I’ve said it many times. I’m more in love with the idea of EVE Online than the actual game play I experience. When I’m in “that” particular mood, drifting among the stars is relaxing and inspiring. For me it's undefinable but there’s some sexy about EVE. Before I played the game, I'd read a good bit of EVE fiction and lore. In preparation for the 9th expansion, Empyrean Age, I purchased and read the companion novel.
The first time I played Star Trek Online I recall wishing that EVE were a combination of what I liked in STO and the best of EVE. I wanted an avatar in EVE. I wanted space stations with players scurrying around. I wanted to walk up to a player or corporation owned kiosk to purchase goods. Maybe even see fights break out amongst rivals. I wanted to fly my ship, not point and click to navigate. More than any of that, I wanted the PVE missions amped up +100 - more story driven and representative of the amazing wealth of lore and player history. But that’s not EVE Online and STO had too many things I disliked to be its replacement.
Maybe this Time
Based on what I’ve read and seen, I believe Star Citizen might be the combination of features that will suit me better in a massive space sim title. On the surface, it’s promising to have the things I liked in STO and wished were in EVE instead. At the very least, it will have a single player campaign to deliver a solo “leveling” experience that is story driven and will have some impact on my character out in the persistent world. For that piece alone, I’d pay the box price. There’s also a ton of lore and serialized fiction being pumped out to read, something I enjoy greatly. It’s the kind of content that can keep me interested for quite some time, as long as the quality holds.
This is my hanger
For now there isn’t much to do in the hanger beyond messing with your ship but more functionality is planned. You can purchase decorative items. When you’re done pressing every available button in your ship, you can do target practice with the weapons, examine your ship components using the Holotable and swap out of your space suit.
Until recently, I couldn’t be in the hanger for more than 15 minutes at a time. The default settings combined with the blur effect every time you move your head, gave me INTENSE MOTION SICKNESS. The first time, I had to lay down for over an hour after walking around the hanger for just a few minutes. I recently found a client-side fix for it on Reddit. Whew, it doesn’t take it away 100% but it’s significantly more tolerable.
There are currently 3 hanger designs. I’m not overly found of any of them. But if I had to choose, I’d go with the ‘Discount’ no frills version. Unfortunately, the Freelancer won’t fit in it so I must use the ‘Business’ version. I’m not a fan of the white light blue tone sterile esthetic. It’s the same reason that although I am Gallente, I prefer the Minmitar Captain’s Quarters in EVE Online. RSI has said that they are exploring not having the design tied exclusively to the hanger size.
This is my ship
My interest more than piqued, I decided to pledge to support the game and partake of some early involvement. I have to applaud their decision to construct aspects of the game as modules that can be delivered independently, of the persistent universe they are constructing. You can think of them as interactive demos that will give backers early access to some features while also serving as marketing tools to attract others.
Every ship you purchase comes with a hanger. The hanger provided is based on the class of ship purchased and is its size. Not all ships can fit in all of the available hangers. You also have the option of buying packages that provide a ship, hanger, a copy of the game, free insurance for some amount of time, alpha & beta access and other extras depending on which package you purchased.
For myself I purchased a package to get the game, a ship + hanger, early access, etc. I also gifted two packages to online gaming friends. One having expressed an interest but was going to have to choose between a game that would be available soon versus a 2015 launch title. The other hoping they’d be interested enough to play a bit at launch.
My big ticket purchase was the MISC Freelancer package. That was my, I’m going to do FireFly in space ship. It can be used as a middle-of-the-road hauler and exploration vessel. Reaching the funding milestone that unlocked the implementation of a salvaging career now adds a tiny wrinkle, as I’m certain a salvage specific ship will be introduced. When it is, I can “melt” this purchase, which means return it for 100% refund via store credit and purchase the other.
I also purchased the RSI Aurora LN which is a legionnaire version of the introductory flight ship. I liked the minor tweaks offered in this version. Since purchasing the Aurora, the Mustang has been announced with some early art assets and is also billed as an introductory ship. Here again, I can change my mind and melt the Aurora in order to purchase a Mustang, if I choose. For now, I don’t think so. In fact, I’m done buying or considering ship purchases until we’re much closer to launch and I see most of what will be available. Otherwise, I’d be doing the shell swap game too much between now and then. However, I haven’t promised myself that I won’t immediately swap to the salvage ship when hit hits the store but everything else is off limits. *smile*
Melting ships for credit toward another? Great they are allowing that option. Is that posted somewhere on their site?
Posted by: Sarzan | March 19, 2014 at 03:50 PM
I found out from the SC Reddit forum. Chris Roberts has also mentioned it in his '10 for the Chairman' video cast but they don't say exactly how to do it.
I just looked around until I found it and it's easy. You log into your account on the RSI website. The 'My Hangar' tab contains all of your purchases. On the right side of each item, there is a clickable arrow. The Exchange/Refund option is in there.
Posted by: Alysianah | March 19, 2014 at 05:35 PM