Eve Online can seem like a daunting beast. It’s a game known for its incredibly steep learning curve, unforgiving player base comprised of scammers, pirates and other ne’erdowells. Perhaps its harshest criticism: some detractors call it “Spreadsheet Simulator”. I do not enjoy spreadsheets. I do not enjoy pirates or scams (and I’ve been on the receiving end of a few of those, trust me). What I do enjoy, however, is the complexity of this sandbox that the developers, CCP Games, have masterfully created. Now, I may not be the best person to explain anything about the game as I’ve only been playing for about 9 months, whereas some people have been playing this game for more than a decade. However, I’ll do my best to explain why, in my opinion, this game is an incredible, unique experience on the internet. Here we go.
First of all, let’s talk about the core of the game: economics. The economy itself isn’t what brings the interesting aspects of the game to life; it’s the people affecting it. You see, unlike other games, in which you buy, sell and trade items with vendors at fixed prices, Eve Online has a completely player-driven economy. The ships, guns, bullets and other doohickeys and thingamabobs of commerce and war on the market are manufactured, transported and bought/sold by players. Because of this, competition is inherent in the market, and this competition has caused some of the greatest things since tummy rubs were invented. There have been player-driven “events” ranging from Goonswarm’s “Operation: Burn Jita” (Suicide bombing transport ships in one of the most heavily policed and largest trade hubs in the game to cause market fluctuation) to a ship carrying 70 PLEX (An in-game item that can be purchased with real money and converted into game time, and is VERY valuable) being shot down, evaporating 1500$ worth of digital credit card funds, never to be retrieved, to massive battles in which hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ships and assets were melted into so much ephemeral wreckage strewn about the battlefield.
Speaking of getting shot down, there is a very large portion of the player base that is all about one thing: PvP. There are people flying solo, in small gangs, or in larger groups out for blood, slaying all that cross their path, or to defend ‘their’ space from interlopers. Player-run corporations can form alliances, and these alliances sometimes form coalitions with others who have common interests. Sanctioned wars are sometimes waged in empire for months between corporations or alliances for fun, profit or loftier goals. Together, players explore the unknown wormholes of space, mine asteroids for valuable resources, hunt people down, wage war… whatever your heart desires, it’s there for you in Eve Online, but you have to take the steps. Eve Online will not hold your hand to guide you.
This social aspect is another one of the core reasons that Eve Online is unique: no other game has the amount of player interaction that Eve Online possesses. The best part? It isn’t required! Do you want to be a lone wolf? Go for it, space fodder! The sandbox imposes absolutely nothing on the player. The coalitions, wars, friendships and enemies weren’t created by CCP Games, but by the pilots going about their day-to-day lives in the cluster! As you can tell from my rambling, the players are what drive the sandbox forward. They’re also very good at digging in and getting dirty. PvP is a thrilling experience (the only game that has made my hands shake and my heart race) that is incredibly fun. Whether you’re flying with a few friends or hell-bent on war, every ship can be fitted to your desire. Naturally, some strategies are objectively better than others, but you’re free to experiment with whatever you want as long as you’re willing to accept the consequences, including the loss of your ship, pod or incurring the wrath of Concord other players. I have personally lost plenty, and I’ve seen everything from suicide ambushes to friends losing their expensive carriers to roaming pirates. One thing I’ve noticed is that while all of these things are massive disappointments to the players who lost their shiny internet spaceships, the thing they fear the most is what the members of their corporation or alliance will say. Like the splendid peacock, everyone wants to show off their pretty feathers. When those same feathers get trashed by a herd of buffalo, it does more than hurt the victim’s wallet; it hurts their pride.
In conclusion, Eve Online’s mechanics aren’t what make the game special. It’s how the players use the mechanics to profit, scam, and exploit the world around them, and New Eden is a very big place, filled with people who are just waiting for you to lower your guard so they can mess with you. If this sounds unfair to you, or if you think the developers shouldn’t tolerate these kinds of activities, then sadly Eve is not a game for you. If anything, the devs are the biggest fans of all the content, willing to just sit back and eat massive buckets of popcorn as the space d***ery unfolds. However, if you are interested in the slightest, give the game a whirl, watch a few tutorials and gameplay videos, and maybe I’ll have the pleasure of getting turned into space dust by you and your fearsome gang of space pirates.
On second thought, stay away from me. You monster.
