EvE Online

Space. A vast expanse of endless prospects. Whether it is the immeasurable size of it all, the unknown potential of what it might hold or the promise of what it could offer us, the universe has drawn peoples' curiosity and imaginations for generations. Many science fiction novels have harvested its imaginative produce while countless television series and movies have exploited its unknown treasures.

From the robotic warnings in "Lost in Space" to the betrayal of the super A.I. David; our imaginations have been captivated by science fiction. Classic novels like Frank Herbert's "Dune" franchise, hit television series like Battlestar Galactica or Babylon 5 as well as a nation of Star Trek fans can all attest to the vibrant allure of the unknown edges of our universe. It is astride this wild under exploited utopia of fantasy that New Eden blossoms.

EvE online has added itself to the line of science fiction outlets growing its roots in the fertile possibilities of outer space since May of 2003. What is even more impressive is that after more than 15 years it still has a large fan base with tens of thousands of die hard players. With the right graphics cards you will find yourself in an amazing environment in both scope and beauty.

 Gameplay

 This enormous open world provides channels for nearly everyone's pallet. While it is an MMO, it still provides venues for the industrialist and such a large scale universe that exploration is kept fresh. CCP is the company that produced this game called EvE and the universe is known as New Eden. But no one wants to read me wagging my tongue right? You want the meat and taters. You want to know details. So here it is...

EvE Online is a Sci-fi MMORPG. There are approximately 25,000 players on at any given time dispersed throughout the over 5,200 solar systems. There are four factions to choose from during character creation; Minmatar, Caldari, Gallente and Amar. Each has 3 separate sub factions known as bloodlines. While the choice of faction impacts your initial ship choices you can eventually train your avatar to pilot any ship. Bloodlines have no affect outside of avatar appearance.

Piloting your ship is relatively simple. There is an object in the lower center of your display that allows you to interact with many aspects of your ship. It displays the three defensive aspects of your vessel: shield, armor and hull (or structure) when the structure is empty the ship is destroyed and you are ejected into space in your pod (or as my GF likes to refer to it: "silver bullet"). If your pod is killed then you respawn at a location that you either have set up in advance or the home system that you started in.

The real learning curve comes from the brutal lessons at the hands of unforgiving and more experienced players. While it isn't all that likely, a 15 year vet can come destroy your ship 15 minutes into the game. The only thing stopping them is that the in-game authorities will destroy them immediately afterward and their ship is worth a lot more than yours. But only afterward. And there it is, the true complication of the game: is their ship worth more?

A lot of players spend their entire existence trying to catch you with a lot of stuff in your hull, or with a really expensive ship built for destroying NPCs and thereby weak against PvP. They sit at choke-points in the star systems and scan ships as they fly to a star gate to see what they have in their cargo hold as well as what they are flying. They will create blockades (known in-game as "gatecamps") in the less policed solar systems where a gang of other players will do everything in their power to destroy your ship and your capsule. Some players are pretty cool about it while others are douche-canoes.

There are players that will say whatever, do whatever and pull anything they can to steal from you. Not only does CCP allow these shenanigans but they promote it. I have personally lost months of possessions due to these mechanics. Many will attest to the realism it offers and with all of the scam calls I get on a weekly basis maybe that isn't too far from the truth. However, in RL if someone steals from me I either handle it personally and physically or go to the authorities for legal justice. Unfortunately tracking someone's IP and going to their home seems both over zealous and a little childish and there are no legal ramifications for someone ruining your day in a game.

On the other hand, it adds so much intensity to some situations that you will literally get the shakes from playing, now that is pure adrenaline baby! I don't know about you, but that is the stuff that keeps me coming back. Sure I might want to rage quit at times, but you want to go salvage what you can from your wreck first, if they haven't already. In all honesty I have had to take more than a few breaks from the game to save my sanity (the jury is still out on whether I was successful in this venture).

 Graphics

CCP has provided many facets to make Eve available to even the most basic graphics cards. Honestly you will want to keep the graphics low to improve performance, because those split second clicks could very well mean the difference between success and failure. In large fleet operations you will minimize all hardware requirements just to interact with the client. And honestly those large fleet battles are a mess. One click can take up to 10 minutes to actually take affect. However, large alliances do it anyway out of necessity (more on alliances later).

But let us talk about the graphics on a high-end PC with amazing connectivity. Immaculate. Gorgeous. The beauty with which many of the systems have been designed is nothing short of the highest level of graphic artistry. You simply won't find anything to compare it to in an MMO. The star systems are even so accurately portrayed that if you approach a system in the direction of a blue cloud of stardust it will enlarge when you land in a system close to that area. Continue to head to that region and you will eventually find yourself in a blue system.

This attention to detail and visual imagery extends to nearly every facet of the game. Special effects, space stations, stargate travel, explosions, lighting; this game provides it all. The only limit to the visual realism in New Eden is provided by your hardware and possibly your ISP. I currently have a slow connection and I find it impacts any game where split second decisions decide your fate.

 Sound/Music

There is an artist I enjoy listening to when I am trying to focus on any given task, he goes by the online persona of Goldpile. His ambient new-age techno is the closest group of tunes to EvEs soundtrack that I have come across to date. The synthetic somewhat industrial music is a good match for the game environment. However, I am certain that it is designed to be a background music alone. It doesn't capture your emotions or promote inspiration.

I feel like different genres should exist for each of the four major factions and that those playlists should play when you are in their sectors of space. Doing so would go a long way in creating greater distinction between the four sovereign sectors. In the end a well trained capsuleer is going to transcend any mere faction and perhaps make such an idea moot to the robust community.

Sound effects are well done. Each special effect has it's own unique sound which all seem fitting and realistic. There is even an ambient sound produced by your ships. Does the realism take a hit by the idea of ambient space noises? That is an argument that goes well-above my paygrade, and if it bothers you, CCP has literally incorporated so many sliders for minimizing and even muting different aspects of the sound affects that you can personalize it in a manner that suites you best.

 Free vs. P2P

I have played hundreds of games and dozens of free online games. It is in this department that EvE truly shines. Perhaps it is the confidence gained from being an industry leader for more than 15 years, the fealty of their current customers or simply the confidence gained from years of solid commitment by both the online community and the CCP faculty. No matter the reason EvE Online provides you with an amazing opportunity to experience all that New Eden offers without ever needing to pay.

There are two types of accounts on EvE. There are the players who have shelled out the money to be a part of the New Eden universe and they are referred to as Omega accounts. Then there are the players who haven't paid because they are uncertain this is the game for them, or it is an alternate account for an existing player; those accounts are called Alpha accounts. There are very few differences between the two types, but those differences have enough impact to promote subscription without detering even the most sceptic noobs.

As an alpha you will have access to every tech one ship within the selected faction allowing for a robust experience ranging from mining to exploration, from 1v1 dogfights to large fleet operations. Of course each ship you fly requires a skill, for example to fly any frigate sized ship you will need to train at least Lv 1 [faction] Frigate to operate that ship. And while an alpha may earn skill points [SP] half as fast as an omega the real skill comes from your ability to make the right decision in the heat of the moment. There have been notorious scenarios where a new player has destroyed massively expensive ships piloted by new eden vets who just didn't think things through.

If space conquest is your forte and yet you are still unsure as to whether or not this game is for you there is nothing to risk but your time. Play this game, heck, I wouldn't even pay to play until you have mastered (Lv5) of at least three ship classes. 

 Depth

With the introduction of CD-roms back storys quickly became an integral part of many games. They offer a level of immersion that is not otherwise available. For the players who seek to escape real life this can be a fundamental aspect to loosening their wallets. There is some such depth offered by CCP in the realm of descriptions about each of the four major factions. There are even small informational descriptions about the major criminal factions. However, there are no real figureheads and even the agents from which you can glean missions tend to blur into the masses of other agents all with names that are hard to recollect.

Fear naught, for where CCP doesn't step up in this venue their community does. Like other games that have clans or guilds, New Eden is populated by megacorporations. Player owned corporations vye for the unpoliced sectors of space, harvesting its riches while battling with NPC factions and other corporations. These corporations group together in alliances and sometimes, when required, alliances will band together into coalitions as they war for the richest sectors of the universe.

These player controlled alliances have created a plethora of history in New Eden. From powerful corporations manipulating the markets to diabolical CEOs exploiting the inexperience of their very own Corporate employees New Eden has seen it all. You can't fake the kind of drama that real people bring to the table, and this game has seen and continues to see it all.

 Overall

Bottomline this game is immense and offers something for everybody. With nearly 30,000 avatars playing at any given moment you are sure to find a group of compatriots just as quickly as you are to find a group of slimeballs begging to be podded. The mechanics allow for so much freedom that it can be both exhilarating and down right maddening. The length of time to train every single skill available would take more than a decade allowing for ample opportunity to specialize as well as continued room to grow.

If you have a short fuse and anger issues than stay away. It takes thick skin to play this game. If you have an endless supply of wealth and wish to pay your way to the top then vets welcome you to their killboards. But if you are inspired by challenge and diversity than come, be one of the next capsuleers to be drawn into one of the most immersive games I have ever come across.

Battlestar Galactica

   I have had the pleasure of playing many different browser games over the last five years. It wasn't until I became a farmer on one of the largest browser game successes in history, that one could find this critic entertaining his self on such a platform. One of the first things that became apparent, after succumbing to the allure of these micro-games, was the amazing artistic outlet that they provide for the creative individual. The accompanying game artwork as well as the fan art has provided an endless outlet for artistic expression that gives my heart and soul an unmistakeable inner glow.

   Today we are talking about a game that has the benefit of a successful franchise: Battlestar Galactica. Bigpoint has taken this opportunity to impress the boys at Syfy, and it is a big bite, but is it too big for Bigpoint to chew? Only the test of time can confirm a solid answer to such a question. Yet, bringing this franchise to life online may offer them a chance to earn swag with the online gamer community. The scrutiny will be immense. The expectations are high. And heavy anticipation can lead to ruin. Let's take a look at how we scored Battlestar Galactica Online and why we feel it earns this score, then let you decide.

GAME PLAY: 8

   Browser game indeed! This is the first time I have seen a browser game with a semi-free-move three dimensional world. Albeit the rooms are somewhat small but the potential for growth through added systems alone, makes this an exciting game to keep your eye on as it grows and develops. That is not to say that it isn't fun to play now, because it is. Traveling from system to system is made possible through the infamous FTL (Faster Than Light) drives and is powered by the most common resource: Tylium.

   If dog fighting in space, with the ships you've seen in the movies, comic books and read about in the novels, gets your blood pumping than know that this game is doing a great job at delivering on that fantasy. The controls are unique and fun and offer a fairly direct control interface to those ships. Integrating the impact of skills directly to a pilots ship maneuvering abilities was handled very well, so the more you train in a certain skill the more responsive your ships will be to your commands.

  Minerals are the primary resource in the game: tylium, titanium and ice. Tylium is the primary resource and so is used as a form of currency. Cubits are like an additional form of currency that are directly tied to ice. They can also be purchased with real currency (USD). Titanium, on the other hand, can be used to repair your damaged ships or can be traded for tylium. Finally, there is also a loot drop of various values that can be picked up from enemy wreckage or debris floating in space.

   Experience points are earned through action and accumulated to "purchase" skills. This is how it works: fly out into space => destroy a malfunctioning drone/blast ore out of an asteroid => earn experience points => once enough points have been accumulated to purchase the skill that you want you purchase skill and begin to learn that skill => after specified time has passed you now have that skill. This is a very interesting set-up and I cannot say for certain that I approve. The drawback is that players can purchase experience points with currency and thereby have the ability to surpass committed players.

  

GRAPHICS: 7

   The graphics in this game have amazing potential. There needs to be more detail orientation, a wider variety of customization options and a little lighting work done, but visually BGO does deliver. The asteroids are done well, the planets and the backgrounds are nice...but nothing really jumps out at you as stunning. However the rendering of large objects from afar is done superbly. This is a weakness in even some of the larger original MMO franchises but has been successfully addressed by the Bigpoint team.

   Lightening needs to be re-tooled to offer a more spectacular environment. The level of realism that could be added by adding more graphical edges on ships and revamping the lightening could be a programming teams nightmare, but the results would be phenomenal in this unique universe. The motions and mechanics for the rest of the game are adequate and are for the most part stable with only rare graphical anomalies.

 
SOUND/MUSIC: 8

    The sound effects are unique and distinguished. Much of this could correlate to the immense capabilities of Syfy and it certainly adds to the overall quality of the game. The fade over to a more upbeat tempo upon enemy contact is a high quality feature and makes perfect use of the emotion triggers that can really add that glimmer to a finished game. In addition to adding excitement it helps ease your eyes from having to dart back and forth between your dradis, HUD, module cycles and other such piloting responsibilities that divides the Cylons from the Toasters.

   The music tracks are a little too few in number but they are original. The music does seem a little out of theme whereas it has a more tribal feel. Is that appropriate for a futuristic science fiction game? While I cannot answer that I can say that they somehow manage to pull it off quite successfully. Although I know there is very likely little-to-no real ambient noises in space a game can make some interesting pseudo ones. Garbled, static-laden or cryptic communication noise is a favorite of mine, a warbling noise when close to large objects and even the shuddering noise of a large engine as other ship flies by all add to the feel of a space game.

FREE vs. P2P: 6

   While there is nothing that can be done without spending currency the immediate advantages to doing so certainly gives your enemy an upper hand. But this isn't that big of a surprise as the incentives offer the company a way in which to financially support the game and it's staff.  What really discredits this game in this category is the incessant adverts to spend USD upon your death. It is an additional slap in the face to the sudden realization that you have lost that battle. 

          +5 <Annoying points>

   Committed players will still eventually be able to compete with even the wealthiest of players, but the climb from level 10 to level 20 is slow and painful. Being able to purchase those higher grade ships early in the game allows players to accumulate wealth and experience points faster. This of course offers a sense of achievement that is otherwise missing. This can either be a big issue or a small one depending on the player . I became frustrated at my ineffectiveness at contributing to large fleet battles where the massive ships of BGO were colliding and the ease with which enemy players could locate and destroy me.

DEPTH: 4

   With a fantastic story, a successful franchise, well developed characters and an epic conflict you would think that Bigpoint would have had no problem nailing this one. But the sad truth is that they have epically failed. Harvest asteroids, shoot stuff, that about sums it up. There is no storyline, no character development, no goals aside from be the best at killing. Today's gaming community wants more than that. They want to see their contributions impacting the game, they want to make their mark.

 
OVERALL: 6.6

  This game specifically caters to the PvPer with their system dominance features and open universe. Maps display where the enemy is setting up shop, where they are harvesting minerals, even where the heaviest battles are taking place. There is absolutely nothing stopping a level 100 player from seeking out and destroying you at level 4. Aside from your own attention to your surroundings and to your dradis.

   The universe has approximately 60 solar systems each side designated  with two or three "safe zones" where the enemy cannot enter. The resources there are scarce and the NPCs are a waste of time after level 10. Combat is your major source of wealth but the enemy NPCs still use squadron tactics on you, so flying solo is unrealistic until you are flying larger ships. What's worse is that once you try to mine a planetoid, which coincidentally provides players with the most convenient return of resources per minute, a symbol will come up on the map to alert everyone that you are mining in that system. Now you must defend the mining ship against attack from NPCs and enemy players as well.

   Ultimately this is a fun game. There are just so many fails at helping the newer players gain ownership in the game that this felt more like a fan club than a game. The pilots that are ever going to be a big impact are already there, you are just entering to provide cannon fodder for the enemy. I cannot verify that every server fail in balance but I can assure you that there are no real balancing mechanisms from keeping one faction from constant domination. In Aerilon the Human faction always outweighed the Cylon and so it was nearly impossible for me to accomplish anything, including my dailys.

Total Domination

  Plarium has taken the post apocalyptic world by force! Keeping with the theme of connecting our fans with free-to-play games we sent some of our minions out to reconnaissance the violent world of mutated technological warfare and dominance. They came back a little odder than they were before leaving, but with terrifying stories of war, complete with mutant denizens and cybernetic power houses.

  Total Domination has justifiably earned a European award for strategic game-play, because strategy really is a vital element of its game play. From researching which Clans dominate your area to which generals (players) to be weary of, you are kept busy as you hustle  to make your stand against the mutant masses of Morgana and your power mongering neighbors.

Game Play: 8
   When it comes to making a complex game there are many fundamental hurdles that must be accounted for to keep players from tossing in the towel before they have come to sense the reward of achievement. The more complex the game the more likely a player is to move on before learning the mechanics of a game. Total Domination is a complex game but the folks at Plarium are no fools.

   New players are literally walked through the initial challenges by a helpful task/achievement feature that guides you through the initial set-up of your base and offers continued guidance as you slaughter your way into the ranks of mechanized warriors and mutants. Believe me when I say there are enough challenges to keep you from becoming idle.

   Between the balance of resources, attack troops, defensive troops, mutagen, crystals and recon units Total Domination is both fun and well designed. More importantly these various resources and units provide a way for each player to truly make their sector unique. Add onto that various skins for your HQ and several different special units and objects that can be purchased with crystals and there is very little chance that your center of operations is going to be the same as any of your opponents, thereby offering ownership.

Graphics: 6
   While the background for the sector leaves something to be desired with single graphics for: dead trees, dead shrubs, cracks, holes, ect... the graphics of the actual objects themselves are exceptional. The level of detail is truly amazing. There are animations that contribute to the reality of your post apocalyptic operational center and really add life to the game. The animations are also done well enough to make transition smoothly from frame to frame.

   Unfortunately there are no animations to depict the actual combat taking place when you are raiding, invading or defending. There is also no real player interaction with these activities which would possibly require an additional platform and could be in the works for all we know. Nonetheless, this is a browser game and it definitely makes the cut.


Sound/Music: 7
   The background music is appropriate, though something more gritty and industrial might have been a better fit. The sound track is unique and fitting for the theme of the game. It has a tempo that adds excitement without being obtrusive. The sound bites for affects are original, adequate and theme based. Their sound guy did a great job. While it does lack tempo changes to go with actions taken by or against the player there would be application for such a feature anyhow.

   What I really want to commend here is their voice overs. The General who walks you through the game, announces tasks and special events is outstanding! Being a veteran of the United States Marine Corp I was immediately taken aback by the feel that is offered by this feature. What is more, the scripts are absolutely entertaining and blatantly hilarious. This general had my ROFL'n when he said: "You are going to need artificial intelligence if you want to avoid authentic stupidity". These voice overs are the shining attribute of Total Domination.


Free vs. P2P: 10
   Obviously it takes money to support and maintain an online game. Servers cost money to purchase and require electricity to run as well as internet connectivity. So scoring a game on it's ability to provide users entertainment without any financial commitment is a tricky business indeed. Ultimately we here at Squiggle have tried to keep these elements in mind when scoring this category. Many of the most popular pay-to-play games have incorporated a Free trial run to allow players an opportunity to discover the joys of their alternate reality before making a financial commitment.

   That being said, I have never seen a game that accomplishes that nearly as well as Total Domination. There is not one single item in this game that cannot be earned through gameplay. Sure, it will take longer than it does for the financially secure to enter their credit card information but isn't the satisfaction from earning your way a reward in itself. I am old school so I can easily say I would rather earn my way than to be handed it...not that players didn't earn the money that they are spending...but that is a whole other discussion.

Depth: 5
   There is a bit of a back story and an obvious history that applies to nearly every post-apocalyptic themed game. General Winters is easily Plarium's iconic character and the voice actor does a stupendous job, Morgana who acts as the games antagonist is vague and could use some fleshing-out. Then there is the plethora of other players who can be enemies, clan members, allies or neutral to your sector, all of which depends on your actions.
   The game forum itself is active and involved which offers a promising future. What caught my attention most was the direct request for player opinions as well as the easy to understand method in which they track and retrieve this data. Plarium is very likely to receive a players choice award in the near future...hopefully before the apocalypse. 

Overall: 7.2
  Ultimately Total Domination is a free to play game that delivers fun, laughter and a social community. Their artists are accomplished, their voice over actor is outstanding, the scripts are awesome and the game play is challenging. The biggest detriment to the game is its lack of back story and details into the origins of the protagonist. Some of which can be discovered through the mutant unit descriptions.  If you like strategy games then you will like this game.