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How do you explain Eve to your friends and Family
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Kojee
Safety Set To Red
Train Wreck.
#41 - 2013-04-18 16:10:02 UTC
I don't actually call EVE a game anymore... I call it a hobby. The main reason is because I've spent sooo much money on it over the last 10 years that if I DIDN'T call it a hobby I'd feel like I wasted it all... but I definitely haven't. Calling it a hobby also frames it differently for other people, so they don't jump to dismiss it right away.

I also tend to describe it as a "sandbox" where almost anything goes, and I explain how I more or less live to ruin everyone else's day. Like how I sit and wait for people to travel by me and blow them up, kill them, steal their goodies and then sell it. Most people get a kick out of that.

I do think calling it a hobby is important though; it's just a better explanation for the role it plays in my life as opposed to a game. Being called a hobby implies I have some value and interest in continuing to do it, whereas a game is generally regarded as a waste of time or mindless temporary entertainment, like a movie.
Toriessian
Helion Production Labs
Independent Operators Consortium
#42 - 2013-04-18 16:12:25 UTC
Truthfully I gave up trying. My friends just accept that I'm a hermit and only come out from time to time.

Every day I'm wafflin!
Inxentas Ultramar
Ultramar Independent Contracting
#43 - 2013-04-18 16:22:11 UTC
I don't. Family doesn't even grasp the concept of an MMO and the only friend I have that plays them, is invested in World of Tanks. I don't have to explain much about eve to this friend, I just showed him the game a bit.
Khergit Deserters
Crom's Angels
#44 - 2013-04-18 17:02:01 UTC  |  Edited by: Khergit Deserters
"It's this open world where you have space ships, and there's a whole big society with 35,000 people in it at a time. And most of them are pretty smart and math nerd-oriented, because it's a really complex game. The average player age is supposed to be 28, but there are a lot of old dads playing it just as hardcore as anybody. So the players are pretty sophisticated-- not kids swinging cartoon swords. And anybody can kill you, but there are some safer areas than others. You're always looking for more money and better stuff, so you have the edge. There's a whole ultra-capitalist market economy where you can invest and make big money, or mess up and lose it all. And you can get scammed.

"Best thing is you can join a group called your 'corp,' where you hang out with people from around the world. And everybody says stupid stuff while you're all flying around in spaceships."
Muad 'dib
State War Academy
Caldari State
#45 - 2013-04-18 17:04:26 UTC  |  Edited by: Muad 'dib
its a chat program with a space game attached.

more talk than action, a bit like the UK government - only more serious.

also this:
Kojee wrote:
I don't actually call EVE a game anymore... I call it a hobby.

Cosmic signature detected. . . . http://i.imgur.com/Z7NfIS6.jpg I got 99 likes, and this post aint one.
Thorrahrafn
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#46 - 2013-04-18 17:10:53 UTC
I too, just call it "internet spaceships" and leave it at that.
Rykuss
KarmaFleet
Goonswarm Federation
#47 - 2013-04-18 17:40:45 UTC
I try not to, but I let them look over my shoulder and marvel at the beauty of the various constellations and nebulae as I fly through space. As they comment on this, I sneak in a bit of information until their eyes start glazing over. That's when I know I've lost them. If I bother to try at all, I make sure to keep it short and simple which isn't easy when talking about EVE.

You, too, can be a Solid Gold dancer.
Bizzaro Stormy MurphDog
B.L.U.E L.A.S.E.R.
#48 - 2013-04-18 18:01:06 UTC
mr ed thehouseofed wrote:
i use a couple of lines on people .

1. i can explain eve to you, but then i would have pod you, steal your stuff and sell it at jita hub .

2. its training , i cant tell why, but you might want move underground , way under

the look on peoples faces are priceless

Big smileBig smileBig smileBig smile


distaste and mild annoyance are priceless nowadays? Big smile

I am not an alt of Chribba.
Erik Kaassan
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#49 - 2013-04-18 18:04:36 UTC
My Accounting II class at the business end of a gun
Rath Kelbore
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#50 - 2013-04-18 19:45:27 UTC
Luckily most of my friends/acquaintances are familiar with MMO's in general and many of them have even tried EVE, only one actually plays though. So to people that know what WOW is, I say it's kind of like WOW but with spaceships and it doesn't suck.

To the other people living in the dark ages I just tell them it's a computer game with spaceships. I usually leave out the online aspect as that just confuses them.

I've recently had to try to explain to people why I'm going to Iceland for fanfest. Now I'm telling them for the scenery.

I plan on living forever.......so far, so good.
Muad 'dib
State War Academy
Caldari State
#51 - 2013-04-18 20:20:57 UTC  |  Edited by: Muad 'dib
Chribba wrote:
Good article.

As for explaining, merely saying it's a game I play. Should anyone be interested further I'd try to explain it in a way possible - which by the way is pretty hard since it's a pretty complex universe we got here.

But the use of 'sandbox' is a great word to use.

/c


its like being a kid in a sandbox, thats a few hundred trillion times larger and also, you are an adult, but you can build stuff and freinds or kick sand in everyones face and get respected for your narcissistic and misanthropic honesty.

Cosmic signature detected. . . . http://i.imgur.com/Z7NfIS6.jpg I got 99 likes, and this post aint one.
Manny Moons
University of Caille
Gallente Federation
#52 - 2013-04-18 21:51:17 UTC
I don't know how I could. They did not leave a forwarding address.
Herzog Wolfhammer
Sigma Special Tactics Group
#53 - 2013-04-18 22:36:40 UTC
I tell them it's a game.

Bring back DEEEEP Space!
Tank Talbot
Imperial Academy
Amarr Empire
#54 - 2013-04-18 22:46:13 UTC
Right now I tell em it's electronic crack like those cigarettes you see at the pharmacy just in 3d.
I Love Boobies
All Hail Boobies
#55 - 2013-04-18 22:59:13 UTC
I don't explain it to them. They wouldn't care or listen if I even tried. They aren't "gamers", and have no interest in games of this sort.
Markku Laaksonen
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#56 - 2013-04-18 23:03:45 UTC
I tell my family that I have a drug abuse problem.

DUST 514 Recruit Code - https://dust514.com/recruit/zluCyb/

EVE Buddy Invite - https://secure.eveonline.com/trial/?invc=047203f1-4124-42a1-b36f-39ca8ae5d6e2&action=buddy
God's Apples
Wilderness
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
#57 - 2013-04-18 23:44:37 UTC
My mother has a surprising good grasp on how this game works...

"Hydra Reloaded are just jealous / butthurt on me / us because we can get tons of PVP action in empire while they aren't good enough to get that." - NightmareX
ACE McFACE
Federal Navy Academy
Gallente Federation
#58 - 2013-04-18 23:51:49 UTC
I just say "Its not a spreadsheet simulator"

Now, more than ever, we need a dislike button.
Deriah Book
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
#59 - 2013-04-18 23:53:29 UTC
Maggie Evenstar
Unoriginal Corporation
#60 - 2013-04-19 00:15:24 UTC
I'm a closet, Eve Online nerdette. My RL friends would NEVER understand this geeky hobby of mine. Why on Earth would I even attempt to explain it to them? Blink