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EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system

Brendan Drain — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, EVE Evolved, Sandbox

EVE Online's new Inferno expansion is almost here, bringing with it a massive PvP revamp. CCP will try to resurrect the dead faction warfare system, and new modules will be introduced to significantly shake up the PvP landscape for the first time in several years. The war declaration system is also getting a complete overhaul, with the goal of forcing the aggressor to commit to the war and making wars more structured and meaningful. Unfortunately, the implementation described at Fanfest doesn't look like it will achieve that and doesn't fix any of the system's other problems.

The attacking corp can no longer stop a war mid-week, and the defender can hire mercenaries to join his war, but this doesn't add any risk for the attacking corp and doesn't force it to commit. The attacker can always stop paying the war bill, and the war will then finish at the end of the week. As most empire wardecs are initiated by small shell corps full of PvP alts, the attacking players won't mind logging out for a few days if the war backfires. The current war system is plagued with issues, from a complete lack of victory conditions to the fact that the attacker can pay for the war indefinitely. It allows bizarre asymmetries, like tiny alt corps declaring war on major military alliances, and offers no way for even the most militarily powerful defender to win the war.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I lay out some of the problems with EVE Online's upcoming wardec revamp and propose an alternative system that fixes them.

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EVE Evolved: Fixing the wardec system originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Corporate benefits and new players

Brendan Drain — Sun, 08 May 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Endgame, Opinion, EVE Evolved

In a recent article, I explored the effect that power players have on EVE Online's subscription retention. In particular, I suggested that CCP has stopped developing features with EVE's power players in mind and that this could be the cause of a worrying downward trend in new player retention. It's the responsibility of corp leaders and organisers to give players a place in EVE, to provide them with something to do and to instill them with the ambition to continue playing in the long term. I believe that CCP has let those organisers and leaders down by failing to provide the updated tools necessary to give players a purposeful place in the universe or give them a good start to the game.

A similar issue I've touched on before is the importance of corporate goals in EVE. I've always been amazed at the willingness of EVE players to donate their time and effort to achieve a collective goal rather than a personal one. People are far more likely to join a corporate mining op, for example, if the proceeds will be donated to the corp funds or the minerals will be used in a corp production scheme. Similarly, I've found players to be much more enthusiastic about a mission night or wormhole op if the intent is to fund the production of a corp capital ship or the purchase of starbase fuel.

With CCP's summer focus aimed at helping new players get into good corporations, this week's opinion-filled EVE Evolved examines some of the developments necessary to make that goal possible.

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EVE Evolved: Corporate benefits and new players originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Getting into PvP from day one

Brendan Drain — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

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

Although it has significant PvE elements, EVE Online has always at its core been a heavily PvP-oriented game. Players wanting to get into PvP are often advised to train months' worth of skills and build up significant ISK reserves before even trying it, but this is something I strongly discourage. As I've said in several previous articles, a new player can be a useful and effective part of a PvP squad with very little training time. This is something I personally put to the test when a few real life friends and I started completely new characters and started engaging in PvP with less than 12 hours of skills trained.

Although we had significant PvP experience under our belts, the exercise proved to me that skill training and ISK weren't the absolute minimum requirement they were thought to be. I firmly believe that all it takes to successfully PvP from the outset is some patient direction from older players and perhaps a little generosity to help you afford some early ship losses. In my experience with introducing new players to EVE, I've always found the EVE community to be more than willing to provide both of these in abundance. I'd say that not only is it possible to try out PvP within the 14-day trial period, it's highly recommended.

In this opinion piece, I explain some key things you can do as a new player to get into PvP right from day one of the EVE free trial.

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EVE Evolved: Getting into PvP from day one originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE

Brendan Drain — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, Opinion, EVE Evolved

In last week's EVE Evolved, I looked at a few of EVE Online's most famous outlaws. In the game's open-ended sandbox, players are free to turn to a life of crime. Around every corner, you'll find another thief making off with someone's loot, or a pirate waiting for an unsuspecting victim to pass by. Worse still are the many scam artists and market manipulators you'll find in trade hubs like Jita, making a dishonest living at the expense of other players. But it's not all doom and gloom, and not all players are the dark, nefarious types EVE is famous for.

For every low-life scammer trying to steal your hard-earned ISK, there are helpful individuals working to counteract scamming. For every war-mongering pirate preying on new players, there are hundreds of people willing to teach new players to defend themselves and stay safe. Despite all the talk of EVE's anti-social element, you'll also find a rich and diverse community, built around forums, chat channels and dozens of blogs. Programmers even spend their free time to provide the community with free tools to aid play. These are all people I would call heroes of EVE, either because they work to prevent the wrong-doings of outlaws, or because they selflessly enrich the EVE community.

In this opinion piece, I look at a few of the people and groups I consider to be true heroes of EVE. Who are your heroes?

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EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online

Jef Reahard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Darkfall, EVE Online, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Community Detective

"We hope you understand that there's nothing we can do at the moment," says the support email we just received from Aventurine, developers of Darkfall. Not exactly what you want to hear from customer service, is it?

Welcome to another issue of Massively's Community Detective, where we're primed and ready to take you into the trenches of MMORPG community and customer service. This week we've got full-blown battlefields complete with land mines, dismemberment, e-peen waving, and all the other things you've come to know and love about PvP. Yes, we're delving into the world of Darkfall, and if that's not enough for you, we'll also be heading for the heavens in a very different (but equally cutthroat) PvP sandbox called EVE Online.

Join us after the cut to see how these two titles fared in terms of community and customer service support.

Continue reading Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online

Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Help develop Tyrannis on the EVE test server

Brendan Drain — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

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

EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion is due for release in a few months and players are looking forward to the new planetary interaction mechanic. Although the core ideas for the expansion have been settled on, many of the game mechanics have not been fully fleshed out. In an effort to get players involved, CCP have begun releasing early prototypes of the planetary interaction feature on the EVE test server Singularity. It's important to keep in mind that nothing on the test server is final. As a studio that makes heavy use of agile development strategies, CCP will use feedback from players on the test server to incrementally refine the design.

Dierdra Val, director of EVE University, has been on the test server to bring the EVE community details of CCP's current designs. They've released a video showing the process of installing structures on a planet and setting up factory links. So far, planetary interaction seems very similar to the moon mining and reacting industry but it's definitely a much more active process. While moon mining operations produce an endless supply of moon minerals at a steady rate, planet-based material deposits will vary in total size and yield per cycle. The materials produced on planets are also different than those produced by existing industrial operations.

Skip past the cut to watch EVE University's test-server planetary interaction tutorial or set up a test server client and try it out for yourself.

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Help develop Tyrannis on the EVE test server originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE University turns six years old today

Brendan Drain — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST

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

EVE Online has made a name for itself as an MMO with a steep learning curve. Getting into the game can be a daunting experience for new players, particularly if they want to get involved in PvP. Six years ago today, EVE player "Morning Maniac" founded the EVE University corporation in an effort to combat exactly that problem. Since then, they've been EVE's best-known new player training corp, providing free training and supplies to players getting to grips with the game. The program has seen over 10,000 new players pass through and graduate on to bigger and better things. Their success has spawned many other training corps over the years, including those focused on piracy.

In his six year birthday announcement, Kelduum Revaan of EVE University talked about how the game had changed over the years, adding that "one thing has remained constant - there are always new players, and there is always more to learn." At last year's five year anniversary, a brief history of the corp graced the EVE news. Since then, EVE University has gone from strength to strength, with some impressive achievements over the last twelve months. Over 3,000 new players entered the program this year, for a time making EVE University possibly the biggest single corp in the game. They were even recommended by PC Gamer magazine as the best place for new players to start their EVE journey. This year also saw the opening of their wormhole operations division and the opening of access to NPC nullsec regions for members. The corp looks forward to expanding operations and we at Massively wish them every success over the coming year.

EVE University turns six years old today originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE University founder steps down

James Egan — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Guilds

For every story of deception and betrayal in EVE Online that grabs the headlines, there are far more acts of altruism in the game's setting of New Eden. A fair amount of that goodwill is connected with EVE University [E-UNI], a corporation in the game that exists to help new players and has been doing so for nearly six years. When veteran player Morning Maniac established EVE University, he pioneered the concept of a corporation that teaches new players and exposes them to aspects of the game they would likely not experience on their own. Since its inception, EVE University has brought thousands of new players into the fold and shown them what's possible in the sandbox of New Eden. After a long tenure, however, Morning Maniac announced that he will step down as CEO of EVE University on February 1st.

He wrote: "Five years and 11 months ago I founded Eve University to create a place where new players could get together and be appreciated for who they were. Classes and doing things together were important but nothing was, and is, more important than the positive attitude towards new players."

Continue reading EVE University founder steps down

EVE University founder steps down originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival

James Egan — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Guilds, PvP

One of the things we really like about EVE Online is how the game experience is player-driven, and that goes far beyond the more notorious aspects which have garnered a lot of attention of late. EVE's open setting of New Eden allows players to establish all types of ventures or organizations -- anything ranging from lotteries and banks to corporations focused on wormhole colonization is possible. Some players opt to create training corps that teach new players about the many aspects of this rather complex game.

When it comes to training corps there are several well-known options. EVE University is perhaps the most famous training corp in New Eden, but others like 1st Steps Academy and Trader's Academy exist to help out new players. For those hell bent on jumping into PvP, Agony Unleashed offers classes that can help you on your way. Now there's a newcomer to the roster of training corporations in the game -- the Open University of Celestial Hardship [OUCH].

Continue reading New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival

New training corp in EVE Online teaches players PvP and nullsec survival originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall gets its own analog of EVE University: Newborn on Agon

James Egan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, EVE Online, Guilds, PvP, PvE

The settings of Darkfall and EVE Online are worlds apart, but there is some common ground between the titles. PvP combat permeates both sandbox games, and given a potentially hostile environment when starting out, it's always good to have a helping hand. EVE Online players have training corps like EVE University to show them the ropes in what can sometimes be a brutal game. Darkfall now has an analog of EVE University called "NEW" which Syncaine recently pointed out on his blog, Hardcore Casual. NEW is short for "Newborn on Agon", a North American server clan that provides training in most any facet of the game for those willing to learn.

Although Darkfall can be harsh to newer players, NEW provides a (comparatively) safe environment where players can spend 30 days learning what interests them, or developing the skills to succeed in the game once it's time to move on. The clan is politically neutral and owns the city of Hammerdale, contributing to NEW's potential to become a haven for new players. Also, some of Darkfall's major alliances support the idea of NEW which could be beneficial in the long run.

It's great to see things like this happen in sandbox MMOs, and hopefully Darkfall will continue to see its players establish lasting institutions in the game.

Darkfall gets its own analog of EVE University: Newborn on Agon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Black Rabbits Academy teaches piracy in EVE Online

James Egan — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

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

Among all the massively multiplayer online games on the market, EVE Online is perhaps the most complex game running, which is part of the title's appeal. The learning curve has, in the past, dissuaded some MMO gamers from really digging in to EVE, but that curve has been getting a bit less steep as the tutorial improves. The Apocrypha expansion's New Player Experience also aims to make those first weeks in New Eden easier. That said, the best resource available to new EVE players is the game's playerbase itself. It's always best to learn from others and when possible, with others. That's one of the unique things about EVE -- players form corporations for various purposes, one of which is to provide schools or academies where various facets of the game are taught by experienced players. Players can learn alongside others who share similar interests.

You want to learn the ropes of the game? You can join EVE University and take part in their organized classes or listen to speakers on various topics in New Eden. Want to learn how to kick ass in PvP? Take a class at Agony Unleashed and they'll turn you into a killer in no time. But EVE University and the other training-focused corps tend to focus on the more 'legitimate' aspects of the game. But what if you want a training course that lets you learn about and become part of New Eden's criminal society? There are options.

Continue reading The Black Rabbits Academy teaches piracy in EVE Online

The Black Rabbits Academy teaches piracy in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE University celebrates fifth anniversary

James Egan — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, in-game, News items

Anyone who's played EVE Online for any length of time is likely to concede that it can be a complex game. While the developers have taken steps to better guide new players into EVE's setting of New Eden through the New Player Experience and the EVE Careers Guide, it's really the playerbase itself that can be the greatest asset to a new pilot. There are several player corporations (guilds) in EVE Online that can help show new players the ropes. Perhaps the real pioneer in training corps in the game is EVE University who have celebrated their fifth anniversary this month.

Darian Reymont from EVE Uni writes an excellent description of what the institution is and what it offers to the playerbase, found at the EVE University homepage: "A unique concept in the universe of EVE, the University was - and remains to this day - one of the few truly altruistic organisations in New Eden, supplying free education in all facets of EVE life to any and all who seek it. From humble beginnings as a place where experienced capsuleers could share their wisdom and experience with a handful of new pilots, the University has grown into a mammoth undertaking. Regularly scheduled lessons, supported by weeks of recorded lesson content and thousands of instructive forum posts alongside hundreds of millions of ISK spent every week provide students with the most comprehensive education that can be found anywhere in New Eden."

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EVE University celebrates fifth anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: A lesson in snowball war 101

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, EVE Online, One Shots

Today we have yet another snowball shot taken over the holidays in New Eden. For all the grumbling about lag, it would seem that a lot of EVE Online players had a great time pelting one another with snowballs this year. Of course, it can be a little hard to deal all that snowy ammo flying at you when a bunch of your corpmates gang up on you, as we see in today's One Shots sent in to us by JamesS (not to be confused with our James Egan). He writes in: JamesS here from EVE Online. You wanted a snowball fight - well here's one fight just after we received CCP's gift. EVE University says Hi and Happy New Year!

If you've got any fun screenshots of you and your corpmates messing around (or being deadly serious, for that matter) we'd love to see them. Just snag a quick screenshot and email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and whatever game its from. Corp name and a quick note are welcome, but not required. We'll post them here for all to see and let people know you sent it in. Fly deadly!

Gallery: One Shots

One Shots: A lesson in snowball war 101 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE's Council of Stellar Management elections end tomorrow

James Egan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, in-game, Forums, Game mechanics, Guilds, MMO industry

Tomorrow is the last day for EVE Online players to cast their vote for the Council of Stellar Management (CSM) candidates. Members of the player-elected council act as representatives of the playerbase, bringing issues with the game before the developers and working towards keeping EVE Online a game that reflects the interests of those who play it.

EVE's Council of Stellar Management is one of the first significant implementations of a democratic process impacting both the players and developers of an MMO. Other titles and developers have taken smaller steps towards this in the past, but the first CSM was a first for the industry as well.

Continue reading EVE's Council of Stellar Management elections end tomorrow

EVE's Council of Stellar Management elections end tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining

James Egan — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Guilds, Professions, Tips and tricks, PvE

Dee Carson is a Director at EVE University, a corporation in EVE Online devoted to showing newer players the ropes of the game. Budding industry-types in EVE (as well as players interested in other professions) will want to refer to Carson's recent post at the Miner with Fangs blog -- he's made his 'EVE University Co-Operative Mining Guide' available as a pdf, and is definitely worth a read.

The guide walks a newer player through all aspects of mining in groups, from the skills required to the different ship choices and their relative merits. Most importantly, he lays out why players should mine cooperatively rather than it simply being a solo pursuit, namely that it's more profitable and adds a social dynamic to the activity. Of course there's safety in numbers, particularly when you've got a good mix of the different professions in EVE represented in the operation -- an ideal operation being comprised of miners, haulers, salvagers and 'top cover' damage dealers. Given that the guide was originally intended for EVE University students, the terminology and information imparted in the guide are accessible to most any pilot in the game, regardless of their familiarity with the industry side of EVE Online. It serves as an excellent introduction to the mining profession, and a stepping stone to more advanced guides like Halada's 'The Complete Mining Guide'. You can find the link to EVE University's guide in Carson's post over at Miner with Fangs.

EVE University explains benefits of cooperative mining originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A trader's mindset in EVE Online

James Egan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Game mechanics, Guilds, Crafting, Professions, PvE, Opinion, Education

In EVE Online, it's usually the harsher side of the game that gets the most attention and has the greatest allure. Piracy, large-scale alliance warfare, and in general the dark side of EVE are what most players find interesting. But still, there are many players who engage in non-violent gameplay and find it rewarding. While hardcore PvP-ers lambast them as carebears, some corporations and individuals have attained considerable wealth and influence in the game through their own form of PvP applied to finance -- market warfare.

Among the player-created corporations and alliances in EVE Online that are devoted to helping newer players attain their goals in an often complex system, EVE University and Agony Unleashed are the most prominent. However, there are other corporations in the game that help their members along the way, which are more focused in their pursuits. One such corporation is Trader's Academy, corp ticker: [TRACE], formed in 2005 and devoted to helping pilots maximize profits from trading, mining, and mission running.

Continue reading A trader's mindset in EVE Online

A trader's mindset in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The fallacies of skill training plans in EVE Online

James Egan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Tips and tricks, Opinion

New players to EVE Online invariably receive the same advice from those more experienced: train your learning skills as soon as possible. Each skill level gained in the learning category adds a point to an attribute linked to that skill. Attributes determine your skill training times, so by boosting your attributes as high as you can, as fast as you can, you dramatically reduce your skill training times further down the road. This becomes especially noticeable when training higher ranked skills. But Dee Carson, from the Miner With Fangs blog, says that diving right into training your learning skills instead of getting a feel for the game can be a mistake. He should know. Carson is a director of EVE University, a corp that has trained thousands of new players since its inception and helped them to become competent pilots.

Carson points out that training up learning skills right off the bat serves to crush a new player's interest in the game. In those first weeks and months, when players could be out trying new things in EVE, they're limited by the fact that they're simply not progressing in any noticeable way. Yes, training up your learning skills is important if you're in for the long-term, but for those just trying out the game, locking yourself into skills that don't unlock new ships and modules kills the fun.

Continue reading The fallacies of skill training plans in EVE Online

The fallacies of skill training plans in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Curtain: Taught to Play?

Craig Withers — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Opinion, Behind the Curtain

On the first episode of Massively Speaking, Krystalle mentioned that she joined the EVE University in EVE Online. For those of you not in 'the know', EVE University is a neutral training guild - or corporation - which takes new players, trains them in how the game works, then sends them on their way. It's a laudable endeavour, and one which I have, sadly, yet to see in World of Warcraft.

In the past couple of weeks, I've had a fantastic group with a Priest whose idea of efficient Healing was to stand right next me (the Tank) on the front line and spam Prayer of Healing over and over, then screaming at me for not Taunting mobs off him, and another with a Rogue who (I presume) had a broken space bar which made him jump constantly, ignored the marks I set over mobs and thought it was a bright idea to chain-pull mobs regardless of the group's health and mana status.

Now, I'm a nice enough guy, so I tried to explain to these players what they were doing wrong, and asked them politely to change their ways for the good of the group. The Priest simply called me an idiot while the Rogue just ignored me completely.

Still, I started to wonder about how people learn, not just how to play games, but how to behave in games. I know I wrote a while back about various resources of in-game knowledge, but let's face it, simply handing someone a manual - virtual or otherwise - and telling them to start reading isn't normally the right way to go about things.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Taught to Play?

Behind the Curtain: Taught to Play? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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