Battle report, February 18

[This is the copy of a report I posted on my alliance forum]


When Marcel calls, we answer.


Fleet was to be composed of kiting tier 2 battlecruisers. I went ahead in a Helios to scout the systems we'd be roaming while the fleet was forming.


Entry point was Ouelletta. There had already been some kills in local with two corpses in space. One was identified as a Black Frog pilot who had lost his cyno alt. We didn't bother with the Anshar. Instead I looked for the Tornado that did the killing, but he soon logged after I got David's Drake got in system. With local down to four I moved on.


I found Dirty Worm belt ratting in Melmaniel, presumably fielding an active tanked Deimos based on his recorded losses. By now the fleet was up and moving. The BC gang was holding at the Melmaniel gate in Ouelletta awaiting my signal. However, Dirty Worm logoffskied when David started chasing him around. Moments later Dax Jr sighted equincu ocha, a Tusker pilot, in his Brutix heading to either Costolle or Murethand. David went on to pursue him.


Meanwhile Gunther Lutgens in a Legion had jumped to Ouelletta and came in contact with the crew. He quickly cloaked and got away. We didn't know then that Lutgens was equincu's armor boosting alt.


David made his way to Hevrice and docked at the Tusker's base station to find IK Thel, Thomas Castle(boosting Loki alt) and another pirate docked. Marcel positioned the main fleet in Muetralle. This is when he noticed equincu following. He had up-shipped to a Megathron at either Murethand or Melmaniel.


Marcel decided to seize the opportunity to engage a battleship at the gate. I requested everyone in fleet to kite the blaster ship at 15km. My biggest concern was, of course, his warp scrambler and web. It was quickly revealed that the Megathron was active tanked. David made his way back from Hevrice to Muetralle to provide additional fire to the gang. equincu was bent on killing Shrike's Harbinger. With good reasons, too. a) Shrike was fielding the slowest ship, b) he had the least SP, suggesting it could have the weakest tank, and c) the Megathron's defense was weak against EM and Thermal damage in comparative terms.


I ordered everyone to overheat guns until modules took 50% damage. As we feared, Shrike had been caught up by the Megathron and had already lost a portion of his armor. Another Tusker in a Tengu came through the gate. Luckily for us, he cloaked and went his way.


The Megathron's blasters was steadily shaving off Shrike's armor tank and he went into structure. Our fleet began overheating our guns for the second time. Shrike was given instructions to align to a celestial farthest from the Megathron and spam warp. Just when we though the Harbinger would die, a bright flash of light flickered on our screens. equincu's battleship had been destroyed.


Megathron kill: http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=12481202


Since there were no stations in Muetralle, we got to a safe spot to gather our senses. Back in Costolle, Dax Jr witnessed a sudden local spike. A Tusker BC fleet comprised of three Hurricanes, a Drake and Onyx were on our tail. This gang was led by Suleiman, their main FC. I called for an immediate evacuation to our high sec exit, Raneilles.


David lingered behind in Hevrice to chat with the locals. equincu was asking for a rematch.


[02:13:04] equincu ocha > round 2 ?
[02:13:19] David Vendetta > With Suleiman on our asses?
[02:13:25] equincu ocha > ?
[02:13:35] David Vendetta > He's heading back home
[02:13:39] David Vendetta > With Konig in an Onyx. :)
[02:15:16] equincu ocha > timing is horribly, wanted a remach, someother time then
[02:15:44] David Vendetta > Of course.


Soon enough Suleiman and equincu brought an Abaddon and Rokh to the gate I was orbiting in hopes of getting me to fire. I watched the sentry guns strip away their tank and did nothing. The Drake jumped out to safety at 70% shields. This isn't the end of it, though.


I was chatting on TeamSpeak with Marcel for a couple minutes when a pirate pod came into high sec. To my surprise, he got pointed by me. Nice token pod kill to end the roam.


Pod kill: http://eve-kill.net/?a=kill_detail&kll_id=12481309


Lessons learned:
1. Kiting in a Harbinger isn't as easy as it sounds. A single webifier will allow one to escape scram range.
2. Overheating makes a huge impact - train Thermodynamics to at least IV.
3. Keep scouts in pipes so the fleet doesn't get ambushed from behind.
4. When you see a pirate pod, point it!


I love flying with you guys. :)

EVE Central Bank: Doing too much or too little?

I break my silence at the behest of an esteemed blogger at Ecliptic Rift. This post departs from my usual iteration of misadventures and takes aim at the manipulative monetary policies of a company that ‘excels’ at entertaining us. Let’s talk about our economy, tinfoils off.

Traditionally PLEX prices are highly fluctuant when each expansion is introduced.

Tyrannis

Period: May 26, 2010

Incursion

Period: Phase One November 30, 2010 / Phase Two December 25, 2010 / Phase Three January 18, 2011

However biannual market events are not enough to maintain PLEX quotes. This is where PLEX for Good enters the picture. I present exhibit 1, a year long price history graph of PLEX, taken from Jita.

Exhibit 1 - PLEX price history

Source: EVE Online market data

PLEX for Good

Pakistan 

Period: September 15 through October 6, 2010

Scale: No results published

Haiti

Period: January29 through February 15, 2011

Scale: 2,776 PLEX

Japan

Period: March 14 through March 31, 2011

Scale: 2,549 PLEX

US

Period: 3 May through 16 May 2011

Scale: Results pending

Notice how CCP deviously made use of good will to forward its own agenda. This brings me to what I really want to say. Do not give away your cash. There are two reasons why players should not donate their PLEX.

First and foremost, we should refrain from giving away our money to CCP on moral grounds. How does a commercial enterprise justify donations by imploring on the conscience of players? “While you sit comfortably in front of your computer, millions are suffering. Be an internet spaceship hero and donate money. Oh, and hey, let us take credit for it.” No matter how noble the cause, if one truly wants to donate there are agencies galore in specific fields, arguably with less controversy and more impartiality than the Red Cross. As far as I know, CCP did not publish the results for Pakistan, nor did they ever fully disclose how much money they spent on ‘handling costs.’ I myself usually contribute to the World Food Program and Doctors Without Borders. No one, especially not a for-profit company should claim acknowledgment for charity paid for by its benefactors.

Second is, of course, our economy. Whether you live in high, low, null sec or wormholes the invisible hand reaches far and wide. Only the hand present is one that is short-sighted, irresponsible and pandering to certain parties with vested interests.

A larger threat lies in the lack of proper tools to control the market. In the real world, we have policies that are flexible in their implementation of different rates such as interest or tax, and a monetary authority that controls the supply of money. They mean little in EVE either because matters are almost entirely ignored for years or when they implement change, one can always expect debacle. CCP intervenes in asset value modification and supply of raw materials with little insight to ramifications, which I assure you, always follows suit. The company simply doesn’t have a buffer or punitive measures to use against speculative powers within the game.

As for ISK, there is no limit to the flow of cash. Concord for one is printing digital numbers 23/7. RMT exploiters are a testament to this broken, yet perfectly normal MMO mechanic. In an effort to sustain PLEX prices high enough to compete with RMT, CCP has contributed to the very vice they were meant to deter: inflation. Take a look at exhibit two.

Exhibit 2 - Top sinks and facuets in EVE

Source: QEN for 2010

EVE Central Bank’s statement is especially touching in this regard:

EVE Central Bank has been monitoring the money supply closely and is becoming increasingly concerned about the rate of growth in the total money supply and the subsequent risk of inflation increase. The bank has therefore proposed that in 2011 there should be a focus on increasing ISK sinks in order to curb potential inflation. – QEN4 2010, p.20

The great misfortune here is that of the obscurity of players, which in turn is a boon to CCP. The underclass are caught standing next tidal waves they are not even aware of. A small circle of bourgeois privy to exclusive information take advantage of these tides to multiply their wealth. At times it amazes me how a game could mimic the failings of reality. If EVE Central Bank were an institute, its managers should be put to trial for negligence and sued for corruption. Below is a brief history of what EVE Central Bank has recently been up to.

After letting a contingent of exploiters to hoard ISK by self-destructing insured battleships, they decide tackle the issue. On May 26, insurance policy changed to reflect market trends putting an end to unbalanced mineral supply. Yet this was only a tip of the iceberg. In August we saw the stealth nerf of drone mineral loot. DRF, or Drone Russian Federation, the main supplier of Nocxium took a tremendous hit to their business when this happened. As supply toppled, so did the economy. 2010 saw another Nocxium spike when the Noctis was introduced. This compounded with strategic mishaps by DRF itself lead to an exodus of renter corps that further aggravated inflation in the entire universe.

Exhibit 3 - Nocxium price history

Source: EVE Online market data

Planetary Interaction changed the market overnight. Fuel, previously supplied by NPCs, turned into player-made commodities. Costs skyrocketed 552 percent. This spike immediately spilled over to POS resources. Technetium is the winner among the crowd due to its prestigious rarity bearing the curse of monopoly, giving alliances all the more reason to battle over limited resources. Yet another factor to inflation. Turn back the clock to February 14, your gaze at Uemon. Contest over a Technetium moon culminated to a clash in which twelve titans and seven supercarriers were destroyed. If you cannot grasp its importance look at exhibit 4. When 300% growth per year is at stake for a valuable resource, alliances will throw everything at each other. With massive ISK sink in supercaps come… you guessed it, inflation.

Exhibit 4 - Technetium price history

Source: EVE Online market data

Null sec grunts have taken a hard punch when their anomolies were knocked out according to true sec. This caused the second exodus of renters this year, only months after the first which occurred with the changing of hands in southern regions. Where do null bears go when they leave ratting systems? High sec beware, change is coming and it isn’t going to be pretty.

If that [inflation] does happen countermeasures would have to be taken in the form of increased sinks, reduced faucets or even higher taxes in the system. - QEN4 2010, p.32

Here's a bonus. Apparently the null bears spread out in Caldari regions.

Exhibit 5 - Federation Navy Fleet Colonel Insignia I price history

Source: EVE Online market data

The paradox of Incarna is clear; if inflation goes unchecked, players and an army of alts that rely on PLEX for subscription will leave while clueless new players try out EVE. It’s like pouring water into a bucket without addressing the hole at the bottom. What can we do? We’re the constituents of EVE Online. Managing a healthy economy is far more important than balancing factional modules. It is our right, even a responsibility, to seek improved conditions for the player base. Take some time off those heated guns to contemplate the rich-poor divide. Be a real hero and demand rightful change.

Chapter 3 – North by Northwest

Dax Jr. had disappeared. I stopped blogging. David’s contract history was bad enough for an intel leak coupled with the previous loss mail. An explorer should not handle module trades – leave traceable deals to alts. Better to have locals assume you’re afk cloaked denying them knowledge of your intent. Unfortunately the billboard sign I carried was screaming ‘kill me,’ thus there were numerous occasions when resident pirates took over complexes I was running. Tuberider’s T3 gang raided my 6/10 in Ihakana, DiamondDog brought a Bhaalgorn and Ishtar to another complex in Onatoh, and there were a host of Russians in Black Rise systems who thought they could catch me by logging off in front of acceleration gates. Despite these interruptions David was able to hoard billions before I burned out. The sweetness of instant riches left missions tasting sour. I was consumed by the idea that pilots beyond the boundaries of empire space were making more ISK in relative safety with less input.

In hindsight I didn’t put in enough effort to rent null sec space, nonetheless David found himself in Branch to do what he does best. Funnily enough I joined WI. while looking for a high sec corp. I placed ads for three of my pilots in the corporate recruitment channel hoping to find a group that will take me in. It soon became clear that people were interested in David’s service, sidelining Dax or an up and coming logistics alt. On one particular convo, Lynn Deniera offered a different choice. I was impressed at Lynn for personally recruiting pilots as head of the corp. The Foreign Legion corporation was a part of Wildly Inappropriate alliance that had sovereignty over UWRZ-2 constellation in Fade and KWCZ-A in Branch at the time. The interview was relaxed thanks to his mild manners and witty comments. According to him I could do everything that I wanted to do under the condition that I participate in ops – it will be so good that I’ll never see empire again. To me it was a ticket to the northern outreaches of space. For him I was another Drake pilot. We both agreed it was time to sign the papers.

Below is my application to STOLE dated Oct. 2, 2010.

            

APP 

General Information

1. Do you have an alt/s? 2 active

2. If so, how many, what are their names? David Vendetta(API submitted) and [redacted]

3. Please list the skillpoints for each active character you use.
Dax Jr: 9mil (API submitted), David Vendetta: 17mil, [redacted] : 6mil

About You

[redacted]

Ingame Info 

1. Do you have any long term goals in eve? 
I want a meaningful MMO experience, building relationships and helping others out. Although this may just be a game, I take mine seriously and know that it involves real people. Below are some goals for my online avatars.
Character development: Dax Jr's very long term goal is to field cap ships. In the meantime he will train for T2 cruisers, T2 battleships and related support skills. David Vendetta's mid term goal is to become the perfect Tengu pilot. He's on a 500+ day skill plan. [redacted]: Guardian/Basilisk pilot. Will see what he'll do after I'm done with that.

2. What type of ships can you fly?
Dax Jr: T1 frigs battleships. Gallente assault ships. David Vendetta: Cov-ops, Recons, Tengu, Drake (working on Assault Ships and Heavy Assault Ships at the time of writing) [redacted]: Guardian

3. Are you Isk self sufficient? 
Yes. I bought David Vendetta for 3.5b, then trained him up to rat in low sec earning 1b to 2b per week. I should be able to make more ISK in 0.0 space, granted I'm given access.

4. What is your main source of income?
Missions, LP conversion, DED complex and low sec combat sites/escalations, sales of loot

5. What do you like to do in EVE Online? 
PvE combat and eventually PvP.

6. What do you use your alts for? 
Dual boxing missions, exploration, and logistics

7. Can you fly a Capital Ship, and do you own one? 
No

8. Do you have an FC experience? - if so please tell us what kind. 
None

9. Are there any specific roles you have experience with? eg. Logistics/pos gunner/Black ops. If so please list them here, and your level of experience. 
None. Eager to learn and contribute.

10. What kind of Fleets do you enjoy the most? 
Small gangs, battlecruisers and below

11. Can you tell us about a memorable fleet/battle/campaign you've been involved in, and what you did? 
None

Past History 

1. Please list any alliances you have been a member of. 
None. David's previous owners were in some.

2. Tell us about some of the notable corporations and alliances you've been with for extended periods. 
Not worth mentioning.

3. Tell us about current/last corp & alliance. 
Currently all my characters are in NPC corps. Last corp was a laid back carebear corp. I left due to lack of activity and CEO's inability to display any form of leadership.

4. Why are you leaving them and are you leaving on good terms? 
Left my last corp in good terms. I am a regular at their public channel, and apparently they want me back.

5. Please provide a link to a killboard with stats on you - we don't mind if it's a public board. 
Dax Jr http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/combat_record.php?type=player&name=Dax+Jr David Vendetta http://eve.battleclinic.com/killboard/combat_record.php?type=player&name=David+Vendetta

6. Have you ever been a member of any of the current WI corps, or a member of an ex-WI corp? 
No

7. Have you been a member of any corp currently 
Currently? No

Lynn suggested I liquidate assets in high sec, giving me a few days to dispose of what earthly belongings I had. A prudent friend advised me to keep a home that I could return to should things not work out. Dax Jr. would stay behind clearing the hangars of excess items that I would not need in Fade. David moved what he could carry to Torrinos, the last bastion of high security strip that laid way to NC.

I was in. Little did I know that David would be mistaken for a RED.Overlord titan pilot to come under suspicion of treachery.

Chapter 1 - Tengu pilot wanted

When I purchased my new slave pilot back in July, wormholes seemed like the best darned thing to exploit. Upon research the Tengu turned out to be the best choice out of the four T3s when it came to PvE. Consequently Tengu pilots were actively sought after by everyone else, meaning they fetched exorbitant prices at lower skill point ranges. The general rule of the character bazaar was one billion ISK per five million SP last year. I am assuming things changed after December when CCP removed learning skills and massive inflation struck New Eden.


Due to frantic demand Tengu pilots were the only exception to this generally accepted ISK per SP rule. Most were starter pilots between the 10-20 million SP ranges and could cost 3 to 6 billion ISK per head. Even if there was a pilot that I liked the seller would be asking for too much and more often than not affluent buyers were willing to buyout. My requirements made it even worse because I wanted a pilot with proper name, thus ‘H4XX03’ or such absurd identities were out of the picture. Since I had to probe wormholes my pilot would need scanning skills, too. My budget was only three billion in ISK.


This is when I began my trade hub marathon spamming local with ads. I was met with bemused remarks by pilots who suggested I train one myself. Dax Jr.’s skill plans were set for Gallente/Minmatar leaving no room for Caldari ships, I explained. Convos were opened and mails were exchanged with half a dozen holders. I went as far as searching eveboard.com for characters that I liked and tried reaching them. My budget was raised to four billion. On the ninth day I was finalizing talks with two potential sellers. David Vendetta, who had lower SP, was chosen.


The seller informed me that I was to be his fourth master. He could not tell much about this pilot’s troubled history. I was to keep whatever assets David had sprawled in empire and beyond. The catch was that some were inaccessible owing to the fact that previous owners failed to evacuate goods from player owned outposts. The seller evaded directly answering my question on neural remap; it turned out he had remapped David a week before effectively leaving me stuck with maxed out perception and willpower for 360 days. I petitioned this matter to a GM asking if I could get a new one. The request was understandably turned down. Too tired for a refund, I decided to mold him into something I wanted. Despite having numerous skills at V, he lacked the prerequisites to field a Tengu.


For the next several weeks I dual boxed two pilots in a Domi/Drake and ran missions while taking time off for travels to remote hangars. I was dumbstruck at how many faction modules this guy had. It was enough to buy and fit a decent tech 3 setup. However I still didn't have the skills nor the money for an omni tank needed to solo wormholes. I did the next best thing which turned out to be my second profession; low sec exploration.

Prologue - The Misadventures of David

David Vendetta was born to an unknown parent on the 30^th of August, 2008. After graduating the State War Academy in 27 hours, this young delinquent headed straight for null security space. In the harshness that is 0.0 he trained to become a grunt; his skill set were almost entirely concentrated on piloting combat vessels. Months later David emerged a consummate master of the Drake battlecruiser, sufficiently talented Falcon operator and cunning covert-ops scout. Unfortunately he saw little or no real action.

Then

Perhaps he was disenchanted by the fray or the idea of it. One thing clear was that loyalty must never have been a value worth contemplating; for he sought employment in Macabre Votum of Morsus Mihi, and then found a new job with The Crimson Scorpions, White Noise. While it’s not uncommon in EVE to see pilots testing waters on both ends, David’s source of wanderlust came from… the character bazaar.

Now

Tidy up

A mission runner’s “you reap what you sow” would roughly translate to “you loot what you wreck.” By June I managed to hoard 824 items in two solar systems. When I opened my hangar or assets tab lag was noticeable, getting worse after each mission. Thalis Malu, who was listening to my predicament, uttered the one line that changed everything forever. [insert image of light bulb here] [playback sound effect of angel choir]

[ 2010.06.04 08:24:37 ] Thalis Malu > I keep all my items in station cans

[ 2010.06.04 08:24:57 ] Dax Jr > what are station cans?

[ 2010.06.04 08:25:40 ] Thalis Malu > Ship Equip\Deployable\Cargo Containers

[ 2010.06.04 08:25:55 ] Thalis Malu > Station Container

Following his instruction I opened the market interface to find several station containers for sale at 10,000 ISK in Ignebaener. Shortly thereafter I moved back to Auvergne where even more items where sprawled about. But I had to pay over tens times the price for one because systems near trading hubs have inflated tags on them. I bought fourteen and began sorting them:

A station container has 1,000,000 m3 capacity so unless you're a hardcore miner space won't be an issue. Note that they were designed for corporate hangars, to serve as audit log secure containers. This means every time an item is moved the transaction will be logged. The initial setting will lock down anything dropped into them for security reasons. To use these cans with ease, a pilot needs to tweak the configuration.

Right clicking on a station container will bring up a contextual menu like above. Choose configure container and check on 'unlocked.' I doubt people will need passwords for personal hangars but it's never a bad idea to set one for expensive deadspace modules. Rest assured, even in the worst case you'll get hacked but those Chelms' will be safe.

Dominion patch enabled players to view the contents of station cans in their assets tab but search isn't available yet. You will have to open each container to move items into them, which I think could be improved if one could drop items directly on the icons. This could get annoying when you have over a dozen to manage. I think fourteen is a bit excessive because it requires so much clicking.

How do you manage your inventory?

Monthly Progress Report

June had been a rollercoaster ride in many aspects of the game and real life. Suffice to say that I’ve been overwhelmed by reading which, at this stage, takes priority over writing. In-game Dax became the archetypal carebear devoting most of his time grinding missions, salvaging wrecks, and sometimes snooping around markets for a better deal. My browser’s default website has been replaced to EVE-survival’s MissionReports from EVE Gate, which further attests to my carebear status. The discovery of new channels, namely eve-bloggers where fan meets celebrity, was a pleasant surprise. HelpMyMission channel is as entertaining as it is helpful so if you’re running missions and need a hand or want a whacky bunch of humorists to cure your boredom, drop by.

Joining a player run corporation was a big step forward in Dax Jr.’s online life that also took away a good chunk of my attention away from posting. When I finally decided to move out of the NPC corp, numerous personnel officers and sometimes CEOs offered to take me in. However it soon became clear that due to time zone issues, I’d be online alone if I were to join these wonderful corps. That was when I met admiral darkhammer, the CEO of Dark Forge Enterprise, formerly Dark Forge Enterprises. He promised me plenty of kangaroos(Aussies) and the like(Kiwis). Wormhole exploration or null sec access wasn’t immediately available but instead the corp would start from the bottom up.

In the first week my alt tagged along others to mine in a gravimetric site while Dax Jr. participated in level 4 mission fleets. Membership ebbed and flowed but darkhammer dismissed it as a natural process. I was more concerned about the lack of communication and inactivity as a group. The frigate tournament dissolved quietly when people enlisted in the ladder left the corp, leaving me as the victor to claim an Imperial Slicer. New players who joined as miners turned into born-again mission runners when they found out that they could make more money by running missions. Mining ops came to a halt. Questions were raised as some grew impatient of the direction things were going. No one, save a few who were involved in setting up a POS, knew what was going on. It so happens that a few days prior to this inquisition darkhammer bought the service of a player with high faction standing to anchor the POS. Everyone realized then that two leaders were solely responsible for financing this project. The delegation of roles or building corp infrastructure had been put off until after the corp had transitioned to a new entity that owns a POS. It finally happened this week and it’s only the beginning. We will need to acquire blueprints, fuels, various modules for our structure, and more importantly new talent to help the corp grow. Had I joined a mature corp, I would never have known this process firsthand.

Dax Jr. traveled to Minmatar space last month to claim modules bought off contracts. Other than that movement was limited to mission objective systems.

My initial plan was to finish primary skills but the queue took twists and turns to suit my needs because Dax Jr. is the only playable character. Mechanic V just got completed and by tomorrow he will train Thermodynamics. I am still debating on when I should finish the rank 1 learning skills which were left off at IV. I find piloting the Dominix to be boring and am considering cross training Caldari. Dax is expected to suffer from my whims for a few more months before he finally settles on a long term plan.

The industry alt will be able to fly Hulks by Monday. Perfect timing for Hulkageddon III. This one will have to stay docked during the entire event and work on other skills until the coast is clear.

Then there’s the third alt. My obsession for learning skills lead me to create him. He’s going straight for 5/4 learning with a full set of +4 implants in his brain. I still have another month before I set a career path, but he’s most likely to fly Amarr combat ships.

Real life is expected to get even busier in July but I will try to post more often, as things are picking up speed in EVE. If you are interested in joining our corp, please contact me or leave a message and I’ll get back to you.

iClone v1.3.0 review

The latest version of iClone is available. At the time of writing, iClone is the only app that utilizes full API in a comprehensive, albeit slightly slow, flow. Core functionality remains much the same from the previous versions, however, the map is the perhaps the defining feature of this update. It's fair to say that this update isn't a mere face-lift, as I'll note my impressions below.

The front page has changed for the better, and the refresh button has been placed adequately near the bottom. No more rummaging into menus to hit that. It took me 1 minute 50 seconds for the update to complete after manually executing refresh under the following conditions: a) home WiFi network, b) one account, full API, c) character had access to corp wallet. Not bad considering the massive amounts of data it is updating since the user has room to access other functions while the app continues to feed new information.

The crown jewel of iClone v1.3.0 is no doubt the map. I am quite sure every EVE player who owns an iPhone or iPod will appreciate this huge upgrade. I find myself exploring the grand universe when I'm offline, imagining where I'll be in the near future. Furthermore it eliminates the frustration one faces when trying to use dotlan EVE maps on the tiny safari browser.

Station services are displayed when a system is selected. Follow the arrow to see even more information about the system.

Some of you might notice that v1.3.0 has asteroid belts and ice belts mixed up. The developer seems aware of this. Having the statistics available is also a plus. As you can see on the screenshot, I'm carebearing in high sec so we don't see much PvP in this sector.

I haven't tested the item database extensively enough to comment on improvements at this point. Few items were prone to crash the app in the past, which the developer claims is now fixed. The database itself is cleaned up so I'm adding another point to that. Descriptions still need to be taken care of, such as 'br' tags showing up, on Dominix Navy Issue. Please help the developer by posting your findings on his forum or twitter. 

The assets menu is not displaying modules correctly. Even though I've placed most of my items in Station Containers, they are shown in multiple tabs, which is hard to keep track of. I am confident this will be addressed in the next version.

Overall, this is a powerful application to have in one's pocket for any avid EVE fan. The size has been slightly increased to 253.1MB. Stability has improved as I have not experienced any shutdowns. I would like for the character sheet UI to get a revamp as I still find Capsuleer to be more appealing to check on my skills queue.

Bugs: Catalyst hungry for attention?

At first glance it's just a Dominix, or is it?

The Catalyst simply refuses to go away.

The problem seems consistent as it happens from time to time. Apparently this particular ship is bugged. Here's a funny video that shows how this little destroyer behaves in space. Another clip with awesome music. Sometimes it stetches itself out to infinity. This is an interesting ship indeed.

You can find more under the search keyword "eve online catalyst bug" on google.

The scam

Three weeks had gone by since my last update. Time really flies. During this brief hiatus I lost a good chunk of my savings to a scammer, which, in turn fueled me to grind level 4’s even harder to make up for my loss. Thanks to CCP extending the downtime it finally seems like the appropriate moment to reflect upon the past.

What happened? It all began when Dax Jr. decided to test out a fitting for his Tristan ahead of a frigate tournament organized by former fellow corp pilot, Marckis. I say former because a few days ago he left after announcing he was ‘bored.’ What corp? Good question. I joined a corporation named The Dark Forge Enterprises, a laid back 45 man strong high sec corporation that doesn’t specialize in anything… yet. More about the corp in a later post. So there I was in Dodixie to collect a small ancillary current router that I purchased minutes ago.

Before I continue, you, the reader, must be made aware of the fact that I have a certain acquaintance that sends group mails at times offering to buy minerals, and at other listing items for sale. When I saw my mailbox blinking, I thought it was he. Below is a common scam in EVE that unfortunate people, like me, fall for.

So conveniently alphabetical… wasn’t too late to notice.

The only way I could get back was to get him kicked out of his then corp. Some lessons: a) trade hubs are the playground for scammers ranging from mail spammers to ponzi schemers, b) never use direct trade with anyone, the only exception being your alts, and c) scamming is a part of the game so shame on you for giving away your assets. Read the crime & punishment forum or at least ask an experienced player in corp channel for advice before undertaking any impromptu transaction. I’m now the butt of every Dominix Navy Issue jokes in the corp thanks to the incident.

The Tristan I was spinning in the station while I lost my money managed to destroy three frigates in row. Marckis, who organized the event, left without a word leaving me as the only pilot with a winning record. The tournament isn’t going forward, and I doubt it will, given the eagerness of getting it done, or the lack of it.

A journey to the center of the world

Every so often Nimestre Ressier, the internal security agent, sends capsuleers to Lisbaetanne under the cover of private contract to take care of sensitive matters the bureaucracy conveniently outsource. Lisbaetanne... no. Plunging into the playground of outlaws isn't worth the reward he promises. Just having declined a confrontation with religious fanatics, Dax Jr. was in no position to turn down a job, at least not right away. The agents like to bite more than they can chew, losing track of their dealings. In no less than four hours Nimestre won't even remember that Dax refused to cooperate. Why won't they plug in a memory implant like everyone else?

Dax slipped out of the station in his shuttle for he had a yearning to visit EVE gate. It was Thalis Malu, a friend at the University of Caille, who reminded him of what he had been putting off all this time. The navigation computer plotted out a course to the center of the known universe. He will have to make twenty one jumps through dangerous territory. This wasn't any ordinary landmark and through the years pirates have ambushed those on their pilgrimage to New Eden. Thus he made the switch to a clean clone, not out of reverence to the site he was about to visit but simply to avoid the loss of a full set of augmentations.

As expected pirate gangs roamed low security space but none came in the way of Dax. And there it was...

At first he thought he was staring at a sun. That billboard gave away its identity along with pilgrimage cargoes that littered the skies like constellations.

They say no ship can survive the storm surrounding the gate but Dax decided he'd take his chances. However no entity, not even the gate itself appeared on the overview as rumor has it that agents of Jove cloaked everything in its proximity. After hours of flight it became clear that the gate cannot be reached in sub warp speed.

Dax jettisoned a cargo, leaving his mark in New Eden.

Monthly Progress Report

In dramatic last minute negotiations, Dax Jr. reached a deal with Federation Intelligence Office, finally earning the right to install jump clones in any of their stations. To the outside world the FIO seemed to be deeply critical of Dax Jr.'s decision to revert to level 3 missions, but in reality their ranking officials had caught word on his excursions to Caldari sovereignty. Even though Dax Jr. was there helping other privateers take down Serpentis strongholds, he was to never again aid the sworn enemy of the Federation. Taking into account his services to the Office, no punitive sanctions would be imposed but they have stated that his travels will be monitored as a safety measure.

"We know where you've been Dax!"

Dax Jr. is refining his combat skills to effectively pilot the Dominix. Standard training regimen was briefly interrupted in order to handle a spike in the need for high volume transport. This month he is expected to complete the set of primary skills that have been put on hold after reaching IV.

My alt is working his way toward the Hulk. Until I find a corp, he will stay hidden from public view, in the relative safety of mission deadspace pockets that are filled with dozens of asteroids. Two jet cans, or 55,000 m3 cargo space, will ensure continued mining while Dax Jr. runs missions and goes about his business.

Dax Jr. has barely been able to spread butter on his bread. Income is low and slow. The miner alt spends more time offline. Since none are them are engaging in market orders, the station hangar capacity is put to the test on how much it can stock as loot, salvage, and ore are senselessly piling up.

I feel that I am ready to join a player-run corp, to be a part of something bigger than myself. Those generous with their time and attention extended their offer but it seems timezone is what matters most. I am based in GMT+9 which narrows my choice to either a AU/NZ corp or a large organization that hires global talents. If you want me in your corporation feel free to contact me in game or leave a comment below.

Salvaging, Catalyst fitting

Time to revisit the Catalyst. Had I known then what I do now the destroyer would have received some love but unless I want to fly an Eris, which is highly unlikely, this particular vessel will only face the aftermath of conflicts. Yet the Catalyst has overcome its status as a giveaway ship because they make one of the best salvagers.

For those just starting out, I would suggest blitzing the lower level missions and ignoring salvaging and even looting. Instead find the niche that leads to a win-win scenario. Often times a mission runner will ask salvage hungry newbies to tag along level 4 missions, or vice versa. The salvager gains a sizable sum of ISK per hour from wrecks, a small portion of bounties, standing with the corp and agent. In return you split the proceeds to a prearranged ratio and everybody goes home happy.

A typical Catalyst fit for salvaging would look like this:

• Lows
• Expanded Cargohold II x3
• Mids
• Cap Recharger II
• 1MN Afterburner I
• Highs
• Small Tractor Beam I x3
• Salvager I x5
• Rigs
• Small Capacitor Control Circuit I x3 (or Small Salvage Tackle I)

Cap recharge intensive fit is for people like me who are lazy, unwilling to stagger modules when capacitor runs low, or those who wish to transform their Catalysts from/to other roles. Small Salvage Tackle I rigs will improve the chance to successfully salvage a wreck by 10% so if you want more tractor beams in the high slots, these rigs will compensate by increasing your chances.

Further reading: EVElopedia has a detailed salvaging guide.

Multiboxing

The person who knows how will always have a job. The person who knows why will always be his boss.

Earlier this month I sent myself a 21 day trial invite to exploit the benefits of running multiple accounts, a practice that is considered a norm to many. Multiboxing isn't new to online games but why is this prevalent in EVE?

EVE's advancement mechanic limits skill training to one character at a time even though three can exist in a single account. Each career takes a considerable amount of time to develop so one has the choice of either waiting for months to perform a role effectively or creating a new character to reach that goal faster. This extends to meta gaming as well. Devious capsuleers would, for whatever their motive, plot behind enemies or unsuspecting victims by assuming a new identity.

Success in New Eden can always be measured in terms of ISK value. The majority of activities capulseers engage in revolve around generating revenue be it mining, trading, or ransoming; the list can go on as long as one's imagination. Mission runners like to talk about how much they've made in an hour. Some are rumored to have reached nirvana after picking up consecutive faction loots. Even in PvP, apart from the outcome of the battlefield or a campaign's going forward, he or she who is able to cause others more loss is considered to have done a better job. My current goal is to build a stable cash cow who will supply game time coupons for all the accounts that I might own in the future and allow Dax Jr. to concentrate on his battles once he is ready to join a warring alliance.

In the first couple of weeks the alt, who will not be named at this time, saw no action nor heard from anyone other than Dax Jr., who wired money for basic attribute implants and advanced learning skills. He was sometimes seen talking with tutorial agents at Trossere and even befriended two of them. But he mostly kept to himself. One day he abruptly left for Dodixie and later emerged in a Retriever.

Dax Jr. patiently awaits to haul ore. 

It soon became clear why private corps ran regular mining ops. Gaining access to the more valuable ores with logistics support and a security detail were obvious. One defining factor I failed to see was EVE's fleet bonus system, a party buff in traditional MMO, which, when applied to mining makes a lone miner far less competitive. A booster who is fully trained and equipped in Mining Foreman provides up to +29% more yield to everyone in the fleet. Add to that a full array of skilled refiners, manufacturers and traders who can lend a helping hand. I suppose it's time for me to join a corp.

For those who are interested or planning on mining, be sure to read Halada's <The Complete Miner's Guide>.