As I outlined in this post, my employment history continues to be one long search for a place to call "home" within the Eve universe. My criteria for such a place doesn't seem all that difficult or out-of-line or demanding or unreasonable. In fact, to me at least, it seems rather simple.
If I was forced to write what I am looking for down, it would look like this (in no real order):
• PvP Focused. A lot of corporations will tell you they are PvP focused when they are not at all PvP focused. Even when their killboard or ranking might lead you to believe otherwise. This can be very tricky. To me it is simple, is the main effort of the corporation fighting bad guys, defending space, or going into enemy territory to destroy them? Is participation good within the corp in such events? Good participation varies obviously, while double digit percentages are awesome, that might not be possible in all cases. In Provi we were lucky to get 5-6% of the Alliance to fight.
• A Good Mix. Another important element is the mix within the Corp. This has nothing to do with the spread of skillpoints and ages, and everything to do with how that spread relates to me as a player. In other words, I respect that certain Corps have SP limitations and I understand that. I don't want to be in a Corp where everyone else is 20 million skillpoints further along than I am. That's no fun. I also don't want to be in a Corp where I am the only Senior member, believe me, I know that is no fun. I don't mind teaching, but I don't want that to be my occupation. A good mix is critical.
• The Two Way Street. This is the hardest one to define, but it might just be the most important one of all. I never ask much of any Corporation I am a part of, but I do expect some return on my investment. When they invite me in they are getting an exceptionally dedicated pilot who will risk everything he has in pursuit of the Corp/Alliance goals. That is what I do. And really, that is all I do. In return for that commitment, I do expect something in return from the Corp. I'm not sure what exactly, support, respect, whatever it might be I don't ask for a lot of it, just enough to let me know my efforts are appreciated and that I am actually contributing to something.
The rest is icing on the cake. Killboards, Forums, Comms, ship replacement programs, every Corp/Alliance has their own version of these things and they are nice, but they aren't what really makes a difference. The real difference is the people. When it comes down to it, that is the real difference. In my experience, good people are not hard to come by in Eve. I've made many, many great friends in this game. And I don't regret a single thing that I've done.
But I am still looking for that place.
If I was forced to write what I am looking for down, it would look like this (in no real order):
• PvP Focused. A lot of corporations will tell you they are PvP focused when they are not at all PvP focused. Even when their killboard or ranking might lead you to believe otherwise. This can be very tricky. To me it is simple, is the main effort of the corporation fighting bad guys, defending space, or going into enemy territory to destroy them? Is participation good within the corp in such events? Good participation varies obviously, while double digit percentages are awesome, that might not be possible in all cases. In Provi we were lucky to get 5-6% of the Alliance to fight.
• A Good Mix. Another important element is the mix within the Corp. This has nothing to do with the spread of skillpoints and ages, and everything to do with how that spread relates to me as a player. In other words, I respect that certain Corps have SP limitations and I understand that. I don't want to be in a Corp where everyone else is 20 million skillpoints further along than I am. That's no fun. I also don't want to be in a Corp where I am the only Senior member, believe me, I know that is no fun. I don't mind teaching, but I don't want that to be my occupation. A good mix is critical.
• The Two Way Street. This is the hardest one to define, but it might just be the most important one of all. I never ask much of any Corporation I am a part of, but I do expect some return on my investment. When they invite me in they are getting an exceptionally dedicated pilot who will risk everything he has in pursuit of the Corp/Alliance goals. That is what I do. And really, that is all I do. In return for that commitment, I do expect something in return from the Corp. I'm not sure what exactly, support, respect, whatever it might be I don't ask for a lot of it, just enough to let me know my efforts are appreciated and that I am actually contributing to something.
The rest is icing on the cake. Killboards, Forums, Comms, ship replacement programs, every Corp/Alliance has their own version of these things and they are nice, but they aren't what really makes a difference. The real difference is the people. When it comes down to it, that is the real difference. In my experience, good people are not hard to come by in Eve. I've made many, many great friends in this game. And I don't regret a single thing that I've done.
But I am still looking for that place.