MMORPG.com EVE Online Correspondent Andrew Wallace writes this look at the upcoming social networking feature in CCP's EVE Online.

The release of the Apocrypha 1.5 update is imminent, with all its associated rig tweaking, factional warfare changes, and specialised ship bays, but the hulking presence of this year's winter expansion is lurking just over the horizon. With only a few months to go before release, its contents still remain quite ambiguous, with only a revamp of the 0.0 sovereignty mechanics being confirmed, until now. The drip-feed of information has begun (which hopefully means more information will surface after the 1.5 "mini-expansion" is out of the way) and, just in case you were looking for a way for EVE to consume even more of your life, CCP have just announced COSMOS, their own social networking service for EVE characters.

I say just announced, but COSMOS has been talked about for years- most recently as part of one of the presentations at last year's FanFest- and, for some bizarre reason, shares the name of an existing feature (COSMOS is the codename for a series of constellations in the EVE universe, where special faction agents, or booster resources can be found). Although this is apparently just a working title, and it's possible that, despite COSMOS being an appropriate name, it may be renamed to something less confusing before release.

Read Looking at COSMOS

is funny how some ppl cry about this and also cry about metagaming/forums hacking, geeeeeeeeeeeez some ppl dont have a clue

Now that they have fleshed out the aspects of what COSMOS will be, the QQ should start ramping down some. The possibilties of what this can do are enourmous indeed, I see this making EVE more viable and a worthy MMO into the future.

I guess it'll be a good thing for EVE... but really I'm not that excited for it.... I'll like the new mail system and thats about it really. I'd much rather get Walking in Stations.

The new mail system is (obviously) long overdue, and the idea of interacting with the game through the web browser is yet another unique ambition, CCP taking advantage of countless players' ideas. Esp since EVE is really a game of information, numbers, and statistics, accessing these outside of the client will be hugely helpful.

Character pages will be, ok. They'll add content and functionality, and I'm never against that. Its the other implications and possibilities of this system that get me excited.

I almost wish it said "KOS-MOS" instead of COSMOS...

One can dream about a Xeno- MMORPG...

as long as EVE is built with heavy favortism to PVPers  and casual / non-pvpers are treated as second class players  EVE will continue to be a nitch game.

Originally posted by brenth

as long as EVE is built with heavy favortism to PVPers  and casual / non-pvpers are treated as second class players  EVE will continue to be a nitch game.

the fail is strong on this one

you dont have to play the game to skill up and you say eve if not for casual gamers you have no idea .............

Yeah, you're wrong in saying it's for casual gamers. It's actually for non-gamers. Click a skill, and just turn off the computer for a week or so, and come back.

Never has a game encouraged you to not play more than EVE Online has... well, next to Runescape.

Originally posted by KenTsurugi

Yeah, you're wrong in saying it's for casual gamers. It's actually for non-gamers. Click a skill, and just turn off the computer for a week or so, and come back.

Never has a game encouraged you to not play more than EVE Online has... well, next to Runescape.

That's not entirely accurate, as you need money to buy those skills. Most MMOs will have you chasing XP, EVE has players chasing ISK instead.

Regarding COSMOS, I'm pretty much of the same opinion as surfsk8snow, it's where they could go with it in the future that is the most exciting.

Web site, nice.

One word:                               iCosmos

Awesome.

Give me an iphone Eve client, and I can rule the markets mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Shava

Originally posted by KenTsurugi

Yeah, you're wrong in saying it's for casual gamers. It's actually for non-gamers. Click a skill, and just turn off the computer for a week or so, and come back.

Never has a game encouraged you to not play more than EVE Online has... well, next to Runescape.

Yea good luck affording that exhumer skill, or any of the advanced learning skills, or well anything in the game without actually playing it.

My guess is either one, the game was too big for your puny mind or two, you tried to get in a goonswarm and then raged quit when they ganked you. As the saying goes, GB2WoW.

sounds like a good idea. LOTRO tried a version.  It kind of fell flat.