EVE Online: Trinity Expansion Hits Dec. 5

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The latest expansion pack for CCP's space-based MMO EVE Online (PC) will arrive as a free download for subscribers next Wednesday, December 5.

Known as Trinity, the expansion packs a number of graphical enhancements, such as normal and specular mapping for all of the game's spaceships and shader 3.0 support. For a closer look at Trinity, check out the teaser trailer, which can also be viewed below.

Though the recently launched Mac and Linux versions will receive the update the same day, they will not support for the new graphical touches until Q1 2008.

The next substantial update, referred to as The Ambulation Project, will introduce human avatars to the game. Targeted for a 2008 launch, the possibilities of player-maintained bars and clothing shops are hoped to expand the game's female population, its vast economy, and the paranoia-laden antics of its multinational corporations.

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Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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  • reply
    November 28, 2007 9:04 AM

    Cool. I just resubscribed after watching the trailer a few days ago.

    • reply
      November 28, 2007 9:29 AM

      wanna give a quick rundown of what the game is about and how it plays? i'd go to the website and check it out but id rather hear less PR speak and more first hand gamer experience

      • reply
        November 28, 2007 10:06 AM

        It's hard to describe adequately. You should give the 14-day trial a shot if you're interested. Waiting a week to get the new graphics might be a good plan though :)

        The game is set in a galaxy of more than 4000 systems. The core systems are "Empire Space," which means they're owned by the NPC empires and patrolled by the CONCORD police force. Fringe systems are low security and have fewer protections. Beyond the fringe, 0-security space is lawless and there are no game-enforced rules on player behavior.

        You start the game with a rookie ship, a bit of money, and some basic skills. During character creation, you can customize your starting skills and attributes. Your skills determine which ships and equipment you can use and how effectively you can use them. Skills are trained in real time. For example, you might have a skill "Spaceship Command" that takes 1 hour to train from level 1 to level 2. You could click the skill, log out of the game, go eat lunch, come back, log back in, and if an hour had passed, your "Spaceship Command" skill would now be level 2. You can only train one skill at a time.

        In space, you control your ship with sort of RTS-ish commands. Click to target, order your ship to orbit, approach, shoot, etc. There are NPC missions to run for combat or trade, you can mine, trade on the market, do pretty much whatever you like to make money.

        Player organizations are called Corporations and can own assets, claim space in the 0-security lawless regions, and join Alliances. Most of the fun in EVE comes from belonging to a corporation.

      • reply
        November 28, 2007 11:53 AM

        It plays slow. Things take time and effort to accomplish.

        But that makes the accomplishments much more fulfilling.

        One of my favorite things about the game is the sense of accomplishment, as well as the crushing sense of loss. Saving your ISK (Inter Stellar Kredits) for weeks on end to buy that nice new battleship with a Tech II or Faction fitting, flying it for the first time, then losing it in dramatic fashion is what keeps me coming back.

        Risk vs. Reward holds true in Eve more so than any game I've ever played, and the persistent nature of character development leaves you attached to the game for a very long time.

        The game is very daunting though. The unfortunate thing is that the 14-day trial really is not enough to know if you will enjoy the game or not. I would recommend doing at least a month on top of that 14 days. If you last that long, you will be hooked.

        • reply
          November 28, 2007 11:57 AM

          ohh... and combat...

          Knowing that all is lost if your ship blows up really gets the adrenaline going, especially in long, drawn-out battles.

          http://www.evetube.com/index.php?playid=71

          I was a member of Mercenary Coalition at the time, and this was one of the most spectacular battles I've ever taken part in. The whole battle lasted over 3 hours and took place in multiple locations in the particular system. This fight is from the perspective of one of our mothership pilots; I'm elsewhere in a Battleship raining down lasers of fury :D

          • reply
            November 28, 2007 12:01 PM

            not to start a comment pyramid, but I feel I should point out that the video is played at 2 - 3x normal speed :)

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