Have Clone, Will Travel: Ambulation in the EVE tutorial

EVE Online is like no other MMORPG. In this sci-fi virtual world you are your ship, and the ship is you.

Indeed, despite the fact that a great amount of time is spent creating a specific look for their avatars, many new players are surprised to see all their efforts being wasted, once they realize that their avatar ends up being nothing but a small head shot. This is one of the major differences between EVE Online and the rest of the MMORPGs. You are not your avatar. But that is about to change.

Most MMORPG players enjoy associating themselves with their characters, but for the last 5 years, EVE capsuleers have never seen theirs, nor have they had a chance to control its movements. This deficiency has been recognized by CCP, the developers behind EVE. After looking into the matter, they came to the conclusion that it was hard for their players to emotionally identify themselves with a spaceship, especially the female minority (about 20%).

Ambulation is CCP's answer.

First shown during GDC 2007, much has been said about the Ambulation project. During the last EVE Fan Fest, a lot of new information came out as to what Ambulation would and would not be. From what we've learned since, CCP has given a lot of thought and consideration to this important new feature, as is usually the case with the Icelandic developer.

Ambulation consists mainly of two additional improvements to the game. The first is the introduction of 3D avatars whose movement will be controlled by the players; the second is a set of new environments within space stations where these avatars will have a chance to stretch their legs. Both of these will allow a different type of game play to emerge, one that is completely new to the EVE player base.

At the introduction of Ambulation, existing players will have a chance to recreate the look of their avatar, and to finally see them from head to toe. Once created, the look of avatars will not be final though. Over time, depending on how players interact with them, they will evolve. Too many cans of Quafe with those Amarr burgers, and your avatar will start to get love handles. Continue too far down this road and you may need to visit a tailor, or worse, a plastic surgeon. Or maybe you'll want to visit these new station-bound professions simply to improve your looks. All of this will be part of improving your immersion within EVE; something that should certainly please the few EVE roleplayers.

CCP is taking Ambulation very seriously. They want to make sure that they get the look and feel just right. Just as EVE is a dark and chaotic universe; Ambulation will also need to visually convey this same shadowy atmosphere. The decors, the sounds, the lighting will need to be just right. The way avatars move has also been given great care. Ambulation will be a whole different type of update for CCP, one that introduces a completely new style of gaming within EVE.

What's important to remember, is that throughout its development, CCP has been clear that Ambulation will introduce new possibilities to players; not simply replicating the existing options with avatars instead. You will not have to physically visit an agent within a station in order to accept a new mission. Everything that you can now do from the confines of your docked ship, you will still be able to do. But if meeting-up with your buddies at your corporation's headquarter is something you fancy, then that will be available to you.

On your way to your meeting, you'll have the chance to enjoy the station's interiors. You'll want to take the time to enjoy the view, and should, since qualified architects -- hired by CCP for the very purpose -- are designing all the station interiors. The interior of an Amarr station will have a very different feel to it than one from a Gallente station, just as ships have different styles, specific to each race.

At this meeting, you'll be able to discuss corporate operations with your fellow members either through EVE Voice or through chat, depending on your preferences or style of play. While there, you'll be able to rearrange the furniture to suit your needs, compare your latest wardrobe purchase, or even plan the next mining operation. EVE players will be able to do that, and so much more. Over time, CCP will add new features, new professions (bar owner anyone?), which should enhance this new gameplay even further.

Once Ambulation is available, CCP will be given the opportunity to rethink how it introduces new players into New Eden. It's an opportunity it should not lose.

Currently, upon starting the game, new players find themselves in a ship, floating next to a few asteroids. A tutorial then starts and walks the players through a series of exercises to familiarizes them with the interface and game play.

Ambulation offers CCP the possibility to introduce new players to the game within the confines of a station instead. In lieu of meeting an instructor in outer space, they could meet them at an office, within the station where they spawn. This may seem strange to current EVE players, but this is something that most MMORPG players are familiar with, and would appreciate. Hence, it should help lower EVE's learning curve, which as we all know is quite steep.

In this new post-Ambulation tutorial, the player could be slowly introduced to various features of the game, ones that occur within a station, before being asked to undock their ship to continue the tutorial. This will create a much smoother introduction to New Eden.

The example above is just one of many that Ambulation could offer to new players. CCP will soon have a whole new canvas to play with, one that adds a plethora of possibilities that have not been available over the last 5 years. Current players will get a new playing field, and new players will feel on more familiar ground.

With its scheduled release before the end of the year (any bets on Fan Fest 08?), the hype surrounding Ambulation will continue to grow. From what we've been given a chance to see so far, things look very promising.

David, aka CrazyKinux, fell in the EVE cauldron many eons ago, and has been simmering in a Veldspar soup since then. When not playing EVE, he's either talking about it on The Drone Bay podcast with Crovan and Alsedrech, reading about it, blogging about it, and most often daydreaming about it! He keeps his own EVE blog at www.crazykinux.com. You can also reach him at david.perry [at] weblogsinc.com