EVE General Discussion

So, after biting my nails about it (I get nervous about weird things), checking forums for answers, soul-searching, etc etc, I've decided to ask the question:
How did you find your place in EVE?

I would love to fall for this game. It's beautifully designed, it seems it's got a lot going for it and a lot coming (VERY excited about the potential changes to combat, myself), a devoted team and fanbase, and I typically love the hell out of sandboxes.

But in EVE, I've had problems finding a reason.

So I went Gallente. I can't help it - I'm always at least partly in character due to some fun issues (...I'll come out and say it, and hope that I get more than trolls here - I have a gender identity issue I've faced for a long, long time. Long story short, Aurora Jane Grey became more real to me than me over a period of time, and so the time I'm logged on as her is the only time I get to take off the mask and be myself) that I've got.
And Gallente just.. fits her. At least, as far as a start goes.
I put in the cash for my three months subscription, saying "I'll do it this time, I've wanted to play this game for forever and I can do it." Sold a plex just for the sake of having a bit of spending money so I have less "ARGH" and more "Woo!"
Tried missions, messed a little bit with creating a corporation (just because it was on my list to do it, really - I know, I know, that's stupid. I can dream, can't I?), dabbled in weaponry and different ship types and skills, messed with Planetary Interaction, did missions, blew the living -hell- out of some badguys and goodguys both, got my ass handed to me a good couple of times and learned from the mistakes, spent time reading a book while I mined, nervously dodged pirates and lawmen alike in low-sec space (though I've not gone below 0), traded both legal and illicit materials...
...and I still have a hard time logging on.

So my question is the same: how did you find your place in EVE? Your niche, as it were - the thing that keeps the game enjoyable and fun for you. I'm looking for different ways to experiment.
I've never been much for guilds, but if a Corporation could be enjoyable for me then it could be enjoyable for me and there's no point in fighting that.

If it helps you, the last name "Grey" was chosen not as a pornstar name (what is up with that? people keep asking me about a pornstar or other) but as the area between black and white, good and evil, yadda yadda.
It's always how I've played to see the good and the bad in everyone and everything. When things are black and white, I'm bored to tears.
I've always played a mercenary-trader mix, I run a village (should say -ran-, as I'm officially bored of it) in Wurm Online and took care of our relations, needs, buys and sells along with the task of teaching newbies that come by and join us so that they can enjoy the game and find what they like about it or don't...
I guess I'm just still a good bit used to feeling like there's something awesome to achieve - rare version of cool new gadgets to show off, or a memory of a good fight that I lost. Used to those scars and boons that you're so proud to have worked your butt off for. And I've always been a bit of a roleplayer, without going so far as to do scheduled events (ew) and such.

This has already gone three times as long as I meant it, so that's all for now.
Any help is more than welcome - and thanks to everyone that doesn't just say "tl;dr" although I can definitely understand that.
~Auri

this.

Thread concluded, move along.

There are so many aspects of this game that i think it's important to find the one that suits you the most. Personally, i was drawn to EvE by the concept of owning space. It took me a long time traveling up EvE's steep learning curve to realise that this was nigh on impossible for a small group of individuals. So, like you i guess, i bounced around the various activities, from mission runner, trader, inventer and producer, ending up in nullsec camping gates under the orders of ineffective FC's and chain ratting for hours on end.

Ultimately for me it came back to the idea of having my own little corner to call my own, which i finally achieved with wormhole space. So, i think once you've made the long journey of experience in this epic game, it's more than possible to discover and earn whatever it is that gives you enjoyment.

That being said, EvE can be a bit like a job sometimes, especially if you decide to take more and more responsibilities. Personally i find if you are getting to the point where you are finding it difficult to find a reason to log in, then it's probably the time to take a short break from the game. You'll likely come back refreshed and eager to continue enjoying the epicness that is EvE.

You seem to enjoy writing about yourself. Keep playing and write a blog about it. Problem solved.

Well, being terrible at PvP, they asked me if I could sit cloaked in a Falcon and jam the snot out of potential targets being called out. I enjoyed it so much that I also trained up several Falcon alts.

Set your CSPA charges to 0 and mail me in game.

o7

Solo of course, dont listen to the groupies.

Hehe, same here ... just with logistics.

Thank you very much to everyone for the responses. It helps to know that I'm not alone in all that, so. That alone is useful to me, let alone the advice.
Fly safe (why the hell do we say that? nothing is safe), hah. I'll stick to it and see y'all around, I'm sure :P

Foolproof algorithm for fun-finding in any game.

1. Are there activities you haven't tried?
2. If yes {
3. Pick a new activity.
4. Try it.
5. Was it fun?
6. If yes {
7. -Go to 4.
8. }
9. If no {
10. -Go to 1.
11. }
12. }
13. If no, pick a new game to play.
14. Go to 1.

In other words, try things until you find something you like.

No offense but you probably learned this on the playground when you were 3 and this post seems like more of an excuse to ramble on about your gender and personal identity issues.

Consider therapy IRL.