Compared to other MMORPGs, EVE Online has a very steep learning curve and can be somewhat intimidating for new players. The complexity of the game combined with the stiff competition among other players can be challenging, but there are a few basic strategies that new players can embrace to aid in their success.
Surviving in EVE Online
There are many dangers in the EVE Online universe, and understanding the game’s fundamentals is key to survival.
- Familiarize Yourself with the HUD – The heads-up display (HUD) is how the player interacts with the ship and the environment. Take the time to learn this interface intimately. The side tabs allow you to navigate through such options as the ship’s fittings, market transactions, the map, and the journal. Knowing how and where to access information quickly and smoothly will develop with time.
- Stay in High-Sec – Solar systems each have different security ratings. Systems with a high level of security, or high-sec, have a security rating of 1.0-0.5. These systems are generally considered safe as people cannot fire upon others or blatantly attack without intervention by computer controlled security forces known as Concord. In low-sec (0.4-0.1) and null-sec (0.0 and below), there is no security and players can attack one another without concern for NPC intervention. This means that low-sec and null-sec systems are very dangerous and often populated by pirates set on killing other players and stealing their cargo. As a new player, low security systems should be avoided until you possess a more powerful ship and you have the appropriate skills trained.
Making Money in EVE Online
The driving principle in the game of EVE in the acquisition of money (ISK). ISK can be obtained in many different ways. Early in the game, however, with limited resources and lack of skills, there are only a few options available to new players.
- Mining – The simplest method for making ISK is by seeking out the most abundant and only replenishing resource: asteroids. In every system, floating about in massive quantities, are various types of asteroids that can be mined for ore. The mined ore in turn can be sold or refined. This is a great way to make some quick cash early in the game while training some skills. Be cautious, though, as NPC pirates or “rats” and sometimes other players cruise the asteroid belts looking for people to steal from.
- Mission Running – Whether it be the station your character begins at, a neighboring NPC corporation, or a player-owned corporation, running missions for agents can be quite profitable. In the early game, mission running should be performed to generate income, obtain special equipment, and acquire experience in different aspects of the game. If you are unsure of how you want your character to develop, mission running for various corporate agents allow you to experiment with different “career” paths.
Developing Your EVE Online Character
As time goes by and you choose a career path for your character, the skills you train will become of the utmost importance. It is worthwhile to browse the skill tree and map out what skills you will need to train and what prerequisite skills may also be required. There are several online tools, such as EVEMon, that can assist in planning out your character’s development.
It is very important to always have skills queued and continually training. Skills train whether you are actively playing online or not. Unless you want that time to simply be wasted, never leave the skill queue empty.
EVE requires patience. Some skills take a very long time to finish training. Thus, early in the game when your character has limited abilities, focus on mission running, mining, and other forms of income.
In the realm of the MMORPGs, EVE Online stands alone as a completely expansive, open-ended, and challenging universe. As a beginner, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the game. But fear not—adopt a sense of adventure, explore, and let your character grow to become part of the cosmos.
Aaron Guzman - Aaron Guzman currently lives in Eureka, California and works as a freelance writer. He spends his spare time writing fiction, playing ...
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