Dust For the Win...
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There is a change on the wind in the EVE Online universe... you can feel it coming... the developers at CCP have created a PS3-exclusive console game named DUST 514, which not only takes place in the same "universe" as EVE Online, but is literally connected to the same servers. DUST 514 is a FPS game that will be all about battles and skirmishes on planet surfaces. These planets, however, are the same planets that are in EVE Online. Existing EVE Online corporations will be able to hire DUST 514 mercenaries to either join their corporation directly, or to contract a DUST 514 mercenary corp to conduct a ground attack for them. The missions in DUST 514 will all be created by EVE Online corporations, to carry out specific objectives in EVE Online... to gain control of planetary resources. With enough resources, you can take control of entire planets... and the more powerful planetside defenses can even take out space-based threats.
Not only that, most of the equipment available to DUST 514 players will have to first be built by EVE Online players, from large transport ships to high tech battle suits and from turrets to air support... and even huge surface to space energy weapons - all of these must first be built by players in EVE Online before they are available in DUST 514... unless you're able to take control of these assets from someone else, once they've made them. So, while it's nice to build mining facilities and factories to make a profit on your new planet, you might want to consider building some Defense structures, as well, so that the next corporation doesn't just walk in and own the place.
In EVE Online, the ships can have different fittings; you can load out your ship with different weapons, additional armor, electronic countermeasures - even auto-repair systems. However, when doing so, you have to balance weight, available slots, power usage, required CPU processing power, ammunition types and even skills required to use the items properly. DUST 514 will feature a similar fitting/load-out system for planet-side warfare vehicles and even for infantry. Depending on your mission, you might want to change out turrets on your ground vehicles or increase the armor on your troop transports, for example.
DUST 514 isn't being approached as a "sequel" or a "related game" that happens to take place in the same universe; DUST 514 is being integrated into the mechanics of playing EVE Online, in a way that should make the results of the wars in DUST 514 meaningful for inhabitants, alliances and EVE Online corporations. The FPS players playing DUST 514 will be a military extension of the corporations in EVE Online.
One interesting result of the interdependence of these games is that - at launch - DUST 514 won't have a single mission to play. Not a single fight... for the first second, give or take. However, as soon as it becomes possible for players in EVE Online to hire FPS mercenaries, there will be missions. You can expect a flood of missions and a major land-grab before DUST 514 gamers have finished creating their characters. And, in case you're worried that EVE Online players might not generate jobs quickly enough... there are EVE Online corporations that are already recruiting FPS players to play DUST 514 for them.
