The EVE Blog Banter #15 Special Edition: Why we love EVE Online Contest

Welcome to this special installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by myself, 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 me. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

When you've been roaming New Eden as long as I have, it almost feels like home. That's how familiar it has become over the last 5 years. Not that I have done everything or touched every aspect of this most amazing of virtual world, far from it, but it just feels as though it's always been there. And always will be.

Friday Video: Mass Effect 2 Launch Trailer

Well, seems I'm an emotional guy. Either that or game trailers are getting really damn good. Probably both statements are true.

Mass Effect 2 comes out next Tuesday for us folks in North America (and the 29th on the old continent). And though I'll be away at a sales conference for the reminder of that week I still pre-ordered the game at EB earlier this month.

When I watch, and re-watch a trailer like the one below, I have to admit I get goose bumps.

Video games creating emotional responses. Who would have believed that 30 years ago!

EVE Blog Banter #14: A beginning is a very delicate time...

Welcome to the fourteenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by none other than me, 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 out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

The first banter of 2010 comes to us from the EVE Blog Father, in which I ask the following: As we begin another year in New Eden, ask yourselves "What Now?" What will I attempt next? What haven't I done so far in EVE? Was it out fear, funds, or knowledge? Have I always wanted to start my own corporation, but have never dared doing so? Is there a fledging mercenary waiting to come out of its shell? Or maybe an Industrialist? What steps and objectives will I set myself to accomplish in order to reach my ultimate goal for this year? EVE is what you make of it. So, what is it going to be for you?

Beginning anew. Well sort of. You see, 2009 wasn't the best of year for my career as a capsuleer. Not that I did not a lack of motivation or a will to try out new things. But circumstances outside of New Eden forced me to put aside most if not all of these goals and for the better part of the year I, for lack of a better word, stagnated. Literally.

I go AWOL and the EVE Community gets an Award!

Talk about shitty timing! I take a few weeks off from blogging and tweeting as I normally do, and during that time, Ten Ton Hammer awards the EVE Online Community the Best Community of 2009. Indeed, best time to take a break. I've seriously just found out about this - like an hour ago - while looking over my Facebook News Feed!

Still, it's a hell of an honor to be part of this great community of players with whom I share a passion for an amazing and complex world. Long live New Eden.

Before I jump back on the horse and return to my regular posting schedule, I just wanted to update you on what I've been doing this last 4 weeks! For those of you who don't know, I'm currently enjoying my paternity leave, of which I've got 2 more weeks (yep, that's 5 weeks during which I'm being paid to spend some time with MiniCK2). During that time, those of you who follow me on raptr will know that I've been playing some EVE Online, some Torchlight and Defense Grid, as well as a lot of Mass Effect. All this playing only happens when the MiniCKs are sleeping, which makes for some difficult gaming schedule. And with the PC downstairs in the basement and the Xbox 360 in the living room, playing Mass Effect (Xbox 360 version) is currently more convenient.

Add to that the fact that I want to finish the game before the sequel, which I've pre-ordered, comes out on the 26th.

I've also been reading a lot more, which is something I used to do more before the kids, and before this blogging, tweeting, facebooking took over my leisure time! I managed to finish reading The Sky People and Deadhouse Gates. I've started reading The Child Thief, Mass Effect Revelation and Pathfinder Core Rulebook. It's really fun to have the time to do so.

I'm slowly getting up to speed with emails, request and posts, so expect a return to my daily blogging and tweeting starting next week.

It's good to be back!