[guizzy]

For instance; I play Guild Wars 2. If I die, I lose a little bit of in-game cash from having to repair my armor after restarting (less cash than I can make in 5 minutes), and will possibly have to have to trek a couple of minutes back to where I was.

But back when I played EVE (that's a very long time ago, the game's changed since)... I was playing as a trucker in low-sec, essentially carrying goods in somewhat dangerous territory. I was really lusting for T2 transports (blinged out trucks), and it was my goal to get one. So I trained and saved for months, until I finally could afford it. I'm not a very patient person, so I took it for a ride before it was fully fitted with the modules I needed for my protection. Some pirate jerk blew it up. It was insured, but I wasn't quite able to easily replace the modules I had lost. In one fight, weeks of my in-game time were lost.

In other MMOs, winning and losing can mean that you've wasted a few minutes of your time. In EVE, it can mean months of wasted effort.

[Scramblejams]

Thanks for your reply. Do you think this game mechanic would work without the availability of insurance? I would think all but the most hardcore would be dissuaded.

[Draiken]

Well, insurance in EVE does not free you up to suicide your ship. There is a saying in EVE "don't fly what you can't afford to lose at least 3 times". It is a hardcore game, for those who want it to be :)

You can always just live in high-sec (safe zone) and probably never lose your ship. Of course the game tends to reward you for taking risks.