Thursday 30 September 2010

EVE Blog Banter #21, low-sec love...

EVE Blog Banter #21


Welcome to the twenty-first 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 for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month topic comes to us from @ZoneGhost who a few month ago asked “Is Low Sec the forgotten part of EVE Online?” Is it? I’d like us to explore this even further. Is Low Sec being treated differently by CCP Games than Null Sec (Zero-Zero) or Empire space is? Can one successfully make a living in these unsecured systems where neither Alliance nor Concord roam to enforce their laws? What’s needed? Or is everything fine as it is?


-=o0o=-

I am not much one for complaining to be very honest; I play within the boundaries set out for me. Its not that I don’t have an opinion, I simply have no energy or time to fight for these ideals.
We are the only gamers privileged to have a democratically elected body to fight for our beliefs; the CSM. The Counsel of Stellar Management has taken up the unenviable task of fighting for game improvements on our behalf.

Perhaps next year I will run myself, as I will be kicking it in the Caribbean and hope to have spare time by the boat-load. I do have ideas and suggestions and as always; I do like to throw in my two cents and then run away, screaming like a little girl.

As a Low-sec dweller by choice I actually rather like how things are set out but if anything requires some attention than let it be these;




Traffic
Low sec could always do with more targets, more and more valuable missions please CCP. Let’s get more faction-loot-dropping-rats and more valuable, rare ores in our belts while you are at it.



GCC and timers;
There may be a thought behind these ‘aggression-timers’ that I don’t understand. However now that I am used to them I have to admit I use them as often in my advantage as they are a hindrance.

My only real issue with these GCC timers is that they last too long. Fifteen minutes of stopping your game-play is pretty serious if you have limited playtime already. Every time you do manage to find someone to fight (with you instigating the action against a pilot with -4.9 sec status or higher), with an explosion as a result or not, you have to sit out 15 minutes doing nothing. Reducing this to 5 minutes seems more acceptable.

Other aggression timers are hard to spot and hard to keep track of. My first few months in low sec there have been occasion I felt the need to petition the loss of ships due to gate or station gun fire. It took me a third petition before a GM explained to me the mechanics of the ‘invisible timer’. A what? Why? It would be nice to have this made clearer or abandoned altogether.




Sentry Guns;
Sentry guns can work in ones favor or against; it just takes getting used to. There is an argument however that says gate guns encourage gate-camps and blob warfare, not so nice. It is very obvious that the perfect damage at incredible range demands either a remote-repping gang (either rolling or stationary) or a sizable fleet of battlecruisers and above to share the sentry fire. This makes small gang warfare and or solo work incredibly difficult (unless your name is Lady Shaniqua).

It would be nice to see Sentry gun statistics amended so that as like with ALL other guns in the game; target speed, size and resists make a difference to the damage impact. Hereby it would become viable to engage at gate’s in smaller, faster vessels creating a more creative game-play.
Another suggestion would be to make Sentry guns destroyable with a re-spawn timer or perhaps Station-owners and Gate-managers can be ‘bought’ or ‘bribed’ with as result them switching of Station- or Gate guns for a set period of time.




-=o0o=-

That’s all I’ve got for the moment. I highly recommend you visit Mynxee’s Blog and in particular this post re low-sec improvements. Your input matters, so if you care about low-sec, give her your support!




Other participants;

CrazyKinux's Musing: The Lure of the Wild
Banter 15: Arr, Yer be talkin’ bout me lowsec TheElitist
Banter 21: Low-sec- Chocolate Heaven
Subs' suds: Forever a noob in Eve: Low-Sec - the forgotten part of EVE Online
Blog Banter XXI - Lo-sec = Low Priority? I am Keith Neilson
In the Ghetto A Mule in EvE
where the frack is my ship?: Blog Banter 21: What's good for the goose...
Blog Banter #21: Change? Sarnel Binora's Blog
Low Sec = Wild West ~ Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
a merry life and a short one: Low Sec: I Wanna Talk to You
Low Sec = No Sec Diary of a Garbageman
EVEOGANDA: Blog Banter 21: Friggin' Low Sec
Drifting through the Stars: Blog Banter #21: Low-Sec - The Forgotten part of EVE Online
Captain Serenity: Eve blog banter #21 - Low Sec, The Forgotten Part of Eve
Low Sec: the Best part of EVE Online Nitpickin's
Aeroxe's Assault - “Is Low Sec the forgotten part of EVE Online?”
Eve Blog Banter 21 A Scientist's Life in Eve
Latro's Bunker: Eve Blog Banter 21 - Low-sec
A "CareBears" Journey » Blog Archive » EVE Blog Banter #21: The Low Sec Conundrum
More coming shortly...

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Fiction; Desmun's dead...

Intervention?

Flash didn’t have to announce his presence at the door, he had the means to unlock it, but out of politeness he rang the bell, several times and waited. After a minute, this was repeated. The small group of armed men clustered behind Flash all stood impassive and ready.

“Shall I blow it sir?” Asked one, Flash shook his head and reached into his jacket and swiped the door scanner with his access card; the apartment door slid open. Flash’s security detail slipped in – torches clipped to their weapons snapping on and stabbing into the gloom.

The apartment was dark; some dimmed lighting came from the living room area. No obvious sign of forced entry. As Flash moved in, broken glass crunched under his military boots, he paused as he unclipped the blaster pistol on his right hip and slowly un-holstered it. With half a dozen armed men, Flash need not have worried. Being a capsuleer meant he was even further away from physical harm but still, he didn’t reach his position by being sloppy.

Cautiously moving down the hallway, unsure of what to expect, Flash peered around the corner into the living room. The place was a mess: it had the distinct feel of a rough nightclub on a Sunday morning. Around him, small cones of light pierced the gloom.

The apartment had cost Nashh a small fortune; it was split over two floors, had several bedrooms and bathrooms and was only one of twenty in this part of the Kaalakiota station that had views on moon seven through glass panes stretching from floor to ceiling.

The second floor could only be reached through the living room. A wide, black metal staircase wound itself up to the next level. Flash had no need to venture up there however; one of his men had found what he came for and had motioned for his attention.

A distinct lack of furniture hadn’t seemed all that strange; it had not crossed his mind with all the debris lying around. The fact that there was a mattress, on the floor tucked away in the corner made him notice that indeed there was no furniture.

The mattress was occupied by Nashh: he was alone, face-down and very naked.

The Bastards’ CEO straightened himself, holstering his weapon. With a sharp gesture, Flash sent his men outside to maintain security as well as to offer up some privacy. Flash sighed as he looked down upon the wreck of a man he once held in high esteem.

-=o0o=-

Flash sat at the end of the makeshift sleeping arrangement. Having grown accustomed to low level lighting he removed his aviator style sunglasses from his breast pocket and put them on.

“Officer Kadavr you are a disgrace.” He started. “Do you always live like this? Where the hell is your furniture? What happened to your cleaner?

Nashh sipped the hot drink Flash had prepared him. He did not respond in words but his shifty look sideways told Flash enough.

“Okay, don’t even tell me, I do not want to know”. Shaking his head, Flash pulled out a neo-com from the recesses of his black overalls and started typing.

“I came here to check up on you, we haven’t heard from you for days.” Flash spoke, not looking up from his datapad. “Where is your side-kick Desmun by the way? I may have a need for him on our upcoming operation; he does still fly that bespoke Tengu, right?”

Nashh leapt up from the mattress and contemplated an elaborate story about Desmun’s disappearance. Pacing over the living room floor and scratching his head, Nashh, still naked paused and looked back at his Captain. Nashh grimaced as he felt a migraine start to set in; this was not helped by a severe drink induced hangover.

The Bastards’ CEO still had not looked up from his neo-com. He paused his typing and looked up briefly at Nashh, “How discreet does this cleaner I am ordering have to be Mr Nashh?”

'Very...' Nashh replied sheepishly.

“Uh-huh.” Grunted Flash, tapping on his data pad some more.

“He fucked up.” Nashh said simply and opened out his hands, pleading for understanding.

Flash stopped typing and put the neo com in his pocket.

“He fucking lost over a billion in assets!” Nashh continued, “A billion! He had to be taught a lesson!”

Flash looked around, shrugged and slowly started walking towards the door. “Where is he Nashh?”

A sigh escaped from Nashh.



“Bathtub... first bathroom on the left...” Nashh rested a hand on his forehead, letting it slip so the palm covered his face. He felt like his dad was telling him off, in the usual, not-angry-but-disappointed paternal style.

Flash ambled back.

“I think we need more than one cleaner.” Stated Flash as he threw Nashh a bathrobe, “I suggest you get out of this place for a few days, I'll ensure when you return the place is tidy and trouble free”. Flash turned to face the door and prepared to walk out. “Take a few days off Nashh, but when you return I want to see you in my office. Sober and clothed, you understand?”

“Yes sir...sir are you going to be firing me?'



‘Sir?’

The front door had already hissed shut behind Flash.

-=o0o=-

Several days had passed. Nashh had grown accustomed to his freshly cloned body. Podding oneself was an expensive way to get rid of a drug and drink induced hangover, but in this case it had been worth it.

Being asked to see Flash in his office only meant one of two things: either you had done very well and would come out smiling or you had done bad and may not come out at all, ever.

Nashh Kadavr had taken the time to shave, and had his hair trimmed short. He rarely wore the black overalls popular amongst The Bastards but today he wore a freshly pressed pair. A large image of a flaming skull set on a crossed pair of rapier swords and angelic wings printed in crisp white donned the back. His awarded ribbons had been carefully stitched on the left breast.

The short Achura girl behind the desk in the waiting room answered an internal phone call and passed on the message; ‘Mr Flashfresh will see you now’.

The palms of his hands sweated profusely and his heart skipped a beat. Nashh got off the leather sofa in the waiting area and made his way to the dreaded office. Coming the other way were two men: a short Caldari and a tall, thin Gallentean. Both shot a glance at Nashh as they passed by.

“Nashh. Excellent. Sit down” Flash stood behind his desk and pointed at the leather arm chair in front of him. He appeared to be in a relaxed mood, and offered Nashh a cigar from the box on the desk.

The smell was enticing and Nashh sure was tempted but managed;

“I… stopped smoking recently, sir.”

Raising a quizzical eyebrow, Flash closed the box of cigars and sat down. “Excellent stuff chap, a good choice. These things will be the death of you.”

Nashh forced a smile, slowly scanning the room surreptitiously. The dread of expecting to get hit in the back of the head at any time made Nashh rather paranoid, especially when your Captain mentioned death so casually.

“I, erm, I just wanted to say thank you for bailing me out the other day sir. I guess things got a bit heated and then got out of hand a little.”

“Out of hand is a little bit of an under-statement, Nashh. We still haven’t quite accounted for all his teeth.” Flash tapped on his screen. “Or two of his fingers and yes, his eyes Nashh. We can’t find his eyes.”

Nashh shifted a bit. He didn’t remember that bit.

“What you do in your own time is not my concern. As long as you do not bring the organisation into disrepute you can do as you please. That doesn’t mean I agree with, or condone what you do.” He paused for a moment, “Though losing 1.73 billion isk would make me lose my temper.”

Nashh smiled uncomfortably and nodded; ‘Yes sir.’

Flash shrugged and continued. “Anyway, c’est la vie – mess with someone’s pride and joy and you pay the price.” Flash leaned back on his leather chair and regarded Nashh with a penetrating look. I wanted to speak to you about a position as Fleet Commander. ”

“Sir?”

“With several of our FC’s on leave I require someone to take control of the new recruits. Showing them the local area, going through the finer details of ransoming, you know… the basics...”

Nashh realised that he wasn’t going to be shot or clone-wiped or at the very least, tortured.

‘Hell yeah, you bet boss!” Nashh sprang up from his seat and extended his hand, eager to have it shaken, eager to have the offer confirmed. “I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“I know you won’t son, now move along I have business to attend to”. Flash smiled and nodded in the direction of the door.

“See Persephone, Vig or Silv if you have any immediate questions; alternatively feel free to contact me at anytime.’

”Yes sir!” Nashh saluted his CEO, turned and hastily made his way out.

Flash waited a moment then used the intercom to instruct his assistant; ‘send in Miss Hands’.

A young slender Achurian woman entered the office, ‘Mr Flashfresh?’.

Flash nodded and silently offered the chair in front of his desk.

‘Miss Hands, your instructions are clear; just keep an eye on him, assist him where he needs it, anything he needs… you understand?’ Flash ordered.

‘Yes’ Hands replied coldly, she didnt sit down, she rarely did.

‘I want a weekly report without fail; on his progress, mental state and general well being’.

‘Yes sir…’

‘And for Christ sake, keep him away from drink and drugs, you hear?...’

Saturday 18 September 2010

Time is not on my side...

Just in case anyone is wondering were my posts of any substance have gone, please do not worry, I am still here and willing.

Its simply that time is not on my side atm, RL has been busy, work has been insane at times. Then there is my ingame time...

As a proud Recruitment Officer for my beloved corp, I spend about 5 hours a week on recruitment related stuff. This would not be a mayor issue if I'd have 20 hrs of gametime a week but I have about 10, meaning I have only 5 hours to go out and experiance eve, and thus having something to write about. Those 5 hours are eaten up quickly by me setting up ships, messing around with alts. selling stuff, trading, making a little isk so on and so on...

On top of that I am working on another CDM Video, something that is taking a lot longer than I anticipated. It's about there, but there are a few bits missing and the overall finish is not to my liking... I hope the finished product will be to everyones liking, the stress its causing me is enough for me to consider never making another one.

Then there is another project I foolishly signed myself up for, a super sekrit project that sounds to crazy for words. A project of EPIC proportions and something only a bat-fuck-crazy-psycho could come up with. Dont ask me to explain coz I really cant, o yeah and its confidential so even if I did understand what I signed myself up for I couldn't tell you.

Thank you for your patience and still reading this blog, the daily hits have increase nearly two-fold over the last 6 months and even with very little content an excellent daily reader turnout. Much love...

-=o0o=-

Just a quick mention for our new US additions, Mooot and Kwerkus, already ripping up our Killboard in excellent fashion, glad you are on our side!

Remember the Bastards are still recruiting, help yourself though chaps; if you really want to be part of the legendary Bastards, take a moment and read our FAQ and spend a little time on that application form. First impressions count!

Thursday 16 September 2010

Mr NoXx shameless re-post

With so many blogs to keep up with sometimes I run a little behind. I found this blog-post a little while back, bookmarked it as its excellent stuff, then forgot about it. I just stumbled across it and before it gets forgotten about again I am shamelessly reposting it.

Thanks to Mr NoXx from A Ghost Blog for these brilliant words;

-=o0o=-

Piracy is the essence of life in New Eden. Without the cold threat of death your heart would wither. Fear is necessary to remind us that our assets have value, that they need protection. Without piracy the will to cherish would be diminished. Piracy is one of the oldest traditions of New Eden. Conflict drives the development of weapons, ships and tactics and without piracy this conflict would be the will of the privileged and the selfish.

We are the unofficial guardians of this region between the Empires and Alliances. Without piracy resources would become subject to mass amassing by greedy corporations and individuals. Low security space would become a swathe of hulks and battleships earning an easy crust throughout the region. Traffic would become unbearable at choke points with ships of all configurations vying for their share of the richness found outside the core systems.

The product of this ruthless competing would descend entire constellations into war as corporations clash for control of the mining fields and ratting rights. The rich would become filthy, the poor would become marginalised and the rest of us would have little choice other than joining the biggest corporations available to survive against their onslaught for control.

As pirates we force the control of wealth from the bearer and distribute this wealth in many creative ways. We enjoy free reign to do as we please because, although we are subject to the laws of decency within Empire, we commonly disregard these regulations. As a mechanic; piracy is a necessary evil which must be practiced. A land without crime would be incredibly dull. We therefore we risk our lives to educate the masses to be wary of your fellow pilot, to ensure your security is sufficient and to maintain the status quo of New Eden as a place unsuitable to most, save for those of us who risk everything to gain little.

Piracy is a noble profession and one for which the victims should be grateful for our practice. I for one enjoy this way of life, particularly where victims feel displeased with their judgement. This is the essence of what we do, so please feel free to flame us whenever and wherever you find us.

Happy hunting…

Thursday 9 September 2010

Finally, officially mine...

Took some time to convince her, 8 yrs in fact, a house, 2 kids and a shot gun but she said yes.


Monday 6 September 2010

Assault Frig Tourney!!!

I highly recommend to go check out Sulli's blog;

http://fleeonsight.blogspot.com/

....and sign up for the Assault Frig Tourney he is organising!

As a fan of organised events I have donated a little isk to the cause. Unfortunatly I cannot make it myself as I shall be working, I'll be there in spirit!