EVE Online
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| EVE Online | |
Missing image EVE_Online_box_art.jpg EVE Online box art. | |
| Developer: | CCP Games |
| Publisher: | CCP Games |
| Release date: | 2003 |
| Genre: | MMORPG, Space simulation |
| Game modes: | Multiplayer |
| ESRB/ELSPA ratings: | Teen (T) |
| Platform: | Windows |
| Media: | CD |
EVE Online is a persistent world multiplayer online game set in space. It was developed by CCP Games and published by Simon & Schuster Interactive in 2003 (Simon & Schuster Interactive no longer publishes the game and CCP now offers the game client for download from their website). Players are spaceship pilots seeking fortune and adventure in an exciting — and sometimes hostile — galaxy. EVE Online is famed for its rich and deep storyline and outstanding graphics.
EVE Online is set in a world of galactic magnitude, governed by a hyper capitalistic economy. The aim of new players is to be established as a major mover and shaker, trusted by friends and respected by enemies. The primary tools that exist to accomplish this — apart from the whole panoply of sophisticated equipment, space ships and corporations — will be business acumen and social skills, Machiavellian thinking and cunning combat strategies.
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Background
EVE is set in an initially unknown region of space far away from Earth. Humans arrived in the region through a natural wormhole from Canopus and, looking upon a starscape unlike that anywhere visible from Earth, were completely unable to determine their whereabouts in the galaxy, or indeed, if they were actually in the same galaxy at all. Colonies were established on the system dubbed New Eden, and a great jump gate to Earth was built to facilitate transport even when the natural wormhole closed. Humans explored and colonized further in all directions from New Eden at a great pace, unhindered when the wormhole finally closed, as the Eve gate had finally been completed and was fully functional.
Unexpectedly, the Eve gate collapsed in an apocalyptic catastrophe, destroying the planets and moons in the New Eden system. Thousands of small colonies were left in isolation to fend for themselves and, for a millennia, they endured on the brink of extinction and only a handful survived.
Of those surviving colonies, five were to rise up and become the major empires that hold between them the balance of power in the world of EVE today. These are: the Amarr Empire, the Gallente Federation, the Caldari State, the Minmatar Republic and the Jovian Directorate. Other smaller independent factions and states, including pirate regions, coexist with or fight against the five empires. Another major organization, CONCORD, was formed by the empires to facilitate cooperation between them. CONCORD is now mostly independent and polices secure space as a security force.
For more than a century the five empires have lived together in relative peace. They've strived hard to maintain this peace, as each of them realizes only too well the grave consequences of a massive inter-stellar war. Recent technological breakthroughs in interstellar travel through jump gates and jump drives, and the ensuing increase in space travellers and interstellar trade, has shaken, but not broken the fragile peace – at least not yet. For while these five empires try to gain economic superiority, they have been distracted from military concerns - or so it seems.
Gameplay and billing
EVE Online is different from many other MMORPG games as it does not have a "level" system in which the player's character gains experience by completing tasks. Instead, the player "trains" their skills using a cybernetic learning system. This helps avoid the problem that exists in many other MMORPGs—the hardcore gamers have a huge advantage over everyone else.
Another feature of EVE which benefits players is security. Every solar system in the EVE universe has a security status which ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. Systems with a rating of 0.0 to 0.4 have absolutely no protection from CONCORD or any of the empire's security forces, 0.5 to 0.8 systems have moderate protection, and 0.9 and 1.0 systems are considered to be extremely secure. Any time another player commits an act of aggression in a system with a security rating above 0.5, CONCORD defense forces or stationary weapons platforms will immediately attack and destroy the aggressor. Thus, piracy and illegal activity flourish in 0.4 and below systems — which comprise most of the Universe — while new and/or less aggressive players play the game safely in 0.5 and above systems.
Players can choose a variety of tasks to complete in their time in the EVE universe, such as mining, fighting, running missions, working as a courier, protection, corporation management, and so forth.
EVE Online is also known for its graphics. It has the highest detail graphics of any MMORPG as of 2004. EVE currently costs 15 euros/US dollars a month (the European cost is higher as VAT is included). However, the fee is reduced to 12 for players who pay every three months instead of monthly. To many this is considered reasonable for the amount of gameplay and the quality of entertainment they get in return.
Something that sets EVE apart from other MMORPGs is that it is not split into shards. All the players are on the same servers and therefore in the same game-world. On Sunday, February 6, 2005, EVE Online achieved a new record for the maximum number of simultaneous players logged into EVE Online, at 12,849 players on the same server (no shards).
Expansions
- Gemini was not actually an expansion but should be included. When EVE Online was released, the base was codenamed Gemini, version 1.00.0000. At the time this was written the newest version was Shiva, version 2.02.3007.
- Castor was the first major addition focused on refining current functions along with adding Tech Level 2. It also included conquerable space stations located in deep space.
- Exodus was released on November 24, 2004 and is all about content. New player owned structures (like control towers and ship docks), multi-level-scenarios, new environments (ice fields, gas clouds), a new alliance system, new ships, better handling of conflicts and wars, new market functionality, user interface improvements, an updated in-game-webbrowser (supporting HTML3.2, CSS and more EVE-specific tags), are all included.
- Kali is a codename for next EVE Online expansion, is scheduled for release in late 2005. Kali has one theme: more content. More player owned structures, more new ships, new multi-Level scenarios, more new environments, more user interface improvement, more new Agent functionality, new bloodlines, more new NPC types, and hopefully planetary flight.
Note: In this case, the word "Expansions" is limited to major and official releases of new improvement to the game. CCP, the creators of EVE, update EVE with new gameplay features and bugfixes once or twice every month. Therefore a lot of improvements and additions are often made between expansions.
Gameplay jargon
- ISK - Inter Stellar Kredits, EVE Currency
- PC - Playable Character, opposite to NPC
- BS - Battleship (http://www.eve-online.com/itemdatabase/ships/battleships/default.asp), Ship Class, really big expensive ships for advanced players. The most versatile ships in the game, though most players tend sets them up only to deal with other battleships by fitting the biggest weaponry available on them. This tends to make them very vulnerable against smaller frigates.
- Frig - Frigate (http://www.eve-online.com/itemdatabase/ships/frigates/default.asp), Ship Class, cheap, good choice for new players. They still should not be underestimated and can give bigger ships run for their money when used in groups.
- Inty - See ceptor below.
- Ceptor - Interceptor, Ship Class, is one of the elite versions a frigate, much more expensive than a normal frigate used by more advanced players. Mostly feared by battleships users because their high speed and agility makes them virtually invulnerable to the slower battleships if they do not have escort or are not properly equipped to deal with them.
- Corp - Corporation. In EVE Corporations are like Guilds in other MMOGs
- MWD - Microwarpdrive (http://www.eve-online.com/itemdatabase/shipequipment/propulsion/microwarpdrives/default.asp), can also mean also mobile warp disruptor in some cases.
- Rats - NPC Pirates
- prats - Player Pirates
- Carebear - A player who avoids all player combat and at most only fights NPCs. The fear of losing implants, ship or equipment that they have spend long time earning is what holds the player back.
- Indy - Industrial (http://www.eve-online.com/itemdatabase/ships/industrialships/default.asp) class ships, mainly cargo ships
- Tank - Setting a ship up for maximum defense, usually both at expense of offense and versatility
- Gank - The opposite of a tank, setting up a ship solely to do as much damage as possible, no defense, no EC(C)M, just racks and racks of damage mods. This is most often confused by newer players to mean ganging up against a lone player, this confusion has made the meaning of this popular term become less clear over the time.
- Pod (http://www.eve-online.com/background/eggers/) - 4 metre long capsule which contains player, pods are designed to allow players to easily control ships and survive ship destruction. Pods are also equipped with very powerful brain-scanner that can instantly scan the brain. While this process also instantly kills the old body brain it also allows him to survive by transferring the consciousness and old memories to a new clone in case of a capsule breach.
- Podding - Destroying another players capsule after having destroyed his ship. Since implants are destroyed and new clones can be expensive or cause experience loss if the clone isn't good enough, this can be a great way to deliver maximum damage to ones enemies.
- Implant - A fairly expensive device implanted into the brain to further enhance players attributes and skills.
- CCP - Acronym for Crowd Control Productions (http://www.ccp.cc), the developer of EVE Online.
- Timesinks - Monotonous activities.
- Nerf - the losing of functionality or damage dealing capability of a weapon or gameplay mechanic. An example of this would be the ongoing missile nerf (changes).
External links
- The Official EVE Online site (http://www.eve-online.com/)
- CCP Games - Developer of EVE Online (http://www.ccpgames.com/)
- EVE-I:COM - EVE Online fan site (http://www.eve-i.com/)
- EveGate - EVE Online News & Interviews (http://www.evegate.net/)
- Eve DB - EVE Online Database of items (http://www.eve-db.com/)
- EVE Radio - A radio station by and for the players (http://www.eve-radio.com/)
- The Big Scam - a memoir by a disgruntled ex-player dealing with the game mechanics (http://static.circa1984.com/the-big-scam.html)
- EVE Alliance Wiki (http://www.eve-wiki.com)
- EVE-Search.com - Unofficial EVE forums search engine (http://www.eve-search.com)pt:EVE Online