Put your money where your mouth is

With EVE continuing to amaze economic researchers due to the complexity of its economic system, I decided it would be a good idea to unload my turrets, dock, and see what it was all about. I created a trader, trained up a little, and began to wrap my hands around any resources I could hog.

I was extraordinarily excited to see how my trading schemes were unfolding. I had cornered the market in a distant part of space and found a niche for hybrid turrets in empire. Wars were brewing, weapons were loading, and I was there to supply the means for the universe to unload a torrent of lead, light, and explosives. With my low sec hangar out of stock I assumed sales were going well. However, something was wrong with my inventory in empire space. There was nothing in my hangar. Just as I had suspected; outbid by a penny.

Well, two can play at this game! I raised my bid 99 pennies and smiled to myself. I thought that the hostile trader had what was coming to him. Suddenly, a purchase appeared in my wallet. I remember saying to myself that I had won. Unfortunately, the clever trader on the other end of the solar system had a knack for the complexities of the in game market. I acquired only one of my desired items and hung my head in shame. Despite my utter failure that evening, I was caught up in a form of PVP that begins with stiff competition for profits and often boils over into all out, corporate, warfare. With a market system void of NPC vendors, where mega corporations founded and run by thousands of players rule, this type of market struggle is completely unique to EVE. Throughout the galaxy, you will not only find engagements between hundreds of vessels seeking to control a valuable mineral, but in the shadows will lurk the venture capitalist ready to sell arms and ammo to fuel the growing conflict.