It went something like this:
The idea of "risk" in Eve is a false priesthood that has been given validity by the meek and weak. There is NO risk in Eve. There is only danger and reward. The higher the danger the greater the reward. The lower the danger the lower the reward. This is how it is and how it should always be. More importantly however is this, danger is where memories are made!
I've been playing Eve for over five years now and I can tell you story after story after story about my own adventures, failures, derps and escapades. What none of those stories will feature is "nothing". I don't have one story or memory about hours of doing nothing in Eve. Oh sure, I've done more than my fair share of nothing, but I don't remember any of it. Its gone. Poof. Forgotten. Cause it is boring, dull and forgettable. We all have tasks we need to accomplish, even die-hard gentlemen pirates, but boring is death.
The other day Mister Marram of the Tuskers entered a system only to discover a Titan on scan. He took a huge risk in finding it, bookmarking it and waiting while forces formed to bring it down. The result was a dead Avatar.
We don't all have to bring down a Titan to make memories. But I will ask you this. What are YOU doing that is worth the time you are doing it? Your time is extremely valuable, all of us only have so much of it to spend - are you spending yours properly? This has nothing to do with your chosen play-style, play the game any way you want. But spend your time taking risks, pushing the envelope, exploring the edges, pushing those boundaries, breaking new ground, delivering the goods, building better than anything has been built before, standing up to injustice, seeking revenge... whatever it is that drives you. Do it like you own it.
There is NO risk in Eve. You will be perfectly fine. Go out there and FAIL HARD. Don't be afraid to suck ass, to be hot-dropped, to get ganked, to be spied upon, AWOX'd, murdered, stolen, forced to dock, killed on gate, derped, or otherwise tossed and turned. For therein lies the tale. And, quite possibly, the greatest tale of success you will ever tell. After all, you might just win.
Luke didn't listen to Uncle Owen and become a moisture farmer! Indiana Jones wasn't content to simply teach classes and work on his tenure! Adventures begin by taking risks, by stepping into the unknown. And, lucky us, Eve isn't even real. It is a gosh darn pixel based choose-our-own-adventure game!! Woot!
Then again, if you do tackle a Carrier with your Devoter, I recommend having the proper amount of back-up in place. You might even want to check the pilot's name and corp before doing something truly stoopid. Just sayin'.
Thing is, that is a story I'll remember for as long as I play Eve.
Comments
Risk is a calculation of danger in the mind of the pilot. Respect it. Hunt the pilot. Not your respect for the pilots way of flying.
And here I thought I was being clever this morning, but subverting what people expect me to say and turning it on its head and saying the opposite. I may have reached too far to fast however. The above was meant not as a condemnation but as an encouragement to all pilots, to get out there and face the dangers. Danger is scaleable after all. For everyone.
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day"
Since we're quoting Shakespeare ;)
I don't remember anything I did in New Eden before I started taking risks. I missioned and mined, and even P.I.'d, but I couldn't tell you what fits I used, or even the details. I don't even remember what goods I made on my planets. I didn't even make that much money... I've always been a terrible pilot.
I didn't really remember anything until I took a risk, and joined the militia. And my best experiences only happened after a bigger risk: writing in my blog.
The danger we face in New Eden is not life threatening. We are, after all, immortal. It is social. We fear being called stupid, and older, stronger pilots making fun of our mistakes. It's normal, and a fear many of us have outside of our pods. We try to protect ourselves from social embarrassment.
Which is why the blog is a risk. I expose my mistakes publicly, open for condemnation and ridicule. But owning my mistakes has made me overcome them. Writing and analyzing them makes me a better pilot. And what I've come to learn is that, old men forget. All our mistakes drift into the past, and only the lesson we learned remains. An advantage to us.
And with my blog, and the records I write, I can re-visit what I've done. I'll chuckle over my stupidity, and smile over my small victories.
Like Rixx says, you will be fine. Don't waste your time. Write your story. And one day, you too will strip your sleeve and show your scars, saying 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day'.
Since we're quoting Shakespeare, and all ;)
To not throw aside ones caution and forethought in an effort to achieve a potential for future success and goals is a strong motivating factor. The concept of risk is there but the stabbed person has already engaged in risk by entering into an environment that is not safe. The stabs and cloaks do not ensure them safety and the removal of risk. They are tools to mitigate what they do. But the frustration from those who share the environment for a different focus where the use of the stabs and cloaks are incomprehensible tints the subject some.
At least, that is how I am seeing his response at the moment. I may be wrong. This topic leaves me exhausted and sad. I understand the point of encouraging people to make to take steps and try things. But where does encouragement cross over into chastisement? Do the cloaked and stabbed players in faction warfare really need encouragement to stop cloaking and stabbing their ships and engage in good fights?
I'm one of those cloaked stabbed people who do a lot of unexciting nothing. In my case it is not the literal use of cloaks and stabs but the use of caution, patience, and avoidance techniques. In this label of meek and weak my gaming habits and personality would fall directly into them. I'd also consider most of my game play 'boring' in these definitions. In fact, reading this post, I'd have to define my entire play style as "doing it wrong" and nothing memorable.
But I will never be able to just jump and worry about figuring it out when I get there and enjoy myself all at the same time. For my enjoyment comes from planning and attempting to make a good decision first and dealing with what happens as it comes after.
And as for memories, I do my best to retain all of them. The small things and the silly things. The scary things and the casual warm contact of friends while bearing in a mission are all worth remembering for me. Some of my sweetest memories are sharing a level 5 mission with someone salvaging in my Noctis and being taught about the game.
The plexer is not interested in interacting with the parties, but just to mindlessly farm ISK, which I've experienced its often used somewhere else. (God how many NC dudes i know did this to get isk)
It is easier, totally viable to fold and just warp to a new place to farm, if pirates or opposing faction is trying to drive you off the button. No real interaction is required. It's more of a formality. Pirate lands, farmer warps off. Someone says something stupid in local after a few attempts.
If you camp a plex, the farmer will go to the next plex. If you're able to camp an entire system, they go to the next system. When its easier to avoid all the risk for virtually the same payout the system is broken.
If you enjoy what you are doing then by all means, please continue. But the FW mechanic is broken and needs to be fixed. However someone wants to slice that is up to them, but that is (imo) an undeniable fact of current Eve.
That's where "Might Is Right" -- whether the might of actual force, or the might of the eloquent pen dipped in an inkwell of tears ... that yet remains to be seen. ;-)