EVEOnlineWiki:UnderstandingtheGameMechanics
EVEOnlineisoneofthemostpopularandcomplexMMORPGsoutthere,withagameworldandlorethatcanseemdauntingeventoexperiencedgamers.ThisarticlewilldelveintothegamemechanicsofEVEOnline,explainingitsbasicconceptstohelpnewplayersgetstarted.
UnderstandingtheGameWorld
ThegameworldofEVEOnlineconsistsofapproximately7,800starsystemsconnectedthroughstargates,witheachsystemhavingitsuniquefeaturesandresources.Playerspilotshipsthroughthesesystems,completemissions,andengageinbattlestoearnmoneyandotherrewards.Onekeyelementofthegameworldissecuritystatus,measuredonascalefrom-1(worst)to1(best),whichdeterminesthelevelofsecurityineachsystem.
AnothersignificantfeatureofEVEOnline'sgameworldisitseconomy,whichisentirelyplayer-driven.Thismeansthateverythingaplayerwantstobuyorsellmustbedirectlypurchasedorsoldtootherplayers,makingactualassetsmuchmorevaluablethaninothergames.Thevalueofanyitemisdeterminedbysupplyanddemand,whichcanfluctuateinresponsetochangesinthegameworldorplayerbehavior.
TheSkillSystem
InEVEOnline,playersprogressbyimprovingtheirskills,whichcantakeanywherefromminutestoweeksorevenmonthstolearn.Theskillsystemisthebackboneofthegame'sprogression,withoverfivehundreddifferentskillsavailabletotrain.Eachskillallowsyoutospecializeinaparticularareaofgameplay,suchascombat,manufacturing,ormining,andbecomesprogressivelymoredifficulttolearnasplayersprogress.
Notably,EVEOnline'sskillsystemworksseparatelyfromyouractualgameplaytime.Whileoffline,playerscancontinuetoprogress,andexperiencedplayerscanusethistimetounlockpowerfulshiporweaponmoduleswithnoadditionaleffort.Thegamerewardsdisciplineandlong-termthinking,astheknowledgegainedovertimecanmakeorbreakaplayer'ssuccess.
CombatandPvP
CombatinEVEOnlineisanexcitingandcomplicatedaffair,featuringawidevarietyofweapons,ships,andtactics.Playerscanengageeachotherinsmallskirmishesormassivefleetbattlesinnull-sec(lawless)space,withthemostsignificantrewardscomingfromsuccessfulattacksonrivalplayers.Unlikeothergames,EVE'scombatsystemismuchmoreaboutstrategyandpositioning,withbattlesoftenwonorlostwellbeforethefirstshotsarefired.
PvP(playerversusplayer)isakeyelementofthegame,withalliancesandcorporationsconstantlyfightingforcontrolofresourcesandterritory.Thiscanleadtocomplexpoliticalsituationsandevenfull-blownwarsbetweenplayerfactions.Despitetheriskofloss(ie.losingyourentireshipanditscontents),manyEVEplayersfindcombatandPvPtobethemostenjoyableaspectsofthegame.
Overall,EVEOnlinecanbeanextremelysatisfyinggametoplay,withitscombinationofdeepmechanicsandemergentgameplay.Itisaworldwhereplayer-madedecisionsandactionscanhaveasignificantimpactonthegameworld'scourse,makingeverygamesessionfeellikeauniquepartofamuchlargerstory.