At Star Reviews we wanted to explore some of the top MMORPG services available on the Net. We ran into numerous sites, some providing support to players, and Eve Online was amongst them. We were immediately drawn in by their high-tech and vibrant site layout, but keep reading to learn how this site claiming to be ‘the largest virtual universe in the world’ stacked up to its competition.
What’s New?
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Eve Online: Revelations II expansion pack released in June
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Eve TV Online – watch interviews, news, and more about the Eve Online Universe
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14 Day Free trial of Eve Online
Star Reviews Favorite Feature:
EVE Insider-Sign up and gain access to gaming news and announcements, character information, blogs, events pages and player-submitted-content like art and screenshots.
Eve Online Features:
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Quick tours of game basics
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Download Eve client, banners, patches, and more
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Eve Online Merchandise
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Player Guides
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Video and audio downloads
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Fan submissions
About Eve Online:
Eve Online is an MMORPG initially launched in 2003. The game was the first developed by CCP, a company based in Iceland. Since being started, several expansion packs have been released including Revelations II which hit the market in June 2007. The game is unique because players are not divided into smaller shards. Instead, all of the players from around the world are playing together on servers based out of London.
Navigating & Using the Eve Online Site:
The Eve Online support site is relatively easy to navigate. The choices along the left side of the home page will guide you through everything the site has to offer – and there is quite a bit here, including game news, game patches, and guidance for new players. Some of the links on the side can be confusing, such as “My Petitions” and “Patch Notes.” For a new player, this type of lingo might confuse them entirely. For seasoned gamers, there are definitely enough links and resources for you to have a good time.
Eve Online Selection & Availability:
If you're looking for virtual assets, don't stop here. CCP, the game's developer, strictly prohibits the use of virtual assets purchased outside the game universe. However, you can purchase plenty of other Eve Online merchandise, including hoodies, posters, and more. Time cards to cover the game fees are also available.
Pricing:
If you're interested in experiencing the Eve Online universe, then you will probably want to invest in time cards that will allow you to play for a specified amount of time.
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100 Days = $49.95
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50 Days = $29.95
Customer Support:
Eve Online provides customer support via email and through their FAQs and Knowledgebase. The former general includes information about the history of the game, the game interface, and game strategy. Chances are, you won't find all of the answers you're looking for. In that case, you can send an email.
When we sent an email, we did receive an automated response immediately. The response did not offer any guarantees regarding how long we would have to wait to hear back. Our response actually came 48 hours later and was merely a cut and paste answer. We weren't impressed since in most of the MMORPG services we looked at, we received personalized responses within 30 minutes.
Upside:
Detailed information about the game. Free trial available.
Downside:
Unimpressive customer support.
Summary:
While Eve Online may be among the best multiplayer online games available, their support site is really only average. They do provide plenty of information to assist new users in learning the ropes and to keep current users up-to-date. However, with virtual assets becoming a big business – and with most third party sites selling such assets for the game – they are missing out by not taking part in the market. Additionally, the customer service is not as easy to navigate to or as quick in their response times as many of the third party sites. Overall, Eve Online's support site is great for information but if you want to buy assets or get quick answers to game-related questions you may want to go elsewhere.