The ultimate goal in EVE is power. It can be power over the market, military dominance, financial power, or political power. These are all achievable in EVE at degrees varying from local system, regional level, or even universe-wide. EVE caters to many different play styles, ranging from the hard core combat commander to the patient miner, and there are corporations that have very different goals; most require all types of players to function properly,so no matter what type of player you are, there is a place for you in EVE, even if you decide to carve it out yourself.

EVE is a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) set in a science-fiction based, persistent world. Players take the role of spaceship pilots seeking fame, fortune, and adventure in a huge, complex, exciting, and sometimes hostile galaxy.

In the case of EVE, a monthly subscription is charged for each player’s account; users are responsible for their own Internet service fees. EVE is not a stand-alone, single player game and can only be played online. Unlike most MMOGs that split a large player base up among small clones of the same game world (called "shards") containing no more than 3,000 people, EVE is unique in that all of its players inhabit the same game world.

In a nutshell, EVE can be described as an alternate reality, similar in many ways to virtual reality as depicted in, for example, the film "The Matrix." The only difference between the Matrix and EVE is that instead of accessing the world through a neural jack, it is accessed through the Internet and participants interact with it via a computer.

The game client, including graphics and sound, is distributed and sold like any other game. To be able to play EVE, however, players must connect their client to the game world through the Internet. The game world is based on a network of servers in London maintained by CCP, handling all interactions between the world and the players. When players log into the game, they instantly become a part of the same game world as all other players that are logged on at that time.

Players are represented in the game by avatars, both as ships and with a customized portrait created by the player. It is not possible to exit your ship and explore planets or space stations. Each EVE Online account contains three character slots, giving users ample opportunity to try out different skills, races and appearances.

New players have joined EVE each day since it’s release, so you won’t be alone as you enter the EVE galaxy for the first time. Even players who have been playing since the beginning like to experiment with new characters, too, so not every "newbie" (a term used to describe new players in a game) will actually be a brand-new player.

Though there are certainly some players who have already amassed a great deal of wealth and equipment, this will not affect your ability to advance in the game competitively. There are starting areas for new players where you will be safe until you have gained enough skill and experience to venture out into the wilder, more aggressive areas of space.

EVE was created and developed by CCP in Reykjavik, Iceland. EVE is CCP’s first MMOG, though the company plans to develop additional titles in the future, focusing exclusively on MMOG’s.

 

1.10 What is basic game play like?

The diversity and flexibility of EVE makes it difficult to categorize it by conventional standards. What it is depends on the level at which it is played.

The game is set in an unknown portion of space, spanning thousands of solar systems, many of which are settled. Players begin by creating an in-game character equipped with a basic spaceship ready to explore the world. As they get acquainted with life in EVE, players can trade goods between systems or conduct other money-making ventures such as mining asteroids, transporting goods as a courier or even cleaning up debris for recycling. Financial gains made through such activities can be used to upgrade the ship with weapons and equipment and also to develop the character by purchasing skill packs used for training him or her in various skills he will need to advance in the world of EVE.

When a player has mastered the basics of the game, aquired some money and equipment and advanced his or her character through basic skills, the possibilities become almost endless. Players who wish to explore peaceful paths may continue to upgrade their ships to bigger and better cargo vessels with high-end defenses, purchase advanced mining or research equipment and continue to develop their characters by specializing in their preferred skills. Others may elect to pursue a more dangerous path such as piracy, smuggling or bounty hunting.

1.11 How does the massively multiplayer aspect of the EVE affect game play?

The basic role-playing and space simulation aspects of EVE are really just the tip of the iceberg. When players band together to form factions and alliances, the game progresses to a more grand-scale strategic level. Political intrigue, corporate espionage and the very essence of Darwinism bring dimension and depth to the game as the struggle for fame and fortune ebbs and flows with each new day in EVE.

However, the level at which each player decides to participate is a matter of personal choice. The game leaves ample room for continual progress and variety in all its solo playing aspects. For those who opt to do so, becoming the best lone-wolf pirate or bounty hunter is a never-ending task as the competitors are other human players who will employ every method at their disposal to gain an edge over the rest. Solo players are also able to hire out their services as mercenaries or hit men to other players or player-run corporations.

The bottom line is that we at CCP have strived to create a rich and immersive universe centered on human interaction. Players can play the game as a simple space trading game or endeavor to control the largest, most powerful company in the universe. We provide the rules and tools, but it is the players themselves who create the adventures.

We will be supplying a review very soon.