Not starving for choices

Scotty grinned, watch Mike cross the hanger. “We expected you earlier.”

Mike shrugged. “I have been busy but you know I would not miss this little chat. So where shall we do this?”

Ev waved from the side holding up bottles, answering Mikes question. After they were all settle and tuned to face a marauder going through preflight fitting Mike began. “Well is started at over 50 candidates, this year, but then a few left the campaign.

“Left?” Ev asked.

“One way or another, yeah. I have no idea of the inner workings of the vetting procedure or reasons why the Powers That Be might not want someone running but in the end we would up with 49 people in the race.”

Candidate	Alliance	Corporation	Short Pitch
Alcoholic Satan	Pandemic Horde	A Blessed Bean	Director of Horde for almost 6 years. Specializes in home defense umbrellas, capital and super capital ratting, and rorqual mining/multiboxing. Wants to have more reasons to go out and blow things up in space.
Amelia Duskspace	TRUTH. HONOUR. LIGHT.	DEMONS OF THE HIDDEN MIST	Experienced YT Creator, 2x AT Champ, Skilled FC in Mid-Scale & Small-Gang. Expert in WH,NS, and Pochven. Running for CSM to reshape Risk vs Reward, drive CCP innovation via dynamic updates, and balance large group projection via Ansiblex adjustments.
Angry Mustache	Goonswarm Federation	KarmaFleet	Angry Mustache is running for re-election to continue the work of helping CCP improve Eve’s economy.
Arhont Sibirskii	Can i bring my Drake…	Deadly Dozen Mans	Mid scale FC. CEO small null sec alliance. Not in powerblocks. Streamer. EVE Partner. Organizer of open PVE and PVP fleets. Over 10 years in EVE online.
Cael Caderu	Deepwater Hooligans	Nobody in Local	Greetings! I am running for CSM 18 as a smallgang (2-20) and midrange (20-100) PVP expert. I can speak to a variety of mechanics and ecosystems in the game, particularly faction warfare and lowsec piracy. I am the CEO of Nobody In Local, a corp in the Deepwater Hooligans (BIGAB) alliance.
Corporal Fillip	None	Rest Stop	Aloha; Many rookies find me first in Rookie Help. Many others meat me through my gift program for rookies, in career systems. I endeavor to be helpful to new players, to clarify how to do basic things early on. I have a holding corp so they can avoid default corp taxes, while they find friends and future corps. My efforts are generally about not losing new players to small difficulties in the first weeks. First character May 2009
Dario Kaelenter	None	ACME HARDWARE	Championing the casual and the new players to help support positive growth of the Eve Universe.
Dark Shines	The Initiative.	Void of Eden.	I’ve played Eve since 2004, trying all play styles that New Eden had to offer throughout my journey, but specialising in Null Sec. I am the Alliance Leader and main FC of The Initiative. My goal is to make New Eden a better place for anyone who shares this online Universe.
Dhuras	Moist.	The Classy Gentlemans Corporation	Wormholer BTW, but not the high class kind running big fleets. Just a small boi running small boi fleets. Jank is my bread and butter.
Drake Iddon	Rote Kapelle	CastleKickers	I have dedicated my Pochven career striving to help create a truly uncontrollable yet fair region where the core EVE pillar of risk/reward is fully realised. Help me use this experience to elevate Pochven to the heights it deserves while also fostering these unique experiences in the entire cluster.
Dujek Oneye	Brave Collective	Brave Newbies Inc.	I’ve been the Brave Collective tournament captain for 3 years. I live in nullsec, and have lived in lowsec and wormholes. I want the game to encourage flying a variety of ships by giving them good niches and balance. I believe inclusiveness is important for the community and the game as a whole.
DutchGunner	Arataka Research Consortium	Itsukame-Zainou Hyperspatial Inquiries Ltd.	Highsec, PVE, lore and Pochven candidate. Multiple suggestions, such as using the lore for content delivery, no tether when -5.0, shadow wars for FW and non FW members and no XL-structures in Highsec, have made it into the game despite not being elected. Imagine what I can do if I do get elected.
Gabriell Bemenacth	PURPLE HELMETED WARRIORS	Svarog Liberi	6/7 year old player. Main experiences primairily are, but arent limited to, all Pochven content (Pochven based), Blopsing and cap hunting, small to mid sized fleet engagements and small gang/solo pvp. My primairy focus is Pochven related content and it’s cross-over with New Eden at large.
Gideon Zendikar	D-sync.	D-sync	Solo/Small gang pilot, with experience FCing on any scale of operation as well as being in leading positions in several former Alliances. Always had a foot in the door of newbie Alliances to help them by giving advise when needed.
Gornilo STrubanov	UA Fleets	Haidamaky	Greetings, I am the fleet commander of the UA Fleets alliance and the CEO of the Haidamaky [GORN] сorporation. My experience in the game is about 6 years, playing in a wormhole, in sov nullspace with power blocks, npc nullsecs. I really liked the idea of The South Eastern Agreement and for the last six months we have been actively fighting for our piece of space with small forces. Going to CSM, I want to advocate the idea of creating a layer of content specifically for small teams, so that there is an opportunity to win and lose a claim specifically for small teams.
Grima The Mad	None	R1vals	I have been playing Eve online actively for the better part of twelve years. In that time I have had the pleasure of experiencing many facets of the game, high sec, low sec, null, and wormhole. I have experienced all of these solo, and through corporations and alliances. I would love to see this game thrive.
Gustav Mannfred	Remember Mumuit	Summer of Mumuit	Played since 2009, enjoyed the old abyssal arena and want to see it back. Balance, Security and Ecosystems are areas of expertise too.
Kazanir	Goonswarm Federation	GoonWaffe	Shadowy vizier, paper pusher, strategy analyst and financier for two different historical versions of nullsec bloc warfare
Kelmac	Northern Coalition.	Blank-Space	I am Kelmac, Blank-Space member and Fleet Commander for Northern Coalition.
Kilyavi Alaailaa	4Crabs Tavern	Sargos Corporation	Candidate from PvP oriented W-space
Kontan Rekor	Goonswarm Federation	GoonWaffe	Modder with game design experience, came to EVE looking for ideas, decided to stay. I intend to provide the CSM with the perspective of a new player that missed out on the ‘glory days’ of EVE.
Kshal Aideron	The Ancients.	F.U.N. Inc.	Since starting in 2020, my playtime has been about bettering the experience of rookies in the Eve Online landscape. With the founding of Eve Rookies, community development has become a passion. Add a sprinkle of wanting to make Eve accessible to as many as possible and you have my recipe for CSM18.
Lady Death Strike	Broken Chains Alliance	Minmatar Death Squad	A player in your corner.
Larkness	None	Federal Navy Academy	I am an Independent Candidate and long term NPSI FC, who is looking forward to representing Capsuleers who enjoy open community-based content of either PVP, PVE, and Mining. I would describe myself as a jack of all trades kind of player, who enjoys both PVP and Industry based activities.
Lee Adoulin	Solyaris Chtonium	Space Wolves ind.	Null sec miner and industry guy.
Luke Anninan	Fraternity.	Into Oblivion.	Going for my second term after a successful CSM17. Still lots to get done and if I am re-elected, I will continue to work on behalf of the players of Eve Online. Regardless of where they come from or their particular play styles.
Mark Resurrectus	TURBOFEED OR GLORY	Holey Roamin’ Empire	Hello friends, I’m your friendly neighborhood wormholerbtw CSM incumbent Mark Resurrectus, back again to try and convince the wormpeople to do something they’ve actually never done before – get the same candidate on the CSM in back to back years.
Melicien Tetro	Azdaja Clade	Azdaja Kybernaut Subclade	Grew up with Eve, going on 20 years – Triglavian Invasion FC, Pochven and Wormhole Resident. Passionate about lore-scrying, new player retention, and content creation. Community. Collaboration. Inclusivity. Good fight, good life, and friendship is the best ship.
Mike Azariah	None	The Scope	Representing new and casual players of the game. Unaligned to any corp or alliance. Veteran Council member (CSM 8, 9, 10, 15, 16) and reasonable. Known to communicate well with players and devs.
MILINT ARC Trooper	None	Pator Tech School	The Mad Scientist who has escaped his laboratory in Minmatar Republic Space. Please contact the nearest Minmatar Republic Authorities and return him to them if found floating in capsule.
Nala Queen	Synergy of Steel	The Shadow Scorpions 2.0	PVP, PVE, Mining, Industry, Nullsec
Nuke Michael	Snuffed Out	Lowlife.	Lowsec candidate from snuffed out, wanting to improve the game for all of lowsec, My main expertise is in FC’ing mid-largeish scale fights (for lowsec) as well as my previous experience in faction warfare fighting.
Pandoralica	The Initiative.	DEFCON.	On the CSM my main focus is and will always be PVP and the opportunities required to create content. Be it solo, small, mid or large scale fights i know what is needed to make stuff happen on a daily basis.
Phantomite	Sedition.	Blue Canary	The CSM needs representation that favours a war driven universe over a safety driven one. Eve has always been at its best when nobody’s empire has been set in stone. It’s time for the map to unfreeze. See phantomite.com for specifics and contact!
RGC Godfather	Nebula Industries And Frozen Assets	Die By The Sword	Fully on Anti-Gank agenda. Protection of the little guy and new players.
Rico Shikkoken	United Caldari Space Command.	Kairiola’s Legacy	Played in wormholes and faction warfare primarily. I build my own tools using ESI. I am partially colour blind and run eve on Linux. I advocate mostly for quality of life improvements, I am new enough to remember the struggles associated with being new to eve.
Rots Mijnwerker	WE FORM BL0B	Into the Ether	Just Another Dude in a Spaceship.
SeriesPro	UNITED SOUTH	Don’t Be a Menace to South Central	I am glad to welcome you capsuleers and CCP at the next stage of the elections to the CSM Council! With great enthusiasm I put forward my candidacy for consideration! Additionally, I want to express my respect and gratitude to the CCP that this year they resorted to the practice of the Egonics corporation and are ready to cooperate with unknown and little-known candidates, giving them a chance to show themselves. I wish good luck to all candidates!
Sol Weintroub	Rusty Hyenas Clan	Rusty Hyenas	A pilot, who’s been playing actively for about 5 years and who have found himself in Small and Mid scale WH PVP flying a wide range of ships. I had tried various activities across New Eden, but wormholes took my heart away. That’s why I want to be in CSM’18 and to represent a part of WH Community.
Stitch Kaneland	The Tuskers Co.	The Tuskers	Do you want fun and balanced ships, along with a healthy pvp ecosystem? Then i’m your guy. I’m open minded, willing to listen and have a good discussion on a topic. My track record out of the CSM already includes 10+ changes that CCP has implemented into the game. Imagine what I could do while on the CSM.
Storm Delay	Pandemic Horde	Horde Vanguard.	CSM 17 incumbent, planning on building on the past year of experience to keep pushing for better conflict drivers, saner power projection, and regular meta-altering PvP balance changes.
Styxx	D.A.R.K.	Dark Shado	A player that has freely given money since 2003 to CCP to play Eve Online non-stop and wants more reasons in future to keep sending money to play by being part of the CSM in 2023. Be part of the dream with me.
The Oz	None	Pecunia Infinita	Proven, respected, and professional EVE markets and economy expert — Completely independent without any alliance influence or commitments — Purely focused on making the game better — Years of experience discussing issues with CCP, CSM members, and expert players on my Twitch show and podcast.
Torvald Uruz	None	Abyssal Lurkers	After success on CSM15 with getting CCP to finally work on Factional Warfare I’m ready to come back and do more work on other areas that need attention, mainly PvE across the game and balancing risk/reward.
Twan Molenaar	The Amarr Militia.	Duemmst anzunehmende Piloten	My Name is Twan Molenaar im 25 years old and i have been Part of eve since 2013 and have lived trough a lot of awesome times in the game. I started out in FW space in Black rise when i first started out the game and stayed there for a few years after wich i moved to Circle Of Two where i was FC Till its Collapse. I am currently living in the Amarr FW space where i am fighting against Minmil. From the time spend there i have noticed quite a few things to improve Eve online in general and for the people in Lowsec/Fw space and make it more enjoyable for everyone. the points im directly hoping to be able to improve when on csm or listed below in the read more section.
Velonad Tyldamere	Pandemic Legion	Habitual Euthanasia	My name is Velonad and I’ve been playing EVE since 2007, for the most part in either low sec or null sec. Since 2010 I’ve been a part of Pandemic Legion and my fields of expertise are mainly PvP and mid-scale industry. These two playstyles will be the focus of my CSM candidacy.
White 0rchid	WE FORM V0LTA	V0LTA	15 years spent across many areas of EVE but with a primary focus on PvP from both small gang and tournaments to large fleets. Providing assistance to organisations like EVE Uni. Believe in giving more opportunity to players to create or participate in content.
William Chen	The Initiative.	Children Of The Isotope	Just a man who plays eve online, have been part of the last few big war. Want to help shape the future of New Eden.
Yondu Quill	Brave Collective	Incredible.	Industry and finance scoped CSM sun-praising candidate, passionate about things that can or could be built so you all can destroy them, from atrons to keepstars. Palantine and Angel caps when? SoonTM

Ev looked dubiously at the case beside the table and commed a request for another one to be delivered. “Dir may be takin some time, I tinks.”

“It could, it could. There are a lot of good folks running and we are not starved for choices to make. But then there are ways to trim the list a bit.”

Scotty snorted. “The usual null removal?”

Mike nodded. “They have a lot of self support, I doubt they need mine although I did find one thing interesting and kind of confusing . . . they put me on their ballot, At least 2 null groups that I know of. I did not sign away my soul nor make any reciprocity deals, they just . . . did. But yes, if we assume the Null bloc have their own support and remove them from my list we are down to about three dozen but oh the range of that group. I started trying to find different ways to sort and compare. Did I go with experience? Where they flew? How the presented in interviews? So many factors and filters but there were still a lot and I want to get it down to manageable numbers.”

OOC Not joking, a lot of good people in the list and a lot more representation.

“So I guess it comes down to who you want to work with, who you would like to see on the board who is not a null bloc rep. Of course you always risk, even if you try, that you might elect a null rep who just happens to like wormholes or Pochven.” Mike shrugged.

“This year is tougher, for some reason so I think I will just say the folks I either agree with or would like to get to know more and maybe even work with.” He sighed. “I do know that the media has done its best to get names out there, give folks a chance to show their faces, or their ass.”

“Oooh I saw dat guy who . . . “

“Yeah yeah, not everybody is comfortable talking or even showing their faces in public but I am not sure if that is a good sign for a politician. Might was well run with a bucket on your head.”

“Now dat would be fun ta watch”

“Wouldn’t it? In the end my list wound up being sorted more by gut than any specific algorithm. Folks like Corporal, Grima, K’shal, Dutch, Oz, Larkness, Phantomite, Stitch and Torvald. I wouldn’t tell other folks to vote that way, this is how I voted and it is what I like to think as a personal thing.

See, that is the thing some of the smoky room big groups forget. Part of politics IS personal. At least it is for me. I put myself out there and let the votes fall where they may.”

Ev and Scotty toasted the sentiment OR they were just thirsty at the same time.

“I say this thing called FC chat where the proverbial smokey room was shown. They seemed fairly sure that they had the election all figured out and settled before the voting even started.”

Mike nodded. “I saw that as well. They spoke well of me though, but it still rankled that they had numbers and obedient little line members that would elect whomsoever they were told to vote for. That ain’t personal, that is Mechanical, the opposite of what I do. Funny thing is? Rumour has it that I even made it on the bottom of THEIR ballots.

“I don’t know but in a few weeks I will find out, I suppose.” Mike took a drink and laid the empty bottle aside. “Ev, I need a good ship for the Silk Road run coming up, what can you recommend? Do I go fast or tanky?”

the rest of the evening was enptying bottles and arguing about fits.

***************************************************************************

Lessons

Tis election time, kids. Vote HERE and if you want to? I need to be high up on the list to survive the first few elimination rounds.

If you don’t vote then you shouldn’t complain over the upcoming year. Oh I know you will but you shouldn’t

Any thoughts for a Silk Road Run Bus? That is one that does all the stops, all the jumps including through a few camped hisec choke points.

fly it like you won it

m

Three

Tanta nodded to the side table and said “The old rule is dat it only takes three legs to hold up a table, the fourth is just for show or a spare.”

Free looked across at the table then to Tanta and the Tech who sat opposite her. “I am thinking that this is not a discussion of furniture technology.”

Tanta shrugged and continued, “Emé says that he fits ships with three legs as well. Tank, Guns, and Go. He says that battles are about Planning, Execution, and Diplomacy although not always in that order. Seems ta me dat dere be a lot of three out there, like tables, holding up their own.”

Free nodded. “I take it you no longer consider yourself part of the three?”

“Oh, I am for now but . . . y’all needs to start making plans for when.”

“Mike is . . . “

“I ‘spect he is about to be very busy. Politics will draw the boy back in like a picnic draws bugs. Oh he is good as a spare leg and I is sure you knows that but you do need another, one more . . . steady. I am not gonna burden you wif my opinions on dat, tis for you to find the other one. But I tink dat you best start thinkin on it and lookin around.”

Free knew that a suggestion from Tanta amounted to orders from anyone else. She looked to the tech who shook his head, he had no idea of a third, either. She looked back to Tanta and nodded.

Lessons

If you do not think that Diplomacy is a part of warfare then I do not know WHO you are

The idea of a triumvirate in control of peoples destinies goes WAY back. Maybe look up Moirai while you think on that one. Or that scottish play whose name escapes me.

Politics is just around the corner, methinks (by the pricking of my thumbs . . . )

Been a while since I wrote, anyone still reading this?

fly it like you won it

m

Who Are You?

Mike answered the comms and the first thing he heard was “Who ARE you?”

Thinking that is was a rookie asking from the help lines he kept open he answered. “Hi, I am Mike, I drive the Bus.”

“What B . . . no, I mean who are you to US? We have no blues except you. Why do you get special treatment?”

Mike tapped some keys and found out who the pilot meant by ‘us’. “Ah, now I get it. I was set blue quite a while ago by your people for the work I do.”

“You do . . . what work?”

ll sorts of things, I have served 5 terms on the CSM, written and talked on shows about New Eden, help newbros and, as I said before, drive the Bus.”

“Huh, ok, thanks.” Th contact closed.

Mike paused a moment “I wonder if that means I stay on their Blue or am removed?”

***********************************

Lessons

This brings me to the rl topic as it blurs into gaming . . . something that has been a bit forward in my mind of late. I mean ‘who are you’ is always a big question to try to answer.

For a lot of my life I was my profession. I am a teacher or ‘I teach at x-school’ Other times I was what I needed to be at the moment. “I be the one who tells ta when ya scan board, ya scurvy dog.” (That time was fun)

Most of the time, now, I am Mike (yes it is my real name) and I no longer identify by job just as myself.

But in game, we are other thing, other people or are we? You see a lot of armchair psychologists say that pvp just means you are a psychopath IRL. yeah, nah. It means that I am playing that part of the game . . . In other games I have been a thief, an assassin, a pirate, death, Hades, and a cat. That does not mean that I am going to change my place or residence to hell nor do I plan on giving myself time to chase a laser dot or lick myself clean after a workout. (yeuch)

That is the one thing I LOVE about Eve Fanfest and Vegas. We get to meet the real people behind the personas online. To me? That is who you find out ‘who are you’.

Sadly with my age has come slight hearing loss and my eyes are not what they once were. In the bars the sound drowns out any chance at conversations for me so if I seemed to ignore you or was slightly ‘out of it?’ please accept my apologies.

fly it like you won it

m

Snowball Pictures

Mike was laughing and showing them the pictures from the snowball fight.

“Now this one was me after I undocked and the noise as the fireworks went off was damn near deafenin.”

“I always wondered about that.” Corey said. “Space is a vacuum so how do you have ‘noise’?”

“Fair question. Our connections to the ship simulate the sounds to allow us to have more instinctive feedback and response. Same way we ‘see’ while encased in a metal egg full of goo. So the simulation of what I was in was damn noisy. Ya know some pilots actually turn off that part so they fly in silence and jokingly ask ‘it has sound?’. I think they is missin out.

Now this shot I took from a bit of a distance. Planet or moon is kinda bleak but oh we lit up their skies I betcha.”

Tanta muttered “My fancy pants pilot canna tell the difference twixt a moon and a planet.”

Mike shrugged and showed the shot.

“Another one of the Bus in all her glory as well as a few other nice ships but the prettiest one was this.”

“That there is a Monitor and a few of them showed up to fly about. Someday I hopes to save up enough to have one o my own but that is a long long ways away.”

Corey frowned. “I know it is not my place but before we were . . . friends I did do a complete dossier on you. You are not poor.”

Mike nodded slowly. “My assets make me look rich but that includes Bus assets. Your dossier did not differentiate”

Corey nodded then looked up sharply, “You mean people trust you with that much in assets?”

Mike shrugged. “They do and I, in turn, keep to the social contract and do not betray the trust. It is not how I do things and it would be the end of the Bus as a whole.”

“I tried to raise you right, but you have a stubborn honest streak I just couldn’t get out of ya.” Tanta chided. “Even as a boy he would fess up if I asked who ate all the cookies.” She chuckled and slid the plate of fresh baked cookies a bit closer to him and saw his eyes light up.

He took one leaned back and smiled. “It was a good day, I remembered to thank Commander A9 and hope he passed the thanks on to the others.”

“Yeah I think that was a moon.”

*******************************************************************

Lesson,

Live events made by players are always fun. Devs and ISD showed up as well (and were welcome) but it was a player thing.

I’d like to thank the organizers a lot if only for the chance to take the pics and chat with other.

fly it like you won it.

m

Snowballs

“So, where is he now?” Free asked as she helped chop veggies for the dinner.

“He has been doing more Bus runs of late and I thought he would be coming by soon as he is in the area but he has diverted to Luminaire” Corey was setting out bowls and silver for the dinner.

“What is in Luminaire?”

“Snowballs.”

“Come again? What do you mean, snowballs?” Free frowned as she made even and precise cuts.

“Lordy, tis dat time o year again. You does know that this season be his favourite, eh?” Tanta said from where she sat, watching a pan of meat sizzle. “The lad be out celebrating and havin some fun, I spect he will be home soon after dat. Best we be making some cookies tomorrow mornin ta have fresh for him when he arrives.”

“I still don’t understand what snowballs have to do with spaceships.” Free protested.

“Old tech, used for wargames, non damaging weapon systems modified to look like a snowball hits. A friendly mock battle to celebrate the season. Held in Luminaire and run by a pilot Mike is friends with, Commander A9.” Corey said. “Should be running about 2100 galaxy time on the 18th (that is tomorrow)”

“So is he there in one of his small fast ships to scoot around and dodge?”

“He took the Bus”

“Of course he did.”

*********************************************************

Lessons

https://forums.eveonline.com/t/luminaire-snowball-fight-ix-18-dec-22-2100-eve-time/384381

no moral to this, just hope to see y’all there if you can make it. I will try to remember to take some screenshots and if you do the same? send me the good ones.

fly it like you won it

m

Qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent

“I spect,” Tanta told Free as she carefully poured the tea, “that you should be hearing from your old bosses soon enough, eh?”

Free shook her head. “Why would they being doin that? They know where I am and who I am with.”

“They sees me as weak, failin. Maybe they would like someone close to me on their side. Maybe that person be you.” Tanta smiled and shoved the plate of cookies close to Free. “Eat child. since that boy aint here cookies almost have a chance to go stale.”

“I made my decision.”

“I know that and so do you, ting is, does they? And how hard will they try to convince you? Be prepared for it because they still figure that you owes them somethin.” Tanta nodded. “But do YOU believes dat?”

Free took a bite of a cookie and chewed thoughtfully. “They took a little orphan girl, trained her, molded her, made her into a weapon that they could apply against enemies. I am good at that. Do I owe them for what they made me?”

“Dat be up to you to decide, child. They gave you a job, a purpose. What have We given you?”

Free smiled. “That is easy, Tanta. You gave me a home, a family. You, Mike, Ruis, the girls and mothers. I have never felt like an outsider, here. I actually wondered, at one point . . . is Mike a recruiter for you?”

“Not that he knows of. The boy has a good heart and folks he sends to me are usually worth meeting. I trusts his instincts, to a point. But he does occasionally let his dark side show.” Tanta held up a hand. “Nothing truly bad but he does sometimes roam and hunt with the pirates of Low, I hear he is even ‘Blue’ to some of the more dangerous ones. As a result not all of his friends are brought here for me to meet.”

“And he is a politician.”

“Even worse. He associates with Organizations that will eat their own at the drop of a hat. All the morals of a cage full of starving rats. I worry every time he is with that sort, ya lies down with dogs . . .”

Free nodded. “And yet he always manages to come home flealess.”

Tanta laughed. “If he did come home wit dem he would have each of them named and be teachin them ta do tricks. You knows it is true.”

Free laughed and the conversation turned to other topics. If Frees former employers called Tanta would have no worries about the outcome.

*******************Lessons********************************************

At the best of times I barely follow all the ins and outs of Null Sec alliances but from what I can tell the rats are turning on themselves.

The most recent ones are the folks who try to moderate and keep a level of decency are stepping down, here and there. That and some nonsense about a player station being popped and loot scooped from allies, not enemies. For all that the perps of that one say they did no wrong . . . they did it on off hours and only 4 or five of them took part. They knew what they were doing and wanted to keep things for themselves.

Yeah, title in latin, live with it

fly it like you won it

m

Should I play this game?

If you spend anytime in any sort of game forums, whether it be reddit or the forums of a specific game you come across this question of a fairly regular basis. Thing is? It is probably the WORST place to ask, for a couple of reasons. Let me elucidate (word of the day used in a sentence, check)

1. The people in forums are seldom representative of the player base as a whole. They are on the forums instead of inside the game! Some are there to ask for new stuff, complain about the new stuff. Or once in a while to show off their new stuff. The game was WAY better in the old days before the devs ruined it . . .
2. People in the forums are there because they do play the game and may or may not be happy with that fact. You have what is called a self selecting sample, in statistics (education applied, check) and that is not the best way to collect data
3. How in the heck should we know what YOU like? What you enjoy? I have no idea if you will enjoy the same thing as I do anymore than I know what beer you will like, what food is good, in your opinion. Best music, good book? Why are you offloading the choice for your leisure onto complete strangers?
4. Stockholm syndrome. (cheap psychoanalysis term used, check) Come on in, the water is fine, here, have some kool-aid.

Try the game, maybe watch a video of someone playing it or read some reviews from reviewers you trust. I always think that empirical evidence is the best so YES, try the game, for free, if you can.

I like mmos because I like the social aspect. My wife and I play Elder Scrolls together. She never showed an interest in Eve Online and that is OK. I play other games as fun ways to pass my time, to de-stress (Hellgate London was great for that) and sometimes just to enjoy all the effort that devs have put into the story, the art, the sound and the music.

Should you play the game? I don’t know. Should you play A game? Hell yes. If you wind up in one I play? stop by and say hello.

fly it like you won it

m

Caldari

Mike came out of the ship with a big grin on his face. “Damn that was fun.”

Scotty looked back at the Retribution Mike had just exited. “Been in Caldari space with that? Most folks been running the destroyers.”

“I know, I know. Ran into a few of them, here and there. A Kiki or two and some Sunnys. But this suited me just fine, for now. It sometimes comes down to a matter of math, for me. While I hold a lot of assets for the Bus I am not that rich anymore. So I am savin up and may try a Kiki laters if I make enough to do so.”

“Pays that well, them Caldari jobs?”

“Two and a bit runs covered the cost of that beast.” Mike jerked his thumb at the retribution. “Now I am keepin track to see if I can afford the Kiki. Want that one ‘prepaid’ and not a debt load.”

Scotty whistled. “So whatcha figure? How many runs you gonna have to do?”

“Well the thing is? There be some competition for the prize. I am batting about 60% of the time it pays off and the rest someone else gets the last trigger before I do. So I am waiting for the fuss to die down and the playing field to level out a bit. It don’t help none that the action I want is lose to the crowded part of space.”

“Space is too big to get ‘crowded'” Scotty objected.

“Depends on how ya look at it, I suppose. “Seems you find the most hisec capsuleers in Caldari space and these runs are Caldari so the math is against me. But even us immortal Gods have to sleep now and again so I am watchin the charts and making hay while the rest sleep. I Figures a few days and a bit of luck and I will have what I need.”

Scotty chuckled. “You know? It is nice to see you flying for your own purposes again, between the Bus and politics i was beginning to think you had forgotten yourself.”

“A fair worry but I tend to be around myself enough to remind me that I am still here, still at it. Come on, I’m buyin.”

*****************************************************************

Lessons

My thanks to Erstschlag who made a good lesson Vid and fit that I could use, right out of the box. Thing works well for me.

I do hope that I can manage a Kiki by the end of the event, love that ship to pieces.

But as to the last part of the post . . . Burnout is a thing, both with games and especially for players who have served on the CSM. But I am still playing, still active in rookie help chat.

oh and speaking of rookie help chat there is this jerk for the last few weeks who REALLY seems to have a bee in his or her bonnet and a stick up their ass. The make new toons just to log on, swear and curse until banned, and then they make another toon. Weird. I am not sure what CCP can do against such a dedicated asshole but I think that they should do something.

The rest of the channel is friendly and welcoming and a lot of the regulars help as best they can. The ISD show FAR more patience than you might expect.

anyhow

fly it like you won it

m

Why s Man

” . . . so then we had to put them all back the way that they had been stacked in the first place.

I am fairly sure people smarter than me know a fancy way o’ putting this but it seems that sometimes making a change just because you think it is better than standing still is not the best course of action. A buddy of mine is in a fleet and they decided to bring an old composition out of mothballs. As they fitted up someone asked why they had stopped using this fleet design.

When they all were wiped out he had his answer. The change had been made for a reason and just because they had forgotten the reason did not invalidate the change. The question becomes not how to change something but why is it that way in the first place. Fleets, kicking someone out of the corp, where we keep the important stuff. All of these were decisions made sometime in the past and if you do not know WHY then you do not have enough information, yet.

My love to the family, isk transfer sent”

Jiorj

**********OOC and Lessons**********************************************

I have seen a lot of folks suggesting what changes to Eve lead to the current decline and many have suggestions of how to ‘fix it’

Thing is? Not everyone is working from the same data, from the same assumptions. Because I signed an NDA I cannot tell players what I know behind some decisions so they can make a balanced evaluation on their own.

Worse it feels like sometimes CCP also make decisions and changes without knowing the history of ‘how the hell we got here’ It scared me when I found out how many CCP devs were new in the past few years. They do not see the fence . . .

Oh, I got ahead of myself.

A core component of making great decisions is understanding the rationale behind previous decisions. If we don’t understand how we got “here,” we run the risk of making things much worse.

From an article I was reading . . . here

Cool ideas and it felt like it went to the basis of what Eve is struggling with. A lot of games do not hit this issue because they do not last long enough to have a history they can forget.

But some of us remember

fly it like you won it,

m

Touch Grass

I looked this up, the meme, that is . . .

Touch Grass, or Touch Some Grass, is a popular online insult and alternative way of telling someone to “go outside,” implying they’re spending too much time online and it’s affecting their wellbeing. The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but it started spreading significantly in 2019, becoming increasingly popular on Twitter throughout 2021. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/touch-grass

See, the thing is? I don’t see that as an insult. It is a suggestion of concern and a direction for self care. Hell we all need that reminder, now and again to just exist in the real world, get a bit of nature. I love getting out and ‘touching grass’. Yesterday was no exception and I took a fewshots to try to bring some into your timeline

willow from below

red and white flowers

my wife knows what these are called, I am bad with plant names

So, understand that if I ever suggest that you touch grass it is NOT an insult in any way shape or meaning. It is my wish that you get a chance to go where things grow, where your soul and your heart can be replenished.

fly it like you won it

m