When Vikings Vacation

After quite a long hiatus I am finally starting to settle back in to the rhythm that is life in EVE. And I've realized life in EVE is just no fun without my crazies in Adhocracy. So I chose a few of my favorite ships, and head back into the unknown and immediately set to getting up to no good.


We recently set up a POS in a "vacation" hole, bringing a couple carriers and a dread... as you do. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to bring anything other than my Proteus, which has left me to beg borrow and steal whatever is in the hangars. It seems I keep ending up with a lone Apoc, and after being used to little nimble ships, I think this ship may be the end of me.

Hopefully this little foray, where we try our hardest to focus on something other than murdering the hapless random explorer, we will make some decent pocket change. And I know exactly what I'm gonna spend mine on!

EON Issue #024

The latest issue of EON is hot off the press!

I don't know about you but I am really looking forward to reading about wormhole life from another vantage point, as I am only familiar with how we function in Adhocracy. After listening to PodGoo Podcast, I realize that we are quite a different animal from the normal WH corp.

The features of this issue are as follows!

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 Report…and all the latest news and events

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!

So my timing to return to EVE appears to be impeccable!

After piddling around in a few other games since around February, and none quite hitting that spot EVE always has, I decided with the upcoming Incarna expansion the time was right to jump back in.

Although, to my dismay, I would find all Incarna would be was the Captains Quarters I had only just heard murmerings about when I left at the beginning of the year, I had no idea that would be all we would get with the initial expansion. That being said, with a little bit of pouting I quickly got over it as I really haven't got a clue what I'd be doing in a station anyways other than oohing and aaahing over eachothers avatars. And living in a wormhole means visits to stations are few and far between.

I will say that point is what has me more bothered than any of the other grumblings that seem to be the rage of the moment. I'll be honest and say I am not that bothered by the microtransactions.... due to the simple fact that it has always been possible for someone who just started yesterday to jump on the bazaar, buy some PLEX, cash it out for ISK, and buy a pilot older than my own.

And although the monocle is insanely overpriced (because by CCPs logic, its all "designer", I still dont see anyone paying more for a pair of jeans than their shiny new Lamborghini.)... I will say that the fallout over it has generated some epicly hilarious threads and lead me to finding a Blade Runner Umbrella, which is cheaper and way cooler than said virtual monocle.

In the end the backlash surrounding all of this has just made the game that much more entertaining to me. In what other game can you find pure anarchy and people protesting in this way?

I guess I've been away from the game long enough to feel completely uninvolved with all the politics... and just enjoy the game for what it is.

And yes, I joined in the congo line around the memorial in Jita, just because. ;)

BTW... FREE HELICITY!

EON : ISK Guide 3.0

You know you want it. I know I want it. I am so ISK impaired its not even funny... any help I can get is more than welcome!

I missed past versions, and my wallet shows it!

It's been a long time coming but it's finally here! The ultimate guide to EVE Online and it's all yours and all mine, for FREE! WEWT!

Whether your a new or old player, there is something useful for everyone.

So for your free download, yes free, please visit www.isktheguide.com starting tomorrow!

And fingers crossed for a print version to come soon!

The Haircut

::TRANSMISSION INCOMING... ORIGIN, UNKNOWN::

Auryn-

Sorry I've been so off the grid lately, the daily grind (hehe, get it? "grind"... oh never mind) of depleting 'roids of their ores had finally gotten the better of me. As you probably know my home is now in wormhole space. We get a lot of action out here, I never imagined I would find such a liking for the "hunt".

The disadvantage to this is not being able to stretch my legs in Station quarters. Most of my time now is spent inside my ships, my Proteus specifically, that I have set up to be particularly comfortable in unknown space. Of course, I had to sacrifice my drones for a cloaking subsystem, but I keep Rigel inside to keep me company. And true to form I have decorated the inside as tacky as you would expect your sister to.

I've still been up to my usual, crawling around the ships maintenance areas where a pilot of my stature really shouldn't. But there is some satisfaction in not only knowing my ships mind, but also its workings. I should also note I finally cut my mess of hair off. It was one too many times of it getting caught and tangled in wires, and to be honest, I was sick of washing the grease out.

I am sure you will think I am a boy the next time you see me.

Hope to visit with you during my next trip to Empire Space-

Your Sister,

Maeve

::END TRANSMISSION::

Wormholers Rumbling in Low Sec

So typically, our forays into low-sec dont go so grandly. Speaking for myself, being used to WH tactics, and for the most part not being entirely familiar with jump gate timers and tactics used with them. And then, of course, local pirates always have the upper hand in the situation considering they are probably close to their home station and can quickly reship. Not to mention, they do not have to deal with mass limitations and can bring whatever toys they want.

But the other night we had a streak of good luck.

We chased around a size-able fleet of juicy red Chain of Chaos folks, until we pinned them down to a gate and sent some bait through who was quickly engaged. Us being on the other side of the gate, immediately jumped through and the fun began.

Their fleet was much larger than the kills we did manage to snag, as many got away, but it was a good time regardless, and there were many "GF" in local. *hats off* to Chain of Chaos from me. :) I am pretty positive they would have come back for more -I wouldn't blame them, but we quickly scurried back to our wormhole to bask in the warm glow of a low sec romp that finally went right.

Also..... special moment for me as it was my Proteus's first real actual engagement excluding the time I managed to just land in a fight in time for a pod-kill lol!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any screen shots of the low-sec action... so I have supplied just a generic shot of my Proteus, "Bed Intruder". ;)

Local lols

It isn't often that there is banter in WH local. Because by default, until someone speaks, the local list is always empty, such behavior can give away vital information about an operation. Only one person needs to speak and from that can be gleaned your corporation and how many people are in it, which in turn can give a potential fleet size, as well as kill-boards which in itself is a wealth of information.

So in the event we do engage in local chatter, it can get quite hilarious. As of late, just jumping into our neighboring systems to break things and ships hasn't been enough. Now we'll make entertainment out of it... sending one person in (and possibly cloakies) to pretend they are a lost newb, baiting residents to either think they have an easy kill, or think they are guiding someone out, while our fleet lays in wait.

One such operation happend just the other night, and the local chat had me in stitches.

Please note m oebius is our guy. Enjoy!


m oebius > Hi Kal, I'm just looking for a good site, came in from K
m oebius > I have to uncloak to drop my probes
Kal Zek > Ahh, well your buddy in the Pilgram needs his checked too
Kal Zek > Safe travels friend =)
m oebius > hmm, your confusing me but ok
Kal Zek > OH, The Pilgram isnt with you? Well then becareful, tehres a Pilgram on teh lose.
m oebius > Those are not very dangerous right
Kal Zek > Naw
m oebius > Ok, cool
Kal Zek > Pilgrams have just shoot blunderbusses
Kal Zek > very short range wep
m oebius > Ah
m oebius > You cleared all the anoms, makes it harder
Kal Zek > What cha looking for?
Kal Zek > maybe I can help
m oebius > some kinda combat site
Kal Zek > Well, there are a few next door, through teh null sec wh there
m oebius > Gotta find that hole
Kal Zek > Becareful, bad things happen there /shudders
Chakotae > invite me to fleet, ill give ya a warp to for that wormhole
Kal Zek > NOw why didnt I think of that
Kal Zek > You shame me Chakote =/
m oebius > no way, you guys will gank me
Chakotae > i swear i wont
Chakotae > im in a badger anyways
Kal Zek > Its true
Kal Zek > He's in a badger
m oebius > Oh cool, I found a combat site
Kal Zek > Yay
Kal Zek > Ya know, when you get those refunded SP's ina couple weeks. You might want to put some on scanning. it will help you find stuff faster. So im told
Kal Zek > I cant scan myself
Kal Zek > but i hear roumors
m oebius > Heh crazy.. refunds!?
m oebius > Why would they do that?
Kal Zek > I KNOW!
m oebius > These guys take awhile to kill
Kal Zek > Yeah, and thers no bounty, wtf is up with that?
m oebius > They have sweet loots
m oebius > I made about 100M last night
Kal Zek > cool
Kal Zek > Maybe that guy in teh Pilgram would makea truce with you, adn help ya out. Go faster then.
m oebius > I thought you said those were no good?
Kal Zek > short range
Kal Zek > You said tehy were no good
Kal Zek > lets see...
Kal Zek > Yeah, it was you...[07:24:18] m oebius Those are not very dangerous right
m oebius > omg you are like my girlfriend
Chakotae > lol
Kal Zek > She doesnt give you any either?
m oebius > now your being mean
Kal Zek > cause you aint getting any of this ass till I get a ring!
m oebius > cause now your like my mom
m oebius > you got pictures?
Kal Zek > sec, let me find it
m oebius > none of those virus pictures
Kal Zek > well, its cured now
Kal Zek > mostly...
Kal Zek > **link to a super gross pic**
m oebius > I've gotta alt-tab to see that one
Kal Zek > I'm gonna do you a favor
Kal Zek > Save you a nights sleep
Kal Zek > dont open that link =)
m oebius > I kinda figured
Kal Zek > Now see what a nice guy I am?
m oebius > Of course
m oebius > These battleships are taking me forever
Kal Zek > yeha, lil bitches, think they gonna live forever
m oebius > Did you buy a notcis yet?
Kal Zek > Naw
Kal Zek > they have a fat ass and move like my ex
m oebius > now I see why she is your ex
Kal Zek > it really was a fat ass, it wasnt the pants.
m oebius > sometimes I like that kinda thing
m oebius > I mean if we are being honest here
Kal Zek > well, if thats how ya roll
Kal Zek > haha, I said roll.....
m oebius > haha.. roll get it!
Kal Zek > hahahaha
Kal Zek > You better salvage those. Nyx gets pissed when people dont salvage.
m oebius > Why is Nyx?
m oebius > or who..
Kal Zek > Shes about 6'2", 275lbs
Kal Zek > face only a drunk could love
m oebius > thats your ex?
Kal Zek > no, she was 2'6"
m oebius > a midget! no way!
Kal Zek > way
m oebius > holy shit..
m oebius > I can't believe you gave that up
Kal Zek > I told her to wear vertical stripes. it made her ass look smaller, and she left me
m oebius > the ladies are sensitive, even the short ones
Kal Zek > Wouldnt even get me a sandwich on the way out.
Kal Zek > i was like WTF, fine, i'll make it myself
m oebius > what kind?
Kal Zek > egg salad
m oebius > ick
Kal Zek > oh, thats good stuff
m oebius > the egg salad is the most horrible sand. in the world
m oebius > you know what happens if you leave that out for an hour
Kal Zek > it hatches?
m oebius > for sure
m oebius > AFK for a bit, gotta bring in my salvager
Kal Zek > oky doky
m oebius > hard to chat and fly
Kal Zek > aint it
Kal Zek > they say talking on cellphone while driving is actually worse than driving after two beers.
m oebius > I've done both..
m oebius > at the same time
Kal Zek > Thats not good
m oebius > naw it was cool, I do it all the time

**At this point the trap was sprung**

Kal Zek > So, did ya get much isk from that?
m oebius > Looking good..
Kal Zek > Will it split very well with Heizeus, Memoocan, Loch Verus, Admiral Tomahawk, Asuri Kinnes, Lir O'Trog, Kwashi and Rafe Vatta? Nice Pilgram btw Rafe
m oebius > Your just looking at our kill board..
Kal Zek > resourceful fella, aint I? ;p
m oebius > Well, you lost the midget
Kal Zek > Poor Domi pilot, didnt know you was all laying in wait =)
m oebius > Well honestly, your POS defenses are pretty
Kal Zek > bah, she made crappy samiches anyhow =)
Kal Zek > I got a question, honest answer
m oebius > k
Kal Zek > Did you eff up teh landing when you ambushed my Badger, or was that on purpose to try and flush out some dumb brave soul trying to help me,
m oebius > You were already accelerating away from the station when I landed, and warped before I could get a lock
Kal Zek > ahh, was just lucky then
m oebius > Yhea
Kal Zek > thats two times today, lol