Ok, joined Antigua, found a nice group of people and subbed.

All good now. Thanks all.

Quite frankly I could use a break from all the spying/meta-gaming bullshit in EVE.

Too many people involved in that go way over the line. Far past the somewhat acceptable in game heists and causing RL havoc, bullying and such.

Perhaps Flying Labs response was a bit over the top, but I understand their motives.

Yeah, I have noticed Antigua was more active. I didn't join it due to login server problems. Maybe I will now.

I've had my eye on this game for a long time, being something of an enthusiast for the Age of Sail. After a few play sessions I can say this.

Combat is not bad, it's not easy to outmanuver and overcome your advarsary but I would imagine that the combat engine has little in common with Port Royale and Sid Meier's pirates. I think there is potential for greatness there.

Avatar combat? Still wrapping my head around that. It does seem to have intriguing elements.

I signed up during the Christmas season, the caroling mission was quite frankly magical with the lovely christmas music and interesting traditions of different cultures.

But I have one glaring problem: WHERE IS EVERYBODY?!

I have sailed beyond my home port of Vera Cruz and when to Havana. I was going to go farther, but I then felt an inquiry here would be more productive.

Quite frankly it will be the community that decides whether I subscribe or not. It's frustrating to find absolutely no one in the game so far.

Should I switch to a different server, or where can i find people in Defiant?

At a final note, purusing these forums on several occasions I get the gist that many have some issues with the game. Well, I have seen any game breakers yet. Some things may or may not have been done beter but I strive to take a MMO on its own terms first before I start asking for improvements. But I would really like to start getting to know some people. That ultimately is the deciding factor on how good a MMO is.

God Bless

PegasusJF

ps...My previous MMO experience is 3 years on EVE Online, 1 or so on COx, AA, and I'm a current player (who isn't) of GW.

The absolute basics, probably within a week, if not sooner.

After that, I learned as I went along.

IMHO, it really is not that hard to learn.  I just don't know why so many think of it as a learning cliff.  I guess I had a lot of help from my corp mates, and EVE being my first MMO I had no preconceptions.

My condolences.

Yeah, Goons are the lowest of the low in EVE.

That is correct, GW, Curse are NPC regions that have the angel rats. So I would look into corps there. But I doubt it'll be easy living. Make some contacts, see what possibilities there are, and maybe get a moderately expensive ship (like a T1 LR fast hurricane with a cloak) to do some work for yourself

Just don't expect it to be easy.

Simple fact, you just have to accept the possiblity of loss.

Personally, I think you're losing out by just sticking to hi-sec.

Maybe you could join a corp that will offer you more protection in low sec or even 0.0

Best of luck

Meh, Band of Brothers territory has Amarr rats.

You want thsoe alliances that exist east of Stain.

I may be mistaken, but Huzzah wasn't around when I first joined (July 04 ), and even then, FIX formed before Huzzah IIRC.

Good to see you guys are still kicking, hope things go well for you.

But my point still stands, even though things today seem to be solely determined by the 2 or 3 great powers and some game elements have been added or changed since CA died. I would be very suprised if the map remained as it is now in the next couple years.

All you need really, is a great leader who can encourage his people to work hard and make great things (just as the leaders of the current superpowers have done).

That could end the status quo any day.

All I can say is that there hasn't been a single alliance that has lasted the full span of my 3 year player.

Back when I was new. There was Curse Alliance, XETIC, and Stain Alliance.

CA was powerful, feared, and not much liked, much like the Goons and BOBB are these days.

All three of those aliances have died, every alliance that I knew from the beginning either died or reformed itself.

Granted, the current 0.0 politics seem very monolithic and game mechanics do lend some support to that chain of events. But there are always changes in the political landscape. I doubt that it will be the same deal forever.

Great post, there oculd be some improvements.

The Age of Conan review from Zero Punctuation had a phrase that hit me.

"There is nothing wrong being a small part of something bigger that yourself.  That's how an MMO should work.  Teamwork, Solidarity...."

To be honest, I was half ready to suggest EVE Online to him.

But that is EVE, imho more so that any other MMO I've played and I imagine there are few or any MMO's that has gameplay and an enviroment that emphasizes that like EVE does. (The only other one that I can think of is Ryzom, pity it has such a hard time)

EVE is being in a corp with your friends, or even being in an alliance, and fighting to make a name of your alliance.  EVE is working together to make something, and fighting to defend it.

Granted, it's a lot slower paced that it's peers, but there are ways to mitigate that. Such as jump clones, but as long as you're in a good group with good plans.  The size of the universe doesn't really matter.

My 2 cents

Could you PM your setup? I don't have a hulk currently, but I would love to have that in case I get one.

Another server would destroy a core and vital component to EVE, the unity of the player base and the experiences that go with that (namely, everyone is on the same page in player news and actions). Separate that, and the achievements of the players are reduced.

Also, and I'm speaking as a player that is more industrial in character. A player must come in here with the acceptance that they may lose their ship.

It's happen to me before, and I've gotten upset, but usually, I learn from my mistakes and repeats of that mistake are quite rate.

This game, it require a hardier gamer than most, a gamer that can accept mistakes and the losses that ocme with it and grow from the experience.

It is harsh sometimes, but the rewards of victory are all the sweeter as a consequence.

I think missiles and particularly torpedoes would be more your thing, as far as more damage shown on the ship, not really, but I hear there is an effects graphic update in the pipeline, it may introduce some ship damage.

But think of this in how it affects gameplay in large fleet battles, such effects on so many ships would cripple frame rates. It's probably not an high priority update.

Hmmm...that might be a good book for me to pick up, I've always enjoyed the official fictions (Ruthless and Theodicy are favorites of mine).

Very well written and paced stories, if a little on the depressing side.

I hear rave reviews of EVE University. You should check that out.

And you can convo me anytime (My ig name is on my banner)

Welcome to EVE!

God Bless

Creed

Training learning skills exclusively is a mistake, since you cut yourself off from getting better weapons, ships, and items for a significant amount of time, which will significantly reduce your enjoyment.

My suggestion is that you work it in with a training plan. Do one or two and then do some practical skills.

Ideally, save the short trains for play time and longer trains for downtime.

You should have all your basic learning skills to 5 and the advanced ones to at least lvl 4. But again, don't train them at exclusion to all else.

Welcome to EVE, hope you like it here!

God Bless

Creed

Welcome to EVE, I hope you're looking for a good corp.