If there is any one ship that seems to be in desperate need of an upgrade it is the Hulk.
"The Hulk is the largest craft in the second generation of mining vessels created by the ORE Syndicate. Exhumers, like their mining barge cousins, are equipped with electronic subsystems specifically designed to accommodate Strip Mining modules. They are also far more resilient, better able to handle the dangers of deep space. The Hulk is, bar none, the most efficient mining vessel available." -Eve ship description
The ship functions well enough, if all you want to do is mine.
A simple max mining fit looks like this.
[Hulk, Max Mining]
Mining Laser Upgrade II
Mining Laser Upgrade II
Survey Scanner II
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
[empty med slot]
Modulated Strip Miner II, Veldspar Mining Crystal II
Modulated Strip Miner II, Veldspar Mining Crystal II
Modulated Strip Miner II, Veldspar Mining Crystal II
This yield runs 1624 m3 /min with all skills at 5 and has a paltry 9217 EHP
This fit is a little more survivable.
[Hulk, Tanked]
Damage Control II
Micro Auxiliary Power Core II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Adaptive Invulnerability Field II
Medium F-S9 Regolith Shield Induction
'Poacher' EM Ward Field
Strip Miner I
Strip Miner I
Strip Miner I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Medium Core Defense Field Extender I
Mining Drone II x5
This 32,609 EHP fit still gets 1428 m3/min but is more survivable. However this fit is incredibly tight. (You might have to use a +CPU implant)
The hull could most directly benefit from a serious upgrade to fitting resources. It's current powergrid base is a paltry 35. This is comparable to a Tech II Frigate. The CPU is rated at 300 which is just below that of a Caracal. It has 2 rig slots (med) while it's Tech 1 base, the Covetor, has 3.
If the fitting resources were increased to 250pg and 350cpu you could run a fit with large shield extenders which would increase it's survivability substantially. Now you may be asking why they should do this. Well to start with Hulks have the same base invention success rate of 20%. This is the same as a Command Ship (Tech II Battlecruisers). The ship has the signature radius and the medium rig slots of a cruiser yet it doesn't have the fitting resources of even a Tech I cruiser.
In addition to the difficulty of inventing the BPC, and the high cost of the materials required to make it (over half of a Hulk's cost is derived from Technetium.) So, all in all if there is any ship that is in need of some serious love from the devs it's the Hulk.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
BB 35: Eve and the people that hate it.
Now approaching its tenth year, the EVE Online player community
has matured into an intricate and multi-faceted society viewed with envy
by other game developers, but is frequently regarded with suspicion by
the wider gaming community.
Is this perception deserved? Should "The Nation of EVE" be concerned by its public identity and if so how might that be improved? What influence will the integration of the DUST 514 community have on this culture in the future?
Eve is indeed a complex society. From random newbies just starting a trial, to the most experienced and respected (or feared) players in the game, one thing binds us all (at least those who participate) and that is community. Bloggers, like those who will also grace this blog banter, the podcasters, the tweetfleet, even the folks who lurk in such places as Eve News 24, Fail Heap challenge or Kugutsumen are still a part of a vast community network.
It is this network that makes the events of New Eden that much more interesting. Jade and Rundle talking about Fanfest on Lost in Eve (for 8 hours, holy crap guys), Others regaling us with their nefarious doings like Hulkageddon organizer Helicity Boson. New Eden is vast but it's this external interface, this metagame, in combination with the sandbox that makes eve the envy of it's competitors.
The wider MMO scene is naturally suspicious of eve. It is a very dark place where things that don't happen in those other games (guild thefts, non-consensual pvp, scamming, etc.) are allowed. They are not able to comprehend the full ramifications of the Sandbox, or the reason others would be drawn to it. They play the game at their pace, level their characters in a largely unchanging landscape, run instances, eventually raid, and maybe even kill the Lich King.
Except the Lich King and the other 12 bosses you killed to get to him will be right back where they were on Tuesday when the instance resets. Along with C'thun, Chogall, Kel'thuzad and all the rest. Their world is static, stale, and to be perfectly honest, fucking boring. I should know, I came from it.
You can run around gleefully mining copper in Elwyn Forest or Mulgore all by yourself and never have to worry that some bad man will kill you and take your precious items. Eve is not an online single player game. The actions of others can and will affect you. So, get involved in the community and keep an ear open, if nothing else.
Eve players are generally don't care about our public image or bringing in many people. This is a very niche game for a very select (read: mature) audience. While new blood should be welcomed the newbies need to be divorced from any foolish preconceived notions as quickly, and perhaps, as painlessly as possible. While it may be fun to scam a 2 day old player, I would find such a thing unsporting. After all, what skill does it show on the part of the scammer that he got an easy mark?
With DUST 514 coming out soon a huge contingent of players from a radically different age group and a completely different genre of game will be, in a way, joining this community. Hopefully it will attract more of the older FPS crowd (although that may not be the case given the exclusive PS3 release.) In addition there will be an influx of eve players who will hopefully be able to explain the greater intricacies of the world they are participating in to the FPS junkies.
As for those who think that the eve community will allow their game to get softer for the sake of gaining subscribers, I offer a simple HTFU. This is our game, and we like it just the way it is. If it is not appealing to you I suggest you go elsewhere, after all if it isn't fun why are you still here?
Is this perception deserved? Should "The Nation of EVE" be concerned by its public identity and if so how might that be improved? What influence will the integration of the DUST 514 community have on this culture in the future?
Eve is indeed a complex society. From random newbies just starting a trial, to the most experienced and respected (or feared) players in the game, one thing binds us all (at least those who participate) and that is community. Bloggers, like those who will also grace this blog banter, the podcasters, the tweetfleet, even the folks who lurk in such places as Eve News 24, Fail Heap challenge or Kugutsumen are still a part of a vast community network.
It is this network that makes the events of New Eden that much more interesting. Jade and Rundle talking about Fanfest on Lost in Eve (for 8 hours, holy crap guys), Others regaling us with their nefarious doings like Hulkageddon organizer Helicity Boson. New Eden is vast but it's this external interface, this metagame, in combination with the sandbox that makes eve the envy of it's competitors.
The wider MMO scene is naturally suspicious of eve. It is a very dark place where things that don't happen in those other games (guild thefts, non-consensual pvp, scamming, etc.) are allowed. They are not able to comprehend the full ramifications of the Sandbox, or the reason others would be drawn to it. They play the game at their pace, level their characters in a largely unchanging landscape, run instances, eventually raid, and maybe even kill the Lich King.
Except the Lich King and the other 12 bosses you killed to get to him will be right back where they were on Tuesday when the instance resets. Along with C'thun, Chogall, Kel'thuzad and all the rest. Their world is static, stale, and to be perfectly honest, fucking boring. I should know, I came from it.
You can run around gleefully mining copper in Elwyn Forest or Mulgore all by yourself and never have to worry that some bad man will kill you and take your precious items. Eve is not an online single player game. The actions of others can and will affect you. So, get involved in the community and keep an ear open, if nothing else.
Eve players are generally don't care about our public image or bringing in many people. This is a very niche game for a very select (read: mature) audience. While new blood should be welcomed the newbies need to be divorced from any foolish preconceived notions as quickly, and perhaps, as painlessly as possible. While it may be fun to scam a 2 day old player, I would find such a thing unsporting. After all, what skill does it show on the part of the scammer that he got an easy mark?
With DUST 514 coming out soon a huge contingent of players from a radically different age group and a completely different genre of game will be, in a way, joining this community. Hopefully it will attract more of the older FPS crowd (although that may not be the case given the exclusive PS3 release.) In addition there will be an influx of eve players who will hopefully be able to explain the greater intricacies of the world they are participating in to the FPS junkies.
As for those who think that the eve community will allow their game to get softer for the sake of gaining subscribers, I offer a simple HTFU. This is our game, and we like it just the way it is. If it is not appealing to you I suggest you go elsewhere, after all if it isn't fun why are you still here?
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Tenal: Well, that was easy.
Last week, in what has to be some kind of record the CFC took control of the Tenal region from Raiden. , the current incarnation of Goonswarm's ancient nemesis Band of Brothers. While there was a battle initially with Raiden losing 100 battleships and 10 carriers, they disappeared afterwards, leaving their NCDot and Initiative Mercenary lackeys to poke at us from time to time. Black Legion also made a few appearances along with Against All Authorities and friends moving up from their holdings in the south.
Why -A- would deploy in Pure Blind to harass us is due to the Goons involvement in the battle for C-J. The system is a landmark in Goon history from the early days when no one in eve would have them. No friendly alliances to Red Alliance were given docking rights in that system, it was essentially a VIP system for RA alone. As part of their reward for helping destroy the Knights of the Southerncross Alliance, the Goons were the only non-RA entity to gain docking rights in C-J. This obviously was a major milestone in Goon history and the Goons have returned to C-J in the past to assist RA.
-A- however is also allied with SOLAR FLEET and by proxy another favorite Goon target, Intrepid Crossing (IRC). Apparently they weren't made aware of that caveat prior to reinforcing a Capital Ship Assembly Array POS owned by IRC. Goons caught wind of this and finished the job, fighting IRC and ironically enough an -A- Tengu fleet.
-A- and company may still attempt to assault us, and that's fine. Hope they are remapped for subsystem skills. And if they become too much of a nuisance, we can just hellcamp their staging system. Black Legion just runs when we come after them, or they are stupid enough to sit in our staging system. surprise surprise. And for all those "we want gud fites!" people. This is nullsec. There are no good fights. We will use anything and everything we have if you come to our space. You have two choices, flee or die. We prefer you choose the latter.
Why -A- would deploy in Pure Blind to harass us is due to the Goons involvement in the battle for C-J. The system is a landmark in Goon history from the early days when no one in eve would have them. No friendly alliances to Red Alliance were given docking rights in that system, it was essentially a VIP system for RA alone. As part of their reward for helping destroy the Knights of the Southerncross Alliance, the Goons were the only non-RA entity to gain docking rights in C-J. This obviously was a major milestone in Goon history and the Goons have returned to C-J in the past to assist RA.
-A- however is also allied with SOLAR FLEET and by proxy another favorite Goon target, Intrepid Crossing (IRC). Apparently they weren't made aware of that caveat prior to reinforcing a Capital Ship Assembly Array POS owned by IRC. Goons caught wind of this and finished the job, fighting IRC and ironically enough an -A- Tengu fleet.
-A- and company may still attempt to assault us, and that's fine. Hope they are remapped for subsystem skills. And if they become too much of a nuisance, we can just hellcamp their staging system. Black Legion just runs when we come after them, or they are stupid enough to sit in our staging system. surprise surprise. And for all those "we want gud fites!" people. This is nullsec. There are no good fights. We will use anything and everything we have if you come to our space. You have two choices, flee or die. We prefer you choose the latter.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Urziel and Uziel: An excercise in duality.
 |
| Guess which one is the nice guy. |
Having played Eve for over a year now with both of these characters, I find that each has taken on it's own persona of a sorts. It's odd in a way, but I think I understand Jester's post on hats a little more than I did prior.
Urziel is the nice guy, his skills are focused on mining, research, industry and production. It is under his alias that I primarily interact with the Eve community as a whole.
Uziel is the combat oriented guy. He can mine and haul, but that's about it. This is the guy who goes out to murder your space pixels if you cross him or his friends.
With the new campaign to burn Tenal to the ground in full swing I have spent for more time on Uziel than I have my other accounts. I find I've become more hardened and cynical towards the general community in the wake of the recent scandal and subsequent dog-piling by idiot journalists who can't be bothered to look into facts and the ever present PC police types in the world.
If you play this game and think that any part of it is super happy fun land, please quit playing now. I'm not trying to be rude or anything (believe me, I could go all trucker on you, but I digress) but eve is not a cheery place where people are gleefully mining veldspar in highsec, holding hands and singing kum-by-yah (sp). A friend once told me that EvE is short for Everyone vs. Everyone and from what I've seen in the last year I can't deny it as an accurate description.
Eve is dark by nature, and some would argue it attracts a playerbase of dark, socially awkward and/or sociopathic people. This may be true to a point but even people like Chribba (whom most would say is the closest thing eve has to a saint) can prosper and thrive. Why? The sandbox. This virtual universe we call New Eden is incredibly vast and it's the actions of it's players that shape it's course. Chribba is one of the oldest players of the game, considered by everyone (I've yet to hear of a single complaint about his servies) an honest dealer and host to numerous websites supporting eve's community. Does he own vast swathes of unsecured space? No. Does he lead a coalition of twenty thousand players? No. His greatest asset is his reputation.
Most people who come to eve without a friend soon find out just how much this game eats it's young. New players are scammed and victimized all the time. This may seem ruthless and evil to some, but in a way it's more a way of separating the chaff from the wheat. One of the CSM7 candidates Mike Azariah said it best. "There are two levels of paranoia in eve, total and insufficient." The ones who adopt a wary mindset are the ones who aren't tricked. The ones who learn to keep their ears and eyes open aren't caught unaware by Hulkageddon or the Ice Interdiction. The ones who get mad that such things could happen typically don't last long.
One of the major alliances in the game is Pandemic Legion. They are known as some of the best theorycrafters and pvpers in the game. The slogan they used when they introduced the Armor HAC gang to counter drake fleets was "Adapt or Die." It doesn't matter what profession you choose in eve, the slogan rings true.
So now I stand at a crossroads. I've never been one to grief or suicide gank people, yet, in less than 30 days I will be sending Uziel to take part in the Goonswarm's attack on Jita. When the campaign was on The Mittani promised the Goons and the CFC that if he got ten thousand votes they would celebrate by attacking Jita. At the time I just shrugged. A victory lap to celebrate a huge milestone in the history of the Goons (and the CSM itself) and a chance to collect tears from pubbies and little else.
Then Suicidegate broke, and The Mittani was banned. Ten thousand votes down the drain (including two of mine). The Goons were pissed. The CFC was pissed, initially at CCP, later more at the sensational press that in a way had forced CCP's hand. It was then that Mittens wrote the current CEO Update and State of the Goonion.
The Jita celebration was still on in 30 days. Mittens himself would be there. The whole affair felt like it had taken a far darker turn. This wasn't about celebrating a glorious triumph. It was about revenge. Against who or what is hard to say. Only one thing mattered, Jita. Must. Burn. and so, I, the nice guy will be out there in my Tornado destroying Freighters and Industrials with impunity. Why? Because I want to. I want the pubbies to suffer, to fear our coalition, to cry great tears and feed them to us. Why? Because if you are there, after one month's warning you brought it upon yourselves. The same way the Gallente Ice Miners did. By not paying attention.
In the end there is no morals in eve. Only the winners and the losers. Your honor won't save you from a suicide ganker. Your reputation doesn't keep people from competing with you. Adapt, or Die.
Welcome to EvE.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
The Mittani vs Daruis III: An excercise in Dichotomy and Hypocrisy
While the controversy surrounding the leader of Goonswarm Federation is nothing new, (indeed it has been yammered about incessantly over the last week) I feel it appropriate to bring up certain points which are being glossed over, perhaps intentionally by his detractors.
One of the loudest voices that has been hammering the Mittani is Darius III of the CSM. It's no secret that Darius and Mittens haven't exactly gotten along for quite some time. With both in-game (the conquest of Delve) and metagame (the NDA breach accusation) assaults appearing in recent history.
When Mittens announced his intent to resign the chair of CSM 7, In which he addresses the dichotomy of being the leader of a ruthlessly amoral organization juxtaposed by his place on the CSM as a player advocate, Darius posted a nice long excoriating piece, not even 4 minutes after Mittani's post. As anyone who has ever read Mittani's posts can attest, he's not exactly a fast read. It's eloquent and well-written but it's not something you can read though and write a long winded counter to in 4 minutes.
Consider also that Darius mentioned the words disgrace when in fact this individual used unsavory means to gain votes by luring people with PLEX that he never intended to give. So, he speaks in a tone of condescension to a man who has openly admitted his screw ups, apologized to the victim and the community and then resigned the Chairmanship. Meanwhile he, also a member of the CSM, openly brags about scamming people to get their votes.
Convenient. Apparently Darius is not so keen on living up to the same morals he so eagerly wishes to weigh others against. Congratulations Daruis III you are now the Newt Gingrich of Internet Spaceship Politics.
One of the loudest voices that has been hammering the Mittani is Darius III of the CSM. It's no secret that Darius and Mittens haven't exactly gotten along for quite some time. With both in-game (the conquest of Delve) and metagame (the NDA breach accusation) assaults appearing in recent history.
When Mittens announced his intent to resign the chair of CSM 7, In which he addresses the dichotomy of being the leader of a ruthlessly amoral organization juxtaposed by his place on the CSM as a player advocate, Darius posted a nice long excoriating piece, not even 4 minutes after Mittani's post. As anyone who has ever read Mittani's posts can attest, he's not exactly a fast read. It's eloquent and well-written but it's not something you can read though and write a long winded counter to in 4 minutes.
Consider also that Darius mentioned the words disgrace when in fact this individual used unsavory means to gain votes by luring people with PLEX that he never intended to give. So, he speaks in a tone of condescension to a man who has openly admitted his screw ups, apologized to the victim and the community and then resigned the Chairmanship. Meanwhile he, also a member of the CSM, openly brags about scamming people to get their votes.
Convenient. Apparently Darius is not so keen on living up to the same morals he so eagerly wishes to weigh others against. Congratulations Daruis III you are now the Newt Gingrich of Internet Spaceship Politics.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Videos for the newbies.
As I mentioned in response to Blog Banter 33 I have begun making basic tutorial videos for the new players we have milling about aimlessly.
https://www.youtube.com/user/Urziel99
I've created videos for the Captain's Quarters, Station Hangar and one designed to help spot scams in the contracts system.
Feel free to like/comment on these videos or post requests for topics you'd like covered.
Upcoming topics:
Navigating in space.
The Overview
The care and feeding of Clones. (Medical Bay 101)
Ship fitting (Race Specific)
Tanking and You
https://www.youtube.com/user/Urziel99
I've created videos for the Captain's Quarters, Station Hangar and one designed to help spot scams in the contracts system.
Feel free to like/comment on these videos or post requests for topics you'd like covered.
Upcoming topics:
Navigating in space.
The Overview
The care and feeding of Clones. (Medical Bay 101)
Ship fitting (Race Specific)
Tanking and You
Monday, February 20, 2012
Blog Banter 33: The Capsuleer Experience
This month's blog banter is about the new player experience, for better or for worse.
Some new players get lucky. They have been referred by an experienced player and as such have someone to ask all those silly questions we all ask when we first get started. I know I'd still be pulling my hairs out a year later were it not for my friend Asander and the rest of BSC Legion.
The rest of the newbies, well, they get to try their luck in Rookie Help and pray there is an ISD or an experienced player training a new account to answer their questions (and prey they aren't being trolled). Tie this in with the general feel of being in something completely new and it's pretty obvious why most don't finish the trial. There is little/no easily accessible data and those organizations that promote helping new players aren't able to be on the forefront since Rookie Help disappears after 30 days.
I've had a hand at helping out in Rookie Help recently while starting my fifth account and I keep telling myself "There must be a better way to explain this to people." So, in response to the cliff still posed by the new player experience I've decided to start making Youtube videos with in-game footage and commentary.
The channel such as it is (no videos, yet) is established here.
Feel free to leave suggestions regarding topics you'd like covered there by sending an email to Urziel99 (at) gmail (dot) com. or by contacting my Twitter account: @Urziel99
I intend to do the very basics first, maybe even cover some of the tutorial missions in detail. Anyone with an idea feel free to let me know.
Some new players get lucky. They have been referred by an experienced player and as such have someone to ask all those silly questions we all ask when we first get started. I know I'd still be pulling my hairs out a year later were it not for my friend Asander and the rest of BSC Legion.
The rest of the newbies, well, they get to try their luck in Rookie Help and pray there is an ISD or an experienced player training a new account to answer their questions (and prey they aren't being trolled). Tie this in with the general feel of being in something completely new and it's pretty obvious why most don't finish the trial. There is little/no easily accessible data and those organizations that promote helping new players aren't able to be on the forefront since Rookie Help disappears after 30 days.
I've had a hand at helping out in Rookie Help recently while starting my fifth account and I keep telling myself "There must be a better way to explain this to people." So, in response to the cliff still posed by the new player experience I've decided to start making Youtube videos with in-game footage and commentary.
The channel such as it is (no videos, yet) is established here.
Feel free to leave suggestions regarding topics you'd like covered there by sending an email to Urziel99 (at) gmail (dot) com. or by contacting my Twitter account: @Urziel99
I intend to do the very basics first, maybe even cover some of the tutorial missions in detail. Anyone with an idea feel free to let me know.
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