EVE Online - Update 2

So, it appears that the MMO curse has struck me again as I have almost lost total interest in EVE Online (though I actually extended my trial account to a subscription...). I was enjoying playing a little each day, but since Nicole and I just got a new puppy, I've been exceptionally busy between him and work and school with little time to devote. However, I do not feel the desire to play at all. Nothing has captured me to the point to where I want to sit back down and continue with the game. In fact, the last time I played I was completing Agent missions and I even got the exact same mission TWICE which is a big turn-off to me...

oh well, I'll probably be canceling my subscription after this month runs out. I do hear that the new Conan MMO is interesting though....hmmm.....

Interview: CCP's Richardsson On The State Of EVE Online

Interesting article from Gamasutra with EVE Online Executive Producer, Nathan Richardsson:

What is it that makes EVE Online specifically different from your average MMO?

Nathan Richardsson: We believe that EVE has some fundamental foundations that differentiate it from other games. First and foremost is the single-shard world where everyone is part of the same universe. This enables a player-driven economy because we achieve the world scale required to make it effective.

In turn, the economy is the foundation for all interaction -- well, mostly for conflict -- but let’s call it interaction. You need players to gather and defend resources, to process them and manufacture ships and weapons out of them which are in high demand on the market since it’s so costly to defend the resources.

With such a large world, very large player organizations can flourish -- EVE has as many as 3,000 pilots in some organizations working towards common goals against other organizations of the same scale.

There's an intense political atmosphere and social networks are an important part of the game -- EVE is free-form, you set your own goals and it’s “class”-less too.

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EVE Online - Update

So I've been playing for about 7 days of my 14-day trial of EVE Online and I thought I would go ahead and post some likes and dislikes regarding the game so far.

Like:

1. Theme - I absolutely love the theme of this game. The Sci-Fi gameplay is more appealing to me than the typical fantasy setting. The artwork, sound, music, etc. are all top notch in setting the stage for the oppressive universe in which the game is set.

2. Skill Training - I love how your skills are trained even when you are not playing. At least I can feel like I'm progressing in the game even when I don't have a lot of time to sink into it.

Dislike:

1. Learning Curve - I found the learning curve to this game to be immense. The interface and just the sheer number of options available to the player can be overwhelming at the beginning. While this is not necessarily a bad thing for the game, it is for someone who does not have a lot of time to sink into the game.

2. Pace - EVE Online is definitely not a game for the impatient. Travel between galaxies, mining and other such activities eat up a significant amount of game time. Fortunately, the game runs well in windowed-mode so web surfing and doing other work is possible while your autopilot directs your ship to its next destination.

At this point, I'm unsure if I will be continuing past the free trial, but I have to admit even though the game is slow paced, there is some measure of fun in really being given an open-world to explore with no real limits even at the beginning of the game....

EVE Online

So after my recent post regarding my opinion on MMORPGs, I have decided to give them another shot and see if there are any out there that can capture my interest. The teacher and another student were discussing EVE Online in my design class this week so I have decided to give that one a shot.

Normally, I focus on fantasy, but this is a sci-fi theme that feels a lot like Trade Wars via Privateer. Also, the client is available free online at http://www.eve-online.com/ with a 14-day trial, so it's definitely a no-risk situation to try out the game.

Anyone else playing or have played EVE Online? How does its mechanics differ from other MMORPGs?