Fighting, Mining, and Trading that's all there is?
This is something I hear quite a lot about Eve.
You know what, Elite 2 was the same. Yet, the amount of people that wasted their time playing that is craziness. I know full well I'd end up finishing my homework as quickly as possible just to be allowed to go on the computer to play it again.
Something that people often miss out on games like this is, while yes you're right if you break them down to their base components there doesn't seem much to do. It the fact that they're not basic that really makes them so freaking cool.
For example, right now I'm doing quite a few missions. They're all in the "intelligence" sector, although they're level 1.. So this means I'm often told to checkout a sector or intel has said there is a possibility of pirates. Ya know basic stuff. So I end up going somewhere, blowing up a few pirates. Walk off with more rep with that agent, more rep with the corporation he represents, and more rep for the race that corporation represents.
To begin with, when he didn't trust me. I was basically sent out on milk runs. A few deliveries, perhaps taking out a pirate that is camping in secure areas of space. As I've done more and got more rep with the guy I've started to get more difficult missions, with some more inventive situations. Yeah, I'm still basically doing the same couple over and over in different systems; but that ends up changing. As I get more rep, this will lead to me protecting convoys, spying on rival corporations to the agents corp, assasinations, etc.
The higher up you go, the more diverse the missions get. Every so often you'll get a story mission which again are the same basic mission until you get enough rep (basically a trust level) for them to believe you're capable, and competant enough to handle more important missions that have more to do than just "go here and kill this guy".
My brother for example isn't doing mining missions, but Research & Development ones. This means he ends up with lots of multi-part missions that involve mining resources, refining them, creating blueprints, engineering then manufacturing. Right now he does Shuttles, but down the line this ends up with him customising blueprints to provide that corporation with a ship, or equippment that has the edge.
All of the missions while interesting really are there to keep teaching you that added depth to the game that is there. The further down the rabbit hole you go, the more interesting things become. There is so much that can be done, and doing it all on your own is silly. If you play the game as a single player, then pretty soon yeah it all becomes quite samey. As you gloss over what is happening in the universe for your own petty funds and safety.
The whole corporate world in Eve makes it a very interesting place. Especially as even the ai races are basically just corporations which you can fight against. This can be done through a number of ways as well.
There's no way to really, realise the sheer depth of the game by just taking it from a single aspect or trying to take it all in on your own. Hell right now the Devhat Alliance is debating going to war with another corporation; we have people that we want to hunt down for bounties because of what they did to us on day 1. The experience of the game doesn't really come from the game itself, but what you make of it.
Eve is big... I mean BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG. There is just so much content it's ridiculous. It simply isn't a case of "where will this game force me to go", because there is total freedom. No matter what you're doing your free to do it without an intense storyline that is the same for everyone forcing you alone even though it's an ever-changing persistant world.
Some players might need the constrictive nature of a game that forces you to do specific things, but Eve doesn't and really the more you put in to the game yourself the more you can get out of it.
As I said above, all there was to Elite was trading, mining and fighting on the surface. It's what you can discover when you scratch a little deeper in each of these areas that makes the game loved by so many.
I'd recommend anyone who felt there wasn't much to eve, just read through the player guide on the website. As it gives you a hint of what is waiting under the surface. With the corporations the universe of eve does realistically end up relying on you the player to sculpt it.
Well anyhow, I quite like it. Find it amusing and addictive. ^_^
Plus, Zerk how the hell can you say the game doesn't look pretty?
I think my destroyer looks absolutely gorgeous!
