A Memoir from Space

Welcome to the sixteenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

The third Blog Banter of 2010 comes to us from ChainTrap of the Into the unknown with gun and camera EVE Blog. He asks us: “Eve University turns six years old on March 15th; six years spent helping the new pilots of New Eden gain experience and understanding in a supportive environment. Eve is clearly a complicated game, with a ton to learn, so much that you never stop learning. So, the question is; What do you wish that someone had taken the time to tell you when you were first starting out? Or what have you learned in the interim that you’d like to share with the wider Eve community?”

I honestly have to say I lucked out in this regard more than anyone else in EVE. During my first two weeks in EVE I was, of course, a masive newbie. But what set me apart from most other newbies was that I was so ennthralled in EVE that I did my homework. A lot of it. To give you an idea of how in depth I was getting into EVE even in my early days, I was already reading EVE blogs, spending hours on Battleclinic.com learning how to properly fit ships, learning game mechanics for combat, reading every guide I could find in Google, EVERYTHING. I’m a huge EVE geek, understand?

But I was still a newbie, and all the knowledge in the world didn’t serve any purpose to me other than entertainment and fascination until much later. So I spent my time running missions, taking in everything I saw, and trying my damned hardest to get ahead as quickly as possible.

Anyone who has read my posts around new years knows the story already, but for those that don’t, I was contacted out of the blue by a JohnPaulJones, a veteran pilot and CEO of Valhalla Naval Corp. He said that he had observed me doing my business in the Lonetrek/Forge area, and was impressed by my progress and noted that I seemed to be doing my homework (Thank you for noticing). He then offered for me to join VNC and I quickly accepted after a few questions about Corp goals, time zones, and occupations of the Corp members.

It turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. Since joining, I have constantly been flying by the side of the most trustworthy people I know that have taught me more than any guide can teach, and helped me with problems nobody else would bother with, thus negating many instances of me possibly looking like an idiot, causing a big bright blue flash, and causing someone else far away to giggle with glee.

But I’m far from perfect or all knowing, so these are the little funny moments I’ve had due to lack of experience, hopefully this will benefit whoever is reading it.

1. A single Assault Frigate can take down two cruisers, especially when one of the cruisers is me with 2 million SP. EASILY.

2. When a ninja salvager comes and loots one of your wrecks and flies around you just to piss you off, don’t shoot. He knows what he is doing, and will play with you by warping in and out until you come back to the gate with a scrambler thrown on your PvE ship so he can blow you up in a PvP ship.

3. Pay attention to those EVE mail notifications, some of them are about your ship insurance expiring. Renew the insurance… Or lose a lot of ISK *tear*

I know, I’m late as hell, but I was out of town while the majority of this was going on.

My Eve Space. Decent computer, a Gateway DX4200-09, nice sized wide screen HD monitor, and pretty good speakers with an unseen sub under the desk.

And for the funnies, my face when I log in to EVE

When someone else goes *boom*

When said person smack talks me in local

When said person calls in backup as I am laughing and I go *boom*

It was peaceful for once. I think we never truly understand the value of peace until it is lost. I can’t even imagine the limitless number of wasted hours spent not truly appreciating peace. At least I will truly enjoy it… while I can.

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It looked like our friends are back for another round. I quickly notified our alliance channel of their presence and requested any form of back up available. Two minutes of useless chatter of “I’m 20 jumps out” and the more frustrating lack or responses later, our small defense force was formed. A Maelstrom, Raven, and my Armageddon. I was hoping this wouldn’t be the second I sacrificed to them.

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The station was quiet, which was odd. I could hear the echoes of my footsteps everywhere I went, with the occasional duet formed from the footsteps of a few others. I liked it that way, there were fewer people to worry about bumping into, no obnoxious people shouting at each other for whatever reason. Just tranquility and time to reflect. Peace, I loved it.

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What an eerie silence. Our visitors were floating idle in an Apocalypse and an Abaddon, their golden hulls reflecting their majestic shapes upon each other. How fitting that I should bring an Armageddon. All of the Amarrian Empire’s might was on display today. To anyone else, this scene would be a lovely picture. The target locks being acquired told a different story. Aura, pinpoint my camera drones on the enemy Apocalypse immediately. As my view focused on its gleaming hull, something was odd…. “Everyone, the Apocalypse is primary. He only has 4 weapons fitted, so he most likely has logistics fitted, he must go down first!”. Moments later, our golden hulls were met with a new kind of beauty, Sibilisia  and her Maelstrom class Battleship were here. Adrenaline was surging through me, I loved it.

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I spent majority of an hour walking to the biodome. I could have taken the public transportation there, but that would defeat the purpose of my day. All manner of plants were present, and they were the only measure of the season here in the cold depths of space. I could tell from the lack of crushed leaves that I was the only visitor in some time.

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“The Armageddon is engaging me!”, Sib shouted across our comms. “Engaging Apocalypse”, I replied. “What the hell! The sentries are shooting at me!”. “Yeah, thats because I’m a criminal, they can attack me freely, you CAN’T just attack them and expect the sentry guns to approve!… Oh SHIT! The Apocalypse is nueting me, I’m gonna go down!”. Oh shit, this was spiraling out of control.

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I sat down on one of the park benches and let my mind drift. What am I doing here? Is it really worth it to play this never ending game? Wouldn’t we all be better off if everyone simply retired to a park bench, and enjoyed the peace? How can I even say this, when I am guilty of the intense pleasure of combat?

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My allies were shot down. Salvo’s from sentry guns tore into my armor. We screwed up, and let them use the sentry guns to their advantage again. My mind was cloudy, the situation in their hands. I notified the crew to enter emergency evacuation as I mentally ordered my ship to disengage safety protocols and threw my full might towards the enemy Apocalypse as the Abaddon turned towards my ship and trained its lasers towards me. A moment of satisfaction! the Apocalypse couldn’t take my fury for much longer, his amor was torn to pieces and my lasers made direct contact with the inner workings of the ship. Perhaps I might have vengeance, something to call a victory, even if I had to sacrifice myself to do it. And then a sinking feeling. I wasn’t enough to overcome him by myself, not in time for him to run to the safety of the station, only to leave me to lose my ship. There was no backup, the fight was lost. my thoughts were drowned by the audio warnings of my ship taking structural damage. I closed my eyes and waited for the enevitable. My escape pod shot into the vacuum of space, leaving the remains of my ship behind.

Good by, Peace II

Sorry for the lack of posting. I have really been lacking in motivation to take the time to post in character. Partly due to lack of time, mostly due to having so much action going on in game that picking what to write about and taking the time to recall the entire event in perfect order is a tall order.

I experiences my first solo frig kill with my Navy Slicer against a Rifter. Yes, my backup did 40 damage, I told them to stop so I could see if I could handle it myself. I did. I’ve particpated in a number of kills, many of them shutting up trash talking visitors. Funny how people make fun of you until they run into your waiting hands and blopw up, isnt it?

There were even a few POs bashes in worm holes that we scanned down. Whoever owned the large tower with nothing but autocannons had a bad day repairing all 7 or so of his guns. Those fuckers where nasty too, made us constantly have to warp out.

Last night we had a cyno frig visit. We killed him first, turned down his monetary offer for safe passage of jump freighters, and podded him. He then came back, lit his cyno, and had a Chimera jump in. Two of our dreadnoughts came out along with myself in a battle ship with a few others to welcome him. After he trash talked about us being noobs and not using siege mode, our dred’s then gave showed him what siege mode is and he quickly docked up and logged. Normally I don’t trash talk, especially in local, but that level of faggotry gets me going. So I gave him a good verbal lashing with all the big words I could muster.

Also, I’m afraid my plans on trading will be put on hold. Combat has kept me extremely occupied in low sec and I am having way too much fun obliging the call to arms.

Now, with all those things I’ve been wanting to post about done, I’ll be better about posting my future endeavors. Fly fun!

“I’m afraid she just isn’t ready yet, Captain. If you would just give me a few more days I co-”. That was all my newly hired mechanic was able to get out. He would quickly learn my typical anticipation in such situations. I wasn’t trying to be rude, I just didn’t give a damn.

A quick scan of my credentials and the doors to my personal hangar opened in their usual fashion: Painfully slow. There lay my Harbinger, the sister Apocalypses, the Vengeance, standing out with her beautiful dark toned armor, and my massive Armageddon. But none of these where what I was interested in. No, my prize was waiting for me in the shadows, tantalizing me still even when in my possesion, sitting in the corner of my hangar under a massive cover.

No bigger than any other frigate, and no more impressive looking while under its sheet.

I spied a lone member of my crew dozing off, most likely on break, but I left my patience at home that day. “Hey, you there. Get the rest of the crew back in here and take that cover off my ship!”. He promptly woke up with such a shock that he nearly knocked himself out again by hitting his head on a rail. With a confused “Y-yes… sir!”, he dragged himself away to round up a few more people.

I had waited for quite a while to go through with buying her. Even under cover, I couldn’t help but marvel at her dealy curves. The glint of her armor was even shining bright enough to see through the fabric covering. This ship was special, no doubt about it. It had taken me 2 weeks of pulling strings with the Amarr navy to even get a deal put on the table for her, and quite a few negotiations on contracts to aquire the appropriate modules to bring her to her full potential.

Faster than I expected, my crew arrived and set to unveiling the beauty. I could already see part of her claw like points. My heart rate quickened with my growing anticipation.

The cover fell to the hangar floor. My Amarr Navy Slicer stodd before me in all her menacing glory. The fact that she was still under construction with plates missing and wires hanging about did not detract from her looks at all.

I couldn’t wait to take her for a spin.

It felt like home, which is surprising. After spending so much time under the radar in high security space and then staking a claim in the dark corners of the universe with the mysterious sleepers, I never thought I would feel so comfortable in low security space, with constant neighboors. For all the fear surrounding this place, I felt safe. Then again, such are the benefits of being in friendly standings with all the local corps. Our little unoffical alliance with our friends even came with the added comfort of having constant intel on all intruders and knowing thirt pilots withint 2 jumps away were there to protect you.

I drifted lazily in my pod. We hadn’t had visitors to “welcome” in a while now. Logistics for the next few weeks were covered. I was bored out of my friggin mind, amd I coudn’t help but pop the question. “Hey Jones, Sib, you up for a little roam?”. I smiled at the response, exactly what I wanted to hear; “You know it”. And so our mishmash group of myself in a Harbinger along with a Legion and other cruisers was born.

I had no idea that jumping from system to system with no targets is even more boring than sitting peacfully in my own system with no targets. I had gone into a mental autopilot for the hour. Nothing was happening, just the typical align and warp between systems. But something seemed off… When did local jump to 30 pilots? It was then that I witnessed for the first time something incredible, comforting, and shocking all at the same time. A massive fleet of mighty battleships warping to our position…. Thank god they were friends. “Hey boys, want to join up with them?” my CEO asked. There was only one answer. “HELL YEAH!”

That wasn’t what I was thinking an hour later. Jump after jump after jump, seeing bodoy in local that wanted to play. Only the persistant Heron following us at range. I don’t think I had ever been so bored in my li- “HOLD ON GATE. I may have some guys for you to play with!”, our fleet commander eagerly shouted across the fleet comms. Now we are talking!

“Wait on the gate… They are following us from behind. DO NO ENGAGE”

My heart leapt to my throat. My overview filled with reds, sound escaped me, for a few moments nothing existed to me other than the beautiful and fearsome sight laid before me. Immediately bits of armor cluttered the battle field. Slowly sound returned, a salvo of missiles glancing off my shields brining me back to reality. 1 by one primaries were called and enemies melted, but not without the first loss being on our side. My own CEO’s Legion going down within seconds of initial contact.

“Everybody disengage. Jump through in 30 seconds, immediately get back on the gate!”, our FC  calmy ordered, thankfully the heat of the battle had not affected his judgement. An enemy had lit a Cyno and with the help of carriers, we did not stand a chance in this skirmish.

Two minutes later, aside from a few pilots downed, we rendevouzed on planet V. I only thought I had made it out of the woods. “Align back to the gate, do not engage, let them jump through to us with split forces”. The fleet quickly did so, and my adrenaline went down and the cold fear finally set it, causing me to nervously bite my lip as I saw battle cruisers and battle ships drop their cloak all around us.

Why did I have to be the next primary?

After seeing a few other blogs do this, I thought I might as well take part.

I have been playing MMO’s for years now, but until I met EVE, I limited myself to free2play MMO’s, thus I never really got to enjoy the best that gaming had to offer and found myself jumping from game to game. Everything from GunBound, to DriftCity, Silk Road Online, Mu Online, Rakion, and countless others. I knew about EVE and was interested in it, but being a pay 2play game, I never tried it out until early summer of last year. I had heard numerous good thigns about it, and I finally had a good enough computer to give it a go, so I took the plunge

I loved it. I REALLY loved it.

I really cannot explain the feelings I experienced flying around the first week, running missions in my trusty Merlin, hearing tales of mythical scale to me at the time about the dangers of low security space, the cut throat scams, deciet, the back stabbing nature of EVE. I took it all in with an unquenchable appetite. But for all this excitement, it really made me sad that I would not be able to continue playing. Since I had no means to pay for the game and I knew my grandparents wouldn’t, my three week Steam trial would be the end. Or so I thought for the first week.

While I was flying around doing what newbies do, I recieved a conversation invite from some pilot I had never met before. Apparently he had seen my around the system progressing through ships rather wuickly in so little time and was interested in recruiting me. Knowing all the benefits of joining a player Corp, I gladly accepted and joined JohnPaulJones in Valhalla Naval Corp, who I still fly with today.

That decision was easily the best I have ever made in a game. Jones, along with his fellow director Sibilisia, put me on the fast track out of noob land and into the fray of EVE. I don’t think I will ever forget the second month or so that I was playing when they invited me to follow them in a pod to a level 4 mission so I could see what it was like. Seeing a Kronos, Dominix, and Tempest taking on what seemed like an army of ships for the first time isn’t a memory that goes away quickly for me, and that experience further excited me into staying with EVE.

Jones had bigger plans than carebearing it up in high sec, as did Sib, both of them being veteran pilots that have fought in null sec before, so the corp headed to wormhole space, where we ran into another corp similiar to ours that we formed an alliance with. After making some nice ISK in the wormhole, Jones decided it was time to head to null sec after Dominion hit.

Currently, we are still in the planning stages working out diplomatic ties, getting more man power, and other logistics.

I have thought about joining the Open University of Celestial Hardship to get on the fast track to living in null, or leaving the problems plaguing Valhalla Naval Corp, such as lack of pilots getting online and tension between members, but every time I have decided to stick with Jones. I owe this corp so much after all these months of being taught how to survive, fight, being supplied with ships (including my first Battleship), ISK when I needed it, and most importantly, fun. If for some reason something happens that forces me to leave, then it won’t be without regret, and I will undoubtably pack my bags and head to a null sec alliance.

2009 was a terrible year for the world, but a great year for me in EVE. And I cannot wait to see what 2010 has to offer!

The first banter of 2010 comes to us from the EVE Blog Father, CrazyKinux himself, who asks the following: As we begin another year in New Eden, ask yourselves “What Now?” What will I attempt next? What haven’t I done so far in EVE? Was it out fear, funds, or knowledge? Have I always wanted to start my own corporation, but have never dared doing so? Is there a fledging mercenary waiting to come out of its shell? Or maybe an Industrialist? What steps and objectives will I set myself to accomplish in order to reach my ultimate goal for this year? EVE is what you make of it. So, what is it going to be for you?

“This would be a big change for you wouldn’t it? I’m sure you already know the challenges involved with it, you wouldn’t jump headfirst into something like this without doing your homework”. My CEO was right. I was aware of the risks involved, the untold riches to be made and lost in a moment, but I didn’t have much to lose. Why not?

I was tired of it. Tired of working like a slave, barely making ends meet, while at the same time watching others amass riches in one week greater than the amount of ISK that has ever traveled in and out of my hands in my capsuleer career.

I was going to become a Jew….I mean, trader! My initial plans were nothing huge. I would start small, buying a bulk of a certain small item through cheap buy orders and transport them via a rigged Bestower to another region with higher sell orders and place mine nicely below theirs, making a very nice profit on each unit sold.

I was about to become VERY unpopular.

All I can say is WOW. Hulkageddon II is HUGE, and the only thing more numerous than the number of AFK Hulks is the number if tears from the victims and those that stand opposed to it. Specifically this blog.

blog http://noprisonersnomercy.com/2009/12/crossing-swords/

I hardly know where to begin other than leting the reader know that this post is written as a direct response to the author of the above mentioned post. Sadly, comments were locked. Seems I’m not the only other person with any common sense that the blog authors did not like.

This is pathetic. Your whole post seems to be based on insulting Helicity Boson by implying his stupidity in a condescending way, COMPARING HIM TO HITLER (WTF?), sarcastically apologizing for calling him an imbecile and them turning around and calling him an imbecile again, all the while acting like a schoolteacher talking to a 2nd grader. There are quite a few things wrong with what you wrote.

After reading this post, it is obvious that you are under the impression that you are some being of righteous wisdom coming to educate Hel and point out how evil you think he is. Obviously, you missed the point of Hulkageddon and even EVE itself. THIS IS A GAME, AND THEY ARE DOING THIS FOR FUN. You point out that Helicity Boson does not like the victim’s play style, and there is nothing wrong with that. Racking in millions of ISK while AFK (or being too incompetent to get away) rubs people the wrong way and Helicity has every right to do what he is doing, just as CCP intended for EVE to be. Saying that HE needs to leave. EVE opens yourself up to what I am going to say next.

You are doing the exact same thing. You disagree with HIS play style. Nothing wrong with that either, but the problem with your statement arises with this little fact. Helicity is doing something completely acceptable to CCP and unique to EVE with his expressions and actions. You on the other hand are implying Hel shouldn’t be able to attack whoever he wants. On that point, I have on thing to say to you. EVE is a game, a very dark, cruel, unforgiving game. If you don’t like it, you should leave. Are you seeing the hypocrisy of telling him that he should leave if he doesn’t like miners being AFK? You want him to leave for making EVE… EVE. I love the “let the adults have their fun” remark. “Adults” would HTFU and get over losing their ship, or at least be responsible enough to NOT get ganked (it really is easy). Insulting Helicity by sarcastically congratulating him for being able to read does not further your point and only makes you look like a child that has no argument to stand on other than derogatory remarks. It’s comparable to a kid throwing a temper tantrum because Hel is having fun and the kid doesn’t like it, so you the kid feels the need to whine about under the thin veil of standing up for the victims (read: idiots who can’t read forums, watch local, stay aligned, tank, be at the damn computer) And as for saying Hel has an ego, you are truly running out if anything worthwhile to say if you are resorting to this. All you seem to be doing is pouting with big condescending words and tring to appear morally right, but you only accomplish sounding like a hypocrite. Helicity and his gang are having fun teaching people to not be idiots, the only one here with an ego is YOU.

Calling him an imbecile repeatedly for what? Blowing people up? You have nothing. You just want to insult him out of baseless indignation. I was half expecting a “your face” joke grown in there. You further talk down to him with the learning to read comments. Can anyone say “uncalled for”? YOUR WHOLE POST can be summed up with “Helicity is an evil little kid ruining the game for everyone else, he is an idiot because… because… I don’t like him, blah blah blah, I am so much smarter than him”. He has the ego? Really? He is having fun blowing up lazy idiots while you are stroking your e-peen shaking telling yourself you are some wise teacher in league of Socrates shaking your fist at him.

I want to end this with something witty to wrap up all I just said, but I am in too much a state of shock at what you’ve written. Your gross inability to be even the slightest bit respectful, your glaring displays of hypocrisy, your childish attempts to paint Helicity as an idiot, and your fundamentally wrong stance on thinking Helicity is some sort of moral criminal for what he does says enough: there is something wrong with you. You take EVE much too seriously, and I suggest you take a few steps back from the screen until you learn how not to be a hypocrite and how to just relax and enjoy the game. You are not the ePolice, Helicity and the guys taking part can do whatever they want. If you have a problem with that so much that you have to embarrass yourself with this painful display of hypocrisy and deluded self righteousness, you have problems.

“… and a fine of 500 thousand ISK to be imposed on the perpetrator” the Concord official stated, his voice booming through the majestic, though unnecessarily large room. Jesus, that was it? Grounded for three days only for a slap on the wrist? I needed to get into fights more often.

The day was uneventful. I was lead to the hearing room, I was found guilty of assaulting a civilian for deciding it was alright to shove me out of his way whilst I was in a foul mood, and I was courteously lead out of the room with full access to my assets and hangars granted back to me. I was all for justice, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, behaving yourself in secure civilized areas, yadda yadda yadda, but this was insulting.

My pride wasn’t about to let me bend over and take it when some idiot decides to step on my toes. I understand that I could have handled the situation more… diplomatically, but hold me inside a station for three days? For a 10 minute hearing that I made clear I was going to plead guilty? And then insult me more with such a meager fine? My ISK is only worth so much, but wasting my time is not something I take lightly. I decided screw high security space, there was too much bullshit floating around for me to bear.

If only things on the Corporate front were going any better.