Sticker Shock
   |
Posted - 2006.10.12 00:26:00 -
[1]
 Quote:
Is it as bad as the impression I've got? Is it even worth mining unless you've got an alliance to back you up? Is there any point to mining if you're limited to 0.8 - 1.0 systems, or am I better off just running courier missions endlessly?
Yes, and no. It can and does happen, but to think it happens all the time isn't true, so don't let that make you paranoid -- although being paranoid might serve you well.  Where you mine and the precautions you take do help.
Of course I've only been playing for about 2 months, so I certainly don't count as an expert.
I've had ore stolen on a number of occasions. In each case these players knew the game mechanics and were using them to their advantage. It doesn't help they can see you are a new player by checking your info. (This is a low risk/high reward situation for them, and a high risk/no reward situation for you.) In my opinion its best to just avoid them when/if possible.
I started with a small group of friends myself. There are potential advantages to working as a group. However, I made the mistake of focusing my training on mining, and using a barge. So after two months I find am I much more dependant upon my friends/others and my options are far more limited than theirs.
The game design apepars to favor for those who train towards a battleship. (I suppose this should be expected in a game billed as being PvP) My friends have trained accordingly. So naturally they can run missions far better than I can. However, it is a bit irritating they can also mine better than I do.  It will be over 3 weeks before I can get into a Covetor and I'll be able to edge them out in mining again. (Assuming I'll be able to find a good place to mine.) Right now I have to decide if I shouldn't put off getting into a Covetor and take a few weeks to get into a battleship myself.
You may find you can do better running missions and avoid all the headaches associated with mining. A lot depends on your situation. In my case I'm limited by using a barge and friends who spend more time running missions. They don't want to go far from their agents. We also don't want a long trip for hauling minerals to a good market, for a variety of reasons. Are there enough asteroid belts with enough ore? How often will we need to move? What type of ore and how long till its all mined out? Will pirates, NPC or PC, be a problem there?
Unfortunately, my friends aren't keen on the idea of going to 0.0 space, although it seems to me the risk goes up considerably from .5 to .4 space and the reward does not. Personally I think we might as well go right down to 0.0 and get the rewards for the additional/higher risks. However, once again that would probably take us further than they are willing to travel right now.
So if I had a battleship, I would have the option of mining in more locations, I would be much safer, and I could run much better missions and improve my agents/standings considerably faster. Basically more choices when I login to play Eve on any given occasion, and I'm not as dependant upon anyone else being there and able/willing to assist me. It would probably help if the agent/mission system was designed to foster group play more. I feel like I'm stealing from my friends when I go along on their missions. I get a cut of the bounty and any loot I pick up could potentially be a major portion of the credits they get out of the mission.
What can I say? I'm a miner; I fly a barge. 
|