Things I Miss

Click to embiggen

Don't get me wrong here, I love being a scum-sucking Pirate. But still, there are things about living in Null that I do miss. As long as I'm in Low-Sec I'll probably never see something like the above screen shot again... at least, it won't be a fleet that I'm in.


There is something about being in a fleet. No matter what ship you happen to be flying, the feeling of power as hundreds of ships align and warp together... well, if you haven't felt it yourself then I suggest you go find it. At least once. It is an awesome and amazingly wonderful, and somewhat unique, feeling.


I don't even remember what or where the above screenshot was taken, but does it really matter? ( Ok, it was in X6AB-Y on August 2nd, 2009 and that there is a CV@ Fleet of 75 ships, mostly BS, waiting on the X-RSMN gate I think. So I lied. Sue me. Just sounds freaky admitting that I remember such a thing. ) 


The one thing that Null has going for it in my opinion is that sense of common goals. While we Pirates tend to be more self-sufficient and self-reliant types, those that make their home in Null tend to flock. And I'm not saying that as if it is a bad thing, in fact it is often a good thing. Community is important. To many people it is impossible to live without.


And while I'm comfortable in my own skin these days, I have to admit that I miss it sometimes. The sense of working together to achieve something, to build something, to make things, all together and all for one. It sounds alluring to the memory.


And then you remember that nothing lasts. That everything you work for turns to dust eventually, that those you relied on will turn their backs on you, or log-off when the going gets tough, or move out to save their precious assets, or fall back on role-playing convenience when they need to help you... that goes along with Null space as well.


I enjoyed my time in Null. And someday, I may very well go back.


But that day isn't today. Until then, I can remember it fondly. And then poke my head in every once in awhile and blow them up some. And then leave before they make me shoot at a POS for eight hours. Or join a CTA.

Eve Blog Pack Update

People ask me all the time, what do I have to do to get into the Eve Blog Pack? And despite all the complicated bullshit I've written about it in the past, it really comes down to a few simple things.


1 Have a strong voice.
A strong voice isn't one that is always opinionated, angry, or ranting... although it could be. More importantly however is having something to say that others might find interesting. Having a blog is a lot like having a soap box in front of the entire Eve Community. Use it.


2 Be Consistent.
This might be the hardest one. While you don't have to post every day, posting often and consistently is important. The Eve Community demands fresh new perspectives and the EBP needs to represent that. It is a tough row to hoe and not everyone is up to the challenge. That's ok in the larger sense, but not good enough for the EBP.


3 Luck of the draw
Variety is the spice of life. And I strive to keep the EBP as full of variety as possible. This means that while you might have a great blog about low-sec pirating, there are already plenty of great blogs about low-sec pirating in the EBP. This is going to make it harder for you to get in. That's just the way the Cynabal spins.


So today, in the first major upgrade to the Eve Blog Pack for 2012, it is my honor to introduce six new members. Each one of which has consistently written from a strong voiced perspective and deserves to be included. Welcome to the Blog Pack.


Dsan's EVE-Online Blog

Sand, Cider and Spaceships

Gun Turret Diplomacy

A Scientist's Life in Eve

Through Newb Eyes

Ardent Defender

Be sure to update your blogs with the EBP Feed to support the other members as they support you. And feel free to grab some swanky EBP Badges from the EBP Page to dress up your blog and announce to the world your new membership in an exclusive club.


Keep up the great work guys and welcome aboard.

1v1 EVE Comic: #36

Click to embiggen

Oddly enough, after organizing all the previous 1v1 panels into their own page (link above), I was inspired to do a new one. This is the first new panel since June of last year. Hopefully it won't be as long until the next one. Or, depending on your view of the humor, maybe that isn't long enough...

Good Fights: Try to kite me willya?

So yesterday I log on for a few minutes to drive over to upgrade my clone, training Recon V over the Holiday put me over yet another clone. I figure I'll take the Dramiel and maybe find a decent fight, see what the changes to the ship have wrought and generally just be on for a few minutes.

To the Rifter pilot in Lisbo that said Howdy to me in local, stay frosty my friend. I wasn't trying real hard to kill you, since you said hi in local and all. But if I had landed just a tad closer, I would have. Just so you know.

Anyway, Itsme and Monty asked if I'd be interested in joining them for a quick jaunt around the neighborhood. Duh.

Itsme was in a Hyperion and Monty was driving a Myrm ( don't ask! ), so I figured this would be a good time to fly one of the new 3BCs. But which one? Since they were both flying what I figured would be short range ships, I'd bring the Tornado along to hit a bit further out. Since I haven't had the chance to fly the Tornado in combat yet, my fit is still in the prototype stage. Oh sure, it is an excellent fit. But I don't consider a fit to be combat proven until I prove it in combat. So I didn't fit a point, although I had one loaded up in my hanger.

Fast forward thru the frustrating bits of system after system with no one around and eventually we found ourselves up near Kinakka. Nice sounding five man gang hanging out in a safe spot above the high-sec gate. I don't remember the exact ships they had, but they outnumbered us and they had a Curse. So we decided to see if they'd attack us. Being in big, dumb, slow ships like we were, maybe they would?

So Itsme warps on them in his Hyperion and they are all aligned except for the Ferox. Somehow he manages to get point and the rest of us jump in, while we are in warp their Curse decides to try and help the Ferox. Nothing much to report from that part of the fight, once we landed and got points, the poor Ferox and Curse sploded nicely.

While we were looting the field and getting ourselves nice and spread out ( which is a tactic to encourage someone to try and attack you btw ), a Cynabal landed about 40k from my Tornado. I was certain he'd made a mistake and would warp off, but instead he locked me up and started shooting. I liked the guy instantly.

Itsme and Monty were too far away to help much, but they sent their drones in, which was a huge help. Knowing the Cynabal like I do I figured his tactic would be to kite me from range and use his speed to stay alive. Not sure if he'd tried this with a Tornado before or not, but I suspect he was counting on a glass tank. Which I didn't have. (35k with nice resists!) And as expected he started doing just that.

So here is what I did. I went along with it. At various times in his orbit Monty was able to get point on the Cynabal. When this happened the first time I left my leisurely drive back towards my friends and burned straight at the Cynabal with my MWD overheated. The first time it worked like a charm and I managed to burn almost all the way thru his shield. I back off the MWD and waited as he pulled range again. At this point he should have turned tail and ran, so credit where credit is due, he stayed and fought. Remember, I didn't have a point fitted.

So I continued to pick at his tank, his kite range was still inside my own optimal, so I was hitting for decent damage. And then his cap started running low again and Monty called point and I burned straight for him again... when WAM!! he exploded. I alpha'd the rest of his tank in one shot, I think I hit for like 1,400 or something insane on that last volley.

Good fight.

So far I like the Tornado. I did dock up and put the point on, but we couldn't find any one else to fight us. In a gang situation I'm leaning towards not fitting the point, but I haven't decided yet. The increased buffer kept me alive against the Cynabal, I only got down to about half shields, so there is that. But flying a ship into combat without a point... well, that just isn't done. lol.

Looking Ahead to 2012

In about two weeks I'll be starting my third year of blogging here on Eveoganda. In September I'll be starting my fourth year of playing Eve. So already, looking ahead to 2012 brings with it some long-term benchmarks.


But those are the calendar ones, the easy ones. The more important question for me looking forward into 2012 is what now? Where and what should Rixx be doing in the coming year?


The one thing I know for certain, having played for 3+ years with this character... I have no idea!  Not me that's for sure. This time last year I was a Director in a Null Sec Corporation that had just started a new Alliance and moved to Syndicate. In order to help grow the Alliance I thought it might be a good idea to re-start an old Corporation of mine called Lucifer's Hammer...


I do know that I will be staying in The Tuskers for the foreseeable future. The Tuskers are a great group of guys whose play-style, demands ( or lack thereof ), location, friends and support, are exactly what I need right now. I've toyed with several ideas over the last two months, and while many of those are interesting to me, right now I want to concentrate on some unfinished business.


And what might that be you ask? Only one answer to that my friend - PvP.


I've been in the Hevrice/Lisbo/OMS area now for almost a year ( with some short diversions ), which is probably the longest single stretch of time I've ever been anywhere. Other than Providence, but that wasn't one long stretch. During my time in HevLisbo I was running a Corporation and then an Alliance, then taking both of those apart. ( Still sorry about how that worked out, but ehh. ) This year I don't want to start any new Corporations/Alliances, or support any far-flung wars, or help someone else do it. I just want to focus on being a better pilot and Fleet Commander.


Last night I went out with Itsme and Monty, two former LUCRH pilots, and flew up around Kinakka in our Hyperion, Myrm, Tornado. It was the first time I'd had a chance to fly the Tornado into combat. And while we were only out for a short time, I had a blast. It was a little slice of the old days. And I want those days back again. We also managed a couple of good fights, especially this one.


The reason I play Eve is for the player versus player combat. The rest, while awesome and rewarding, is simply window dressing for that. It is, on a deep fundamental level, all I care about. And this year, for as long as I can manage, I'd like to just focus on that.


Let's see how it goes.

The Eve Blog Pack: Boss Level

Back in August when I first took over the Blog Pack from CK, I tried to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Any change like that is going to be problematic in many ways, so the idea was to keep it as simple as possible and minimize the bad.


This worked pretty well if I do say so myself.


Since then there have been a number of EBP Updates, changes and issues that have popped up. And, in my humble opinion, the EBP continues to be a vibrant reflection of the "best" of the Eve Blogging Community.


And there is that word. 


I thought it would be a good time to define a bit more what I believe the Blog Pack is and isn't as we move into 2012. To me the EBP is a snapshot of the Eve Community of today, not of yesterday or tomorrow. A snapshot, not an album. Other people have lists, my personal favorite is Eve Blogger for example - it does an excellent job of linking Eve Blogs. Other people also have limited lists, or Best of lists, or friend lists, or any number of other ways of linking to Eve Blogs. But none of them are the Eve Blog Pack.


I am, in many ways, honor bound to uphold what I believe to be the spirit that CK created the Blog Pack for in the first place. Not to provide a comprehensive list of Eve Community Blogs, but to provide a snapshot of the ones that stand apart and that represent a wide selection of topics interesting to other members of the Eve Community.


So the EBP is about the reality of today. Getting on the EBP is no guarantee that you will be staying on the EBP. This isn't a Hall of Fame. It is a vibrant, living list. If you stop blogging for three months and then return, don't expect to see your blog on the list. It doesn't work like that. You will be replaced with someone else.


You need to write about Eve and write about Eve often. You need to do so in a way that is interesting, vibrant and important to the greater Eve Community. If not, you will be removed. And there is no warning, no head's up. I do try to help our EBP members if they are having problems, and they all know this is true, but I am not your babysitter. I still love you, but the list is the thing when it comes to EBP.


So moving forward the list will be updated more often under slightly more stringent personal guidelines from me. 


The goal isn't to favor anyone, or punish anyone, the goal is to create a vibrant, strong, important snapshot of the Eve Blogging Community. It isn't easy to get on the list, it shouldn't be. And it isn't easy to get taken off the list. But staying on the list is more than getting on it in the first place. It isn't easy to continue to write about Eve and to stay excellent, that should also be true.


There will be changes coming this week. The first update of 2012 has been in the works for several weeks now. Already Eve A to Z has been removed due to non-Eve related postings.


More updates coming.


UPDATE: The Altruist moved his site. The Feed should have been working fine for a few weeks now, but I finally got around to fixing all the other links on here as well.

Walking In Station Pneumonia

Christmas night I got hit hard by the flu, wham-o!! This effectively knocked me out of the Holiday spirit for four straight days of misery, coughing, snot producing, shivering burning, blah blahs. But I fought, as usual, without giving a single thought to seeing a Doctor or taking actual prescription meds. For me, traditionally, the flu is like a 3-4 day misery, nothing serious, then fine.


This one wouldn't go away, even after I got better. I ain't stupid, just tougher than nails. But even I know when I need help. At first the Doctors thought I had Walking Pneumonia, but it turns out it was a badass case of Bronchitis instead. I'm on meds now and feeling much better.


I don't get sick, but when I do, I do it right. The last time was about six years ago when I was sick for an entire month. The Doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, poor things. Eventually it was just killer meds, soup and time that healed me then. In my house we refer to that sickness as the "time I had SARS" cause that' was the hot sickness back then.


You know it's bad when the Doctor looks at your chest x-ray and says, "Huh, never seen that before."


I mention all this to let you know I'm back. And to give you some idea of what it takes to keep me away. My life is incredibly complicated, but it has always been incredibly complicated. Because that is exactly the way I like it. I always laugh when people used to say I could never keep up the pace here on Eveoganda. And while burn-out is always a possibility, I mean seriously, how am I supposed to know exactly how long Eve will interest me?  Writing in this blog, doing art, helping the community... in my life these are the fun things I get to do.


Heads up. There are some changes coming to the Eve Blog Pack this week. We'll be adding a few new blogs and there may be some other changes. Today I had to remove one of the EBP Blogs over concerns it may have been compromised, I'm waiting to hear from the author on that.


Happy New Year my friends. The start of the third year of Eveoganda!!!