Well, I actually like ore plenty but I've learned that I hate compressing ore for hours on end. I managed to let my own ore and some I bought from corp mates stack up into a load of more than 8 million cubic meters, which is taking me quite some time to compress!
Here's hoping I'm still sane come new years!
29 December 2010
23 December 2010
Pirates
Damn!
On my way to my own personal pvp experience I managed to run into some pirates who expertly baited me into losing my Onyx. I did nearly escape to the gate but died just short. I was both saddened and impressed, especially when the major offending pirate convo'd me shortly afterwards with his apologies for the smack talk that took place in local. I won't give away their position or their identities (especially because I enjoy them killing most of the people they are killing in that area) but I will say they were extremely professional and I don't mind losing a ship to such an outfit.
In the meantime I'm working on my isk gathering while I experiment in some facets of PVP that I'm not used to, which is really fun but also frustrating...
Also, Kirith is looking for a bit of a fight which is fun, but as for me...if at all possible I plan to show up on the side of defense rather than offense :)
On my way to my own personal pvp experience I managed to run into some pirates who expertly baited me into losing my Onyx. I did nearly escape to the gate but died just short. I was both saddened and impressed, especially when the major offending pirate convo'd me shortly afterwards with his apologies for the smack talk that took place in local. I won't give away their position or their identities (especially because I enjoy them killing most of the people they are killing in that area) but I will say they were extremely professional and I don't mind losing a ship to such an outfit.
In the meantime I'm working on my isk gathering while I experiment in some facets of PVP that I'm not used to, which is really fun but also frustrating...
Also, Kirith is looking for a bit of a fight which is fun, but as for me...if at all possible I plan to show up on the side of defense rather than offense :)
15 December 2010
Patch Day Blues?
I doubt it's only me but I sure as hell miss EvE in the short time we cannot have it on patch days. It's sort of like Chik-Fil-A on Sunday's. --For those that don't know Chik-Fil-A is a restaurant that we have mainly in the eastern US which is awesome but closes on Sunday's which makes it pretty much the only day I want it--
On the plus side we are getting our learning skillpoints back when we come back from the communications blackout with CCP. There has been a lot of debate about this, honestly going back to my first exposure to EvE. While I did enjoy the complexity that learning skills added to EvE it really hurts the new player experience and I must admit that I am thrilled to be getting SP back now that I know more about how to use them properly! You have to admit that having 1-3 million of your SP freed up to use any way you like is pretty darn cool.
Many older players have been upset at the attempts to improve new player experiences in EvE. I do understand where they are coming from as veterans had it much harder when they began. However, I do want to point out that if no new players join up then EvE will most likely shut down. I for one enjoy assisting new players who join our corporation and am happy to share the small amount I have learned since getting started. I think everyone will benefit from the learning skills change.
On the plus side we are getting our learning skillpoints back when we come back from the communications blackout with CCP. There has been a lot of debate about this, honestly going back to my first exposure to EvE. While I did enjoy the complexity that learning skills added to EvE it really hurts the new player experience and I must admit that I am thrilled to be getting SP back now that I know more about how to use them properly! You have to admit that having 1-3 million of your SP freed up to use any way you like is pretty darn cool.
Many older players have been upset at the attempts to improve new player experiences in EvE. I do understand where they are coming from as veterans had it much harder when they began. However, I do want to point out that if no new players join up then EvE will most likely shut down. I for one enjoy assisting new players who join our corporation and am happy to share the small amount I have learned since getting started. I think everyone will benefit from the learning skills change.
30 November 2010
Fun Month For Me
November turned out to be a pretty nice month for me. I got a few chances to put the new Rorqual to good use which I was happy for considering the price. I also had the chance to get my logistics in Empire wrapped up and settle myself fully in 0.0 again; it's just amazing how spread out you can get your stuff. On the PvP front, not a very successful month but also no major losses which makes it just fine in my book. Still it was nice to get out and have a little PvP fun again, it's been a while.
There is a lot of big news from CCP and I am absolutely thrilled that they have finally made an effort to "fix the little things" that players have been asking for. I hope they stick to this and continue to improve EvE. I am also very happy that they decided to stage Incursion instead of push out incomplete features that neither CCP or the player-base would be happy with. It really looks like the efforts of the latest CSM have paid off and I think all EvE players should be proud of that!
There is a lot of big news from CCP and I am absolutely thrilled that they have finally made an effort to "fix the little things" that players have been asking for. I hope they stick to this and continue to improve EvE. I am also very happy that they decided to stage Incursion instead of push out incomplete features that neither CCP or the player-base would be happy with. It really looks like the efforts of the latest CSM have paid off and I think all EvE players should be proud of that!
21 November 2010
Lo-Sec - yes, it sucks
I've regularly avoided entering the discussion on hi-sec, lo-sec, and null-sec and why any one is better than another. In reality there are differences that should be addressed and in my opinion CCP needs to realize that putting more "loot" in lo-sec is not going to make it any better.
To help explain this I want you to consider New Eden to be an ecosystem. With that said please imagine hi-sec to be the land ecosystem. Here a person is relatively safe from danger. Of course there are criminals here that are willing to forgo the protections of civilized society in order to damage other's property but in general they are the exception rather than the rule.
Skipping ahead a bit I would like you to imagine null-sec as the deep sea ecosystem. Here, in the deep of the sea humans are able to hide, to fight small battles at will, and to field the mighty warships that have made us great. We have flexibility here! We can establish empires here! We can take empires here if we do not like how they are run! We can hide within the depths of the sea and disappear into the dark if we must. These are the problems and the benefits of the ocean, as well as the reason so many pilots love null-sec space.
And now... just consider lo-sec to be what it really is! It is a tidewater, a break between the land and the sea that ebbs and flows. At times it is fine; a grand place to stage fleets for money making ventures. But at times it isn't so friendly; being the most unrelentingly turbulent place that can be imagined. Yes, I have already painted lo-sec space in a negative light and I won't apologize for that. In lo-sec CCP has created an area where no pilot wants to go except for those few who prey on the pilots who either: are forced to pass through or are too new to understand why it's dangerous. This area of space is more ridiculous than anything because it doesn't fit the fiction or the form of the game yet we are expected to accept it as pilots.
While this seems like a fair system because every pilot must pass through the slums of lo-sec to get to their destination; in reality it is not. Personally, I no longer pass through lo-sec with anything other than a frigate that has a cynosural field generator attached. By using Jump Freighters, or other capital ships I am able to almost completely by-pass low security space. Many alliances do this, which leaves only the singular pilot or the poorer alliances in lo-sec space.
I have heard all of the arguments ranging from "alliances as powerful as CVA started in lo-sec" to "if you don't want to be there don't go there." If you think about both of those arguments they don't hold water in my opinion. Firstly CVA did begin in lo-sec but that was a staging ground for a concerted attack on 0.0 space and (what many current pilots seem to overlook) tat happened in a time LONG before the area was truly contested. Secondly, I know many pilots who don't want to be in lo-sec. They often want to go to 0.0 where they can use their interdictors, their stealth bombers, even their frigates at full effectiveness. However in order to do so they are forced to pass through lo-sec space where they may be killed by pirates who know that those pilots are only passing through.
So what should CCP do? I know I don't have the answer, but I do know that it won't matter if they make lo-sec space rewards a 100,000,000 times greater than any other area, the drawbacks will still keep pilots out. It need much more work than a little better reward system which seems to be the plan of incursion...
To help explain this I want you to consider New Eden to be an ecosystem. With that said please imagine hi-sec to be the land ecosystem. Here a person is relatively safe from danger. Of course there are criminals here that are willing to forgo the protections of civilized society in order to damage other's property but in general they are the exception rather than the rule.
Skipping ahead a bit I would like you to imagine null-sec as the deep sea ecosystem. Here, in the deep of the sea humans are able to hide, to fight small battles at will, and to field the mighty warships that have made us great. We have flexibility here! We can establish empires here! We can take empires here if we do not like how they are run! We can hide within the depths of the sea and disappear into the dark if we must. These are the problems and the benefits of the ocean, as well as the reason so many pilots love null-sec space.
And now... just consider lo-sec to be what it really is! It is a tidewater, a break between the land and the sea that ebbs and flows. At times it is fine; a grand place to stage fleets for money making ventures. But at times it isn't so friendly; being the most unrelentingly turbulent place that can be imagined. Yes, I have already painted lo-sec space in a negative light and I won't apologize for that. In lo-sec CCP has created an area where no pilot wants to go except for those few who prey on the pilots who either: are forced to pass through or are too new to understand why it's dangerous. This area of space is more ridiculous than anything because it doesn't fit the fiction or the form of the game yet we are expected to accept it as pilots.
While this seems like a fair system because every pilot must pass through the slums of lo-sec to get to their destination; in reality it is not. Personally, I no longer pass through lo-sec with anything other than a frigate that has a cynosural field generator attached. By using Jump Freighters, or other capital ships I am able to almost completely by-pass low security space. Many alliances do this, which leaves only the singular pilot or the poorer alliances in lo-sec space.
I have heard all of the arguments ranging from "alliances as powerful as CVA started in lo-sec" to "if you don't want to be there don't go there." If you think about both of those arguments they don't hold water in my opinion. Firstly CVA did begin in lo-sec but that was a staging ground for a concerted attack on 0.0 space and (what many current pilots seem to overlook) tat happened in a time LONG before the area was truly contested. Secondly, I know many pilots who don't want to be in lo-sec. They often want to go to 0.0 where they can use their interdictors, their stealth bombers, even their frigates at full effectiveness. However in order to do so they are forced to pass through lo-sec space where they may be killed by pirates who know that those pilots are only passing through.
So what should CCP do? I know I don't have the answer, but I do know that it won't matter if they make lo-sec space rewards a 100,000,000 times greater than any other area, the drawbacks will still keep pilots out. It need much more work than a little better reward system which seems to be the plan of incursion...
16 November 2010
Fail Mail - Uh... What?
I'm not trying to steal Ga’len's awesome fail mail Friday's but I just had to share this one that I ran across. This weekend while roaming I was involved in some kills against my former alliance Fatal Ascension and while looking for those I found this.
Now to me this looks like a mining Archon which was odd enough when I first ran across it. But on closer inspection I noticed that this beauty is sporting a pair of "Large Armor Repairer II's" and a "Large Remote Armor Repair System I" instead of capital mods. Also note that the single rig is a "Large Drone Mining Augmentor I."
Eve-Kill Link:
http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=8069519
Eft Fitting:.
Now to me this looks like a mining Archon which was odd enough when I first ran across it. But on closer inspection I noticed that this beauty is sporting a pair of "Large Armor Repairer II's" and a "Large Remote Armor Repair System I" instead of capital mods. Also note that the single rig is a "Large Drone Mining Augmentor I."
Eve-Kill Link:
http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=8069519
Eft Fitting:.
[Archon, Sevano Markeen's Archon]Large Armor Repairer II
Large Armor Repairer II
Expanded Cargohold I
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Expanded Cargohold II
Cap Recharger II
Cap Recharger II
Large Remote Armor Repair System I
Prototype Cloaking Device I
Drone Control Unit I
Drone Control Unit I
Drone Control Unit I
Large Drone Mining Augmentor I
Einherji x1
Einherji x1
Einherji x1
Einherji x1
Einherji x1
Einherji x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Hammerhead I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Mining Drone I x1
Templar x1
Templar x1
Vespa II x1
Vespa II x1
Vespa II x1
Vespa II x1
Warrior II x1
"
Odds and Ends
Just a quick note that I've updated the blog to reflect my new corporation in the "My EvE Life" section as well as the about me section. Also, Dashavata is currently recruiting on a limited level so head over to our forum for more details. You may contact Erbie in game if you have questions.
I have also added a section with my favorite blogs. Mainly these blogs represent the writers I enjoy the most as well as those who keep me up to date with EvE the best. I added the Dev and EvE news feeds as well for anyone who doesn't catch them as much with Capsuleer gone (ie. me).
I have also added a section with my favorite blogs. Mainly these blogs represent the writers I enjoy the most as well as those who keep me up to date with EvE the best. I added the Dev and EvE news feeds as well for anyone who doesn't catch them as much with Capsuleer gone (ie. me).
10 November 2010
EvE: Games of Chance
It's been a very busy week both in game and out but I've been blowing off a little steam with a touch of EvE Online Hold'em and far more mini lotteries at SOMER.blink than I want to admit. My streak of zero luck in EvE based games of chance is still intact and despite loving EOH I've had to pull out for a third time to avoid losing all of my ISK.
SOMER.blink on the other hand is something I really just discovered, even though I have known about it for a while. Now that I've started I don't think I can stop, but I will certainly be taking a break before I go broke. Even though I have lost 7 "blinks" this is addicting and really quite fun, so head over there and check it out if you haven't already. I believe you need to sign up via the in game browser but you can use your regular browser to play once you have registered.
SOMER.blink on the other hand is something I really just discovered, even though I have known about it for a while. Now that I've started I don't think I can stop, but I will certainly be taking a break before I go broke. Even though I have lost 7 "blinks" this is addicting and really quite fun, so head over there and check it out if you haven't already. I believe you need to sign up via the in game browser but you can use your regular browser to play once you have registered.
08 November 2010
New Player Guide: Racial Ships
This is a guide to the racial ships of EvE online. As you may already know the best part about EvE is that your racial choice is almost entirely for role play reasons and you are allowed to fly any ship you choose (given the proper time to train the skills). Since EvE has a time based training system (which is not actually related to play time) you can technically fly anything in the game if you so choose.
Of course you have to start somewhere so what follows is a description of each race's ships in general terms. There are always ships which do not fit the mold of their race; these outliers which will be discussed in the future.
I will outline each race in what I consider to be "noob" friendliness (from most new player friendly to most experience friendly). The most important thing to remember as you learn about each racial ship type is that EvE is a balancing act and no ship, race, or setup is perfect; New Eden is a sandbox and it is 100% impossible to predict what your enemy may be flying. When fighting NPC's never forget that the management of aggression and knowing what you are getting into are more important than skills in many cases. Check out EvE Survival to find out what the mission you are about to accept entails.
This guide has been written as of the Tyrannis version of EvE and will be updated with annotations to account for future releases. There will also be a small follow up for the best mixed race ships as well as the best ships not made by the four playable factions of EvE.
Of course you have to start somewhere so what follows is a description of each race's ships in general terms. There are always ships which do not fit the mold of their race; these outliers which will be discussed in the future.
I will outline each race in what I consider to be "noob" friendliness (from most new player friendly to most experience friendly). The most important thing to remember as you learn about each racial ship type is that EvE is a balancing act and no ship, race, or setup is perfect; New Eden is a sandbox and it is 100% impossible to predict what your enemy may be flying. When fighting NPC's never forget that the management of aggression and knowing what you are getting into are more important than skills in many cases. Check out EvE Survival to find out what the mission you are about to accept entails.
This guide has been written as of the Tyrannis version of EvE and will be updated with annotations to account for future releases. There will also be a small follow up for the best mixed race ships as well as the best ships not made by the four playable factions of EvE.
05 November 2010
Rorqual
Every time I get a little ISK it starts to burn a hole in my pocket. This time I think I've decided to go ahead and pull the trigger on the Rorqual that I have wanted for some time now. No, I don't mine as much these days as I used to but in my opinion this is a very versatile ship.
Not only is it a mini Jump Freighter but with the bonuses to Shield repairers and Capital Tractor Beams the Rorqual would be a very nice counterpart to my Thanatos. Since I doubt I will ever be able to hold onto to enough ISK to get my Anshar this is like a miniaturized version that just happens to have a ton of other uses as well, so it's a win-win. Right now there don't seem to any good deals out there as even the best contract doesn't come with a capital shield booster or cargo rigs. It looks like I may have to put the whole thing together, which isn't really that bad but is a little annoying. If so Pyro Tech Industries has always been great for corp mates and friends so I'll probably just go to them.
Not only is it a mini Jump Freighter but with the bonuses to Shield repairers and Capital Tractor Beams the Rorqual would be a very nice counterpart to my Thanatos. Since I doubt I will ever be able to hold onto to enough ISK to get my Anshar this is like a miniaturized version that just happens to have a ton of other uses as well, so it's a win-win. Right now there don't seem to any good deals out there as even the best contract doesn't come with a capital shield booster or cargo rigs. It looks like I may have to put the whole thing together, which isn't really that bad but is a little annoying. If so Pyro Tech Industries has always been great for corp mates and friends so I'll probably just go to them.
04 November 2010
Carebear'n
Not a particularly busy week but after settling into the space occupied by my new corp I've been carebearing quite a bit to build up my reserves. To be honest it's actually a little weird to be living in a deep 0.0 pocket without much red/neutral interference. In the roughly two weeks I've been here I have been bothered by exactly one incursion of neutral forces. They did manage to destroy my ratting Dominix which I brought into the fight in order to help save a corp mate (who survived by the way). Of course I had planned to lose the ship at some point in 0.0 so it was un-rigged and fully insured.
Having cut my teeth in Providence, moved on to Scalding Pass for -FA-'s practice run at sovereignty, and then to Cloud Ring for the real thing it is definitely a little odd to be left alone most of the day.
There are no cloaky U'K waiting around all day for a lone ratter to slip up. No roaming French gangs looking for someone who didn't pay enough attention. In a way I miss all that action, especially the days of U'K vs CVA. I'm sure more than enough action will come to my sleepy corner soon enough and I may regret those words but for now I think I'm going to have to suit up and go find some PvP.
Having cut my teeth in Providence, moved on to Scalding Pass for -FA-'s practice run at sovereignty, and then to Cloud Ring for the real thing it is definitely a little odd to be left alone most of the day.
There are no cloaky U'K waiting around all day for a lone ratter to slip up. No roaming French gangs looking for someone who didn't pay enough attention. In a way I miss all that action, especially the days of U'K vs CVA. I'm sure more than enough action will come to my sleepy corner soon enough and I may regret those words but for now I think I'm going to have to suit up and go find some PvP.
27 October 2010
Ultimate Ship?
I had a post the other day about the Escort Carrier I've always wished CCP would make and that got me thinking about some of the other new ships types they may be able to inject into our EvE universe. It seems like there are hundreds of possibilities but in the theme of balancing capitals that the Escort Carrier started I will stick with the Pathfinder.
The Pathfinder class vessel would be a smaller capital sized ship like the Escort Carrier that would have the ability to open a jump bridge between itself and a cynosural field just like a Titan. It would have local defenses in line with a Carrier or a Dreadnought but would have basically no offense. It would have a larger cargo bay for fuel and an extreme jump range thanks to the internal drives needed to generate a bridge. This should increase the utility of the ship.
But wait; isn't the entire argument that the Titan bridge is too powerful? Well yes, it is. However that is only true because smaller alliances simply cannot field a Titan, not to mention the multiple Titans that the big guys can fly. That provides a huge advantage in being able to bridge cheap ships onto the field of battle. While this may hurt the most unique advantage of Titans with their growing prevalence I don't see that as such a bad thing.
The Pathfinder class vessel would be a smaller capital sized ship like the Escort Carrier that would have the ability to open a jump bridge between itself and a cynosural field just like a Titan. It would have local defenses in line with a Carrier or a Dreadnought but would have basically no offense. It would have a larger cargo bay for fuel and an extreme jump range thanks to the internal drives needed to generate a bridge. This should increase the utility of the ship.
But wait; isn't the entire argument that the Titan bridge is too powerful? Well yes, it is. However that is only true because smaller alliances simply cannot field a Titan, not to mention the multiple Titans that the big guys can fly. That provides a huge advantage in being able to bridge cheap ships onto the field of battle. While this may hurt the most unique advantage of Titans with their growing prevalence I don't see that as such a bad thing.
26 October 2010
Blog Banter #22: Corp Loyalty
Welcome to the twenty-second 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 or so 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!
I typically do not participate in the blog banter because I am usually too lazy but this was a really interesting question to me.
When I first started my EvE career there were thousands of choices in corporations, and I had absolutely no clue about any of them except that I was "supposed" to join a corp as a part of the game. It was certainly difficult to find a corp that I liked but in the end I settled on an extremely small group who had an awesome name and were very kind to the n00b that I was. I spent a while in that corp phasing in and out of EvE until I eventually decided I liked the game enough to really commit to it. I then found Aurelius Federation after a truly exhaustive search and made friends in Providence that I still speak with today.
After the fall of Providence we tried to prosper elsewhere but attrition and constant alliance "stuff" eventually took it's toll and we shut our doors (for now at least). I spent some time wondering but have since followed some corpmates to a new home which is also a friendly atmosphere for playing EvE as I see fit.
At the moment I am on opposing sides with some old friends but that is becoming part of the fun.
This month topic is brought to us by L'Dene Bean of Nitpickin's who asks: Why, and how did you pick your corporation? Is your loyalty solid or just until a better placed organization "recruits" you. The shorter version: Who holds your Unshakable Fealty and why?
I typically do not participate in the blog banter because I am usually too lazy but this was a really interesting question to me.
When I first started my EvE career there were thousands of choices in corporations, and I had absolutely no clue about any of them except that I was "supposed" to join a corp as a part of the game. It was certainly difficult to find a corp that I liked but in the end I settled on an extremely small group who had an awesome name and were very kind to the n00b that I was. I spent a while in that corp phasing in and out of EvE until I eventually decided I liked the game enough to really commit to it. I then found Aurelius Federation after a truly exhaustive search and made friends in Providence that I still speak with today.
After the fall of Providence we tried to prosper elsewhere but attrition and constant alliance "stuff" eventually took it's toll and we shut our doors (for now at least). I spent some time wondering but have since followed some corpmates to a new home which is also a friendly atmosphere for playing EvE as I see fit.
At the moment I am on opposing sides with some old friends but that is becoming part of the fun.
21 October 2010
Yes Please!
So the Create A Starship contest is in the semi-finalist stage now and there are some interesting designs. It got me thinking a little bit about some of the ships I would love to see added to EvE. These days there are plenty of ships to fly so I don't think CCP should feel the pressure to add new ones, however if they do this is just what I would like to see.
Escort Carrier
With the recent talk of capital ships growing too abundant this ship seems fitting. Aside from the respectable DPS the main use for carriers/supercarriers is for their "super-logistics" powers. The Escort Carrier would take the logistics strengths of it's big brothers but place them in a smaller package. Of course the miniaturization of these abilities would come with some drawbacks when compared to a full size carrier. Part of the purpose of this ship would be for CCP to increase either the production cost/difficulty or the skill requirements of the current capital ships while filling the huge gap that would create between capital and sub capital with a smaller ship.
Because of the need to save space and reduce costs the Escort Carrier will not be able to fit capital sized modules but will have the latest technology to allow BS sized modules to work at a greatly improved efficiency. This will push the capabilities of this ship beyond that of the BS but leave it short of the standard Carrier.
This ship class will be able to field a full flight of up to 10 drones (skill dependent) but only have the bandwidth to control 5 fighters at maximum skills. It also won't have the command and control systems needed to delegate it's fighters that it's bigger brothers have. This will allow it to field a maximum flight of repair drones and have very respectable DPS but maintain the Carrier's advantage in both of these areas.
What the Escort Carrier would have
-Bonus to Large Modules to make them more effective than they would be on a BS
-Range bonus to Logistics modules closer to that of the Logistics class than the full Carrier class
-Defensive stats and bonuses somewhere between the Tech 2 BS and current Carrier of each race (this will need the most attention for balancing)
-Up to 10 drones, maybe a bonus to logistic drones range or survivability
-Up to 5 fighters
-Jump drive, here the range would be more like the Black Ops BS than the Carrier.
-The limited ability to use gates like a normal ship. Here I picture the Escort Carrier having to supplement the gates own power for the jump, thus using the same 90% capacitor that a Jump Drive would use but saving fuel.
What the Escort Carrier would NOT have
-Capital class modules
-The ability to fly 10 fighters or the ability to delegate fighters
-The ability to fit triage modules
-Hi Sec clearance from Concord, it would still be locked out of Hi Sec by special order of Concord.
Using the current contest semi finalists try to imagine these designs scaled up for the purpose of an Escort Carrier:
Gallente
Caldari
Amarr
Minmatar
Escort Carrier
With the recent talk of capital ships growing too abundant this ship seems fitting. Aside from the respectable DPS the main use for carriers/supercarriers is for their "super-logistics" powers. The Escort Carrier would take the logistics strengths of it's big brothers but place them in a smaller package. Of course the miniaturization of these abilities would come with some drawbacks when compared to a full size carrier. Part of the purpose of this ship would be for CCP to increase either the production cost/difficulty or the skill requirements of the current capital ships while filling the huge gap that would create between capital and sub capital with a smaller ship.
Because of the need to save space and reduce costs the Escort Carrier will not be able to fit capital sized modules but will have the latest technology to allow BS sized modules to work at a greatly improved efficiency. This will push the capabilities of this ship beyond that of the BS but leave it short of the standard Carrier.
This ship class will be able to field a full flight of up to 10 drones (skill dependent) but only have the bandwidth to control 5 fighters at maximum skills. It also won't have the command and control systems needed to delegate it's fighters that it's bigger brothers have. This will allow it to field a maximum flight of repair drones and have very respectable DPS but maintain the Carrier's advantage in both of these areas.
What the Escort Carrier would have
-Bonus to Large Modules to make them more effective than they would be on a BS
-Range bonus to Logistics modules closer to that of the Logistics class than the full Carrier class
-Defensive stats and bonuses somewhere between the Tech 2 BS and current Carrier of each race (this will need the most attention for balancing)
-Up to 10 drones, maybe a bonus to logistic drones range or survivability
-Up to 5 fighters
-Jump drive, here the range would be more like the Black Ops BS than the Carrier.
-The limited ability to use gates like a normal ship. Here I picture the Escort Carrier having to supplement the gates own power for the jump, thus using the same 90% capacitor that a Jump Drive would use but saving fuel.
What the Escort Carrier would NOT have
-Capital class modules
-The ability to fly 10 fighters or the ability to delegate fighters
-The ability to fit triage modules
-Hi Sec clearance from Concord, it would still be locked out of Hi Sec by special order of Concord.
Using the current contest semi finalists try to imagine these designs scaled up for the purpose of an Escort Carrier:
Gallente
Caldari
Amarr
Minmatar
15 October 2010
Busy Month
So, a lot has happened this month which has kept me busy. I decided to scrap my plans for a corporation because I wanted to focus a lot less on EvE right now. In that theme I have signed up with a new corporation and have ventured back out in to 0.0.
It feels good to back out there, especially now that the carrrier jumps are finished. I was able to get a little assistance from an Anshar which lightened the load considerably. This corp is a very good group that I found through a long time EvE buddy. So far it's been fun to get back to 0.0 and we shall see what adventures there are to be had.
In other news I am sad we are losing Capsuleer because it's my favorite app but I understand the reasoning. Let's just hope somebody somewhere has a change of heart.
Also, 4 hotfixes to EvE?!? What is going on?
--posted from my iPhone
It feels good to back out there, especially now that the carrrier jumps are finished. I was able to get a little assistance from an Anshar which lightened the load considerably. This corp is a very good group that I found through a long time EvE buddy. So far it's been fun to get back to 0.0 and we shall see what adventures there are to be had.
In other news I am sad we are losing Capsuleer because it's my favorite app but I understand the reasoning. Let's just hope somebody somewhere has a change of heart.
Also, 4 hotfixes to EvE?!? What is going on?
--posted from my iPhone
24 September 2010
Aaaaand We're Back
So, a month or more down the tubes? That was easy. I guess the time slipped away from me quickly. I've been meaning to put up so many posts including something in the way of direction for new eve players but I haven't gotten around to it.
Interestingly, I lost my job just this month and had assumed it would give me some time to focus on EvE. Instead it has had the opposite affect as I have been focused on fixing small things around the house and cooking, both of which I enjoy but am not really that good at. I've been surprised by the lack of time I've had for EvE in light of technically not having anything to do anymore, but I guess that is life. On that note if you happen to need an outside the box thinker with a political science degree which I never used at my previous job (conversions to new systems) and a lot of SQL experience look me up, I am free these days.
I am still working on that ship guide for new players and do plan to post that, although I expect my choices will be contentious. That conversation should lead to better guides so it is welcomed. If the time allows I hope to put some energy into the actual new player website I had hoped would be developed but in the meantime you can really find a lot about the game at http://www.isktheguide.com/. They have done some amazing work and everyone should give them a look.
Interestingly, I lost my job just this month and had assumed it would give me some time to focus on EvE. Instead it has had the opposite affect as I have been focused on fixing small things around the house and cooking, both of which I enjoy but am not really that good at. I've been surprised by the lack of time I've had for EvE in light of technically not having anything to do anymore, but I guess that is life. On that note if you happen to need an outside the box thinker with a political science degree which I never used at my previous job (conversions to new systems) and a lot of SQL experience look me up, I am free these days.
I am still working on that ship guide for new players and do plan to post that, although I expect my choices will be contentious. That conversation should lead to better guides so it is welcomed. If the time allows I hope to put some energy into the actual new player website I had hoped would be developed but in the meantime you can really find a lot about the game at http://www.isktheguide.com/. They have done some amazing work and everyone should give them a look.
03 September 2010
Who doesn't love gear?!?
Rixx over at Evoganda is one of my favorite EvE bloggers. If you haven't been there he is also one hell of an artist. Now he is giving us the chance to get some of his art for our own, on clothes no less. Did I mention that he is giving the proceeds to charity? You know you want to check this out: http://eveoganda.blogspot.com/2010/09/grand-opening.html
20 August 2010
The Crown?
I've never really longed to be a CEO in this game, despite all of the years that I have been playing. Still, I've always been interested in what it takes to run a corporation and all of the work the leadership has been doing for us "grunts." So I've taken advantage of the downtime during the summer and the mini-break my corp is taking to experiment in creating my own. Maybe it's just an excuse to play with creating a website and a forum (first time setting up a php forum) but I find it interesting. I've also already gained an appreciation for the CEO and Directors of AU-F just for dealing with the corporation management screen and setting up the titles.
At first it was just a little bit of an experiment but I do know that I have plenty of advice to share with new players and the summer lends itself well to "management" for me. Meaning I can log on plenty but maybe not devote a solid period of time to roaming or ratting. Because of this I believe I will keep the corp open for a while and hopefully recruit the next batch of pilots to bravely wade from hisec into 0.0. In the meantime perhaps I can share some knowledge and help them make a little isk.
At first it was just a little bit of an experiment but I do know that I have plenty of advice to share with new players and the summer lends itself well to "management" for me. Meaning I can log on plenty but maybe not devote a solid period of time to roaming or ratting. Because of this I believe I will keep the corp open for a while and hopefully recruit the next batch of pilots to bravely wade from hisec into 0.0. In the meantime perhaps I can share some knowledge and help them make a little isk.
18 August 2010
In Your Dreams
I may have been out of EvE for the past few weeks but I've been reading plenty of blogs, dev postings, and forum chatter. I've actually been working on a post that will kick start my "Getting Started in EvE" project but it's more difficult than expected to pick the best ships of each race for beginners.
Anyway, I notice your dream ships are? over at Astral's and I thought I might chime in. I absolutely agree with Rixx over at Evoganda and since he has taken the two sexiest ships in the game I think I have to go another direction.
As a ratting vessel my newly acquired Rattlesnake is tempting to pick, it sure can tank some amazing damage. But basically being a super Dominix is about all it's good for. So on to the ships I would choose to magically appear if I had the choice:
Widow
It's a tough choice between the Sin and the Widow for me, but given the very impressive special abilities I have to go Widow. This is just one of those ships that I would love to fly but cannot really afford to. Being an exclusively PvP ship that combination doesn't make it very likely to ever show up in my hanger. Still, if given a "free" Widow I would certainly love to take it for a spin.
Anshar
Of course it's tempting to put down a titan, or even a Nyx here but I have to say that I would choose an Anshar. Of course it's ugly as sin, and burns gas like a 56 Chevy, but Jump Freighters are both really expensive and really (really) useful. So that makes it a ship I would love to have given to me.
So, if anyone out there would like to hand me one of these bad boys please just contract it to me :)
Anyway, I notice your dream ships are? over at Astral's and I thought I might chime in. I absolutely agree with Rixx over at Evoganda and since he has taken the two sexiest ships in the game I think I have to go another direction.
As a ratting vessel my newly acquired Rattlesnake is tempting to pick, it sure can tank some amazing damage. But basically being a super Dominix is about all it's good for. So on to the ships I would choose to magically appear if I had the choice:
Widow
Anshar
So, if anyone out there would like to hand me one of these bad boys please just contract it to me :)
21 July 2010
The New Player Experience in EvE
So, one of my best friends just asked me to join him in WOW. This is unusual for many reasons, not the least of which is me starting a sentence with a conjunction. First I am not really what you would call a "gamer" in that the only games I really play are EvE, NCAA Football, and Halo. Second my friends are in the same category as me. And third (another conjunction) I hate WOW for innumerable reasons.
In the end I broke down and did play some WOW, and am actually still playing for at least a little while. Really this is just a covert mission to get this friend into EvE but there are some problems with this task. The major problem to me is not the steep learning curve of EvE or any of the other insane complications of a game with so much freedom. The main problem with getting started in EvE is the complete lack of an entry level guide or guides that explain the nuances of getting your EvE career kicked off.
While getting started in WOW there are guides on everything from basic character selection all the way up to top level (end game) raiding. Now, EvE's greatest virtue is the openness of the environment; or the "sandbox." The second greatest virtue is the incredible player base and the creativity that has stemmed from that. We have player created content such as the Blog Pack, Capsuleer, EvE Bloggers Portal, and the work of the great Chribba. Within this (and other) content there is an incredible amount of information and ingenuity to be gleaned. However there is not much in the way of "first time user" content welcoming new people to EvE.
I sympathize with the pride many players feel in EvE but I am extremely disheartened by the lack of player driven outreach to increasing the player base and spreading the good word about how amazing New Eden is. To that end I had originally planned to create a website for the truly "noob" among us but given my current workload in RL i just don't think I can commit to it. However, I would really like to see this happen so to kick start it I plan to write a series of guides; starting with racial ships and expanding into gameplay styles. If anyone among you would like to assist (or take the lead) in creating a new player experience web portal I will offer my personal web space for hosting, ISK, writing, planning, or any other assistance I can so please hit me up @ evemeatay at yahoo.com
I know we have an incredible amount of talent and desire, I think it's time to show that off.
In the end I broke down and did play some WOW, and am actually still playing for at least a little while. Really this is just a covert mission to get this friend into EvE but there are some problems with this task. The major problem to me is not the steep learning curve of EvE or any of the other insane complications of a game with so much freedom. The main problem with getting started in EvE is the complete lack of an entry level guide or guides that explain the nuances of getting your EvE career kicked off.
While getting started in WOW there are guides on everything from basic character selection all the way up to top level (end game) raiding. Now, EvE's greatest virtue is the openness of the environment; or the "sandbox." The second greatest virtue is the incredible player base and the creativity that has stemmed from that. We have player created content such as the Blog Pack, Capsuleer, EvE Bloggers Portal, and the work of the great Chribba. Within this (and other) content there is an incredible amount of information and ingenuity to be gleaned. However there is not much in the way of "first time user" content welcoming new people to EvE.
I sympathize with the pride many players feel in EvE but I am extremely disheartened by the lack of player driven outreach to increasing the player base and spreading the good word about how amazing New Eden is. To that end I had originally planned to create a website for the truly "noob" among us but given my current workload in RL i just don't think I can commit to it. However, I would really like to see this happen so to kick start it I plan to write a series of guides; starting with racial ships and expanding into gameplay styles. If anyone among you would like to assist (or take the lead) in creating a new player experience web portal I will offer my personal web space for hosting, ISK, writing, planning, or any other assistance I can so please hit me up @ evemeatay at yahoo.com
I know we have an incredible amount of talent and desire, I think it's time to show that off.
15 July 2010
Summer Slump
I (like many others) have fallen into the "summer slump" and haven't even logged into EvE in over a week for anything more than skill changing. I had considered applying to M3Corp but I believe I am going to wait until I come back full time to make any moves.
I the mean time it looks like I will be able to get a ton of those pesky little skills trained which I am really happy about.
I the mean time it looks like I will be able to get a ton of those pesky little skills trained which I am really happy about.
02 July 2010
CSM Issues
I was a little disheartened to read Mynxee's recap of the CSM summit while I was traveling this week. It seems like such a shame for CCP to ask for player input at such a high level and basically ignore the input that isn't a) something they want to do anyway or b) a fully game breaking issue (in the technical sense). I was also pretty upset to hear about the push back she received on the concept of holding CCP publicly accountable; especially when it was just by listing outstanding issues and their resolution timeline. I do hope she sticks to her guns here and provides all information that isn't forbidden by the NDA.
In the end I do have a lot of faith in CCP though. They have worked to make so many things right by the player in my experience with them and I hope this is just a growing pain along that road. The server move issue is just one example of the efforts they have taken. I admit that I love those free skill points I received. I am also very interested in exactly what that system was developed for, since CCP admitted that it was already in the pipeline for another reason. I have my fingers crossed for a form of skill redistribution but I know that would be something that is terribly unfair to new players. CCP has always taken precautions to both award old players and protect new players, so I will be waiting anxiously to see what this system is meant to do.
On a completely unrelated note, I have really enjoyed Rixx's (over at Evoganda) tales of his "vacation" on Caldari Prime:
http://eveoganda.blogspot.com/search/label/story
and Kirith's breakdown of the amazing special ships of New Eden:
http://www.ninveah.com/search/label/Ships
Mynxee's recap:
In the end I do have a lot of faith in CCP though. They have worked to make so many things right by the player in my experience with them and I hope this is just a growing pain along that road. The server move issue is just one example of the efforts they have taken. I admit that I love those free skill points I received. I am also very interested in exactly what that system was developed for, since CCP admitted that it was already in the pipeline for another reason. I have my fingers crossed for a form of skill redistribution but I know that would be something that is terribly unfair to new players. CCP has always taken precautions to both award old players and protect new players, so I will be waiting anxiously to see what this system is meant to do.
On a completely unrelated note, I have really enjoyed Rixx's (over at Evoganda) tales of his "vacation" on Caldari Prime:
http://eveoganda.blogspot.com/search/label/story
and Kirith's breakdown of the amazing special ships of New Eden:
http://www.ninveah.com/search/label/Ships
23 June 2010
Work Sucks (ask Blink 182)
It's been a tough week for me and if you happen to be attempting to log in right now you can see it may not be the best week at CCP either. Rixx over at Evoganda has the rundown, I swear it's all true :) http://eveoganda.blogspot.com/2010/06/re-ccp-servers.html
16 June 2010
A Change of Pace
I am looking forward to this as one of the projects we hope to take on this summer is an extended foray into wormhole living. It's been a long time since my last visit to a wormhole (where we lived for about a month) and am looking forward to returning. I have heard that we can expect more visitors these days than in the past which should provide some excitement. On the other hand there will be no 0.0 politics, proxy wars, or last second CTA's to detract from the fun of logging in when you are in a casual mindset.
Stay tuned for updates on the WH project (still currently unnamed).
11 June 2010
Ships with Spinny Bits
As Rixx over at Evoganda pointed out Spinny Bits are Awesome. I finally got my long lusted after Rattlesnake thanks to a corp mate who was generous enough to let his go at a nice price after himself getting a Machariel. This ship is impressive. Even with my Caldari BS at only II until tomorrow this ship can put up a target specific tank well over 1,000 dps while those nasty little drones go out and do my killing. My previous mission ship was a shield tank Dominix which was almost overkill on L4's already, so the Rattlesnake seems laughably over tanked in some missions. It does draw more attention than my Dominix though as I was visited by a poor excuse for a ninja salvager last night, Lt Arsch. After failing to beat my salvage Orca to the punch on a series of wrecks he took to bumping me around for a while, until I warped off after pulling full stage aggro and leaving him to it. I guess he got bored of waiting for me to kill wrecks so he flew out and salvaged the furtherest one and left the system.
Some eye candy:
Some eye candy:
10 June 2010
Going Through My Pictures
I'm not actually one to take a lot of screen caps but I found a few that I thought I'd share while cleaning off some old files from the PC:
Apparently I was once red to myself
The brief time my SB pilot was 14-0
For the record he is now 32-2 http://auf.griefwatch.net/?p=pilot&pilot=Meatay%20Speeday
The goonfleet meets bob moment
Leaving Providence:
Taking a carrier to a new home
A sad goodbye to a long serving POS
Please don't think too much of my fit in that last picture, I was trying to get all of my useless parts out in one trip so I fitted many of them.
09 June 2010
Melting Towers
Yesterday we got a short notice alert about a tower smashing gang some of our new allies were putting together; more on the new (old) allies and where our alliance has decided to re-locate to later. We are currently in the middle of a pretty major move so I really didn't feel like suiting up a battleship for the journey and subsequent bash. So I loaded up my Nemesis and as many torpedoes as I could cram in my hold and I set off. It turns out that is is quite fun pummeling an incapacitated POS in a stealth bomber. Those little torpedo launchers can lay down some serious damage on an immobile target! We ended up taking out two towers in short order before RL cut in and I just had to go to bed or risk missing work the next day (I guess I'm an old man).We also managed to steal a Manticore floating in the bubble and obliterate a random bomber who thought he could get some targets of opportunity. Luckily he died a fiery death and none of our guys got hit. Killmail: http://auf.griefwatch.net/?p=details&kill=2488
07 June 2010
AT-8; Better than Sunday morning TV
It was definitely interesting to see the unique setups that some teams brought (Death From Above for one). The battle Badger delivering cap charges and ammo was fun, and not a bad idea since even in destruction some ammo could be still pulled from the wreck.
Death From Above ship selection (click to embiggen)
With (what looks to be) 83 ship types fielded there was a nice selection of hardware on display. It was especially nice to see the large number of faction battleships in action. I was also interested (and amused) to see the effectiveness of bombers, at least in certain situations. Of course the Drake was the most heavily fielded which is expected I suppose. They seemed to fair pretty well; although (despite the skew caused by 34 being flown) their 41.2% survival rate shows they weren't necessarily dominate. In fact in most of the matches I saw they had little affect except to take a long time to kill. Their firepower and ability to run cap free did prove handy in some instances but it seemed in general they were often defeated by teams with higher outgoing damage, or other abilities. Don't get me wrong, as a pilot I am a little bit of a Drake fan for it's versatility. However I do get tired of being able to guess that at least one Drake will be in almost every fleet.
I can't help but expect variations from most teams next round, although they will all likely save the big changes for the end. I would definitely be hesitant to keep my previous setup going into another round, simply for fear of being perfectly countered. I'm sure some teams have plenty of confidence or other reasons to stick with their current ships (HYDRA's sandbagging for example) but here's hoping we get to see more!
02 June 2010
Airblogging?!?
I am currently on my first flight with airborne wifi and thanks to my first class compadres have been drinking a lot which is why I am blogging.
Anyway. I had to set some long training skills for Tyrannis anyway so when I return home from Jamaica I will have fighters V, jump fuel conservation V, logistics IV, and advanced weapon upgrades V on my various toons. Good times.
Fly safe and see you next week.
Ninja edit; the iPhone had some issues earlier so I am actually over Cuba on the return flight posting this.
Anyway. I had to set some long training skills for Tyrannis anyway so when I return home from Jamaica I will have fighters V, jump fuel conservation V, logistics IV, and advanced weapon upgrades V on my various toons. Good times.
Fly safe and see you next week.
Ninja edit; the iPhone had some issues earlier so I am actually over Cuba on the return flight posting this.
28 May 2010
What I Like About Tyrannis
To be honest I don't know if I will us Planetary Interaction, call me lazy, but this is also one of the features that the players have been begging for. Well, not PI per se but the ability to control more of the production and supply chain is certainly something players have wanted. I have heard a lot of chatter about this being a boring update, and that may be true. BUT this update is all about some of the players greatest wishes and I really appreciate CCP putting in the energy to make them come true for us.
And don't forget they did add two new and exciting ships, even if most of us will never see them.
Two new Alliance Tournament VIII ships have been added as prizes for the next tournament’s winners: the Adrestia heavy assault ship and the Utu assault ship. These unique ships will not be seeded on the market and will only be made available to the winners of Alliance Tournament VIII.
26 May 2010
Coming in out of the cold
After the flurry of activity related to the fall of Providence and our move to new 0.0 space, a little drama, and a whole lot of spring sunshine showing up; I found myself logged out of EvE for about a month straight. It was actually a bit more but I did have to change skills. Burnout is a funny thing, it just sneaks up on you and one day you find yourself having not logged in for a week (or three). It was nice to get a break, especially from the hectic pace of an entire alliance moving everything they own to a new 0.0 location.
Am I back? Well, not completely, but only because I like to spend most of my summer on the lake and you can't really play EvE on the lake to be honest. Although I will be logging back in now, and working on keeping the blog updated. Currently I am hoping to work on some political updates because so much has changed, but I'm so far out of the loop that it may take a months worth or reading just to figure out where things stand. Until then I'll just keep on with the random chatter :)
On a different subject my character's training has progressed nicely with the time off but I have found myself at a little bit of a sticking point again. I am not quite sure what I want to do with anyone but the young guy who I have decided to make a Frigate specialist. My carrier is well fitted and my ratting Drake and Dominix are plenty deadly for the main toons. My freighter skill is maxed out and I can't afford the jump freighter anyway so the transport pilot is a little bit stumped also. I would like to fly a Rorqual (and basically can) but with my planned play time a little limited I don't see the point in finishing this out for now. So for now I'm training some bonus support skills and Fighters V on the main in the hope that I may someday be able to afford a Nyx even though I know I won't. I'm also training support skills on the freighter toon in the hopes of increasing the sickeningly slow speeds.
Am I back? Well, not completely, but only because I like to spend most of my summer on the lake and you can't really play EvE on the lake to be honest. Although I will be logging back in now, and working on keeping the blog updated. Currently I am hoping to work on some political updates because so much has changed, but I'm so far out of the loop that it may take a months worth or reading just to figure out where things stand. Until then I'll just keep on with the random chatter :)
On a different subject my character's training has progressed nicely with the time off but I have found myself at a little bit of a sticking point again. I am not quite sure what I want to do with anyone but the young guy who I have decided to make a Frigate specialist. My carrier is well fitted and my ratting Drake and Dominix are plenty deadly for the main toons. My freighter skill is maxed out and I can't afford the jump freighter anyway so the transport pilot is a little bit stumped also. I would like to fly a Rorqual (and basically can) but with my planned play time a little limited I don't see the point in finishing this out for now. So for now I'm training some bonus support skills and Fighters V on the main in the hope that I may someday be able to afford a Nyx even though I know I won't. I'm also training support skills on the freighter toon in the hopes of increasing the sickeningly slow speeds.
Also, Tyrannis is coming out today. I've not read much more than the basic patch notes but I'm sure everyone has already commented enough for you to get your fill
25 March 2010
Fare Thee Well; Providence
Now, nobody lives foreverIt is with a heavy heart that I write this post. Our alliance has recently made the difficult decision to leave our home. While I have butted heads with the NRDS nature of the area at times I have always respected the work CVA has put into the area and the idea. I cannot help but feel that EvE is losing something that it will never get back with the fall of Providence and I am sad to see it go.
Nothin' stands the test of time
Oh, you heard 'em say "never say never"
But it's always best to keep it in mind
That every tower ever built tumbles
No matter how strong, no matter how tall
Someday even great walls will crumble
And every idol ever raised falls
And someday even man's best laid plans
Will lie twisted and covered in rust
When we've done all that we can but it slipped through our hands
And it's ashes to ashes and dust to dust
~Steve Earle
I have re-written this post twice because this is pretty huge for me personally. I want to mention the drastic change that CCP has introduced which has allowed so much upheaval. Obviously for the residents of Providence it has been a bad thing but I cannot help but believe that it has been a bad thing for EvE in general. I have always hoped for the increased openness of 0.0. However instead of coming at the expense of difficult to hold fringe systems it has come at the expense of systems within the heart of holders.
In the end though, no matter the circumstances, FA has left Providence. It has been one of the busiest periods in my EvE life since that decision was finalized. FA has now taken sovereignty as a "renter" and we have been working hard to setup shop. This has been a crazy process but the membership of my corporation has proven up to the challenge and many have worked long hours in logistical support. We are still in the "settling" stage so there is much work left to be done, but this is an exciting time for us.
When time permits there will be much more news about the experiences of living in space with our name on it soon, so stay tuned.
24 March 2010
Wow, What Happened?!?
So, I turned around and about two weeks have gone by without me updating the blog at all. In all fairness to me it has been a really busy two weeks. First, RL has a tendency to get in the way of fun things far too often, and secondly we've been extremely busy in EvE the past few weeks as FA has made some major moves. There will more on that coming soon but now I think I'll talk about me, yay!
I have now taken my first flight in a Thanatos which was a pretty exciting experience. I felt very prepared stepping into the ship for the first time after doing my homework on the forums and reading about other bloggers experiences (such as Manasi). For anyone upgrading to a major new ship I always advise that you get the basics of how that ship needs to be handled down before you give it a real try. However, research doesn't replace experience and I have to say that flying such a serious ship is a little daunting. The main task so far has been ferrying ships and supplies for the Alliance's movements which has given me some nice practice in the ship. I am hoping to find the time soon to commit it to offensive actions but I'm not sure when my schedule will allow that.
I'm sure there will be plenty of critique on my current setup but as a general fleet fit I'm pretty happy with it so far. Note that the tank is a bit inflated because I was playing with fleet boosters or remote rep when I saved this.
I have now taken my first flight in a Thanatos which was a pretty exciting experience. I felt very prepared stepping into the ship for the first time after doing my homework on the forums and reading about other bloggers experiences (such as Manasi). For anyone upgrading to a major new ship I always advise that you get the basics of how that ship needs to be handled down before you give it a real try. However, research doesn't replace experience and I have to say that flying such a serious ship is a little daunting. The main task so far has been ferrying ships and supplies for the Alliance's movements which has given me some nice practice in the ship. I am hoping to find the time soon to commit it to offensive actions but I'm not sure when my schedule will allow that.
I'm sure there will be plenty of critique on my current setup but as a general fleet fit I'm pretty happy with it so far. Note that the tank is a bit inflated because I was playing with fleet boosters or remote rep when I saved this.
11 March 2010
Back In The Saddle
I haven't posted much lately but for once it was because I've been playing a lot of EvE. Ushra'Khan has dropped the war dec so instead of hi-sec PvP (which is boring) I have been able to to do a little mining, mission running, and null sec PvP which has been nice.
While exploring some new areas in null sec for PvP action I have had the pleasure to fly with a few of Black Claw's (Alexia's) OUCH members and I have been very impressed. Not only are these guys competent pilots, but they are friendly and absolutely willing to fight which makes them a lot of fun. I have enjoyed flying along-side OUCH and look forward to many good fights in the future.
In other news I finally purchased my Thanatos which is very exciting. I can fully fit it but before I take it out for any real action I have a few support skills I will be training up, especially those that affect my remote repping ability and (non-fighter) drones. Being busy with other EvE "stuff" I haven't given her a shakedown yet but I am pretty excited about the chance to do so over the weekend.
While exploring some new areas in null sec for PvP action I have had the pleasure to fly with a few of Black Claw's (Alexia's) OUCH members and I have been very impressed. Not only are these guys competent pilots, but they are friendly and absolutely willing to fight which makes them a lot of fun. I have enjoyed flying along-side OUCH and look forward to many good fights in the future.
In other news I finally purchased my Thanatos which is very exciting. I can fully fit it but before I take it out for any real action I have a few support skills I will be training up, especially those that affect my remote repping ability and (non-fighter) drones. Being busy with other EvE "stuff" I haven't given her a shakedown yet but I am pretty excited about the chance to do so over the weekend.
05 March 2010
Friday Flash Fiction 9: Polycarbon Engine Housing
"Crap, not this again" muttered Gabriel as his viator ground to a halt in the middle of his tenth warp sequence. Stranded at least six jumps from hisec; not exactly the place he wanted to be, but flying an old ship came with compromises. He had saved some money years ago trading his Iteron III in for a blockade runner and even though the Tempest had lived up to its namesake it had made him a wealthy man over the years. Of course at this moment all that left his mind as his only thoughts were disgust at his ships shortcomings.
"Thank God for small miracles." At least that rusty covert ops cloaking device he had salvaged from a Nemesis wreck afforded the relative safety he needed to work on his ship in peace. Grumbling like a crusty miner Gabriel worked his way to the engine room, very much wishing he had been able to keep his crew at Unity Station. Those Minmatar were the best crew he had ever worked with, but being stuck in the middle of a war over slavery was not the place for him. So with little fanfare he left them in 9UY to be picked up by the vile Ushra'Khan and took off with his cargo alone.
When he got to the engine room the tangle of exposed wires that confronted him gave no sign of the problem. It was obvious that the PolyCarbon Engine Housing he had crammed onto his ship was causing the problem but since he never had the skills to fit them in the first place, there was no way he was qaulified to find the problem. He started poking around like any layman does when he doesn't understand the problem. Then he started kicking things, everything, out of frustration. As if by a sick twist of fate, a siren went off that shocked Gabriel and chilled him to the core. He hadn't heard that siren in months.
The Tempest had been uncloaked and was being targeted by a U'K Tarranis; had they known he was here or was it just coincidence? It really didn't matter now as Gabriel sprinted to the bridge with all the physical might a space man could muster. He jumped into his control chair, hoping beyond hope that he had kicked the right exposed wire. In a moment of lucidity he realized that the interceptor targing him was alone and that he had equiped his ship to handle the rather weak warp jamming abilities of a craft this small. If only his engines would fire up, the Tempest would be just fine. Praying, begging, he hit the warp button and...
The engines of the old Viator rattled and roared to life; Gabriel swore he felt every millisecond of use they had logged as they strggled to regain their energy. The ship lept, then bolted into warp, just in time to see several U'K pilots land close by. Gabriel could hardly breath as he careened out of warp just meteres from the gate. He hastily requested jump clearence and didn't even check his sensors for three jumps while his nerves settled. He swore this would be his last trip to null sec but deep in his heart he knew the riches were too much for him to resist.
"Thank God for small miracles." At least that rusty covert ops cloaking device he had salvaged from a Nemesis wreck afforded the relative safety he needed to work on his ship in peace. Grumbling like a crusty miner Gabriel worked his way to the engine room, very much wishing he had been able to keep his crew at Unity Station. Those Minmatar were the best crew he had ever worked with, but being stuck in the middle of a war over slavery was not the place for him. So with little fanfare he left them in 9UY to be picked up by the vile Ushra'Khan and took off with his cargo alone.
When he got to the engine room the tangle of exposed wires that confronted him gave no sign of the problem. It was obvious that the PolyCarbon Engine Housing he had crammed onto his ship was causing the problem but since he never had the skills to fit them in the first place, there was no way he was qaulified to find the problem. He started poking around like any layman does when he doesn't understand the problem. Then he started kicking things, everything, out of frustration. As if by a sick twist of fate, a siren went off that shocked Gabriel and chilled him to the core. He hadn't heard that siren in months.
The Tempest had been uncloaked and was being targeted by a U'K Tarranis; had they known he was here or was it just coincidence? It really didn't matter now as Gabriel sprinted to the bridge with all the physical might a space man could muster. He jumped into his control chair, hoping beyond hope that he had kicked the right exposed wire. In a moment of lucidity he realized that the interceptor targing him was alone and that he had equiped his ship to handle the rather weak warp jamming abilities of a craft this small. If only his engines would fire up, the Tempest would be just fine. Praying, begging, he hit the warp button and...
The engines of the old Viator rattled and roared to life; Gabriel swore he felt every millisecond of use they had logged as they strggled to regain their energy. The ship lept, then bolted into warp, just in time to see several U'K pilots land close by. Gabriel could hardly breath as he careened out of warp just meteres from the gate. He hastily requested jump clearence and didn't even check his sensors for three jumps while his nerves settled. He swore this would be his last trip to null sec but deep in his heart he knew the riches were too much for him to resist.
03 March 2010
About Meatay-ness
This blog has been lacking a true "about me" for a long time now so I thought I would take advantage of the new pages feature of blogger to create one.
I have included it in the header but you can jump right to my details from here:
http://aufescapevelocity.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
I have included it in the header but you can jump right to my details from here:
http://aufescapevelocity.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
Is Cloak Radiation Bad For You???
Once the Viator was no longer needed I fired up the Nemesis for my most valuable assets, it just happened to be in 9UY4-H with plenty of reds. After an alliance FC gave me some eyes on the station (which I refuse to call Unity) I was off and running. At first I was followed by a Dramiel to my first warp spot which was about the worst thing I could hope for. Luckily I managed to evade him as I slipped into the next system with enough time to get cloaked and out of the way before he came in. After losing the Dramiel I found myself in the path of a red Stealth Bomber roam that seemed to be looking for me. I had so many chances to bomb them as they landed on the gates I was scouting that it hurt not to, but my cargo was worth more than the chance at a kill to me. In the end my trusty little Nemesis got me to a blue zone with ease and I breathed a sigh of relief. The next step was to haul the Viator back out to get some corporate assets out of harms way but this would prove comparatively easy.
01 March 2010
CrazyKinux Blog Pack Refreshed!
For anyone who loves the blog pack as much as I do, especially with Capsuleer, you'll be happy to hear that CK has released the updated list. Some cuts and a nice round of additions have left us with a new (longer) list of more active blogs which I know I will enjoy.
You can find his list here, but the "official" change will be forthcoming: http://www.crazykinux.com/2010/03/new-improved-and-expanded-eve-online.html
You can find his list here, but the "official" change will be forthcoming: http://www.crazykinux.com/2010/03/new-improved-and-expanded-eve-online.html
24 February 2010
Shady Url
I try to keep all of my posts relevant to EvE because there is already enough random content on the internet but I wanted to share something with you that my brother showed me over the weekend.
ShadyUrl is a site similar to tinyurl except that it makes your links, uh, shady.
For instance:
ShadyUrl is a site similar to tinyurl except that it makes your links, uh, shady.
For instance:
It can make for fun with those obsessive co-workers!
is now
22 February 2010
My evespace
So, it seems to be becoming a theme for eve bloggers to post some images of their 'workspaces'.
I suppose I should share my own since I happen to have a wonderful wife who allows me to have a whole section of the house for my junk.
A pair of XPS Dell's which I am addicted to. A Dell laptop I use for my work while I mine on the side (plus EvEmon :). And an IBM R31 from back in the day which is perfect for vent/teamspeak and jammin' on Zune. Oh, and my puppy; a white German sheppard named Tundra (my Christmas present).
I suppose I should share my own since I happen to have a wonderful wife who allows me to have a whole section of the house for my junk.
A pair of XPS Dell's which I am addicted to. A Dell laptop I use for my work while I mine on the side (plus EvEmon :). And an IBM R31 from back in the day which is perfect for vent/teamspeak and jammin' on Zune. Oh, and my puppy; a white German sheppard named Tundra (my Christmas present).
Tyrannis
Tyrannis has been announced and I plan to save my commenting until more details are released. Currently the details are pretty sparse, with the main point being that planets will soon play a role in industry in some way. From what I gather reading the Dev Blog the proccess will not be like moon mining. It appears that you will be able to install "stuff" on the planet that will make "stuff" for you. You will also have to maintain this "stuff" making equipment. I'm not sure if it will be tied to sov. or if it will will be a 0.0/losec only change at this point.
In a way this sounds really boring, and in a way I'm a bit excited about it. I'm not quite sure yet. I would love to be able to "claim" my own planet is some random losec hideaway, or even more so in a WH. However it remains to be seen just how this will work so I do not know if these are possibilites.
I'm sure more details and discussions are soon to come, so I will be keeping my ear to the ground until then.
In a way this sounds really boring, and in a way I'm a bit excited about it. I'm not quite sure yet. I would love to be able to "claim" my own planet is some random losec hideaway, or even more so in a WH. However it remains to be seen just how this will work so I do not know if these are possibilites.
I'm sure more details and discussions are soon to come, so I will be keeping my ear to the ground until then.
20 February 2010
A Reimagining?
This week I have had some time to play around with blogger as well as actually sit down with a little spare time. Both have been very nice. I am working on an update to the blog that I am very happy with so far.
As I have added to the blog so far it has gotten a bit ugly and I have not really taken the time to keep the 'makeup' fresh, so to speak. Stay tuned for the update this weekend and please excuse me if it looks like a junk heap while I switch over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
As I have added to the blog so far it has gotten a bit ugly and I have not really taken the time to keep the 'makeup' fresh, so to speak. Stay tuned for the update this weekend and please excuse me if it looks like a junk heap while I switch over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Aurelius Federation Launches New Website
We just rolled out our new corporate website over at Aurelius Federation. I ending up choosing to use blogger with HTML editing instead of a traditional website. The main reason for this was the price, but I also wanted to allow all of the corporate directors the option of being contributors/admins which is exceptionally easy with blogger. All I have to do is send them an email via the permissions tab and they can setup a gmail (or use their current one) to manage the site.
By working with the HTML and not using a standard theme I was able to make it look MUCH more like a true website which I am very happy with so far.
If you or your corp/alliance would like something similar I would like to practice a bit more so please contact me, I am sure I can come up with a fair isk price. If this is something that appeals to you email me at evemeatay@yahoo.com or evemail "Meatay" in game.
By working with the HTML and not using a standard theme I was able to make it look MUCH more like a true website which I am very happy with so far.
If you or your corp/alliance would like something similar I would like to practice a bit more so please contact me, I am sure I can come up with a fair isk price. If this is something that appeals to you email me at evemeatay@yahoo.com or evemail "Meatay" in game.
19 February 2010
Shaping the EvE Blog Pack
CraxyKinux is shaking things up quite a bit on the Blog Pack. He's cutting the list to a more managable number and removing some of the participants that have drifted off of the grid. He is also asking for your input in the old members to keep and the new members to add: Evolution of the Eve Blog Pack
Take some time to drop a comment on your favorite bloggers and give me a little push if you don't mind :) (j/k on that part, make up your on minds, but if you do like the blog pack please take some time to help shape it)
Take some time to drop a comment on your favorite bloggers and give me a little push if you don't mind :) (j/k on that part, make up your on minds, but if you do like the blog pack please take some time to help shape it)
18 February 2010
How Deep Are Your Safes?
If you have ever been looking to make some REALLY deep safe spots then you should head over to the Weekend Warrior to find the Goonswarm guide to making those extremely deep safes.
I think the discussion of actual mechanics found within is pretty interesting.
I think the discussion of actual mechanics found within is pretty interesting.
17 February 2010
Alliance Tourney TV
The eigth Alliance Tournament is on the way and CCP is looking for some potential experts to share their knowledge during the broadcasts.
Read about it in the dev blog and sign up if you think you have what it takes because you could also get a trip to Iceland out of it.
Read about it in the dev blog and sign up if you think you have what it takes because you could also get a trip to Iceland out of it.
11 February 2010
Is This Going to be on the Test?
CCP Tanis just posted a dev blog concerning the ever increasing efforts to combat lag in New Eden. It looks like they have quite a bit of new gear in the toolkit which I hope makes their jobs a little easier; although I can't imagine all that data is fun to look at. One of the really intersting bits is the upgraded test server complete with new and re-written debugging code which should make for improved testing all around.
I also found it very interesting that the dev team plans to share more information about the testing results.
The testing team still needs our involvement if we want to improve EvE but they will be making it a little easier on us by moving testing closer to prime time whenever possible. They are also inviting Alliances to join up together whichshould help improve the numbers. If you would like to stay up to date on planned testing the dev team has created a new in-game mailing list "Mass Testing Info", so don't forget to join up.
Dev Blog: http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=728
Also, don't forget to join "Mass Testing Info" (mailing list) and hop on the test server when you can.
Getting on the test server
Evolopedia guide to connecting to Singularity Start here, this contains everything you need to know about getting on to singularity.
Once you connect to the test server you will need to be in the test server chat channel "Singularity"
If you have trouble there are some additional rescources on the forum, start here: Singularity Post (some of this may be a bit out of date)
I also found it very interesting that the dev team plans to share more information about the testing results.
Information and transparencyWhile I will probably only glance at the reports every so often I have to say that any increase in information sharing is a welcomed improvement. One of the only major complaints I have with the CCP team is the occasional lack of information about what is going on inside their world. With that said, I still feel that CCP is probably one of the best communicators in the game industry and that they put a lot of effort into sharing information with us players. To me, more is always better.
One thing that we feel has been a shortcoming in our previous mass-testing exercises thus far is the lack of reports and information being relayed to you, the players of EVE. To remedy this, we will begin publishing the results of each test. Over time, we will add to what is being reported and, hopefully, even get a sub-site on eveonline.com to host the results from all these tests so that anyone can view results from recent tests, as well as historical results.
The testing team still needs our involvement if we want to improve EvE but they will be making it a little easier on us by moving testing closer to prime time whenever possible. They are also inviting Alliances to join up together whichshould help improve the numbers. If you would like to stay up to date on planned testing the dev team has created a new in-game mailing list "Mass Testing Info", so don't forget to join up.
Dev Blog: http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=728
Also, don't forget to join "Mass Testing Info" (mailing list) and hop on the test server when you can.
Getting on the test server
Evolopedia guide to connecting to Singularity Start here, this contains everything you need to know about getting on to singularity.
Once you connect to the test server you will need to be in the test server chat channel "Singularity"
If you have trouble there are some additional rescources on the forum, start here: Singularity Post (some of this may be a bit out of date)
05 February 2010
Getting The Beat Down
I just got caught warping late by a pretty substantial -A- and UK fleet.
http://auf.griefwatch.net/index.php?p=details&kill=1835
The lesson here? Warp out more quickly when everyone else leaves the gate. Also, avoid fleets with Ga'Len in them because the wondering druid will get you...
http://auf.griefwatch.net/index.php?p=details&kill=1835
The lesson here? Warp out more quickly when everyone else leaves the gate. Also, avoid fleets with Ga'Len in them because the wondering druid will get you...
CrazyKinux's Blog Roll
It looks like I've made it onto CrazyKinux's blog roll over at http://www.crazykinux.com/2008/04/eve-online-blogroll-lovefest.html
That's pretty exciting and I hope I can continue to keep people entertained while they're bored at work (looking at you Gat).
Head on over to CrazyKinux's blog to find tons of good content including the Blog Banter articles and the blogroll along side CK's own posts.
~Note~ I have updated the links to include the CK's Blog Roll and my own blog feed to include almost all of the content in it.
That's pretty exciting and I hope I can continue to keep people entertained while they're bored at work (looking at you Gat).
Head on over to CrazyKinux's blog to find tons of good content including the Blog Banter articles and the blogroll along side CK's own posts.
~Note~ I have updated the links to include the CK's Blog Roll and my own blog feed to include almost all of the content in it.
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
I was pointed to an interesting update on the Goon situation by a corpmate:
http://www.kugutsumen.com/content.php?39-goonswarm-breaking-news-update
It looks like either the Goons end comes via a of a taste of their own medicine, or a series of serious blunders have lead to collapse and PR damage control. Either way nothing could be a more fitting end for Goonswarm. I know they will return in a new form, just like BOB did, but not without some goon-tears along the way. With the changes in Dominion making the large power blocks so vunerable, this year promises to be full of unrest in 0.0 politics.
It is more than a little poetic that Goonfleet will end alongside Band Of Brothers. These two names have left their marks across the history of EvE and probably won't return as the powers they once were, but they have ended with Hollywood style.
http://www.kugutsumen.com/content.php?39-goonswarm-breaking-news-update
It looks like either the Goons end comes via a of a taste of their own medicine, or a series of serious blunders have lead to collapse and PR damage control. Either way nothing could be a more fitting end for Goonswarm. I know they will return in a new form, just like BOB did, but not without some goon-tears along the way. With the changes in Dominion making the large power blocks so vunerable, this year promises to be full of unrest in 0.0 politics.
It is more than a little poetic that Goonfleet will end alongside Band Of Brothers. These two names have left their marks across the history of EvE and probably won't return as the powers they once were, but they have ended with Hollywood style.
04 February 2010
Welcome to the Lag
CCP Atlas just posted an interesting DevBlog concerning the degradation in fleet fight lag following Dominion. The good news is that you aren't all crazy and the CCP team does know that Dominion has broken something in the hamster cage. The bad news, at least in my opinion, is that the primary focus seems to be on keeping the node up and running during the fight. While the Devs are working on both issues it appears they are more concerned with node stability than directly confronting lag. I believe that both are serious issues but with node stability affecting all parties eqaully and lag often giving the upper hand to the first party to land in a system I feel that it should be the primary focus. In any event; I am glad that the complete and utter pounding we took in D-GTMI gave the Devs so much data to analyze, considering that the lag so heavily affected that fight.
On a related note CCP Atlas did share some tips for operating in high-lag environments. The major point he stresses is PATIENCE which is very important when your client is responding slowly. Beyond that the guys in Fatal Ascension have been sharing their tips since the D-G fight and I thought I would post some of the tips on preemptively combatting lag that my CEO shared here:
Edit: Manasi chipped in a few good ones which I can't believe I overlooked:
On a related note CCP Atlas did share some tips for operating in high-lag environments. The major point he stresses is PATIENCE which is very important when your client is responding slowly. Beyond that the guys in Fatal Ascension have been sharing their tips since the D-G fight and I thought I would post some of the tips on preemptively combatting lag that my CEO shared here:
The Client
Can't See Can't FightIt is absolutely imperative you setup your client properly before a capital battle. You may be using a NASA supercomputer in some basement in a government complex in Florida, but that still does not mean you are going to have the bandwidth to function in a capital engagement with hundreds and hundreds of ships on the grid at one time.The Overview
- Turn off ALL effects.
- Turn down ALL graphics.
- Zoom out!
- Close unnecessary channels.
- Do NOT play in windowed mode.
Holy Brackets Batman
You can easily find yourself lagged out for thirty seconds if you so much as flip over to a new tab in your overview that has all brackets showing in space. In addition to that, without a proper overview setup, you'll play hell even finding the primary target regardless of whether it has been broadcast or not.
- Turn off ALL brackets on ALL tabs.
- ONLY reds and neutrals on your primary tab.
- Create the following overview settings:
- Planets, Stations, Sun, Control Towers, No Ships
- Only carriers
- Only dreadnoughts
- Only battleships
- Only interdictors and heavy interdictors
- Only super capitals
~Mendolus (AU-F CEO)
Edit: Manasi chipped in a few good ones which I can't believe I overlooked:
1) remove the timer animations from the HUDAside from turning off auto repeat the next most important thing to remember is to ungroup those guns.
2) ungroup your guns
03 February 2010
Where are all the Goons?
In the news this morning we have a bit of a breaking story. It seems that Goonswarm has broken up in the dark hours of the night. Of course we will all have to stay tuned to see as the true details of this come out.
I am going to be watching the political fallout of this because it is going to be very interesting. With the null sec regions of New Eden already burning fallowing the sovereignty changes in Dominion, this only adds fuel to the fire. Will the former Band Of Brothers return to prominence in the region, or will some other power be able to beat them back? I suppose we will all have to stay tuned.
http://www.eveonline.com/news.asp?a=single&nid=3683&tid=7
I am going to be watching the political fallout of this because it is going to be very interesting. With the null sec regions of New Eden already burning fallowing the sovereignty changes in Dominion, this only adds fuel to the fire. Will the former Band Of Brothers return to prominence in the region, or will some other power be able to beat them back? I suppose we will all have to stay tuned.
http://www.eveonline.com/news.asp?a=single&nid=3683&tid=7
29 January 2010
The Fight for D-GTMI
For once circumstances lined up properly and I was able to participate in the CTA to protect D-GTMI yesterday. Sadly it did not go as well as I had hoped; in the end we were not able to hold the system as we battled a superior force and incredible lag.
As our forces gathered in the staging area spirits were generally high throughout the fleet. We had large numbers and I found myself in a battlecruiser sub-fleet of more than 200 pilots. I had hoped to get a battleship to the fight but timing was just not on my side with that. After staging was prolonged by a server reboot we were able to titan-bridge into D-GTMI and I loaded the POS grid surprisingly quickly. In forming up for battle I felt as if, by some miracle, the node would be able to do this; boy was I wrong.
As the battle began I got word from a corp-mate flying in the capital fleet that they were under attack. It seems that the newer capital pilots were struggling to properly fly their ships and losses began to mount unnecessarily. As the lag hit many in the capital fleet were disconnected; unable to login again most of them only learned about the fate of their ships through the killboards.
We got the order to warp to the FSW gate and take out the anchored warp disruption bubbles before turning to the SBU. As we arrived some pilots began to load the grid but during the whole fight I was never able to fully load all of the enemy pilots. After removing some pilots from the field we focused on the warp disruption generators and took them out. With our dreadnaughts still on the field we turned to the SBU but at this point the lag was truly becoming a problem. Personally I was able to get off a grand total of 3 more shots over the next half hour, even with my settings designed strictly for lag reduction. Despite the complete inability to actually fire at the SBU we continued our effort to destroy it untill Atlas reinforcements arrived and our own dreadnoughts were removed. I finally loaded the enemy dreadnoughts as they were already warping away from the battle, then we got the heads up that 100-150 sniping battleships were jumping in. As we began to load those battleships our fleet was ordered to retreat as the fight was largely lost by now.
Our force was outnumbered and in some cases outflown. In combination with the horrible lag we experienced there was little to be done but fight to the bitter end. The combined enemy fleet did an excellent job in this engagement and won the day. I did see Wensley of Rifter Drifter fame fighting in red fleet so I look forward to his report.
As we received the after action update from command the station fell and I commited ritual suicide in my despair (actually just to get home but that sounds much more grand).
I would like to note that our fleet commander (CVA Battlecruiser Fleet) did an exceptional job of managing a group that included many pilots participating in their first true fleet action. I would like to commend his patience and leadership.
As our forces gathered in the staging area spirits were generally high throughout the fleet. We had large numbers and I found myself in a battlecruiser sub-fleet of more than 200 pilots. I had hoped to get a battleship to the fight but timing was just not on my side with that. After staging was prolonged by a server reboot we were able to titan-bridge into D-GTMI and I loaded the POS grid surprisingly quickly. In forming up for battle I felt as if, by some miracle, the node would be able to do this; boy was I wrong.
As the battle began I got word from a corp-mate flying in the capital fleet that they were under attack. It seems that the newer capital pilots were struggling to properly fly their ships and losses began to mount unnecessarily. As the lag hit many in the capital fleet were disconnected; unable to login again most of them only learned about the fate of their ships through the killboards.
We got the order to warp to the FSW gate and take out the anchored warp disruption bubbles before turning to the SBU. As we arrived some pilots began to load the grid but during the whole fight I was never able to fully load all of the enemy pilots. After removing some pilots from the field we focused on the warp disruption generators and took them out. With our dreadnaughts still on the field we turned to the SBU but at this point the lag was truly becoming a problem. Personally I was able to get off a grand total of 3 more shots over the next half hour, even with my settings designed strictly for lag reduction. Despite the complete inability to actually fire at the SBU we continued our effort to destroy it untill Atlas reinforcements arrived and our own dreadnoughts were removed. I finally loaded the enemy dreadnoughts as they were already warping away from the battle, then we got the heads up that 100-150 sniping battleships were jumping in. As we began to load those battleships our fleet was ordered to retreat as the fight was largely lost by now.
Our force was outnumbered and in some cases outflown. In combination with the horrible lag we experienced there was little to be done but fight to the bitter end. The combined enemy fleet did an excellent job in this engagement and won the day. I did see Wensley of Rifter Drifter fame fighting in red fleet so I look forward to his report.
As we received the after action update from command the station fell and I commited ritual suicide in my despair (actually just to get home but that sounds much more grand).
I would like to note that our fleet commander (CVA Battlecruiser Fleet) did an exceptional job of managing a group that included many pilots participating in their first true fleet action. I would like to commend his patience and leadership.