Eve Online is a masterpiece of a game. I’ve never got into it fully simply because the scale of it is daunting. Not just the distances between areas of course but the level of customisation and options available from day 1, minute 1. Never played? Well check out the newest trailer:
I think Blizzard can learn a lot from Eve Online. World of Warcraft is a title that has been resting on it’s laurels for far too long. Eve Online is constantly evolving, new content is released regularly and graphical overhauls are performed at a rate no other game can claim to match. On the Godisageek.com Ding podcast last week I complained about the graphics (as I am known to do) and Martin reminded me that Blizzard wanted the game to remain accessible. Well a simple fix would be an HD pack add-on like Battlefield 3 had on the Xbox 360. Problem solved right? Well Eve Online has never had this problem.
Rather than appealing to a wide audience they’ve presented a game that attracts passionate and committed players. It’s not uncommon for players to pay for several accounts to run various skill trees simultaneously. Sure you don;t have to do that with SWTOR as you can have multiple characters running simultaneously but you’d be hard pressed to find any other MMO or ordinary game if we’re being abstract, where people would do that.
If you’ve never tried it do pick it up. But one word of advice, train skills meticulously. Because if you’re not training you’re not getting better. Queues are essential and there are mobile apps aplenty so no excuse for falling behind. And with Dust 514 set to make it’s appearance soon, the universe will only get bigger. Never heard of Dust 514? Well it’s a truly epic FPS set in the Eve Online universe. Nothing special huh? Well how about interacting with Eve Online players in real time allowing the manipulation of a battlefield at a moment’s notice. Here’s a trailer:
Tie in the graphical overhauls, robust economy and relentless attention to new content delivery and you have a powerhouse title on your hands.
