- because the EVE universe is different from what you have expected!
Why can I be so sure about? Because the EVE universe is different from what each of the players have originally expected. Almost sure, each of those differences points in another direction.
This is not a rant, I do not even try to make the EVE universe better. Not in the tiniest little detail.
And none of it’s player inhabitants needs to be brainwashed or change their attitude. Stay snuggly, stay friendly, stay rude, stay aggressive, whatever, but stay yourself.
What follows is my invitation for all of you who are in search for their place in space - and have not arrived so far. Here is my hand. Take it and follow me on a trip through the EVE universe. All I ask for is: be honest with yourself!
(btw, if you can’t or aren’t willing to be honest with yourself, please, don’t read any further. You have already done all and everything you can do. Thank you!)
When you first time came in contact with the game, EVE online, what have you seen / or what have you felt?
OK, I can’t give this answer for you. I can tell you, what I have seen: a spaceship, moving through space. Stars and nebula in the background, a construct (a gate) coming close. Flickering lights, other spaceships, busy flying in different directions. A gate-jump, warping, a new scene with slightly different background, but stunning nebula as well. And so on…
What? You can travel trough space in a way that (almost) feels like a real life simulation?
MUST HAVE!
NOW!
No, I have not seen capacitor status, shield regeneration rate, cargo space occupation, readiness of weapons, modified energy consumption due to rig side-effects. Or whatever.
No, I have not seen transversals, reduction of incoming damage due to resistances, the importance of relative ship and gun sizes, neither rights distribution in corporation management nor module price inflation due to market mechanics.
So, honest to myself: what have I seen - what have I expected from EVE online? And what happened during the first several days and weeks of my EVE life?
Suddenly, I was confronted with spaceship cost (what - they are not free?), with security levels (oh - travel can be dangerous?) and with my spaceship exploding under the fire from a highsec-wardecker grrrrrr *+#$/§ (wait - I have to consider other players in my development?).
I was (a bit) frustrated. In my imagination I have seen my character (and me, of course) freely traveling through this gigantic universe, do relaxed sightseeing, enjoying the digital beauties, fed on the creative energy of the EVE developers.
Ehhhm … nope.
Some (more or less) hard work in front of me to afford all that.
Meanwhile, I have done this travel, I have visited all regions (unfortunately not all systems) in New Eden. It was a great experience! Have you ever crossed 18 jumps in (busy) Null with a vanilla T1 fitted T1 frigate? Intentionally?
The second most important fact: it entertained me for almost 2 years.
The most important: because of the game requirements, it really feels like a big, big achievement.
Almost everything you do (and survive) in EVE feels like a great achievement
because of: nothing is free
because of: always pay attention
because of: be aware of the role of others in your plans
because of: you receive what you made possible!
What would the same thing feel like, if it was instantly achievable?
I’m sad about all those players who can’t see the digital beauty, who can’t enjoy the many small achievements that add up and, finally, see everything fall into place.
You feel that way? Lean back, think about, do not try to change the game, change the way you look at it. It helps to find your place in space!
Go out and play in the Universe - all suns are shining!
(co. Tilda Evingod)
o7