the philosophy of eve

Let us delve briefly into EVE Online and discuss the philosophy of the game.  I believe that EVE is the closest thing to a living, breathing world that modern MMOs have ever come.  Bar none.  (Well, some text-based MUDs arguably have more depth, but we're excluding those as non-modern.)

One of the biggest differences between EVE and other games is that in EVE the goal is to create an alternate reality that is still realistic.  While the game is science fiction, loosely based off of a potential future of human life, it strives to be realistic.

Let's take a brief jump back into that other popular game - World of Warcraft.  In particular, let's briefly look at the PvP system.  Unless you're on a PvP server, combat requires you to do what is called "flag" yourself.  This involves turning on a little flag that says "I am willing to engage in PvP combat."

How realistic is that?  You're walking down the street, you and your bad-ass level 10 gnome, and some level 60 orc rides up to you.  Realistically, he should be able to bop you on your stubby little head and pound you into the ground with ease.  After all, if you fought a level 60 creature, it'd take you out in one hit.  Pop!

Nope - you're not flagged.  That orc has to stare at you as you waltz around outside of his home village, on the very path up to the door, without any repercussions.  These guys are practically sworn enemies here!  It's so unrealistic it hurts.

Okay, let's put that aside, let's assume that you are flagged.  Your little level 10 is running around and that level 60 runs up.  Given that you're flagged, he just pops you.  Smack.  You go down.  Okay, maybe that makes sense.  Maybe somebody that high should be able to just destroy you in one hit.

Now let's pretend he's not at his computer.  He left himself flagged and wandered off.  You start attacking him.  Do you think you'll ever kill him?  Hah!  Nope, never.  You will never land a hit, and when you do, it will be for so little damage that he'll just laugh.  What if you got a dozen of your level 10 buddies and ganged up on him?  Nope, that level 60 would still just shrug off the damage.  (Note: This was the way it worked when I played, this may have changed.)

That's just wrong, in my book.  I forget where I heard it, but I've been posed the question: how many 5 year olds could you take on at a time?

The logic goes that you, being a much bigger and stronger adult, could take on a good number of kids at the same time and win the fight.  The reality is that at some number the mob will win out, no matter how inexperienced or ineffective they might be on their own.

Now back to EVE.  Remember I mentioned that the goal is to be realistic?  It's not realistic to have a magic flag that allows other people to attack you.  Man, I wish I had that in real life!  I'd leave it off all of the time, and never have to worry about getting mugged.  Unfortunately, life (and reality) isn't like that.  If someone wants to punch me, they can, and will.  (Unless I happen to duck first!)

EVE is like that.  If you want to lock your targetting computer on some poor sap and open fire, you sure can.  Anywhere and everywhere.  "But, what about the poor newbies, undocking for the very first time!  Won't somebody think of the children?!" you say.  I can hear it now, "But if anybody can attack anybody, isn't it just a haven of pirates and villainy?"

No, not at all.  Enter game mechanics that make sense and follow reality.  While you most certainly can open fire on another person's ship, this will not endear you in the eyes of the law.  If you are in a high security system, you will immediately take a hit to your security status (it shows if you're a good person or a pirate, usually), and will have a "global criminal" flag for 15 minutes.

This flag instructs any sentry guns or police forces that see you to open fire immediately.  And let me tell you, the NPC police and sentries are nasty.  They will pop your ship - no matter what you're flying - in very short order.  Then, even if you do happen to warp away from them, they will send a wing of forces after you.  You don't escape.  (Although - it is theoretically possible, but I don't think it's ever really done.)

Huh.  So yes, this means that if you're flying your big bad-ass Battleship with big guns and you target some poor sap's frigate or cruiser and open fire, you can obliterate their ship before the police get you.  They end up in a pod, but so do you.  Is it worth it?  Well, I guess it depends.  If you have a serious grudge against someone, it just might.

Given the effectiveness of the police forces, you hardly ever run into someone who will engage in piracy in high security systems.  I've been playing for almost three years and have never run into it personally.  Friends of friends, sure.  Me, nah.

Slightly changing topic.  Why does WoW have such a flagging system, anyway?  Well, realistically, it's partially because the lower level players have absolutely no chance against the higher level ones.  If that level 60 attacks a level 10 or 20 or even 50, they will decimate him.  The little guy doesn't even really get a chance to run.  And even if they try to run, there's nothing they can do to get away fast enough to prevent a quick trip to the graveyard.  (Well, there's very little they can do.  Some classes have some abilities that make this more feasible, but still unlikely to get away.)

On the other hand - in EVE, should you run into someone that's going to attack you, chances are you can get away.  If you're flying a little frigate and the enemy is in a bigger ship, you can get your ship to warp before they even target you.  (In general.)  It is rather true that a smart pilot never dies.  If you know how to use the ship you're in, know the area you're flying around, and understand some basic rules of survival, it's incredibly tough for another player to kill you.

That makes it possible for the week old newbie to fly around through low security space infested with pirates and get things done.  Some street smarts is worth way more than months in the game when it comes down to it.

Well, this post has gone on long enough.  I hope you enjoyed reading it.