If you have ever taken an extended sabbatical from EVE Online, or are just beginning your EVE Online adventure, you are well aware of the trials faced when diving into this rich and complex video game. As I come back from a 1.5 year break, I'm excitedly crawling my way back to the level of competency I had when I left the game. For now, most of my time spent "playing" is actually spent reading about changes or fiddling around with new ship fittings on EFT.
Not only am I playing catch-up with all of the major changes (the biggest being capital ship jump travel), I'm finding that I have forgotten how to do many simple things that used to take little thought. My fellow corp-mates were about to go on a frigate roam and told me to grab a fully fit Tristan out of the corp hangar. I spent a good five minutes trying to remember how to access the corporate hangar before finally finding the right menu. Shortly afterward, I was helping my friend move his jump freighter. I shamefully admit that I had to Google search how to broadcast a cyno before my friend could make the jump<ins>facepalm</ins>.
If you find yourself in a similar situation I encourage you to read all the patch notes which have been released since you started taking your break. Read them in chronological order (starting with the oldest first) and plow your way through to the latest patch. This will alleviate some of the confusion you may feel while getting back into the game.
If you're a new player I strongly suggest reading up on as much as you can about the game. Pay close attention to how dated your resources are, as they may not be applicable to the game anymore. There are many guides and articles on the EVE wiki worth checking out. Finish the in-game tutorial and join the "Help" channel. There are amazing people in that channel that can help you answer almost any question. It can even be a good resource for those that consider themselves EVE experts.
Taking a break has given me a whole new appreciation for this game. The intricacies and numerous changes that have taken place in the short span of a little under two years is a testament to the greatness of EVE Online. I am invigorated knowing that my time and money is invested in a game where the developers are dedicated and passionate about what they do. CCP's open ears to feedback and their communication with the players far surpasses that of any other developer. I'm happy to know that I'm playing a game this is continually modified and added upon. Some of the changes currently being presented at Fanfest 2015 look incredible. I cannot wait to see how this game will be morphed and shaped into something less recognizable in the years to come.
If you're a new player I strongly suggest reading up on as much as you can about the game. Pay close attention to how dated your resources are, as they may not be applicable to the game anymore. There are many guides and articles on the EVE wiki worth checking out. Finish the in-game tutorial and join the "Help" channel. There are amazing people in that channel that can help you answer almost any question. It can even be a good resource for those that consider themselves EVE experts.
Taking a break has given me a whole new appreciation for this game. The intricacies and numerous changes that have taken place in the short span of a little under two years is a testament to the greatness of EVE Online. I am invigorated knowing that my time and money is invested in a game where the developers are dedicated and passionate about what they do. CCP's open ears to feedback and their communication with the players far surpasses that of any other developer. I'm happy to know that I'm playing a game this is continually modified and added upon. Some of the changes currently being presented at Fanfest 2015 look incredible. I cannot wait to see how this game will be morphed and shaped into something less recognizable in the years to come.
