2 November 2005
Sidrat Flush's guide to Eve online: Cold War Edition.
Contents
1.1 Corrections and updates.
1.2 Aims and remit guidelines. (GOTTA STICK TO IT!)
1.3 Usage terms and short cuts
2 Basic game tips before you start your Eve Journey
2.1 Your first character.
2.2 Tutorial
3 Basic advice for your new character.
3.1 System Security.
3.1b Player Security.
3.2 Clones and Death.
3.3 Market.
3.3b Market Regions.
3.4 Skills and Implants.
3.5 Universe Map.
3.6 Agent Missions.
3.7 Rat Loot
3.8 General advice that doesn't fit anywhere else.
4 Options for 14+ day old characters.
10.1 thank you's and eff you's.
1.1 2 November 2005. First write up. Leave the numbers till last.
1.2 The aim of this guide is to enable the first time player to get a better
grasp of this online universe. Most people have no problem answering the same
twenty thirty questions a new player asks but after three months it can be
tiring. I will never claim to have all the answers, but I'm an opinionated guy
and if you feel like bringing something to my attention please feel free. If
we disagree I know a perfect .2 system we can debate it like reasonable people.
1.3 USAGE TERMS AND SHORTCUTS
ISK = In game Currency. Doesn't matter what it stands for, without enough isk
life is hard.
Pod = This is where you live. You can own as many ships as you can afford, you
don't even need to know how to fly it.
Pod Kill = Bone of contention but I use it to signify the pod being blown up,
shortly after your ship goes critical and you awake in your clone. Pod kills
are NOT committed by AI pirates
Clone = Clones can be purchased, these are necessary to store the amount of
skill points you have up to a maximum depending on the grade of clone you
purchase. Keep your clone up to date and you'll be happy in death
Skill Points = The number of skill points your character has. It's like
'levelling' but it's not. Really it's not.
Skills = Very important!!! Skills are the only way to upgrade your character.
You can't use equipment or fly ships without the right skills trained to the
correct level. There are five available levels per skill. KEEP TRAINING over
night. You DO NOT have to be logged in to keep training. You can swap
training half way through without losing any points you've got so far. Read
the section, I'll try to make it as concise as possible, but it's the most
important factor in this universe!
Ship Lose = Losing a ship if it's uninsured isn't that big a deal, it'll just
cost you isk to replace it.
Corporations = There's player owned and controlled ones and npc ones. Your
starting corp is full of new players like you and the odd spattering of very
helpful individuals who'll answer any questions you chuck out to the corp chat
window. Be nice. (at first, shoot em later when you're stronger)
Sec Status / Sec Sys = Security level of systems. And also a players security
status. See relevant sections.
Rats = NPC pirates. Of varying levels of difficulty, depending on how low the
sec sys is. To this date I don't believe any rats spawn in asteroid belts in
1.0 rated systems. Don't take this as gospel as rules can change. They use to
spawn around gates from .9 and below. I have not experienced this until I
reached the .4 systems.
Concord = The NATO of the Eve Universe. Patrolling systems from .5 to 1.0 NPC
corps and empires will have their own police forces. Speeding is not
controlled so feel free to go as fast as you can.
2 Basic GAME TIPS BEFORE YOU START YOUR EVE JOURNEY
2.1 Your first character
Doesn't have to be brilliant. This is a very big game, and you've got three
character slots available with your single account. Its fun making the
portrait look how you want to portray yourself to other people but you may not
have a clue, so just go with whatever you?re happy with. The portrait bears no
real weight to your in game life, be it opposite sex or not. Your character's
name WILL be important as no two characters can have the same name. So a
surname might be useful, e.g. Sidrat and Sidrat Flush.
Sidrat is my old character, Sidrat Flush is my current character. Choose
wisely because you can't change it for free afterwards. CCP charges for that
privilege.
2.2 TUTORIAL.
I can not stress highly enough how important this chore is. I don't care if
you've played every other MMORPG (MUD, if you're 30+) on the market, this game
is unique. The tutorial will also reward you with a semi valuable implant
which although I believe quite random might be worth selling for the isk alone.
At the end of this tutorial, you should have a very very basic idea of the game
as a solo player. Say hello to your corp mates when instructed to do so.
Listen to what's going on. Some corporations are better than others, it does
depend on the current crop of the players though, so I think the line treat
people the way you want to be treated and you'll get to where you deserve to go.
Be grateful for this tutorial as the original post retail version was rubbish.
3 BASIC ADVICE FOR YOUR NEW CHARACTER.
3.1 System Security.
EVERY solar system has a rating ranging from 0.0 to 1.0
There is virtually zero player versus player fighting from systems rated 0.5 to
1.0
You may see people fighting each other, but that's their business. From 0.4 to
0.0 its pvp all out be afraid, or at least as fast as you can. See the term
Pod kill and Ship Lose above. The only fighting you'll see will either be a
corp war sanctioned by Concord or an inter corp fight. Keep out of their way,
but feel free to watch the fireworks from a distance.
3.1b Player Security.
Every player has a security rating ranging from -10.0 to 10.0. Different rules
apply depending on what the sys sec is. Basically if they have a rating from
-10.0 to -5.0 and are in empire controlled space they'll be floating in a pod
because they've been very very bad and the gates and local police will start
firing on them. From -4.9 to -0.0 (it is possible), they should appear with an
orange box on the overview screen and in your main view. Feel free to check out
everyone's information that you come across. They may have an interesting bio
who knows? You could see a beer truck or a bunny (which must die!).
3.2 Clones And Death.
You'll have the basic clone which should be fine for the first 10 days or so.
Death is inevitable. Losing your shiny ship to rats is unfortunate but we all
get over excited in a new toy and try to take on too much that we can handle
(ohhh, the shame!). But don't worry TOO much. If your ship is destroyed, fly
to the nearest station and you'll be given a new ship with the basic equipment
that you started off with. IF your pod is blown up you're travelling in pvp
enabled system .0 - .4 and at this stage you shouldn't be there, however you'll
soon wake up in your clone with a new ship and you'll be ready to go again.
See tips under Universe Map just in case you want to visit for whatever strange
reason.
3.3 Market.
The market is HUGE. There's a lot of things to buy and use, to build and sell
and to trade from one system to another. When you click any item there will be
two panes the top one is the stock available for purchase and the bottom one is
what other people and npc corps are willing to pay for the item. This is the
screen where you could waste all of your hard earned isk that you got from the
tutorial by buying something you don't have the skills to use.
My advice on this screen is to click the header titled "Price" so it's sorting
cheapest to most expensive, and vice versa on the bottom pane. Also note that
the location of the item is listed. Items do not magically appear at your
location, you have to collect them yourself. 1st column is how far away they
are "distance", the second column is the number of units they have on offer.
The market is DYNAMIC, which is why I'm being vague. Sorry. But if Eve
universe suffers a total collapse in the availability of Scordite then the
price will go up. If there's a lot in the market region, then the average
price will come down. Some people or corporations will pay over the odds if
THEY require "it" desperately.
3.3b Market Regions.
The universe is a very big place. Empires are quite big, spanning 50 or more
solar systems. Each Empire has several different market regions. What you pay
in one market region may vastly differ in a neighbouring region. Do you want
to travel five maybe more minutes to get something that is available in your
current station for 5% less? Up to you. Ask in your corp for prices of what
you're looking for in different market regions. Make sure you can use it, or
at least fit it in your ship first. If you're really nice, you might persuade
(bribe) them to buy it for you and bring it to you.
3.4 Skills and Implants.
The be all and end all of Eve. Okay so you're a new player in a three year old
online game. Do not despair. During the first couple of days it can be argued
that you train your current learning skills. This will speed up the time you
have to spend learning other skills in the immediate future.
There is no uber character level in Eve. You will not reach a skill point
ceiling within the next two years, thanks to the introduction of more advanced
Clone technology.
Skills are bought as any other commodity from the Market screen from NPC
stations usually or from people and corps who may have purchased doubles by
accident. Don't bet on finding cheap skills though, because it's too rare.
Skills have to be TRAINED to at least level 1 in order for them to have any
effect.
There's a lot of skills available, enabling you to use better equipment, use
different ships, be more efficient in cpu, power grid and capacitor usage.
Basically speaking, without the right skill you can't pee.
As a guideline, purchase all six of the basic "Learning" skills in the set and
train them to around level 3 preferably level 4 over the first two or three
weeks. There's very little point in my way of thinking to train them all to
level 4 when you could be flying a better ship, shoot better and use
missiles/drones and plant implants.
Implants.
Not a big fan myself, as the good ones cost a lot of isk, and are not
insurable, i.e. you lose them if you get yourself pod killed. However before
you can use ANY implant, the basic ones and the excellent ones you'll need
several skills trained up to certain levels before you can fit them into your
cranium. To my knowledge you can't take them out after either, so you're stuck
with that version in that slot forever, or until you wake up in a clone. Make
up your own mind and let me know how they go.
3.5 Universe Map.
The best tool for an extended life, especially if you need to pick something up
in the more riskier systems.
LEARN where you are what's about and play with all the different options under
Display>>Stars that you can. These include but are not limited to, services,
agents, number of pod kills in the last hour/24 hours, number of ships
destroyed in the last hour/24 hours. Number of jumps ditto, average pilots in
space.... Do you see why this is essential before deciding to buy that skill in
a .3 sec system? The options in this setting do make your life easier, and can
save your shiny ship from getting blown up.
3.6 Agent Missions.
The first eight or so story line missions are an extension of the tutorial,
these should be completed so you can get a feel for your immediate surroundings
and get used to the control system. The isk early on helps out a lot too.
Even if you don't buy a new ship, you should try to purchase a better weapon
(don't forget the ammo if required or crystal if using lasers).
Successfully completing agent missions will also increase your security
standing and you will gain loyalty points with that agent that can be exchanged
for items they offer you, or ISK in exchange for an item and loyalty points.
Be careful of illegal items. Ask in corp channel if you are unsure of the
legality or value of the offer. Some are suspect. You can safely refuse any
offer and keep building the points up.
Agents are fickle things, they don't mind you refusing a mission they offer you
at least once or twice a day, but they HATE it if you fail the mission.
3.7 Rat Loot.
Kill missions may result in the rats dropping cans, fly to with 1.5km of a can
(or crash into it and stop your ship), and see what's in the can. The items
can be sold or recycled in to minerals at your local station (with a market
screen and refinery respectively). Prepare to fill the station hanger with a
LOT of rat loot. If you CAN and want to use it, go ahead. The rat drops are a
bit of a lottery though so if you find an item worth 1.1 Million isk in your
first couple of missions congrats. I know of a three - four month old
character who found a 50 million isk implant. I don't know if he sold it or is
using it.
3.8 General Advice That Doesn't Fit Anywhere Else.
- If an offer sounds too good to be true, you're probably being scammed. It's
not illegal in Eve Universe to scam people. Caveat Emptor.
- Jet Can Mining in empire space can result in someone coming along and
stealing your ore. This currently is allowed and there's nothing you can do
about it. I'd avoid mining until you've got the skills, weapons and ships that
can anchor a secure can currently only allowable in .7 systems and below. Also
note that the can has to be 5km from anything else. DO NOT forget to set a
password and ANCHOR it. I don't bother with anything less than a giant secure
can, so if mining is your thing, get an industrial ship transport a couple of
cans to a nice belt, position your ship wisely launch for self, anchor set
name, set password and very important BOOKMARK the can so you know where it is!!
- Isk isn't everything in Eve, Skills are more important than current wealth.
- There's a lot more to Eve, than what has been mentioned. Talk to people,
real wealth and power comes when you join or set up your own corporation. This
is a social game, if the people you see regularly in your first corporation are
a bunch of dorks and idiots, there's several different starting corps
available. Don't take crap off anyone instead create a folder in your address
book call it Kill on Sight and drag and drop the portrait into it. When you
see them in non empire space it's open season. Right click ignore is your
friend too. If you don't get on with ANYONE in your first corp, don't panic.
Minimise the chat turn the blinking off and get used to the game for a couple
of days, then create a new character in a new school. Sorted.
- Right clicking is your BEST friend. If in doubt right click.
- One last thing. Eve is played in a SINGLE universe. 12000 + players are
flying around in the same universe as you. There are no shards or instances.
If you really wanted to and I would NOT recommend it, but you could try to say
hello to as many people as you can, without having to re-create a new character
on a different server. Of course that means the person you step over might
meet you in a dead end system one day with their more armed corp mates. What
goes around comes around, and the Eve Universe is DEFINATELY ROUND. No ring
doughnut shaped universes here!
4 OPTIONS FOR 14+ DAY OLD CHARACTERS
The universe is your preferred mollusc. Have fun, blow things up, build
things, and be rich. HAVE FUN!
10.1 Thank you's and eff you's.
Thanks and appreciation goes to all the characters and people that have made
Eve fun over the last three years. Including the ore thieves, scammers, p-rats
and the misc role players that make Eve a Real universe. Eff you's go out to
all the macro miners out there you sell the isk you make for real money. Such
a shame.
Copyright for Eve Online and CCP and the not so hidden Terry Pratchett
references are their copyright not mine. I just like their ideas.
Rest of document is copyrighted ?Sidrat? 2 November 2005
danielbs10@hotmail.com
