EVE Online | Down the Rabbit Hole

[@thespiffingbrit]

It took 2+ years and 1000+ patrons to send a man on the deepest research into a single video game ever conducted. Happy to have helped fund this madness

[@planta3240]

Woah, you're here? You put money into the patreon as well? Nice.

[@ritwik1223]

provided him all the yorkshire tea to help with the research?

[@thespiffingbrit]

@@planta3240 Of course! It is part of my continued plan of driving the other creators on the platform to various states of psychosis

[@michaelwautraets7126]

Holy shit, he's alive.

[@thespiffingbrit]

I have provided $210 worth of yorkshire tea which is roughly 8750 bags of tea@@ritwik1223

[@Kwassikk]

its 2023 and people are still finding new and obvious ways to push for that 10 minute mark

[@johnnyaguilerajr4295]

this made me laugh 🐿️

[@boy_girl_cat_party1824]

This comment does NOT have the recognition it deserves

[@TheVeritasForYou]

underrated comment 😂

[@trippasnippa119]

shameless really... i hope all those 1000 patrons get their money back.

[@CharlesSantana69]

OMG!!!!! Top Tier comment

[@jebus9001]

I like how the interview with the "pirate" at 1:58:30 is literally like Fred: How do you feel about your role as a pirate and law breaker? Player: It's just PvP dude. It's a game.

[@noahhamilton9004]

Is only game, why you have to be mad?

[@ruxenus2444]

Why does it look like as if he treated bots better than players? xd

[@Kurai_69420]

He got told to touch grass by an online space pirate

[@wingspantt]

As an Eve player, it's funny. Highsec players play the game to relax. Lowsec pilots play for PVP. Nullsec pilots play for political drama. Wormhole pilots are batshit crazy.

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

@@wingspantt "Highsec players play the game to relax. Lowsec pilots play for PVP. Nullsec pilots play for political drama. Wormhole pilots are batshit crazy." Lol I wish this was in the description box with no other information. Just this & a 5+ hour video, sitting g there, dauntingly.

[@LeuNoeleeste]

I have 0 idea of what the fuck I'm supposed to do with this near-academic level of informations about nerds fighting virtual wars in virtual space, but I was captivated by it all. Holy shit

[@josephyoung6749]

me too never played video games but still found this whole video interesting

[@riveteye93]

meditate up on it, seeing the truth about the nature of man and the world

[@Xenomorthian]

@@josephyoung6749 Trust me this is beyond the level of what video games are normally like

[@mirandah.2714]

I really love learning the history of things especially game development especially since it relates to my career it’s so fun

[@alexioshjkl6170]

when it comes to eve he hasnt even scratched the surface.

[@Vekuyo]

Spent a good 5 years in game, but only ever heard small rumors and mentions of the bigger events playing out. Its wild knowing just how much drama and intrigue was actually going on out there a thousand systems away while I was working in a tiny contracted mining corp in Red territory arguing over what rock would make us the most money that week.

[@Kaustic26]

It’s crazy when you think about it, you were a normal working man, 9-5 mining for cash and you’re having normal conversations and valuing the simple things and there’s just an insane war happening somewhere else in the universe and you just had murmurs and whispers. You literally lived another life

[@neondystopian]

Because it's really close to real life. That's what you're doing, right now. Working your little job, living your little life, while massive events go on around you. It's creepy, tbh, but in a enjoyable way

[@ZackTheGiant]

Truly a nonfiction sci-fi, eh?

[@rofa6086]

Day in the life of a Star Wars background character lol

[@grahamdixon1699]

You get the same feeling when you study modern history.

[@DarkVeghetta]

12 year EvE vet here (not a bittervet). I just wanted to note that EvE's launcher now features this video with the tag line: "NEW EVE DOCUMENTARY". I didn't see said tab earlier in the day, so it's likely they've added it within the past 12 or so hours (for people in the future, it's now 03.XI.2023, ~1 AM UTC). Funny enough, I had this video open in my tabs for a few hours, but had not watched it, then I log into EvE and see it featured on the launcher... it was rather surreal.

[@Sangheilitat117]

It's interesting, I opened the launcher this morning and saw that as well. With how bad it makes CCP look over decisions with DUST 514, WoD, and the like, I wonder if they (CCP) actually watched the video before putting that link up.

[@biuliu7157]

Glad you're here

[@itsdabees]

​@@Sangheilitat117i doubt it. Its like theyre saying "come look at all of our bad decisions"

[@jackspedicy2711]

most big video game companies have absolutely horrible reputations, from EA to blizzard to all the other ones. So this video is just a free advertisement and a really cool entertaining video helping to enrich peoples experience of playng eve. Bad decisions are a normality, and this video makes them seem better then other game devs at least to me as someone who has not played eve since this video tells me they have a functional game, no terrible lootboxes or microtransactions, and a democraticly elected council of advisors from the playerbase. What other company even listens to their fans? and this one has player elected advisors. To me it makes them seem better then most game devs

[@TheRedHaze3]

@@jackspedicy2711 Old School RuneScape allows players to vote on the direction of the game, provided they have a certain amount of in-game skill levels (to prevent people from botting the polls).

[@snrd3r]

I just love that these players have all kinds of sci-fi names while one of the pivotal moments in the history of the galaxy was Steve's destruction at the hand of BOB

[@boarfaceswinejaw4516]

personally im a big fan of how the "clusterfuck alliance of the Goon Swarm" rebranded to "Imperium" for branding purposes.

[@jackstander4519]

@@boarfaceswinejaw4516 Come to nulsec and talk that sh1te scrub

[@juancanekortegasanchez7961]

very twin peaks

[@ArbitraryOutcome]

@@boarfaceswinejaw4516 Especially since "Goon Swarm" takes on an entirely different meaning now than it did over a decade ago.

[@SuperAWaC]

I helped build Steve. I am not sure if this detail is mentioned in the video or not but even better is Steve the titan was named after Eh Steve in homestar runner. It's a good juxtaposition of a very silly name in a very pivotal moment in the game's history

[@AdamGaffney96]

28:00 It is intensely funny that the devs said they wanted to made a hyper-capitalist economy in their game, and then were shocked when almost all the factories were bought up by speculators and not productive members.

[@randomguy019]

Even in systems where the value something has is not entirely the product of the social contract, you will still need systems in place to make being productive more profitable than rent-seeking.

[@wizardom]

"A player leaving Eve for World of Warcraft increases the average IQ of both games." This is savage. 1:41:11

[@Kektus1]

And untrue, but savage, yes.

[@WeeBong92]

I may be wrong but I believe it was first said by Robert Muldoon, PM of New Zealand from 1975 - 84, when referring to New Zealanders leaving for Australia - "New Zealanders who leave for Australia raise the IQ of both countries." Of course it was probably said earlier but it's a fairly well known quote in NZ.

[@Tiago-]

Lol

[@user-os7ec4dm8x]

@@Kektus1 Nah it's true.

[@anthonyschwartz1084]

I was playing wow classic while listening and I felt so called out

[@fpsvoltage3005]

i think the world of EVE is the closest thing to a true alternate world inside a game. it has history, culture, wars that span years, it has diplomacy, trading, crisis management, criminals, heroes and celebrities, drama . i understand why some people would put so much time into that game.

[@Weromano]

looking forward to star citizen one upping eve in ten years at the earliest XD

[@CriticoolHit]

@@Weromano I'm hoping we'll see the creators of star citizen on JCS getting their arrest interviews picked apart for what will be one of the biggest scams in history.

[@Beastlordius]

@@CriticoolHit I love to see people calling it a scam while there is playable game, even more so as it turns out their main team was working on Squadron 42 all these years and having SC as secondary project (what was said will happen firsthand in begining of paetron) Having over 2k people working for the company also is not small feat to pay wages for everyone. And now on top of that we have their game engine that will be published for others to use as Unreal, Unity etc. If it would be scam, at least scam on level to warant an arrest, you would not be able to play the game, it would be just never ending showcases with no product.

[@CatGravityWell]

At risk of delivering Star Citizen a grievous and unwarranted insult, Counterpoint: Dream World.

[@Weromano]

@@CriticoolHit If this was a scam, it would be the most inefficient one in history…

[@cuppajj]

Being the first corp to create the game-changing, earthshattering Titan ship and naming it Steve is such a power move

[@2-pistols]

That, and it's from a movie over the hedge probably

[@jupiter--system]

I haven't watched the video yet but Ascendant Frontier named it after Steve Irwin, who had died recently.

[@LuizAlexPhoenix]

Having it destroyed with help from the devs is a major pussy move on the other hand. Means that you need to call daddy to help you hold down someone alone in an alley to jump them.

[@joseywales6168]

and then Bob killed him, I love gamer naming

[@jupiter--system]

@@joseywales6168 yeah but SirMolle's titan was named Darwin's Contraption so you know. there's that.

[@Thailerr]

Me before clicking on this video: "Oh cool, I wonder what Eve was like in the early days!" Beginning of the video: "AT THE DAWN OF THE INTERNET!"

[@therockbottom5256]

“VR chat was invented in 1992” WHAT

[@tanathosXX]

same thing here :-D and now I'm at the 45min mark, still going on because I'm curious to How JITA 4.4 was born

[@therockbottom5256]

@@tanathosXX I knew if I didn’t get out early I’d be stuck till the end too 😭

[@GeremyG]

I love hearing people's online usernames in these historical documentary type scenarios.

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

Yes!

[@njdss4]

It's like when watching a Summoning Salt video and seeing a name like jimmypoopins talked about with such reverence.

[@Maxjk0]

"and victory was achieved, by Lenny Kravitz 2"

[@devinbaird2470]

​@@Maxjk0Yes, LennyKravtiz2 always took me out lol

[@TheLuckyDime]

“No one would ever expect the historical significance of the actions that boobyLicker69 would take on that day, it would echo for years…”

[@helmutthat8331]

One fun thing that didn't make it into the video was how after seeing war declared on them by the entirety of Nullsec in late 2020, with the explicit stated goal of removing Goonswarm from the game, Goonswarm activated "The Horn of Goondor", a long standing emergency plan. What is the Horn of Goondor? The Mittani emailed every single user who had ever been a Goon, no matter how long ago they played or how skilled they were - all hundred thousand plus of them - and asked them to return to the game. "You knew this day would come; you knew that you would be called. Only as a last resort; only when it matters most, when the fate of our tribe and the galaxy itself hangs in the balance. The Horn of Goondor, only to be sounded in our darkest hour, when the enemy is at the gates of Fortress Delve and it is time to win or die."

[@virahpayam]

😲📯

[@JoshSweetvale]

Remember: These guys bully people to death. They're Scientology Cartman.

[@amzarnacht6710]

I would've joined on the Other side. Spent most of my time in nullsec fighting Goons, and even in other entire games where they showed up, even if they were on my team (keeping the same username was always a dead giveaway). Tho I remember unshipping Mittani once, when Goons was still the new, fresh, pimple faced bully on the kindergarden playground. Almost podded him, too, but our 'ceptor got popped and he broke lock.

[@richardwickens2923]

That is epic 🙂

[@alixhascour1715]

if only he became painter instead ^^@@amzarnacht6710​

[@YuubiTimberwolf]

My father played EVE Online and holy hell, i do remember some wars that happend because he loved to share his current adventures whenever we visited, we were not interested to play (it looked too complex) but he stories he told were amazing He was on a trade route in the middle of the night when Steve got destroyed and screamed us awake when he got the message. He was one of the people outside the cooperation did trades that funded the creation of Steve

[@tyranneous]

As a former Eve player from back in those days, I've got to say the stories are incredible (as demonstrated with this video). However, hearing that it was your father who played suddenly makes me feel very, very old. ;)

[@YuubiTimberwolf]

I was like 13 when it happend and just started playing online games, so yeah, sorry to make you feel old :'D

[@cumpanions8105]

That sounds lame 😂😂

[@_loss_]

Wholesome

[@jenstrudenau9134]

So this is how people become furriest? These stories ain't worth it.

[@oldmr.boston1237]

In '03, when I was 51 I decided to give EvE a try as I was convalescing. 20+ yrs later I am a proud Septuagenarian and still play. This extended video has me nostalgically reminiscing and I am not sure if I will sleep well with the flood of memories of events and people long gone but not forgotten. Thanks for all your fantastic work putting this chronologically correct piece together.

[@altdefcon]

i’d say you’re pretty tech savvy for your age, with no offense meant of course. how old are u btw?

[@drinkmorecocacola]

@@altdefcon2003 - 2024 + 51

[@OminousOmelet]

@@altdefcon 51 + 21 = 72 (sorry, couldn't help myself)

[@Legit_SuperFall]

Godspeed man. Keep going.

[@eccodreams]

What an incredible legacy you've helped weave. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey!

[@nathansmith1085]

He is a genius! To prevent streamers from stealing and "reacting" to his video, he made it so long they probably wouldn't bother

[@SyncF]

Sure worked on XQC lmaooooo

[@fostena]

I don't know, I wouldn't put it past them to put up the video and then watch it while periodically eat, go to the bathroom etc...

[@X-SPONGED]

They could just play the video and then leave for 5 hours

[@MAKESOME]

He actually gave them permission to stream it on Twitter

[@javsandarts]

He literally said he wont mind

[@cptnqusr]

“Completion of Steve heralded war” is one of the greatest sentences ever written

[@IMModusOperandi]

"The power of Steve the Titan blunted their advance simply with the threat of its presence" is also a good one

[@Gwennerini]

@@IMModusOperandiAny line involving Steve, it’s power and the reverence of its power is a good line.

[@mycroft16]

​@@Gwennerini Came to say this. Steve will forever hold an unassailable position of awe and reverence in New Eden.

[@threethrushes]

meow meow, purr

[@Tbonethe1nfinite]

Possibly THE greatest sentence ever written.

[@thecasehd]

Bravo! As someone who has played Eve for 20 years, this was, (I'm almost embarrassed to say), an emotional trip back down memory lane. The most touching was the story of Steve. My first null sec experience was ASCN. I joined in the main corp and later moved to the military corp of Celestial Fleet. I (we) spent tireless months mining, building and defending to achieve the milestone of building the first Titan. It was a real-life emotional moment when it was unveiled. I was not online when it went down, and the first log in after was chaos, and heart wrenching. The loss of morale and the war with BoB after was also despairing. Most of the members of the alliance were :carebears", and Bob pretty much rolled us in every battle. Great memories. I turned 60 this year, and am still playing, thankful to have lived in a time when a game like Eve was and is possible. Thank you for your incredible work on this, Documentary.

[@mrfreakmaster2256]

Was emotional ride for me to, and don't even play the game.

[@lucianobertelli9019]

No need to be embarrassed, you participated in online history. Not many people can say that.

[@PresidentArmer]

You've played even longer than me, I tip my hat to you sir!

[@horizontide568]

I never played Eve. I did play Dust 514. It was the first fps game that I really got into and it had ties to Eve online. I remember doing clan fights for planets and if I remember correctly the Eve players would drop orbital strikes to hit the enemy team during a battle if your clan had Eve ship support. I dropped Dust when Destiny came out. Man I haven't thought about that game or this franchise in years and I didn't even realize that ppl still played Eve. That's crazy

[@HoopleBogart]

My Dad is around your age too man. He still plays every now and then. Thanks for the story!

[@bigbird2200]

When I was in middle school I gave this game a try. I got into a mining corp that provided everything you needed to get started asteroid mining in low-sec, then move to null-sec and wormhole mining. I made my ISK, moved up in the Corp. I became fucking obsessed. I eventually ran an entire null-sec POS for the corp. I’d spend hours managing everything. It absorbed my entire life. This game is no joke. I was basically doing the job of a regional manager in an actual fuckin company at 14. Shits crazy. I ended up quitting because I got a girlfriend.

[@idlegameplayer3756]

bro your gf either saved or ruined your life, depending how you look at it

[@Koreryn]

My best friend played EVE Online and got me into it. He played it for over 10 years. He recently passed away and would have loved to see this compilation of history about it. I am watching it in memory of him.

[@musicobsessive123]

im sorry to hear that ❤

[@Coreterra]

Pay attention, capsuleer, for those who have gone before you call for you to join them. The cyno is now lit.

[@alexanderprokudin1218]

My condolences. You're remembering him in the most respectful way.

[@pneuma7202]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[@JohnSmith-ox3gy]

o7 may you wake up in a better place covered hydrostasis fluid, capsuleer.

[@TheJackMouse]

My father played this religiously as I was growing up. All those little ships, distant suns, and little mechanical icons were a constant motif that accompanied my whole growing up. I am *thrilled* to see a deep dive on it by the man who deep dives for a hobby.

[@dolores111]

I love this. It's just as rich and complex as a real sci fi novel. I find it fascinating how the dev team essentially functions like the Imperium in Dune. Having the powers and responsibility of a god but being just as prone to bias and corruption, and get infiltrated by people who have greater loyalty to their factions and end up undermining the dev teams authority

[@declanjones8888]

I would love to play an actual Dune game like that, although Im not a fan of paying real money for in game assets, I gotta eat and pay rent.

[@egotrip995]

How long has it been???? U r the GOAT of youtube journalism

[@highdefinition450]

​@@egotrip995literally who lol

[@anonanon6332]

So basically...just like real life with the NWO and WEF...gotcha.

[@bansheelgend]

By the by, there are two EVE novels written as well. The Empyrean War and Templar One. Thay aren't based around the player exploits, but more about the four empires and the politics of it all.

[@lightknightgames]

I love the natural power scaling 9 months to make a ship, and two hours later, there's like 10 of them in one fight

[@casaleiasallet1176]

i mean happened with nukes irl basically, same with dreadnaughts for a bit

[@ponivi]

To be fair, the new ship is a race, so a lot of people are ready immediately after the first

[@o0GodZila0o]

Now imperium have over 1000 in their super fleet 😂

[@KyleHerrera106]

yeah cause they were all building them simultaneously. Kinda obvious.

[@KyleHerrera106]

it's like the 24 hours of le mans. 24 hours to drive the distance but there are ten more there moments later.

[@dylanl3020]

As someone who has their entire playtime of EVE inside of wormholes, it's nice to actually get mentioned since we tend to get overlooked a fair bit when it comes to the game at large.

[@stupidflandrs4856]

Do you have anything you'd want to add when it comes to wormhole space? That was definitely something I was interested in hearing bits from throughout the video (I don't play EVE)

[@ADEtheMayhem]

Give us stories

[@admiralackbar4767]

@@ADEtheMayhem Okay i tell you one. One day our POS manager left the wormhole with 500 Million in loot to sell it and he did. But the WH collapsed behind him. So noone was left at the wormhole and the WH POS only had 1 week of fuel left. We had to search for our wormhole system for 6 days with untold dangers from other players to get back to it and refill the wormhole POS. That one week, and the untold billions of loot and ships we had left there. The POS manager who left the WH and searched for it 6 days was mentally destroyed, even after managing to get back. The stress was so much for him he left the game for good. Never seen one person break, his whole EvE existence was in that WH and the possibility to lose it all, was just to much stress for him to handle reallife.

[@numinous2506]

You're popular! Tell us more!

[@SpookiePossum]

Oh share, share!

[@CubicMathTime]

GoonFleet becoming GoonSwarm, then CFC, and then The Imperium reminds me of the gag in History of the Entire World where Bill says “Here comes the Assyrian Empire- nevermind, it's the Babyloni- Media- It's the Persian Empire!”

[@Squirl7504]

+

[@Airbigbawls]

The very first gooners

[@elevate07]

Wow that's... big

[@CubicMathTime]

@@elevate07you could make a religion out of this

[@Sykroid]

In a way, a lot of this is what happened to the internet itself. It was just an endless chaos of small sites with drama and seperation that got devoured by larger entities until finally we have a handful of giant sites, with nothing new entering the game. It's just another story of the wild west being tamed

[@Anonymous95202]

There's a common theme here that starts with a C and ends in a APITALISM

[@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat]

But…new things do enter, although often to a mocking reception in terms of online spaces

[@biocta]

@@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat Of course new things enter but they can't properly establish themselves. From what I can tell, every major corporation and alliance active in the game today either directly comes from the early years, or is stitched together from the corpses of other corporations and alliances from the early years.

[@jackalobowaitthisnameistaken]

Dude I love how thorough you are. "They called the Titan Steve" "Lol okay" "The origins of this name are contested" "Wait what?"

[@flamesnfury777]

1st comment

[@nigelwest5776]

I wish I could like this comment but it has 666 likes

[@dmtrip7965]

​@@nigelwest5776you can now

[@matt_r.2510]

@@nigelwest5776 Your master has failed. It's now 863.

[@Duamerthrax]

@@matt_r.2510we must bring it to 1337

[@Drysart]

One small correction, at 2:11:26, you mention EveMon as having been created by a group of players in 2006. *I* created EveMon in 2006, alone, and maintained it solo until, I believe, sometime in 2007 when I stopped playing EVE and left the project over to another developer to take it over and run with it and it became a group-run project some time after that. My understanding is that since then the project's gone through several cycles of the same thing: someone or a group maintains it until they're done with EVE, and then someone else takes up the mantle and runs the baton further on. Honestly I'm a little surprised it's still kicking, and still looking a lot like it was when I was done with it 17 years ago. Fun fact, EveMon was originally just an internal tool I'd made for Goonfleet (that's why the error dialog has a bee); but after a few months it turned out to be so useful that I decided to open it up to everyone.

[@ropeburn6648]

your glory days are over

[@katebarrios6704]

King

[@npc2794]

A small but concrete stake in history

[@supme7558]

Proof or your lieing who just pops in to take credit and expects us to trust a simple comment on youtube

[@anonymoose2474]

What does he possibly gain? It's not like he's asking for money@@supme7558

[@sambarker6141]

This guy convinced me to watch a 6 hour video on a game that I've not only never played, but never even heard of. Well done

[@MelaKenzu]

Had me talking to my coworkers about the unbelievable scale of a game that none of us have played before.

[@abttreefitty]

Spent 13 years on the game. It's over the top good.

[@halashooligans]

Look up the Battle of B-R5RB You'll be VERY impressed and even tempted to play. some 15 years in the game myself.

[@vanesslifeygo]

I only noticed the time now WHAAAT.

[@strawmann9183]

@@halashooligans That battle is what Section 18 covers in the video.

[@teaguejelinek4038]

Very interesting how the game starts as many small powers and eventually evolves to a point of no going back where theres only 2-4 major powers.

[@LifesNeverHumDrum]

That’s capitalism, baby

[@ullrich]

It kind of seems like a lot of that had to do with in-game changes the devs made to sort of force it in that direction, though. Or at least, it seems like they made the transfer of power, territory, and resources harder to achieve by smaller factions, so larger, more powerful factions had to form.

[@grimble4564]

I guess it is interesting but also that's like all of history, and not just human history. Life isnt just a numbers game but 90% of it is.

[@bb_arcadia5752]

​@@LifesNeverHumDrum that's society guy nothing to do with economic models lol

[@LifesNeverHumDrum]

@@bb_arcadia5752 idk I think my summation is apt considering the evolution of the game is economically motivated

[@marcusaureliusantoninus3174]

1:41:06 "A participant of X leaving for Y increases the I.Q of both groups." This is genius and I am stealing it.

[@MrFrogsie]

I already know this is leaving from EvE to WoW

[@FlyingKlutchKick]

@@MrFrogsieboth games are trash foh

[@ninjacell2999]

​@@doublewhopper67its much older than that lol. commonly used about Scotland and England hahah

[@whom382]

@@ninjacell2999 I know it for a 40+ year old joke involving two US states though the Scotland/English one is probably older.

[@stefanalexanderlungu1503]

​@@whom382 I heard it about the Oakies leaving for California

[@oxey_]

The fact people went as far as to track someone's address to cut their power is CRAZY lmao that's absolutely unreal

[@Ornithopter470]

Eve Online is a buck wild game, with an even more buck wild playerbase.

[@alexanderpadida8339]

Haven't finished the video yet, but that doesn't sound "unreal", that is legitimately scary. Despite the presumably innocuous intention, having the ability to track a person's address and cutting their power just for a videogame is incredibly dangerous.

[@oxey_]

@@alexanderpadida8339 I'm not sure if you understood correctly what unreal means? It means something like 'unbelievable' as in 'it's unbelievable to me some people went this far [because that's batshit insane behaviour]'

[@lordblazer]

@@oxey_ it's completely reckless and dangerous..

[@oxey_]

@@lordblazer yes that is also what I'm saying

[@jeroenvannijnanten9802]

This is not a rabbit hole. This is the Mariana Trench.

[@Squirl7504]

+

[@mattiismouse1086]

Down the wormhole

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

@@mattiismouse1086 I love that the occupants are called "wormholers".

[@HieronymousLex]

Why is everyone so afraid to admit that this is Fred’s worst video by far? Because he took two years and a bunch of money to make it? Tell me, honestly, with a straight face, that this shit isn’t like having a stroke trying to follow it. It’s incredibly dry and info-dumpy, it’s his shoddiest work and it doesn’t compare. All his other videos suck you in, this one drives you away. But everyone acts like it’s his magnum opus because 2 years bro… be real with yourself. It’s garbage for his standards. Should’ve been cut into a series of more manageable story threads. And that way, there wouldn’t have been a 2 year content drought either. Nobody can honestly say this video is better for being a one-parter

[@imshid]

@@HieronymousLexcan your autistic brain not pace itself or have any patience? Don't watch it all for 5 hours straight and expect to remember everything.

[@Graystoak-OG]

As a 10 year veteran (08-2018) I comend your efforts here. It was a true trip down memory lane. You have my sincerest gratitude and respect for this project. Thank you.

[@Clckz]

Six hours of material. Around two years of work. Your dedication to your craft is absolutely mindblowing. You're an absolute legend, Fredrik. I'm so glad I found you.

[@FeiFongWang]

Idk man, 2 years for a 6 hour documentary sounds ridiculous to me. There are KZbinrs that make hour long vids every week like YourFavoriteSon. Especially since the history of Eve is so well documented.

[@jose.montojah]

We almost lost him to Eve online

[@laughingseal2282]

Darksydephil said Fred Knudsen quit and implied he scammed people lol.

[@decorumlopez9147]

​@@laughingseal2282Eh, Fred did enjoy the good life with Jabroni Mike. And there's that, uh, owl avatar arc.

[@tubz]

​@@FeiFongWangyeah and those KZbinrs have entire teams to help them with every single aspect of the video production including research. this is like two people

[@ploploplop2349]

his last words on this 6 hour video being a long "im sorry this is incomplete" is exactly what I subscribed for, amazing video as always

[@VeggieBrah]

Its like Star Wars but every single character is on the spectrum.

[@shirotatsu1]

I love this comment so much, lol

[@Sharphe]

Always thought Luke had the tism but maybe that's me

[@Graystoak-OG]

Yes.. Most of us are.

[@mothshroum]

So it's like Star Wars

[@JulianMakes]

this is 100% true

[@draicor]

Wow, this documentary should be mandatory for anyone playing EVE online.. its like a tutorial, gameplay video and documentary all in one.. bravo..

[@haku7335]

I started playing today. I am watching this video. O7

[@caprinori]

Only Fredrik Knudsen can get me to sit down for 6 hours to learn all about a game I've never heard of before and keep me enraptured with how he narrates it. Phenomenal work

[@JezebelIsHongry]

Play. Just to give context to this amazing video. Make sure to find both Empires of Eve books

[@stevenbeckwith6307]

Never heard of this one? Yeah nah I gave WoW a bit of go but didn't really get too far into it. I considered EvE but it just seemed too complex for 12 yr old me. Would honestly take to theoretical physics faster than EVE Online.

[@SushiElemental]

I got a friend who plays this - gotta ask him tomorrow if he already watched this as well.

[@DarkVeghetta]

@@stevenbeckwith6307 The average age of the playerbase is probably ~40, with plenty being in their 50s and comparatively fewer 20 year olds here and there. You have time. We'll likely still be here in a decade.

[@MrTomSpencer]

How is it possible to NOT have heard of EVE? 🤨

[@zacharysieg2305]

46 minutes in and I feel like even an eight-hour version would be barely scratching the surface. Utterly fascinating.

[@Flow86767]

💀

[@UnluckyHistorian]

the man himself did say that it was unfinished. He could probably talk about the market and pricing wars and take up at least 2 more hours. Never mind the high-sec drama, which he specifically didn't mention at the end. He just covered the basics. Literally. Sure, most capsuleers wont have the details down like Fredrick did but the gist of it and more? Oh yeah, they probably know more.

[@ASH4Ix]

Dude returns after 2 years with a 6 hour video. Legend.

[@RichardCox0]

I just noticed the length and I'm in awe

[@Squids_MacKenzie]

Fredrik Knudsen has a good habit of only making things as long as they need to be. I mean, hell, he condensed the whole sonichu saga to about 20 minutes. I can't wait to figure out how fucking crazy this topic is that he couldn't make it shorter.

[@TylerChristensen69420]

I've been following this project for a year and a half and it's absolutely bonkers how many times he had to push it back for quality purposes. Love that he has the balls to admit that it ain't up to his standards

[@linuxstreamer8910]

true also eve online is a very deep hole

[@jtekholm]

Took him all that 2 years to make it I guess :D

[@anantrawat2311]

im hearing this while doing some work, and it sounds like im hearing a documentary from the future about factions, trades and war in interstellar space, its amazing

[@cmwh1te]

I now understand the history and politics of EVE better than those of the real world. Thank you, Fred.

[@bepd]

Check out Adam Curtis if you want some fun documentaries on irl politics

[@2Lab-q4f]

This video is OK but only covers a tiny part of EVE

[@Hiforest]

​@@2Lab-q4fwhat's missing?

[@malkavthemad4249]

Real politics, some people want to something and the other people don't, every so often a new thing comes up, then the then everyone swaps places. Carry on infinitely into the future.

[@justinbailey2347]

@@bepdHypernormalization goes so hard.

[@neondystopian]

The "Eve is real" tagline is not a joke. I played Eve for a few years of my life. I stopped playing because it became too real. It started to become something like a job. You couldn't just have fun with the game. You always had to be mindful of everything. It was hard to make friends because you literally had to watch out for corporate espionage. For example, players would pretend to be friendly. They would try to get into your corporation. They will try to befriend you, personally, to get you to trust them. Then, at the worst possible time, they will strike. Some play the short game, and only want to PVP you in a particular ship they don't have a kill mail for. Some will play the long game, embedding themselves into your corporation for years, until you finally give them enough privilege so they can take all of your assets. It's a very brutal game, but man, those were some of the best gaming years in my life, LOL. I know that seems hypocritical of me, since I just said I quit playing because it felt like a job, but anyone who falls in love with Eve find out very quickly that it is definitely an abusive relationship.

[@luvmenow33]

Are you seriously saying players will befriend you literally for years in order to gain trust and full access to whatever & rob you, or take over? That's really sick

[@jslimefeld]

Congrats on wasting a further six hours of your life

[@TheSundanceKid-s9f]

Sounds psychopathic, honestly.

[@enfyrneaux]

@@luvmenow33 Yup, the Guiding Hand Social Club is one of the more infamous examples within EVE. Snuffed Out also requires more established players to betray their former alliance before joining them. Though normally it's easier to take advantage of drama in a rival corporation and get someone else to turn spy or steal assets for you.

[@enfyrneaux]

@@TheSundanceKid-s9f Half the fun of EVE is that there are genuine villains in the world. Being good is hard, and ultimately more rewarding for a lot of players. Of course the other half of the fun is becoming that wicked villain yourself.

[@nebulahawk5895]

I was a wormholer, my corp held a static highsec hole and specialized in manufacturing and selling tech 3 cruisers for profit. We had a lot of fun roaming through other holes and lower security with stealth bombers. We even built capital ships inside the hole in our POS like many did to secure our hold, though we were never earnestly attacked during our time there. Wormholes were excititing because it felt like the entire game was at your fingertips. Static high meant you could easily trade, and our random holes gave pvp and unique ratting opportunities in lower security space. Eventually real life killed our corp. Enough members moved on including our leader that our POS was left without fuel. Some of us got a lot out but the capitals were a wash. Still look back on it as my fondest gaming period. I tried getting back into the game a couple years ago but you reaaally need a community. It's no fun alone.

[@wingspantt]

o7

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

lol "POS" is starting to mean too many possible things...it took me a sec but I got there. This was wistful, so many of us lost communities to real life & it's not trivial --- we're all too burdened & lonely these days. Your comment really gets at what makes these experiences meaningful + joyful, & it hints at so many "veteran" stories you + your gang share. Hope you get more fun + community soon!

[@nebulahawk5895]

@@wingspantt o7

[@GriffinPilgrim]

Not knowing how the mechanics work I'm now wondering if your bases are still there, re-occupied by new players or just hanging there, alone in blackness, a mute epitaph to your successes. Kinda poignant.

[@wingspantt]

@@GriffinPilgrim player built structures cannot be captured, only transferred or destroyed. In all likelihood, the structures are destroyed. After being abandoned for more than a few weeks or months, they run out of fuel that basically turns their defenses off. Because there are no safeties in wormhole space, a structure when destroyed will drop HALF OF ALL ITEMS INSIDE AS LOOT. (The other half is destroyed). This means roving wormhole groups have an enormous incentive to find and blow up abandoned structures. There can be hundreds of billions of ISK in value inside, all easy picking. Of course, wormhole space is random. It's possible the structures have never been found by anyone willing to try to crack them. Just unlikely by now.

[@Coldfire242]

Never forget that Viggo’s son’s friend in the first JOHN WICK was playing DUST 514 in the safe house when John sniped him.

[@whiskeysour1179]

I had a friend whose father was a "casual" EVE player. When he described the game, and what the actual play experience entailed, it shocked and horrified me. I'm so excited to get a deeper look.

[@cataclysm7256]

A second job basically

[@MagicMadeThis]

When I was a kid, My dad used to take me to a computer repair shop that had a huge screen on the show floor of the owners Eve account. I started tagging along just to watch for as long as I could. Blew my little mind lmao.

[@purplehaze2358]

I now thoroughly understand why this video took over 2 years to make - you were cooking up an absolute behemoth behind the scenes and I deeply respect you all the more for it.

[@johnr797]

Did you get the video early, or did you say this an hour in?

[@Caddicarus]

'The completion of Steve heralded war'

[@SimeonJester]

WOA Caddicarus???? Hey I think this might be the only time i ever get to interact with you lol But I'm a huge fan and I absolutely love your videos - They got me through an extremely tough time back in 2020 when I was graduating online. Your kind of a core memory for me cause I distinctly remember finishing my final bit of work from the entire 12th grade at 4:00AM, then just binging your show for the rest of the night. Your one of my favorites on the platform, so thankyou so much!

[@tovi3280]

@@SimeonJesterim sry this is so heartwarming omgggg like such a sweet comment, i wish u the best

[@HIBACHICHAINSAW]

This is the best quote in the whole video. 1:23:28

[@odwrksboxedtrash3730]

Little did everyone know that this comment was foreshadowing of a new character in the Caddicaverse that would rival the likes of Long Dennis and Sam Widge in terms of power and charm. One that could possibly slay Spons even. Steve.

[@williamromero-auila7129]

That's what I call an interesting war

[@thatguykalem]

03:29:00 oh god I remember receiving the pings to get online for the B-R battle. Jabber went absolutely nuts and the level of confusion was huge. It was a mad dash to get online, get geared up and get into a fleet. There was total hysteria on text and voice chat - the level of excitement and tension gave it the same energy as a riot breaking out. We didn’t have good information at that early stage about what was actually happening and whether any fights were going to kick off. Once we got on and saw the player count in B-R and the size of the fleets we were fielding, it was absolutely unreal. I think I still have screenshots from that battle somewhere. Forever one of the craziest and most memorable experiences I’ve ever had in a videogame.

[@Graystoak-OG]

I caught wind of it on reddit. Managed to load the system and as least be there lol.

[@Lone_Wolf_91]

😮

[@DarkRavenhaft]

Only thing I remember about B-R5RB is TiDi being so bad I was able to shower and have breakfast in the time it took to reload my siege launchers.

[@IsfetSolaris]

​ @DarkRavenhaft Good times lol I distinctly remember the leader of my little group of dreads telling us to "siege up and then go take a bathroom break and grab food, we should be ready to fight by the time you get back". B-R has this reputation as a big dramatic battle, but we really did just sit around staring at one another for hours and hours waiting for modules to cycle lmao

[@expendableindigo9639]

@@IsfetSolaris@thatguykalem What side were you guys on?

[@shaunhall6834]

In 2007 my mom passed from cancer and I left the game. Before that time Eve was I place I could escape. The thing I most appreciate were the friends I made. They got me through some hard times. Ric0 if you see this I sure do miss you! You had my back!

[@brianchristopher8843]

My mother passed in 07 also. Unfortunately I hadn't discovered eve yet so drugs were my coping mechanism lol. Now eve helps me stay away from drugs.

[@shaunhall6834]

@@brianchristopher8843 Lots of Dragons to slay there. ;). I wish you all the best brother.

[@LunarLocust]

​@@shaunhall6834wash your balls bucko

[@Luwab]

I started eve in 2008 (I was 15 at the time), creating my account on new years eve as I sat alone and without friends. The typical 2000s nerd. While I stopped playing a couple of years ago I made a decade long friendships there with people all over the world. We met in iceland, UK, Germany, Netherlands and the US. We went from being teenagers to attending universities, finding jobs and becoming family fathers all while living double lives as a band of internet spaceship pirates. The friendship machine is real. We helped each out with ISK (ingame currency) and real cash when one of us fell on hard times.

[@1aaspraker]

That is pretty neat; Thanks for sharing

[@yous2244]

Try out star citizen

[@ip7801]

Why did you stopped playing?

[@SkeepyJeepyJohnson]

Did you make a really dumb name back then like I did?

[@La-ld9mn]

​@@SkeepyJeepyJohnsonI am of a similar age and playtime as the above person. I named my account Slutbutt and Doxxed myself with the character name. Baha

[@Pheagey]

I was at B-R. 18 hour slugfest. One of the peak moments of my time playing EVE. Will never forget that day.

[@mycroft16]

That was just before my time in EVE. I started 2 months before M2.

[@Scampcam]

i was a support gate camper for B-R, aiming to kill pods because entering the system was basically impossible. Back when Fatal Ascension was often vying for the 2nd spot in CFC. I did finally get my butt in a dread for 6VDT though

[@Pheagey]

@@Scampcam hell yea. Those were the days

[@Hello-ig1px]

yeah right

[@Braddowski]

I feel the same about 6-VDT 😍

[@hughjanusguy]

have i ever heard of this game? no. do i have any interest to ever play this game? no. am i starting this nearly 6 hour video at 10:51pm on a wednesday? you’re goddamn right i am

[@nuclearsimian3281]

The best description I've ever heard of EVE: "Other games focus on having people going up against monsters, maybe in small groups, whereas EVE is focused on encouraging the people be the monsters, usually in large groups."

[@lazymillennialjobseeker9282]

Is it too nerdy for me to say that hearing the description of EVE warfare (players don’t die, it’s just about draining resources and the will to fight) reminds me of Wendigoon’s description of the War in Heaven in Paradise Lost? And the can’t-live-with-them-can’t-live-without-them dynamic between players and war post-Casino wars does seem very WWI or like that Zero Punctuation joke about how old decedent societies like war for the sake of war.

[@Yagizino]

@@lazymillennialjobseeker9282 no it isnt. Its pretty normal. Almost every online game has some autistic backstory with people creating factions n shit.

[@michaelmartin9022]

​@@lazymillennialjobseeker9282Real warfare is about draining resources and the will to fight. Also millions of people really die too!

[@nononoohfuck]

​@@michaelmartin9022i think you missed the point

[@lazymillennialjobseeker9282]

@@nononoohfuck the point, obviously, being to imply the EVE player base are demons.

[@Wolf-dx1cl]

Born too late to participate in EVE online Born just in time to watch a 6 hour down the rabbit hole video about it

[@brianchristopher8843]

It's never too late bro. Eve is alive and well. Now is perhaps one if the best times to join in.

[@fz7788]

Eve is still alive

[@Palatine-Knight]

Yeah it's never too late. Especially now that Skill Injectors are a thing.

[@Sajuek]

People were saying in 2006 that it is too late to join EVE because you will never catch up. Lol LMAO

[@CloakyStargazer]

How is it too late? The game is still running and thousands of people are playing. If you're thinking "but I'm way behind the older players!", you've got it all wrong, sprinting to the endgame in a linear progression to "really start playing" isn't how EVE works. You learn slowly and the ships you fly at the start don't stop being useful later. It's normal for veterans to fly low tier/small ships in many situations, and you can be almost immediately useful to multiplayer fleets even as a relative noob. EVE is a journey, not a race.

[@DrBockNstein]

One of my favorite stories involving this game was in an article by playboy of all outlets where it talked about the life of Sean Smith or Vile Rat as he was known in EVE. He was both a diplomat in game and in real life and was one of the men who lost their lives during the attack on the bengazhi embassy.

[@stevenbeckwith6307]

Oh wow, someone like that was an EVE gamer! That's pretty cool.

[@DarkVeghetta]

If you play EvE long enough and check bio's fairly regularly, you'll start to see RIP messages along with links to the profiles in question from in-game friends. It's both surreal and heartwarming to see the characters belonging to people that have perished irl, but are still remembered in-game by those who's lives they touched. EvE is special to many people.

[@mynciee]

He might have been the first person to get the word out about Benghazi. He posted on Something Awful as it was happening

[@earlyandoften]

​@@stevenbeckwith6307someone like what? Lol

[@CChissel]

@@earlyandoften An actual fucking diplomat? You know, someone you’d think least likely to play an MMO

[@happycat4838]

"The intelligence division C.L.I.T." made me laugh way harder than it should have

[@Kuponuss]

I honestly thought this channel was dead, but then you return with a 6 hours video after two years. Thank you so much for dedicated so much time and effort to provide us with such high quality content!

[@chrisullery6450]

Between him and Casually Explained, this year has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I don't have a lot going on.

[@JayboCorp.2014]

Checking Community Posts can be extremely helpful.

[@666slateran666]

It's not as impressive as almoghtylolis 21 hour berserk video. And he didn't stop making content for that

[@AryadevChavali]

@@666slateran666 wasn't that a supercut of all their content so far? this isn't equivalent at all.

[@TheLogan771]

was never worried, just knew whatever video was coming has gotta be huge LOL

[@mr-huggy]

All I can say is "I was There" from starting early on in 2003 mining to a small corp fighting CVA for our own little part of null sec. Then been part of a major wormhole corp pulling off some of the biggest evictions and fights in wormhole space. Then fighting in the casino wars as a member of Merc Coalition. Thanks for doing this and bringing back so many memories.

[@kylerowland1227]

I really can't believe how early this game was released

[@DarkSnP]

Holy shit the casino wars

[@michaelmartin9022]

Last time I went round my cousin's house he'd just got a sweet new PC and was showing me Eve. I technically have a character in there... somewhere. How long ago? Let's just say his "sweet new PC" had a CRT monitor, and he also showed us an early trailer for Star Trek Nemesis.

[@loops8274]

Which wormhole corp? I was in POSPY for a while, I don't even know if it still exists but my EVE years hold a very warm place in my heart

[@DepravedHeart]

​@loops8274 Unfortunately due to declining activity POSPY slowly died off. We were eventually evicted from our hole. We did get most of our major expensive assets out because we saw it coming months before. Couldn't move the capital ships out because the hole was too small but I felt like we spent them gloriously in battle. Some of us still play and keep in touch but POSPY is gone.

[@dsdragonspawn]

My dad played EVE online from 2014 till he passed away in 2018, I wish he was still around so I could ask him more of what he took place in while playing after seeing this. Interesting to see the history of a game that helped keep him going while gealing with cancer, Thank you for this deep dive!

[@rsk5288]

L dad

[@Hauki336]

sorry for your loss man. ❤

[@basse9914]

ah man thatd be cool to know, RIP its good he experienced eve before passing

[@Dramatic_Dad]

Sorry for your loss. I hope you're healing and his passing wasn't... Rough... Blessings.

[@atonuts44]

Sorry for your loss.

[@sterlingwbishop]

I watched this video and decided to give this game a try. Six months later, I’ve made some of the coolest friends ever and continue to spend my nights in New Eden. Truly an unparalleled experience.

[@joshs2734]

Wait, so...Fredrik hasn't been dead in a ditch from drinking poisoned Austrian wine for the last 2 years?? I honestly thought you had just left YT for good. Never expected to see you pop back up. What I did not expect, was to learn that you had actually been spending 2 YEARS making one of the longest, deepest researched videos on a game ever. The amount of work that went into this must be staggering. Time to strap in for this journey. Glad you're back

[@fostena]

He regularly updated the Patreon page

[@newironside]

He did take some time off to allow certain events to complete. The video was in a complete state a year ago but he kept adding stuff. There was also the furry vtuber arc

[@Folly_Inds]

he's been streaming a bunch. and was updating the patron as others have mentioned

[@thegreatchickenoverlord5976]

​@@newironsidethe what

[@aquecesopas]

@@newironside THE WHAT???

[@AtrocityGuide]

You have no idea how excited I am to watch this! I know how hard the DtRH team has worked on this project. Congratulations to you all!

[@Muddytony20]

Ooh look it's that other suspiciously high quality video essay person. Hello :)

[@zinxderobo]

I love you AtrocityGuide !!

[@duffman18]

I adore your videos, you're a top top documentary maker just like Fredrik is. You both deserve all the success and happiness in the world. You're the kind of people who my friends and family thank me for introducing them to your videos, seriously, that actually happened. It helps my family understand why I stopped watching actual TV and "cut the cord" so to speak, because documentaries like yours and Fredrik's are better than anything on TV. So yeah. I feel like you deserve the big bucks from a documentary production company too one day, just like Fredrik deserves it. Because you make such high quality documentaries as it is, with essentially no budget, and not easy capability to interview famous people, although in your video about be-afro'd zen master Rama, you did of course manage to interview one of his closest followers, which was a real coup I feel. You got a primary source, that way. But yeah, the access to big celebrities that working with a big production company would bring, plus of course tons of money, is something you two absolutely deserve. Like, not that you make sports documentaries or anything, but it reminds me of how Jon Bois makes incredible sports documentaries, but he can never interview the subjects of his docs, like for instance Michael Jordan. Netflix in their documentary series on the 90s Chicago Bull's, had interviews with everyone involved in the franchise back then, while Bois's video on the team Michael Jordan owns, the Charlotte Hornets (or the Bobcats as they were known back then) had no interviews with Michael or anyone else. He still makes better sports documentaries than anyone, Netflix included, but that kind of access is something only working with a big production company can bring. But yeah, your videos don't need that to he great, cos they already are great. So mainly I'm just thinking you deserve a large high paying contract lol. We all need success like that these days, in order to pay rent. Sorry for waffling. Just keep doing what you're doing, cos it's awesome.

[@lixyororke]

That end credits song was surprisingly haunting for a video about gamers playing war in digital space

[@GardathWhiterock]

This felt like a 6 hour long audiobook of sci-fi book series.

[@michimatsch5862]

So much stuff that sounds like it should be a movie or part of series. Like, that tether plan with motherships, the social club, the whole goons saga and their enemies...

[@murgmaggleramaxis8535]

It is and I love it

[@yous2244]

​@@michimatsch5862also how the Imperium sounds exactly like the US. Now all of the south and a most of the east is against the US and their alllies of the west Nato. It's extremely shocking how a game civilization is so similar to real life.

[@Kyle_Riel]

And it's boring af. Not worth the 2+ year hiatus

[@tovi3280]

@@Kyle_Rieltry again girl

[@SergioNehama]

For the first time in my life i felt like i needed to watch the end credits roll by as a token of respect and gratitude for this epic work.

[@DAFIZZIF]

The casinos becoming the biggest threat after not being mentioned for a few hours is the greatest twist of all time.

[@JK-gm6kk]

When that winet person was talking a bunch of shit, I had this feeling that I want isk was not capping. should have known the resources they had would have been vast

[@augustokonrad3572]

Also, when the Imperium goes back to the roots almost a decade and half later as Goonswarm by sending a swarm of ships against PAPI... Pure Kino

[@medliinvas]

i swear i scrolled down for a short break, i see this and then it literally just got to that part LMAO amazing

[@LuizAlexPhoenix]

That's the thing, CCP acts as if this was unexpected. They often talk as if EVE was a real world and an academic worthy social experiment. But the very concept of a hyper capitalist society is already known to end up like that. Competition leads to an eventual cartel of highly concentrated groups and stratification of society. In other words, if they really wanted to analyze New Eden seriously, they would know that this was the natural outcome. People and groups dedicated to accumulating wealth enough to fund wars and to control the flow of the galaxy. Creating a ultra free market ends up like that, they can try to reset things by removing the cassinos but it will just happen again. It's the natural flow of the system they created.

[@Sajuek]

@@LuizAlexPhoenix The problem was that by allowing these casinos they would be actually be facilitating RMT to the tune of tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars which can quite quickly even become cover for actual real world money-laundering. And that is a good way to get the attention of financial regulators or even risk your relationship with PayPal/credit card providers. Jagex had a similar problem at one point.

[@dunethewanderer8944]

This man went into the Icelandic Dream Experiment and pulled out more hours of footage than *the Director's Cut of Return Of The King.* Honor this man and his name.

[@connor48880]

it’s the Return of the King alright

[@dekal6]

Icelandic Dream Experiment sums it up pretty nicely

[@calderonpinedas]

I have to respect the Goonsquad for becoming the mustache twirling villains as the Imperium, someone needed to be the bad guy to make the wars happen.

[@loslomo]

As someone who was in a Goon guild in a very different game, we're generally very good at getting people to want to punch us in the face :D

[@williamoloughlin8298]

@@loslomo goons presence in the game was xmas morning under the tree for Panfam

[@VM-hl8ms]

losers online aren't villains, they are almost always someone in need yet to know effects of true villainy.

[@freshestveggies6476]

@@VM-hl8msbro it’s a videogame

[@alfius1467]

Goonswarm are the goon guys btw

[@blackhueymedia]

2004-2018 bittervet. I remember watching the reports from B-R at work, racing home and jumping into the fight a couple of hours before downtime. I spent the whole Fountain war on the front line and was flying an interdictor for over 5 hours in the ill-fated battle of Z9PP; which was my highlight of the war, even more so than 6VDT. I lit the cyno for Boat's hilarious first bomber fleet (the one which bombed itself). I was there for so many things in this epic video. The Summer of Rage. Eroticagate. I remember World War Bee, and the years that followed flying with Miniluv and the New Order, multiboxing 4 accounts ganking freighters and haulers, which were probably the most fun of my 15 years as a capsuleer other than Fountain. I don't regret winning, but Eve is something special. Incredible piece of work, and it was fascinating to see how WWB2 played out. I just wish there had been some coverage of the parody songs, so Sindel, Suas and Curzon Dax among others got the recognition they deserve. And also wish James 315, Princess Aiko and the isk doubling ban controversies had made an appearance :)

[@mijiah]

this is so fascinating. i love coming back to this video to read comments from eve vets and hear their stories. thank you for sharing!

[@DarkRavenhaft]

"X" for POS destruction, little bee...

[@prot07ype87]

What is Eroticagate?

[@thermalerosion4556]

Yeah ok just keep glazing your “”supreme leader of hisec”” 💀

[@JustinY.]

Always a pleasure to see Down The Rabbit Hole upload. Can't imagine how much work went behind this, but I imagine your notes for this video being larger than any of us can ever imagine.

[@Dwizard3415]

Wow it feels like I found a legend by accident in the comments.

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Haven't seen you in a while. Nice to see you again!

[@Sofia-re4ix]

Goawaynownonce.

[@analogGigabyte]

Still shocked after watching the whole thing in one go. This 6-hour long documentary is an achievement and a triumphant conclusion to 2 years of dedicated work by Fredrik f**kin Knudsen, an absolute legend in this platform. Thank you for YOUR time Fredrik and congratulations. We missed you.

[@jslimefeld]

It's a KZbin video

[@zejash]

@@jslimefeldand youre obviously annoying

[@3Starinvideot]

​@@jslimefeldand also a great achievement of time and energy

[@Ascendancy-]

In 1 go? How tf did you manage that. I've already had to come back to it twice and I don't even think I'm 10 minutes in

[@dangerxbadger2300]

​@@jslimefeldokay then let's see you pull a 6-hour documentary out of your ass. We will wait.

[@maby2926]

So happy that Katia Sae is also mentioned in this video. The history of EVE is often described only by the big wars, but it's often stuff like this that gives a game its special character

[@mycroft16]

Kind of sad he didn't mention that CCP actually invited her into Polaris, the dev only system so she could officially claim she had visited every single system.

[@avae5343]

@@mycroft16so what dude, it’s just a database entry interfacing with a rendering engine.

[@Beispielname1233]

Which section?

[@SaltpeterTaffy]

@@avae5343 People imbue things with meaning. It's just something you have to accept.

[@avae5343]

@@SaltpeterTaffy Meaning can only be found in real life, like a family or money or a career. Finding meaning in a database entry is symptomatic of having wrong priorities. Especially on the internet - this triumph, how do you know it wasn’t me that visited these instances?

[@ZyxieRumor]

I remember back at 2008, I was in middle school and discovered the various amount of MMORPG games. I asked my cousin on which one best interest me. I told him I was interested in EVE online. My cousin hesitated and told me that I have to be dedicated to that game. And he got me into Phantasy Star Online 2. Just seeing this video. I never knew the dedication to EVE online was *this massive.* having people sabatage your power, personal vendetta, actual Roleplaying factions, etc. I am really glad I dodged a massive cannonball on this game. But it is impressive how this game bands players together with various interest for their personal goals.

[@germerican2585]

Its so... fascinating to me a ship that used to be the top dog of the game taking months of time to make just one of could eventually be mass produced so much that having dozens be destroyed changes next to nothing in a war

[@Attipatty]

Such is the effects of the MIC and an ever escalating call for war.

[@supermariohack3218]

I guess it's also a good example of power creep.

[@Jeff55369]

@@supermariohack3218 power creep usually refers to an individual's character power (in terms of dps) increasing as new additions get added to the game. What's happening here is the industrial backbone of the game being filled out by player activity. Some of that is traditional power creep, caused by dev actions, but a lot of it is just increased player activity.

[@jamesc10759]

Favorite line: "Crowd Control Productions had little ability to control the movements and actions of the people operating in null sec..."

[@bagfootbandit8745]

I'm a 20-year veteran of the game who just came across this channel. Thank the algorithm for bringing this to my eyes. It'll be really interesting to see a deep analysis from "the outside."

[@DreadPyriteBob]

What did you think man? Would love to hear your perspective

[@CrosbyNu]

@@DreadPyriteBob well, he wrote that comment an hour ago. he's got another 5 left

[@melkyrion]

as a 17-year veteran having just finished watching it, its a damn good look from outside-in ^^ @@DreadPyriteBob

[@XionicalXionical]

​@@hansjuker8296life is a waste of time. I'd rather waste it doing something I like.

[@basspuppy133]

@@hansjuker8296 other people choosing to have fun doesn't actually affect you, and there's no need to be mean to people you don't know. Live and let live, my guy!

[@cosmibird4209]

Easily the longest video (not just on KZbin) I've ever watched, and I enjoyed every second of it! It's got me considering joining EVE myself. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@setlerking]

The history of eve is both deeply funny and extremely compelling. It’s ability to reflect the real world but also the significant ways that mingles with with the limitations of video games as a medium is fascinating.

[@dankduck]

Guess I'm not sleeping tonight

[@arc-sd8sk]

funny and compelling, yes, but also deeply frightening haha

[@HisVirusness]

I remember seeing EVE on the shelf in the Virgin Megastore in Chicago. I would pass it everytime I went through their PC collection. I wanted to buy it, since it seemed to check all of my boxes, but every single time, I had a feeling deep down that I should put it down and move on. Two decades later, I am so happy that I did.

[@trudyandgeorge]

Hear, hear. I had the exact same experience you've described with World of Warcraft. The artwork looked so good, like a drug. So happy I never took that first hit. -happy 40 year old Dad.

[@Ontasia2]

World of Warcraft is the DEVIL! I lost half my D&D group to it when it came out. @@trudyandgeorge

[@chardaskie]

​@@trudyandgeorgeSmart man

[@JohnSmith-ox3gy]

I used to dream about the adventures in EVE as a kid playing DarkOrbit as a subscription was impossible. Thank the lord.

[@rickydo6572]

Are you happy you put it down because the game is not good enough for you? Or is it because it's seems so good you'd lose a huge chunk of your life playing it?😂

[@Takato]

Section 26 was definitely the coolest one. Wholesome and impressive as fuck. An achievement that took 9 years to complete, and one hell of a hard one. Seeing her statue at the end made me smile.

[@Jodenis84]

I can’t believe she didn’t get ganked for 9 years.

[@CTHD13]

It’s a reflection of human history. Shining moments of exploration and kindness, in a sea of power struggles.

[@nakenmil]

@@CTHD13 You put it excellently.

[@leeentertainmentchannel247]

@@Jodenis84everyone came to help her once they found out she was a female. That how online games work

[@locomotionchannel]

Reason I joined Signal for a year, some of the coolest people I've met in game.

[@werehyenataur]

Down the Rabbit Hole needs a Down the Rabbit Hole on itself

[@leftoffcolfax]

As a member of Signal Cartel who was part of Katia Sae's final journey (as well as a holder of the Challenge Coin), I am so happy that you included them in this video. We may not be the brightest part of the game, but we always leave a light on for those floundering in the darkness.

[@joshpointoh]

Having not seen the video yet, none of that made any sense at all. I look forward to learning what the heck that meant

[@charteon9092]

@@joshpointohbro my mind melted when I read this

[@ryanglover3867]

Y’all saved me when I got stuck after a collapsed hole in a 5 bil proteus. God bless the signal cartel

[@IDontReallyWantAYoutubeHandle]

Can't wait to suddenly understand this comment when it eventually comes up in the video lmaooo

[@2ndfloorsongs]

I have a friend who was deeply into Eve and he would routinely tell me things like this somehow expecting I would understand them. He stopped playing about 5 years ago and refuses to this day to talk about any of it. It's like that father our grandfather you had that's the veteran of some war who will never talk about it. He's a much better person now, I do think his involvement was very harmful to him and I'm glad he escaped. For some people I suspect it's a healthy pastime, and for others it's like being the member of a death cult. I'm not sure how much I want to continue watching this, surely there are better things to have running around in my brain... Well damn it's not like I have a choice do I? The gods determine our destinies and we are powerless to change them.

[@gmt1]

I've grown up enamoured with EVE for most of my life, but rarely ever played it. The history of EVE is so genuinely entertaining. That the players actions have consequences, material worth, and substance behind every event within this rich world is amazing. It's like watching a game of Stellaris except every individual ship is a player. This retelling of events is up there with my favourite books, games, and movies. So many twists and turns. Despite not liking the gameplay or groups involved I can only applaud everyone involved.

[@thegreatBarbossa]

​@@jslimefeldbruh shut up

[@kosmickalamity7071]

@@jslimefeldwhy are you here

[@williamcorvinus8240]

​@@kosmickalamity7071its not that hard to grasp... i like movies about ww2 but i sure as hell wouldnt want to fight in it.....

[@ILordPerunI]

The Eve online madness can only compete with Fredrik Knudsen's madness of making an almost 6-hour video on this incredible video game. Thank you, Fredrik! I will eagerly await the next masterpiece video in two years.

[@ubilicious1795]

Alright I guess I’ll buckle down for a 6 hr video about a game I’ve never played.

[@rphntw1n]

Yep

[@VitaNova83]

It was life consuming and nearly made me fail my degree, running an alliance as leadership, coordinating logistics, running ship replacement programmes, espionage, counter-intelligence, recruitment, putting up hundreds of dickstars, stront timing, moon mining, station building. Ultimately I beat the game the only way possible I stopped playing. It was awesome while it lasted though, the Alliance was called Wildly Inappropriate, we merged into Goons as a super capital corp in the end after the north collapsed during the first great north war.

[@stinklinethegoblin5952]

I love these comments.

[@UraniumReaperActual]

​@stinklinethegoblin5952 yeah, it's cool to hear all these stories from the veteran players. I never played, sounds like i missed out on a monumental game in gaming history

[@markmack2746]

Jesus. I play escape from tarkov. I met some dudes who tried to get me to play eve. I am glad I never did

[@genroku4960]

Widotting. To be absorbed by the superior partner in an alliance. Named for what happened to (Wi)ldly Inappropriate(.).

[@Sir_Bucket]

​@@UraniumReaperActualyou're better off being productive irl tbh. These stories sound nice but they stay virtual. Once the servers go down none of the things the players did will matter.

[@bigd7481]

Damn. This was a trip down nostalgia lane. I bought Eve Online back in July 2003, 2 months after it's official release. Bought the box off the shelves of Best Buy after going back and forth with "this space game I've never heard of" and Sim City 4. Picked the space game and played it non-stop until 2011. I was a part of some of the influential corps and alliances and participated in most of the biggest and most well known battles during those years. Was some of the most fun I've had in my life playing with people from all over the world blowing up pixel spaceships.

[@amzarnacht6710]

I caught into it weeks after it launched, stuck around for ten years or so. I remember the days when Highsec was no different than null... before Concord was really a threat. When they shut down Jita with gatecamps (was it Jita, back then? I can't even remember). Walked away in '13... the game became a job.

[@GrimpakTheMook]

​@@amzarnacht6710Yulai first, then Jita. Jita was suicide gankathon. Not even a tanked orca could survive long enough if the gankers tried hard enough.

[@mlt0403]

It's been a week. Getting through this video is like getting through a good novel. I need constant breaks to get through, you're a godsend Fredrik.

[@dontblockthebox]

Well said

[@ponivi]

seeing zecora in the background during extended quotes multiple times was absolutely hilarious, those peeps chose a fantastic image

[@JustRandomSymbols]

You meet bronies in most unexpected places

[@ponivi]

@@JustRandomSymbols Yeah. Like in the borderlands 2 credits

[@prot07ype87]

*Brohoof. /)*

[@ponivi]

@@prot07ype87 (\

[@lookstothetroon]

YWNBAW

[@LumpyTouch]

6 hours. 6 freaking hours. Making a 6 hour documentary is one of the scariest things I can imagine. Congratulations on finishing this monumental project, Fred! I've got my Monk Shit Tea™ and I'm ready for a comfy deep dive into EVE. See you all on the other side!

[@brigyeet3203]

I have never seen a KZbinr take two years to make a vid. I just assumed that you became the Good & Evil 2 of KZbin.

[@charlenetweaver2557]

If we make it out alive and we're all done with this, want to go fishing?

[@robertschnobert9090]

I love you, Mr Touch 🌈

[@NoNoDontTouchMeThere]

Too much work for me to comprehend.

[@partyblook7699]

@@charlenetweaver2557I would love to

[@vaildog1]

This is easily my most anticipated KZbin video of all time. 6 hours by the most devoted rabbit hole diver about the deepest video game rabbit hole there is. I wish more creators had the balls to take this amount of time to make a masterpiece like this!

[@pineboomerang]

Easily agreed.

[@stevenshoemaker8326]

KZbin shoots down creators like this and makes it unsustainable luckily we can support him on Patreon

[@rainbowsorceress2082]

​@@stevenshoemaker8326also not everyone has the time to dedicate to the creation of 6 hour long videos

[@rydz656]

Gonna kill his algorithm, he should've hired some editors to help.

[@eliasaho3]

Ones words of affirmations cant have weight if they couldnt have watched the video because of the limitation of the earths time

[@martij30]

You got a spot on the official EVE Online launcher. Awesome job!

[@dylanmonstrum1538]

A few years ago, this game was my actual life. This is one of the best games I've ever played. I was never good at combat, but god DAMN could I infiltrate a corporate and rise the ranks fast, just because I had a small amount of social skills lol. I was so good that I was payed by other corps to infiltrate corps "we" were at war with. I must have stolen and damaged thousands of IRL dollars worth of assets. God this was such a good game.

[@RAAAUGHGUAGHAHA]

That's wild - as someone who's never gone anywhere near this game, this entire thing is just so facinating. Got any stories to share?

[@hulking_presence]

Well, mr popularity, I don't have any social skills. Do you think it makes you better than me? Huh? You think you're better than ME???

[@ABC-vv4cm]

@@hulking_presenceyes.

[@avae5343]

Dude………

[@definitelynotanAIchatbot]

Impregnate me daddy 🫃

[@rampagingFurniture]

Really fun watching this as a total outsider. It's like a universe of bored immortals taking breaks from eternal war to yell at God

[@KatiaSae]

Had the pleasure of meeting Fredrik last year at EVE FanFest 2022 and saw the first couple of hours of this documentary. Truly nice guy and genuinely interested in and cared for the research he was doing about CCP and the history of EVE Online. I'm thankful, humbled, and honored to have my small piece of history included in such an epic documentary. Thanks so much for the opportunity to tell my story and that of Signal Cartel, the best corp of all New Eden

[@WatchVidsMakeLists]

Wait wait wait, are you the player that went to every star system without losing any ships? The scale of New Eden is immense, and you have my respect. o7

[@TheSonOfDumb]

Wow

[@KatiaSae]

@@WatchVidsMakeListsYulp, that's me and thanks! o7

[@origami_dream]

As someone who's done their fair share of efforts to help out new players in games and is an inveterate roleplayer and space fan, but who only ever quickly bounced off EVE in about a month due to its many hostilities, gotta say, the story of Katia and Signal Cartel was actually genuinely touching and sweet, and the part i'll remember as a standout long after i forget what the SomethingAwful trolls did this time. The ability to reject all the nudges toward self-interest in what's designed, in so many ways, to be a dystopian sandbox (not that that doesn't sound fun in its way too) for a goal as not-defined-by-hypercapitalist-greed as the joy of exploration, and to altruistically helping people out, is just really genuinely cool. Sure it's just a game, but it's a game where doing that represents an opportunity cost of actual money. It's one thing to show newbies around and give them some spare items in a typical PvE MMO, but another when contrasted with all the fun (and often likely not-so-fun) cut-throatedness in the rest of this story.

[@kieranmandy9987]

​@@KatiaSaeit's a pleasure to meet a living part of history. Back in my eve days, before real life intervened, I remember hearing the tellings of your journey as it progressed. Glad to hear you made it to the end. Thank you for putting the effort in so others can enjoy hearing the tale.

[@BuckeyeNut123]

players leaving Eve for WoW increased the IQ of both forced me to pause the video and take the time to fully appreciate the sentiment. Well done.

[@mothersbasement]

3:06:24 HE SAID IT! HE SAID THE THING! Also, while I’m here, fantastic video! The balance of accessibility and depth is just right

[@ElijahRhyne]

Woah, spoilers

[@warpspeedscp]

Ayoo nice to see my favorite pos here!

[@colinr0380]

@@ElijahRhyne Yeah I wanted the shock of him saying "Meow, Meow. Purr!!" myself! 😉

[@BenjaminScottCampbell]

The presence of so many YT icons just confirms what we already knew: This platform exists now only to host the one KZbinr to unite us all: Fredrik Knudsen.

[@postbunnie]

“Down the rabbit hole”?

[@ac2.024]

Can't wait for XQC to react to this in full and add insightful commentary such as "wow, that's crazy" and *stares at screen* ❤️

[@Dickkickem460]

Don't forget the part where he lets the video play and goes up to get ramen or something

[@ILikedGooglePlus]

He's gotta leave something playing for chat while he sleeps in his mansion

[@WHOARETHEPATRIOTS475]

@@ILikedGooglePlus Yo I thought he was homeless