EVE General Discussion

That's the way to do it, friend! It's honestly not that hard. In fact, here's a sample EVE mail I sent to a newbie I ganked a few days ago. He's still asking advice on fittings and skill plans. It's adorably awesome.


Dear XXXX

Hi, I'm the person who caught your Thrasher in XXXX. You put up a good fight, I wasn't expecting someone of your game age to pull the trigger! Here's some tips that may help you win your next fight.

For one, I noticed you were trying to block damage using both your shield and armor. While this seems like it makes sense, in EVE, it's best to focus on one or the other, depending on how your ship slots and bonuses are set up. It's a little complex, so if you want to know more, send me a message.

Also, you didn't have "tackle". Tackle are the modules that prevent someone from running away from you. If you want to PVP, it's almost a requirement to have those mods.

Third and finally, you were fitting warp core stabs. Those gimp you really badly if you're planning on fighting. Save them for pure travel, it drives gatecampers nuts!

All in all, you did a good job. If you'd like anymore advice, feel free to send me a message. I'll help you out the best I can. See you in space!

This is true. The first time i got ganked, lost a fight, got my loot stolen, or lost my L3 mission cane to a ninja looter, was truly the first time i realized how awesome the game was. Sure, it sucks at times, but the fact that such things are doable in this game was epic, and the game changed from being overwhelming in a boring and lost way to overwhelming in an exciting and mysterious new way. Who knew what I could do, what I could invent, what I could explore? This overwhelming freedom is what makes some of us crazy about the game and pisses off others and makes them quit. There is no changing that.

Why not start a big brother program? We can raise some isk hire people to fly around the staring systems explain to new players about a big brother program and then hook them up with one. We could make sure we have some decent older players as big brothers, regardless of what people say there is a lot of very help people in the game. Other then maybe the guys scouting the start systems Noone will have to leave there corporate or join a new one. If this is done the right way I think it could really help keep some people that might other wise quit.

This pretty much says it. While more/new players might be good for CCP, it is unpleasant for the hard-core of the player base. Soon there will be other space games available to hopefully suck up anyone interested in a space game and the hard-core EVEers won't have to deal with the riff-raff anymore.

And hopefully EVE will stay alive so that hard-core EVE players won't feel compelled to pollute any other games.

Not to be all "back in my day" *long wheezy cough* but when this thing started out we had no intro at all, to anything. That was awesome because it made undocking seem mysterious and dangerous. WTF is 'ship'? I never once assumed I was safe, anywhere. This is in Todaki at the time, 2003. Was a strong independent noob didn't need no tutorial. *snap snap*

This being said, I endorse the idea of camping newb systems for recruits / mentoring. Some of the best pilots I ever recruited were fresh out of the box. Totally worth doing. Keep in mind they really enjoy things that you might find mundane, like warping. The worst thing that could happen to new players is having them get isolated in a PVE world surrounded by silent agents and long rolling asteroid fields. Sure, get them blown up one way or another. Know that not every one of them is going to get it at first. Some will enjoy the fireworks, while others are going to want a slower intro to the finer details. If you're going to get newbs exploded, fleet up with them and take them to lowsec / null. Not advocating holding their hand the whole way, just drag them out of station/mission/belt and find a way to get them to have that first nervous breakdown. That's what kept me in the game at least.

Oh, and alts, that's where this thing gets weird. Paranoid null recruiters hear my whispering tears. *they're all spies*

Stop posting and start acting then. This doesn't need a formal coordinated effort, as I said before. You all have experience, knowledge, tips, and isk to help Eve retain newbros. Build up a community yourself to help them. Go out randomly and talk to them in highsec. Go guide them through lowsec.

Talking about it is OK, acting on it is better. I learned this over the past 7 months and let me tell you doing this newbro helping is the most fun I've had in Eve in years. You're all leader material. Start leading and teaching these people.

Yeah I wouldn't trust myself to lead people.

I'm paranoid and distrusting of EVE in general. It's why I hide in high-sec!

If you cant/wont help, then dont hinder it. Simple as that.

Actually it is. I acted. I still act. It is working. People have told me they were about to quit Eve before meeting me and doing Scope roams. I'm not posting here to argue or talk the talk without the walk. I'm posting so that more talkers walk the walk. Or you can just say it's not that simple and discourage others. Me? I'll keep doing what I've been doing with my newbros.

Nah I wasn't insulted or anything, I just felt like saying that.

And yeah, I admit it. I'm not a competitive person by nature, and only seek out PvP when it's the consenting sort. The fact low/null are vast swaths of lawless space, where PvP can happen anytime doesn't appeal to me much at all. I prefer structured conflict, like PvE.

Not to say I haven't played open world PvP games before, but even those generally have a code of honor. I don't really expect EVE to have that, given some people say you have to get rid of said concept of "honor" to play EVE.