User:Qwer Stoneghost/Old user page: Difference between revisions

In EVE all combat is ranged combat, and it is conducted over kilometers with physical weaponry in space. The game computes hits and misses using the math of trajectories, speed and distance. Your results are always at least a little bit delayed, and sometimes you can't even get a lock on your target. Combat is fast and three-dimensional; very different from most RPGs.  

Most of the time you cannot see the ships you meet. The display tells you where they are, how big they are, and if they are friend or foe. The [[Overview Setup|E-UNI Overview Setup]] process takes about half an hour to complete, but when you're done, your display will tell you everything you need to know about your neighbors. (Seriously, do the setup ... seeing the flashing red indicator of a ship that wanted to kill me in time to flee has saved me more than once.)  

Most online role-playing games have a geography organized as a system of zones. Each zone includes non-player characters whose level lies in a small range, and quests in those zones focus on combat with those NPCs. As a player's character "levels up" it moves from one zone to the next and begins to meet stronger opponents. On the other hand, EVE solar systems are connected by "hyper-space jump gates" in a network that permits travel across the EVE galaxy. There are no restrictions on travel; you can go anywhere that you want to, and a solar system will contain characters with a wide range of abilities.  

EVE Corporations have access to a tremendous range of resources. They can create offices at stations, declare war on other corporations, organize various kinds of fleets, and generally make life easier for their members. E-UNI will [[Corporation_Hangar|give you some of the gear you need]] to get started for free, and sell you other gear at cost. Some corporations focus on combat, others focus on mining and industry, others have no real focus at all – E-UNI is focused on helping new players get the experience and gear they need to be successful in the game ... so please search out what E-UNI has to offer; and make use of it. (It's what we're here for.)

[[Fleets_101|Fleets]] can be as large as the fleet commander can handle – hundreds of ships are not unusual. The leaders of a fleet pass some of their skills down to the fleet members. In this way fleets become more powerful as they gain more skilled leaders. Each [[Campuses#Official_University_Campuses|official E-UNI campus]] has its own "standing fleet" that members can join while they are flying in local space. This is a good way to meet fellow players and also to keep up on what's going on in the area.  

Ore is refined into minerals, which are combined with blueprints to manufacture ships and gear, which is sold to other players via the Regional Market service. This process requires as much skill as combat, takes as long to learn, and is just as much fun to play. While most players learn at least a few combat skills, a significant number of players do very little combat, preferring instead to explore, mine, manufacture, trade or administer. For more, read the detail section, below.

This comes as a surprise to many experienced RPG players. You rez, not at a graveyard, but in your "[[medical clone]]", which you have stored at some station (possibly far from where you are). In the meantime, your ship was blown to pieces and the bad guys get to pick through the wreckage and take your stuff. Thus, the E-UNI Prime Directive: '''DO NOT FLY WHAT YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE'''.  

Most RPGs have a PVE track in which you battle Evil, and a PvP track in which you fight honorably against players of different factions. Both of these exist in EVE, but the game also includes PvP "criminal" activity. You can attack another player anywhere, anytime and attempt to kill them and make a living by stealing their stuff. In some systems this is illegal and consequences ensue, but in many systems the only consequences are those that might be dealt by the player you killed and his or her friends. In EVE you can have a career as a criminal, and many players do just that.

It's not so much that the EVE galaxy is huge as that its systems are far apart. It can take over an hour just to fly from here to there – and that's just counting the distance, and not counting the PVP criminals who may get in your way. Although you can go anywhere in EVE, the game is easier to learn if you organize your activities to stay in one area of the map, at least at first. To help with that, E-UNI has established a number of "[[campuses]]" – read the details below for more information on each campus.

In most RPGs, although crafting can contribute to your cash flow, the most valuable items are dropped as loot, and you sell these to make money. In EVE, however, the high value items are distributed among all of the "careers". How you use your time in game is important with regard to maintaining an income, but there is no easy "one size fits all" answer for how to get started. The details listed below give an overview and a few suggestions.  

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' don't worry about finding "better gear". Worry about increasing your skills to make the gear you already have work better. Being able to use one kind of weapon at level 3 is better than being able to use three different weapons at level 1. (As you play the game, you will have plenty of time to train up on additional weapons ... and almost all long term EVE players do.)

'''THE BOTTOM LINE:''' which gear you use is not as important as your skill level for using the gear. Pick a ship category/weapons system that you think you will like and then train all of the skills for those to at least level III. While you're training, do missions and other kinds of combat to learn how to use your weapons in combat.  

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Read about the various windows and displays and try them out. Pick the ones that seem most useful to you and keep them up whenever you fly.

'''THE BOTTOM LINE:''' Systems whose levels are from 1.0 to 0.8 are usually safe. Systems rated 0.7 to 0.5 are moderately safe. But if you go into a solar system whose level is below 0.5, expect to be attacked. And don't go into any null-sec systems or wormholes until you have learned how they work and how to deal with the dangers.  

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Take the time to learn about E-UNI's policies for reimbursing your expenses, and ask about how to find the campus hangar that contains free items that any new member can use. And as you gain experience, if you find E-UNI restrictive, don't feel bad about moving to another corporation.

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Be sure to read the UniWiki sections on fleets and join the local campus standing fleet whenever you are online. Check the Calendar for fleet announcements, and join whenever you have a ship that meets the requirements.

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Depending on what you enjoy doing, any of it can be fun. However, it is impossible to do all of these things at the same time with any kind of reasonable competence. So pick one or two: combat pilot, explorer, miner, manufacturer, merchant, researcher, hauler – and focus on deepening your skills in those areas.

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' You will die, then you will know. 'Nuff said.

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Watch your back.

'''BOTTOM LINE:''' Long distance travel is slow and dangerous. Play near a campus to increase safety and reduce bordom. Consider using clones for distant activities, and when you do travel, use a ship you can afford to lose.  

====General Suggestions====