The Great Ice Depression

I predicted, back on Oct 4th, that isotope prices were going to crash. That day has come, and regardless of the New Trailer and bannage of the ISboxer (something i knew was bannable the instant i heard about it) the price will never again be as high as it was in summer.

Blog Banter # 60 - Corp Fratricide redux

With Phoebe about to land, CSM Minutes now out, and more of CCP Seagull's vision from Eve Vegas it appears CCP has a bold roadmap, is making big changes, and is willing to take a hit in the short term to see it through. What do you see as the measurable signs that will tell us that they've succeeded? What outcome will we see as players? Is it concurrent player count or something else? BB60

  The measure of success will simply be the attack on the statistic released during fanfest about the number of character who solo mission in npc corps.  I believe that CCP will 'succeed' at gaining playerbase by removed the ability to freely attack fellow corpmembers, since they already have a system to replace it (the 'duel popup')
Removing that roadblock to new players joining corporations upon the very simple fact a huge majority of players get turned off this game by the incredible ease of which griefers ply their trade...those that survive have a good chance of narrowing their gameplay to mere solo missioning in npc corps.
You see, it's not the challenge griefers want - it's the easy no risk ganking they are addicted to. remove that and the griefers will simply find another venue inside EVE to exploit with little risk to themselves; remove that and corp fratricide by awoxers and safaris will still happen but on a more reasonable scale, with consequences for the griefer.
The biggest deal here is the little known fact that corp fratricide raises no flags so neutral RR can aid an awox/safari with concord protection from reprisal.


  The concurrent play count is obviously my measurable sign.
The other measurable sign will be more actual n00bs forming and joining corporations without the ability of the parasites to plunder willy-nilly.
Oh, there will be risk of course, there's no getting around that, especially with the current shabby state of affairs that is the corporate mechanics...
Did you know that a rank and file member just hired can not only read and reply to alliance mails, create corporate bookmarks, see corporate kill mails (even to npc entities), but to also see corporate standings to other entities, AND be able to see the activity level of every single member?!

Back in the game ballsdeep Chapter 2: Missions

Level 3 SOE agent operating out of Simela is my base of choice for missioning, currently.
I have a Paladin piloted by my 'main' highest SP character.
This is probably a good time to talk about the specialization of alts and how that compares to Jester's Trek entry about such things.

As a player who's never dabbled in capitals (other than a rorqual that keeps docked, mostly) I have found that having 4 alts is just about perfect...anything more is gravy/redundant.
My 'main' characters on my 'alt' accounts have specialized into their own niches simply because of the way CCP has coded the mechanics, over time.
Currently my 'main' on my main account is the triggerman (or woman in this case) flying the major DPS boats
My primary alt 'main' is my leadership boost character (also the one who flies the rorqual & orca)
My secondary alt 'main' is my exploration/industry character (also the one who flies the freighter & noctis)
My tertiary alt 'main' is my light hauler character (deep space transport)
So, for myself, i find Jester's Trek blog on the topic to be irrelevant, since i really only have 3 'mains' and the rest are fluff...
The only reason i have more than 3 accounts is because Ice mining is such a low maintenance gig that more is better, especially nowadays.

So the ships in fleet for missioning are Paladin, Damnation, Noctis and Impel.
I used to fly in 3 remote repping battleships, but with the micro jump drives things become...well, alot more streamlined. Not as much DPS but the time on target goes way up when sniping.
The paladin head into missions and microjump together to snipe points after launching MTU.
I have the damnation with leadership links orbiting the station or stargate.
I have the noctis in combination with the mobile tractors, dropped by the paladin in each room...noctis goes in after the mission to the temporary corporate bookmarks.
The DTS (impel) is docked and launched in case the paladin needs to refit on the fly for different drones, ammo, propulsion or whatnot - this saves the paladin from having to carry supplies, including the mobile depot necessary for the refitting.
Fairly simple system.

My 'main' has the refining skills so with the new system i can easily separate the things that i should sell later at a hub (i trade back to the impel pilot to keep in his items bay) and refine the rest - i sell the tritanium, pyerite and mexallon immediately. The rest i'll keep for building materials.

Mordus Headhunters 765k isk (2492 loyalty) plus 706k bonus (2 rooms, plus initial gate) [370m3 loot]
Retribution (serpentis) 271k isk (997 loyalty) plus 282k bonus (1 room, plus initial gate) [65m3 loot]
Cargo Delivery (serpentis; pickup) 297k isk (841 loyalty) plus 265k bonus
Smuggler Interception (serpentis; pickup) 371k isk (1414 loyalty) plus 357k bonus (2 rooms-blitz 1st, mtu one of the transport wrecks, then gank 2nd room*, plus initial) --  [n/a loot]
Duo of Death (blood raiders; pickup-use mtu)146k isk (402 loyalty) plus 150k bonus (1 room, plus initial) -- [n/a loot]
Intercept the p.smugglers (serpentis) 308k isk (1033 loyalty) plus 361k bonus (1 room, plus initial) -- [75m3 loot]
Smuggler Interception (serpentis) 436k isk (1414 loyalty) plus 411k bonus (2 rooms-blitz 1st, mtu one of the transport wrecks, then gank 2nd room*, plus initial)
Eliminate the Pirate Campers (angel)  185k isk (568 loyalty) plus 191k bonus (1 room) -- [n/a loot]
The Rogue Slave Trader (1of2; blood; pickup-use mtu) 212k isk (579 loyalty) plus 215k bonus (1 room) -- [n/a loot]


*-mwd propulsion needed

[EVE Online] One Man Crew

The Vargur fitting at 41:18 (presumed)
capsule
exact link to 41:18
Learned a few things, since my lack of experience has left me bereft of the skills needed to fully comprehend the video. Pretty close to understanding the benefits of overheating, drone targeting, transversal and manual steering. I think i'll stick to watching vids and copying the fits of those i admire, although i'll try to use EFT to see if i can fit more reasonably cost version (although they might be actually worth the expense)...here is the modified fitting with the bonus of 2 heavy NOS but that came at the cost of a meta4 DC instead of tech2

[Vargur, Blood of Gods]
Internal Force Field Array I
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Republic Fleet Gyrostabilizer
Federation Navy Co-Processor
Federation Navy Co-Processor

Large Micro Jump Drive
X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 400
X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 400
X-Large Ancillary Shield Booster, Navy Cap Booster 400
Dread Guristas Warp Scrambler
Stasis Webifier II

800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L
800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L
800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L
800mm Repeating Cannon II, Republic Fleet Fusion L
Heavy Diminishing Power System Drain I
Medium Energy Neutralizer II
Heavy Diminishing Power System Drain I
Bastion Module I

Large Anti-EM Screen Reinforcer II
Large Anti-Thermal Screen Reinforcer II

Warrior II x5
Hammerhead II x5
Nanite Repair Paste x100
Navy Cap Booster 400 x81
Republic Fleet Fusion L x1000
Barrage L x1000
Republic Fleet EMP L x1000
Republic Fleet Phased Plasma L x1000
Hail L x1000

The implants were a crystal set, and i've modified that to take advantage of the fit (MR-705, EM-805, SS-905 and a WU-1005)

BTW, here's the myrmidon fit at this point in the video. 

Back in the game ballsdeep Chapter 1: P.I.

Okay, i made a few planetary interaction posts a while back that were just plain confusing. What i hope to accomplish now is beyond me, but i like pretty pictures and i know you do too!

One day a couple weeks ago i realized my silos (storage facility) were slowly filling up with level 1 commodities, and decides, who the fuck cares and fiddled drastically with one of my alt's extractor heads to see if anything would explode.

The below pictures are the current result for one of my alt's planets:

‎October-‎26-‎14, ‏‎21:20:53 PST [DST]

‎October-‎28-‎14, ‏‎6:58:27 PST [DST]

‎October-‎30-‎14, ‏‎18:23:07 PST [DST]

‎November-‎05-‎14, ‏‎8:30:08 PST

So what started out as a 11,000 surplus of Reactive Metals has shrunk by approx 5000 units over a period of 9.5 days, or 22.2 units per hour. Meaning it'll take another 11 days to drain the surplus of Reactives. I refreshed the extractors each time i took the screenshot, btw, so it's not an accurate summation of a 14 day cycle, but close enough to an average lazy person's maintenance of said colony.

Too bad we couldn't damage them using DUST514 characters, eh?

This is good news because i was afraid, if i fiddled with the balance of extractor heads, i'd overcompensate and ruin a good thing. Apparently you can completely fuck with your extractor heads in order to siphon off the surplus in the storage facilities (aka "silos" as i like to call them)

As a followup i'd like to track this particular planet for it's average output of Mechanical Parts - currently 3.62 units per hour - then i'd like to see what sort of distribution i should have for the other fuel block ingredients so i can efficiently create blocks without having too much surplus of ingredients. That would be cool.

hiatus

interesting how it's not the constant, relentless griefer attempts to ruin my corporation in it's infancy (of recruiting in this hell of CCP's idea for a social engine), but the inability for CCP to understand the complexity of the 'prospect' as a concept.

You see, the prospect, unlike the venture, lacks the staying power to repulse the minimal attempts to eject the miner from the asteroid belt (aka. providing enough offensive power to get rid of annoyances, when in groups, of rats and the random solo pvp bomber)

It's the leadership slot that enables mining foreman links in which the hopes of staying on the battlefield/asteroid belt lie. So in order to have viability the foreman must not only be able to tank a bomber/rats but take them out quickly AND provide warfare link ability...which means either BC, command ship or strategic cruiser skills.

So, until i can field a caldari tengu i'll be farting around with World of Tank and Rome II

Out of the fire into the frying pan

"What is the future of low sec and NPC null sec as the economic center of gravity shifts from high sec toward null sec?"

Blog Banter #56 - UPHEAVAL
With Kornos and the upcoming industry changes following 6 weeks behind it, things are set for a vast upheaval in the coming months. Before he packed his bags and left Mord Fiddle asked some interesting questions:

The common wisdom in EVE Online is that, beyond the odd high-value moon or Faction Warfare scam, there's little in low sec or NPC null sec to the attract ongoing attention of the big-dogs of null sec, with their large fleets and super cap doctrines. It's assumed that NPC space simply isn't worth the bother of controlling even if one could control it.
Is this about to change?
The shift in industrial inefficiencies from high sec to NPC low sec/null sec has begun, adding value to NPC space outside of high sec. In the recent B0TLRD accords CFC claimed two NPC null sec regions, Venal and Syndicate, as part of the CFC sphere of influence.
What is the future of low sec and NPC null sec as the economic center of gravity shifts from high sec toward null sec?

Also, you can take this banter as a chance to discuss the ramifications of the style of play in low sec and NPC null sec if it does happen that major industry shifts there.

With the departure of CCP Dr.EyjoG and Fiddler, i give you two quotes from both of them that will shed light on my trepidation about the cliff CCP is marching over to the tune of null sec.

But the development team still has to tweak things, and a trained analytical eye can be useful to that end. "My role is to ensure that there is a certain level of stability," concludes Gudmundsson, "and that no changes are made without understanding the economic impact. ~Gamasutra interview (2008)

"In order to realize their in game agenda, The Mittani® and company are pressing for changes to a number of foundational game mechanics.  While pitched primarily as attempts to 'fix' the self-inflicted paralysis in nullsec, the desired effect is quite the opposite.  The primary immediate beneficiaries of the desired changes are The Mittani® and company.  They are intended to make holding sov nullsec even more profitable than it already is, and allow nullsec's dominant entities to further lock in their control of that space.  Further, the proposed changes allow the lords of nullsec to gain a stranglehold on New Eden's means of production and key inputs thereto." ~The Icarus Agenda

Conversely, my trepidation is most likely tinfoil hattery. #1 - The economist most likely left for a prestigious posting, since if he's going to start afresh why not start completely fresh?  #2 - I never liked the old economy mechanic as a way to entice n00bs to enjoy the game. #3 - CCP cannot be blind to the fact the entire purpose of their game is to drive players to null sec in order to have more control, regardless of how truly clueless they are about the way the game is actually played by people forced to adapt to CCP's mechanics coded by people long gone.

So, with that out of the way, what's my take on what will happen in my neck of the woods? Well, there's not many industrial centers in low sec Fua (Amod SOE and Naguton SOE stations), Goinard to the north and not much until you get to Ami constellation's Ministry of Internal Order factories...although there are no laboratory services among the locations i just sketched other than Goinard's Impro station (the old home of VETO)
What do I think will change? Well, those stations i mentioned have always been the magnets for players anyways so it's not like the landscape will radically alter. I don't see the being dramatically different. In fact, i think the only thing this huge economic restructuring will result in is more profit margin for null sec - same price costs as high sec, just more profit for them...Would they attempt to undercut their high sec competition? possibly, but i doubt it since it'll still be the same 0.0001 game in Jita.

To me, Eve has always been a screensaver game with a built in chat function. Since those that play this game obviously realize this fact as well, therefore this myth of the high sec WoW wannabe carebear who're rabidly risk averse is about as prevalent as the naysayers who themselves are usually risk averse pvpers wanting easy targets. Assuming i'm correct, and the risk-averse are in everyone's imagination, the corollary is that I don't think there's many that will bother changing their ways if they're risk-averse...it is, after all, a game and people enjoy playing it at a lower efficiency all the time; Conversely, I seriously doubt null sec will reduce their market share just to undercut their high sec brethren (remember the cartels of old?)


Amod SOE station is one of those huge dockring caldari monsters just calling out to be a homebase for industrialists escaping the industry hubs close to mission centers. I'm sure cyno wrecks will be common place IF the doom and gloom "the end is nigh" drama queens are even half right. I seriously doubt it'll be a huge shift nor will any new work force teams gets hired on there. I just don't see the attraction of spending jump freighter fuel in order to undercut high sec producers...i really don't see it as a non-trivial event. I'd be shocked if Amod factories became busy with industrialists...Well, maybe a short trial period where the clueless carebears get ganked left and right until they slink back to high sec?


Will there be more targets in low sec? I hope so, since low is becoming alot more attractive to those that actually WANT to live there opposed to selfish greedy anti-social high sec denizens. Maybe i'll find more like minded industrialists flocking to my neck of the woods...that would be bad for competition but great for socialization and hopefully intel sharing. Yet, realistically speaking, there will be no real increase in population other than old veterans giving it a whirl or clueless folks getting ganked in the chokepoints.
But, you see, either way I welcome the changes as a positive thing and am actually excited about the Prospect. I'm excited about actually having fun in low sec now (not just the feeling i could do MUCH better in high sec)...In my eyes, a career choice of a low sec miner is viable and thus 'fun' because the ability of others to interrupt my gameplay is greater than high sec but no prohibitively so (if the prospect is that game changer, which i think it will be)
The question for myself is simple:  Do i want to spend all my time safe and snug in high sec mining ice or actually enjoy the short time i get each day to play eve? AFK play is rewarding knowing that i can do both chores IRL and play eve at the same time, but i really would like some excitement that i initiate sometimes...most times i'm busy investigating, exploring and/or surfing the web.


In my mind's eye i see those that really enjoy mining, without stupid botting hulk fleets silently sulking on depleted belts, making a living in low sec for the first time. Blops mining (a redeemer to keep the field clear of rats & wrecks, and everyone cloaking up when the roamers go by) will become a reality especially if miners can warp while cloaked.  The issue of giving links to such a fleet would need a strategic cruiser, yet that would tie up two pilots (blops and t3 linker with covert subsystem)...Personally, i'd set up shop with a BC (tech1 or 2) with links and a cloak just in case...or maybe a deepSS with ECCM out the wazoo to make it unprobable...that even possible with a ship that size? hmmm
Anyways, point is, i'm a miner for life. I love mining. I've also loved the idea of mining in low sec with pirates around to gank the unwary competition...A place where i don't have to be beholden to the local 'presence' if i felt like it. The prospect, and the new industry changes, actually makes a low sec existence viable (albeit probably not as lucrative as other careers) and therefore fun. 
I define 'fun' as being able to finance my losses and modest ambitions from my own virtual pocket, not plex via $$$. I've always, except a few short instances, been paying $ for my subscriptions. I'm fine with that...i don't need to prove anything beyond those requirements in the first sentence.



TL;DR - plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...For myself it seems like i'm finally leaving the chaotic 'fire' of trying to jury rig ventures and procurers to cloak up and landing on a 'frying pan' of prospects and blops. It'll still be the same old low sec, just with a reason to leave my safe high sec ice belt and start living in low sec for real.