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Eve Online is one of the longest-running games in the massively multiplayer online (MMO) genre. Started in 2003, the game takes place in a single, massive universe shared by up to 50,000 players at one time. It’s unique in that every skill takes time to learn, and only one can be learned at a time, so “older” players generally have an advantage. The Commissioned Officer Edition goes a long way to softening that disadvantage for new players.
In Eve you play an independent pilot, or Capsuleer, and initially you start out in high security space, which is controlled by non-player character agents who offer you combat or trade missions. Later, you’ll move on to systems where players can shoot at each other with few consequences. Eventually, though, you’ll want to venture to Null-Sec systems, where the game is largely controlled by warring player alliances.
Your choice of career is hugely varied. You can learn combat skills, and then either engage in piracy or join a corporation fighting pirates, or join the factional militia. You can learn mining and industrial skills, which let you harvest ore from asteroids, refine it into raw materials and build anything in the game. The game economy is almost entirely player-driven: so that harmless-looking miner may be supplying ships to a pirate corporation.
Some people specialise in other areas. There are hidden sites to probe and explore, and fixed complexes that only spawn once a day but offer rare rewards for those who get there first. Some people treat the game as a giant spreadsheet, placing buy and sell orders remotely between stations or hauling goods in massive freighters across the galaxy to cash in on tiny margins.
The recently introduced Planetary Interaction skillset lets you set up mining and refining complexes on the game’s planets. This paves the way for Dust 514, a console-only shooter to be released later this year in which players fight as mercenaries to control these complexes. Thus, players in Eve will initiate battles for players in Dust 514 to participate in – a first in multiplayer gaming.
The Commissioned Officer Edition is designed to encourage newcomers. Previously, you had to spend the first month of the game acquiring Learning skills that reduced the training time of future skills, but had no immediate practical benefit. The CO Edition gives you an immediate boost to replace these, so you can start acquiring practical skills from the outset. This should half the time it takes you to become a useful member of the Eve community, but still expect to put in a lot of work, and experience very little in-game interaction with others, for the first few weeks.
Eve Online is infamous for its steep learning curve – but there are player-run corporations, such as Eve University (www.eveuniversity.org), that take on new players and offer them a gentler, structured path. It’s also worth pointing out that while Eve looks beautiful, it actually has very low system requirements and can even run on laptops with integrated graphics chips.
Unlike most MMOs, Eve offers an emergent storyline that’s determined by the players, rather than a series of NPC-driven quests. There are websites devoted to charting the rise and fall of massive player-run corporations as well as blogs detailing life as a lone pirate or trader. In addition, CCP organises annual tournaments that attract thousands of YouTube viewers.
If you’re looking for something different, and are bored of the traditional MMO formula, this new CO Edition means you get a jump-start into some of the more rewarding parts of the game. This skill boost, plus the new Planetary Interaction field and its tie-in with Dust 514, means there’s never been a better time to join Eve Online – but be warned, it’s still not for everyone.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Price | £10 |
| Details | www.eveonline.com |
| Rating | **** |
