Key Features of EVE
Online
2005/04/30
While
there seem to be a lot of people finding out more about EVE Online, it's still
generating a lot of questions about what it is and how it plays. Here’s how it looks
from my point of view.
STRENGTHS
- numerous
ship types -- different by size, purpose, and allegiance
- many,
many ship outfitting options
- moderately
good tactical combat game (ship-to-ship combat)
- relatively
deep asteroid mining/refining game
- superb skills
system (skills are learned in real time -- no grinding!)
- varied
factional NPC mission/quest system
- good
support for factional player organizations ("corps")
- factory
system allows generation of game objects
- research
system allows creation of new game objects
- good
cargo trading game tied in with factory production
- price
tracking data for all locally available goods
- 5000+
solar systems (with multiple planets/moons) to explore
- ungoverned
areas can be controlled with player-created outposts
- easy-to-understand
mechanism for travelling from one place to another
- difficulty
of NPCs is keyed to "security level" of solar systems
- quality
of NPC loot drops is appropriate to NPC difficulty
- 24x7
PvP that doesn't affect those who don't want it
- dialup-friendly
-- light on network traffic, and fairly small patches
- space
is pretty
WEAKNESSES
- space-based
only -- no 1st-person planetary activity whatsoever
- mining
and ship combat are really the only things that can be done full-time
- mining
is boring (so to speak) -- just turn on the mining lasers and wait
- research
system is so hard that only the truly hardcore can afford to play it
- NPC-generated
market items (economy is not fully player-based)
- factory
production is not very detailed
- rich
backstory doesn't have many gameplay effects
- few
activities that allow your character to express a story (roleplaying)
----
Overall,
EVE is aimed more at offering an intelligent space-based tactical combat game,
but the economic subgame that supports combat is treated with respect as well.
It's definitely a group game, though (and the developers have come right out
and said so), so if you’re looking for a solo-friendly game, you may not be
satisfied with EVE.