Eve Online: worth the effort?

[Tristan]

I am fascinated with the idea of Eve, and in probably 4 months or so will be getting a rather beefy PC. Since it doesn't require grinding, I have been thinking of it quite heavily.

Given the demographics of the Dope, I'm sure there are some players here. So, I'm asking if the game is worth it, and if the game is kind to newbies.

I can't play constantly, so the whole "No Grinding" thing is a big appeal.

[VanillaGorilla]

Originally Posted by Tristan

I am fascinated with the idea of Eve, and in probably 4 months or so will be getting a rather beefy PC. Since it doesn't require grinding, I have been thinking of it quite heavily.

Given the demographics of the Dope, I'm sure there are some players here. So, I'm asking if the game is worth it, and if the game is kind to newbies.

I can't play constantly, so the whole "No Grinding" thing is a big appeal.

In my opinion, Eve is the best MMO out there. Things like the skill system (which you seem to be aware of), the player driven economy, and the big variety of choices for your in-game career are some of the things that makes it a great game.
The game may not be very easy to grasp at first for new players, but there is a tutorial, and older players are almost always glad to help if you have any questions.

So yeah, try it out! There is a month long (i think) trial available, so you don't have to pay for something you're not sure you'll like.

[kittenblue]

Darn..... I thought maybe you were talking about the Doper Eve, whom I miss terribly. I was going to say..."She's online? SO worth it then...gimme the link!" but now I'll just slink away and sigh.

But before I go...enlighten an old lady as to what "grinding" is...cuz my imagination is running the gamut!

[Tristan]

Grinding is, if I understand things correctly, the MMORPG task of going out and doing minimal tasks and such over and over again until you get equipment and levels suitable for the actual fun parts of the game.

Personally, I am not interested. hehehe

[Bosstone]

Originally Posted by Tristan

Grinding is, if I understand things correctly, the MMORPG task of going out and doing minimal tasks and such over and over again until you get equipment and levels suitable for the actual fun parts of the game.

Personally, I am not interested. hehehe

I've been following MMOGs for a long time, and near as I can tell, grinding is an inextricable part of a traditional MMOG. It's not just that it's part of the game design, but people actually expect it and miss it when it's not there, despite saying they hate it.

This article by Raph Koster, who's designed his share of successful MMORPGs, is a good take on it.

I guess my point is you're not going to escape grinding in an online game unless you play Team Fortress 2 or Puzzle Pirates or something. Every single MMORPG will have grinding to some degree or another.

That said, grinding takes a different form in EVE. It's more of an open-ended sandbox game than, say, World of Warcraft or City of Heroes. There is high-end equipment one can strive for if they wish, but the actual playing is the focus of the game. You pick your own objectives (I want to own a battleship/cruiser/space station) and then do what you can to achieve them in the way you find most entertaining (mining, trading, fighting, etc). Yes, it's still going to be mostly repetitive tasks, and if you don't find hunting countless NPCs or mining countless asteroids relaxing (I won't go so far as to say entertaining) then it's probably not the game for you. High-speed action is not EVE's forte.

[Wargamer]

Played it for about a year. If you can't set your own objectives, then the game isn't for you. It really is a Sandbox MMO, and was real fun until I burned out on it. Certainly worth running the free trial to see if it is for you.

[GargoyleWB]

I played it for a while, I'd disagree a bit about the grind.

While it is very open ended and non-repetitive in its advancement, it does require a lot of time to dedicate to it. Advancement and ability comes very slowly, long-term patience is rewarded well but for people like me who just want to log on for an hour or two and have some casual fun, it isn't worth it.

It's a very cool game, I just didn't have the time to sink to make it really shine.

[RogueRacer]

I tried it for a short time. I remember needing to read a book while I played it. That's not playing in my opinion, so I didn't renew.