of which there are hundreds) there are Asteroids, big ones, small ones, common ones, rare ones. Most importantly, you can mine these asteroids with your mining laser to extract ore. There are many different types of Asteroid, each type containing different mineral types in the ore extracted from it. This ore can then be taken back to a space station and refined into minerals. These minerals can then be sold on the market, or used to build things (more about that later.)
Blueprints.
Almost everything in EVE has a blueprint. From the ships you fly, to the equipment you fit to your ship, to the ammo in your guns and the missiles in your launchers. These blueprints can be bought, traded, given as mission rewards and even copied. You can also research the blueprints.
Blueprint Research.
Each blueprint has a list of materials required to build the object it describes. This requirement can be lowered by researching the blueprint's material level, making it cheaper to create an item from it. Also, each blueprint has production time, this being the time it takes to build an object from the blueprint. This time can also be lowered by research.
Building.
As described in Blueprints, you can build most of the items available in the game. The most common minerals you can mine for yourself quite safely. However, some of the rare materials will need to be bought from the market, until you are a good enough pilot to venture into the more unsecure regions of space to mine the asteroids that contain them. To build you not only need the blueprint and minerals, you will also need a factory (rented as space stations) and the skills required to operate that factory. Once you have all these things you can set something to build. While your item(s) are building, you can go and do other things, as it all happens in the background so you are not waiting around drumming your fingers watching the clock.
Fighting.
There are two types of ships to fight; Those controlled by the computer and other players.
To begin with, you will most definately start off fighting the NPC (No playing Character, that is, computer controlled) ships. The ones you will first encounter will be reasonably harmless and easy to kill. Don't worry though, as time goes on, you can find no end of real nasty ones if you so wish.
Then, there is the PvP (Player verses Player) fighting, don't expect to start doing this from day one, unless you enjoy loosing your ship (just quickly, ships can be insured so that, should you loose one, you can get money back to buy a new one, you never actually die in this game but that in no way makes loosing in battle easy.) Some players choose to be pirates, killing anything and anyone they can, these are always fun, at least for me, to kill. However, perhaps you may want to become one yourself. Don't worry though, each Solar System has its own security rating. The high security systems are considered "safe" as any player that attacks another in them will be killed by the space police (Concorde) so you don't have to hide every time you see another ship near you. Finally, on the PvP side of things, I really suggest you view the many player submitted videos on the EVE website to get an idea of how much fun can be had when fighting, most of the videos there are about just that.
There is so much more to the game than the few things I have detailed above, it would be impossible to try and fit them all into one review. A few closing things I would like to point out, however.
Updates: You do not pay extra for them. When one is released you download it and play on, it all happens automatically. We (those people already playing EVE) are waiting for the next Major update, codenamed "Shiva" - This is going to add so much more to the game (more details on the EVE website) - Further proof this game will probably last for many, many years.
Paying: There is an initial fee to start a new account, this includes your first months subscription - Yes, subscription, you do have to pay each month to play. However, the cost isn't high and, in my honest opinion, what I pay each month is cheap compared to what I get out of playing.
Finally, there are some trial programs found in some gaming magazines etc; These usually give you the first few days of playing for free, to see if you like the game. If you do not, it has cost you nothing and your account is suspended (then, eventually, removed.) If you do, then sign up and carry on playing - If you wish you try the game but cannot find a trial then I "may" be able to help as there is a "Buddy" trial system where players can get an email sent to someone they know, that contains a registration key giving three days free play - However, if I get hundreds of people asking, I may not be able to help you all instantly..
Ok, time to wake up now, I hope this has helped. 
Comments
Are you the same person, or did you just steal this guy's review ?
WTf do you think I didnt steal his review... dude.. I dont steal And yes iam the same person.
Just like this is 'Your' Guild Wars review.
Or are you secretly working under a pseudonym for the gaming press?
I'm not trying to cause a stir here, or make things difficult for you. I've been the victim of people 'borrowing' my own work (uncredited), and I can tell you this - it royally pissed me off.
Perhaps you should digest what I have just told you, and turn your hand to writing your own, bona-fide articles, (if your serious about game journalism, that is).
Good luck with your writing, anyway.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
i dont really like the point based review system.
i'd like them to advise whether or not to play it.
for me... i guess there are only games i love and hate... never this "so so" stuff.
not that i'm unambigious with my life views, but it's either worth your time or not.
i dont think the 8.4 score this site gives eve is an accurate representation... it is not worth your time.
--people who believe in abstinence are unsurprisingly also some of the ugliest most sexually undesired people in the world.--
Truly..,men i dont like it eaither... I just like to Say if I like it or not also But everyone is requesting reviews. Im going to quit writing them and start working on my 4th 60! :P And start writing poems..
Screw this,I agree with slap,Im gunna start working on my 4th 60 and start writing poems in the off topic discussion! :P
Generally, a good idea, and a great effort
A few small inaccuracies though:
These days eve usually has near 20k online, on the same server. 14k is usally the lowest amount these days.
Also the 4 races are all humans, just different factions
The backstory explains this.
Double post.
LOL..dude your so full of shit..
you ripped off someones review which is damn near 2 years old and your boasting about it here like you wrote some fresh insight into this game?
http://www.ciao.co.uk/eve_online_com__Review_5421381
that review you just posted was written in 2004! you didnt even write ... rofl..
yes, i am calling you a liar. you really need to get a life and ..well ..your OWN life and not vexy's life who was the person who wrote this on the eve forums 2 years ago.
fricken loser.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."
"A great effort"? Besides Lowdos and Rayx0r already having discredited this guy, there are obvious discrepancies between the grammar (and attitude) in the majority of CrazyMonk's posts and this sketchy review of "his." Next thing you know these poems of his are going to be ripped off of Walt Whitman or Emily Dickenson...
"O Captain! My Captain! ...by me!"
lol..well I just think its funny that he actually followed up on this after being called out on it as if he was some great game reviewer who had better things to do than to post his insight on these forums.
the OP is the definition of loser, and someone who has some issues.. dude you have a complex.
next time just say "hey, I found this article on this game.. link is here" and then we can just slam you because its 2 years old.. not that you "claim" to have written it.
it wouldnt be so bad but the review is so damn old lolz!
hey jackass! I hear their gonna make an online based on Ultima. Can you give us "your" review on this upcoming game?
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a robot foot stomping on a human face -- forever."