Even better are the comments in that Massively article, clearly showing how so many ‘MMO’ gamers just don’t get an MMO like EVE. Expecting the PvE missions to be ‘impact’ content, the old “you get instantly podded in the first 5 minutes” thing, the ‘get to the end-game’ stuff. EVE might be difficult to master, but is it really that hard to even grasp the basics?
As for INQ’s recent activities, we are back in a war with two Corps. One of them seems to only log in once a week or so, and as they only have 3-4 combat pilots, if we have our regulars online they are outnumbered and generally don’t undock. Why they war-dec us I’m not sure, but it is what it is I guess. The other Corp has a few more combat pilots with more SP/ISK available. We have fought them before with success, but again too often they stay docked up as we generally outnumber them.
Those minor annoyances aside, we are still progressing towards living in a WH with a Corp POS. We are crunching some numbers in terms of startup cost and upkeep, and how exactly the Corp is going to go about raising the funds right now. We will also have to figure out logistics, although I’m less worried about that given the resources/skills of our current pilots.
Hardcore Casual 
Yes, it’s that hard to grasp the basics. It’s that hard to grasp anything that isn’t exactly like something they’re already familiar with. I butt my head against this all the time, then get dismissed as a “sandbox PvP sociopath like Syncaine” when I’m really quite the carebear. How else could I enjoy Glitch?
Oh, you should check out Syp’s post from yesterday. He proposes a game that is completely a sandbox, even proposing having only one zone, then backs away from it and claims it is not a sandbox because it will have direction and story elements, as if those changed the basic nature of the game he described.
Yep, frustrating.
That is a very good video; I like how it both shows off how pretty the game is and goes a very long way to making a case for the game for newcomers.
I realize that people like what they like and that it is difficult to restrain the urge to say that you would like some new thing better if only it was more like this other thing you already like. It is natural. We all do it. But when it gets to “can’t we have some cut scenes to explain the lore?” I start to moan.
I think this is the most apt comment from Massively:
“You get what you put in. If you don’t like Meta-Game or being social; EVE is a terrible choice for an MMO.”
A lot of those people in the article’s comment have no idea what they’re talking about.
They think they know EVE, but they don’t. They’re probably too used to games where the gameplay is monochromatic. In EVE, things are flexible. The experience changes depending on what you do with it. I guess that’s what they don’t understand. You don’t get podded as a newbie unless you’re being stupid. The first time I got podded in the game was when I took a gamble and auto-piloted into low sec before I knew better. It was my own damn fault for my own damn decision though. There’s no big bad evil that shoot newbies with no isk in high sec.
There’s even one guy saying EVE doesn’t look good. That’s just straight out wrong. EVE is one of the best looking game out there (except the UI :P )
I’ve always felt the same way about EVE – that you must get ganked every time you try something – but I’ve always been curious. So after a friend started playing recently I decided to try a 14 day trial.
The fact is that the perception you mention has been created by the EVE community. The very things they are proud of don’t sound like fun to a lot of people who just want a way to relax after working for 8-12 hours.
I really like the new EVE site as it highlights what there is other than PVP and it even has a quiz you can take. The idea of covert-ops for a corporation definitely appeals to me.
Well, the ‘big players’ in EVE are mostly 0.0 Corps/Alliances, who are there for the PvP. The ‘silent majority’ is everyone else, and most of those people don’t log in just to PvP.
Which does not mean they don’t PvP. They do. Either because they like it as just one more thing to do, high-sec war-decs, trips into low-sec, or if they are dumb and get suicide ganked.
So while its incorrect to say EVE is all about PvP, it’s also incorrect to say you can play EVE and never PvP. The truth is in the middle, and how much PvP you see is very much something you can control.
Risk is always a factor in the things you do in EVE. It is manageable, but knowing how to manage it is an acquired trait.
Unwanted PvP, where I am mining or hauling or traveling in Empire space is relatively rare depending on the location. In and around the Jita system, or next to a low sec system, or in a system that is a travel choke point, it can happen a lot. Those are magnets for people looking gank noobs and hassle carebears.
But I have played for a few years in a section of Amarr space where nobody has ever bothered me, even based in a system with 50-100 people always around.
But somebody could come after me, if they so desired. There is always some risk when you undock.
I understand that risk may be a factor, but many have made it seem it is all their is to EVE. That is my point. Maybe, as Hong says, they say all this to shut others out. Personally, there are days I enjoy pvp and days I don’t.
Syn: “Which does not mean they don’t PvP.”
lol But I’m sure they’d LOVE it that way.
Reason EVE is incompatible to most other games is most other games are HIGHLY unrealistic… PvP flags/areas, etc… wow it sure would be nice if I could set my “PvP flag” in RL and never have to fear being attacked, ganked, run over, etc, because no other person could ever do me harm, even if they wanted to….
Course if that was the case all along instead of 6 billion pplz on the planet it’d be more like 6 quadrillion, and we’d be living on Coruscant, complete with Sith Lords and all.
Frankly, I’d prefer EVE remain a niche game, a big mean scary monster that eats the entitled WoW-types and shits em out, scaring the rest off en masse forever.
For me, it’s not a matter of elitism… just a different flavor that I like, and strongly feel (backed by experential evidence) that having a massive influx from the “average MMOer” will over time greatly dilute that flavor down into a mushy porridge that NOBODY likes. Not we ebil mean EVE PvPers, nor the entitled WoW crowd… then EVE dies, as it well should at that point.
“You cannot be all things to all people,” and in so trying, CCP will kill their flagship product, and themselves by extension.