Growth hormone (GH or HGH) … stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals.
-Wikipedia
In talking about EVE Online, the topic of growth comes up a lot. In a large scale sense, it can apply to the metagame, storylines, and subscriber counts.
In the small scale, it can be what skill to train next, or figuring out what happened that lead you to losing a ship. Either way, it’s acknowledged that growth is a part of EVE.
Much has been written about our game and how it is powerful in a way most are not. So it makes sense that if a game can affect people in this way, it should mold them into a better inhabitant of New Eden. The molding process is a hard one, as most other things in EVE are. I started in July of 2012, mining in Gulfonodi, mostly solo. I then started doing missions after I learned how much mining, while necessary, can bore you out of your skull for little isk. I got up to level 4 missions, and after limping a flaming Tempest into station with 1% hull, got convoed by the CEO of a local mission corp. They helped me become something less bored and clueless in New Eden. All by application of HGH. Not human growth hormone, but by EVE’s HGH:
“Hey, Guys, How…”
How do I fit a battleship? Why should I not mix guns? Why should I not mix tank types? How do I keep from getting probed in lowsec? D-scan? What’s that? Oh, cool, how do I use it? All of this applied knowledge at my finger tips, and all I had to do was use HGH to get it. It made me better, and more to the point, made me want to keep playing.
Now, 3 years after I started, I am in KarmaFleet. I answer that question all the time, and every time I help someone with fitting a ship, or fine-tuning their scanning ability, I smile a bit. Because these questioning capsuleers have already taken their first steps to staying with us. Here’s why:
They joined a player corporation.
Doing this gets you access to a wealth of information and builds relationships which will make your time here enjoyable. If it’s enjoyable, you will want to stay. If you want to stay, you will want to get better. So in my mind joining an established group is the start of a new player’s growth.
They want to grow.
A plant can be given growth stimulants, and because it wants to grow, it will. A rock can be given the same substances, and it will never progress. In the same way, a player who stays solo in an NPC corp will almost never discover the galaxy and become better.
I want to help people grow, and I’m not alone. Organizations like KarmaFleet, EVE University, and Pandemic Horde are ready to turn wide eyed new players into formidable fighters, pirates, and industrial moguls. They have open recruitment policies, and yet involve their membership in the strategic level of EVE. And they mold people into experienced players from spacepoor newbies. They’re full of players with, in some cases, over a decade of experience. Players with vision. Players who have learned a bit and will share their experiences.
All waiting for you to ask:
“Hey, Guys, How..”
Let me give a demonstration: Hey, guys, how can I help you learn more? I will be writing this as a regular column that will attempt to answer questions from new players and vets alike. I want to see EVE grow, and her players with her. So send me your questions, ramblings, and thoughts; I will answer anything I can. You can contact me here, or write a mail in game to my character, Verdis deMosays.
See you among the stars.
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Verdis.
