Blog Banter #21: Low-Sec - The Forgotten part of EVE Online

Welcome to the twenty-first 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 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 topic comes to us from @ZoneGhost who a few month ago asked: "Is Low Sec the forgotten part of EVE Online?" Is it? I'd like us to explore this even further. Is Low Sec being treated differently by CCP Games than Null Sec (Zero-Zero) or Empire space is? Can one successfully make a living in these unsecured systems where neither Alliance nor Concord roam to enforce their laws? What's needed? Or is everything fine as it is?


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This is rather unfortunate timing for me.

At the moment I have very little to do with Low-Sec. My ventures out there are nothing more than my PI set-ups and the occasional mission. I don't deem my experiences-to-date worthy enough to offer a solid opinion. If I tried, I would just ramble rubbish and people will frown at me. So I will leave my personal opinions aside and just share what I know from others.

The Blogs that I follow often mention a sense of abandonment to Low-Sec. Mynxee is the latest to cover this matter in her most recent Blog posts. Moreover, she's attempting to change a few things with the help of others. Good on you, Mynxee.

From what I understand, nearly all pilots operate in High-Sec, Null-Sec and Wormhole. So, if this is where players mainly dwell, developing Low-Sec will not be on top of CCP's agenda. I am, however, inclined to think it's all a spiralling catch-22 situation; people avoid Low-Sec because CCP don't put anything there, but CCP don't put anything there because people avoid Low-Sec. Even in my short travels in this region of space, I have been surprised at how quiet it is.

The reason the timing of this topic is unfortunate is because I'm in the beginning process of a move into Low-Sec. Had this Blog-Banter been issued next month, I would have some interesting points to contribute to this post. Ron (the Corp CEO) and myself were discussing POS's only the other day. It was one of those conversations that started off as idle chat and quickly bloated into big ideas. To cut the boring details, we decided to put up a POS in Low-Sec. It will be geared around moon mining, with facilities to accommodate the occasional Low-Sec Mining-Op. At the time of writing this we are still in the probing-phase of the operation, so I don't have much to report (other than Ron lost his Heron to someone's POS defences - Haha!). But I am very excited to be making a move to Low-Sec.

However, at the moment I am looking to use Low-Sec as an additional income. I will remain based in High-Sec for the most part. I can't see our Corp making a permanent move out there. Not yet, anyway. Without actually operating in Low-Sec I don't know if it's even profitable enough to make a permanent move. We'll see. For the nature of our operations (CareBear-ey stuff) it would probably benefit us if Low-Sec did remain quiet - but that is purely for selfish reasons, and I don't want to be a bad sport.

Apologies for my naivety on this subject, especially with it being my first Blog-Banter post. But hopefully in the up-coming weeks I will be forming a very strong opinion on Low-Sec life.

Akinesis


CK's links:


Crazykinux's Musing: http://www.crazykinux.com
EVE Blog Pack: http://tinyurl.com/eveblogpack
EVE Blog Banter: http://tinyurl.com/evebanters

Reconstruction Complete...

Final update:

Well, all my original Blog-posts have now been edited and resubmitted. It's taken so long due to events in EvE, which are taking up a lot of my time at the moment (War-Dec's, Alliance struggles, etc). I hope they are easier reading.

Anyway, postings will now continue as normal.

Losing to Low-Sec...

Blog # 4

I don't wander into low-sec that often. Mainly, because I haven't had that much luck out there. I mentioned my first experience in a previous Blog-post with the Caracal, but my greatest loss in low-sec to date was with my Bustard.

The ship was full of high-value cargo, which I was trading between Hi and Low-Sec. I had been running a 0.4 gate without trouble, although I was fully aware of the risks of taking a sluggish ship through such a system.

On one of the jumps a ship was camping the other side (can't remember what it was). The Bustard's mighty tank held up and I was actually shredding his defences with smart-bombs. When the guy realised what was happening he apparently called in his chums to assist when the gate was suddenly alive with movement. I was going to lose my ship and the haul after all. Fine. I had made an awesome profit already (perhaps not enough to cover the cost of the Bustard, though), and this is EvE. And a lot of crap happens in EvE. The Bustard eventually popped and my pod screamed back to High-Sec.

After that incident I changed my tactics. I abandoned the idea of a Bustard and now do all my low-sec trading in a Crane, fitted with Covert-Ops cloak. And it's a fine ship. Next to my Rokh it is easily my most-used vessel. Although the cargo hold really does stand in the shade of the Bustard's, the cloak and fast-align means I no longer get blown-up (well, until I meet a  well-organised gate-camp). I now venture deep into Low-Sec systems and I can make just as much per-hour from Low-Sec trading as I can from a decent level-4 mission. Except, it really isn't as fun. Apart from when I'm jabbing the air with the double V-signs at gate-campers as I slip past them - that's tremendous fun.

I know CCP are trying to get folks out into low-sec because I am suddenly getting more and more missions in 0.4. The problem is, ships fitted for PvE aren't very clever against PvP-fitted vessels. So even though I use a Drake for Low-Sec, I'm very aware of the danger that puts me in. To help my situation, I buddy-up with a Corp mate. They watch the jump gates and keep a vivid eye on the directional scanner for me so I can concentrate on the task.

As with a lot of people I am planning to move to null-sec eventually. But at the moment I'm more than content with where I am and what I'm doing. However, I've been following Star Defender and his posts on EVE Online Wormholes. He's been having a great time in Wormhole space, made a move to Null-Sec and now the game has totally transformed for him. It seems that the move has increased his EvE enjoyment ten-fold. After one particular post 'LightTraveler grows fangs', I feel that I'm missing out on what EvE is really about by dwelling in High-Sec.

'r7av7en7' has literally just made the jump out there, too - so I will be following his Blog, 'The Less than Dramatic Journey of a Tech Geek', very intently. I already like the sound of the bounties awarded by ratting! So maybe I will do it sooner rather than later.

However, it seems a lot more dedication to your Corp and Alliance is required when operating out there. At the moment, I cannot give enough time to the game. That is probably the biggest reason why I'm not making the move just yet. In High-Sec, casual playing is very achievable.

So for now, I will carry on CareBear-ing.

Persistence Prevails!

Blog # 3

My life has taken a bizarre turn of events over the last week.

My girlfriend hates EvE. I mean, she really hates it. A lot of the reason why I don't play as often is because of her hatred for the game I have come to love. She says it steals away the little time we have together. Apparently, shelves fall off the wall and doors hang loose from their hinges as I let the house decay because I'm fixed onto the computer screen. It means the pet house-rabbit gets lonely when she's working shifts because I'm pew-pewing instead of giving the 'I'll-crap-next-to-the-litter-tray-instead-of-in-it' bunny the attention the little critter apparently needs.

In actual fact, we have loads of time together, the shelves and doors are fine, and the rabbit loves it when I play because he will sit on the sofa next to me for hours and not demand any attention.

Here is the little guy watching me play EvE back when he was a wee-pup. See, he's fine.




The amount of arguments that we have had because of EvE are countless. It's easily in the top five things that we argue about. So, one day I ask her; 'why not give the game a go yourself?' Next, I was ducking and diving from any projectile she could find to throw at me - including the rabbit, who had casually hopped into the lounge to see what the noise was about.

She didn't really throw the rabbit.

This went on for a long time. Whenever I suggested that she should try the game I ended up having to do a super-man out the window to escape any projectiles. I wasn't allowed to talk about EvE, let alone play the game. But, I persisted. Quite often she would laugh at me when I said EVE had a real-life likeness to a few things, such as the market. I tried to explain that people even practice business in the game to get the basics weighed off for reality. But apparently, I was talking rubbish when a hairbrush clonked me in the side of the head.

But then a funny thing happened. I logged in to check my mails and she happened to be with me. One of the e-mails read that our stand-in CEO was leaving the Corp. Now, this guy made the game for me in many ways. He was the strongest link chaining me to my Corp. I was gutted. At first my lass laughed at me when she saw how down about this guy leaving. Normally, I'd blank her, but for the first time I returned fire. I was ready to rip off my right-arm just so that I would have something to throw at her. Of course, I'm not forgetting that this is internet spaceships, but when you have done so much with a Corp-mate it's like losing a good pal. Sure, people come and go in Corp's, but this was a little out of the blue. So I think shock was the biggest part in my reaction. Anyway, she left the room for a long time after that.

Later, she creeped back and offered to have a go at EvE. I didn't take her seriously at first, but sure enough she made a character on my account and went through a few tutorials. I let her train a few skills to get her through the basic stuff, but then she really started to get into it. I would't let her take any more time out of my main characters training, so she went ahead and opened her own account.

And now?

I get into trouble for not playing EvE. She loves it. In fact, I'm forever getting phone calls and texts when I'm at work asking for advice. Last night she was playing until well after midnight, keeping me up until gone 11pm until she 'didn't need me any more' and I could finally get to sleep. I'm really pleased she's giving it a go. Plus, it means that we have another true female pilot among the EvE community. She's been playing a couple of weeks now and she shows no sign of backing down. I keep reminding her that she's only scratching the surface of the game, and she gets excited at that. She still goes all shy when someone opens a convo up and tries to recruit her, and she's a long way off from team-speak, but already she wants to join a Corp. I tell her to get use to the basics and make sure she sticks with the game first, but the signs are very promising. I've taken her onto some Level-4 missions, and she goes crazy over the loot in her little Bantam. It's all very quaint.

Below is a picture of her doing a Worlds Collide mission while we were driving to my cousins. She has the scarf-thing over her head because of sun-glare on the screen. I don't even make that much of an effort to log on.



So, to the lads (and lasses) who have partners that detest EVE - be persistent to get them to try it. I remember a Blog-Banter from CrazyKinux not so long a go that put forward the question of why many women don't play EVE, and now I think it's just because many of them simply haven't given it a go. Probably due to first impressions in that EVE looks quite 'boy-ish'. But what do I know? To me, the woman's mind is as much of a mystery as the phantom sock-snatcher every time I do a clothes wash.

Akinesis

Sound Advice...

Blog # 2

The way I look at it there are two different ways to develop a Character in EvE: by 'progressing fast' or by 'progressing well'. To begin with, I chose the fast route.

What I mean by 'progressing fast' is training the minimum skills required to use ships and bigger components, without learning other skills to help use them effectively. In other words, pilots may applaud themselves by flying battlecruisers after only a short time of play, but it doesn't mean that they can fly them well.

When I started out in my first Corporation I wanted to fly the big ships, not little frigates. So I trained only the skills that would advance my Character onto larger vessels. I remember celebrating as I picked up a Caracal for the first time. I felt unstoppable. So much so, that I decided to go and explore Low-Sec. I was somehow under the delusion that a T1-fitted Caracal would be able to handle itself. Needless to say, my ship popped. Two Drakes were gate-camped the other side, demolishing anything that jumped through. I could do nothing as my new ship got stripped of it's shields, armour and structure in seconds. The moment I was a pod, I warped off to an asteroid field.

However, my pod wasn't alone. A Crow had followed me. Straight away, I was scrambled and webbed. But what happened next was completely unexpected. A chat box sprung up and the Crow pilot asked what I was doing in a Caracal for the age of my character. I had no real answer, other than I thought it looked awesome. But the advice I was given has stuck with me ever since, and I'm still following it to this day.

It is as follows:

"Frigates are very good ships, and there is no need to advance from them until late in the 'beginning part' of the game. They can run Level 1 and 2 missions, and are ideal ships for training PvP combat. During this 'work-up' time of learning the basics of EvE in frigates, base supporting skills should be trained."

And that is the main emphasis of this post - train up supporting skills.

I am sure that most experienced pilots out there would agree with me on this. And it doesn't matter if your character is jack-of-all-trades or role-typed. Relevant key supporting skills trained up to level 4 and 5 are of significant benefit. What was the point in me flying a Caracal when I barely had the other skills to operate it's weapons and shields effectively? It was like trying to drive a lorry on a moped licence. After the encounter I returned to Kino and re-planned my approach to EvE. I went back to a Merlin and bought skills that made the weapons fire faster, gave projectiles more damage, allowed ships to manoeuvre quicker, make the shields and capacitor recharge faster, freed up more CPU and power-grid, etc, etc. Once my supporting skills were at a satisfactory level, I concentrated on turning my T1 components to T2. In the end, I didn't even bother with Destroyers or Cruisers and went from a Merlin to a Drake.

After eight months, I've just finished. Now when I flick through my index, everything is at level 4 or 5, save a handful where a level-up wouldn't really benefit me. Even if they offer only a 2% boost at each level, I can honestly say I see the benefits. The rewards of this are worth the long time of seemingly non-progression. This is what I mean by 'progressing well'.

I will share an example that only happened the other day. One of our new Corp members convo'd me after becoming extremely fed up of not being able to tank Level-2 missions. I asked if any supporting skills had been trained, and they hadn't. I reeled off a list of key shield-improvement skills, which the pilot then bought and trained to at least level-three. And now Level-2 missions are no longer a problem.

My advice to rookie pilots is simple - make sure that you are fully walking before you can run. I'm not saying that one should spend three-quarters of a year training all these up in one go, but at least get the basics done. This is just my experience.

So, to the Crow pilot wherever he/she may be - thank you!

Blogging Begins...

Blog # 1

EvE offers a great community. Any half-awake pod-pilot knows this. Apparently, CCP can quite happily boast that it has the most active gaming community there is against any other MMO. So, this is good news for any new EvE Bloggers like myself. The first time the community really caught my attention was when I saw the Blog-Pack on my iPod after downloading the Capsuleer App. I enjoyed what I read so I started following a few. I was getting a taste of aspects of the game that I had not yet explored, as well as learning a few new things along the way. A little later I found Podcasts, such as The Drone Bay, and my attention to the EvE community leapt forward further. It was fun, and I decided I wanted to get involved. I enjoy writing, so Blogging is the ideal route to take. In real life, however, I am the type of individual who is a 'thinker' more than a 'doo-er''.

Not so long ago my graphics card packed up. I was on EvE when the screen started to jump. It seemed like lag, so I continued in blissful ignorance until the computer completely froze. On reboot the loading screen was stained with an array of vertical lines. A virus was the first problem that sprung to mind. But to spare the problem-eliminating details that ensued, it turned out the card failed due to my neglect of basic computer housekeeping. When I removed the side-cover of the tower I found the internals caked in dust. It had built up in the heat-sinks and starved the processor of cool air. I acquired a new one and rebooted the computer for good measure. A lot of reinstalling inevitably followed and I quickly grew tired of blue loading bars, so I decided that I would start that EvE Blog that I had been dwindling on for so long. And here it is.

So, back to topic. Well, Akinesis is my Toon and I'm a 2007 player. However, I am probably more of a 2009 player in terms of experience and game-time. My skill points reflect this. At the time of writing my Toon currently harbours only 26mil. Thanks to real-life commitments, I took a year and a half out. But I always knew I would be coming back to EvE. In fact, it's the only game that I play now. EvE encompasses everything I want out of a game. Simple. There is a clear and steady progression coupled with achievement that one can build upon without a 'Final Boss' to end everything one has created. For me, not having an end is one of the games' biggest attractions. I'm not even going to mention the shear diversity EvE offers; it speaks for itself.

As for my play-style, I don't think I should leave it any later to announce that I am a Carebear. This is probably due to my 'upbringing' rather than intial choice. I found my legs in EvE with a Mining-Corp that trained newbs. I am well-aware that many Low/Null-Sec and Wormhole pilots are not interested in reading what a Carebear gets up to in-game. My activities are dull to these folk, so why should they read my posts? Well, I can assure you that I'm not basing this Blog entirely on my Carebear-ing activites. I'm planning on writing about the bigger picture in EvE, not how well my strip-miners are performing. I aim to discuss 'topics' rather than day-to-day events, unless something significant happens. So even though many are shaking their heads at my play-style, I hope my angle of writing will be intersting. Rest assured, however, that I am now flying more and more into Low-Sec due to my Alliance. So hopefully my material will start to relate to a wider margin of players.

I know that I cannot please everybody with this Blog, and I'm certainly not even going to try. All I can say is that I am writing this for myself, and it's a bonus even if I gain one follower.

I hope you enjoy o/