EVE Online Glossary: Navigating The Universe's Slang

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EVE Online Glossary: Your Guide to New Eden Lingo

Hey there, capsuleers! Welcome to the vast, and sometimes confusing, universe of EVE Online. If you're new to New Eden, or even a seasoned veteran, you've probably stumbled upon a few terms that make you scratch your head. Don't worry, we've all been there! This EVE Online glossary is your trusty companion, a comprehensive guide to the jargon, slang, and acronyms you'll encounter while traversing the stars. Consider this your cheat sheet to understanding the language of EVE, whether you're chatting in local, strategizing in fleet, or just trying to figure out what that guy in the expensive ship is talking about. This glossary aims to demystify the most common and crucial terms, helping you navigate the treacherous waters of space with confidence and maybe even impress a few veterans along the way. Get ready to decode the secrets of New Eden, and become fluent in the language of capsuleers. Let's dive in and unlock the mysteries of EVE Online's unique vocabulary. This comprehensive EVE Online glossary is designed to be your go-to resource for understanding the complex and often cryptic language of the game. From basic concepts to advanced strategies, we'll break down the terminology, helping you become a more informed and capable player. Think of it as your Rosetta Stone for space, turning gibberish into galactic gold. So, grab your coffee, buckle up, and prepare to expand your EVE vocabulary! We're about to embark on a linguistic journey through the stars.

Core Concepts and Gameplay Terms

Alright, let's start with the basics, shall we? These are the terms you'll hear thrown around constantly, the building blocks of EVE Online's unique language. Understanding these will give you a solid foundation for everything else.

  • ISK (Interstellar Kredits): This is the currency of EVE Online. Think of it as the in-game equivalent of dollars or euros. You'll need ISK for everything from buying ships and modules to paying for your clone upgrades. Learn to manage your ISK wisely, because it's the lifeblood of your EVE experience. Without it, you are pretty much stranded in space.
  • Ship Types: EVE Online boasts a vast array of ships, each with its own role and purpose. Here's a quick rundown of some common ship types:
    • Frigate: Small, fast, and agile ships often used for exploration, scouting, and tackling (more on that later).
    • Destroyer: Medium-sized ships, offering a balance of firepower and speed.
    • Cruiser: Versatile ships capable of a variety of roles, from combat to logistics.
    • Battlecruiser: Larger ships with increased firepower and durability.
    • Battleship: The heavy hitters of EVE, designed for massive damage output and soaking up damage.
    • Industrial (Indy): Ships designed for hauling cargo and mining resources.
    • Capital Ships: Massive, powerful ships including Dreadnoughts, Carriers, and Supercarriers, offering significant advantages in fleet engagements. These ships are very costly and take a long time to train into.
  • Modules: These are the components you fit to your ship to enhance its capabilities. Examples include weapons, shield boosters, armor repairers, and afterburners. The right module setup can make or break your ship's performance.
  • Fitting: The process of installing modules on your ship. Different ships have different fitting requirements (CPU, power grid), so you'll need to carefully choose your modules to ensure everything fits and works together. This is a very important part of the game that you will do a lot.
  • Skills: These are what make your character powerful. Skills improve your character's ability to fly certain ships, use specific modules, and perform various tasks. Training skills is a core part of EVE Online, and it takes time (real-world time!). The better the skills you have, the more you can do in EVE Online.
  • Undock: The act of leaving a station and entering space. Also used as a verb, like, "Undock and go get 'em!"
  • Local: The in-game chat channel for the system you are currently in. This is where most communication and trash-talking happens.
  • Gate Camp: A location where a group of players waits near a stargate, hoping to ambush unsuspecting ships that jump through.

Combat and PvP Terms

Now, let's gear up and dive into the thrilling world of player-versus-player (PvP) combat. EVE is known for its intense and often strategic battles. This section explains the terms you'll encounter when discussing fights, fleets, and strategies.

  • PvP (Player vs. Player): Combat between players. The heart of EVE Online for many players.
  • PvE (Player vs. Environment): Combat against computer-controlled enemies, like NPCs and rats.
  • Ganking: Attacking and destroying a ship, often a high-value target, with overwhelming force, typically in high-security space.
  • Tackle: The act of using modules to prevent a ship from warping or using its afterburner/microwarpdrive. Tacklers are crucial in PvP for holding down targets.
  • DPS (Damage Per Second): A measure of how much damage a ship or weapon can deal over time. Important for understanding how much damage you can do. Always think about how much DPS you are doing!
  • EHP (Effective Hit Points): A measure of a ship's overall durability, taking into account its hit points, shield, and armor resistances. The higher the EHP, the harder it is to kill.
  • Tank: A ship's ability to withstand damage. Tanks can be shield-based or armor-based.
  • Alpha: The amount of damage a ship can deal in a single volley. Big Alphas can quickly destroy ships.
  • Web: A module that slows down a target's speed, making it easier to hit and harder to escape.
  • Scramble: A module that prevents a target from warping and using its afterburner/microwarpdrive.
  • Warp Disruptor/Interdictor: Modules that prevent a target from warping. Warp Disruptors are the standard. Warp Interdictors create a warp disruption bubble, affecting everything that enters it, used by some ships. Very important for stopping people from warping away.
  • Fleet: A group of players working together, often with a specific strategy or goal.
  • FC (Fleet Commander): The leader of a fleet, responsible for making tactical decisions and directing the fleet's actions. These guys are the real deal.
  • Logi (Logistics): Ships that provide support to a fleet by repairing other ships or providing other forms of assistance. Often critical for fleet survival.
  • Rage Quit: When a player becomes so frustrated by a battle or event that they disconnect from the game out of anger.

Industry and Economy Terms

EVE Online has a complex economy driven by players. Here's a look at the terms you'll encounter when delving into the world of manufacturing, trading, and resource gathering.

  • Mining: The process of extracting resources from asteroids or planets. A core activity in EVE.
  • Ratting: The act of killing NPC pirates (rats) for ISK and loot. A common way to make money.
  • Market: The in-game marketplace where players buy and sell items.
  • Buy Orders: Orders to purchase items at a specific price.
  • Sell Orders: Orders to sell items at a specific price.
  • Industry: The process of manufacturing ships, modules, and other items. Requires blueprints, materials, and time.
  • BPO (Blueprint Original): The original blueprint for an item. Can be used to create copies (BPCs).
  • BPC (Blueprint Copy): A copy of a blueprint, used for manufacturing. Has a limited number of runs.
  • Refining: The process of turning raw materials into usable resources.
  • Hauling: The process of transporting items between locations. Requires industrial ships.
  • Jump Freighter: A specialized freighter that can jump between systems, making it ideal for hauling large amounts of cargo.
  • Trade Hubs: Major stations where players congregate to buy and sell items, like Jita and Amarr.
  • Nullsec: High-risk, high-reward space controlled by player alliances, where most of the game's resources are located and wars are fought.
  • Sov (Sovereignty): The control of nullsec systems by player alliances. The reason for most of the wars in EVE Online.

Social and Organizational Terms

EVE is a social game. Here are some terms related to player organizations and interaction.

  • Corp (Corporation): A player-run organization. Think of it as a guild or clan.
  • Alliance: A group of corporations working together, often for strategic or political purposes.
  • Diplomacy (Dips): The art of negotiating and forming relationships with other alliances and corporations.
  • Intel: Information about enemy movements, ship types, or other relevant data.
  • Salt: Negative or frustrated comments. Often seen after a loss or a bad experience.
  • Newbro: A new player. Everyone starts somewhere.
  • Vet: A veteran player, typically with significant experience in EVE.
  • AFK (Away From Keyboard): Not present at the computer.
  • OP (Overpowered): A ship, module, or tactic that is considered too strong.
  • Nerf: To reduce the effectiveness of a ship, module, or tactic, often done by developers.
  • Buff: To increase the effectiveness of a ship, module, or tactic, often done by developers.

Advanced Terms and Strategies

Let's move on to some more advanced concepts. These terms will help you understand the deeper aspects of EVE's gameplay. These are the things that will make you sound like a pro!

  • Capital Ships: Battleships, and other high-end ships such as Carriers. Can be very powerful, but also expensive and require lots of skill points.
  • Subcapitals: All ships except capital ships. This includes frigates, cruisers, destroyers, battlecruisers, and battleships. Typically used for fleet engagements.
  • Tidi (Time Dilation): A mechanic used to slow down the game's server during large battles, preventing server overload and allowing for more players to participate. It makes combat more manageable, but it can also be frustrating if you are trying to do something quick.
  • Wormhole Space: Uncharted space connected by wormholes, offering unique opportunities and challenges. Full of resources and dangerous opponents.
  • Blops (Black Ops): Stealth bombers specialized in covert operations.
  • Covert Ops: Ships with cloaking devices that can move unseen through space.
  • EWAR (Electronic Warfare): A class of modules that disrupt an enemy's ship systems.
  • Cap Stability: The ability of a ship to maintain its capacitor (energy). Crucial for running modules.
  • Sig Radius (Signature Radius): The size of a ship, which affects how easily it is hit by weapons.
  • Tracking: The ability of a weapon to hit a moving target. Depends on the target's speed and signature radius and the weapon's tracking speed.
  • Grid: The system that manages the power distribution of a ship. All modules have a grid requirement.
  • CPU: The Central Processing Unit of a ship. Controls how many modules can be fit onto a ship.
  • Ping: A test of the network connection. Also, a quick warp to a celestial object or planet to see if the area is safe.

Tips for Learning the Lingo

So, you've got the basics down, but how do you truly master the EVE Online glossary? Here are a few tips to help you along the way:

  • Play the Game: The best way to learn the language is by experiencing it. The more you play, the more you'll hear and use these terms naturally.
  • Join a Corporation: Corporations are great for learning the ropes, as you'll be immersed in the EVE community and exposed to the common terms used. Plus, you will have a group of people to help you.
  • Listen to Local Chat: Pay attention to what players are saying in local chat. It's a great way to pick up the slang and understand the context in which terms are used. This will help you learn the most common terms first.
  • Read the Wiki: The EVE Online Wiki is a fantastic resource for learning about all aspects of the game, including the glossary of terms.
  • Ask Questions: Don't be afraid to ask questions! The EVE community is generally helpful, and players are usually happy to explain things to new players. Don't worry about sounding silly, you're a newbro, everyone understands.
  • Use the Glossary: Refer back to this EVE Online glossary as needed. It's your personal reference guide for all things EVE.
  • Watch Streams and Videos: Watching EVE Online streamers or videos is a great way to learn terms and see them in action.

Conclusion

Congratulations, capsuleer! You've made it through the EVE Online glossary, and you're now one step closer to becoming a true veteran of New Eden. Remember that learning the language of EVE is an ongoing process. As you play, you'll encounter new terms, strategies, and concepts. Stay curious, keep exploring, and most importantly, have fun! The universe of EVE Online is vast, and there's always something new to discover. Now go forth, undock, and make your mark on New Eden. Fly safe, and may your ISK always be plentiful!