EVE Online: Ascension Free-to-Play Update Exceeds Expectations

It’s the time of the year when the biggest space MMORPG active for thirteen years has released another expansion.

The people of Crowd Control Productions Games – CCP Games, for short – have blessed their fans with a substantial update to EVE Online, which has been designed for players thinking of joining the ranks of the traders, miners and privateers in the vast confines of over 7,500 star systems. That is not to say the old players have been left out, with a number of quality-of-life improvements implemented.

What’s the big selling point then?
This monster of a game just went free-to-play. More or less. The community is now divided into Alpha clones and Omega clones. Alpha clones are for non-paying customers, and they have a limited range of options in terms of specialisation. Alphas can fly rookie ships, frigates, destroyers and cruisers – however, only of their own main faction. Omegas are much like the current subscribers – unlimited in potential, direction, options. Alpha characters receive a 50% penalty towards the skill training speed, and are unable to train up some skills that Trial accounts could in the past, which could sadly turn training into a bit of a slog. Having three different character slots does permit for a degree of flexibility, and to try out different playstyles on one account.

Overall, there is fundamentally no change for the paying customers and magnificent positives for those who are unsure about doling out cash immediately.

What about the little details?
The biggest-yet-minor detail I’ve picked up on is the combat aesthetic. Shield regeneration and rupture looks slicker, a bit more dramatic even, and that’s great. The cherry on top of the delicious pile, however, are the explosions. Oh, for so long I’ve yearned for a substantial BANG to reward my tireless efforts in annihilating one frigate after another. And now this desire has been met. With a grin of joy I observed how every ship exposed to prolonged artillery fire of my cruiser turned into a burning husk, extinguished by the void after a pretty, flashy kaboom. Hell, even whilst writing this article I kept alt-tabbing back to the game, to witness the enormous blue boof of an Amarrian slave trader. Combat was never my specialty, but it is the little aesthetic upgrades like these which make me want to plunge myself into the unknown, and make an attempt at fleet-versus-fleet warfare; to see the battleships, dreadnoughts and titans go kerpow.

From now on, you can design your own fittings for free – no need to buy the items and mix ‘em up to see how they work. The holographic simulation mode now available allows everyone to pick and choose from all the available equipment in the game, and see if it strikes your fancy. A tool such as that would be extremely useful in the design of specialised ships – it also allows players to see the effect of certain upgrades on the ship without having to commit to a flight test.

The character sheet has been overhauled, and initially I’ve had trouble sorting through my available skills and the tabs. Habits suck, man. I did see perks of the new layout; it allowed me to plan ahead, see what is available currently even if I do not currently have the skill injected, which could help eject some note-taking or arduous memorising when planning a future pathway.

In terms of population, the servers are booming. Where only a few days ago I would see about 22,000 players at any one time, the day of the launch the number peaked at 34,000 for me in the same general time period. This definitely will have an interesting effect on the entire game – more people to rob and annihilate for the established pirates, and more people to scam or take advantage of by the established traders. However, the people on the famous entry-level Rookie channel have been as helpful as ever, and are overclocking themselves to keep on aiding those in need.

The announcing voiceover which formed the only barricade between myself and creeping loneliness has received a make-over as well. It’s not bad, not at all; only it will take some getting used to. Personally, I feel like the new voice actress is sitting aboard my Stabber when letting me know about the state of docking or undocking, rather than it (her?) being some omnipresent deity whose voice envelops my entire ship. Overall, a change for the good which some might like, some dislike, most would be indifferent towards. It would be lovely if CCP could let us further customise our experience by letting players choose between the old and the new voice.

Some minor visual updates to the vessels and the space stations add life to them, and help cure the boredom of repetitive ‘A to B to C’ flights. They add minuscule amounts of immersion, and help provide a relaxing experience. That is, until a cloaked ship unveils and unleashes a can of whoop-ass on you.

Is this update significant enough to get me to join?
Yes. Regardless of whether you are a new player, or an old player attempting to return, the update certainly makes it easy to join. The introduction of Alpha clones permits potential new capsuleers to play indefinitely. There is absolutely nothing to lose, and you do not have to worry about losing your hard work after the fourteen-day trial.

Many corporations – guilds – advertise that non-paying players are welcome to join, which means that potential newbies will not be necessarily left to fend for themselves. The new tutorial experience, large community and zero risk if somehow the game does not pander to your space desires mark this update to be the safest – and most entertaining – time for new players to join.