Monday, March 15, 2010

EVE Blog Banter #16: The Three Pillars of Wisdom


Welcome to the sixteenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by none other than me, CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!
The third Blog Banter of 2010 comes to us from ChainTrap of the Into the unknown with gun and camera EVE Blog. He asks us: "Eve University turns six years old on March 15th; six years spent helping the new pilots of New Eden gain experience and understanding in a supportive environment. EVE is clearly a complicated game, with a ton to learn, so much that you never stop learning. So, the question is; What do you wish that someone had taken the time to tell you when you were first starting out? Or what have you learned in the interim that you'd like to share with the wider Eve community?"
Having roamed the far reaches of New Eden over the last 6 years, I've had the chance and the opportunity to share through this blog a plethora of information. Information I would wish had been shared with me when I was still wet behind the ears as a capsuleer. But that is the process of learning, and looking back at the past, looking at your past mistakes, your past ambitions become obvious as foolish and silly meanderings.

If I could go back with the knowledge I currently possess, I would share with my younger self the following...

1) Train those Learning Skills - One of the first thing a new capsuleer does is spot the biggest, meanest ship he or she can find, look at the skills needed to fly one and start learning and buying those skills. Anyways, that what I did. Even as a Carebear. I think that it was years later that I came across "Learning Skills". What the hell? What are those? When I realized the months of training I could have shaved off, I felt like an idiot. I wish I had been told to split my training between learning skills and the other skills.

2) The 10 Commandments of New Eden - I wish that somewhere will missioning or mining I had had the chance to find these 10 pieces of advice. I originally wrote them almost 2 yeas ago, but they still hold very true today:
  1. The only place where you're safe in EVE is either docked or offline, otherwise you're mostly fair game.
  2. You will eventually get podded. It's nothing personal.
  3. So make sure your clone is up to date
  4. At any given time, make sure you're always training a skill.
  5. EVE is like a sandbox with landmines. Deal with it.
  6. You're flying in a cocoon full of liquid, known as a pod. Not behind the controls of a ship.
  7. Flying a ship anywhere in EVE is like gambling, only fly what you're willing to lose.
  8. CONCORD exists to punish, not to protect.
  9. If you're going to be in a low sec system for a while, create 2 or more safe spots, just in case.
  10. Pirates are not griefers, they're as much a part of EVE as you are.
3) The right Corporation make all the difference - This is probably the most important aspect when starting in EVE, and the main reason which sees so many newcomers leave New Eden. It took a few years for me to find the corporation that matched my playing style, my availability and goals within EVE. Years later I would write this article in hopes to avoid the bunny hopping I once did early in my career.

Much more pixels could be laid down on these screens in hopes of sharing all the wisdom us old capsuleers have. But I believe it all boils down to the above.

EVE Online is not a game. It's a world. Virtual yes, but the implications of that difference make it that much more complex. That much more enjoyable. Full of unknowns, of opportunities, of dreams.

Fly, whether safe or not, but make sure to enjoy the ride!

List of Participants
    1. CrazyKinux: The Three Pillars of Wisdom
    2. The Elitist: Helping the new guy/gal
    3. Hands Off, My Loots: Nothing Needed
    4. Rantuket: Blog Banter 16
    5. EVE Opportunist: Nooby Cluey
    6. Into the Unknown With Gun and Camera: EVE University
    7. Zero Kelvin: We’re the young ones!
    8. I am Keith Neilson: Set Your Destination
    9. Prano's Journey: Just Like the Very First Time
    10. A Merry Life and a Short One: No Seriously
    11. Yarrbear Tales: Nublet 101
    12. A Mule In EVE: If I only knew
    13. The Planet Risk Show: Dared to be Bold
    14. Diary of a Space Jockey: WTH did I get myself into?!
    15. EVOGANDA: Why?
    16. A Memoir From Space: 16th Blog Banter
    17. Death’s Sweetest Kiss: Who What When Where Why How??
    18. Freebooted: Beyond the Shortcuts
    19. Learning to Fly: Noobing
    20. Caldari Outcast: My First Blog Banter Post!
    21. Roc's Ramblings: Financial Survival
    22. Diary of a Pod Pilot: Free Knowledge Inside
    23. Nullsec Carebear: I could've been less of an idiot
    24. Facepalm's Ramblings: Something Smells Fishy
    25. Kirith Darkblade: Do you wish to know more?
    26. Autopilot Disabled: I'm still starting...
    27. Finders & Keepers: Relax
    28. Confounded Capsuleer: What have you got to loose?
    29. Clan Oriana: Sixteen
    30. Flashfresh: EVE Blog Banter #16
    31. Rettic's The Chronofile: You Make EVE
    32. Diary of a Bored Spaceman: Past Imperfect
    33. Chocolate Heaven: Known Unknowns
    34. Victoria Aut Mors: Blog Banter #16
    35. Where the frack is my ship: If I knew then what I know now...
    36. The Lathspell of Mithrandir: Hindsight is 20/20
    37. Adventures in Mission Running: Words of Wisdom Add comments
                                        [Delicious Tag: eveblogbanter16]

                                        6 comments:

                                        Rixx Javix said...

                                        Good advice. The Ten Commandments are also good. I'm curious however, what inspired #6? Just curious if that stemmed from anything and what the difference between the two things are in your opinion?

                                        CrazyKinux said...

                                        Some folks kept writing fiction and putting capsuleers at the control of a ship sitting on a captain's chair! Just a peeve of mine!

                                        Rixx Javix said...

                                        Ahh. Well the truth isn't as romantic perhaps... but I see your point.

                                        NoizyGamer said...

                                        In honor of Eve University, the Ten Commandments needs to be modified.

                                        6. There is no 6.

                                        One of the first things I learned in the Uni :)

                                        Rolinthor said...

                                        I had fun with this one, although I'm not sure the fine instructors at Eve-Uni would appreciate my attitude. http://bit.ly/djPq6z

                                        Jerran said...

                                        Here is my take on this one.

                                        http://podlogs.com/gunsofeld/2010/03/19/blog-banter-16/