EVE Online Tutorial

Man...where to begin? This guide could be 10 times longer and still not be enough. However, hopefully this guide can point you to areas where you can start helping yourself.

First, there are a couple of common thoughts about the game to debunk.

• "I can't play EvE, I'll never catch up to vets." Very wrong. Many players begin competing with vets, or even dominating them, inside a month.
• "EvE is just spreadsheets in space." Only a few professions benefit directly by heavy spreadsheet use. Combat, for one, has very little (if anything) to do with spreadsheets, and very much to do with strategy and pure courage.
• "EvE requires too much time to succeed." Woefully false. Like any MMO, there are sections of the game that work very well for players with only a little time to spare in front of the keyboard.
• "You can't play EvE alone." While there is always strength in numbers, several professions in EvE support solo play while still remaining quite competitive with other players.

With that out of the way, let's try to get into things.

How to have fun with EVE.

This is incredibly important, as EVE is not a game that's designed to give you instant gratification. You have to create your own goals and your own gameplay loop. Here are some crucial pieces of advice to help you find fun.

• Figure out what kind of gamer you are and apply your own playstyle to EVE. For example, if you like to play the market and amass resources, try playing as a trader. If you like aggression and shooting people in the face, then try joining a raiding group. Are you an explorer? Hope in a wormhole and fly around. Do you like RTS games? Then check out Planetary Interaction and try to think like this is an RTS game while you're playing.
• Go through the tutorial. Even though a lot of veterans scoff at it, it does show you all the different game systems and teach you the UI.
• Find someone to fly with. It is universally agreed that while there are a lot of solo occupations, it is still a lot better if you have at least a partner. The real meat of the game comes in the relationships you build and the drama that comes with them.
• If you feel lost, feel free to ask other players. The EVE community is incredibly friendly and welcoming to newcomers as a whole. Don't rely on guides like this, as the game is everchanging and there is simply too much to cover.
• Don't get attached to your ships - they are simply items that you will lose. Don't be afraid of taking risks just because you don't want to lose your ship.
• Patience is king. One of the biggest mistakes a newbie makes is falling into the trap of thinking that "bigger = better". Each class of ship has its own strengths and weaknesses - Destroyers can take out Battleships easily. Conversely, you can also lose a very well outfitted ship to mobs in a PvE mission.
• Although this may somewhat be confusing, be careful who you listen to. For example, people will constantly tell you that mining is garbage and you should never do it. However, that is a different person's opinion. The most important thing to remember is that this is a sandbox MMORPG - there is no right or wrong way to play, just suboptimal vs optimal ways. Play however you want as long as you have fun.

If you keep these points in mind, then you should find yourself having a pretty good time before long. Be sure to visit this link to start really learning about the game!