5.1 How does the EVE legal system work?
Each character in EVE has a security status. Certain predefined actions or crimes, such as attacking other players or getting caught carrying contraband in a system where it is forbidden, will affect a character’s security status. Additionally, the world of EVE is divided into zones of varying security levels. These determine which crimes affect security status and to what degree. Zones with Security Level 0 are completely lawless.
5.2 What effect does security status have?
The effects of a low security status vary widely, ranging from access restrictions to certain zones, direct attack by an empire authority or having bounties issued on one’s head. Security status, high or low, can affect faction standings (see 5.7 below.)
5.3 How can security status be raised?
After a certain period of time has elapsed during which the character commits no crime, status will gradually begin to rise. Characters can actively speed up this process by hunting enemies of the empire (i.e. NPC pirates.)
5.4 How are new players protected from others with malicious intent?
New characters enter the EVE world in high security areas of space, heavily guarded by police ships and sentry guns. Zones with lower security levels are more lucrative in terms of being places to find the highest quality items and opportunities, giving players the incentive to venture further out as they gain skill and experience.
The most powerful characters of various professions – merchants, miners, pirates, bounty hunters, etc. – are all able to maximize their profits in the uncontrolled regions where no laws apply, provided they can hold their own against other players who might profit from their deaths.
5.5 Is it possible to loot other players’ characters?
Yes, to a limited extent. When a ship is destroyed, some parts of it will revert into the ship’s cargo container and will be left floating as space debris. This container can be opened and emptied by anyone.
You cannot loot the cargo container of a ship that is intact or steal from another character’s private hangar.
5.6 Can ships be stolen?
No, though it is possible to board an abandoned ship. To do this, you will have to eject from your current vessel to board another.
5.7 What is faction standing and how does it work?
Faction standing is the measure of the relationship a character has with various NPC corporations. Every NPC that a player deals with belongs to an NPC corporation. All NPC corporations have faction standings between themselves, as well as with all player corporations.
Faction standing against a certain NPC corporation will rise when the character does something beneficial for the NPC corporation. Likewise, when a character does something disruptive to the NPC’s corporation interests, the faction standing will decrease. For example, if a character kills an Amarr ship, then the faction standing towards the Amarrians will worsen, but it will improve with the Minmatars who are enemies of the Amarrians.
Good faction standing allows a character to gain higher level agents from that NPC corporation. This can lead to better missions and access to restricted areas or equipment that the NPC corporation controls.
