It is great to be a noob again

I play a bit of World of Warcraft, but have been curious about Eve for a while.  Gevlon's recent Eve posts were the final push I needed to have a look.

I am a newbie.  I have almost no idea.  In Warcarft, I know a lot, and know where to get the information I am missing.  My problem's in that game are how long it will take me to down a boss, and when will I start on heroic raiding.


In Eve, I struggled to get into a ship and out of the airlock.  I struggled with Aura's (an NPC that starts you off) tutorials.  If in doubt - follow the Acceleration gates.

I was doing the tutorial 'mining and refining mission' for 'balancing the books'.  Have a mining laser (picked up a cheap civilian laser - no idea if it will work), and equipped my gun fstruggled on my first mining mission for the 'work off the others back' trainer.  I picked up a civilian mining laser of an AH - crap I know - but cheap and hopefully good enough for the mission. 

I went to the zone and found a Barren Asteroid and a Hollow Asteroid.  I cant mine then. Mmm.  Hollow Asteroids caused by being mined out according to the in game info.  So is the problem that:

• Someone else was there first? 
• Civilian stuff can't be used for this tutorial mission?
• I haven't been able to find the asteroid?

I go and buy a real but stilll cheap mining laser and head back to the zone.  Mmm.  This laser doesn't work on the asteroids either.  Off to do some research and I find an item about mining in general.  I follow this and find a real asteroid to mine outside of the tutorial and get lots of Veldespar.  Easy.  Hand in the mission.  Can't. I didn't do the mining in the tutorial area.  WTF? 

Head back to the mining area and this time I find a proper asteroid to mine.  I see off the two bandits with no problem.  Have extra ore, and finish the mission this time with no problem.

I find a sense of wonder not even knowing what I still have to learn.  Frustrating sure, but that is part of the attraction.

It is great to be a noob again.