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EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion

Brendan Drain — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on

Issue 24 of EVE Online's quarterly official magazine EON hit the shelves this month, bringing a fresh dose of internet spaceships to coffee tables and bathrooms everywhere. Produced by MMM Publishing and written by a growing cast of writers from within the EVE community, EON provides something solid for fans of EVE to hold on to and acts as a snapshot in time or record of the game as it evolves. Recent big news stories and nullsec wars are detailed in each issue, along with editorial pieces, fiction, interviews and guides.

The latest issue is a wormhole special, with a huge focus on 2009's incredibly successful Apocrypha expansion and the hidden wormhole systems it brought to EVE. In addition to the second part of Pottsey's background on the ancient Sleeper race locked away in wormhole systems, the magazine contains testflights of the four strategic cruisers produced from materials discovered in wormhole space. A fantastically insightful article on the making of Apocrypha also delves into the gritty details of how CCP put its entire weight behind one incredible expansion during a time of real world economic turmoil.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of everything in EON Issue 24 and my impressions from reading through it.

Continue reading EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion

EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EON Magazine issue 22 tackles Incarna, surviving the EVE fanfest and more

Brendan Drain — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on

These days it seems like every MMO has some form of microtransaction system or merchandising deal. It's clear that players don't seem to mind spending a little extra on their MMO hobbies now and then, whether it's for an in-game item to cut out some of the grind or a geeky T-shirt to show off to friends. Several online games even have their own dedicated magazines, and EVE Online is no exception. Published four times per year, EON magazine by MMM Publishing provides guides, interviews, sneak peeks at upcoming expansions, fan-written chronicles, and big news from across New Eden.

Issue 22 of EON popped through my letter-box a few days ago, and I've spent most of today thoroughly absorbed in its pages. This quarter's mag focuses on the Sansha incursions happening across EVE and the upcoming Incarna expansion with its long-awaited walking-in-space feature. Also in this edition is a featured look at the rise and fall of the Band of Brothers alliance, a guide to surviving your first time at the annual Fanfest in Iceland, and all the usual features. This issue will be the first officially released under the name EON -- the previous name of the magazine being E-ON.

Skip past the cut for a roundup of what you'll find in EON magazine issue 22 and my impressions of its content.

Continue reading EON Magazine issue 22 tackles Incarna, surviving the EVE fanfest and more

EON Magazine issue 22 tackles Incarna, surviving the EVE fanfest and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get issues of E-ON Magazine for half price this Christmas

Brendan Drain — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture

EVE Online is one of the few MMOs with its own dedicated paper-based magazine. With its high production values, the quarterly E-ON Magazine by MMM Publishing is a great example of how to do a game magazine right. Each issue contains featured articles, guides, fiction, interviews, sneak peeks at future expansions and more. Even the advertisements in it are for exclusively in-game corporations and services, making it pure EVE from cover to cover. Here at Massively, we've reviewed the past three issues of the magazine and found them all to be well worth reading.

If you'd like to give E-ON Magazine a go or fill in some holes in your collection, now's the perfect time to do it. All this month, issues of E-ON are better than half price at the EVE Online store. Each issue is reduced from $14.95 US down to only $7 if you apply the code EONDEC1050 to your purchase, making the magazine a great Christmas gift for any big EVE Online fan. If you're a big fan of the magazine, you'll also be pleased to know that last month's contest has been extended until EVE's daily downtime tomorrow. To be in with a chance to win, just mail win@mmmpublishing.com with your name, your EVE character name and an explanation of why you think you deserve free swag. The best entry will win a pile of EVE goodies, with winners to be announced in E-ON issue 22. Enter quickly, as the contest ends tomorrow at 11AM GMT.

Get issues of E-ON Magazine for half price this Christmas originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-ON Magazine issue 21 round-up

Brendan Drain — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Expansions, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on

We regularly spend money on our favourite MMOs, be it in the form of a monthly subscription fee or a microtransaction purchase. We often spend more time and money on our favourite online retreats than we spend on other hobbies, and yet few MMOs have their own dedicated magazine the way other hobbies do. EVE Online players are fortunate enough to have the quarterly EVE magazine E-ON to spread out across their coffee tables. Produced by MMM Publishing, E-ON is guaranteed to be 100% EVE from cover to cover. Even the advertisements in it are for EVE corporations and services rather than paid ads for other games.

I've been slowly reading my way through Issue 21 since it popped through my letterbox and have definitely enjoyed it. This issue focuses on live events and the upcoming Incursion expansion, with a special feature on EVE's annual fanfest event in Iceland. The issue also contains guides to faction warfare militia fleets, EVE's various communication tools and the first of a series on Drones. Interviews this time around include CCP's video producer Stevie Ward and Technical Director in the fight against lag, Derek Wise. As usual, the magazine contains the latest war reports from nullsec, an awesome new piece of EVE fiction and the impressive layouts and graphics that readers have come to expect.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of what you can expect from E-ON issue 21 and my impressions of the issue.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 21 round-up

E-ON Magazine issue 21 round-up originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves

Brendan Drain — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, Hands-on

The magazine industry is a behemoth, catering to practically every hobby there is. No matter how obscure the hobby, you're sure to find a magazine on the shelf all about it. While there are plenty of magazines dedicated to gaming, only a few MMOs have their own dedicated magazines. Despite the rise in popularity of web-based publications, there's something special about having a physical magazine you can flip through. Since I am a massive nerdy fan of EVE Online, each issue of the quarterly E-ON magazine feels like a proper treat. The production values are very high, and it's pure EVE from cover to cover. The publishers even go so far as to include advertisements for EVE corporations and services rather than paid ads for other games or gaming services.

Issue 20 of the magazine was released last month, but the postal fairy decided I had been naughty and didn't deliver it until this week. I've spent the majority of today reading this magazine all about internet spaceships, and I've loved every nerdy moment of it. This quarter's issue has a strong focus on the impact of EVE's recent Tyrannis expansion and its planetary interaction feature. In addition to a guide on setting up planetary harvesting infrastructure, the magazine's editors ask whether Tyrannis was everything we hoped or a missed opportunity to breathe new life into the planets of New Eden. Other topics discussed in this issue include EVE's controversial Council of Stellar Management, the history of the alliance tournament, and a look at the new rebalanced supercarriers.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of what you can expect in E-ON issue 20 and my impressions from reading it.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves

E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE merchandise store gets an overhaul

Brendan Drain — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online

The EVE Online merchandise store received a facelift yesterday to bring its visual style in line with CCP's new EVE Gate social networking tool. In addition to selling EVE game time codes, the store features a huge range of extremely nerdy internet spaceships paraphernalia. If you're looking for the latest issue of E-ON magazine, a model battleship, a new EVE poster or an EVE T-shirt, the EVE store is where you'll find it. In a new devblog, CCP has gone into detail on their future plans for the store. On top of the current cosmetic and layout changes, CCP aim to produce a variety of new posters, collectibles and clothing. Unfortunately for European players, CCP has been unable to reduce the massive shipping costs on items to the EU.

EVE merchandise store gets an overhaul originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buy low, sell high at the EVE Tyrannis sale

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Promotions

EVE fanatics are undoubtedly familiar with the EVE Online store, which offers clothing and other goodies so that pilots can strut around making the statement, "I'm leveling up my skills right this very second." In celebration of the touchdown of Tyrannis, EVE's latest expansion, shrewd players can nab a few great deals as the store cuts its prices.

If you want an EVE ship of your very own to admire (or snuggle with at night -- we understand), a hefty 15% discount could tempt you in the right direction. They've bundled the popular EVE Conquest board game with a t-shirt, so now your best friends have a reason to gank you and loot your corpse. If you're looking for back copies of E-ON, issues #1-18 are available for the taking for the low price of $7.00 apiece.

Finally, they've got a couple all-purpose coupons for the entire store: one for 10% of shipping, and one for 10% off any order. Head on over for the full announcement, including coupon codes and specific details.

Buy low, sell high at the EVE Tyrannis sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves

Brendan Drain — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, Hands-on

In Autumn 2005, EVE Online became one of the only MMOs out there with its own dedicated print magazine. Under contract from CCP Games, MMM Publishing has worked tirelessly ever since to produce EVE's official magazine "E-ON." Four times per year, we're blessed with a dose of the latest and greatest things from New Eden in a comfortingly solid format. The magazine covers everything from strategy guides and ship fitting advice to sneak peaks at upcoming expansions, interviews with CCP staff and incredible fiction set in the EVE universe.

E-ON differs from other game magazines in that they don't any make money from advertising. In an effort to keep the magazine all about EVE, they've taken the unusual but apparently successful route of publishing full-page adverts from in-game corporations and organisations. Advertisers buy space in the magazine with ISK, the in-game currency, and adverts must be for strictly in-game purposes. The ISK is then used to pay volunteer writers, who create most of the magazine's content and produce important things like guides from a true player's perspective. There's even a scheme in the works to reward advertisers with discount coupon codes for the magazine to gift their corpmates. Now nearing their fifth year of publishing, E-ON issue 19 has recently been released. As usual, this issue is absolutely packed full of everything we've come to expect from the mag.

Skip past the cut for a run-down of what you can expect in issue 19 of E-ON Magazine.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves

E-ON Magazine issue 19 hits the shelves originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Contest lets EVE Online players get their name in print in E-ON magazine

James Egan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Contests

While Massively's own EVE Online contest is off to a great start this week, we also want to point out something of interest happening on our friend CrazyKinux's site. Have you ever wanted to see your name in print in E-ON, the official EVE Online magazine? Well now is your chance. CrazyKinux is running a contest where EVE players can make their predictions about how the game will change in 2010 or what will happen in New Eden in the next year. If your prediction lands in the top 10 entries, your submission will make it into print in E-ON magazine in January -- plus you'll also receive a free contributor copy of that issue.

The contest is called "The Oracle of EVE" and will run through November 30th. It'll be judged by CrazyKinux and E-ON editor Richie Shoemaker (aka Zapatero). Check out the announcement post over at CrazyKinux's Musing which explains in greater detail how you can take part. Obviously they're looking for submissions that are well-written and entertaining, but also concise. Entering is quite simple -- just write your 2010 prediction on your own blog and link to it in the comments below "The Oracle of EVE" announcement post. Good luck to any Massively readers that decide to take a shot at this.

Contest lets EVE Online players get their name in print in E-ON magazine originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New perspective on EVE Online's latest bank embezzlement part two

James Egan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Game mechanics, Interviews, Massively Interviews

We read about these things happening periodically, an EVE player pulls a runner with some huge amount of ISK and all sorts of drama ensues. It makes me wonder, what has the real life impact of this theft been on those of you involved with EBANK?

If you are to trust the forum trolls, EVE is JUST a game. But having spent 2 years on this project, real-life money and a lot of sweat and tears, it hurts to see EBANK's name being dragged through the mud, and putting up with the drama. It of course causes a huge amount of real-life stress, and makes you wonder about a few things. I even almost managed to miss 2 exams, due to having to deal with this. But it also gave us the opportunity to realize just how many people EBANK have helped.

2% of EVE's playerbase has an EBANK account, and we came to be the biggest investment venture in EVE, peaking at 2.5 TRILLION ISK. That, to me, is a pretty big thing, which I'm proud to take part in. But I can't answer this question on my own, hence here's my new CEO's take on it:

Continue reading New perspective on EVE Online's latest bank embezzlement part two

New perspective on EVE Online's latest bank embezzlement part two originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online's official magazine E-ON releases latest quarterly issue

James Egan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online

E-ON is the official magazine of EVE Online, released quarterly and one of the most focused sources of EVE content out there. We've spoken with E-ON in the past and a few of us on the Massively staff are regular readers -- our EVE columnist Brendan Drain has been an E-ON contributor himself. The Spring issue of E-ON is now shipping and although it doesn't have the instant gratification of clicking on a hyperlink, there's some excellent content there that we really want to mention to our readers and in general point out that E-ON has a lot to offer EVE Online players.

This issue's cover story is "The End of New Eden" by Jim Rossignol and is an inquiry into the dreaded question of when the game will finally run out of steam. Sad as it is, all MMOs end eventually. Or do they have to?

The E-ON cover story looks at how different EVE is from the other MMOs running. Since EVE is really all about what happens in New Eden, an open sprawling galaxy where players do what they choose, the game isn't necessarily tied into expansion zones, new classes, certain quests or raid bosses. In other words, EVE doesn't suffer from the pitfall many MMOs do in that players quickly progress through the new content and then have nowhere else to go. EVE is unique in that it's a setting -- sometimes a harsh setting -- where PvP and PvE exist side-by-side and players determine their own path. Perhaps it's that freedom that's been a draw for many players so far and "The End of New Eden" looks at the prospects for this attraction continuing in future years. As there will be no EVE Online 2, it's all about one continually evolving setting and the possibilities this brings, and Rossignol's article is well worth a read.

Continue reading EVE Online's official magazine E-ON releases latest quarterly issue

EVE Online's official magazine E-ON releases latest quarterly issue originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Careers Guide available as free download

James Egan — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Guides, Professions, PvP, PvE, Roleplaying

A major strength of the sci-fi massively multiplayer online game EVE Online is that there are no classes and certainly no professions that a player is locked into. EVE's professions are freeform, but this can lead to new players being unsure about what to do (or be) in the game. The title's developer CCP Games is attempting to remedy this. One of the resources that complements EVE Online's New Player Experience in the Apocrypha expansion is the "EVE Careers Guide", which introduces new players to the gameplay possibilities in New Eden. It's largely put together by Benilopax of Warp Drive Active: Industry podcast fame and Richie Shoemaker (aka "Zapatero"), the Editor of E-ON -- the official magazine of EVE Online -- who we've interviewed at Massively in the past. The EVE Careers Guide is a PDF file with interactive links throughout to navigate between sections, providing a comprehensive look at the game for rookie pilots.

Zapatero welcomes new players to EVE Online, explaining the game in broad terms: "Many have found their own path in EVE by taking turns that are wildly divergent from what its makers envisaged. EVE is about relationships, prejudices, trust, greed and creativity more than it's about spaceships, trade and combat. New Eden is a very human universe, and with almost 300,000 people making up the population, it's a very dynamic one. Yes, it's harsh and uncompromising, frustrating and callous, but it's also illuminating in scope, vast in stature and utterly unique."

Continue reading EVE Careers Guide available as free download

EVE Careers Guide available as free download originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots

James Egan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, EVE Online, Contests, Making money, News items

E-ON, the official magazine of EVE Online, is running a contest where your best screenshots could net you 100 million ISK for each shot they publish in the April issue. E-ON editor Zapatero, who we interviewed in November, said what he's looking for on the E-ON blog, 'Postings from the Edge':

"What we're after are your screenshots. They can be of ships mining, travelling or fighting. They can be pilots tending to starbases, searching for wormholes or epic battles against Sleeper ships. In fact they can be of anything from inside New Eden, they just have to be good-looking images. The very best that we receive will be published in the edition of EON that's out next month."

Continue reading E-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots

E-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award

James Egan — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Massively Meta

Voting in the 2009 E-ON Magazine Awards kicked off earlier this week, announced both in the current issue of E-ON, the official magazine of EVE Online, and on the game's website. The E-ON awards are a big deal in EVE, as they're a way of honoring standout players, in-game corporations, and alliances for their contributions to the game over the course of the previous year. It's also a chance for EVE's playerbase to look at the list of nominees and inevitably exclaim, "Who the hell is that?" when seeing an unfamiliar name among them. (This is perhaps a testament to how much is going on in relation to EVE's setting of New Eden, both in-game and out.)

We certainly hope no one does this when they see Massively listed in a new category established this year -- the E-ON Editor's Choice Award. The Editor's Choice Award nominees were handpicked by the E-ON team to highlight contributions to the game that might have been overlooked otherwise, or simply wouldn't fit into the other established voting categories.

Continue reading Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award

Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Players skeptical about EVE Online's introduction of Tech III

James Egan — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Crafting, Opinion, Races

Everyone loves Lego, right? That childhood pastime of snapping together pieces to create new and often bizarre creations is coming to the spaceships of EVE Online, but not all players are happy to hear about this.

The next EVE Online expansion, Apocrypha, is going to introduce some new aspects to gameplay. Some of these new features, like wormhole exploration, seem to be received positively by the player base. But others -- like the modular "Tech III" ship designs -- have drawn no small amount of criticism from EVE's subscribers. Tech III is an aspect of the game that has players pretty well divided, much like the upcoming Walking in Stations (aka Ambulation) expansion. The sentiment a number of players have been vocal about is 'Do we really need this?' Whines and tears are a daily occurrence on the game's official forums and perhaps the opinions voiced there aren't necessarily indicative of the sentiments of the larger player base. But concerns about Tech III are also beginning to show up on player blogs, far from the bandwagoning of the EVE Online forums, and in some cases from players who know the game very well.

Continue reading Players skeptical about EVE Online's introduction of Tech III

Players skeptical about EVE Online's introduction of Tech III originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively.com giveaway: EVE Online time cards, E-ON magazines

Michael Zenke — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Contests

If you've been reading along with Massively over the last year, you know that one of our strengths is coverage of the unique title EVE Online. EVE is a game very much unlike any other MMO out there, a place where individuality, financial planning, and killer zeal all combine to create this beautiful organic whole. This blogger just isn't a podster, which is why the site is lucky enough to have the genius of James Egan and Brendan Drain onhand to help us out.

Since we wanted to be sure to support the EVE community, we reached out to CCP and the publishers of E-ON magazine ... and came away with something pretty special. In this giveaway we're giving away the following: 10 two-month EVE Time Codes (ETCs), 1 E-ON subscription pack (EVE Strategic Maps plus a year of E-ON), 1 Map pack (EVE Strategic Maps plus the current issue), and 3 copies of the current issue of E-ON magazine. That's a total retail value of about $500! Thanks to CCP and MMM Publishing for making this happen.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post, telling us what your favorite ship in New Eden is! You'll need to comment before 7:00 AM EST Thursday, November 6th. You can only enter once per person, and after the contest closes we'll ship out these fantastic prizes to 15 randomly-selected winners. Give us at least a week to ship out this massive pile of swag, though. To win you must be age 18 or up and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). For full eligibility details, we suggest you read our official rules. Good luck!

Massively.com giveaway: EVE Online time cards, E-ON magazines originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero Part 2

James Egan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Interviews

I read E-ON so I know you've really got your finger on the pulse of EVE, but given the magazine's quarterly publishing schedule, how do you meet the challenges of covering a game that's always evolving?

My finger isn't on the pulse at all. Never has been. I just know where to find the pulse when I need it.

It's difficult to be topical and obviously the magazine could be seen to date quite quickly, but I don't feel that aspect detracts from the the magazine at all. If anything it enhances it. I've always likened E-ON to a snapshot of EVE. Each issue captures EVE in a moment that will never exists again. For example, in the first issue we published a profile of a much-loved EVE fansite called EVE-I. Soon after publication EVE-I went down and never returned. (It actually went down before publication, but the admins assured me it would be back.) At the time it was slightly embarrassing that the we had a glowing profile of the site and some people on the forums found that amusing, but as time has gone by and memory has faded, EVE-I has been forgotten by all but the oldest veterans. The point is that the site is no longer active, it no longer even exists.... except in E-ON.

It's a similar story with the "Darwin's Contraption" movie, which we previewed in Issue #005, and maybe the EVE: Ascension mod (#009) will never see the light of day, but in E-ON all these great fan projects can be celebrated for their efforts, if not their achievements.

As for the ever-changing nature of EVE, it's precisely because EVE never stands still that there are always deep seams of material to mine for content. I actually feel that we could do an issue of E-ON every six weeks, perhaps monthly, but I'm not sure my superiors share that view because it's a fair bit of work that goes into design and production and MMM are a very small outfit, but there certainly is never a problem filling an issue with words -- quite the opposite.

Continue reading Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero Part 2

Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero

James Egan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Interviews

EVE Online is a deep and complex game, and even those who've played EVE for years find there are still facets of gameplay they've never mastered. This is compounded by the game's unique nature as a massive galaxy primed for exploration and domination by its players, whose actions and machinations affect one another in a single setting that's never quite the same from one day to the next.

EVE is always evolving, both in terms of the dynamics between players and the game itself, seen as a whole. But unlike most MMOs, EVE Online has an official magazine, called E-ON, which has kept pace with how the game and its player efforts have changed over the years. To flip through the E-ON back issues is to see the documented evolution of EVE Online. In fact, E-ON manages to stay ahead of the curve due in part to its access to CCP Games, but mostly through the efforts of the players themselves whose writing talents make up the entirety of E-ON. The man behind E-ON is Richie Shoemaker, aka "Zapatero." He's the one who's been guiding the publication along since day one, and ensuring its content digs beneath the surface of the game. He's interviewed EVE's players and developers alike, but it occurred to us... Zapatero has an excellent perspective on the game yet is rarely interviewed, himself.

Massively recently caught up with Zapatero in between his continent hopping, and got him to tell us a bit about his approach to covering EVE and what the player community is capable of creating.

Continue reading Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero

Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercs and their role in EVE's industrial warfare

James Egan — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Crafting, PvP, Tips and tricks, Opinion

Much of what's written about EVE Online focuses on the darker aspects of the game. It's not surprising, as those topics are often the ones most interesting to players and non-players alike, but EVE has a very deep industrial side to it as well. It's a side that gets much less fanfare; R&D (invention), manufacturing, trading, and investment are all possible within the game and occur in tandem with EVE's more violent pursuits. Most every ship, after all, has been manufactured and sold (or re-sold) by another player. Those who engage in EVE's industry on a serious level often come into conflict with rival corporations and alliances in wars played out on the market, which sometimes spill into formal war declarations and combat. But if you're not interested in or inept at PvP, what are EVE's industrialists to do?

While an industrialist may not be well-versed in the art of war, he or she can play to their own strength: financial influence. EVE has a number of merc corps who are willing to solve problems, be it through armed escorts in hostile space or simply obliterating your opposition... assuming you can meet their price. Benilopax, of Warp Drive Active: Industry podcast fame and an E-ON contributor, relates his experience with contracting mercenaries to solve such problems, in what he refers to as 'the dark side of industrialism'. "There is a growing use of mercenaries by industrial entities to either take out the competition or keep them from easily making a profit," Benilopax writes for EVE Tribune. If you're interested in knowing a bit more about this side of the game, start with Benilopax's article (and A-Team reference) to see what it's like to deal with mercenaries in EVE Online.

Mercs and their role in EVE's industrial warfare originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Community Spotlight: Winterblink

James Egan — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews, Opinion, Massively Interviews

Some players in EVE Online are known for a particular contribution to the community. Others for their presence on the forums or for their reputation as a pilot. EVE's players know Winterblink for all of these reasons, and more. While there are a number of celebrated players in EVE Online, few names are as recognizable in the game as Winterblink. Whether you're a fan of the Warp Drive Active comic, you listen to his podcast, or perhaps you just want to podkill him... most players agree that he's one of the friendliest people you're likely to meet in EVE, except for when he's got you in his sights.

Massively recently caught up with Winterblink and spoke with him about how Warp Drive Active came to be, finding humor in a game that's taken so seriously by its players, and what it means to him to be a part of the EVE community.

Continue reading EVE Community Spotlight: Winterblink

EVE Community Spotlight: Winterblink originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE's second CSM election process begins

James Egan — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Guilds, MMO industry, News items

CCP Games announced that it's time for EVE Online's next Council of Stellar Management election process to begin. Here's the message from the Council Election page: "The second democratic elections in EVE will start the 7th of November. Here you can enter your application to run as a candidate for the election. You will run under your real name with an EVE identity for others to relate to. You will have to be ready to appear in public or in mediums. Your account has to be older than 30 days. You are required to put effort into your position. Yet serving the EVE population is well worth it. Get all the necessary information here. Throw your hat in the ring and make history."

Interested candidates will need to have their information submitted to CCP no later than October 17th (extended from their previous announcement that stated October 10th). The application, which requires a candidate to scan and submit an image of their passport, states: It is important to notice that your real life name, country, character name, campaign webpage and campaign message will be made public and available for everyone to see. Players elected to the Council of Stellar Management may also be required to appear on EVE-TV (should it make a comeback) and E-ON magazine, in addition to being willing and able to make the trip to Iceland.

EVE's second CSM election process begins originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A snapshot of alliance life in EVE Online

James Egan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Guilds, PvP, Endgame, Opinion

Roughly 1400 EVE Online players took part in the E-ON Alliance Survey in February of this year, organized by E-ON's Editor, Zapatero. "The survey was conducted to research the nature of alliances, 0.0 conflict and the capabilities of alliances or coalitions to ever mount a serious challenge to the entirety of 0.0 space," Zapatero writes. While those results provided a grounding for a few E-ON articles, they've otherwise remained inert on Zapatero's hard drive since then. Since the survey was created with anonymity in mind, there is no revealing information about any particular alliance and thus no harm in releasing the information for everyone to see. Zapatero's prepared the results as a pdf summary report as well as a spreadsheet (files hosted by Chribba.)

The questions asked were fairly comprehensive, ranging from individual motivations to play as part of an alliance to collective achievements and failings (and everything in between). Though the alliance map and the motivations driving its constant shifts will change over time, Zapatero's provided an interesting look at how EVE's alliance players approach the game. Check out his "New editions, old additions" post over at the EVE Online site for more background on this project and its aims.

A snapshot of alliance life in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Social networking meets MMOs at Avatars United

James Egan — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews, Virtual worlds

Social networking already intersects with gaming through GAX Online, but there's a newer MMO-centric community that's growing in popularity. Combine the anonymity of being identified only as your avatar with a way to connect with gamers across many MMOs and virtual worlds, and you've got Avatars United. It's like Facebook for your virtual personas.

Avatars United has found favor with a number of EVE Online players, according to an interview in the most recent issue of E-ON; EVE players account for roughly 40 percent of the sign-ups. Certainly part of the draw is that Avatars United makes use of EVE Online's API, allowing character data to be displayed along with the other features you've come to expect from a social networking space. Namely -- messaging, blogging, photos, and video. Avatars United isn't just a site for EVE gamers though, and is seeing growing popularity with players from the entire gamut of major MMO titles out there, ranging from Age of Conan to World of Warcraft.

Continue reading Social networking meets MMOs at Avatars United

Social networking meets MMOs at Avatars United originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively takes on EVE Online's learning curve

James Egan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Game mechanics, Guides, PvP, Tips and tricks

EVE Online is a complex game. There's no doubt about that. That complexity is a large part of the draw, but that doesn't mean learning about the game has to be a daunting experience. With that in mind, Massively has EVE Online in its sights. We've brought solid writers on staff who are quite knowledgeable about the game and are here to give some in-depth info on how EVE is played.

CrazyKinux and Crovan of The Drone Bay podcast joined us in April, and since then have provided Massively's readers with some helpful columns. CrazyKinux, aka David Perry, writes the Have Clone, Will Travel column. David's most recent piece, 3 Essential Tools for Capsuleers, provides a great overview of some of the third-party programs and resources available to help you plan your skill progression and your ship fittings. But we're also running two more EVE-centric columns at Massively. Read on after the jump to see what else we're bringing to the EVE community, and how we're easing that learning curve.

Continue reading Massively takes on EVE Online's learning curve

Massively takes on EVE Online's learning curve originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Empyrean Age factional warfare map included with newest E-ON issue

James Egan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, News items

EVE Online's latest dev blog comes from Zapatero, one of the staff at E-ON, the quarterly magazine all about EVE. Our own Massively columnist Brendan Drain, aka Nyphur, has been a past contributor to E-ON, which should give you an idea of how in-depth some of the articles are. The magazine is a useful resource for any serious player of the game and the fiction is pretty solid as well, it's just a shame that there's a few-month gap between each issue's release. Maybe it was that wait that pushed him over the edge, but rumor has it one of the Massively writers snapped and bought every back issue of E-ON, but we think that he's unhealthily obsessed anyway.

Zapatero writes that E-ON is about to celebrate its third year in operation with the release of issue 12, which will ship on July 4th. As a bonus to readers, it will include a free poster of the Empyrean Age New Eden star cluster, to aid players who have enlisted in factional warfare. The map was created by Council of Stellar Management (CSM) delegate Serenity Steele, who also brought EVE Strategic Maps (a book of star charts) to fans of the game. The free poster map will include region names and outposts. Faction warfare-enabled regions will be highlighted and the security status of each system will be color-coded. For those who actually have EVE Strategic Maps, the poster is cross-referenced with the book, although Zapatero states that the map will be useful on its own. He outlines what will be in issue 12 in his dev blog; if the content matches up to what the E-ON staff has put out in past issues, it should be worth checking out.

Continue reading Empyrean Age factional warfare map included with newest E-ON issue

Empyrean Age factional warfare map included with newest E-ON issue originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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