EVE A to Z

Kepler Finds a Planet Boiling Away Under the Heat of Its Star

2012-02-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

Check out this mind-blowing article about one of the newest finds of the Kepler orbiting observatory. This exoplanet is orbiting so close to its parent star, that it's literally being vaporized. Astronomers estimate the planet is losing 100,000 tons per second! Even at that rate, it will take the planet hundreds of millions of years to evaporate.

RIFT vs Star Wars the Old Republic

2012-01-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here is an excellent blog post I found comparing Star Wars the Old Republic to RIFT. You'll find it an interesting read.

Carnival of the Ascended

2012-01-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

RIFT 1.7 is coming soon! This patch, called Carnival of the Ascended, has many new goodies for players. A few highlights include:

Merger of tier 1 and tier 2 dungeons
Improvement to level 48+ gear
New Master Mode Dungeon: Caduceus Rise
Ascended marriage complete with ceremony and instance
PvP streamlining
New 2-player chronicle

Come see why RIFT is THE pinnacle EQ-type fantasy MMO-RPG. You can try the game here. Rift is quickly approaching its one year anniversary. No other game has such an aggressive update schedule. There's always something more to do.

See you out there.

See What an Alien Sunset Looks Like

2012-01-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

This is what a sunset likely looks like from the planet nicknamed "Osiris". If you've ever wondered how astronomers can know so much about planets and stars that are so very far away, this article will give you a general idea.

Cast Your Vote in the 2011 Players' Choice Awards

2012-01-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

Go here to vote for your favorite MMO-RPG. I'm curious to see how this comes out.

Game on!

A New Discovery Could Double the Efficiency of Solar Cells

2012-01-09T13:02:00.000-08:00

In this day and age, nothing should be wasted, especially not electrons! New research shows we may be able to more than double the efficiency of solar cells.

Computer Program That Draws Realistic Exoplanets

2012-01-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

SER (Scientific Exoplanet Renderer) is an amazing program. It uses observational data of exoplanets to create an approximate likeness. You can learn more about it here. Here are some images created with SER.

Four Hemophiliac Patients Successfully Treated with Gene Therapy

2012-01-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm extremely fascinated by viruses. This article explains how an engineered virus has been used to treat hemophilia.

Protein Discovered That Helps Bacteria Communicate

2011-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

This article discusses a study that has found a protein that's involved in communication between bacteria that infect rice. Not only does this protein signal the bacteria to form into a biofilm and activate hundreds of genes which changes them from "benign" to "fierce invaders," but the immune systems of some rice are able to detect the protein as an antigen. Not only will this information help to protect rice, but it can be used to help protect us as well.

Peach Fuzz Protects Your Body From Parasites

2011-12-26T12:08:00.000-08:00

Although humans are often known as the "naked apes," we're not really naked. Our bodies are covered with a layer of very fine, colorless hair, called vellus hair. A recent study shows that this "peach fuzz" may help protect us against parasites. Not only does the hair increase the time it takes a parasite like a bed bug to find a good spot to bite you, but the hairs also help you feel the parasite on your skin.

Happy Newton Day!

2011-12-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

I could write an extensive post explaining why I would very much like to live somewhere that had never heard of Christmas. Suffice it to say that, as someone who's a "recovering Christian," and as someone who's sickened by the blatant materialism of Christmas that so many seem to be blind to, simply ignoring it doesn't seem to be quite enough. So, for those of you who have similar feelings, I offer an alternative: Newton Day.

I got this idea from the writer of a blog I follow, Off the Hook Astronomy. She made a post about this last year at this time, and I thought it was brilliant. I found her term of "Newtonmas" a bit cumbersome, and it reminds one of "Christmas". So I decided to go with "Newton Day." I think she explained the concept very well, so I'll quote her here:

I ... subscribe to a much more scientific belief system .... Therefore, this year I've decided to celebrate Newtonmas. Isaac Newton, considered by many to be the father of modern Physics, was born on Christmas day in 1642. There was some confusing stuff going on with dates back then, and so according to our modern calendar, his birthday is on January 4th, but since the calendar back then said it was December 25th, I think I'll stick with that one for the sake of the holiday.

Newton is most famous for discovering the Law of Gravitation by showing that the same force which causes objects to fall towards the ground also governs the motion of the planets around the sun. However, he is also credited with inventing calculus (though Leibniz also gets credit for that), building the first reflecting telescope, discovering that light is made up of many different colors, and much more. He was also very religious and a practitioner of alchemy. He might also have been a bit of a jerk.

Anyway, to properly celebrate Newtonmas, I will be doing the following:
Eating an apple
Singing some Newtonmas carols
Shining light through a prism to watch it split into a rainbow
Doing some calculus problems
Dropping stuff on the ground

In addition to these fun activities, I also recommend learning something new (and scientific) today. We're very fortunate to live in a time where we can find real answers to our questions. We don't have to rely on superstition. I'm very thankful for that!

Happy Newton Day!

Why Almost All Multicellular Organisms Begin Life as a Single Cell

2011-12-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

New research sheds light on how multicellular organisms evolved. Check out this fascinating article.

Scientists Track the Evolution of an Epidemic to Show How Bacteria Adapt

2011-12-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

This article explains a study where scientists sequenced the genomes samples of bacteria from the epidemic. The samples came from various patients throughout the course of the epidemic, including "Patient zero". This study shows just one way that modern genetic technology and evolutionary theory are being used to understand disease-causing agents and design better treatments.

Biofuel Research Boosted by Revelations on How Blue-Green Algae Make Energy

2011-12-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

This story is close to my heart as biofuel research is the area of microbiology I'm going to be working in. This area of study has been growing by leaps and bounds. Bacteria have been found that can produce ethanol (which can be used as auto fuel), jet fuel, gasoline, electricity, and even a biodegradable non-petroleum-based plastic. These microscopic organisms may very well be the "green" alternative to fossil-fuel-based energy we've been looking for.

This article describes how the "missing" link in the Krebs cycle (or TCA cycle--tricarboxylic acid) of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) has been discovered.

The Scientific Mindset

2011-12-12T11:53:00.000-08:00

Not only is the scientific mindset absolutely essential for performing good science, but it's also advantageous to cultivate this way of approaching the world in day-to-day life.

Curiosity

Curiosity is the heart and soul of science. Scientists never lose that childhood infatuation with the question "Why?". This single question has guided many of our discoveries and has led to much of our understanding of the world around us.

A scientist approaches the universe with an insatiable curiosity. We look for patterns in the world around us. We ask questions of "why" and "how" and "what if" about everything we see. It's not enough to know something is; we want to know why it is, how it became that way, and whether it will ever change.

An Open Mind

A good scientist always keeps an open mind. When beginning to attempt to answer the many questions her curiosity brings to light, she considers ALL possibilities. She relies upon the scientific method to separate the true from the ridiculous. In the beginning, all possibilities are valid.

Despite what many among the ignorant think, science is NOT about having a "pet theory" and designing experiments to "prove" that theory. That's called "pseudo-science". A good example of pseudo-science is the load of horseshit called "Intelligent Design". (Don't take my word for it, the teaching of intelligent design was ruled unconstitutional in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case. Learn more in this excellent NOVA program.)

Rather, a scientist seeks to DISprove a hypothesis through experiment. Experiments can only disprove a theory, nothing is truly ever proven in science, because there's always the possibility of new data and understanding modifying a hypothesis. This happens all the time in science as our understanding grows. For instance, it was once believed that nothing could escape a black hole, but now it's believed that black holes actually emit what's called "Hawking radiation".

Many scientific theories that are now accepted and widely used in technology were originally discounted by many as "crazy". For instance, Einstein's idea in special relativity that time doesn't flow at the same rate at all places in the universe--that the flow of time is affected by gravity and velocity. We now know this to be true, even though people once thought it was crazy (because it defied "common sense", or as I like to call it, "common nonsense"). In fact, GPS works based on this principle. It's because of the variable rate of time that the GPS in your car or phone can tell you exactly where you are.

Skepticism

A scientist's open-mind must be tempered by a very healthy dose of skepticism. While in the beginning of the experiment all possibilities must be considered, eventually we must start weeding out the erroneous ideas in our quest for truth. A maxim in science is "correlation is not causation". Scientists must always scrutinize their results and conclusions. They always search for hidden variables--things that may be producing the observed effect that are outside what they've considered.

Most of us know people who believe everything they've heard or read, no matter the source. A good scientist always checks for the sources of information. Every piece of data must be scrutinized. Unfortunately, as humans we love "proving ourselves right". Skepticism combats this tendency, which can often blind us to evidence that we're not right.

All scientific findings are open to peer-review. This is another hallmark of science that many among the ignorant don't understand. Every published paper is open to debate and debunking. A proper scientific paper gives the reader all the information they need to carry out the experiments themselves, and many do. Many of the lovers of conspiracy claim that science is "bought". While it's true that any given scientist's ethics may be compromised by large sums of money (we're only human, after all), the peer review process will weed these out pretty quickly. Scientists are harsh critics, and someone exposed in such a way can kiss his career in science goodbye.

Humility

Finally, a good scientist is humble. In the search for truth, one must be able to admit when one is wrong. One must be willing to throw out a hypothesis that doesn't hold up to testing. It may seem counter-intuitive, but most scientists are actually happy when an experiment proves a hypothesis wrong. The reason is that this is the way the secrets of the universe are teased out. A hypothesis can never be proven with 100% certainty. Theories in science are those hypotheses that have been supported by countless experiments over years and years of study, but even these theories could be disproven with more sophisticated knowledge in the future (or at least amended, which happens all the time). However, a hypothesis CAN be proven with certainty.

Before science, people answered their questions with superstition. People lived in fear of the unknown, the unknowable. To combat that fear of what hid in the dark, man invented myth, superstition and religion. Today, we have a better way of figuring out the universe. It's true that some people still choose to live in ignorance. But they have the CHOICE, and choice is a beautiful thing.

NASA to Develop Dust-Grabbing Tractor Beams for Future Missions

2011-12-09T13:17:00.001-08:00

Future NASA missions may incorporate tractor beams! Check it out here. You can learn more about the three methods they'll employ here.

EVE Online: Crucible Trailer

2011-12-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

Why People Love Shitty MMO's

2011-12-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why horrible, dated games like WoW have so many sycophantic fans? It's called "cognitive dissonance" my friends. It's something you owe to yourself to learn about, because MMO producers along with many other businesses are using it to keep you paying.

Here's a great article on it. Read the article, and maybe you can avoid being manipulated a bit. Unfortunately, cognitive dissonance is part of human nature, so even being aware of it won't protect you 100% of the time. But I'll take knowledge over ignorance any day of the week.

Review of Star Wars: the Old Republic

2011-11-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

I got into the stress-test beta this past weekend, and I was really excited. I've been waiting to play this game since I first heard about it a year ago. I played Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic, and I enjoyed that game for what it was. Besides, I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and was really looking forward to a Star Wars MMO. I never played Galaxies. By the time I would have had a chance to try that game, word on the street was it was a stinking pile of poo, so I didn't bother.

I had some free time from school this past weekend, so I was able to devote a lot (i.e. way too much) time to SWTOR.

First, let me say I've never been so primed to LOVE a game. I was a little worried about my objectivity going in, figuring all Bioware had to do was phone it in, and I'd be hooked.

Second, let me say that my reaction to the game, in a word, is underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong, there were some good things about the game. The voice acting was a nice touch and is DEFINITELY a huge improvement over giving me paragraphs of quest text to read. I never read the damned quests in WoW. The quests in RIFT are interesting enough that I usually read them, but come on. When I want to read, I'll read a book, not play a video game. For everything there is a time and a place, you know?

I hate to say it, but overall, I'm very disappointed with this game. Maybe I was expecting too much. Bioware had me convinced that they were going to do something "different" with this game. I really thought it was going to be something more than a WoW clone with a Star Wars skin on it (and voice acting). Okay, let me back up a minute. That wasn't fair. A more fair way to say it is SWTOR is really KOTOR III, with just enough of an MMO "skin" on it that Bioware feels justified charging you $15 a month to play it. Seriously, it looks and feels and plays exactly like Knights of the Old Republic.

Sure, the game has all the things that every OTHER Star Wars game has had since the good old X-Wing PC game back in the 90's: blaster sounds, light saber sounds, yadda yadda yadda. But after all the Star Wars games that have hit the market, it takes a bit more than that to impress me.

For one thing, the entire game is on rails, not just the space combat. You're very limited as to where you can go in the world. Just because you can see something doesn't mean you can go there. You can't climb over rocks, hell you can't jump over or on top of rocks that don't even come up to your character's chest. Now a trooper in heavy armor, you might be able to convince me, but a Jedi? Come on! He's gettin' over those rocks!

I also found their "instances" annoying. There will be places in the world you just can't go because you're not the right class. They don't even try to make it seamless so it doesn't jar you out of the world. Stay away from the red light!

Not only does the world limit you as to where you can go (follow the dotted line sir!), but the story line does too. This story line put the LINE in linear man! It wasn't until I'd played 10 levels that I got to a point in the story where I had any kind of a choice of where to go next. To me it seems to be betraying the very spirit of an MMORPG game to lead you by the nose like that. Even in WoW you had your noobie zones, but you could leave them if you wanted to. Not in SWTOR. If you ever wanna get off your starter planet, you have to go through all the quests first.

I also found the race selections to be lacking. The Star Wars universe is HUGE, and while I understand they can't reasonably offer all the races to play, I think they could have done better than 5 or so (and "cyborg" humans--aka humans with a few implants--don't count as a separate race in my book).

I also don't like the clunky class system. It just doesn't work for Star Wars. Being a WoW clone works for RIFT because they took everything that sucks in WoW and made it awesome. Bioware just copied from WoW and called it golden. The game would have been much better if it were more skill based, even more so that KOTOR was. Jedi (or sith) should not be limited to the type of lightsaber they used based on CLASS. Come on!

I also call fail on Bioware sticking with the tired old tank/heal/dps paradigm. I seem to remember them promising in their early promotional videos that they were going to break out of that box.... That whole paradigm is stupid to begin with. You might be able to convince me (if I happen to be REALLY drunk) that a dumb animal can be enraged enough to attack only the most armored person in the group attacking it, but a sentient person? Come on! It was fine when EQ did it, because they were the first, and we had to start somewhere, but I think we can make our games a LITTLE smarter now.

I'm really disappointed with this game. Move along, nothing to see here. Nothing new anyway. If the game cost a one-time fee of $60 to play, it MIGHT be worth it. If it only cost $15 a month to play, it MIGHT be worth it for a month or two. But shell out $60 and then pay $15 a month? No way, not for the, at most, one or two months of play I might actually get out of it.

If you didn't get into the beta, and you're considering this game, do yourself a favor. Don't listen to all the hype. Wait till you can try it for free, or find a buddy who has it and try it for yourself before you spend your hard-earned cash on it.

Maybe I'll try it again after a few expansions, but for now, I'm giving it a pass.

Save the World! Boycott Antibiotic Soaps

2011-11-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

I try not to use this blog as a soap box, but this issue is too important to ignore. I'm currently studying microbiology, and I want to take a moment to educate you about a real problem you may not be aware of or may not understand fully. Consider this a Public Service Announcement.

More and more we're encountering antibiotic-resistant bacteria (e.g. MRSA and VRE).

There are a lot of problems in the world today, and it can often seem that there is little that you, the conscientious individual, can do about it. Well, this is an issue that you CAN do something about. STOP USING ANTIBIOTIC SOAPS! Seriously, we should all be boycotting soaps and cleaners that contain antibiotics. If a soap or cleaner claims on the label "Kills 99.9% of bacteria" or something similar, don't buy it. I'll tell you why.

For one, it's a marketing scam. The truth is, soaps kill bacteria just fine by themselves! The detergent action of soaps break down bacterial cell membranes, killing them. This means, if you wash your hands properly, then the bacteria will be killed. There's no need to use antibiotics.

But, you may ask, what's wrong with having a little extra protection? Maybe I can't be bothered to spend 30 seconds scrubbing like I'm supposed to, or maybe I just want a little extra insurance. Antibiotics are a case where "too much of a good thing" is bad. I'll explain why.

Bacteria reproduce really quickly. To give you an idea, E. coli divide once every 20 minutes. As you may remember from your basic genetics, every time a cell divides, there's a chance for random genetic mutation. Since bacteria divide so quickly, these mutations actually crop up pretty often. Besides that, bacteria have mechanisms that cause them to mutate more often because it's advantageous for them to do so.

Consider a population of bacteria. They're all reproducing like mad, because that's what bacteria do. Every so often, there's a random mutation. Again, these mutations are random, so most of them are either harmful or have no discernible effect. However, due to the very large numbers of bacteria, divisions, and mutations, there are some that will have a beneficial mutation, for example a resistance to an antibiotic.

Now, you expose that population of bacteria to an antibiotic. Most of the bacteria are killed by it, but there are a few that have a mutation that makes them resistant. They aren't harmed by the antibiotic, so they keep growing and dividing. Before long you have a population of bacteria that are ALL resistant to the antibiotic, because each parent cell passes its genes (including the beneficial mutation) to all its daughter cells. Any cells that mutate to the wild form without the antibiotic resistance (called back mutation) will be killed by the antibiotic.

So, when you expose bacteria to antibiotics that aren't needed, you're doing a disservice to not only yourself, but everyone else. The more bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, the more antibiotic-resistant bacteria we'll have.

Every dollar you spend is a vote, my friends. Right now the companies who make these antibacterial products are capitalizing on your ignorance. What they're doing is at best misguided, at worst unethical. Let's save the antibiotics for people who are sick, who really need them. If we continue this madness, before too long most bacteria will be antibiotic-resistant.

People love to blame doctors for this, saying they're too quick to prescribe antibiotics. There is some truth to that. But each and every one of us can do something about this problem: boycott antibiotic soaps. They're unnecessary and ultimately harmful.

Try Ember Isle for FREE and Other Gaming Stuff

2011-11-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

Trion is doing it again! You can buy RIFT for $0 all weekend, starting today. If you're already playing, look forward to a 30% bonus to xp, dungeon plaques, favor, prestige, and all that good stuff all weekend. I can't count how many times in the eight or so months of the game Trion has offered it for free or something ridiculous like $5. There have also been many times they've given xp bonuses and such just to say "thank you" to their subscribers.

Ember Isle is AMAZING. I've seen expansions for other games that you have to pay over $50 for that aren't this good. The new zone is beautiful, and huge. The quests are fun, and they're a challenge even for someone with tier 1 and tier 2 dungeon gear.

Trion has really raised the bar for subscription MMO's. I honestly can't believe people still play WoW. Hopefully the days of paying exorbitant amounts for expansions on top of your monthly subscription are over. I never bought Cataclysm because I was sick of Blizzard's money-grubbing, and I haven't regretted that decision once, especially considering that RIFT is hand-over-fist better in every conceivable way.

I've been hearing and seeing great things about Skyrim. The game looks completely amazing. The art is gorgeous. Everyone is raving about the freedom you have in the game. I can't wait to try it. I'm going to have to break down and get it soon. Maybe when I'm off between quarters.

I also got into beta testing for Star Wars the Old Republic. Took quite a while to get the 20+ gig beast downloaded, but I'm looking forward to checking it out. To be honest, my enthusiasm for the game has waned simply because I'm enjoying RIFT so much, and I'm really looking forward to playing Skyrim. Well, SWTOR isn't going anywhere, so I don't really care if I don't play it right off the bat.

I've received some comments about not talking about EVE much lately. I assure you, I will post something about EVE as soon as something in that game motivates me to do so. I've only logged in a few times in the past few months, just every now and then to re-up my skill queue.

Yes, the upcoming winter expansion SOUNDS nice, but after over a year with EVE, I'll believe it when I see it. I can't find too much enthusiasm for one new ship for each race, the only new ships to be added to EVE in my time playing other than the Noctis. I also can't generate any enthusiasm or desire to play a game that, frankly, is boring as hell. My time is too precious. I don't have a lot of time for gaming, and the time I do have I want to spend, you know, having fun. Not sitting around waiting for that 2 minutes of fun every couple hours.

The winter expansion sounds nice, yes, but let's face it: it's a list of fixes that should've been fixed a long time ago. Still not much PVE content to speak of. Still not much "action" for someone who wants to log in for 30 minutes or an hour and have some fun. EVE is the only game I've ever played where so many players spend much of their time "in game" tabbed out doing something else while they're "playing" (i.e. afk mining, afk missioning, hell for all I know, people do afk pvp). I also can't help wondering if CCP will bother fixing any of the numerous bugs that have existed in the game since I've been playing it. I've never played a game that annoys me so much with constant bugs that never get fixed.

All that said, it still strikes me how beautiful a game EVE is. I still use my EVE screenshots as my screensaver. My sci-fi heart leaps at the ideas of what the game COULD be. I sincerely hope that one day the game lives up to its potential and becomes more fun to play. If or when it does, I'll be there.

Going to the Next Level

2011-11-07T16:07:00.000-08:00

Patch 1.6 in RIFT looks totally kick ass! Check out this video to see some highlights, including the new mobile phone app, new zone and dungeon. After only 8 months, RIFT is doing more than most games do in a year, and Trion's just going to keep it coming! Way to go guys!

Fly smart.

Check Out Divine The Series

2011-11-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of the show Supernatural. One of my favorite characters on the show is Castiel, an angel played by Misha Collins.

Divine the Series is a web-based show. The trailer is below. You can watch the rest of the episodes here. This is really cool stuff.

From the website:

“Divine: The Series” is storytelling for the smartphone generation. It’s got the DNA of graphic novels, action-adventure filmmaking, dark supernatural intrigue and cutting edge special effects all combined to create something new and exciting for the web. We want to push the frontiers of online entertainment and tell stories that you can watch in bite-sized chunks, and that you can watch in any order that you like, but at the same time when you watch more episodes, the answers to mysteries about the characters and their world will be unlocked.

Fly smart.

Are You This Happy Playing EVE?

2011-10-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

Are you as happy as this drummer when you play EVE?

BEWARE! The following clip may lead to you peeing your pants.

Wait for it!

Happy Halloween New Eden!

Flay smart!

The Complete Unknown WH Guide Revised

2011-10-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

Check out the new and improved version here. This is a great resource for all you wormholers out there. Or, if you're just curious about life in wormhole space, check it out.

Now, back to the books! :)

Fly smart.

Preview of Remaining Captain's Quarters

2011-10-02T13:30:00.000-07:00

CCP has announced the arrival of the remaining three races' captain's quarters sometime in October. You can view the blog post by CCP here.

I have to say, even though I play Amarr, my favorite quarters, by far, are the Gallente. Hopefully the quarters you see are based on who constructed the space station you're in and not upon what race your character is. If that's the case, I'll be spending my time in Gallente-built stations. I really like the look of the Caldari quarters too. Unfortunately, I think the Amarr quarters look too much like the Minmatar quarters.

Also, they're finally going to fix it so when you log into the station, you're facing your ship instead of a hallway. Thank you! I've been wanting that from the beginning of Incarna.

There are a few more pictures on the blog as well as a short video.

Heavenly Hummus

2011-09-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

I love my hummus! I learned in my scientific nutrition class that it's a complete protein (meaning it contains all the amino acids the body needs to synthesize all the needed proteins). It has no animal sources of saturated fat (no animal products at all), so there's no reason not to eat all you want! Except one--the price. After spending $5 apiece for small tubs of it in the grocery store, I decided to make my own. What do you know, it's really easy, and cheap, to make. Not to mention it tastes way better than any hummus I've had from the store or even in restaurants.

Total prep time is ~10 mins or less.

1 16 oz can chick peas (garbanzo beans) - drain and rinse

1/4 cup liquid from the can of beans

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini (this is made from sesame seeds, similar in consistency to organic peanut butter)

2 cloves garlic (sliced)

1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Throw ingredients in food processor and mix for 3-5 minutes on low speed until it's at the desired consistency. It tastes best if you let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours (to allow the flavors to mingle), and then take it out and allow it to come to room temperature before eating.

This is for the basic recipe (which is delicious), but there are countless variations. One I tried and liked was using 4 cloves of garlic and sauteing the garlic in EVOO before putting in the food processor.

Top with paprika and drizzle with EVOO

Tastes great with warm pita, on whole grain crackers, or on fresh carrots or celery.

I'm gonna go make some right now!

Star Wars: The Old Republic Release Date Announced

2011-09-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

Set your calendars for December 20th folks! The long-awaited release date for the new Star Wars MMO by Bioware has been announced. You can get the full scoop here. I've heard from people playing the beta that this game is phenomenal. I can't wait to try it out myself. If I weren't so busy with school right now, I'd pre-order it just so I could start playing early.

Fly smart.

What You're Missing in RIFT

2011-09-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

Trion is a company that understands customer appreciation. Not only do they make the best fantasy MMO I've every played, but they give you all kinds of perks just to play their game. The world events are a lot of fun, and you get useful rewards for participating. Not to mention the fact that you can get purple items by doing things like finding cairns. Many of the achievements have real awards too.

Here're the latest perks you get just for playing the game.

Very, very cool stuff.

If you'd like to try RIFT for free, you can do so by going here.

Fly smart.

Blog Banter 28 Summary and Wrap Up

2011-09-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Seismic Stan has really taken the EVE Blog Banter to the next level. Please go to his blog and check out his very well-written summary of this last banter. I don't envy him the task of writing the thing up, but it was a great read and very well annotated.

Fly smart.

Mistborn Movie Trailer

2011-09-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, there's not really a Mistborn movie coming out (at least, not yet). However, this is just awesome. Here's an intro from Brandon's blog:

A reader of mine, Laura (rasinrice), wrote in to let me know she created a fan trailer envisioning what she thinks a Mistborn movie would look like, using clips from other trailers and movies. I think the overall effect is pretty awesome, and the opening quote is exactly right for a Mistborn trailer in my mind. Check it out.

Fly smart.

Review: A Deepness in the Sky

2011-09-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

In an earlier blog post, I put out the call to my readers to suggest some good science fiction to check out. I got a lot of great suggestions, and I've started going through the list. The first book I read was A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge.

This was a really fun book to read, and more importantly, it opened my mind to quite a few new ideas and possibilities. This story is, for the most part, a very realistic view of humanity thousands of years in the future. I like that Vinge didn't shy away from the problems of time dilation when traveling at high velocities. Rather, it was a central element to the setting and plot. In Vinge's book, humans travel aboard ramjet fusion (I believe) starships that can top out at 0.3 c. Of course, this means that time flows much more slowly for the people on the ship than for those who are at rest. Instead of ignoring this, Vinge uses it in very creative ways. The crew are kept in cold storage during the long journeys (decades, centuries, or even millenia), with a few being up and active at all times in a system of rotating shifts.

Vinge also doesn't ignore the limitations of communications that are bound by the speed of light. You'll see no "galactic empires" in this book, but you will see one man's dream of one and why it can't work.

Vinge's aliens were fairly believable. Unfortunately, he followed the trope of basing the aliens on an earth life-form (in this case spiders). Must we all do this? However, beyond that, the aliens were well-developed. They have a very interesting visual system. Although I feel the aliens were humanized a bit too much, which is a real problem in science fiction, there is at least a tenuous explanation for this in the story--the human translators.

The plot is interesting and engaging, with some surprising twists here and there. It takes a while for the story to get going, but the writing is clean enough you don't get bored. My one complaint is the character I found the most annoying in the book became one of the "heroes". This bothered me because during the whole book she was the quintessential tool, but yet somehow still "saves the day" and earns the respect of her peers. Oh well.

Unfortunately, this book is sadly lacking in any kind of descriptions whatsoever. You seldom if ever get any descriptions of the characters, ships, technology, etc. As a writer, I understand that too much description bogs down the pacing, but no description at all is laziness in my mind. It makes me wonder if the author even knows what things look like himself. I've begun reading A Fire in the Deep, which is set in the same universe. Only there did I learn that one of the main characters in the other book has red hair. Ultimately, I was able to get past the lack of description, but it does keep me from recommending this author as highly as I would otherwise. Personally, I think he could have taken out some of the irrelevant math he has in the book and replace it with good descriptions without changing his word count or pacing at all. For instance, he'll give the dimensions in centimeters of some piece of furniture or hardware, and yet not tell you what the ships look like. That said, though, you'll love this book as long as you have a really good imagination and don't mind having to fill in a LOT of gaps in the information you're given.

The book has decent pacing, although it does get kind of slow from time to time. I think it would have been better without the alien PoV's, which contributed to making them seem far too human.

Thanks again to all of you who recommended good sci fi for me. I really appreciate it. If you have anything else you'd like to recommend, feel free to do so in the comments.

Fly smart.

Infinity Pre-Alpha Tech Demo April 2010 - Part 2

2011-09-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Infinity Pre-Alpha Tech Demo April 2010 - Part 1

2011-09-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the anonymous reader who clued me in to this project. It looks extremely cool!. The scientist in me is tickled pink about the much increased realism of space flight and maneuvering, physics, and astronomical scale in this game.

Fly smart.

Blog Banter Resurrection: the Future of EVE

2011-09-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus, it looks like the Blog Banter is back. The Banter is now being run by Seismic Stan over at Freebooted. Here is this month's topic:

In recent months, the relationship between CCP and it's customers has been the subject of some controversy. The player-elected Council of Stellar Management has played a key role in these events, but not for the first time they are finding CCP difficult to deal with. What effect will CCP's recent strategies have on the future of EVE Online and it's player-base? What part can and should the CSM play in shaping that future? How best can EVE Online's continued health and growth be assured?

This topic comes at an interesting time, as I've been recently thinking about the future of EVE, and I have to tell you, my opinions have changed a bit. I know I promised to be a positive voice in a sea of negativity, but I also have to face reality.

I think there are serious problems in the EVE community and game right now. To be honest, I haven't been playing a whole lot of EVE lately. Summer has been a busy time for me with real life, and also the "Summer of Rage" left a bad taste in my mouth.

People leave MMO's every day. It's a fact of life. New players are very important to any MMO. You have to wonder, though, what is a new player's experience in EVE these days? Whatever you want to say about CCP (and I'll even agree with some of it), we're all responsible for our own actions. That means we, the players, are as accountable as anyone else. If I were a new player thinking about getting into EVE, I think I would find the negativity in the community right now a real turn-off. Hell, I've been playing the game for over a year now, and I find it a turn-off. Between all the negativity on forums and elsewhere on the net and in the Local channel in the game, who in their right mind would ever want to be part of this community? Who would want to play a game that the most dedicated of players seem to hate? Whatever CCP does or doesn't do, we the players are doing a pretty good job ourselves of killing EVE. When I got to Failheap Challenge or the EVE forums, I don't see a community I especially would want to join.

I don't really know what the future of EVE is. I used to have very rose-tinted ideas. I've discussed some of them in previous blog posts. I was very excited about the prospects of Incarna and Dust 514 and whatever else might be on the horizon in EVE. Now, that excitement has waned. It seems to me that CCP needs to learn some hard lessons about player relations for this game to grow at all beyond what it already is. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any sign that CCP has any serious interest in learning those lessons. To be honest, I think the CSM is a joke (and I always have)--it's just a bunch of smoke and mirrors to give the players the illusion they have some say in what happens with this game when they really don't.

Things have been slow in the wormhole over the summer, and I haven't had much play time anyway, so what little time I've had I've spent in High Sec. I've found myself wondering: Where the hell is the content in this game? I get that EVE is a "sandbox," and that's a great idea. I think we'll see more games like that from now on. But you've still gotta have content. The player-generated content should be augmenting content generated by CCP, not replacing. Having a sandbox game doesn't get you off the hook for putting your own evolving stories in the game.

However, the PVE in EVE is a joke. You do the same missions over and over and over. The same EXACT missions. This kind of makes suspension of disbelief impossible. Any fiction writer can tell you that's a death sentence. If people can't suspend their disbelief, then they don't really get into your story (or game), which means they don't really give a shit. Eventually they will put that book or game down and find something more engaging, something they can really connect with. Fighting against sleepers is a little better (because they're more challenging), but not much. There's still no story advancement. It doesn't take long at all to memorize all the sleeper sites and know exactly what to expect. Part of the fun of playing an MMO is participating in a story. EVE is sadly lacking in that department.

I used to play World of Warcraft (who hasn't?). I played that game a lot, and while I enjoyed the game, there was a LOT I didn't like about it. There were a many things in WoW that were, frankly, fucking annoying. Recently, a game company called Trion came out with a new fantasy MMO. It's called RIFT. You may have heard of it. Playing RIFT, I see that all the annoying broken things in WoW have been FIXED. Even things I would have never thought to fix were fixed. What's more, Rift has an interesting storyline. Your quests actually go somewhere. There are also constantly new world events that further advance the plot. I never read the quests in WoW. I sure as hell never read the missions in EVE (at least, not after the first few once I realized they just repeat forever).

Something the Mittani said during the CSM elections has really stuck in my mind. I don't remember which interview it was, but I believe he was talking about the metagame in EVE. The part I remember is when he said that the actual game play in EVE isn't really that much fun. You're just watching three grey bars turn into three red bars. I realized when he said it that he was right. I spend more time reading blogs and forums and working on my own blog than I do playing the game. Even when I am "playing the game", as often as not I'm tabbed out and reading a web page or something. This is very common in this game. I've never played a game where so many people who are "in game" aren't actually paying attention to the game. People AFK mine and mission all the time. If I worked at CCP, this would be a HUGE red flag for me. It seems like you spend more time WAITING in this game as you do doing anything else. This is broken.

The future of EVE is ultimately up to CCP and the players. However, the current trajectory doesn't look good. Something needs to change, and it needs to change now. Star Wars the Old Republic is coming out soon. Although I don't see SWtOR taking away many EVE subscribers, I do think it will be a very successful game. If it is, it may just show people that a sci-fi(/fantasy) MMO can be a successful money maker. Once it's determined the audience is out there for such a game, it's only a matter of time before an innovative, brilliant company comes along and puts out a game that fixes all that is broken in EVE, while keeping intact all that makes it great, just as Trion did with WoW. When that game comes out, I'll be in the beta!

EVE has a lot of issues, but they're issues that can be fixed. CCP needs to take their players more seriously. They need to listen to the community and back off the throttle on Incarna "iterations". Instead, they need to fix what's already in the game. I've never played a game with so many bugs. My warp tunnels have been borked since the first Incarna expansion. Yes, I've cleared my cache. I never notice any bugs in RIFT, yet I can't play EVE for ten minutes without being annoyed by multiple bugs. The UI is a mess and out-dated. Unfortunately, there's little hope in the community that CCP will fix any of this. Even Incarna was a let down. I maybe could have gotten on board if there was anything to it, but it's really just a new station interface. That's not an expansion in my book.

There was (supposedly) a large player exodus from EVE this summer. At the time I thought it was just a bunch of over-stated emo-rage from people who should really find some more important things in their lives to get passionate about. Now I think it may also have been rats fleeing a sinking ship. Only time will tell. In the end, EVE is just one game. There will be more, and they will only improve as time goes by. Check out my first post in this blog to see just how far science fiction video games have come already. EVE has changed the game industry forever. CCP's great experiment with their sandbox game was overall a success. They've shown it can be done. Now they (or someone else) just needs to do it better. Hopefully the next sandbox spaceship game will have more content and will not rely solely on the players for that content.

I believe that sci-fi MMO's will only become more popular in the coming years. You can already see an increase in interest in this genre in the movies and on television. What EVE really needs most of all is some good old-fashioned healthy competition. That may get the folks at CCP to finally pull their heads out. I don't think we'll have to wait for long.

You can read the rest of the Blog Banter posts here.

Fly smart.

The Complete Unknown: A WH Guide

2011-08-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

My CEO, Lorkin Desal, has just released a guide to WH space in pdf. It's a great guide, especially for someone new to WH space. It also has great resources for someone interested in starting their own WH corp.

You can check it out over at Pod Goo.

Using Autopilot in Hazardous Space

2011-08-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

A very important lesson that all new pilots learn in EVE is that you don't want to auto-death through low sec. Sometimes, when I have to take a long route, I will take short cuts through low sec. It's important to know that your autopilot will not stop before entering a low sec system, even though you'll get a pop-up box before entering a low sec system when flying manually. For that reason, you have to be careful with your autopilot settings when traveling through low sec.

Here's how to still use your autopilot (a bit) without getting yourself killed:

Set your destination.
Check your autopilot settings.

Hit F10 to go into your map screen.
Select the Autopilot tab in the World Map Control Panel.
Click the radio button for "Prefer shorter - ignore security status"
Hit F10 again to close the map screen.
Also, at the bottom of the autopilot settings, in the Waypoints section, make sure that "Disable autopilot at each waypoint" is selected.

You'll want to set up your autopilot so it will stop before going into a low sec system. This way, if you're AFK, you're not cruising through low sec on autopilot. At the top left of your screen, below the current and destination system information, you'll see your route represented by a horizontal line of small colored squares. Each square represents a system on your route, and the color of the square corresponds to its secrurity status--ie light blue for 1.0, yellow for 0.5, orange for 0.4, etc. When you mouse over a box, you will see the name of the system and its security status. You want to look for orange and red systems. These are the lowsec systems.

Once you've looked through your route and found the low sec systems, you want to right click on the box BEFORE the first low sec system. Select "Add Waypoint" from the pop up menu.
Do this before each group of low sec systems your route goes through. The waypoints will add to the end of your route, but don't worry about that for now.
Once you've set waypoints before all the low sec entrance systems, right click on the original destination system. (Destinations and waypoints are signified with pluses instead of boxes.)
Select "Remove waypoint" from the pop-up menu.
Now add the destination system back in as a waypoint.

It's important that each time you add a waypoint you select "Add waypoint" from the menu and not "Set destination". "Set destination" will remove all the other waypoints, and you'll have to start over.

Once you have this set up, you'll have a waypoint before each low sec entrance as well as your final destination waypoint. Now, when you activate the autopilot, it will stop at the waypoints, before the autopilot jumps you into low sec. You can then pilot manually through low sec and re-activate your autopilot once you're back in high sec.

Fly smart.

Getting Your Industrial Into Warp More Quickly

2011-08-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

This is a great little trick for an industrial ship or any ship with an align time of more than 10 seconds. Using this method, you'll be able to get into warp in 10 seconds, even with a big fat-ass ship. It's very simple. This method works because you need two things to enter warp: you need to be aligned, and you need to be moving at at least 75% of your maximum sublight speed.

Hit your warp/align button.
Activate your MWD for one cycle (you can click the module again to turn it off as soon as it activates).
When the MWD deactivates after one cycle, you will be at greater than 75% of your maximum sublight speed, and you will enter warp immediately.

You can also make this work with a cloaking device, although it's a little trickier and may require some practice.

Hit your warp/align button.
Activate cloak.
Activate MWD for one cycle.
Deactivate cloak just before the MWD finishes its cycle.

This method cashes in on the fact that your MWD will finish it's cycle when you cloak. You can actually hit the cloak FIRST (which I think is easier). As long as you hit the MWD within a second or so after, it will work. When you drop your cloak at the end of the MWD cycle, you are at 75% max sublight velocity, and you will enter warp immediately.

This method can also work with afterburners.

Fly smart.

Trying Out an Alt

2011-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

If you're a new player in EVE, you've probably thought about trying out an alt. Everybody else is doing it, right? But maybe you don't want to shell out the cash for two accounts. I can't blame you there.

CCP kind of makes up for the annoyance of only being able to train one character on an account at a time with the Buddy Pass program. Now that you can get PLEX instead of game time with the program, it's even better.

Just in case you're a new player, or just haven't realized it yet, you can now essentially play a new character for 7 weeks before you have to decide whether or not you want to keep (and start paying for) the character. Another way to state this is that you have 7 weeks to get a new character up to speed to where they can earn enough ISK to buy a PLEX every month.

The how of this is very simple.

Send yourself a Buddy Pass from your main account.
Activate a new account using the Buddy Pass.
Enjoy the 21 days on your new account.
Send enough ISK to your new character to buy a PLEX.
Buy a PLEX and use it to activate the account.
Your main account now gets a PLEX as a reward for your "buddy" activating their account.
Sell the PLEX to get back your ISK.

Now, you may lose a little ISK on this due to auction and contract fees and fluctuations in PLEX prices, but compared to the cost of a PLEX, it's a minimal amount.

Now comes the hard part: What to do with that second character..?

Fly smart.

Guide to PvP in Wormhole Space

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the Wormhole PvP guide on the PodGoo website. If you're new to wormhole space and are interested in PvP, this guide is a good introduction to get you started.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: TEST: Newbies Welcome

2011-07-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is a great video for new players. I recommend listening to it muted. The music is generic and awful, but the video's good.

Fly smart.

WTF CSM?

2011-07-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

Okay fellow wormholers, if you haven't read Shaddai's post on the CSM minutes, you really should.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: "I Was There"

2011-07-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

New Issue of EON Featuring Lex Starwalker!

2011-07-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

Eon's new issue is coming out soon, and we have a few wormhole articles to look forward to, including one by yours truly! You can see a preview of the content in the next issue here.

If you've never read EON before, and you're interested in wormholes, this would be a great issue to check out. Not only does EON have interesting articles, but the magazine is absolutely gorgeous. It's worth flipping through it for the art alone.

Here's the EON press release:

CREW CONTROL
Ship crews have long been on the wish-list for players and developers alike, yet it has taken CCP years just to release the numbers. We look at how ideas for ship crews have been put forward, ask what the issues have been that have stopped crews being a feature of EVE's combat mechanic and ponder how, if ever, New Eden's silent NPC majority might have a say as to how battles are played out in the future.

BACK THROUGH THE WORMHOLE
We go back to the dark days of bank bail-outs to see how impending financial armageddon urged CCP to take a fearless attitude to EVE expansions. The result was fan-favourite Apocrypha, the expansion that opened EVE to wormholes, the persistent mystery and threat of the Sleepers, and the future promise of Tech-III ships.

BEYOND THE BEYOND
Continuing the wormhole theme this issue, Lex Starwalker brings us a guide to living in w-space, we have the second instalment of Pottsey's exhaustive compendium of Sleeper theories and in our regular Tesflight round-up, Kirith Kodachi gathers together some of New Eden's most successful wormholers, who reveal the ships and fittings they wouldn't leave home without.

THE WRITE STUFF
With a third EVE novel being readied for the autumn, we tackle author Tony Gonzales to talk about his career as an EVE fan and a CCP Developer. We ask how The Empyrean Age came about and how Templar One will hopefully lead us into a universe where EVE capsuleer and DUST mercenary must share the spoils of war.

PLUS
* All you need to know about the Guristas
* In Crowd with CCP Sreegs and CCP Explorer
* Profiles of Red vs Blue, Phoenix Propulsion Labs and Masuat'aa Matari
* The rise and fall of Dusk and Dawn
* How to get your mates playing and loving EVE
* CSM6 - the first weeks in office
* The 0.0 ReportŠand all the latest news and events

Fly smart.

Check Out Pod Goo's Wormhole Summit

2011-07-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

The latest episode of the Pod Goo Podcast features a Q&A with three wormhole corporation CEO's--TNT 1 of The Night Crew, Jade of Z3R0 Returns Mining and the Lost in EVE Podcast, and Hellah Laybool of my very own Lone Star Exploration.

This was an interesting episodes, with lots of great discussion, and it's all about the wormholes!

Fly smart.

You Can All Calm Down Now

2011-07-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

The results of the emergency CSM summit have been released. You can read the report here.

I've noticed that some people tend to react emotionally to individual statements in a long document and then are unable to objectively read the rest of the document, so I have decided to quote a few passages.

From the statement from Arnar Hrafn Gylfason, Senior Producer for EVE Online:

It is CCP‘s plan that the Noble Exchange (NeX store) will be used for the sale of vanity items only. There are no plans, and have been no plans, as per previous communication and CSM meetings, to introduce the sale of game breaking items or enhancements in the NeX store.

The investment of money in EVE should not give you an unfair advantage over the investment of time. The CSM, under NDA, has been presented with CCP‘s plans for continued evolution of the business model and agrees that nothing they saw breaks this principle. CCP has committed to sharing their plans with the CSM on this front on an ongoing basis.

From the statement from The Mittani, Chairman of CSM 6:

Game-affecting Virtual Goods: We are convinced that CCP has no plans to introduce any game-affecting virtual goods, only pure vanity items such as clothing and ship skins. We have been repeatedly assured that there are no plans for ‘gold ammo', ships which have different statistics from existing common hulls, or any other feared ‘game destroying' virtual goods or services. We have expressed our deep concern about potential grey areas that the introduction of virtual goods permits, and CCP has made a commitment to discuss any proposals that might fall into these grey areas in detail with CSM at the earliest possible stage.

To say I'm appalled at the reaction from many of the people in the EVE community would be an understatement. CCP has the courage, maturity, and decency to admit when they're wrong. Do you? Will we be reading any apologies to CCP for over-reacting to insufficient information on any EVE blogs? I certainly hope so.

The rational among us have been saying all along that CCP wouldn't be foolish enough to have microtransactions beyond vanity items. Turns out we were right. I hope this is a lesson to some of you not to go off half-cocked based on assumptions, preconceptions and fear.

Fly SMART people.

On the Look-Out for Some Good Sci-Fi

2011-06-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

I finished my first (completed) novel a few weeks ago, and I'm brainstorming for the next one. The last one was urban fantasy. For the second novel I'm going to get back to my roots and write a science fiction story.

In addition to brainstorming, I'm doing market research and just getting a feel for what's out there. I'm trying to expose myself to as much good science fiction as possible.

If any of you have some good sci fi you'd be willing to recommend to me, please do so by leaving a comment. I'm looking for books, movies, television shows, etc. Please tell me why you like what you're recommending. Good story? Great characters? Cool ideas? Also, please tell me what sub-genre it is (if you know). Ie, space opera, hard sci-fi, military sci-fi, dystopian sci-fi, mundane sci-fi, etc.

I'm looking for not only books that are well-written, but also cool ideas--innovations you especially liked. For instance, I love the book Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder for his look at the future of the internet and virtual reality.

Also, if there are any nonfiction books, etc. that you would recommend as a resource, lay it on me. For instance books by Stephen Hawking or Michio Kaku or Discovery Channel's How the Universe Works.

Thanks in advance. I know you guys have great taste!

Fly smart.

Podcasters' Community Shoutout

2011-06-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that EVE A to Z has been rather silent in regards to the shit-storm going on in the EVE community right now. There are reasons for that. After seeing what's been going on and witnessing my own revulsion at the attitudes of a vocal minority of EVE players, I have made some decisions regarding this blog.

Negativity is everywhere in the world today. I suppose it will always be that way in the foreseeable future. If you want to see the worst humanity has to offer, watch a talk show or visit an MMO forum community. It's impossible to change the world; one can only change one's self.

I will not be feeding the negativity. I will maintain a positive slant. There's always something positive to say.

EVE is in a period of growth. Growth is often (always) painful. But growth also leads to something better. None of what's been happening has changed my optimism for the future of this game we all love. Incarna is just the beginning. Dust 514 is just the beginning. Nobody knows where the players and CCP will take EVE Online, but it's going to be cool. EVE is going to be an even more unique gaming experience--the ultimate sci-fi gaming experience.

Some of the more well-known podcasters in the EVE podosphere have put out a podcast where they discuss what's been going on in the community lately. I enjoyed hearing the points of view of intelligent people who were able to convey their thoughts in a rational, adult way. Give the podcast a listen, and see what you think.

And then let's get back to playing the game we love.

Fly smart.

Hot Tub Active - A Review of Incarna

2011-06-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

I've had a day now to play around with the new Captain's Quarters, and I'm very impressed with it overall. True, no real game play has been added (yet), but I think CQ is something that EVE has needed all along. Immediately upon loading CQ for the first time, I was impressed with the stunning visual style and look of my character's apartment. This is going to add a whole new level of immersion to the game, and not just for new players.

I like how you always have the option to use the new CQ interfaces or the old ones we're all familiar with. I enjoy walking down to my ship to undock, but I'm glad I don't have to do it every time if I don't want to. I can undock from anywhere, instantly, just like before.

First, I'll highlight some of the things that have been added to the game that I really like. I already mentioned the amazing graphics of CQ. I can't wait to see the rest of the station! I think the mirror is especially cool.

The new agent finder in the CQ is awesome! Until now I've been forced to use out-of-game sites to find agents, or I sometimes got by with the in-game agent info. The new tool is much better than either of those methods. I can sort my agents by level, empire, corporation, etc., and, most importantly, I don't have to leave the game to do it. This is definitely a step in the right direction. If CCP is going to increase the immersion factor of EVE (which I think they are, and it's a great idea), then they've got to give us in-game tools to do everything we need to do on a regular basis. Every time you have to tab out of the game, immersion takes a hit.

I really like how Aura talks to you now when you open certain interfaces for the first time in your CQ. This will be great for new players. I'd much rather have someone tell me what I need to know than have to read a wall of text. I would like to see a more obvious way to turn the voice on or off for each menu, though. Some I don't want to hear, and others I'd like to hear again.

Outside of the CQ, I like that the tractor beams have an actual visible turret now. I'm assuming the salvagers do too, although I haven't seen those yet.

As great as Incarna is so far, there is some room for improvement. For one thing, the new icons for tractors and salvagers are horrible. They're hard to see (need to be brightened or something), and they look too much alike. I was salvaging with a noctis, and it got a little confusing. Before the icons for tractors and salvagers were distinct, even different colors. Now they're almost identical. This isn't a huge deal, but anytime you make little changes to a game like this, they should improve the game. If they don't, or they make it worse, the changes shouldn't be made. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I imagine CCP will enhance the visuals of the icons so they're easier to see, but I really hope they change one or both of them so they're easier to distinguish.

My only other real complaint is there's some bug in the game now where every time I try to load my in-game browser, it crashes the EVE client. This is really annoying because I use staticmapper and other sites in the browser. I hope CCP fixes this soon. The patch notes today seemed promising, but the bug is still there.

I would also really like to see some animations for docking and undocking in the stations. When I dock, I want to see my ship pulled into station and parked, and I want to see my pod extracted and my character dumped out. Obviously this would be an animation you could skip, but it would be really cool to see.

If you haven't seen the CQ yet, you see your pod opened up near where your ship is docked. When we undock, I want to see an animation of my character getting in the pod, the pod being inserted in the ship, and the ship launching. Again, you could skip this if you didn't want to see it, but it really needs to be there.

This isn't a criticism of Incarna, really, because I imagine CCP will include these animations eventually. But right now, the experience of docking and undocking is rather lacking. Notice how "the way things have always been" now seems deficient in the face of the new interface? I think Incarna could keep CCP busy for a long time just addressing all these issues that will come up now.

Finally, I want to see some variety in the stations. All my CQ's look the same. They should vary, not only between the different races, but among the different stations of each race. I know it's a lot to ask, but each new expansion from here on out, I'd like to see new, unique station environments added.

In conclusion, I like what I'm seeing so far. There's a lot to be "iterated" yet, but what's there is solid. My first impression was, "Wow, this is awesome!" My second impression was, "Okay, cool, but this is it? Where's the rest?" After further reflection, I think CCP got it right. Better to give us a few new features that are solid than try to do too much and it doesn't work. That said, I'm really looking forward to future expansions and patches.

It's nice that my Captain's Quarters has a place for me to bunk down, but where's my hot tub? Seems after long hours stuck in a capsule, a long soak in a hot tub would be just the thing.

Fly smart.

The New EVE: The Ultimate in Sci-Fi Immersion

2011-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

I posted the E3 DUST 514 trailer on the blog a few days ago. I've been really impressed by everything I've seen about DUST so far, but this video blew me away. The game looks like a lot of fun.

What I'm really excited about, though, is all the implications the trailer put on the table. My head is literally swimming with the possibilities. I really believe and hope that between DUST and Incarna, EVE is going to evolve into a gaming experience the likes of which we've never seen before. I wouldn't be surprised if within a couple years we won't be able to imagine that we played EVE as it is today and were satisfied. Once you've had whole-grain bread, it's hard to go back to Wonder Bread.

The most exciting element in this new evolution of the EVE Online universe is the ways in which the two games will interact. The Dusters and the Spacers will be able to play their games in isolation if they want, but they will maximize their gains by working together. While fleets in space see who can melt their opponent first, mercenaries will be destroying fortifications and assets planet side. Either side of the conflict could determine the outcome of the battle.

Not only will such battles occur on two fronts, but DUST will bring in new players, as will Incarna. Not only that, they will likely bring in new breeds of players we've not seen much of in EVE. Let's face it, EVE is a "unique" game, and it attracts a certain kind of gamer. For every person who plays and loves EVE, how many are out there who've tried it and said, "It's just not my thing"? Adding not only more numbers, but more diversity into the game can only improve it.

I'm very interested to see how the meta-game of EVE evolves as the Dusters join us in our conflicts. I can already see such Duster mercenary groups hired by corporations and alliances to bring the hurt to their enemies, all without said enemies knowing which corporation the Dusters are really working for.

Dust may have some interesting implications for those of us living in wormhole space as well. When the Dusters are assaulting a planet, PI will shut down entirely. You won't be able to reset your extractors, or import or export goods. I'm hoping the Dusters will also be able to destroy planetary installations. This will obviously have an impact on the PI products market. As supply decreases, prices may rise. This could be a great opportunity for wormholers as they're unlikely to have their planets invaded by Dusters, which means PI in wormhole systems will continue unmolested.

Now, throw Incarna into the mix, and things start to get really interesting. We still only have a few highlights of what we'll be able to do in Incarna, but the possibilities are endless. For more on what Incarna holds in store, see this article.

DUST will add new players to EVE, and it will add whole new dimensions to our conflicts. With Incarna we will be able to interact with the Dusters face-to-face, and who knows, one day we may be able to fight beside them (or better yet, command from the field). As those mercs slug it out on the ground, they will occasionally look to the military power orbiting far above. Orbital bombardments will be the deciding factor in many DUST battles, I imagine. I can see the Dusters looking at the capsuleers much as the ground-pounders looked at the pilots in World War I. It wasn't possible for an infantryman in WWI to put down his pack and become a pilot, but in EVE Online, anything is possible.

There is much to look forward to in the future of EVE. I suspect that my imaginings are just a sample of what CCP has in mind, and even their ideas are just a tip of the iceberg of what we the players will turn this new universe into. Yes, my friends, exciting times are ahead, and the future begins next Tuesday. See you out there!

Fly smart.

DUST 514: E3 2011 Trailer

2011-06-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen this video yet, check it out. I'm not a huge fan of FPS games, but this looks pretty cool. I'm not so much interested in playing the game itself as I'm interested in how it integrates into the EVE community and universe. The next couple years will be very exciting for EVE Online.

Fly smart.

New Turret Animations

2011-06-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

The new animations look really cool. Check this out if you haven't seen it yet.

Fly smart.

Would You Use an EVE A to Z Forum?

2011-06-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I love forums. I love exchanging ideas and information with people. I love learning new things and learning to understand other people's perspectives.

I've been kicking around the idea of an EVE A to Z forum for some time now. This would be a forum that is "noob-friendly". It would be a place where you could ask questions about EVE without fear of being ridiculed. It would be a place to discuss anything and everything EVE-related, as long as it's done in a respectful manner.

The forum would be moderated by yours truly; and flaming, trolling, and douche-baggery would not be tolerated. It would be a haven where you would be safe to kick back and talk about EVE.

I put it to you, my readers: Would you use it? I've put a poll in the sidebar. Please take a moment to vote on how much you would use the forum. The votes will determine how (or if) I proceed.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Incursion Trailer

2011-06-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

EVE Video of the Week: Causality

2011-05-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

Writing for EON

2011-05-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends! I wanted to share the good news that I am writing an article for EON Magazine. I'm very excited at this opportunity! I'm nearing finals, so I've been very busy lately, but I should have time for a substantial blog post soon.

Fly smart!

EVE Video of the Week: Tyrannis Trailer

2011-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

EVE Video of the Week: Tyrannis Teaser

2011-05-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

And Now for Something Completely Different: RIFT Free Trial

2011-05-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and like sci-fi and fantasy MMO's, you'll want to check out RIFT. Since this is an EVE blog, I'll keep this short, but I just got notice that RIFT is giving out free trials. You can use this link to get one.

If you ever played a fantasy MMO and liked it, you'll love RIFT. It fixed ALL the problems with some other popular MMO's that I won't mention here. This game is a LOT of fun and provides the most customization of your character that I've seen in a fantasy MMO.

Wormhole Resources

2011-05-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings fellow explorers! Living in the depths of the unknown in wormhole space is not for the ignorant or faint of heart. There is a STEEP learning curve when you venture into W-space for the first time (sound familiar?). That said, it's a lot of fun, and you can make a TON of ISK.

Like any other endeavor in EVE, you will do much better in wormhole space if you're armed with the proper knowledge and tools. There is a LOT of great information out there, just waiting for you to find. I've spent most of my time in EVE in wormholes, and during that time I've found some resources that are invaluable.

As you know by now, we here at EVE A to Z are not about reinventing the wheel, but we are about getting the new player the information she needs to succeed. So, without further ado, here is EVE A to Z's collection of wormhole resources.

First you'll want some general information. Even before you venture out into unexplored space for the first time, you'll want to know what to expect. The following resources will give you the basic information to decide whether or not W-space life is for you, and if so, what you need to do to prepare.

General Information

This EVElopedia page contains general information on wormholes. You'll want to be familiar with this before you proceed.

Everything Wormhole .pdf Guide

You can access this online or download the .pdf. This has some great information and will give you an idea of what wormhole life is like and what's possible.

Shadai's 10 Wormhole Facts Everyone Should Know

If you haven't been over to Shadai's blog, Sleepless in Space, you really should go check it out. He's got a lot of good information posted, and you'll notice I link quite a few of his guides in this post. This particular guide has some general information it would behoove you to become familiar with.

Alright, now that we've got the basics out of the way, you're ready to get your feet wet. Once you're living in wormhole space, you will find the following two resources invaluable.

EVE-Survival: Wormhole Space

Those of you who mission are (hopefully) familiar with EVE-Survival. This is the same thing as EVE-Survival's Mission Guides, only for W-space. This will tell you about the cosmic anomaly and signature sites in wormholes. Everything you need to know to run a site is here. How many sleepers there are, what ships they'll be flying, whether they have scram, web and/or neut capability, etc. It will also tell you what types of gas, ore, etc. will be found at the site and how much. You don't want to warp into a site in a wormhole unless you know exactly what you'll be facing.

Staticmapper

Staticmapper is probably the single most valuable informational resource in the wormholes. Staticmapper will tell you all about the wormhole system you're in--what type of system it is and what (if any) effects it will have on your ship, what the probable static(s) is(are), how many people have jumped through the hole, and how many ships have been destroyed in that system. You can also look up WH ID's to find out what class of system they lead to. If you "trust" the site in the in-game browser, you can also track the sites within the wormhole systems you use.

The following resources are for more advanced topics, but you'll want to familiarize yourself with them nonetheless.

Tiger Ears' Wormhole Color Guide

This is an EXCELLENT guide. This tells you how you can determine the class of a wormhole just by looking at it. Complete with full-color examples of each type, this guide is a must-have. Great work Tiger Ears!

Shadai's Guide to Copying Bookmarks

Unless you're in the WH by yourself (which I don't recommend--not only is it dangerous, but if you're playing by yourself, you're missing the whole point and fun of EVE), you'll need to be able to copy bookmarks quickly, effficiently, and most importantly, ACCURATELY. This guide will help you do exactly that.

Shadai's Article on Using D-Scan

Here are some great tips and how-to's for using your directional scanner, with specific applications relevant to wormholes. Read it, know it, live it.

Shadai's The Art of Closing Wormholes

A common practice among WH corps is closing wormholes. There are many reasons a corp may choose to do this. A corp may close a static leading to a system with a hostile corp, or they may close a static after exploiting all the resources in the system. These are just a couple examples. I've used this guide myself to close holes, and I highly recommend it.

Shadai's Guide on Wormhole Scouting Part One

Shadai's Guide on Wormhole Scouting Part Two

This is Shadai's two-part series (so far) on scouting in wormholes. If you're a younger player, scouting is something you can do as soon as you join your WH corp. If you're good at it, they'll love you for it. You shouldn't even venture into W-space until you have decent scanning skills (I recommend all scanning skills, including Covert Ops, to at least 4). Oftentimes people are in a rush to get out into the hole and make money, so when they first come in the scanning skills may be all they have. While you're training up those mining, gas harvesting, and PI skills is a great time to practice your scouting. A lot of WH corps expect everyone to do their part in scanning and scouting, and even if your corp doesn't, you should be proficient at it.

Wormhole life is a lot of fun, and it's extremely profitable. It can be daunting to the initiate, however, as there's so much to learn. These resources help you get where you need to be.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Dominion Trailer

2011-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Released November 25, 2009

Fly smart.

The Beauty of EVE

2011-04-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the twenty-sixth 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!

This month's topic was proposed by @KatiaSae of the much praised "To Boldly Go" blog. Katia asks: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As an astrophotographer, I've found it in the stars and planets of New Eden. Where have you found it? Perhaps you've found beauty in the ships we fly? Maybe it's the sight of profits being added to your bottom line? Or maybe it's the pilot portraits you see in the comm channels? Where ever you've found it, write about it and post an image." Don't be afraid go beyond the simple visual aspects of EVE as well. Is the EVE Community in itself a thing of beauty? What makes EVE the game, the world, the Community, so appealing to you?

This topic is a great follow-up to my last post, and since I just recently built a new computer with an amazing graphics card, I've come to re-appreciate the beauty in EVE in the past couple months.

For the first 6 or so months I played EVE I had a pretty crappy graphics card. The nebulas were sad, planets were merely single-colored spheres, and many of the stations and stargates simply wouldn't load. For some reason, my graphics card refused to render certain station and stargate models, and I never saw them until I powered on the new computer. I'll detail a few of the features that I especially appreciate. I've tried to put some decent screenshots in this post. Showing is better than telling, especially in this instance.

The first thing I noticed when I played EVE with the new graphics card was the difference in my ships. I fly mostly Amarr ships. I picked Amarr because I liked the look of their ships the best, and almost all my favorite ships in the game are Amarr. But I appreciated them for their organic curves and high symmetry.

The next thing I noticed were the gleaming metal plates on the Amarr ships. They remind me of chrome, only they're more of a bronze color. I'd seen these plates before, but they'd been dull. Now they are so polished, sometimes I can see reflections of surrounding planets, stars, nebulas, etc. in the armor plates of my ships.

The planets are much more impressive as well. EVE has some truly beautiful planets. Many of my favorite planets have been oceanic or lava, but I have seen some beautiful examples of the other planet types as well.

Hell, I've even seen some beautiful asteroids. I haven't done a lot of mining, so I don't have many asteroid screenshots, but I saw this one the other night and thought it was kind of cool.

I wasn't originally very excited about the new character creator. I didn't see how my character looked as being especially (or at all) relevant to playing the game. I was more dreading the hour or so it would take me to remake my character than I was looking forward to the new features.

However, I have to say that I've been very pleasantly surprised by my reactions since the character creator has come out. The moment I realized I was really digging it was when I was checking out the official forums (which I almost never go to), and I noticed that the CCP personnel have new avatars. It's really cool to be able to see what they've created.

It's also interesting to see what the players have created. One thing that has surprised me is how many guys don't seem to be able to create an attractive female avatar. Slapping on breasts set to the maximum size and spread just doesn't seem to work.

I don't think I can really say that I find much of beauty in EVE beyond the graphical elements, but I'm very happy with those. I especially enjoy living in wormhole space. The various nebulas, wormholes, etc. that you see out there are really cool and beat anything I've seen in empire space. I think my single favorite site in the wormholes is a pulsar system. I don't have a good screenshot of one, unfortunately, but screenshots don't do them justice anyway. You have to see them yourself in real time to really appreciate them.

I'm really looking forward to Incarna, which will add new graphical elements to the game. I've thought about doing a trip through New Eden to see the sites. When I do, I'll be using EVE Travel to set my itinerary. For now, though, I'm content exploring wormhole space. I'm looking forward to reading other blog posts in this blog banter.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: The Butterfly Effect

2011-04-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

This is the first trailer I ever saw for EVE, and it's what made me want to try the game. It's still one of my favorites.

Released August 21, 2009

Fly Smart

Enjoying All EVE Has to Offer

2011-04-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's easy to take the things around us for granted. Sometimes it's good to stop and take a look around, try to see with new eyes. Especially in EVE, it seems so many become jaded. It's easy to complain; it takes more effort to be positive. It takes even more effort to see things as they truly are.

I have recently joined a new corporation, Lone Star Exploration. I had a lot of fun yesterday doing some combat ops in the corp, and I found myself thinking about what an amazing game EVE is. To make my point, I will compare and contrast EVE with another game I used to play that some of you may be familiar with--World of Warcraft. Now before the groaning starts (I'm already too late, aren't I?), let me just say that I'm using WoW as an example of your "standard" "run-of-the-mill" MMO. I could just as easily be talking about EQ, D&D Online, Lord of the Rings Online, or RIFT.

In WoW you had some options for how to play the game. In an attempt to keep this post from becoming a novella, I'll simplify. When you logged on to WoW, you could basically choose between 4 play styles or activities. You could:

Quest
Run Instances
Run Battlegrounds
Raid

Again, this is a bit simplified, but good enough to illustrate the point I'm making here. In a nutshell, those were your choices when playing WoW. As much as I love RIFT (and I do), it's very similar. If you're anything like me, by the time you played a character to level 80 in WoW, you were pretty sick of questing (especially since there are only 4 or 5 quests in the game--all the rest are just variations on the theme). You'd done the instances appropriate for your level. Battlegrounds can be fun, if that's your thing, but surely they get boring after a while too (I wouldn't know; I'd get bored in a battleground within minutes). Raiding was supposedly the be-all-end-all of WoW, but you had to sign large portions of your life (aka time) away to participate, and even then you faced the long grind of "gearing up". To me, the results of a cost-benefit analysis of raiding came out as a joke.

A lot of people seemed to do the same thing when they got bored with WoW--make up an alt. And another. And another.

As an aside, let me just say that RIFT is a huge improvement over WoW in my book. I'd predict it will be the WoW killer, but that would hardly be original. I think the writing is pretty clear on the wall to anyone who's played both games. Their character-customization is second to none in the genre and will hopefully lead to fewer altaholics (although I hear purple fever is still at epidemic proportions).

When I think of EVE, on the other hand, I can make quite an exhaustive list of things I can do and the various play styles that exist. No matter how well I do with the list, I'm sure I'll miss some. Here are just a sample of ways I've played the game since I began last August:

I've done the whole missioning thing. Kind of like questing in WoW and just as boring, monotonous, and repetitive (not to mention having zero impact on the world/galaxy).
I've done ore mining. A perfect activity for those who want to do something so boring and monotonous in a game that they spend most their time tabbed out doing something else. Oh, and you get to do it for a pittance too. And yet miners abound...
I've had a small amount of experience in small fleet PvP. Now there's some real fun.
I've done solo-roam PvP. Not a lot of it, but enough to discover I have a lot to learn about PvP. Loads of fun, though.
I've done high and low sec exploration, and then run the sites. I really enjoyed that, and for some reason it seems a lot more fun than missioning.
I've flipped some cans, just to see what it was like. I'm still amazed there still people silly enough to jetcan mine. The first couple times were fun, but after that it was like spearing fish in a barrel--no challenge and therefore little real fun.
I've ninja salvaged, just for kicks. Same problems as number 6. Picking fights with those unable (not to mention unwilling) to defend themselves is just not my idea of a good time.
I've done some trading and hauling. Boring but profitable.
I've done loads of scanning in wormholes. Kind of a mini-game that is fun at first but can quickly lead to burn-out.
I've done gas harvesting. A little more fun than shooting rocks, if only because it pays a hell of a lot better and doesn't take as long.
I've run sleeper combat sites. The best PvE experience I've had in EVE hands-down. Unlike missioning in high sec, at least it's somewhat of a challenge.
I've done planetary interaction. Kind of a diverting mini-game. As far as play experience, I'd rate it up there with Minesweeper or Bejewled. If I could do it on my iPod it would be a great way to pass time while standing in line.

Whew! Quite a list. And then there are all the things I haven't tried. Things like:

Invention
Manufacturing
Ice Mining
Moon mining
Nullsec blobbing
Pirating argh!
Corporate espionage/takeover
Other forms of metagaming
Being a director or CEO of a corp
Logistics
Scouting for a PvP fleet op
Running with a Black Ops/Covert Ops fleet. I'd really like to try this some day. Sounds like a lot of fun.
Epic story arcs. I've heard great things about these. I did most of the Sisters arc and wasn't impressed, so I haven't tried any of the others.
Playing the markets
And so much more

Once Incarna is going strong, I think EVE will truly be a game with something for everyone.

All of this makes me suspect CCP may be right. EVE is forever, or at least, it could be. I've never played another game that has so much to do. I haven't even been playing a year, and already I have a good list of things I've tried in the game, and a longer list of things I haven't done yet.

In WoW, if you got bored you had to either make a new character or find a new game. In EVE if you get bored, you can find a new area of the game to explore. I've been in high sec corps and wormhole corps. If I ever got sick of wormholes (I'm sure it will happen eventually), I could join a low sec PvP corp or a null sec alliance. There are so many options, the main limitations are ones I put on myself. For instance, I have no interest in blobbing or in manufacturing.

It's really amazing how much there is to do in this game, how many ways there are to play it. I can't help but wonder what other play styles there are. If you play the game in a way I haven't mentioned, feel free to comment and add to the list. You might just give me an idea for my next endeavor.

For another article about a similar topic, check out Sleepless in Space.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Apocrypha Trailer

2011-04-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Released March 7, 2009

Fly smart.

ISK 3.0 in Hardcopy!

2011-04-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Greetings fellow capsuleers! I received the following press release from EON and thought I would pass it along to you. I'm ordering my copy today!

"As most of you know, we released the ISK 3.0 Guide in February as a free download – to huge critical acclaim. [ISK = Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase]. This is the exhaustive manual, which EVE has been crying out for since 2003!

"Since the release of that free PDF edition, we’ve been inundated with requests for a printed version, a physical product you can hold, pick up and refer to either AFK or while playing the game. We’ve listened, and we’ve responded.

"So here it is; ISK Volume 1 as a physical product is now available to pre-order. This monumental near 400 page wiro-bound volume covers everything there is to know about EVE – whether you’re on a 14-day trail account or you’re an experienced long-termer. As a special offer for the early birds among you, there’s even a $5 discount for all pre-orders; in order to receive the discount you MUST apply the code ISK305. If you don’t see the discount being applied immediately, check again before completing your order.

"The pre-order period (and therefore the $5 discount) lasts until April 14th. Click here and we’ll take you right along to the Store…"

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Apocrypha Teaser

2011-04-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

Released February 26, 2009

Fly smart.

1.4 Patch Note Highlights

2011-04-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

I found some real gems in today's patch notes. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order.

Team Commie Pinkos is gradually releasing new DED Complexes in our efforts to close the content gaps in EVE. Seven new complexes are now available in the game; more information is available in a dev blog by CCP Big Dumb Object: http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=861
All NPCs that use jamming have been streamlined in functionality and you can now fit your ship to counteract them.
Individual bookmarks may now be permanently removed via the right-click menu while flying in space.
Now you can select all items, click 'repackage' and the process will simply skip those items on which the operation cannot be performed without stopping the repackaging process. (Thank you CCP!)
Character portraits in 'Show Info' may now be viewed in a separate window at a higher resolution.
When using the Autopilot, Waypoints will display as separate icons so pilots can tell them apart from regular jumps.
Players can now store 50 fittings on the server, making them accessible from any computer. Additional fittings may be saved locally into an XML file.
Code optimization has increased overall performance in the character creator.
Characters now have the option to add vicious hero scars and burns.
A collection of piercings, studs and facial modifications have been added.
Represent your bloodline in ink with new and classic tattoo designs from the EVE universe.
Added a new pair of sunglasses.
Added male and female tank tops.
There is now a free station service to allow you to re-customize your appearance from any station.
Capsuleers no longer have to get into their un-piloted ships in order to strip the fittings. A powerful imaginary electromagnet now removes fittings remotely via the right-click menu of the ship.
Career and Tutorial missions now have a massively increased duration and you will not lose standings for quitting, declining or timing out.

Full patch notes can be found here.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Quantum Rise Trailer

2011-04-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Released November 13, 2008

Wormhole Skills

2011-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Before you move into a wormhole, you want to make sure you have the skills that you'll need. Once you're in wormhole space, you're on your own, with only your own resources and that of your corp to help you out. It can be a very lonely and boring place if you don't have the necessary skills trained up. Some of the necessary skills will depend on what you want to do in the wormhole. Other skills are needed by everyone.

The most important skills you should have no matter what you plan to do in the hole are the scanning skills. You should have:

Astrometrics (at least 4)
Astrometric Rangefinding
Astrometric Pinpointing
Astrometric Acquisition
Covert Ops

Everyone in a wormhole should be able to scan and be good at it. Use the time you spend in empire to practice your scanning. It will give you something to do while you wait for those skills to train. Practice scanning down cosmic signatures. Once you can fit a cloak, fly into a low sec system and practice scanning there. The signatures are a little more difficult to find than in high sec.

I recommend training all of the scanning skills (including covert ops) to at least 4. You will spend a LOT of time scanning in the wormhole, it's best to be as efficient as possible.

Here are some other skills you'll want:

Salvaging (at least 3) - Salvaging is something even a relatively new character can do in the hole. I highly recommend fitting salvaging rigs on your ship if you don't have salvaging 5.
Gas Cloud Harvesting - You can make a TON of ISK gas harvesting in the wormholes. This is also something a relatively new character can do. The ladar sites are also among the easiest to clear (kill the sleepers).
Hacking
Archaeology
Mining
Astrogeology
Cloaking 4 - to use covert ops cloak & warp cloaked. This is a must-have for scanning, scouting, and general survival. Stealth and reconnaissance are everything in the wormhole.

If you're interested in doing PI, then you'll want the following skills. If you're used to doing PI in empire, you'll shit a brick when you see the planets in wormhole space.

Command Center Upgrades - for a better PI command center
Interplanetary Consolidation - to be able to do PI on more planets
Planetology - to improve PI scanning resolution

Those skills will get you started. You'll be able to scan and make some money from mining and gas harvesting.

In addition, you'll want to work up your combat skills. To what degree will depend on what you want to do. You can clear the easier ladar and gravimetric sites solo in a decently tanked battlecruiser. If you want to do the more difficult sites or the combat sites, you'll need even better combat skills. The ships you'll be looking at for the magnetometric, radar, and combat sites will be strategic cruisers (T3), battlecruisers, battleships, and logistics cruisers. Check with your corp before you move into the hole to see what kind of ships they use for these sites. Once you know what ship(s) you want to fly, create a skill training plan using EveMon. If you don't know how to do that, this guide will help you.

A couple other skills you will find useful are:

Anchoring - this will allow you to help your corp put up and take down PoS's. Also allows you to anchor GSC's to keep your stuff in.
Starbase Defense Management - this will allow you to man the PoS guns.

This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but it will give you a good start. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

Fly smart.

EVE: A Future Vision

2011-03-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is 31 flavors of awesome.

Down the Rabbit Hole

2011-03-26T13:51:00.001-07:00

I'm very pleased to announce the launch of Series Two of EVE A to Z! In Series Two we will explore the depths of wormhole space. EVE can be overwhelming to the new player, and venturing into the wormholes even more so. EVE A to Z maintains our commitment to being "noob-friendly".

Thank you to Andrea Dolas for our beautiful new banner! She's an exceptionally talented web and graphic designer. Check out her site and keep her in mind if you ever need any web sites, banners, icons, whatever.

Stay tuned for guides on how to survive and thrive in wormhole space. You don't have to be a veteran to do it.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Empress Jamyl I Coronation

2011-03-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Long live the empire!

Fly smart.

EVE A to Z - Now With Enhanced Graphics!

2011-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Long-time readers will notice an improvement of the images on this blog. For the most part, all illustrations in the posts are in-game screenshots taken by yours truly. I recently got my new custom-built computer up and running. Among the many sick features this computer has is a totally kick-ass NVDIA video card. I can now run EVE with maximum possible settings.

I will try to only use new screenshots from now on, because you can really tell the difference, especially when you blow them up. I remember when I first started playing EVE (on a laptop), the planets all looked like single-colored spheres. Some of the stations and stargates never rendered, just leaving empty space. Even now, I occasionally see a station or stargate for the first time, and I'm still very much enjoying the fully-rendered planets.

I've been told I have a gift for screen shots, so please take the time to look at the images in full size. I made a commitment to myself to include a lot of high quality images in this blog and to use my own screen shots as much as possible. This new graphics card is going to be a big help.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Empyrean Age Trailer

2011-03-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

Released June 19, 2008

This Month in EON: INCARNA

2011-03-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a new series of articles. I have begun reading the excellent EVE magazine, EON. It seems to me that there aren't a lot of people reading this, or at least there aren't among the podcasters and bloggers I keep up with. There was a lot of information about Incarna in the latest issue that would answer many of the questions people have. To all the Chicken Littles out there running around like chickens with their heads caught off screaming "The sky is falling!", I say, read EON and have an informed opinion for once.

Each issue of EON I will choose one article to write about. I'm not going to give you all the goodies--the point of this is to get you to read the magazine and be a more informed gamer, after all. However, I will give the highlights of an article of my choice.

This time I've chosen to write about the article "One Small Step For Evekind." When it comes to the Incarna expansion, there is a whole slew of misinformation, speculation and fear-mongering out there. Let's combat that with some real information, shall we? If, after reading this article in EON, you still want to run around saying the sky is falling, at least you'll have an informed opinion.

Here are just a few of the highlights from this article:

The tutorials will incorporate some aspects of Incarna. New players will start out at the social hub of a station and begin learning about the game from there.
CCP Zulu says a main theme of Incarna is "Risky Business." There will be a lot of new business opportunities, complete with shady dealings in dimly-lit settings. Smuggling, contraband, trading, black market, handling stolen goods and other activities that need to be done "off the grid". Having the profession of smuggler will be a very real possibility.
According to CCP Zulu, "Current gameplay functionality that is available in space will still be available in space...." This should be music to the ears for those worried that "their Eve" is going away.
Also, if something must be done out of ship, then CCP is going to do their best to make sure it's worthwhile (aka profitable).
There will be lots of opportunities for gambling. Not only will there be a whole host of in-station minigames to play and bet on, but it will also be possible to bet on things like fleet battles. This will also necessitate player "bookies" to run this process. It will be up to each player to figure out which bookie he can trust, and there are a lot of possibilities here. I could definitely see a niche for well-known, trusted, and respected players who can act as a reliable bookie.
One of the minigames you will be able to play and bet on is a version of the game Slay which is called SecWars. This will be similar to Slay, except instead of peasants and knights it will have soldiers and mechs.
Later versions of Incarna will add card games, parlour games, and perhaps even a version of the out-of-print EVE collectible card game.
You also may be able to plan alliance and corporation ops in a large war room.
You could run a casino, bar, or gaming parlour
Stations will have "establishments" that you can rent. These will be large areas that you can turn into whatever you want. They'll be big enough to facilitate 40-60 people. They can be made into bars, huge apartments, etc. CCP is already working on various race-specific embellishments like bar tables and gaming tables.

All in all, it seems to me there's a lot to look forward to, and nothing to be scared of. CCP know's what they're doing. They're not going to cannibalize the EVE we all know and love for Incarna. Incarna will add to and enhance current EVE game play; it's not going to replace it.

Personally, I'm totally excited and stoked for Incarna! I can't wait to open up Lex's Bar. I hope I will see you all there. First drink's on the house.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Empyrean Age Teaser 2

2011-03-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

The Man Behind the Curtain

2011-03-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

Who is Lex Starwalker?

Those of you who've been following this blog for a while may have noticed that I don't often talk about myself. The main reason is that I want this blog to have CONTENT. That is to say, I want it to have content that people find interesting. I doubt a lot of personal information about yours truly would interest very many of my readers. I also know that there is a lot of me in this blog. Like any writer, a lot of my identity goes into what I write. The clues are there for those who look for them. Follow the trail of bread crumbs and you will meet the man behind the curtain....

This blog isn't the place for me to ramble on about myself, especially those parts of my life that have nothing to do with EVE. I want people to read the blog, after all.

In my first post I made a commitment to keep up on this blog and post at least once a week. I've exceeded that goal, however, since the beginning of the year, the blog isn't quite where I want it to be. The main reason is that RL has been demanding more from me, and it's hard to find time to blog as much as I'd like to.

For any who are interested, here's what's been keeping me from blogging as much as I'd like:

1) School. I've gone back to school. Not because one degree isn't enough, but because I want a degree with good job prospects (which is rare these days). I've never regretted getting my BA in Anthropology, but there's not much work out there unless you've got a PhD, and even then there's a lot of competition for positions that pay you a pittance. So I'm going back to school for nursing. I'm currently getting all my prereqs for the program. The program I'm going for requires a 4.0 GPA among many other things, so school is very intense as you can imagine, and it comes first.

2) Fiancee. This should actually be number 1. Keeping her happy is always my top priority and comes before school, work, EVE, everything. We're hoping to get married within a few weeks.

3) My novel. Yes folks, I'm writing a novel. Actually, it's already written; I'm editing and revising it now. Within a few weeks it will be ready to start sending out to publishers and agents. I will also be serializing it on my own website. It's an urban fantasy. I'm looking for alpha and beta readers, so if you're a writer, editor, or informed reader and you'd like to give constructive criticism, let me know.

I'm ready to get started on series two of the blog. I've already got a few posts and guides planned. I moved into a wormhole a few months ago, and in series two I'll be showing you what I've learned. I will follow series one's precedent of writing guides for the newbie, only this series will be for the newbie to wormholes. My web designer is working on a new banner for series two, and it will be ready very soon. I've been waiting on that to start dropping the new content.

I've been getting a lot of traffic on the blog, but I want to branch out and reach new people. This blog will always be new player friendly, but more and more I'll be posting on things that more veteran players will be interested in as well.

Thank you to all my readers for continuing to visit the blog. If you have any questions or requests/suggestions for guides, don't hesitate to let me know.

Now I've got to get back to my chemistry homework.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Empyrean Age Teaser

2011-03-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

Fly smart.

The New Lex Starwalker

2011-02-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

Now that I got the new computer online, I was finally able to remake my in-game avatar. I'm able to run EVE with all settings at maximum now, and I have to say I'm really impressed with how the new character works. Now I can't wait for Incarna, so I can run around with him!

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Trinity Trailer

2011-02-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

Released November 28, 2007

Fly Smart.

And Now a Word From Our Sponsor

2011-02-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

If you're new to EVE and haven't checked out EON magazine, then I really recommend you do so. I'm still poring through the latest issue. It has a great article on some of the things we can expect in Incarna. Don't be one of those internet-blowhards who poo-poo Incarna without knowing the first thing about it (and assume since they don't know anything about it, the information's not out there). Not only is the magazine informative, but it's loaded with beautiful artwork.

Instead of buying the odd copy here and there, why not have the full set and only pay half the price? Not only are they a great read, they also look great on your shelf. The customer feedback speaks for itself.

This bundle is a great supplement to an EON subscription, with the entire glossy catalog of EVE-related goodness yours to enjoy. It's great for seeing how New Eden has developed throughout the years, and contains many articles and guides that will greatly expand your knowledge about EVE. A must-have for a serious EVE player who hasn't been around since day one.

Fly Smart

CCP's New Release Paradigm

2011-02-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Incursion 1.2 dropped this week with some more improvements to the game. Like other players, I've been watching the new release strategy of Incursion. I even speculated during Lost in Conversation on my thoughts that CCP would be moving more toward these types of releases in the future. It turns out I was right.

CCP Zulu released a dev blog this week that gave some insight on CCP's new release paradigm. CCP is going to move toward releasing "more, smaller, more evenly-distributed deployments" in the future. This is great news for all players of EVE. EVE as a game is ever-changing. Many of the changes lie within the hands of the players, not CCP. In addition to all the usual development issues of designing an expansion for an MMO, it's got to be even harder for CCP to predict the future when they're not as in control of the trajectory of the game as a lot of MMO developers are.

CCP Zulu says we can look forward to three more Incursion releases, with the possibility of additional material released in between. One of the new features we can look forward to is the relocation of the official forums to EVE Gate along with some new functionality. As a forum junkie, I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

Now that Incursion is out (at least the early stages of it), Team BFF, who were originally working on Incursion features, will now be turning their attention to small fixes that need to be made in the game. They've got a whole list of items to tweak, a list that has been compiled from CSM suggestions and player suggestions on the forums. This is great news as well, as there are plenty of "little things" that could be fixed. Now if only they'll switch the stupid cosmic signature map icons back....

With this transition to a new release paradigm, CCP is taking another step from the MMO paradigm of old toward the newly-evolving modern paradigm. The days of yearly (or even bi-annual) patches/expansions is going the way of the dodo. More and more we're realizing the original dream of the MMO--an immersive world that is constantly evolving and changing, a world where the choices you make today will shape the world tomorrow. Of the games I've played, EVE comes the closest to realizing this ideal. With this new release strategy, it'll get even closer.

Now the devs can give us features and fixes as they finish them. No more sitting on material waiting for that release date. Not only does this mean we'll be getting new content, features, and fixes more quickly, but it also means we won't have huge expansions filled with bugs. Smaller, more isolated, changes to the game are much easier to troubleshoot than big chunky expansions filled with changes. I think we will see EVE become more stable, less buggy. Although in the long run, the game will change even more, and even more quickly, those changes will be more constant and gradual. Like any living thing, EVE will be constantly growing and evolving.

The future looks bright, and space is still cold.

Fly smart.

EVE Video of the Week: Revelations II Trailer

2011-02-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

EVE Video of the Week: Revelations Trailer

2011-02-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

Released November 29, 2006

This trailer's pretty bad ass. Enjoy.

Fly smart.

Lex Starwalker is Lost in Conversation!!

2011-02-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Yours truly is a guest star on episode 5 of the podcast Lost in Conversation. You can check it out here. If you don't already listen to Lost in Conversation and its sister podcast, Lost in EVE, I highly suggest you give them a try.

Fly smart.

Gunnery 101: Tracking & Range

2011-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

These tips are meant primarily for PvP, but can be used for PvE as well.

The key component to mastering gunnery is understanding tracking and range and how they interrelate. This is best expressed by angular velocity. If you don't have angular velocity on your overview, and you're a gunner, then you really should. You can learn how in this guide.

Angular velocity has 3 components:

1) How fast you're going

generally speaking, the faster your velocity, the higher your angular velocity will be. the exception to this is when you're flying directly to or away from your target. see #3

2) Your distance from your target

At a given speed, the closer you are to your target you're orbiting, the higher your angular velocity will be. The closer you are, the smaller the circle of your orbit is, and so your angle to the target is changing more rapidly.

3) Your vector

The more perpendicular your course is to the target's, the higher your angular velocity will be. If you're flying directly at or away from your target, your angular velocity will be near 0.

Generally speaking, shorter range weapons hit harder than their longer range counterparts. Ie, autocannons hit harder than artillery, pulse lasers hit harder than beam lasers. The short range weapons also have better tracking, which means it's easier to hit your opponent when they have a higher angular velocity.

Just because you're closer to someone doesn't mean you're more vulnerable. This is where speed tanking comes in. If you're close to someone and orbitting fast, they won't be able to hit you if their tracking speed is less than your angular velocity. Whereas, at long range, your angular velocity is less, so it's actually EASIER for them to hit you, as long as you're within their optimal range.

To figure your best range, you want to look at the falloff for your weapon. While you're in space with your ship, turn on any modules you have that affect your range that you'll use in combat (such as targeting computers). Load the ammunition you're going to be using. Next, right click on the icon for the gun on your HUD and select "show info". Now look up your falloff. Divide this number by 3, and add that number (1/3 your falloff) to your optimal range. That is the range you want to orbit at. Now, set your orbit by right-clicking on the orbit button on your overview and selecting "set default". You may need to play with this a bit. I tend to set mine a couple hundred meters shy of the actual figure because orbiting isn't exact, and you don't want to overshoot. Pay attention to the distance to your target and adjust as necessary. You can always set this up and practice by orbiting a jetcan or other stationary object. Ultimately, you'll want to know your optimal range for your different ammos or crystals if you're going to be changing ammo during combat (which if you're using lasers, you definitely should be).

You can find the ranges for the different warp scrams and webs by right-clicking on the modules and selecting "show info". If you don't have any to look at, you can always look them up on the market. You may want to stay out of range of warp scrams and disruptors if you want to be able to get away. But then they're out of range of your warp scram or disruptor as well, unless they have a scram and you have a disruptor (disruptors have longer range).

This is a situation where it pays to have more than one type of ammo/crystal. Load different ammos or crystals in a non-combat situation and check your ranges as I explained above. Find one that will put you outside warp disruptor range and carry that as a backup.

Gunnery Skills: (Amarr frigate example)

Controlled Bursts
Gunnery
Motion Prediction
Rapid Firing
Sharpshooter
Small Beam Laser Specialization
Small Energy Turret
Small Pulse Laser Specialization
Surgical Strike
Trajectory Analysis
Weapon Upgrades
Targeting
Long Range Targeting
Signature Analysis

Fly smart.

ISK 3.0 Comes Out Today

2011-01-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Today is the scheduled release for version 3.0 of the Industrial Sized Knowledge Base (or ISK) guide book. This book is free to download in .pdf form. You can get your copy here.

I've pored through version 2.01 many times. It's a great guide for many areas in EVE--lore & history, races, ships, missions, mining, industry, exploration, pos's, and much more. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the new edition has in store.

Not only is ISK informative, but it's beautiful as well. There's some great artwork in this book, and I'm really hoping there's something new in the new one.

Feel free to let us know what you all think of the new edition.

Fly smart.

Video of the Week: No Other Destiny

2011-01-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

Released 05/10 2006

Fly Smart.

CCP: the Dungeon Masters of EVE

2011-01-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

I just finished listening to the fourth episode of the Lost in Conversation podcast. They were having an interesting discussion about Incursion. Jayne mentioned an interview he and Jade did with CCP Soundwave in an earlier podcast. They'd asked Soundwave what CCP had planned for the future with the Incursions and those game mechanics. Soundwave gave a response along the lines that they would wait to see how the players reacted and where they took the content. The discussion on Lost in Conversation turned to the organic nature of EVE and CCP's approach to the game. They mentioned how the positive view of this is that CCP does approach the game organically, and we, the players, have a real impact on how the game develops and where CCP takes it in the future. The negative view on this, by the "bitter vets," is that CCP doesn't know what they're doing or where they're going.

I've heard similar statements before, and every time I've had the same thought: CCP's approach to this game reminds me very much of my experiences as a Dungeon Master and Storyteller in tabletop roleplaying games. The bitter vets who think CCP don't know where they're going with EVE because they take this organic approach either don't understand this or choose to ignore it. Tabletop roleplaying games are becoming a thing of the past, unfortunately, and it's occurred to me that some of my readers may have little to no experience with them. Even if you have had experience with tabletop RPG's, it's really the experience as a Storyteller, or referee, of the game that enlightens one to this point.

I've run tabletop RPG's for many years. The games I've run include various iterations of Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D 2nd ed, D&D 3.0, D&D 3.5), two versions of the Star Wars RPG (Westend Games version and the D20 version), and White Wolf's Changeling: the Dreaming and Vampire: the Masquerade. Though these games are all different in content and genre, the experience of being a Dungeon Master/Game Master/Storyteller is the same in all of them.

Designing and running an RPG adventure is not an easy task--it's an art. I also write novels, and although there are a lot of similarities between writing a novel and writing an RPG story, there are some distinct differences. Actually running an RPG game is a combination of acting and directing and storytelling. When I write a novel, I am in a lot of ways what is called a "discovery writer." That is to say, I make a rough outline of where I think the plot will go, and then I create detailed characters that are as multidimensional and "real" as I can make them. Then I start telling the story. As the story unfolds, the characters come to life and develop even more.

There always comes a point where the story I'm writing diverges from the story I started out thinking I was going to write. This is because, as the characters become more developed and "come alive" in my imagination, they start to speak to me. I must be true to my characters, and inevitably I get to a point where the character just won't do what the original outline says he would. At that point, I forget the outline and follow the characters. This is what writers mean by discovery writing--I'm discovering the story as I write it, and I don't know how it will come out until I'm done writing it. Each character is reacting to the situations and one another organically, and the story is in a lot of ways "writing itself."

Anyone who has done anything creative, whether writing a story, creating a painting or drawing, sculpting, or composing a piece of music, will understand what I'm talking about here. It's what we call true inspiration--when the work just flows from you without any seeming conscious thought. Some people have believed or believe this is inspiration from a muse or god or some other outside force. I think it's just the creative mind operating at full capacity. Like writing or performing music, all creation is a blending of the left hemisphere analytical mind and the right hemisphere creative mind, working together as one.

Writing an RPG adventure is similar to discovery writing, but it takes it a step further. When I'm writing a novel, the actions and thoughts of my characters can sometimes surprise me, but ultimately, they're my characters--they come from my own mind. So I can usually predict at least broadly what they're going to do.

An RPG is very different. When I run a Changeling: the Dreaming game, for instance, I play a lot of the characters. But a few of the characters are played by the other players. Now, these other people are my friends, and I know them pretty well, so I may think, when I'm designing the next week's session, that I can predict what they're going to do. Experience has shown me, however, that 9 out of 10 times I'll be wrong. It's such a rule of storytelling that it's a cliche--if you come up with 5 possible ways the players could solve a problem you present them with, then they'll come up with a sixth way that you never thought of.

As I said, running an RPG is an art. You have to walk a fine line between not being prepared for the night's adventure, and over-preparing. On the one side, you have to prepare. You have to know the environment and the characters your players will likely encounter. You have to prepare for any contingencies that you can think of, so if the players do take that path, you have some idea how to react. However, you don't want to over prepare. For one thing, you don't want to go too in depth planning all those contingencies, because it could end up being a lot of wasted effort. I can't count how many buildings I've detailed, characters I've created, plans of action I've anticipated, only to have the players go a totally different way, and then all that material goes unused. (Of course, a good storyteller learns to recycle such material and find a use for it at some other point in the future.)

The second way you don't want to over prepare is in your plotting. Yes, a good RPG adventure has a plot, but that plot must be flexible to the players' actions and decisions. Many a storyteller has made the mistake of trying to force their players to follow the plot he's created. The result is always dissatisfied players. A big part of the fun of an RPG is the feeling that you can do anything. As soon as the storyteller starts steering you too obviously through his plot by limiting your choices and using the infamous words "you can't do that," this feeling of freedom evaporates. Players get very angry when you do this, and if they feel you're trying to control them, they'll start actively defying you. This isn't fun for anyone involved.

So the magic of storytelling an RPG is the art of walking this line. You're prepared enough that most contingencies are anticipated. You have enough material to creatively and spontaneoulsy react with what the players do. But, just like the players, you don't know how the story is going to end because you haven't written an ending. As a storyteller you present the setting and the surrounding characters. You give them with a scenario, a situation. But there is no ending written. Instead, the players and the storyteller discover the plot and ending together as the gaming session unfolds. When done masterfully, the players always feel the story is in their hands, and they could swear you're just making it all up as you go. Only the detail of your story will clue in the more perceptive players to the fact that somehow you were able to plan ahead, even though it's all spontaneous.

I believe this is exactly what CCP is doing with EVE. It's not that they don't know what they're doing. It's not that they have no vision for the game or where it's going. They have created a unique gaming environment by giving the players more control over the world than they would have in many other MMO's. Just like an RPG storyteller, they are leaving the outcome open-ended enough so that they can follow the game where the players take it. Why plan for years of encounters using the Incursion mechanics when they don't even know how the players are going to react to it? Maybe the Incursions will be a hit, and they will bring players together in a way that has never happened before. If so, then you can count on lots of similar content in the future. Maybe the Incursions will be a flop, seeing little real game play after the first weeks of newness wear off. If so, CCP can let them fall to the wayside, unremarked, as they focus on other areas.

Some players quite vocally worry about the upcoming Incarna expansion. Because CCP has given us so little to go on, such players assume (again) that CCP doesn't know what they're doing, that they don't know what they're going to do with Incarna. Again, I argue that CCP knows exactly what they're doing. They're going to give us Incarna, bit by bit, so they can constantly gauge player reaction and adapt their game to focus on what the players most enjoy and let fall to the wayside what the players don't grab on to.

It is a truism in all arts that mastery looks effortless. Watching a master trumpeter play, watching a master sculptor sculpt, watching a fighter pilot fly, we come away with the impression that "it looks so easy." But when we try to do those things ourselves, we find it's anything but easy. It just looks easy in the hands of a master because to him, it is.

The future isn't written in EVE, and because of that, the possibilities are endless.

Fly smart.

A Better Way to Get Your Patch

2011-01-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

Chrriba has created a torrent for the new Incursion patch. I'm getting 3x the download speed with the torrent as I was getting with the official download.

You can get the link to the torrent here.

Fly smart.

Video of the Week: EVE Never Fades

2011-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love the music in this one! Released 09/15 2005

Fly smart.

EVE Blog Banter #24 - EVE and Real Life

2011-01-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the twenty-fourth 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!

This month's Banter topic comes to us from the ever helpful Eelis Kiy, capsuleer behind the "Where the frack is my ship" blog. She asks: How does your real life personality compare to who you are as a character in EVE? Does a good leader of people in the real world make a good leader of pilots in game? Or vice-versa? Do your real-life skills help you with the roles you fulfill in your corporation or alliance? Or do you behave completely differently? Does the anonymity of the Internet allow you to thrive on the tears of others in New Eden whilst you work as a good Samaritan away from your keyboard? Or are you as mean outside of your pod as you are inside it? Have experiences in EVE Online affected your behavior, skills or attitudes outside of the game?

Those are some interesting questions. I don't think it's as much of an issue for me as it may be for some people because I don't get into RP with EVE. I know some people really get into it, and that's fine. I've played many tabletop roleplaying games, and it's a hobby I enjoy. I've just never felt the need to roleplay in a video game. To me, they're very different things, and after roleplaying with real flesh-and-blood people, I would find roleplaying in an MMO a poor substitute.

That said, I suppose I do have something of a persona in EVE. The matter is further complicated by the fact that I have multiple characters, and I play them all differently. For the purpose of this discussion, I'll talk about two of my characters--my "main" who lives in a wormhole, and my pvp character.

I'd say my main character is pretty much like me in real life in most respects. I'm helpful to people. I don't lie, don't cheat. I'm an "honorable guy." A big part of this is because it's my main character, the toon I'm known for (or someday will be), and so I want that character to be a good representation of who I am as a person. That doesn't mean I won't shoot you in a pvp situation. But I won't lie or be dishonorable. If I give you a ransom, I'll honor it (and I have).

My pvp character is different. I don't really care how people perceive that character. I still intend to honor ransoms, just because it defeats the purpose of having a ransom if you don't honor it. And I doubt I'd ever do any kind of hostile corp takeovers with that character. I personally believe stealing from a corp or anyone who trusts you is a cowardly and disgusting act, and says a lot about the person who does it, whether in a game or real life (and it doesn't say anything good in my book). But my pvp character will have a lot more latitude when it comes to pvp actions. He just won't be a total scumbag.

As to the topic of leadership, a leader is a leader--it doesn't matter the arena. What I mean by that is if you're a good leader, you'll be a good leader in anything you do, whether in real life or in EVE. Being a leader encompasses certain personality traits. Either you have them (or can learn them) or you don't. If you're not a good leader in life, you won't be in EVE and vice versa.

As to the supposed "anonymity" of the internet, I think that is a thing of the past. You're not anonymous on the internet. You're not anonymous on EVE. If you're a scumbag, word will get out. The only way you could completely avoid the consequences of your actions is to keep making new characters, and where's the fun in that? I suppose you could have one character you're "nice" with and one you're a scumbag with, sort of like my example only more extreme. However, if you're a scumbag for real, then you're eventually going to show others your true colors with your "nice" character whether you mean to or not. Now whether or not those around will be paying attention enough to notice is another matter.

Author's note: The word scumbag, as used in this post, could be replaced with the word douche-bag, or pretty much any other derogatory term you prefer which refers to someone with little to no moral character. I used the word scumbag because that's what that word means to me, whereas douche-bag has more the connotation (to me) of someone who's an ass at least partly because they're a dumbass. Scum-bags can be smart (in their own fucked up way), but douche-bags are oftentimes morons.

Fly smart, and shoot down scumbags and douche-bags with extreme prejudice.

New Eden Poster

2011-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

If you don't already have the EVE posters from EON, now would be a great time to get them. Here's a short message from EON:

As it's a new year things need refreshing. So continuing on that theme, we decided to give the New Eden poster a little facelift and an update. Individually they are $14.95 however the cheapest way is to purchase the whole poster bundle.

Fly smart.

Video of the Week: Exodus Trailer

2011-01-10T00:01:00.001-08:00

November 4, 2004

Fly smart.