So here goes again. Young players!! Pay attention.
• Autopilot
DON'T USE IT! Ever. In over four years my main has never once used his Autopilot and he never will. The last time I used it was on my hauling alt 997 days ago. How do I know that? Because she got podded. I had to pee. Now when I have to pee I dock up.
It is called "warp to zero". Learn it and use it. You will die less. Warp to zero and dock. Warp to zero and jump. See how easy that is?
• CTRL+Space
It is the single most useful key command in all of Eve. It stops your ship. Why is that so awesome? Because it will save your stupid life that's why. Get in the habit of using it when you undock. If there are bad people on the Station then dock back up again. If you are moving you are more likely to be bumped, pointed or otherwise killed. Personally I control space every single time I undock. Unless...
• Instants
If you are going to be traveling to the same station over and over again, it pays to have an Instant. What is it you ask? It is a spot you've bookmarked in a direct line from the undock that you can warp to when you undock. It is usually 150-300k from the undock. How do you make one? Undock in something small and cheap when no one is around and burn straight ahead until you get at least 150k from the station. I recommend going a bit further since I can tell you that people like me have that 150k spot bookmarked already. When you undock the next time, just warp to that spot! It happens almost immediately and it is extremely difficult to catch you.
• Ship Bonuses
Every ship in Eve has a bonus built right into it. You can see these bonuses by click on the "Show Info" tab, or the little blue button. In the description you'll read about the bonuses your ship has. Use them!! Don't fit lasers on a Rifter for goodness sake. You are a young player and you need all the help you can get. Someday, when you are old and crusty, you can play around with stupid fits. But not now. The bonuses are there to help you. Use them. Ignore them to your own peril.
• Tears
I am not actually evil. I have a loving family and a professional career in real life. I love dogs, cats and children. I have killed you and exploded your ship because you came into Low-Sec and you are fair game when you do that. Believe it or not, when I first started playing Eve people exploded me for doing that. It is called a cycle and someday I hope you will return the favor. I actually want you to learn and get better at Eve. I really do. When I warp in on your Thorax in the belt I am hoping for a good fight. I want you to fight back and do well. I'm still going to kill you, but you might just surprise me. That would make me happy. It doesn't make me happy to see your Thorax without mods in the lows and fitted with Mining Lasers.
And instead of getting angry at me for doing my job, ask me for advice. The other day I spent almost an hour talking to someone that I had just killed. I do that all the time. A lot of pirates will. Cause we are just playing a game.
• Cargo
If you just have to go into Low-Sec to trade or sell or whatever it is that you carebear people do, please don't fill your transport ship with everything you own! ( I mean, please continue to do so by all means... man this is hard to write! ) Make more than one trip. Split it up. The odds are good that somewhere along the way, someone is going to catch you eventually. Know this. Plan for it.
That's enough for today. Remember one thing. You are a young player and young players make mistakes. This is normal. It is up to you what you do with this horrible, traumatic experience. Will it make you stronger? Will you learn anything, or will you just keep doing it the same way?
The most surprising thing to me, having talked to hundreds of young players in-game over the years, is how many of you know all the answers already. I've been playing for over four years and I don't know all the answers. Being a student of Eve is the way towards success. Learn, adapt and keep moving forward.
And don't use your drones when you undock in your mining ship. Bad idea.