Dust 514

It's been awhile since we brought you information about Eve Online's FPS booster shot, Dust 514. Back at E3 2011 we delivered the answers to questions Eve Online fans might have regarding the new game. Just in case that information was a little too inside baseball, we bring you a more general look at what Dust 514 is all about.

In the world of Eve Online, when a ship is destroyed, it’s gone. That’s it. The player’s essence may phase into a new clone replacement, but months spent enhancing an important battleship are lost. Needless to say, the denizens of New Eden are a hardcore bunch. When you have a fan base so intensely dedicated to an MMO, big changes can be met with fear and resistance. Dust 514 is the biggest change we’ve ever seen an MMO undertake. Developer CCP is integrating a full-fledged first-person shooter into the existing universe, which will impact existing alliances, the economy, and just about everything. It’s an exciting time to be playing Eve.

Eve Online is all about piloting ships through the universe, taking control of important planets, forming alliances, and screwing over your enemies. Everything is vessel-based. Up until the most recent expansion, players weren’t able to see their character. They were simply invisible pilots. Dust 514 puts players in the boots of marines, simultaneously injecting the game with more of a human element while fleshing out the important struggle for planetary dominance.

A PlayStation 3 exclusive, Dust 514 will have no subscription fees – after players shill out cash for an initial flat cover charge, they're done paying unless extra goodies. Fortunately, players earn in-game currency equal to the cost of the game, so you can start beefing up your hired gun right away. This money, AUR, is the same currency that can be purchased through micro transactions to acquire specific items. However, ISK, the existing currency of Eve Online, can still be earned in-game and bleeds into the existing economy.

These gun-toting marines will play an important role in defending the planets of New Eden, so Eve Online players must arrange contracts with them to keep their assets secure. Dust players experience New Eden through an FPS lens, and Eve players stick to their space sim roots, but both groups must work together to achieve their goals. For example, if a group of ground troops are struggling to ward off a regiment of tanks, they can call their Eve allies and request an orbital strike to wipe away the threat.

CCP hopes the running and gunning action of Dust 514 will appeal to different types of gamers. Longtime Eve Online players may want to take a break from interstellar travels and macro managing to get their hands dirty shooting a few punks in the head. Stiff-lipped marines disinterested in galactic politics may simply want to create a clan with a notorious kill:death ratio, so they can charge insane prices for contracts and rack up some coin to buy awesome new gear. Perhaps some players will be introduced to New Eden through Dust 514, then transition into Eve Online for a more complex experience. By infusing a team-based, tactical FPS into the game’s universe, CCP is opening up new entry points for potential players.

Converging two vastly different gameplay types into the same server, universe, and economy has never been done before. While CCP eagerly shared details about how the two games will synergize to deepen the overall New Eden experience, we’re still dying to learn how it will actually play. Move and Vita support have also been announced, but we know nothing beyond that. Dust 514 is a game-changing title with alluring, inventive features, but every FPS fan knows that a shooter is only as good as its gameplay.

Galactic Frontlines

CCP Games hasn’t revealed the nitty gritty on Dust 514’s multiplayer modes or the various objectives contained therein. What we do know is that matches support over 32 players. Players team up with allies to destroy existing infrastructures on a planet’s surface and gain dominance. Wiping out the competition’s expensive installations is tough work, so multiple battles must be fought to secure victory. Versatility on the field is crucial, as the fight flows from vehicle-heavy segments across vast landscapes to close-quarters combat in outposts. While specifics are sparse now, CCP says more details are on the way.