Eve Online

EVE Online
EVE Online box art. EVE Online box art.
Developer:	CCP Games
Publisher:	CCP Games
Release date:	2003
Genre:	MMORPG
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.

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 were completely unable to determine their whereabouts. Colonies were established on the system dubbed New Eden, where the gate of EVE that once led to Earth lies. Humans explored and colonized further in all directions from New Eden at a great pace.

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 the five empires. Another major organization, CONCORD, was formed by the empires to faciliate cooperation between them. CONCORD is now mostly independent and polices secure space.

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 faster-than-light travel, and the ensuing increase in space travellers, has shaken, but not broken the fragile peace – at least not yet.

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.

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 (the game Guild Wars has passed this in beta testing.).

Expansions

Gemini Not 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 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 No release date up yet, only the name has been confirmed. Old time EVE players guess is it will be out late of year 2005

Note: The word "Expansions" is limited in this case. CCP, the creators of EVE, update around 50 times in each "expansion" to the next, therefore a lot can change in one expansion.

Gameplay jargon

ISK - Inter Stellar Kredits, EVE Currency
PC - Playable Character, opposite to NPC
BS - Battleship, Ship Class, really big expensive ships for advanced players
Frig - Frigate, Ship Class, cheap, good choice for new players
Inty - See ceptor below.
Ceptor - Interceptor 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, also mobile warp disruptor
Rats - NPC Pirates
prats - Player Pirates
Carebear - A player who avoids all combat
Indy - Industrial class ships, mainly cargo ships
Tank - Setting a ship up for maximum defense, usually both at expensive of offense and versatility
Gank - The opposite of a tank, up a ship solely to do as much damage as possible, no defense, no ECM, 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 word become less clear over the time.
Pod - 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 transfering 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 farly expensive device implanted into the brain to futher enhance players attributes and skills.
CCP - Acronym for Crowd Control Productions, the developer of EVE Online.
Timesinks - Monotonous activities.

External links