Starting as a hopeless greenhorn pilot, Eve was a daunting universe. As I began to learn the ropes, grinding data and relic sites was becoming more and more of a chore. I found myself wondering if it would be worth it. Why do I constantly wonder into wormholes to hack the same damn cans? Am I even having fun? Sticking with it I had finally earned enough ISK for my first PLEX. Starting from scratch and earning a subscription to Eve Online was one of the most rewarding experiences I had encountered in my video game career.
The feeling of cashing in my first billion to play Eve for free made all of the grinding worthwhile. I am a very stingy consumer, making the option to purchase a subscription with virtual space-money very appealing. It is wonderful to see a company take this approach. Eve is a shining beacon in a videogame market now filled with greedy companies, microtransactions, and ridiculous pay-to-win tactics. Now earning enough ISK to maintain a steady omega account subscription, what would I set my sights on next?
This is where Eve became immensely fun for me. Having access to all of the ships and skills gave me an immediate sense of freedom and power. Grinding data and relic sites in nullsec with my tin can Imicus finally became worthwhile. The skills I had been constantly teased with finally became available. Being able to utilize an infinite skill training queue made a world of difference. I instantly felt the sheer scope of Eve Online. Being able to literally plan and visualize the future of my character was an exciting feeling. I could have easily spent the 15 or 20 dollars to a buy a subscription on day one. However, taking the time to slowly earn ISK using nothing but a crummy starter ship and the mystical powers of local chat made the experience worth the time.
The Power of People
From the start, I knew Eve Online was far from a solo experience. Although solo gameplay is viable, playing with friends in massive fleets is the main attraction of New Eden. Now having the full game available to me, this is where I decided to plan my character towards. As an alpha clone, I participated in a single fleet operation as a part of the Signal Cartel. The mission was to annihilate a few Sleeper sites in wormhole space as well as, and arguably much more importantly, to have fun. Piloting my pasifistic Imicus, I joined a fleet of over 15 ships 20 times the size of mine. It was an incredible experience hearing the fleet commander call out orders and moving as a unit from system to system. Seeing all of the different tactics, acronyms, and vast amounts of information made me feel like a complete rookie. Having to Google just about everything being said was fun in its own unique way.
I died after accidentally warping to a Sleeper site too quickly and getting my dinky exploration frigate instantly destroyed. This is when I realized commanding a fleet is what I wanted to make out my character’s career in New Eden. I want to be the one calling out the orders, designating targets, and ultimately being the commander of fun for new Signaleers just like myself.
Eve is an investment. You will get out of it what you put in. The first month is rough. It was very intimidating as a new player to step into a world with endless items, ships, and strategies. If you have the patience and the perseverance, stick with it. Just around the corner, you will find one of the deepest videogame experiences to date.
