Stuff

Well I didn’t manage much Eve time over the weekend due to RL stuff. I always feel a bit quilty when I can’t log in as I worry the newer corp members will become bored and look elsewhere. Fingers crossed they are happy enough in ABADD and with our move to WH space on the horizon that will give us all a common goal to move towards.

The next week I will be working on the “To Do” list for things we need and working out some logisitics etc.. I feel more spreadsheets coming..

In other news my blog is now listed as an Eve “Fansite” on the official Eve website. The process was for me an easy one, I filled in the application on Thursday and on Saturday got an email from CCP to confirm that I would be added. Not sure if that’s how it normally works but..

In RL I’m a professional IT geek, heavily involved in servers, virtual environments, e-commerce etc etc. I’ve decided this year to challenge my IT skills and start working on web/database projects (an area I’ve only dabbled in). In order to keep me interested (I have a short attention span) I’m going to mix my love of Eve into these projects and hopefully build a Corp web portal for ABADD and a couple of other ideas I have. I have 3 projects in mind the rough end game is along these lines.

1. Corp portal – To allow myself and other ABADD members out of game access to market orders, member tracking etc etc (will be secure from non members).

2. WH map database – There are couple out there but I want to create my own, more for the practice and having my own resposity available.

3. Background checker for new members – Yes I know I can use Evemon, but I want to integrate a search function in to collect information from other sources, I also want to try and make it so I don’t need to ever see a limited API from someone wanting to join.

These will be a mix of static data and API calls so I hope CCP’s changes to the API won’t mess things up to much.

If any of my readers can offer hints, tips or advice please let me know.. It’s all new to me so will be interesting and I will keep you up to date and where possible share my code.

Fly safe
Durz

The difference a day can make..

You may be aware that Durzo Smith has been travelling around low sec working on getting his sec status back, it’s been a slow process that can be a bit soul destroying but needs must (and it was my fault it got that low). Today I had the day off work (well sort of as I worked all through the night) so I thought I would put a bit of “ratting time” in. I started the morning with a sec status of -4.4 (my goal is anything below -4.0, doesn’t sound much does it), and flying my trusty Wolf assault ship (like the rifter just with more teeth) I set off into low sec.

In a weird twist of irony the low sec region I have been ratting in is home to Fla5hy Red which is made up of a lot of ex Black Rabbits pilots so of which I’ve bumped into them before while ratting (and avoided like the plague, they are good at what they do).

My plan was simple, I worked out a route of 7 systems which I would fly through killing rats as I go before making the trip back again. I’ve used this method before and by the time you get to the last system, dock up and sell the loot it’s time to fly back and get another round of sec status increases.

I was lucky today most of the systems were empty and I managed to find a good few battleship class rats, even with my Wolf it takes a while to munch through and watch them explode but the rewards are worth it (I would recommend training Fast Talk skill as it gives extra bonuses for each rat). I won’t bore you with all the details but after 2 complete circuits (that’s 28 jumps in a big circle) my sec status was -3.99.. hooray at last..

Durzo Smith is now back in the arms of his loving corp (ABADD) in Ibura. I’ve run some missions (sec status is now -3.92) with another corpie Seth (ex WH dweller) and I have to say I suck at building armour tanks for anything above a Cane.. I built a Typhoon that while it could tank, my weapons of choice (Torps and AC’s) couldn’t hit anything that wasn’t within 12KM… FAIL!!!

I’ve also started preparing my Manticore stealth bomber for it’s maiden voyage into WH space, but I was surprised at the lack of fits available on Battleclinic (the same for the Typhoon as well) so once my fit is complete I will post it for you all to giggle at.. I mean review..

Fly safe
Durz

Wormhole virgin no more!!

Tonight I logged into Eve for my normal hour or 2 of Eve time. I logged on to find only my fellow corp mate Yuzuki logged in which is unusual as normally fellow Director Nozza1 is always on (and I do mean always). I started running a lvl 4 mission in Ibura while chatting to Yuzuki who as per normal was doing something relating to WH’s (he does love them), and after listening to him yelp in excitement about how much ISK he had made I decided to bite the bullet and take a trip into the WH with him.

Now I know what you are thinking, Operation “Take the plunge” was supposed to be my first trip into WH space and see what it’s like.. What can I say.. I changed my mind lol..

I cleared the mission and headed back to base to swap into my Drake battlecruiser and refit it for WH space. The only problem being is that I had no idea what to expect or how to fit it. Below is what some might class as a “Fail Fit” for a Drake.

[WH Drake]

[High Slots]
5 x Malkuth Heavy Assault Launchers (Terror Missiles)
1 x Prototype Cloaking Device
1 x Core Probe Launcher
1 x T1 Salvager

[Medium Slots]
1 x T2 Invulnability Shield
1 x 10MN MWD
4 x T2 shield resists (1 of each type)

[Low Slots]
1 x T2 Shield Recharger
1 x T2 Power Control Unit
2 x T2 BCU’s

[Rigs]
2 x T1 Shield Purger
1 x T1 Anti-EM reinforcer

[Drones]
5 x T2 Hornets

Looking back on the event I had no idea what damage types to expect, what damage type was best to use or anything about what would be the other side of the K162 exit (but then that’s the fun part of Eve isn’t it).

A quick Clone jump later (I have a JC 1 jump away from base) and I was en route to the WH. I have read up a bit on WH’s (I now realise I need to read a lot more) so I knew that I had to keep my d-scan handy and refreshed and I was hoping my time in low sec space would help with that.

The WH was quiet (which is nice for my first trip) and a quick d-scan while cloaked showed only a Drake BC and a few industrial ships (need to tweak my overview I think), Yuzuki informed me the Drake was there before and I made a mental note to keep my eye on it. We warped off to a site Yuzuki had scanned down and there I found my first sleepers..

Nasty little buggers really but the combination of pulsing my MWD and unleashing my drones and terror missiles in combination with Yuzuki’s Cane of Doom (that’s my name for it) we made short work of them in about 20 minutes. We scooped the loot and headed home.. I know not very exciting, no pew pew action or narrow escapes but I enjoyed it and I gave the large majority of the loot to Yuzuki and I just kept the salvage (none of those nice nanoribbon things).

My WH Drake needs a lot of work and my HAM skills are rubbish so that needs working on if I keep that fit but for me it was nice to do something different, WH’s feel like home to me and Yuzuki has a real passion for them which is rubbing off on me. I posted earlier about his new blog and how I inspired him to start it, in reality my drive to explore WH space is because of him and I’m looking forward to the next adventure in WH space..

Fly safe
Durz

If you don’t like my blog..

Read this one instead.. The Spacer it’s the new blog from a fellow corpie Yuzuki Katayanagi who I apparently inspired to start his own blog.. how cool is that..

Yuzuki writes both IC and OOC so I’m looking forward to reading more about his WH adventures and well the wonders of being in ABADD..

So please add his blog, generate some traffic and help this new blogger get to grips with the world of Eve blogging..

Fly safe
Durz

Nearly a year of blogging..

I started playing Eve last January, I started blogging about Eve (my first ever blog) in February. For a time I had a blog on bloggers.com and after remembering about it today I realised that on the 3rd of February 2011 it will mark my first year blogging about Eve. My early posts were short and lacked even more content than my current ones but I enjoyed reading them, as I remembered all the things a new player encounters in Eve (finding your first corp, picking skills, getting your first battlecruiser etc etc).

I’ve moved onto this blog in April so you could agrue that in April it is my 1 year anniversary, but for me blogging about a game is a big deal, even more so when you consider I’ve never blogged before. I may not get as many hits as some other bloggers, but this blog is more about me than my readers (sorry guys) and while my current content is not as action packed as some I still enjoy writing about my Eve life and reading the comments I get back.

The next year for this blog will see a lot more content, as well as Operation “Take the plunge” and the associated diary posts, I will also be starting a series on moving a corp into a WH and some of the “issues” I find along the way.

If my readers can think of anything else that they would like to see, or think this blog would benefit from then please let me know, good or bad I don’t mind..

Fly safe, and thank you for reading.
Durz

Op “Take the plunge” – Update

Well my plans to plunge Durzo Smith into a WH has been delayed for another week. No real drama involved but he is close to getting his sec status up enough to allow him into 0.6 systems which means he can rejoin the rest of ABADD in Ibura, and run missions when not hiding in WH’s.

I’ve been ratting a lot in order to get here and I do so in my trusty Wolf assault frigate. I like the Wolf it’s quick enough to avoid people and packs enough firepower to kill BS rats when the chance arises. I tend to chain my systems together for ratting heading through either low sec or 0.5 systems killing rats as I go.

I have to say I’ve been lucky (touch wood) while I’ve been grinding my sec status back up, I’ve suffered no losses and to be honest not even run into a hostile gate camp or pirates lurking in the belts.

This morning though I nearly fell foul of a pirate GC, I jumped through a gate into a 0.4 system (sorry can’t remember the name) only to see a rookie ship sitting 340KM off the gate (me smells trouble). I hit the d-scan and spot a lot of ships close by and decide just to skip the system and head to the next one.. I start to align and low and behold half a dozen red ships start arriving on the gate, some cane’s a broadsword and some others..

Needless to say I made it out with with my ship, posted a quick “missed me” in local which got some rude comment back and that was it.. To be honest that’s enough drama for me.. I don’t mind PVP but like a bit of a chance.. lol

I’ll keep you updated more on my WH adventures once I am back in high sec and the arms of my corp.

Fly safe
Durz

Eve Bloggers

I spend a lot of time out of game reading all the Eve blogs I can find. I’ve downloaded the OPML list in the past but I’ve found a lot of blogs aren’t active anymore or don’t have Eve content in them. Over the last day I’ve gone through the hundreds of them I have and removed the “inactive” ones, either people have quit Eve, or not posted for months so I’ve removed them (sorry guys..).

If you want to see my list I’ve exported it from Google Readers as an XML file and you can download a copy HERE (right click and save target as).

If I’ve missed any off let me know.

Fly safe
Durz

Operation “Taking the Plunge”

Well the time has come for me to put Operation “Take The Plunge” into effect. Durzo Smith has now completed the necessary training to fly the Manticore Stealth Bomber and at the weekend will be diving into a WH just for giggles.

Well ok it’s not just for giggles it does have some meaning. The aims of this little project are the following:

1. Practice Bombing runs (hopefully on some real targets)
2. Get use to being in a WH and get some “on the job” practice using my D-scan (something I’ve always struggled with when I was a low sec pirate)
3. Work towards becoming a capable Stealth Bomber pilot (me like the cloaky cloaky goodness)

You may remember that I will be taking the plunge with no probes or launcher so once I’m in a WH that’s where I’m staying. Hopefully it won’t be too empty and I can track some pilots down but either way I’m looking forward to it.

This Operation now has a new objective as well. ABADD is going to set up home in a WH soon and as such I need to get to grips with the change in life style and hopefully build some experience that the corp can benefit from.

I will keep a diary of my time in the WH and post them on the blog so hopefully you will enjoy reading about my “adventures”.

ABADD is still recruiting and if you fancy being a part of a corp about to take the plunge into a WH let me know. We are also currently looking for potential Alliances that might benefit the corp and it’s members but we are taking our time on that.

Fly safe
Durz

The new look..

Good morning readers, I hope the patch day didn’t cause you too many issues. I managed to download the new patch in about 10 minutes (that good for 20mb broadband), the other Director in ABADD (Abaddon Innovations) had a long 8 hour download and install process and he’s still got another laptop to do.. whoops..

Anyway in line with a lot of the other Eve Bloggers here are the new looks for each of my toons. Aplogises but I never saved the old image for comparision. To be honest I didn’t spend hours doing this, just a lot of random button clicks and a few tweaks to my own taste. Overall the new character generation is a lot better than the old one and I look forward to seeing them walking in stations..

Durz0 Blint:

Desire Blint:

Durzo Smith:

Overall I’m happy with my new portraits and I look forward to seeing what my fellow bloggers come up with..

Fly safe
Durz

Who is more real??

Welcome to the twenty-fourth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week or so to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

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

I’ve missed a few Blog Banters over the previous month’s due to not really having much to say on the subjects but as it’s a New Year I thought I would try again.

This month’s banter is all about how you as the player relate to your Eve characters, either in personality, looks or playing style. So I will break this post down into those 3 areas.

Looks: Ok I don’t look anything like any of my 3 toons in Eve.. well 1 is a girl (and in RL I’m a bloke..honest..), one has a shaved head and facial tattoo’s. I do have a tattoo but not on my face (my mum would kill me) but I still have hair and Durz0 is quite old-looking and has a big nose (I’m still youngish and despite years of martial arts my nose hasn’t suffered that many blows).

To be honest I’ve spent very little time creating a look for my toons, I’ve usually gone for a few tweaks here and there but once the new character creation is released I will be spending some time making them look a bit more “real” but I doubt they will ever share any of my looks.

Personality: In Eve I don’t think it’s something you can avoid, your personality will always “shine through” in games where you invest a lot of time and effort as you do in Eve. Don’t get me wrong I know there are people out there that play the evil nasty type but then I’ve lost count of how many blogs I’ve read where a pirate or ninja kills someone in combat and then because of some stab of guilt or their RL personality to be the “good guy” has given their victim some ISK towards replacing what they have lost.

Personally I tend to work to these simple principals both in RL and in Eve:

1. Try to help others than either ask for help or you believe may benefit from it
2. Always be willing to listen and learn and try to take lessons away from every encounter
3. No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. Once is fine, twice is stupidity, 3 times they deserve everything they get
4. Always be prepared to fight for what you believe in, what is right (in your opinion) and what you wish for in life (or in Eve)

My role as CEO for Abaddon Innovations I have a responsibility to my members, in RL I am team leader for 6 other people and share some of these same responsibilities. I ensure that in Eve the members of my Corp are happy, content, have everything they need to work/survive/prosper and actually look forward to logging in to the game. I have to say managing a Corp in Eve is easier than managing people in RL, Eve tends to have less drama’s about day-to-day life, the game is the same experience for everyone whereas RL has a tendency to shove more down your throat all at once and unlike RL you can always take a break from Eve..

Playing Style: I play Eve my way, much as I live my life the way I want to, yes there are constraints in both “worlds” in terms of financial independence and having the time to do what you want while managing other things that come your way. For me the way I play Eve is more the “real” me than any other part of the game. In both worlds I keep myself to myself with the exception of a few “close” friends (or in Eve corp mates), I don’t go looking for trouble but I’m more than willing to fight to survive if I need to. I treat people I meet the same way I expect to be treated and I’m not afraid to cut ties with those that cross me or betray me. I’ve tried to explore Eve as much as I can in my first year just as I look to explore the RL world I live in, always looking for new experiences, ways to learn new things and new people to meet.

List of participants:

1. EVE Blog Banter #24: Be, all that you can be, and so much more!
2. BB24:RL + EVE = | A Mule In EvE
3. Freebooted: BB 24: You Talking to Me?
4. where the frack is my ship?: Blog Banter 24: Behind the keyboard
5. (OOC) CK’s Blog Banter #24: I Am Prano. « Prano’s Journey
6. mikeazariah » Blog Archive » BB24 Who are you, who hoo woo hoo
7. Drifting: The 24th EVE Blog Banter (January 2011 Edition) – Topic: EVE and Real Life
8. Victoria Aut Mors » Blog Archive » Eve Blog Banter #24 – Where Eve Meets Real Life
9. Who is more real?? « The Durzo Chronicles
10. Captain Serenity: blog banter #24 – Personalities
11. Confessions of a Closet Carebear: EVE and Real Life (EVE Blog Banter #24)
12.The 24th EVE Blog Banter – EVE and Real Life – The Phoenix Diaries
13.EvE Blog Banter #24: EVE and Real Life EvE Blasphemy
14. Blog Banter 24: In Real Life « Yarrbear Tales
15. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Alt « the hydrostatic capsule
16. Blog Banter #24 – Me « Roc’s Ramblings
17. Blog Banter: Personalities in game and out of game
18. Fiddler’s Edge: Game Face – Eve Blog Banter #24
19. Progression’s Horizon: Blog Banter 24- Synonymous or Anonymous?
20. More to come….

So that’s me.. I hope you’ve enjoyed the read.
Fly safe
Durz