As promised I am hitting the Blog Pack about every two weeks and making updates and changes as needed. Today is the latest round of those.
Several additional blogs are being added:
Beyond Space
Flee on Sight
Rifter Drifter
A couple of blogs were removed due to inactivity. As always, Legacy blogs that are removed can be added back if the blog author is returning to a regular schedule. Just write me and let me know. I do make an effort to contact the blog author and let them know of my decision, but sometimes that isn't possible.
I have added a Legacy Blog section to the Blog Pack page. While these blogs are not part of the EBP Feed they are certainly deserving of a mention.
I am aware that some issues seem to be spreading around Blogger concerning Malware and warnings. I have been looking into this the past two days and I cannot find anything to validate those concerns. I suspect this is something between Google and Blogger (and yes I know they are the same company) that needs to be worked out.
Hopefully this all gets cleared up shortly. Until then the reader feed seems clear of any issues.
Know Your Low Sec Corps: Immortalis Inc.
Forum / Killboard
Battleclinic rank: #190 (15,564 - 2,861, 164 - 10 This Week)
Member of the Shadow Cartel Alliance (#74)
Corp Members: 107
Home System: Goinard
For the last six months I've made many friends in Shadow Cartel, of which Immortalis is the largest Corporation - and from now on I'll just call the whole thing "Shadow" ok? Makes it easier and that's what we all call them anyway.
Shadow is a great group led by Wowbagger, who also happens to be a avid reader of this blog - so you know he has great taste. Shadow is probably best known and feared for their crazy, insane medium sized (10-20) fleets, but that doesn't mean they don't also fly small gang and solo. In fact, a quick glance at their killboard would confirm that, since the first 12 kills are all solo at the time I'm writing this.
So what is so famous about their fleets? Sadly, if I told you I'd have to kill you. It is an ever-changing trade secret often made up on the spot, or during formation. They are unique fleets composed of ships and tactics not normally seen in any fleets I was familiar with before flying with Shadow. I mean, don't get me wrong here, some of the foundational tactics and strategies are the same. Universal truth being universal. But the execution is the thing. And while I cannot share with you the details, I can say that I often end up flying ships fit in ways that would've made me hurl back in my Null Sec days.
Like a Rokh without guns and only sporting large neuts? Yeah, like that. Amazingly it worked great that day, I think I got like 10 kills in that thing. And I don't normally fly Rokhs.
Yes Shadow is part of the Axis of Essence Evil Brotherhood, which includes Burn Away, Tuskers and Shadow among a few others. (I made that up btw, no such "Axis" exists, although it does help to explain the general idea.) While none of us are blue to each other and we can (and do) often shoot at each other, we also often fly together or join up in system for opportunities as they knock.
This is the spirit I enjoy about low sec and Shadow is a big part of that. Great people who have fun, don't take the game seriously and know how to kill.
More to come in this on-going series.
Blog Pack: Actions Taken
First of all I can assure my readers that it would be highly unlikely that Eveoganda is spreading Malware or is otherwise corrupted. Since we accept zero outside advertisements, sponsorships or third-party applications (other than a few Google-approved mods like the Twitter feed in the left sidebar) it would be difficult to imagine this happening.
However, since several browsers seemed to think this was the case this morning I have taken some action. It appears that Chrome/Google believes one of the blogs on the Blog Pack was harboring such Malware. Since I am unable to confirm the validity of that belief on my own, I have taken the liberty of removing the offending blog from the Blog Pack (and all links to it as well) until such a time as it no longer is being reported as corrupted.
It is my hope that this will be corrected shortly and the blog in question will be returned to the Blog Pack quickly.
I apologize for any inconvenience but as always my goal is a problem free existence.
Also, look for a new Blog Pack update in a few days!
However, since several browsers seemed to think this was the case this morning I have taken some action. It appears that Chrome/Google believes one of the blogs on the Blog Pack was harboring such Malware. Since I am unable to confirm the validity of that belief on my own, I have taken the liberty of removing the offending blog from the Blog Pack (and all links to it as well) until such a time as it no longer is being reported as corrupted.
It is my hope that this will be corrected shortly and the blog in question will be returned to the Blog Pack quickly.
I apologize for any inconvenience but as always my goal is a problem free existence.
Also, look for a new Blog Pack update in a few days!
Twitter Tuesday: Twits from Tweetfleet
So let's see what they come up with today shall we?
@BuckyOhair Why am I always the first one to ask a question?
This is very sad, poor Bucky. All of us in the Tweetfleet have tried to help this guy, but he is so sad and lonely, all he has is his Tweetfleet account to keep him going. Seriously, if you have a heart, please try to help. A cousin, or a friend of yours that can spend some time with Bucky would be a great help. Even if it is only for a few hours. Visit BuckyBuddy.com to learn more.
@d347hm4n Why do people blob? How can they be dissuaded.
I wondered this as well, so I contacted a buddy of mine who works in the Center for Blobbing Studies outside Washington DC and I learned some interesting things. For instance, Blobbers flock mainly in response to a genetic marker they all share, this marker became apparent as a result of the Human Genome Project and has recently been the subject of great debate. Humans who share this marker seem to respond primarily via air-borne phermones that smell like coffee or baking bread, hence the popularity of coffee shops and fresh bread makers. How this translates into Eve-online is the subject of some tests they have coming up soon, so look for more information in the near future.
@CozmikR5 when are you gonna add this unrepentant non-conformist to the blog pack? My longevity qualifies me :))
Well longevity isn't the only criteria, but look for some updates later this week to the Blog Pack. I can't promise your blog will be on there, but it might. I had a neurosurgeon friend of mine tinker around in my brain and lock off the part that works on the Blog Pack, so I'll be just as surprised as the rest of you.
@MarcScaurus Why do I have balls on my head?
(Check out the Twitter Hats page to see what Marc is referring to) Marc is sporting the Ancient Chinese Traditional Hat of Courage and Fierce-some Fighting Spirit, which is little understood in the West. It is easy to see why he may be confused into thinking it is simply balls he is wearing. Each "sphere" contains mystical powers that assist the wearer in times of trouble. Wearing such a hat in Ancient times was a symbol of great respect and power. Of course, in the modern world, it's just silly.
@TG_3 My question: "Why?"
My answer: "Why the Hell not?"
@Capital_Murder How many licks does it take to make it to tootsie roll center of tootsie pop?
Very good question. I just happen to have one here... so let me get it opened. Hold on. Ok, yum, it does look good. So here we go. A one. (lick) A two. (lick) A three. (CRUNCH!) A three!
@HarlonMathuin Why is pie so damn awesome?
Pie is truth and cake is a lie, but why? Why is the sky blue, well I cannot tell you. The cake is a lie it holds deep and false, like the orchestrated dance at a fancy waltz. The beginning sprang from revolution, but the answers are extreme and Confucian. A tangled puzzle in a locked box, to get at it you must make like a fox. I'll start you on the path of truth from lies, by telling you it all begins with your eyes. I know, this can be exhausting, so look no further than the frosting.
Pie is truth. Hence the secret to its awesomeness.
@Acute_Dragonis If 30 planes a year are lost in the Bermuda triangle, then why do people continue to fly though that area???
Little known fact and please don't pass this around at dinner parties, but that area of the ocean is the ritual breeding ground of airplanes. The male airplane spreads his seed amongst the clouds and the female, if one has responded to the male call, scoops the seed into her intake manifold. The male, then spent, crashes into the waves and dives deeply to the ocean floor where he finds a locked door. The door opens and within is the male plane gentleman's club, where he lives out his days smoking cigars and eating cheese on the couch watching whatever the hell he wants on the telly!
@BuckyOhair How do all those clowns fit in that tiny car?
Clown car maker, Acme Clown Car International, also makes the world-famous Tardis for the BBC television series Doctor Who. Not many people know this, but this explains the shared Tardis Drive Effect in which apparent space is actually much larger than it appears. This technology was developed specifically for clown usage in the late 1800's.
@Acute_Dragonis Why does @BuckyOhair have a fetish about a bunch of clowns in a tiny car?
See the earlier mention and visit BuckyBuddy.com. Unlike most humans Bucky's innate fear of clowns has been replaced by a deep longing to mimic their close knit community and a desire to "fit in" to a family, even one as horrible and demeaning as a clown based one.
@HarlonMathuin How can clowns drive in such massive shoes?
They can't obviously, which is why clowns kidnap young children that don't listen to their parents and force them to live a life of slavery and depravation as slaves to the clowns. Driving their little Tardis Drive endowed cars is only one of the many humiliations such children face on the daily basis.
a bit of poetry
am i here
or am i there
sitting here
ghost in the dark
am i there
or am i here
invisible
to my own self
am i real
or am i smoke
i cannot see
for i am cloaked
or am i there
sitting here
ghost in the dark
am i there
or am i here
invisible
to my own self
am i real
or am i smoke
i cannot see
for i am cloaked
Blog Banter: Arena Combat
Kirith Kodachi recently discussed the idea of what a World of Tanks style quick-match element would bring to EVE Online. Would the opportunity for a quick combat interest you? How could it be implemented? Could it be done without having a negative impact on existing gameplay elements? Or does such a concept have no place in EVE?
This topic is a bit of an old one for me, as I wrote two Gooder Eve posts on it back in March. The first was a more general idea regarding Fight Clubs and then that morphed into a more specific idea called THUNDERDOME.
The rules regarding Thunderdome came about because the general consensus seemed to be, at the time, that such arena type combat couldn't be made to work within the confines of Eve. Such blanket statements don't sit well with me, so I went about coming up with rules that actually worked extremely well. I win.
What many of my readers sometimes fail to realize however, is this - just because I write about something doesn't mean I actually want, believe, or otherwise endorse it actually happening. This is true to greater and lesser degrees depending on the topic, but typically I write things to stir the pot, get people thinking and hopefully - thru that process - we can all learn more and think thru problems together. This sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But I like to think it is at least entertaining.
Thunderdome is a great example of this process. I do not like the idea of Arena style instance combat within Eve and I do not think we need it. Just because I could come up with some way of making it work in-game, doesn't mean it should actually be done. In fact, I hope it isn't.
I've read my fellow bloggers posts on the subject and they all make great points, both pro and con. And as hard as some are trying to make such an instance work, they don't. Because of one simple, fundamental, basic fact - Eve is not an arcade game. To add an arcade element to the game, no matter how well intentioned, would (in my humble opinion) destroy the very fabric of what makes Eve great, challenging and harsh as Hell. Any type of arena combat removes the unknown, the unexpected and other things that start with "un".
Since March I have been more and more involved in a different type of play-style within Eve. My previous experience having mostly been based around Null sec Alliances, since the beginning of the year I've been living a more Pirate based existence. Having said that I've come to understand even more than before, how easy it is to get a good fight in Eve. You just ask. In fact I can tell you that if you fly into say Hevrice, Lisbotrain, Adirain or any of the surrounding systems and ask for a 1v1 in local you are more than likely to get it. Not always of course, sometimes we are doing other things, but more often than not. I can also tell you that most, but not all, Pirate pilots honor 1v1s.
I think it is possible to build an Arena style option into Eve. I also think some of my fellow bloggers have some interesting ideas about that, as well as the Thunderdome concept of course. And I am NOT opposed to the idea 100%. I always try to keep an open mind about everything.
So I am not going to go as far as saying it can't be done (because I proved it can) or that it shouldn't be done (although I am leaning that way pretty hard) or that it doesn't have certain possibilities (because clearly it does), so I remain ready to be convinced. But I remain unconvinced.
Other opinions:
Kuro Mayuri: Exploring all New Eden has to offer
Kirith Kodachi: World of Tanks - lessons to be learned
Seismic Stan: Suddenly Combat: World of Spaceships
Arydanika: Blog Banter: Competition Arenas
Harrigan Vonstudly: Blog Banter: Quick matches. Eveharmony?
Drackarn: Eve Blog Banter - Quick Matches
Rhavas: NECL Season One
Noise: Arena PvP
Ender Black: Blog Banter: Quick Matches
Mike Azariah: Blog Banter: Pinks
Duality & Moral Bankruptcy
Over the last few days I've been playing a mind game with myself and with my readers. Not for any spurious or evil reasons, but simply to examine some underlying issues that exist within Eve. It seems to have succeeded beyond my wildest expectations, Parity examined his own morality, Marc looked more closely at the GCC debate, Rhavas is starting a series on Risk & Reward, Logan questioned Rixx's assertion of freedom, and I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting. (please feel free to mention yourselves in the comments)
Of course Rixx is indeed a criminal. Just yesterday I hunted down and pointed a 2 month old player in a Retriever and held him until my Alliance mates arrived. They also pointed him and we held him like that, toying with him, for a few minutes. Even after we exploded his ship, we held his pod and followed along in a conga line while he tried vainly to escape. After he didn't answer our ransom calls we dispatched his pod.
I also spent twenty minutes in a convo with another young player who saw me in local. He is trying to get into PvP and had lots of questions for me. As I always do, I took the time to answer them as best I could. Some noobs are better at taking advice than others, but he seemed like a good guy. Earlier I had also engaged a Catalyst on the Station. He actually fired back, launched drones and shot at my Devoter. He was doomed of course, but for his bravery I let his pod go safely on its way.
There is a duality present in Eve that none of us can escape. It isn't role playing, or character immersion, or anything like that. It is simply us. We exist in two worlds when we play Eve, the real us and the virtual us. No one can escape that, it is true for us all.
As amazing and deep as Eve is, it is also a self-contained world that only exists within its own self-created game rules. It is amazing and I love it, but it is finite. It is also hypocritical. We all know this, both of us the in and out of game us, and we all create these shells around us to secure our place in the hypocrisy. This is what I meant in earlier posts about labeling Rixx a criminal. Anyone that engages in PvP in Eve is a criminal. We are all murderers and death-dealers, either against or for the very systems that have been created specifically to encourage us to fight.
And it is ok. After all it is part of the game.
If I've killed millions, and I have no reason to believe that is not true, then for goodness sake why doesn't someone stop me? They can't obviously, because the rules don't allow it. Plus if I was stopped I wouldn't be paying a subscription anymore.
Because ultimately Eve is simply a game. An entertainment designed to remove our real selves from some money. We accept this, and we should of course, because that's what we signed up for. But that's the "real" me talking, so what about Rixx?
Rixx, like any real criminal, doesn't believe he is one. Ask almost any prisoner in jail, they are all innocent. I'm sure Stalin believed his cause was just. Muammar Gaddafi is probably hiding somewhere in Libya right now wondering why his people would rise up against him? Don't they realize how much he loves them? Unlike the bad guys in certain movies, real bad guys don't usually believe they are bad. They might know some of their methods are wrong, they are usually aware of it, but they've built up reasons for why it is justified.
Same with Rixx. Betrayed multiple times by the Null space Alliances he served in the past, Rixx believes that his current life has been forced upon him. That he has no other choice. Barred from returning to his Caldari home, his family pushed to the edges of space, he has no choice but to make a living doing what he does best - killing.
But I'm cool with it, the real me is, because it is much, much more fun than what I was doing before. Being a scum-sucking pirate is a blast. Personally I believe it is the best life-style choice in the game, but that's me. Others may disagree and that is their right.
It doesn't make the real me a criminal. Just Rixx. And that is something that he has to live with. He has to pay the price for his own choices. And he does, every day. He is flashy red.
I've skirted the edges of deeper role-playing this week and that is far enough for me. I'm sure other people can make two minds, one for themselves and one for their character, but I don't want to work that hard. I am Rixx Javix and Rixx Javix is me. I just happen to be a lot nicer than him. And more handsome.
Now, about GCC...
Letter From New Eden
From: Rixx Javix
Somewhere in Essence
To Whom It May Concern:
It has recently come to my attention that parties unknown to me have been publicly defending my lifestyle without my consent. I can only assume this has been happening somewhere in Empire space, where else could it be? This letter is intended to set the record straight and counter any and all previous public statements by these unknown and unauthorized entities.
My name is Rixx Javix and I am a criminal outlaw living in the outskirts of Empire space. The autocratic tyrannical bastards at Concord have seen fit to brand me with a -10 security standing, so I am barred from entering Empire controlled space. Which I often do anyway, or my Wife does for me. Concord is so stupid they don't even care that she does most of our Empire business for me.
I have heard that some in Empire have made the case that I am uncomfortable with the "criminal" designation. I would like to take this opportunity to laugh at that statement and spit in the eye of anyone that believes it. Do I care what labels your so-called civilizations brands me with? Not at all. It impacts my life little, and makes no tangible difference to me one way or the other.
What am I then? I am a Capsuleer of New Eden. A creature created by your science and unleashed into your space. I don't care for your labels, your definitions or even your so-called rules of conduct. You built us, you built me, to do your dirty work for you. To defend your precious territory, your precious Empires. To hold back the darkness for you. So how dare you question how I do my business once unleashed? I answer not to you in your ivory towers, but to my fellow Capsuleers, my Corp and those I fly with.
Space is ours to do with as we see fit. This space, the space I fly in, is mine to do with as I see fit. If you don't like it then I invite you to come and stop me. Stop us. But you won't. You can't. Because you are weak meat bags that are beholden to commerce, corporate greed and traditions. You are hypocrites, liars, slavers, and religious freaks that have no right to point and judge anyone, let alone me.
I am a man of honor. An honor and code of which you cannot begin to fathom. I am also a cold-blooded murderer, a pillager, destroyer, and force of nature. My comrades in arms and I cannot be stopped. We will continue with or without your consent.
So be clear. I am a pirate, a scumbag, a rapscallion, a criminal, whatever you choose to label me, I will be for you. But to me, I am eternal. I am the mad clown laughing in the shadows, the wind of death blowing on the other side of the Gate, the sudden death in the belt, the cloaked bird of prey that drops out of the night. Come to my space and you die.
I fought your wars. Now I fight my own.
I am your nightmare.
Sincerely,
Rixx Javix
PS: Send moar ships.
Somewhere in Essence
To Whom It May Concern:
It has recently come to my attention that parties unknown to me have been publicly defending my lifestyle without my consent. I can only assume this has been happening somewhere in Empire space, where else could it be? This letter is intended to set the record straight and counter any and all previous public statements by these unknown and unauthorized entities.
My name is Rixx Javix and I am a criminal outlaw living in the outskirts of Empire space. The autocratic tyrannical bastards at Concord have seen fit to brand me with a -10 security standing, so I am barred from entering Empire controlled space. Which I often do anyway, or my Wife does for me. Concord is so stupid they don't even care that she does most of our Empire business for me.
I have heard that some in Empire have made the case that I am uncomfortable with the "criminal" designation. I would like to take this opportunity to laugh at that statement and spit in the eye of anyone that believes it. Do I care what labels your so-called civilizations brands me with? Not at all. It impacts my life little, and makes no tangible difference to me one way or the other.
What am I then? I am a Capsuleer of New Eden. A creature created by your science and unleashed into your space. I don't care for your labels, your definitions or even your so-called rules of conduct. You built us, you built me, to do your dirty work for you. To defend your precious territory, your precious Empires. To hold back the darkness for you. So how dare you question how I do my business once unleashed? I answer not to you in your ivory towers, but to my fellow Capsuleers, my Corp and those I fly with.
Space is ours to do with as we see fit. This space, the space I fly in, is mine to do with as I see fit. If you don't like it then I invite you to come and stop me. Stop us. But you won't. You can't. Because you are weak meat bags that are beholden to commerce, corporate greed and traditions. You are hypocrites, liars, slavers, and religious freaks that have no right to point and judge anyone, let alone me.
I am a man of honor. An honor and code of which you cannot begin to fathom. I am also a cold-blooded murderer, a pillager, destroyer, and force of nature. My comrades in arms and I cannot be stopped. We will continue with or without your consent.
So be clear. I am a pirate, a scumbag, a rapscallion, a criminal, whatever you choose to label me, I will be for you. But to me, I am eternal. I am the mad clown laughing in the shadows, the wind of death blowing on the other side of the Gate, the sudden death in the belt, the cloaked bird of prey that drops out of the night. Come to my space and you die.
I fought your wars. Now I fight my own.
I am your nightmare.
Sincerely,
Rixx Javix
PS: Send moar ships.
Criminal Intentions
I'm not a role player. But still, having played Rixx for almost three years now, he does tend to have his own distinct personality. And while we do share many things in common, we also diverge in some significant ways.
Obviously I don't fly a spaceship, fight wars over far-flung Null space regions, deal with failscading Alliances, or the terrors of being podded, or any of the other things that Rixx has to live with.
More importantly however, as a writer and player of Eve, I understand and appreciate many of the larger game issues that frankly - Rixx has no interest in. I have to appreciate that.
Just as I have to appreciate the fact that when people call him a criminal, it hurts his feelings.
Rixx doesn't see himself as a criminal any more than I do, because I am not a criminal. But is he? It sorta depends on who you ask. Ask someone from hi-sec Empire controlled space and the answer is probably yes. But ask someone in our Corporation or Alliance and the answer might be no. Perspective being the key here, but also intent. This question of criminality was brought up yesterday and I thought it worthy of additional thought. So bear with me while I build towards a conclusion.
Within the context of Eve what Rixx does is most often referred to as Pirating. Rixx operates within low security space surrounding the different Empires of New Eden. Within those Empires law applies, law which is enforced not only by the Empires themselves, but by CONCORD. Low security space is without ruling parties, no established law exists and CONCORD is not present. The only "law" exists within the Stations and surrounding the Gates, think of them like forts in the American Old West. There are people trying to enforce law in low sec, militias loyal to certain Empires, but they are constantly fighting a war they can't win.
Crime being the core issue here. The dictionary definition of crime is: "an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited."
While the Empires would like to have control and enforce their laws in my space, they haven't. Yes, when I attack someone they slap a penalty on me and try to shoot me from the safety of their Station or Gate. But they do not pursue, they never apprehend, they certainly do not protect the State's (or the general public's) welfare. In other words, they seem to have no interest in defending law.
Imagine if the Old West had been run this way. A few Forts here and there, with the Military hidden behind their walls. The law of the land left solely in the hands of the few citizens dumb enough to venture forth into a world ruled by the natives. Would those self-same citizens have considered themselves under the protection of the law? I seriously doubt it.
Again, two worlds here. The player understands that Rixx is, within the established context of Eve, worthy of the label criminal. But Rixx doesn't. And he makes some very compelling arguments. Rixx certainly considers himself a scoundrel, a hunter, a rapscallion, an adventurer, and many things but not a criminal. I have to give him credit here, I'm not sure he actually qualifies as a criminal. If I had Rixx in a court room under trial and I was the prosecutor, I think the best charge I could make stick would be thief.
Most of Rixx's so-called "crimes" are victimless. He points a ship in law-less space, destroys it, pods the pilot, steals the loot (which is the only real crime committed here) and makes his get-away. ( By the way, just so you know, he doesn't steal all that much loot. And what he does take goes back into the Corporation to buy ships. But that's beside the point.) The poor pilot is still alive somewhere else in the universe, so he wasn't actually killed. In fact, Rixx has never actually killed anyone. Not a single living soul.
Even the "stealing" part is open for debate. Rixx doesn't take what isn't his when he is in Station, where the laws of the Empire or Faction apply. Nope, cause that would be stealing. And stealing is wrong. No, Rixx takes what is openly and freely available on the open spaces of... well, space of course. He knows that other people might not appreciate what he is doing and may try to stop him. In that case he will defend himself.
"Injurious to the public welfare"? What public? The public is safely on Station or Planet-side. (This leaves out the yet as undetermined nature of 'crew' or 'passengers' aboard ships) "Interests of the State"? Yes, Rixx admits that the State thinks that, but he doesn't agree with the State. And apparently the State doesn't feel very strongly about it either. They won't let him into their cultured space and he is cool with that. Nothing much to do there anyway. "Legally prohibited"? Again, from one side yes, but that is always what someone that wants your stuff says to justify their actions. Just because someone says they own your house, doesn't mean they actually own your house. Because you know you own your house. They can own all the houses around you for miles and miles, stand on the corner and point at you screaming about how they own your house, but that still doesn't make them the owner. If they want your house so bad, make them come and get it. But they never do.
In a nutshell, that is low sec. The Empire wants to control it very, very badly. But they can't. They can only sit on the curb and yell about how we are all breaking their precious laws. They can hire people to try and make us stop, but we all know how effective that is. So until they get a pair and come into my house, arrest me, put me in jail and punish me according to their laws... until then, don't call me a criminal.
Just keep shooting your cannon over the walls of the Fort. I'll be outside podding the stage coach.
Dumb Moves
If you've been reading this blog at all you know I don't mind making fun of myself and sharing the stupid things I do from time to time. It seems only fair to be honest about it, since I know I'm not the only one.
We've all lost ships that were incredibly expensive, cargo that is hard to replace, warped to the wrong gate at the wrong time, and any number of other stoopid displays of our monkey brains.
So, in the spirit of sharing, here are just a few of my finer moments:
> I once went afk in a belt while ratting in my Merlin, because I had to pee. Yep, lost that ship.
> I once took a fully loaded Osprey into HED-GP because it was the fastest route to Empire. I hadn't heard that said system was camped 24/7 by -A-. Darn ship didn't even have guns or missiles on it.
> I lost my Cormorant to a Thrasher in Mai (my very first loss) and my pod. When I awoke in station I immediately got into another Cormorant and went back for revenge. After I died again I began to realize that Eve didn't work that way.
> Until recently I didn't know that some types of Rockets fly further than other types of Rockets. This might explain why I died several times in Rocket firing ships to other ships that were not really that far away.
> I once fitted a Rokh with Mining Lasers and mined rocks with it. I've never admitted that to anyone before. (I admit that mostly I did that for the lols however.)
> I've died more than once stuck on an Asteroid. If you are a new player you wouldn't know that you used to be able to die like that.
> I once spent every dime I had on a POS Tower (A large one, including enough mods to make it a Death Star), put it up and then took it down two weeks later. Moving it to Empire from Null space, without a Carrier, the major components were blown up inside someone's transport ship. (It wasn't me and I'm not naming names, they know who they are.)
> Speaking of moving. I estimate that I've lost 20b or more in assets with all the moving back and forth from Null regions I've done in the three years I've been playing. All that moving around, until recently without a Carrier, is one of the major reasons why I'm in Low Sec these days. I bet a good 10-15% of my deaths are move related. Maybe more.
> I used to get bored and fly alone to the ends of the map. Many of these trips were back before I had proper cloaking skills, or really, much of any skills at all. While I did explore unknown regions of space, I also died a lot doing it.
> When I first started playing Eve, I thought a really cool thing to do would be to get into a Rokh (which to my Noob eyes was a badass ship) and fly through different Null space regions. Just so people could be, you know, impressed and shit.
> I once put a cloak on a Drake in a combat situation. I actually bragged about it in local. Sigh.
Don't get the wrong idea here. I do many, many intelligent, thoughtful, courageous and amazing things in Eve as well. Although the above are only a few of the dunder-headed things I've done, the good far outweigh the stoopid.
So what D'OH moments are you willing to share? I bet you have some good ones. C'mon, don't be shy.
Know Your Low Sec Corps: The Tuskers
Forum / Killboard
Battleclinic rank: #9 (32,393 kills / 10,230 losses - 285/73 This Week)
73 Members
Home System: Hevrice
It would be difficult to talk about Low Sec Corporations without starting with The Tuskers. They were one of the first Pirate organizations I heard about when I started playing Eve almost three years ago, and they remain one of the most active, talked about Corporations in New Eden.
Many of my own Corporation's pilots are former Tusker pilots and our two organizations maintain close relations in-game to this day. In the spirit of openness, we fly together sometimes. Just this last Sunday I went on a three hour Tusker roam that I enjoyed tremendously. We also sometimes shoot at each other, although mainly in 1v1 situations. If I bothered to look up the stats, which I am not going to do, they probably have an edge in that category over me. That's because, when it comes to 1v1 frigate fights - it is hard to beat The Tuskers.
Their focus is on small gang fighting with an expressed focus on very small gang battles. A quick scroll down thru their killboard bears this out - 1, 2, 3, 4 man fights, I had to go several pages before I found a single 7 man fight. The Tuskers are best known, in my opinion anyway, for accepting and honoring 1v1 fights in local. If you see a Tusker in local and get a 1v1 accepted, you can be sure he will honor it. If nothing else is going on I will sometimes fly up towards Hevrice and see if I can get a 1v1 going with one of them. Lately I've mostly been losing those for some reason, but I'll get my swing back.
The Tuskers are not a training based Corporation, but there are few places better suited to learn the trade of small gang warfare. While other Corporations, like my own, cater to the more experienced pilot, The Tuskers would be a great choice for anyone looking to perfect their own skills with the guidance of extremely proficient, professional pilots. No matter your own current skill point range.
The Tuskers have been around for a long time because they like to keep things simple and uncomplicated. This is their strength. It also happens to be their weakness, if they can really be said to have one, which is simply their laid back attitude. Although I wouldn't want to see them riled up. And, after all, this is low sec and not Null. So who cares?
The Tuskers happen to have several blogs up and running which you can find thru this one, Flee on Sight.
More to come in this series.
Eve Life Lessons
(Thanks to @BlackArcturus for today's post theme!)
It is very tempting to take a humorous or sarcastic slant to today's post theme, but I'm going to go the serious route and see what comes of it.
The question was simple, what real life lessons has Eve taught you? This is challenging because of two factors, 1) I'm not young (not old either, but closer to old than to young) and 2) I am a professional student of human nature, it is an integral part of my daily work. So while I haven't been surprised by anything I've learned from Eve, I can tell you that it has been a very interesting ride.
And while mistaking a Toll Booth for a Jump Gate is one way Eve has impacted my real life, there are probably more important aspects.
Time Management
Adding Eve to my life has taught me extremely valuable lessons about time management. While I thought I had this under control previous to playing Eve, adding that commitment to the few hours in a day has been challenging. There have been many times during the last three years that I thought I couldn't do it. Taking some time off, taking deep breaths, sleeping on it over night before sending that eve mail, these are all processes that you learn along the way. In the end, you find a proper place for Eve within your life, or you don't. Finding that balance is the key to ultimate success and survivability.
Power Corrupts
We don't often get to experience this aspect of human nature in our everyday lives. But the old axiom about absolute power corrupting is magnified in the confines of the virtual world of Eve. Within this universe we get to experience the worst parts of human nature in a "speeding bullet" time-frame that we cannot experience in the real world. I've been on the front-lines of this experience more often than I'd like. I've seen the power (as pretend as it really is) twist and warp personalities and affect decisions that impact thousands of other players. The examples are all around us, so no need to beat a dead dog.
Unchained People Choose Evil
Left to their own devices most of humanity chooses to do Evil. There are many great thinkers that have been debating this issue for centuries, at heart is man good or evil? While this debate rages I can tell you this much, when it comes to the mass of men within Eve, they tend towards bad choices. Is it the majority? I don't have any scientific research to back an opinion, but jump into Jita and let me know what you think. Watch the meta-game developments. The trickery, the lying, the back-stabbing, the stealing... and while these game play styles are often encouraged - they are not forced on anyone. Interesting don't you think?
(And before I get spammed in the comments, I'm not talking about people actually BEING evil. Goodness knows I'm the nicest guy I know and I'm a Pirate in-game. But I have also never stolen anything, back-stabbed anyone, or otherwise went out of my way to ruin the game experience for another player.)
Bigger World
One of the great things about Eve is the exposure to the world, to people from all over. While I have travelled a lot in my life in the Western Hemisphere I still haven't gotten across the pond. (Someday!) But I've talked with people and gotten to know players from Australia, Malta, Spain, France, Britain, Whales, Russia, Poland, Serbia, Israel, Kenya, Germany, Holland, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand and probably a dozen more. That is an amazing and wonderful thing. And while a few have been rotten bastards, the vast majority have been real people with real problems and real dreams. What an amazing universe we all share.
(And while that may seem to fly in the face of the previous point about Evil, it actually proves something that I've often observed. The masses act in one way, but when you get down to the individual we are all the same. Of course there are exceptions, but it is amazing how well we can get along 1 on 1, and how poorly we get along 5 million to 5 million.)
Eve is surprisingly like real life, because it is full of real people. It is however a compressed and accelerated version of real world behavior, it moves quickly and violently towards conclusions that wouldn't be expressed in the real world. In fact, much of Eve is anti-real world. Think about Null space politics, in the real world eventually borders would become relatively static to encourage trade, relations, and the stability of commerce. That is how the real world works. But in Eve it would be boring if things went that way.
There is much to learn by playing Eve. But mostly it is all about you and how you choose to live within the universe presented to you. And isn't that really what life is all about? Virtual or Real.
Welcome to Burn Away
TL;DR: The Burn Away Alliance welcomes several new Corporations to the fun-loving Pirate life!
I haven't written much about Lucifer's Hammer or the Burn Away Alliance lately. This has been mostly on purpose. I've been keeping everything on a much lower profile over the last few weeks, primarily to give ourselves a chance to take care of business out of the public eye. As popular as Eveoganda has gotten, I have to remember that not everything is suitable for public consumption at all times. Sometimes it is best to wait a bit.
For the last two months we've been hard at work re-forming and re-purposing the Alliance and the Corporation. This is important to do every so often and the process has already generated great rewards. Not only has Angor stepped up to take over CEO duties from your friendly neighborhood blogger, but the rest of the Alliance members and leadership have been doing an exceptional job as well.
So I thought I'd take a minute and publicly announce the addition of several new Corporations to the Burn Away Alliance. I am extremely pleased about these Corporations and what they bring to the table. Each of them represents what I believe to be the true spirit of our emerging Alliance. The pilots that I have been honored to fly with so far have been fearless, fun-loving and dedicated fighters and hunters. So welcome aboard guys. I look forward to having the opportunity to fly with each of you in the coming days, weeks and months.
[Eve Gate] [BC Killboard]
These guys are awesome, completely insane and lots of fun to hang out with. Their TZ doesn't always intersect with mine, but we've had a chance to fly together here and there. Hopefully we'll have even more of those opportunities soon. Either way they are a great addition to the Alliance.
[ Eve Gate ] [BC Killboard]
One of the Directors in Lucifer's Hammer was the former CEO of NER and he decided it was time to restart the Corporation. A decision that, while it cost us some members, I fully supported. They are growing and will continue to be an extremely important part of our success.
[ Eve Gate ] [ BC Killboard ]
While these guys have been with us about a week, they have already brought a level of fun and enthusiasm with them that is extremely welcomed. I've been having a blast flying with them and am looking forward to more of the same.
[ Eve Gate ] [ BC Killboard ]
And the newest addition to our wholesome family Alliance, Sinners. We bumped heads from time to time when these guys were in their former Alliance, but over time I think we both started to realize we had more in common than we thought. I am personally very excited about them joining our merry band of troublemakers and look forward to getting to know them all even better.
As always the Alliance Killboard is a great way to keep track of all of us. Each of the Corps have their own public channels, or you can catch them on LUCRH HAMMER TIME channel in-game.
We have a couple more Corporations in early talks about joining, but then we will most likely close Corporation recruitment for the foreseeable future. Again, to all our new friends, welcome aboard. And good hunting.
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