Returning to EVE has reminded me of some of the basic design differences between the game and most others in its genre. I think these points are taken for granted by EVE players, and are somewhat unknown aspects to non-EVE players.
My combat pilot was created in 2007 and has just under 25m skill points. He was last heavily played in 2008-9, and his former Corporation has since gone inactive. My mining/industry alt (2nd account) has somewhere around 22m SP, and has not been in a player-run Corp since 2008. Both pilots are in Amarr space, based out of Taru. My combat pilot joined up with a newly formed Corp (DiS), led by some 0.0 veterans who want to teach new players about PvE and PvP.
Last night I was able to jump into my Rohk battleship, the same one I used in 2008, and run some level four missions with some DiS pilots out of Taru. Name an MMO where you can return after almost four years and not only pick right back up, but still have that very same content ‘viable’ in terms of rewards and player interest? Hell, name an MMO where you can use ANYTHING, let alone an entire ship with fits (character level + full gear set would be the themepark equivalent) from four years ago and have it do a perfectly fine job of tanking/dps’ing high-level content?
One of the DiS pilots had a Noctis, a new-ish ship that is specialized in pulling in wrecks and salvaging them. The ship is designed to fit the role my Destroyer filled back in 2008; a ship you bring out once the mission is cleared to loot/salvage.
The Noctis was better at the role, with longer tractor beam range, larger cargo hold, and faster salvaging. My Destroyer was still perfectly viable. It’s also much cheaper, and much easier to fly. Again, name an MMO where the ‘newbie’ version of something is still viable when someone can bring the ‘vet’ version?
A better-known example of this also happened last night. I was in a battleship, but one of the newer players in DiS was in a cruiser, as he did not have the skill points to fly anything bigger. A cruiser, especially at his proficiency, has no chance in a level four mission solo. Yet as part of our fleet, he not only was able to come along, he contributed in a meaningful way, knocking out smaller ships that I would normally have trouble with. The bounty and mission reward ISK were huge for him, and he was very happy to get the chance to come along. From my perspective, he made running the missions much smoother, and also safer (frigates web/scramble, which prevents escape should things get ugly, so knocking them out is critical).
Finally, the fact that Taru is still a viable mission hub, after all these years, should not be understated. Again, if I log into almost any other MMO after four years, what are the odds that the content around me is still viable? That I can just pick right up and continue doing what I was doing all those years ago?
Which is not to say new content is not available to me. Incursions, worm holes, and who knows what else are all out there, and DiS plans to experience them, but those additions don’t obsolete older content. It’s a crime that in the MMO genre this is the exception rather than the norm.
Hardcore Casual 
I’m always logging in characters I haven’t played for many years in various MMOs and carrying on where I left off.The way I play, that’s the norm.
I take your point, though, and yes it would be nice if MMOs worked that way more often.
I’m on the EVE trial myself.
I’m finding it fun, though I’m still trying to figure out what i actually want to DO.
I mean, I wanted to do the new Planetary Interaction thing, but it’s not available for trials.
That said, I’m not even sure how I’d make the money other than doing missions. :D
I’m not sure about the trial, but the general advice to everyone, that really is true, is to find a Corp that is doing what you want to do. Makes a 100% difference.
Thanks. I’m actually with a small blogger’s corp right now, but my time zone is way off from them so I don’t get to interact. Looking for a GMT+8 corp for Highsec fun and training. :D
That’s Aussie time right? Can’t help you there, I’m EST.
But I’m sure EVE has a few Aussie Corps, just gotta find the right one.
Look up EVE University. They are THE highsec training corp and are active in all timezones. Just don’t stay there too long. ;-)
SynCaine: Glad you found a corp that seems to your tastes. Enjoy being back in EVE – that still shiny Rokh is getting a buff soon.
+8 is closer to Western Australia/Singapore time, isn’t it? My playtime is Eastern Australian prime: GMT+11 (normally +10).
FWIW, here are two links that might be useful to you:
Making ISK – http://wiki.eveonline.com/wiki/Making_ISK
What to do – http://swiftandbitter.com/eve/wtd
Please say hello if you happen to see me online at the same time as you. I’m mainly hisec care bearing at the moment, but don’t let that get in the way of having some fun :)
O HAI from AU timezone. There are so many different play styles you can try, that someone made a diagram of it.
With regards to finding an AU timezone corp, it depends on the style of play. There are a few nullsec alliances that are predominantly AU TZ, but there’s a smattering of corps and alliances in Empire space that might suit you as well. Hit me up via evemail if you want more details.
Hey there.
I’ll go look for you when I have the chance. I take it your name in game is Serpentine Logic, but if it isn’t lemme know here or something. :D
Fly wild and happy hunting!
Are you trying to tell me that my Level 60 Orc Warrior in full Tier 2 that I parked in Gadgetzan way prior to BC isn’t viable? Total slap in the face…
My dragon-slaying warrior in full power ranger armor and flaming sword not being able to slay a lvl 70 critter is pretty immersion-breaking huh?
Good thing WoW was never a ‘serious’ game, yo.
You might have lucked out a bit on still being in a viable quest hub.
I went back after Incarna launched and the system I was in, which had four level 4 agents who used to give 80% combat / 20% delivery missions, had been “simplified” as part of the expansion so that they now all only give out FedEx missions.
I grew fat and happy on those agents, but now all my junk is sitting in a system that no longer has anything for me, what with all the combat missions gone. And without combat missions, market demand for items is down as well. I cannot even sell off my excess crap.
Yes, I can load everything in my Charon and haul it somewhere else… except those assembled and rigged ships… and I have a surprising number of those… but now I have to figure out where.
But in general, yes. My navy issue Raven still owns level 4 missions, my salvage destroyer still cleans up just fine, and my Charon still holds an epic amount of crap.
You could leave the ships there and buy everything from new. I have several ships spread about EVE in case I end up in trouble.
I’ve moved all my stuff several time in EVE, and II find it fun to travel to a new hub. It’s like moving to a new home.
The viability of newbies was one of the things that pulled me into and kept me in EVE – especially when I was one (well, more of one). While I would never go out mining in frigate with a single laser now, back then it was actually viable for the level of money a character at that level needs.
There was no sense that what I was doing was make-work until I got to the “real” game. Unlike, for example, WoW crafting.
One of the strongest impressions I had about EVE is that the game has a fractal nature: It has depth and complexity at every level from a lone pilot in a noob ship to the head of a giant corporation.
I guess this is the reason for the famous learning cliff but it also means that you can jump in at any level and immediately immerse yourself in a rich and complex game. You don’t have to trudge through 80 levels of auto-attack before you get to the “real game”.
I think that many people fail to realise this. Even veteran players fall into the trap of assuming that the “real EVE” is corporation warfare or only happens in 0.0. To my mind that viewpoint overlooks one of the strongest features of the game.
This is something that a lot of critics of EVE miss when they point out that 70% of EVE players dont ever leave empire space or whatever, so clearly all the player-driven content in nullsec and pvp and stuff are an irrelevant sideshow ans EVE isn’t actually that different. Which is: why do carebears play EVE at all? Why not a better PVE game? It’s certainly not for the awesome spreadsheets-in-space gameplay. The answer is the fractal nature of the game you mention. It’s a really compelling hook, even for a carebear.