Jade Constantine
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Posted - 2004.02.03 14:37:00 -
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Fundimentally chaps, we are all (mainly) intelligent bored gen-X archetpyes in the making. And if the game was a load of rubbish we'd have packed up months ago.
It isn't we haven't.
So that out of the way, it wouldn't be a bad idea to be a little more objective in overall analysis sometimes.
There are some *key* issues that need resolving to develop the game, but its important that all the knocking stuff doesn't stifle out the actual good stuff that is there.
Sometimes I am amazed at what a low profile Eve actually has.
Take newsgroups "comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.space-sim" for example.
This newsgroup has served the pc gamer community for years and years. It burned with the heat of a thousand suns at the height of the Derek Smart flamewar, it thrilled to the grand old days of I-war, and Freespace, and has existed ever since in a kind of half slumbering daze in the mute expectation of another holy grail amongst space sims ... "multiplayer elite online" !
(the concept not a specific game I hasten to point out)
So everytime I take a look at that place it amazes me that I have been playing that game for the last year.
Actually playing the thing these chaps have been mumbling about.
The only mention Eve seems to get is the occassional guy moaning about the interface or the mining sim bias.
There is literally no substantive traffic.
I honestly find this strange, because by and large Eve for me is absolutely lovely. Leaping into the game and cruising around I can do pretty much whatever I dreamed about doing back in the 90's with elite.
I still marvel at the freedom to do whatever.
To buy and sell, to run little conspiracies, to roleplay, to fight, to fiddle with loadouts, to risk blockades, to pursue war enemies or just to chill and have a bit of combat training with friends.
Its open-ended and persistant, and after the best part of 9 months I love my character, I love my corp, and I love the history that has built up around the game and cicumstances within it. I honestly can't think of any other game in the world that would let me play a guerilla PR operative from hell and lead an ideological revolution and subsequent fall from progressive direction to reactionary countercoup.
Wow! I mean come on, thats pretty special to start with, and then add the best looking graphics engine and a decent backstory and I really can't get too worried about niggling bugs and nonsense I am sure will be resolved.
I remain as impressed with Eve now as the first evening I played. its pretty much done all i hoped for and more. And as long as the player base stays fresh and imaginative then I can't see me falling out of love with it for a long while yet.
Love and peace
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