EVE New Citizens Q&A

With the influx of brand new players, I want to share the three most important tennants of Eve Online, as learned by someone who has joined and quit and joined and quite over the years. I really wanted to love Eve Online all the way back as early as 2005. But I had several play attempts that lasted a month or less. Only one successful and longer play period with a good nullsec alliance. I heard the rules I am about to share many times, and I mostly ignored them or they didn't really sink in. The result was me frustrated and miserable.

You want to avoid that? Then take these words to heart. The following or the three most important principles you will ever hear in Eve Online:

The first one is so simple, and yet I left EVE on extended breaks several times over the years before this really, truly sank in: never fly what you can't afford to lose. You may have heard it a billion times, and might even want to roll your eyes at the phrase right now. But its the number one rule in EVE that will make the difference between being miserable and not.

In my earlier stints in EVE, I would be so eager to fly a bigger ship or get out to the biggest action that I made my time in eve pretty miserable. Flying ships you aren't skilled enough to fly competently, or worse - flying a ship in nullsec when you financially cannot afford to lose it are quick ways to end up broke, shipless and miserable. In nullsec, losing your ship isn't a question of if, but rather when. Hopefully that "when" will be a long ways off. But when it happens, if you can't afford to replace your ship and its fittings, don't undock with it. Go a step down.

The second one is just as simple. Directional Scanner. Learn It. Live it. Love it. It is the coolest and most stupidly useful tool for surviving in nullsec. Learn to set good filters, know when to blast 360 degrees and when to do 30. I can't believe how long it took me before I finally began having a permanently open directional scanner that I use in every system I traverse.

The third one is just a variation on the first: in Eve, saying "ah I'll just risk it" never, ever pays off. This is a game that takes patience, where a big part of the fun and excitement is in the suspense. Any time I have ever known I was about to do something that could get me killed and said, "ah it might not happen I'll just chance it" I have regretted it, sometimes very painfully. If you're thinking about trying to "get away" with doing something stupid, especially in nullsec, just don't. You'll be a happier player that doesn't walk away from the game three separate times like I did before I finally started to play smarter (and in doing so, found the fun!)

Cheers. And good hunting!

I would like to add another rule.

The game falls and stands with to players you fly with. If you can't enjoy the game, find a better team.

Seconding what gfidex said: EVE is about who you play with/against. You can be crap at everything else but have a great bunch of people to hang out with, and your game will be most entertaining.

I'd strongly support and agree with Ralph's view. The buzz you get from risking just that far outside what you are comfortable with makes this game thrilling.

As has also been said, join a corporation and make friends is a good rule.

The best ship in eve is friendship. Dorky sounding, but so true.

Yes, this. It's more accurate that my OP. Living just outside the comfort zone is what makes the game great.

I think a better way to sum up my #3 is, dumb risks due to impatience just aren't worth it in the end. Planned, intentional risk taking, while following #1, is where its truly at :)

Mate if that were true I'd live in your lap