EVE New Citizens Q&A

EvE can be scary alone and I just replayed through the tutorials, and was amazed that there was nothing to encourage people to fleet up and make friends.

So wanted to ask newer players
As a new polayer did you ever join any fleets?
Would joining a fleet help you?
Do you feel it would have been more fun to play?

I imagine a tutorial mission that directs you to a fleet that is based in the stating zones to sort of group up, maybe fly some missions together. All starting zones should have these standing fleets that are always advertized and once full a new one is created.

Learning eve iwth someone else is more fun and easier.

Would like to hear from newer players on what their experiances where.

You didn't read the tutorial texts, then.

In several places, in the military, advanced military and SOE epic arc missions, it suggests you fleet up with friends.

Several of the SOE arc missions are deliberately hard AND suggest doing it. Arnon (the SOE system) is full of people asking for help and getting it.

The only way of making it easier is to somehow force people to have better social skills.

I know the feeling. I was in a US based corp earlier, which was very friendly - although most people got on rather lateish, so it was somewhat lonely. If you are cool with that, fine, I'd change corps however. And timezone of corp members are definately one thing one should ask about before joining a new corp.

i know what you are saying, it will be for the best in the long run.

I play EVE now for 2 and a half years and I've been in maybe five or six fleets ...


... I'm sure I miss a lot of fun

To all newbs (or not so newbs): join others and have fun! It's the purpose of a game.

I was in a fleet when I first ventured into low-sec, I was in fleets when I learned then basics to move around there (safespots, d-scan,etc.), so yes, for me it was quite useful.
There IS safety in numbers after all, or at least the belief....

Not a new player, but I remember my newbie time well. To be honest, if I didn't like Sci-Fi so much, or if I had other viable options for a space based MMO, I would have quit EVE long ago. That being said, the game has improved immensely since I first started. The two giant features that have improved my experience most are wormholes and Incursions. I never fleeted with another person before these were added, and was incredibly bored. Now that they're here I find EVE to be a completely different game!

After wormholes I joined a WH corp and moved in. Wormholes are very isolated places, and when you go in it can be very difficult to get back out. You >will< become much closer with whoever you're in there with, if only because there's not much else to do besides talk to them.

Incursions, on the other hand, have proven to be an amazing Meet & Greet experience. I fly out to the nearest one and find a random fleet, but after a few you start recognizing names and learning who's got their stuff together and who doesn't. You get on voice and chit chat between sites. It's been loads of fun.

That being said, I feel it's necessary to attach a disclaimer to my experiences. This is EVE. Wherever you go, some griefer will probably find you. Eventually, someone's going to steal your stuff from the PoS, bankrupt your corp, get you Concorded, can-flip you, or some other unpleasant business. Take it on the chin and move on. This is EVE. Without jerkwads, friendly people have no relative value.

Wow, Just wow. What exactly do you do in Eve, if you have been playing since 2004 and have NEVER been in a fleet??? Why would you ever continue playing this game?

And just so you know, I would say that 90% of the players in Eve are actually cool people who are not going to try to scam you at first sight. If you are friendly and ask questions politely, most people will take the time to help you out. How are you ever going to actually learn the mechanics of aggression unless you join a fleet and do something??? (By the way, fleet members cannot shoot you without Concord intervention - so you are safe. The ONLY people who can shoot you without Concord intervention in high-sec are members of your Corporation (unless you are in an NPC corp).) If you took 5 minutes to look this up, you might not have spent 7 years in fear of losing your ship,. - Also, why would you fear losing a ship? I lose at least 1 ship a day and usually get podded 1-2 times a day. Its fun, it doesnt make a difference! Its not like the game ends when you die!!!

Hence why I have zero interest in joining a corp/fleet, nor any interest in low-sec / null-sec / WHs.

For me, the reward (pixel money) isn't worth the risk (my time lost due to PVPer asshattery)

I'm halfold (a mere 2006 stripling to the real vets), but anyway:

Yes, i joined fleets. Not frequently, but nagged for them and enjoyed them.
Yes, joining fleets helped. Helped accomlish things, earn money and more importantly, experience and getting to meet other people/spaceships in a nonparanoid situation.
Yes, i would have enjoyed more fleets.

More specifically, I flew in mining ops (both as a puny miner and as a hauler), in awe of the craploads the old ones pulled in battleships and barges (no, they didnt undock exhumers for us).
I piggybacked on L4 missions in a caracal, on antifrig duty.

You should try it, its good stuff and these days concord get really upset if you shoot your fleet members in highsec. Back then they viewed that a bit differently (giving donuts more priority).

Also fleets, that is to say small gangs, happen all the time near Arnon, as doing the L1 epic arc there is usually too much for the inexperienced and those low on SP on their own.
If you mission, and until you can run L4 efficiently on your own, fleet up with someone. Specially for L2-L4.
Mining should always be gone in gangs. For bonus, for the chatter, for less can flipping, for better chance to get to know someone who can refine at no loss.