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EVE Evolved: Top five tips for new EVE players
I often hear people say that EVE Online is a lot more fun to read about than actually play, and I've even caught myself saying it jokingly to friends and writing it in articles. But the truth is that amazing stories like the recent world record-breaking Bloodbath of B-R5RB are a hell of a lot better when you're a part of the action or have the first-hand experience to put the event into a wider context. All of EVE was impacted by that battle, with its effects rippling through the in-game markets and reshaping the political landscape of New Eden. But to read about it, you'd think the carnage in B-R5RB ended when $310,000 US worth of titans went up in smoke. EVE has seen a huge influx of fresh faces since that colossal battle at the end of January, with thousands of new characters being created and the Rookie Help channel bursting at the seams. Whether you've always been a closet fan of EVE who has finally been convinced to take the plunge or you just want to join the ranks of the warring alliances you've read so much about, starting out can be a daunting experience. The sheer amount of information there is out there to absorb and sort through is overwhelming, and not all of it is up to date. CCP released a great new player guide recently to help newcomers assimilate, but I've still received several emails asking for advice on getting started. In this week's EVE Evolved, I delve into the new-player experience with a 14-day free trial and reveal my top tips for starting out on the road to creating your own sandbox story.
EVE University public classes begin next week
Are you interested in checking out EVE Online, but don't feel like being thrown to the dogs on day one? Luckily there's a training corp in game called EVE University and classes are starting up on July 15th. This is the first time EVE U's classes will be open to the public, and with courses such as Trading 101, Aggression and Engagement, and Drones 101, you know why they say internet spaceships are serious business. And if you're an old hat at the game and feel like donning an ascot and pipe and lecturing to a bunch of noobs, EVE U is also looking for teachers and lecturers.
EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE
In last week's EVE Evolved, I looked at a few of EVE Online's most famous outlaws. In the game's open-ended sandbox, players are free to turn to a life of crime. Around every corner, you'll find another thief making off with someone's loot, or a pirate waiting for an unsuspecting victim to pass by. Worse still are the many scam artists and market manipulators you'll find in trade hubs like Jita, making a dishonest living at the expense of other players. But it's not all doom and gloom, and not all players are the dark, nefarious types EVE is famous for. For every low-life scammer trying to steal your hard-earned ISK, there are helpful individuals working to counteract scamming. For every war-mongering pirate preying on new players, there are hundreds of people willing to teach new players to defend themselves and stay safe. Despite all the talk of EVE's anti-social element, you'll also find a rich and diverse community, built around forums, chat channels and dozens of blogs. Programmers even spend their free time to provide the community with free tools to aid play. These are all people I would call heroes of EVE, either because they work to prevent the wrong-doings of outlaws, or because they selflessly enrich the EVE community. In this opinion piece, I look at a few of the people and groups I consider to be true heroes of EVE. Who are your heroes?
Help develop Tyrannis on the EVE test server
EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion is due for release in a few months and players are looking forward to the new planetary interaction mechanic. Although the core ideas for the expansion have been settled on, many of the game mechanics have not been fully fleshed out. In an effort to get players involved, CCP have begun releasing early prototypes of the planetary interaction feature on the EVE test server Singularity. It's important to keep in mind that nothing on the test server is final. As a studio that makes heavy use of agile development strategies, CCP will use feedback from players on the test server to incrementally refine the design. Dierdra Val, director of EVE University, has been on the test server to bring the EVE community details of CCP's current designs. They've released a video showing the process of installing structures on a planet and setting up factory links. So far, planetary interaction seems very similar to the moon mining and reacting industry but it's definitely a much more active process. While moon mining operations produce an endless supply of moon minerals at a steady rate, planet-based material deposits will vary in total size and yield per cycle. The materials produced on planets are also different than those produced by existing industrial operations. Skip past the cut to watch EVE University's test-server planetary interaction tutorial or set up a test server client and try it out for yourself.
EVE University turns six years old today
EVE Online has made a name for itself as an MMO with a steep learning curve. Getting into the game can be a daunting experience for new players, particularly if they want to get involved in PvP. Six years ago today, EVE player "Morning Maniac" founded the EVE University corporation in an effort to combat exactly that problem. Since then, they've been EVE's best-known new player training corp, providing free training and supplies to players getting to grips with the game. The program has seen over 10,000 new players pass through and graduate on to bigger and better things. Their success has spawned many other training corps over the years, including those focused on piracy. In his six year birthday announcement, Kelduum Revaan of EVE University talked about how the game had changed over the years, adding that "one thing has remained constant - there are always new players, and there is always more to learn." At last year's five year anniversary, a brief history of the corp graced the EVE news. Since then, EVE University has gone from strength to strength, with some impressive achievements over the last twelve months. Over 3,000 new players entered the program this year, for a time making EVE University possibly the biggest single corp in the game. They were even recommended by PC Gamer magazine as the best place for new players to start their EVE journey. This year also saw the opening of their wormhole operations division and the opening of access to NPC nullsec regions for members. The corp looks forward to expanding operations and we at Massively wish them every success over the coming year.
EVE University celebrates fifth anniversary
Anyone who's played EVE Online for any length of time is likely to concede that it can be a complex game. While the developers have taken steps to better guide new players into EVE's setting of New Eden through the New Player Experience and the EVE Careers Guide, it's really the playerbase itself that can be the greatest asset to a new pilot. There are several player corporations (guilds) in EVE Online that can help show new players the ropes. Perhaps the real pioneer in training corps in the game is EVE University who have celebrated their fifth anniversary this month. Darian Reymont from EVE Uni writes an excellent description of what the institution is and what it offers to the playerbase, found at the EVE University homepage: "A unique concept in the universe of EVE, the University was - and remains to this day - one of the few truly altruistic organisations in New Eden, supplying free education in all facets of EVE life to any and all who seek it. From humble beginnings as a place where experienced capsuleers could share their wisdom and experience with a handful of new pilots, the University has grown into a mammoth undertaking. Regularly scheduled lessons, supported by weeks of recorded lesson content and thousands of instructive forum posts alongside hundreds of millions of ISK spent every week provide students with the most comprehensive education that can be found anywhere in New Eden."
