Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The ever expanding EVE Blogosphere! - Part 4


Not a week goes by without a few new EVE Blogs seeing the light of day. The last 10 days is no different! So here are the latest blogs to get added to the EVE Blogosphere:
  1. Tulirs Ramblings
  2. EVE Online Reviewed
  3. The Light of the Stars
  4. Diary of a Garbageman
  5. EVE's Parity Bit
  6. The Woe
  7. Pod Splatter
Please take note that Tyrodia's EVE Blog should now be referred to as Flying Free.

Finally, though we're sadenned to learn that EVE Monkey is leaving New Eden, we're very happy to welcome in the EVE Blog Pack our newest member @Lumenarious_Rex and his blog "A Scout's Domain"! Welcome a board mate!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

EVE Online Action Wallpaper Competition - The Judging begins!


After the Scenic Wallpaper submissions, here then are the 16 Action entries to the EVE Online Wallpaper Competition. Good luck to all participants!
  1. Arukemos
  2. Epegi Givo
  3. Perseus Kallistratos
  4. Archase
  5. Zach 101
  6. Brandoe Chung
  7. Manasi
  8. Rixx Javix
  9. Lahlana
  10. Opiboble Inte
  11. Mal Iss
  12. Quintrala
  13. Riyusone Haro
  14. Korleena
  15. Che Biko
Now since our sponsors were so generous with their donations, I'm happy to announce that each category will have 3 winners: 1st place getting 500 Million ISK, 2nd place 200 Million ISK and 3rd place 50 Million ISK! The judging will be done over the next 3 days days and all 6 winners will be announced by end of day on Friday April 2nd.

EVE Online Scenic Wallpaper Competition - The Judging begins!


When we launched the EVE Wallpaper Competition I never expected such a great turnout and so many amazing screenshots to grace our desktops. And though it took a bit more work to put together the listings and make sure all the submissions were in and all the little details, I've gotta say it was worth it. Here below are the listing for all the Scenic entries. This subset of the Wallpaper Contest Set can be accessed on this Flickr Scenic set.
  1. Cozmik R5
  2. Tom Dreyfus
  3. Zanthar Eos
  4. Epegi Givo
  5. Lance Fighter
  6. Zargyl
  7. Opiboble Inte
  8. Mal Iss
  9. Manasi
  10. Che Biko
  11. Ibo Tpmp
  12. Cle Demaari
  13. Charlotte Munt
  14. Velocity Prime
  15. Beowolf Schaefer
  16. Korleena
Now since our sponsors were so generous with their donations, I'm happy to announce that each category will have 3 winners: 1st place getting 500 Million ISK, 2nd place 200 Million ISK and 3rd place 50 Million ISK! The judging will be done over the next 3 days days and all 6 winners will be announced by end of day on Friday April 2nd.

EVE Online Video: Future Proof Part 1 and 2



Once in a while, the EVE community gives birth to some amazing talent and creations. The following video (part1 and 2) is a great example. The author of this breathtaking animation is Kale Ryoko (YouTube - EVE Forums - @EndStar - EndStar's Blog) who describes the project as follows:
After seven months and seven hundred cans of red-bull, I can finally show you guys what happens when you put New Eden, the Unreal 3 Engine and large quantities of caffeine into a blender.
This was my first jump into the Unreal 3 Engine, as well as my first for a fair few programs. It all began as a University project to show the progression of cinematics within game engines.
My love for the EVE Universe and writing EVE fiction were the real inspiration for this Machinima. This meant that the film was not going to portray a world ruled by game mechanics, but rather an alternate reality of EVE that I use when I write fiction.
Huge thanks to Kyoko Sakoda for his utter genius and support during this project, as well as everyone who helped me with this, whether it was inspiration, motivation, or ensuring I was well fed during its development. 







Music credits are:

Steve Jablonsky - Matrix of Leadership
The Prodigy - Warrior's Dance
Groove Addicts - Hellbent
Hans Zimmer - Betrayal
Brian Tyler - Touge
The Prodigy - Omen (Noisia Remix)

Why there'll never be a Fanfest outside Iceland. And that's a good thing!



Last week I had the opportunity to have dinner with CCP's Mike Read and a few other EVE Capsuleers! Suffice to say the conversation quickly veered towards anything and everything EVE, for our own selfish pleasure! At one point we all focused our attention on Mike with the well known "When will CCP host a Fanfest in North America?" The questioning and commenting went back and forth and eventually moved on to other more important, more pragmatic topics.

But that conversation stayed with me throughout the whole week and kept popping up in my head. Now, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that having a Fanfest in Canada or in the States has always been a big wish of mine.

But the more I thought about it. The less sure of that statement I was. And after giving it some more thought, I've come to the conclusion that there should only one EVE Fanfest, and that it should be held in Reykjavik, permanently.

Hear me out.

EVE Online is as much a virtual world as it is a Community. Let me repeat myself: EVE is "a" Community; as in one group, one entity. We all play the game in this one world, which affects all of us. And nothing is more the embodiment of this Community as the yearly held Fanfest is. This is the time of the year where players from all over the world get together and share a common real-life experience. It's where players from Europe, from North and South America and even as far as New Zealand come together to share their common love and interest for this most exotic world we call New Eden.

Splitting the EVE Fanfest into 2 events, one in Iceland and one in the States (as an example) would be like splitting Tranquility in two. Blasphemy, I know. Which is why I believe and sincerely hope that there will always be only one EVE Fanfest, held in Reykjavik once a year.

Which doesn't prevent CCP from ever having a WoD Fanfest in Atlanta though... wink wink...!

Fly safe, and see you all at the next EVE Fanfest!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The ever expanding EVE Blogosphere! - Part 3


Just like harvesting high-end minerals, adding new EVE Online blogs is a time consuming effort that yields great rewards! It's an investment that's produced some amazing results; benefits that we get to share on a daily basis. These are the latest blogs added to my EVE Blogroll!

  1. Aggressive Tendencies
  2. quafe.biz
  3. Thar Be Dragons
  4. TeaDAze.net
  5. Beginnings of Piracy (The)
  6. Clan Oriana (The)
  7. Enrage Merc (The)
  8. Hydrostatic Capsule (The)
  9. Independent Analyst (The)
  10. Reckless Rifter (The)
  11. Tul's Sapce Stories
  12. Tyrodia's EvE Blog
  13. Victoria Aut Mors
  14. War and Politics
  15. Watch My Six
  16. WH - Dwellers
  17. Where the frack is my ship
That's 51 new blogs added in the last few days to the EVE Blogroll. I just hope I didn't miss anyone! Please comment to let me know!


The catching up is almost over!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Wallpaper Contest Submission #10 - Caldari Raven - by Archase


Action Wallpaper submission by Archase. Submitted on Tuesday, March 18, 2010 AT 6:11PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #9 - The Four Powers - by Perseus Kallistratos


Action Wallpaper submission by Perseus Kallistratos of Aggressive Tendencies.
Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 11:04PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #8 - Amarr Station by Zargyl


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Zargyl. Submitted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 AT 1:14PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #7 - Nebula - by Lance Fighter


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Lance Fighter. Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:13PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #6 The Drone Hive - by Zanthar Eos


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Zanthar Eos. Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 1:57PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

The ever expanding EVE Blogosphere! - Part 2


Here some more new EVE Blog that will also get added to my EVE Blogroll! I can barely keep with you people!! :p

Wallpaper Contest Submission #5 - by Tom Dreyfus


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Tom Dreyfus. Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 AT 3:02PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Friday Video: Black Prophecy Official Game Trailer

...or as Roc likes to call it "Fighter Drone pilots"! Still, you have to admit the game looks great! And I must say I'm happy to see another Space-based MMO see the day. It can only pressure the Devs from CCP Games to make EVE Online better!


Come to think of it, a fighter pilot FPS seems like a fun idea!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #3 and #4 - by Epegi Givo


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Epegi Givo. Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:13PM


Action Wallpaper submission by Epegi Givo. Submitted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:13PM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

The ever expanding EVE Blogosphere! - Part 1


It's been a while since I last updated my EVE Online Blogroll, and since then, plenty of new EVE blogs came into existence! Here are some of the ones missing that I've recently added!

EVE Online Tyrannis Teaser Video



Coming May 18th, eh! The wait begins!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #2 - Machariel - by Cozmik R5


Scenic Wallpaper submission by Cozmik R5 of Diary of a Space Jokey. Submitted on Sunday, March 14, 2010 AT 8:03AM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Wallpaper Contest Submission #1 - Abaddon Explosion by Arukemos

In view of the amazing screenshots we've been getting for our Wallpaper Contest, I thought I take the opportunity to share them with you as I receive them. I've received 9 so far and will need to catch-up over the next day or so and present all of them. Once I have caught up to the latest one, I will post the screenshots as they come in! Thanks again to all the participants, who are fighting over the chance to win over a Billion ISKs!

Action Wallpaper submission by @Arukemos of Learning to Fly. Submitted on Saturday, March 13, 2010 AT 10:17AM

For those interested in seeing all of them, please check out my Flickr set for the Contest!

Monday, March 15, 2010

EVE Blog Banter #16: The Three Pillars of Wisdom


Welcome to the sixteenth 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 third Blog Banter of 2010 comes to us from ChainTrap of the Into the unknown with gun and camera EVE Blog. He asks us: "Eve University turns six years old on March 15th; six years spent helping the new pilots of New Eden gain experience and understanding in a supportive environment. EVE is clearly a complicated game, with a ton to learn, so much that you never stop learning. So, the question is; What do you wish that someone had taken the time to tell you when you were first starting out? Or what have you learned in the interim that you'd like to share with the wider Eve community?"
Having roamed the far reaches of New Eden over the last 6 years, I've had the chance and the opportunity to share through this blog a plethora of information. Information I would wish had been shared with me when I was still wet behind the ears as a capsuleer. But that is the process of learning, and looking back at the past, looking at your past mistakes, your past ambitions become obvious as foolish and silly meanderings.

If I could go back with the knowledge I currently possess, I would share with my younger self the following...

1) Train those Learning Skills - One of the first thing a new capsuleer does is spot the biggest, meanest ship he or she can find, look at the skills needed to fly one and start learning and buying those skills. Anyways, that what I did. Even as a Carebear. I think that it was years later that I came across "Learning Skills". What the hell? What are those? When I realized the months of training I could have shaved off, I felt like an idiot. I wish I had been told to split my training between learning skills and the other skills.

2) The 10 Commandments of New Eden - I wish that somewhere will missioning or mining I had had the chance to find these 10 pieces of advice. I originally wrote them almost 2 yeas ago, but they still hold very true today:
  1. The only place where you're safe in EVE is either docked or offline, otherwise you're mostly fair game.
  2. You will eventually get podded. It's nothing personal.
  3. So make sure your clone is up to date
  4. At any given time, make sure you're always training a skill.
  5. EVE is like a sandbox with landmines. Deal with it.
  6. You're flying in a cocoon full of liquid, known as a pod. Not behind the controls of a ship.
  7. Flying a ship anywhere in EVE is like gambling, only fly what you're willing to lose.
  8. CONCORD exists to punish, not to protect.
  9. If you're going to be in a low sec system for a while, create 2 or more safe spots, just in case.
  10. Pirates are not griefers, they're as much a part of EVE as you are.
3) The right Corporation make all the difference - This is probably the most important aspect when starting in EVE, and the main reason which sees so many newcomers leave New Eden. It took a few years for me to find the corporation that matched my playing style, my availability and goals within EVE. Years later I would write this article in hopes to avoid the bunny hopping I once did early in my career.

Much more pixels could be laid down on these screens in hopes of sharing all the wisdom us old capsuleers have. But I believe it all boils down to the above.

EVE Online is not a game. It's a world. Virtual yes, but the implications of that difference make it that much more complex. That much more enjoyable. Full of unknowns, of opportunities, of dreams.

Fly, whether safe or not, but make sure to enjoy the ride!

List of Participants
    1. CrazyKinux: The Three Pillars of Wisdom
    2. The Elitist: Helping the new guy/gal
    3. Hands Off, My Loots: Nothing Needed
    4. Rantuket: Blog Banter 16
    5. EVE Opportunist: Nooby Cluey
    6. Into the Unknown With Gun and Camera: EVE University
    7. Zero Kelvin: We’re the young ones!
    8. I am Keith Neilson: Set Your Destination
    9. Prano's Journey: Just Like the Very First Time
    10. A Merry Life and a Short One: No Seriously
    11. Yarrbear Tales: Nublet 101
    12. A Mule In EVE: If I only knew
    13. The Planet Risk Show: Dared to be Bold
    14. Diary of a Space Jockey: WTH did I get myself into?!
    15. EVOGANDA: Why?
    16. A Memoir From Space: 16th Blog Banter
    17. Death’s Sweetest Kiss: Who What When Where Why How??
    18. Freebooted: Beyond the Shortcuts
    19. Learning to Fly: Noobing
    20. Caldari Outcast: My First Blog Banter Post!
    21. Roc's Ramblings: Financial Survival
    22. Diary of a Pod Pilot: Free Knowledge Inside
    23. Nullsec Carebear: I could've been less of an idiot
    24. Facepalm's Ramblings: Something Smells Fishy
    25. Kirith Darkblade: Do you wish to know more?
    26. Autopilot Disabled: I'm still starting...
    27. Finders & Keepers: Relax
    28. Confounded Capsuleer: What have you got to loose?
    29. Clan Oriana: Sixteen
    30. Flashfresh: EVE Blog Banter #16
    31. Rettic's The Chronofile: You Make EVE
    32. Diary of a Bored Spaceman: Past Imperfect
    33. Chocolate Heaven: Known Unknowns
    34. Victoria Aut Mors: Blog Banter #16
    35. Where the frack is my ship: If I knew then what I know now...
    36. The Lathspell of Mithrandir: Hindsight is 20/20
    37. Adventures in Mission Running: Words of Wisdom Add comments
                                        [Delicious Tag: eveblogbanter16]

                                        Friday, March 12, 2010

                                        EVE Online Wallpaper Competition - Billions of ISKs at stake!

                                        This is a guest post by Xiphos83 from A Misguided Adventurer. You can follow him @Xiphos83.


                                        The EVE Online universe is a captivating and awe inspiring world to view. Wonderfully detailed ships, planets, and effects grace our screens and create a canvas of color rivaling many of the other MMOs out there. The changes CCP Games has made to the environment over the years have simply been stunning and it's time to do justice to this graphical wonder.

                                        I, @Xiphos83 (formerly of A Misguided Adventurer) am teaming up with CrazyKinux to give away some always in demand ISKies and encourage capsuleers out there to put their creative caps on, take some screenshots and build wallpapers that we can grace our gaming machines with.

                                        RULES:
                                        • The entry fees will be a measly 10 million ISKs to be transfered to the in-game character "CrazyKinux". Only those who have deposited their participation fees will be eligible for the draw.
                                        • The contest will require that you create a wallpaper of a minimum size of 1280 x 1024 in one of two categories from screenshots taken within EVE Online - Action or Scenic.
                                        • Themes: Action (being war, mining ops, ratting, etc) and Scenic (planets, stations orbiting moons, etc).
                                        • All images incorporated in the wallpapers must be from EVE. Whichever way you decide to incorporate your screenshots into the wallpaper is up to you, as long as you stick to the Scenic or Action theme.
                                        • You may submit one (1) wallpaper to each categories, but no more.
                                        • The judges will be Brendan of Massively, CrazyKinux, and Xiphos83.
                                        • Submissions will be gathered on one of CK's Flickr Set, where size, date of submission and artist will be mentioned (and linked back to whenever possible)
                                        • Contest ends on March 26th, 11:59 PM EDT.
                                        Now comes the juicy part.

                                        The entry fee will be a measly 10 million ISKs and the winners will split the pot! Additionally, CrazyKinux will donate 15 million ISKs to the pot and I, Xiphos83, will be donating 100 million ISKs. So even if we have 1 person apply, there's 175 million up for grabs. That's a few new ships with fittings to boot.

                                        How to Submit:
                                        1) Drop a comment on the post, with URL, character name. Or on this EVE Forum thread.
                                        2) Transfer the 10 million ISK to my character "CrazyKinux"
                                        3) Once you see your screenshot on my Flickr Set, you know your submission has been received and approved!

                                        Additional Donators:
                                        • Crovan - 50 million ISKs
                                        • Krispy Dingo - 50 million ISKs
                                        • AnMiTh - 1 Billion ISKs (!!!!!) and a Free year of Lonetrek Hosting Coupon

                                        You will have 14 days to submit your entries to CrazyKinux, so get out there, fire up your Velator of Doom, and start snapping photos!

                                        Remember, the more participants, the bigger the prizes will be!

                                        Good luck to you all!

                                        [UPDATE: After much back and forth with the #tweetfleet and in view of your comments, we've decided to ask for a minimum size wallpaper (1280x1024). This way, almost everyone can partake in the competition and no one is left out!]

                                        Thursday, March 11, 2010

                                        An Introduction to Planetary Interaction [video]


                                        Planetary Interaction (PI) is almost upon us! With the next EVE Online expansion, the industrialist will have a ball with the planets of New Eden. No longer will they simply be decorations for the capsuleers enjoyment. Much work remains to be done until its release, but we got a glimpse of what the Devs are working on - or listening to - these days following the latest Dev Blog by CCP Hammerhead "Livin' on a Prayer".

                                        The fine folks of EVE University were also kind enough to put together the following How To video, based on the current state of PI on CCP's Test server SiSi, as well as a short Guide. Enjoy!



                                        Additional EVE bloggers commentary on Planetary Interaction:
                                        [Last Update: April 2nd, 2010]

                                        Wednesday, March 10, 2010

                                        Have you seen Treenara's new look?

                                        On the left the old Treenara - On the right the new Treenara

                                        I've been playing the same character, Treenara Mazouk, since October of 2004. What you might not know this, but Tree (that's what my corp mates call her) was not my first character. My first character saw the day in August of 2004, her name was Saoundra Meezo, she was Amarr. I've always had a preference for the Amarr, both in their dramatic character looks and in their ship designs. But shortly after starting off in New Eden, some buddies of mine created Gallente characters. Since I wanted to play with them and did not want to travel all the way to Gallente space, I simply "rolled" a new character, and Treenara was born.

                                        Fast forward 6 years and though my friends no longer roam New Eden, Treenara is still my faithful companion and will shortly hit the 60 million skill points! Suffice to say her "looks" have become something very familiar to me. And so earlier this week, I decided to give her a little makeover and took advantage of CCP's Character Portrait Swapping. After creating a new character of the same gender, race and bloodline, I proceeded to do the swap for a mere $10 fee.

                                        Though I was all excited about the change, even after a few days, the old portraits still have yet to change. And I know all about deleting the portrait folder and all that. The forum avatar still shows the old portrait, and even the API feed used by EVEMon still has the old Treenara.

                                        I'm hoping that I won't have to wait much longer for the switch to occur. I just don't see myself waiting until Incarna for Treenara's look to get refreshed! Where are those Icelandic Trolls when you need them! Where's my $10 value?

                                        Tuesday, March 09, 2010

                                        TRON LEGACY - Official Trailer #2

                                        Very few movies had as much impact in nurturing my inner Geek as much as Wargames and TRON. As I explained to a friend earlier today, back in the early 80s I had very friends to share my passion for TRON. Personal computers and the networks that were about to connect them all were not things pre-teens were known to discuss, much less take pride in having an interest in.

                                        Fast forward 30 years, and the situation has flipped completely; a 180 in the perception of Geeks! This coming December, there will be one such Geek enjoying the benefits of this cultural shift!


                                        I can barely control my glee!

                                        Monday, March 08, 2010

                                        Rettic - When Art, Design and Talent come Together


                                        Last Friday night, I got an early birthday gift, or a late Christmas gift, however you want to see it! The much talented @Rettic, of Rettic's Log: The Chronofile, was kind enough to provide his services to me free of charge as a token of appreciation for all my efforts in promoting and helping foster the right environment for the EVE Blogging Community.

                                        This post's header as you can see was the result, and now sits atop as my blog's main header! If you're curious to see the full image, head over to my Flickr account right here! Beautiful work isn't it!

                                        By profession, Rettic is a Senior Interactive Designer, and I'm sure that if he is as talented for Interactive Design as he is for Graphic Design, then whom ever he works for is one lucky employer!

                                        If you're interested in have some work done by my good friend, then know that his standard fees will run you about 100-200 million ISKs for a logo/banner/forum signature, and that he also offer his services for EON ads, software skinning, etc. Contact him in any case to get a quote from him!

                                        Thanks again sir, for some amazing work!

                                        Iron Man 2 - The Latest Trailer

                                        Not too many movies into the "cool techno geek" group, but Iron Man, and most likely its sequel do. Judging from the following trailer - the 2nd one - Iron Man 2 looks very promising! I for one, look forward to it!


                                        For that matter TRON has that same effect on me! Looking forward to that trailer being released. Which I know should be soon; as in by the end of the week!

                                        Friday, March 05, 2010

                                        The Top Ten Commandments of the Capsuleer Parent


                                        Every EVE Online player who became a parent during his capusleer career, knows how difficult it can sometimes be to juggle a professional career, a marriage and children, while giving in to the calling of New Eden. But with time, through sheer effort and good planning, it can be done. I know, I've struggled myself to manage to do all of the above, but I'm still here, playing the game, blogging about it and having a great time doing it, despite the occasional trolls!

                                        How do I do it? Well over time I've come up with a few basic rules that seem to work for me. And so I wanted to share them with you, and see what you yourselves can come up with!
                                        1. Thou shall put real-life first. Always!
                                        2. Thy children shall always come before the pod
                                        3. Nighttime shall become my best friend
                                        4. Thou shall master the art of flying a ship while changing a diaper
                                        5. A game schedule thou shall agree upon with thy better-half
                                        6. Thou shall learn the EVE Bushido of the Parent Warrior
                                        7. EVEMon shall be installed on every PC I can come in contact with
                                        8. Thou shall know all the ins and outs of of the EVE Skill Planner
                                        9. ...
                                        10. ...
                                        I didn't want to finish the list, not because I ran out of steam or ideas, but simply because I want you to add the last two! Come on!

                                        Wednesday, March 03, 2010

                                        Blizzard, the MMORPG that has yet to be made


                                        For a while it looked like the only successful MMORPGs would be Fantasy-based. Well most were using a Tolkienesque universe in which to allow players and their characters to explorer and roam.

                                        But then, slowly but surely, we started seeing science-fiction based MMOs, some successful (EVE Online), some not so much (Earth & Beyond anyone?). Now, with Star Trek Online and Black Prophecy soon to be released, it looks like that genre is finally coming into the main stream of MMO games.

                                        But science-fiction is not just limited to futuristic space combat! So many settings have yet to be explored by developer and players a like, that one would think we lack creativity and a need for diversity?

                                        (Image used with permission from Wm. Robert Johnston. Original can be found here.)

                                        Take for example an Ice Age, or Glacial Age since that's really the correct term. Now here's a setting that would be amazing for an MMO. Think of pockets of humanity scattered on cold and desolate continent of ice, where huge pack of 5-feet high wolves roam in packs of 20, 30 or even hundreds. A land where the Mammoth are once again the biggest beast on land, or where the illustrious Yeti walks the land terrorizing human outposts. Hell why not! A world where one has to travel far south to visit the last remaining cities on Earth. Can you picture it?

                                        I could probably go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Now, I no Game Designer, so I have thought of all the details and possibilities, but I just can't fathom that we're going to limit ourselves to Elves and Dwarves or Spaceship and asteroid fields.


                                        There's gotta more out there then dusting off an old franchise and wrapping it up in an MMO carcase.

                                        What other settings would you like to see come to life? I'd love to know your ideas!

                                        Do you have what it takes to be the next Tony Gonzales?


                                        If you believe there's a Tony Gonzales hiding somewhere in you, waiting to come out and write some brilliant novellas such as Ruthless and Theodicy or even a novel (Empyrean Age), then this is your chance!

                                        Silver Night is currently running the first annual fiction contest, and the prizes are pretty interesting. Hell I might even give it a try myself, if I wasn't busy running this blog! Have a look:
                                        1st Prize: Winner's choice of any one of the following faction battleships, with a 300m fitting stipend. Choices are: Bhaalgorn, Vindicator, Rattlesnake, Machariel, Nightmare, Raven Navy Issue, Tempest Fleet Issue, Apocalypse Navy Issue, Megathron Navy Issue, Dominix Navy Issue, Typhoon Fleet Issue, Armageddon Navy Issue, or Scorpion Navy Issue.

                                        2nd Prize: Choice of any one of the Navy Issue or Fleet Issue battleships listed above. There will be 2 second prize winners.

                                        3rd Prize: Choice of Empire Faction Cruisers from the following list: Caracal Navy Issue, Omen Navy Issue, Vexor Navy Issue, or Stabber Navy Issue. There will be 4 3rd place winners.

                                        So if you ever wanted to write some fiction set in New Eden, than this might just be the carrot that gets you going!

                                        Tuesday, March 02, 2010

                                        EVE Online Postcards for Tuesday March 2nd, 2010

                                        With a new widescreen monitor comes a new screenshot resolution. After my initial excitement with this new geek toy, I of course jumped at the chance to capture some vast and majestic scenery we've become accustomed as capsuleers. The following are but examples. Enjoy!












                                        See them in full size!

                                        Monday, March 01, 2010

                                        The New, Improved and Expanded EVE Online Blog Pack


                                        It's original creation goes back almost 2 years, when I hand picked 18 blogs to represent the best amongst the bloggers within the young and nascent EVE Blogging Community. Over the course of the next two years this same Community would explode in numbers, quality and diversity. Today, with over 500 EVE Bloggers out there, it most likely is the biggest, most organized MMO blogging community!

                                        As a result, the EVE Blog pack had to evolve. And though this evolution got off to a rocky start, in the end I believe that the new Blog Pack, who's members you see listed below, is stronger and more representative of what's out there in the EVE Blogging Community.

                                        The blogs below were chosen for their quality, originality, regularity as well as potential for greatness. Some are well established blogs, some are in character (IC), others not, some try to tell a story, while others try to share advice, knowledge and experience. In the end they are all great blogs, amongst the hundred out there.

                                        When I look at the list below, I see familiar faces, old and new. I see the voices of experience, and the determination of the rookies. For all of these blogs, I am happy to welcome you in the EVE Blog Pack.

                                        Give yourselves a big round of applause!

                                        [UPDATE: Somehow, Nash Kadavr's blog slipped in a crack and was missed when I put the final list together. His addition puts the list at 50+1 blogs! The more fools, the more fun we'll have!]
                                        1. A Ghost Blog
                                        2. A Merry Life and a Short One
                                        3. A Mule in EVE
                                        4. Astral's EVE Trial by Fire
                                        5. Beginnings of Piracy
                                        6. Captains Log (The)
                                        7. Chocolate Heaven
                                        8. CrazyKinux's Musing
                                        9. Deafplasma's EVE Musings
                                        10. Dense Veldspar
                                        11. Diary of a Bored Spaceman
                                        12. Diary of a Pod Pilot
                                        13. Ecliptic Rift
                                        14. Elitist (The)
                                        15. EVE Monkey
                                        16. EVE Newb
                                        17. EVE Online Wormholes
                                        18. EVE Travel
                                        19. EVE's Weekend Warrior
                                        20. EVEOGANDA
                                        21. Finders and Keepers
                                        22. Flashfresh - a pirate.
                                        23. Freebooted
                                        24. Guns Ablaze
                                        25. Hands off, My Loots!
                                        26. Helicity Boson
                                        27. Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
                                        28. Jump on Contact
                                        29. Jumping through Wormholes
                                        30. K162space
                                        31. Kane Rizzel - a Pirates Perspective
                                        32. Kirith Darkblade
                                        33. Learning to Fly
                                        34. Letrange's EvE Blog
                                        35. Life in Low Sec
                                        36. Mike Azariah - A Missioneer in EVE
                                        37. Morphisat's Blog
                                        38. My Loot, Your Tears
                                        39. Nash Kadavr's EVE Blog
                                        40. Our EvE
                                        41. Planet Risk Show
                                        42. postings from the edge
                                        43. Rettic's Log
                                        44. Rifter Drifter
                                        45. Roc's Ramblings
                                        46. Sweet Little Bad Girl
                                        47. Tales of Clan Oriana (The)
                                        48. To Boldly Go
                                        49. Venoms Bite
                                        50. Wench with a Wrench
                                        51. Yarrbear Tales
                                        Know that I deliberately did not link back to the original blogs. Not yet. Not on this post. The official listing of the Blog Pack still resides on that original post of June 2008. And though I'll need a bit of time over the next day or so to update that post with the additional 24 new blogs, as well as update the Google Reader RSS feed and my Blogger widget, I wanted to share the list with you! It will also serve as a permanent mark, to remind us what that listing was on this day.

                                        And moving forward, every time I'll make important changes to the Pack, I'll make such a post to commemorate the blogs that were part of this! It's an EVE Blogging Community History, one I am not willing to forget. One which I want to remember, for past, current as well as future members of the Pack!