All good things must eventually come to an end...

As most of you know by now, I recently made a move into the video games industry as Director of Business Development for Behaviour Interactive. It's been a long time coming, and the privilege comes with lots of challenges. It's something I've been gearing up for for quite some time now. I'm a gamer at heart, and to have the opportunity to participate in the industry is quite exciting.
But with this new challenge ahead of me I've come to realize that some of the things I've enjoyed in the past must come to an end. Working for a developer and blogging/podcasting about another's work is somewhat a conflicting situation. I've been part of the EVE Blogging Community from its infancy and I've had the chance to participate in a number of podcasts with other capsuleer. This history and the people that were part of it (the good and the bad) is something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

And so this will be my last post. Though I will keep the blog up and available to all, don't expect me to write anything new beyond this post. And don't expect to see much of @CrazyKinux for that matter too.

What about the EVE Blog Banter and the EVE Blog Pack? Who's going to keep their flame going? I've had quite some time to think about this. If you've read the previous post, you knew that initially I  was looking for someone to host both of these. And though I had quite a number of DM me or email me with offers, I came to realize that this might not be the best way to continue these 2 initiatives.

They need to be set free.

That's right. I won't do a thing. I realized that had I given the responsibility to either the Pack, the Banter or both to anyone, someone else (or even a group of you) might have seen this as preferential treatment. And to be honest, I'm no longer the best judge to know who should be taking over.

I'm letting the Community decide. I'm letting you pick up the Pack where I left off.

If you've got the fire, the passion to make your own Pack, then go ahead and do it. The same goes for the Banter. That's really all that it needs. Someone with the passion, dedication and enthusiasm to make things happen.

C'mon, I know you're itching to do it!


In the End

So this is it. What an adventure this has been! What amazing people I've had a chance to meet, both virtually and face-to-face, while writing, blogging and talking about EVE in particular and gaming in general.

I've become friends with quite a few of you and am happy knowing we'll still keep in touch through Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Some of you I'll get a chance to see at industry events, while others I'll be keeping in touch virtually, as I have for so many years!

Now I'll have time to play the darn game and read your blogs! Anyway that's the idea!

For those of you who want to keep in touch and were following me via @CrazyKinux on Twitter, know that I am no longer using that handle now on Bluesky under the same handle. You can also follow me at @SocialDave and I'll do same.

The EVE Blog Pack & Banters are looking for a new home. Are you up for it?

Earlier this week I tweeted that I was looking for someone to take over the maintenance of both the EVE Blog Pack and the EVE Blog Banters. At this point in time I'm looking to enjoy the game more then to promote the EVE Blogging Community. Something I've not been much of these passed few months, despite trying!
Indeed, over the last 3 years the Community has become a healthy vibrant landscape of EVE Online blogs and Twitter personalities, far beyond what I could have ever imagined. And now it's time to hand over these two very special initiatives to someone (or group) who will give the care and nurturing needed. That might sound very "paternal", but when you've poured your heart and soul into something, it almost feels as is they're alive.

But let me reassure you, I'm no leaving the EVE community, au contraire! Being less involved in maintaining the Banters and Pack will free me to focus on playing the game, and even dare I say blog about it. There are of course other circumstances that have forced me to come to this decision. I've recently accepted a position within the gaming industry, and to prevent any conflict of interest with my new employer, I'd rather have someone else take over the role of caretaker for the Banters and Pack. At this point, I can't say more about this new opportunity, but you'll get to learn more in a few weeks. And no, it's not CCP! :p

So, who's up for it? Who's got the passion, the time and the guts to take this role? I don't yet know how we'll make the transition, but we'll figure something out!

Please use the comments below to put forth your candidacy and offers. Let's have a healthy, friendly discussion!

Meet Tzaaraek Menroo. Pirate-wannabe! [Skill Queue]

Name: Tzaaraek Menroo
{EAV_BLOG_VER:9c6d85d1119dfecd}
Male - Minmatar - Brutor - Slaved Child
Corp: Cosmic Encounter
In: 22 - Per: 26 - Ch: 17 - Will: 17 - Mem: 17

It's been a while since I've been looking at getting into piracy. Hell, reading all these stories got my blood flowing. A chance encounter during the EVE Fanfest put me in touch with a few Montrealers who suggested that piracy was the perfect play-style for someone like me with only shorts amount of play-time here and there. After a few lunch meetings with @maulos, he convinced me to join them. And so Tzaaraek was born.

The following list is the Skill Books I've got lined up for training - most of which I still need to acquire. Then it'll off to join my fellow buckaneers of Cosmic Encounter and let the fun begin.

In the mean time, your input and suggestions on my training, the ships I should look into and anything that would be helpful to a new pirate is welcome!

1. Warp Drive Operation I (7 minutes, 8 seconds)
2. Missile Launcher Operation I (7 minutes, 14 seconds)
3. Energy Systems Operation I (8 minutes, 11 seconds)
4. Shield Operation III (10 minutes, 49 seconds)
5. Destroyers I (14 minutes, 29 seconds)
6. Weapon Upgrades I (14 minutes, 29 seconds)
7. Energy Grid Upgrades I (16 minutes, 23 seconds)
8. Long Range Targeting I (16 minutes, 23 seconds)
9. Shield Upgrades I (16 minutes, 23 seconds)
10. Medium Projectile Turret I (21 minutes, 44 seconds)
11. Propulsion Jamming I (24 minutes, 35 seconds)
12. Shield Management I (24 minutes, 35 seconds)
13. Energy Management I (24 minutes, 35 seconds)
14. Minmatar Industrial I (28 minutes, 59 seconds)
15. Tactical Shield Manipulation I (32 minutes, 47 seconds)
16. High Speed Maneuvering I (35 minutes, 42 seconds)
17. Warp Drive Operation II (33 minutes, 17 seconds)
18. Missile Launcher Operation II (33 minutes, 46 seconds)
19. Target Navigation Prediction I (14 minutes, 29 seconds)
20. Energy Systems Operation II (38 minutes, 11 seconds)
21. Target Navigation Prediction II (1 hour, 7 minutes, 30 seconds)
22. Energy Grid Upgrades II (1 hour, 16 minutes, 21 seconds)
23. Shield Upgrades II (1 hour, 16 minutes, 21 seconds)
24. Medium Projectile Turret II (1 hour, 41 minutes, 14 seconds)
25. Shield Management II (1 hour, 54 minutes, 31 seconds)
26. Energy Management II (1 hour, 54 minutes, 31 seconds)
27. Tactical Shield Manipulation II (2 hours, 32 minutes, 41 seconds)
28. Warp Drive Operation III (3 hours, 8 minutes, 8 seconds)
29. Energy Systems Operation III (3 hours, 35 minutes, 54 seconds)
30. Target Navigation Prediction III (6 hours, 21 minutes, 46 seconds)
31. Shield Upgrades III (7 hours, 11 minutes, 50 seconds)
32. Energy Grid Upgrades III (7 hours, 11 minutes, 50 seconds)
33. Medium Projectile Turret III (9 hours, 32 minutes, 40 seconds)
34. Shield Management III (10 hours, 47 minutes, 46 seconds)
35. Energy Management III (10 hours, 47 minutes, 46 seconds)
36. Tactical Shield Manipulation III (14 hours, 23 minutes, 42 seconds)
37. Spaceship Command IV (17 hours, 59 minutes, 51 seconds)
38. Battlecruisers I (43 minutes, 28 seconds)
39. Battlecruisers II (3 hours, 22 minutes, 29 seconds)
40. Electronics IV (20 hours, 21 minutes, 28 seconds)
41. Cloaking I (49 minutes, 10 seconds)
42. Shield Operation IV (20 hours, 21 minutes, 28 seconds)
43. Warp Drive Operation IV (17 hours, 44 minutes, 25 seconds)
44. Energy Systems Operation IV (20 hours, 21 minutes, 28 seconds)
45. Minmatar Frigate IV (1 day, 11 hours, 59 minutes, 42 seconds)
46. Minmatar Cruiser I (36 minutes, 13 seconds)
47. Minmatar Cruiser II (2 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds)
48. Minmatar Cruiser III (15 hours, 54 minutes, 26 seconds)
49. Shield Upgrades IV (1 day, 16 hours, 42 minutes, 57 seconds)
50. Energy Grid Upgrades IV (1 day, 16 hours, 42 minutes, 57 seconds)
51. Shield Management IV (2 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, 25 seconds)
52. Energy Management IV (2 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, 25 seconds)
53. Tactical Shield Manipulation IV (3 days, 9 hours, 25 minutes, 54 seconds)
54. Electronics V (4 days, 19 hours, 9 minutes, 40 seconds)
55. Cynosural Field Theory I (40 minutes, 59 seconds)
56. Cynosural Field Theory II (3 hours, 10 minutes, 53 seconds)
57. Cynosural Field Theory III (17 hours, 59 minutes, 36 seconds)

TOTAL: 57 skills; Total time: 27 days, 22 hours, 53 minutes, 42 seconds

Friday Video: An introduction to Captain's Quarters

With the recent dev post from CCP Zulu about the up coming Captain's Quarters, it looks like we're going to get our first glimpse and opportunity to interact with CCP Games' Incarna. As such, the below video gets the nod for the "Friday Video".

The Lucky Winners of the 26th EVE Blog Banter Contest!

After an unwarranted and totally inapropriate long wait, here are the 3 randomly chosen winners of the latest EVE Blog Banter. Each will be getting some of the Fanfest swag I brought back from EVE Fanfest 2011.

And the winners are:

•  A Scientist's Life in Eve with Blog Banter 26: The Beauty of Eve
• To Boldly Go with Blog Banter 26: Beauty of EVE
• And Knowing is Half the Battle with BlogBanter#26 The Real Beauty of EVE

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all of you who participated in this latest EVE Blog Banter!

As for the prizes, that'll have to wait until I can dig them out of the CKave and randomly sort through them. I promise to post a picture of what I'll be mailing to you soon(tm)!

Cheers!

Hey CCP, for your next trailer, this is what I'd like to see...

Yeah, Mike! You tell them! :p

Access Denied. You No Longer Have the Necessary Privileges.

What the...?
Let's try that again... username... password... ..,hit the login button.

//... ACCESS DENIED. YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE NECESSARY PRIVILEGES TO WRITE ON THIS BLOG.

What the fuck! No longer access? But, but this is MY blog!

Again... username... password... ..,hit the login button.

//... ACCESS DENIED. YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE NECESSARY PRIVILEGES TO WRITE ON THIS BLOG. YOU STOPPED BLOGGING. YOU NO LONGER GET ACCESS TO IT. GET LOST!

What? Did I just read that right? Blogger no longer giving me access to my own blog?

//... THAT'S RIGHT. GET OVER IT DOROTHY. AND GET THE HELL BACK TO KANSAS!

Ah, I get it, I'm dreaming right?

//... BINGO EINSTEIN. BUT THERE IS A POINT TO THIS DREAM.

There is?

//... YESSEREE BOB. DID YOU CHECK THE DATE OF YOUR LAST POST? DID YOU READ WHAT YOU HAD PROMISED YOUR FOLLOWERS. D'YOU THINK WE DON'T ALSO MONITOR YOUR TWITTER FEED?

You do? Who are you by the way? Who the hell are you to come into my dream and take control?

WE'RE YOUR BLOGGING CONSCIENCE. AND WE'RE TIRED OF THE NEGLECT YOU'VE GIVEN THIS FINE BLOG. IT'S SHAMEFUL. IT'S A MESS.

It is? Wait, my "Blogging Conscience". And you're telling me I can't blog anymore?

//... NOT REALLY. YOU COULD, IF YOU PROMISED NEVER AGAIN TO LEAVE THEM FINE FOLKS WHO'VE SUPPORTED YOU ALL THIS TIME, AND ARE LEFT TO DRY WHEN YOU STOPPED BLOGGING.

I kinda did, didn't I.

//... YOU BET'YA ROMEO!

So what do I need to do then? Just start blogging again?

//... THAT'S A START. BUT YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO DO MORE. YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO BE CONSISTENT. AND BLOG ON A REGULAR BASIS LIKE YOU DID BEFORE. IF YOU PROMISE TO DO THAT, WE'LL LET IT GO THIS TIME.

That's it. Just blog again like I did in the past? Then I'm going to need better planning if I'm to blog on a daily basis. Hell, I might even need to go back to the gym to....

//... WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT DAMN DETAILS. JUST GET OUT OF THE RABBIT WHOLE YOU'VE PUT YOURSELF IN AND WE'LL CALL IT A DAY. THOUGH YOU STILL OWE US AN EXPLANATION FOR THE SORRY STATE OF THAT PODCAST OF YOURS. BUT WE'LL COVER THAT ANOTHER TIME.

//... CONSIDER YOURSELF A LUCKY BLOGGER.

I will.... now for that next post about those Banter winners.....

EVE Blog Banter #26: Beyond nebulas and shiny ships

Welcome to the twenty-sixth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week or so to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month's topic was proposed by @KatiaSae of the much praised "To Boldly Go" blog. Katia asks: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As an astrophotographer, I've found it in the stars and planets of New Eden. Where have you found it? Perhaps you've found beauty in the ships we fly? Maybe it's the sight of profits being added to your bottom line? Or maybe it's the pilot portraits you see in the comm channels? Where ever you've found it, write about it and post an image." Don't be afraid go beyond the simple visual aspects of EVE as well. Is the EVE Community in itself a thing of beauty? What makes EVE the game, the world, the Community, so appealing to you?

EVE looks stunning. It always has, and if the last decade hints to what we can expect in the future, it most likely will continue. 

The greatest EVE Online Manual now available in meatspace!

Stop using that printer at work over your lunch break to print the ISK Guide in 50-pages chunks. Instead, order the new printed version from MMM Publishing. Do it before April 14th pre-order deadline and save 5$. Here are additional details:

As most of you know, we released the ISK 3.0 Guide in February as a free download – to huge critical acclaim. [ISK = Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase]. This is the exhaustive manual, which EVE has been crying out for since 2003!
Since the release of that free PDF edition, we’ve been inundated with requests for a printed version, a physical product you can hold, pick up and refer to either AFK or while playing the game. We’ve listened, and we’ve responded.

So here it is; ISK Volume 1 as a physical product is now available to pre-order. This monumental near 400 page wiro-bound volume covers everything there is to know about EVE – whether you’re on a 14-day trail account or you’re an experienced long-termer. As a special offer for the early birds among you, there’s even a $5 discount for all pre-orders; in order to receive the discount you MUST apply the code ISK305. If you don’t see the discount being applied immediately, check again before completing your order.

The pre-order period (and therefore the $5 discount) lasts until April 14th. Click here and we’ll take you right along to the Store…

Now hurry-up and pre-order it. You know you want to!

EVE Fanfest 2011 Trailer: "EVE - A Future Vision"

This latest video from CCP was shown at the "CCP Presents" keynote to a standing ovation. It was shown a second time after everyone got up a second and shouted: FUCK YEAH! FUCK YEAH! FUCK YEAH! at Hilmar's request! His request to the capsuleers, whether at Fanfest or watching it via the stream: "Please Help us spread the word about EVE!".

WARNING: This video kicks ass!!!


Told you so! So go ahead, put it up on Facebook, then call your grandma to tell her about it!

EVE Fanfest 2011: An experience like no other

The Fanfest 2011 has been in full swing for the last few days and though my first experience here, back in 2008, was memorable, this year's Fanfest is something beyond my expectations. No, I'm not talking about the CCP panels, round tables, and awesome content and announcements that have been made over the last 2 days (or later today — looking forward to the CCP Presents keynote).

Friday Video: What if this was a glimpse of DUST 514? [VIDEO]

I'll be honest, I'm getting antsy for some DUST 514 news. Real news. We've been teased by CCP far too many times, and have yet seen any concrete footage of game play. Yeah, yeah, so there was that trailer back in October of 2009, but since then nada! Nothing. I'm really hoping that we'e gonna get some major updates at Fanfest, or else I'm flying off with Nathan's Beer ship and holding it for ransom!
Until then, I'll squint my eyes and imagine this Battlefield 3 video as some DUST 514 trailer. Wouldn't that be awesome!



Damn! If DUST 514 looks anything like this, I might never go back to the MMO. Ok, that might be pushing it, but I'm definitely getting Battlefield 3, for sure!

Getting to know your surroundings is crucial after a move!

Having recently moved about 30 jumps from Heimatar to the Tash-Murkon region, I'm now settling in to my new home base system of Pimebeka. It's where Phoenix Labs has made it's HQ, though we're still listed as being based out of Khanid Prime. A system and region I'm much more familiar with. Stuck between DOMAIN, KADOR and KHANID, TASH-MURKON is a region I've never really gotten to know, despite my 7 years of EVE. Getting my bearings quickly will be crucial.

That's something I always like to do when I establish myself in a new area of New Eden which I'm not familiar with. And whether you use the EVE Strategic Map like me, or @Wollari's DOTLAN EveMaps (which I also use by the way), learning all you can about the systems, belts, stations and surroundings is essential to safely navigating space.

I haven't had the time or opportunity to join any corp events since moving back to PPL, but I have taken a few trips beyond Pimebeka, learning various routes and getting to know a few agents. Hopefully, I'll get to know the neighborhood well rather quickly.

What about you? Have you moved around a lot, or have you stayed within the same region within New Eden?

New Eden Chronicles Episode #02 - CCP Dev Interviews

iTunes - PodBean - RSS Feed - MP3 Feed - Facebook

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Date: Recorded on Thursday February 24th, 2011
Hosts: CrazyKinux, Memoocan
Guests: CCP Daishi, CCP Manifest

This special episode was originally supposed to have a few segments, including the only one that made it in the final episode. At almost 90 minutes, the interview that Memoocan and I did, managed to take over the whole show, and as such no other segments were recorded. Interviewed during this show were Mike Read, aka CCP Daishi, who is Director of Events and Convetions at CCP Games, and Ned Coker, aka CCP Manifest, the man behind most of EVE Online's PR!

During the show we had a chance to learn how both of them managed to infiltrate the Icelandic behemoth that is CCP Games today, and it made for some great story telling - then again, Mike is well known to enjoy telling a good story, his story! We also covered CCP's new willingness to help out Fan gatherings and other community driven initiatives. Mike was/is all over that one! A good chunk of time was also spent talking about PAX East 2011 and EVE Fanfest 2011 (#evefanfest), both of which are coming up in over the next 2 weeks.

Overall a great show!

-- Here are the various links mentioned during the show--

How to reach Mike:

• paxeast2011@ccpgames.com
• michaelread@ccpgames.com

URLs:

• EVE Vegas Gathering 2006: http://bit.ly/EVEVegas2006
• CCP Daishi's post on PAXeast 2011: http://bit.ly/EVEPAXeast2011

EVE Blog Banter #25: And by Alliance you mean.....?

Welcome to the twenty-fifth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week or so to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month's topic comes to us from @Tetraetc - "Tetra's EVE Blog" - who asks: "Have Alliances and the sovereignty system limited the amount of PVP and RP potential in Null sec? Imagine a Null Sec where anyone could build outposts, wherever. Would the reduction of the Alliance game mechanic, and the removal of the sovereignty game mechanics (and the modifcation of it from Alliance level to Corp level for that matter) force more PVP into Null sec, or would giant power blocs like the NC still form themselves?"

This is one of those rare occasions where it's hard for me to state my opinion. The reason is simple: I just don't think I know enough to grasp the various issues at hand when it comes to Alliances, sovereignty and how all this ties into 0.0 space. I do understand the basics, but to actually suggest that the current alliance game mechanics have a positive or detrimental effect on PvP or RP, and be able to defend my arguments is beyond such understanding. 

Friday Video: "Drone 23" & "Solar", by Ben Reubold [VIDEO]

These clips hint at a great talent. I just wish they were a bit longer and that their creator, Ben Reubold, would use some of the New Eden canon for his next one!


Drone 23 from Ben Reubold on Vimeo.

SOLAR from Ben Reubold on Vimeo.

A second episode of New Eden Chronicles in the works

iTunes - PodBean - Facebook

It's 1:22AM. I'm exhausted and should have been in bed hours ago. And yet, I've just logged into EVE and popped open another can of Guinness. A short while ago Memoocan and I finished recording a 90 minute segment for our upcoming and much delayed 2nd episode. During this recording we had CCP Dashai and CCP Manifest talk about how they came on board CCP Games, discuss their up coming special Fan event at PAX East, as well as the EVE Fanfest of course.

Suffice to say we had a hell of a good time, and I just can't wait to get to Reykjavik in a little over 3 weeks!

We still have some more recording to do, but I'd like to get the episode out to you either by the end of the week-end, or on Monday at the very latest - just as the 25th EVE Blog Banter gets published all over the EVE Blogsphere.

Last sip of Guinness has been taken. This capsuleers needs his shuteye! Fly safe!

Speedlinking New Eden & more - The February 21st, 2010 Edition

EVE Online News

• CCP hides valuable information within QR code | Massively
• EVE Evolved: Making a better avatar | Massively
• Looking Ahead: Captain's Quarters and the Road to Incarna
• EVE Blogsphere's Reaction:
• CCP = the wind | A Mule In EvE
• EVEOGANDA: Shooting Womp Rats
• CQ and an uproar | A Mule In EvE
• Captain’s Quarters: A reaction to the reactions « Diary of a Pod Pilot
• Letrange's EvE Blog: Tempest in a teacup - the CQ
• Inanity and Doom: Don't leap to judgements.
• VelociLogic: Bitter Old Vets: Shut the Fuck Up
• Singularity – The Rules They Are A-Changin’

EVE Blogsphere & more

• Freebooted: Iceland to Be Renamed 'New Eden'
• The Thinker's Pod: Podcast Review - Week of Feb. 13-19
• The Travels of Black Claw: CCP Shadow joined us in eve-bloggers chat
• a merry life and a short one: Eve News Now: Episode 12
• Hydrostatic’s CSM Interview « the hydrostatic capsule (Okay that's a bit old, but missed it the 1st time)
• Toward a new play style: PWP » Ecliptic Rift
• Scram Web - An EVE Online Blog: Frigate vs Cruiser - Strategies
• Hulkageddon 4: Tears of Veldspar
• astral's eve trial by fire: Exploration guide part 1
• Pig Muffins' photosets on Flickr - EVE Ships Papercraft Bonanza!

New Blogs

• Tales of a Recovering Carebear
• CAMEL IN SPACE
• Eve Online Focus | Blog by a forever young player

Other Games & other news

• World Of StarCraft StarCraft Universe
• The Escapist: Live Chat with Gearbox Dev and Creator of Anthony Saves the World
• Overture: Clint Mansell To Score Mass Effect 3
• ME2 Alternate Appearance Pack #2 Incoming
• 10 Things That Would Make Dead Space 2's Multiplayer Even Better
• Deus Ex: The Protagonist Trailer
• The Escapist : The Escapist Magazine : Issue 293 : Bloodsucking Freaks
• Only Way To Be Sure: Lost Aliens RPG Art

Made it into the Darkspore Beta. But when will I jump in?

Earlier this week I managed to wedge myself into the Darkspore Beta thanks to the folks at GameShadow! I was very excited to have a chance another Beta and was looking forward to that first moment, when the screen loads for the very first time on a new canvas of virtual pleasure and a new beginning awaits you. So after some fiddling with my EA account, a few downloads and updates to their client, I was ready to jump on board.

Then I read a short sentence: "Beta servers are closed" What? Ah, okay. They open up the servers only at specific times. Better check the forums to learn when. Only fortunately I didn't have any time this week-end to do just that. With a fully loaded social calendar, and the MiniCKs to entertain and train, very little time was left to gaming.

Let's hope this week provides me with the oppornutity to do so. In the mean time, I'll have these promotional videos to drool over. Man, I can't wait!









Looks fun no? Are you in the BETA?

EVE Online Postcard for Thursday February 17th, 2011

A stargate and setting star in all their glory. New Eden still amazes me despite roaming its vast expenses for over seven years now!

Speedlinking New Eden & more - The February 16th, 2011 Edition

Wow, has it really been a month since my last Speedlinking post? Time flies! So many great links this week it's hard to keep up!

• First, some good laughs: High Sec, Low Sec and 0.0 like you've never seen them before!
  
  
• presenting the portrait preservation project
• planetary interaction changes brought with incursion 1.1.0
• size doesn't matter
  
• Fiddler's Edge: CCP Greyscale's Vision
• Life in Low Sec: CSM6: Three Front Runners
• a merry life and a short one: Eve News Now: Episode 11
  
  
• Brutor Bullfighter: The Solo Combat Pilot's Guide to Good Roaming #1
• Brutor Bullfighter: The Solo Combat Pilot's Guide to Good Roaming #2
• EVE University Class Library - UniWiki
• Eve Avatar Face-Off
• EVE University Bug Hunting Class Featuring CCP Guests
  
• EVE Evolved: Incursion guide -- Fleet setup and tanking
• Clear Skies III teaser trailer released
• EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Advanced mining
  
  
• Making Battlecruiser Care Packages In EVE Online
• The Rise of the ISK Printing Machines: A Case Study on Bots.
• Terra Nova: Virtuality and Methods of Understanding
• The Reykjavik Grapevine Music / Get Your Geek On With Booka Shade
• Iceland Review Online: Personal Accounts of the Daily Life in Iceland
  
  
• YouTube - Kris Meeke Driving DiRT3 [HD]
• YouTube - X-Men: First Class - Official Trailer
• Video Galleries : Extra Credits : Playing Like a Designer Part 1
• Video Galleries : Extra Credits : Playing Like a Designer Part 2

EVE Online Fanfest 2009: A Documentary [VIDEO]

EvE-Online Fanfest 2009 Documentary from Oddur Elíasson on Vimeo.
About this documentary:
Every year or so a celebration is held in the name of EvE-Online. This celebration is calld Fanfest and hundreds of EvE players gather in Iceland to put real faces to avatars, to enjoy the company of EvE players from other parts of the world, to learn about upcoming events in EvE and also just to celebrate the world of EvE-Online.

This short documentary is to give a look into what fanfest is all about, to show the people that play the game and what they think of Fanfest and EvE-Online!

Director: Oddur Elíasson
AD: Arna Björk Pétursdóttir
Camera A: Anton Smári Gunnarsson
Camera B: Ingimar Björn Davíðsson
Editing: Oddur Elíasson and Jón Tómas Einarsson
Color Correction: Jón Tómas Einarsson

Who knew: Girls Like Playing EVE Online! [VIDEO]

The above title is of course meant as a teaser, since I know a fair amount of women playing EVE - and not just the carebearing kind! I came across the Youtube channel of @Mintchiplol, a new Twitter follower of mine. And after watching a few of her videos, I came across the one below.

Now @Mintchiplol from what I gather seems to be quite the PvP gamer, though she's fairly new to New Eden. So it was interesting to see how she describes how EVE is a more complex MMO environment then what she was familiar with in Word of Warcraft. Not  a bashing of WoW here, but just interesting to see how a newbie can quickly nail the main differences between a theme-park MMO and a sand-box. Thanks for the videos @Mintchiplol and hope to see you in space!



On a side note, her YouTube channel and her series of videos on EVE gave me a few ideas. Something I'll start working on soon...

Fly safe!

The ever expanding EVE Blogosphere! - Part 12

Over the last few weeks the list of new blogs to add the the EVE Player Blogroll has steadily risen. And now it's time to roll up my sleeves and add all of them! Here's the list to be added:

1. Breakin' Rocks In the Hot Sun...
2. Cyberea - Personal Log
3. Durzo Chronicles (The)
4. Eve Online Day By Day
5. Flying Rust
6. Jae's Journal
7. Letters from the Front
8. Purely Business
9. Rants of a Jaded Miner
10. Wandering the Void…my EvE musings
11. Way of the Gun

• To Boldly Go <-- URL updated

Tag: [NEW BLOGS]

EVE Online Blogging: Tips, Tricks and Links!

In the hopes of cleaning up this blog's real state, I've decided to move over some of the links I provide in the right-column to actual posts - just as I did years ago with the EVE Blogroll and the Guides.

• How to start an EVE Online Blog
• How to get into the EVE Blog Pack...
• EVE Online Blog Pack
• Subscribe to the EVE Blog Pack
• EVE Blog Pack Rules
  
  
• 10 posts for New EVE Online Players
• EVE Blog Banters
• EVE Tweet Fleet
  
• Ninja Blog Pack
• EVE WHole Pack
  
  
• EVE Online vs World of Warcraft: The Questions
• EVE Online vs World of Warcraft: The Differences
• Why we play EVE Online
  
  
• CK's Facebook Fan Page
• FOLLOW me on Twitter!
• FOLLOW me on Bluesky! (Updated November 13th, 2025)

Friday Video: Artificial Intellegence Neighbour [Lost Enterprise]

Help me save "Fiddler's Edge" and add a great blog to the Blog Pack

Earlier this week I cleaned up the EVE Blog Pack, removing outdated blogs and adding a fresh new set of prolific EVE Online bloggers. In doing so, I turned down a few bloggers who had made the request to get added to the Pack. Last evening I set myself to the task of cleaning up my Unread emails that were related to this blog. Some of these dated back to last November.

You see, despite the fact that I may not be as productive in writing about my experience in EVE as I was in the past, I still get a ton of emails, which all warrant my attention. And sometimes, some of these request slip through the cracks. Just as great blogs can sometimes get overlooked. Fiddler's Edge is one of those.

Without realizing the terrible mistake I was about to make, I simply declined his request, once again, to join the Pack. And now, Mord seems to have decided to move on.

I've just spent the last hour, going through emails and evemails, from folks asking me to add Fiddler's Edge to the Pack. Mord even wrote about it and got a ton of comments to encourage him to continue and to disregard my blatant mistake. And indeed it was a mistake not to included him.

But hopefully it's a mistake that can be corrected. This is where you come in.

I need you to head over to his blog and add to the comments, and request that he reconsider and continue to do what he's been doing all these months; writing a great blog, for the benefit of his readers and the EVE Blogging community.

And Mord, if you're reading this, I hope you'll forgive this ol'time EVE Blogger, and provide us the privilege to be part of the EVE Blog Pack!

Battle: Los Angeles Trailer 3 - HD 1080p

I just can't wait to see this movie! Mark your calendars, March 11th, 2011!

The Mother-of-All Ultimate EVE Online Guide - Introducing ISK 3.0

Earlier last week, the folks behind EON released what can only be described and the ultimate, most complete, heavy-weight EVE Online Guide.

Here's what they had to say:

It's been a long time coming but it's finally here! The ultimate guide to EVE Online and it's all yours, for FREE. Whether your a new or old player, there is something useful for everyone. So for your free download, yes free, please visit www.isktheguide.com from 1st February.

So head over, download and save the Guide. But unless you're unaffected by the cost deforestation, leave it at the digital stage. Printing this phone-book-sized guide is out of the question!

Making the Pack: 10 blogs make the cut as the Blog Pack gets refreshed!

As hinted earlier this year, the EVE Blog Pack got reviewed during the week-end. Some blogs were removed, some old Pack members were pulled out of retirement, and quite a few new blogger got to be part of the EVE Online Blogging Elite.
I've decided to give a chance to an old Pack member, A Scout's Domain's Lumenarious Rex (@Lumenarious_Rex), who recently returned to EVE. The lad had always written great posts. I've given him a grace period to get his blog updated! Also new to the Pack is the folks from EON magazine. The volunteered and have recently been putting out some great posts.

1. A Scout's Domain, by Lumenarious Rex 
2. Angry Care Bear (The), by Serenity One
3. EON :: The official EVE Online magazine, by @EONmagazine
4. EVE PRIVATEER, by Rebecca Aventine 
5. EVE's parity bit, by Paritybit 
6. Letrange's EvE Blog, by Letrange 
7. Scram Web - An EVE Online Blog, by Toterra 
8. Sleepless in Space, by Shadai 
9. Ravings of a Lunatic, by Dos Tu Mai ‘Dossie’ Kielle
10. where the frack is my ship?, by Eelis Kiy 

As always, if you think you've got the Right Stuff, write great content, guides, advice and would like to be part of the EVE Blog Pack, please let me know. I'm always looking for canon fodder,... uh, I mean great talent!

Fly Safe!

Come on CCP! Where the frack is my Beer Ship? [VIDEO]

As we head closer and closer to Fanfest 2011, I thought I'd remind those who've been, and those who'd like to attend, at the sort of geeky humour we're soon to witness!



Now, seriously, forget Incarna CCP, and give us all Beer Ships next Christmas!

Speedlinking New Eden & more - The January 17th, 2010 Edition

With part 3 of Incursion coming later this week, we've got a bonanza of posts today. Hope I didn't miss any this time! Also, be aware that the recording for the next New Eden Chronicles is scheduled for the 28th, once Sansha's shown his face in Empire. Finally, I'm off to Las Vegas for the remainder of the week. Fly safe till then!

• CrazyKinux's Musing: EVE Blog Banter #24: Be, all that you can be, and so much more!
• EVE blogs examine CSM discussions on nullsec warfare | Massively
• Tiger Ears » Blog Archive » Aiming quick and low
• EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- Mining efficiency | Massively
• Sins of a Solar Spymaster #55 - Choice Paralysis in EVE | Ten Ton Hammer
• Bring Me The Head Of Kirith Kodachi Live Event TONIGHT ~ Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
• Should EVE use the word “expansion”? » Ecliptic Rift
• Freebooted: Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mister Sansha...
• Pets Win Prizes!- Chocolate Heaven
• EVEOGANDA: Getting Fit: The Falcon
• Freebooted: My Sister the Rookie: Trial Period, Part One
• Episode 51 - Fly Reckless – EVE Online
  
  
• YouTube - EVE Online: Incursion Devblog #15 - Why Sansha?
• Character Portraits
• Contracts Improvements
• CSM December Summit - Meeting minutes (Part 1 of 3)
• CSM December Summit - Meeting minutes (Part 2 of 3)
• CSM December Summit - Meeting minutes (Part 3 of 3)
  
  
• The Escapist : Stolen Pixels #241: The Gaming Afterlife
• Five Reasons Why I Dislike PvP « Bio Break
• Drunk scientists pour wine on superconductors and make an incredible discovery
• What else did I miss?

Friday Video: What's so wrong with being a boy these days? [VIDEO]

Not EVE-related, but I thought you would all be interested in the topic of this TED presentation.

EVE Blog Banter #24: Be, all that you can be, and so much more!

Welcome to the twenty-fourth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week or so to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check for other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

This month's Banter topic comes to us from the ever helpful Eelis Kiy, capsuleer behind the "Where the frack is my ship" blog. She asks: How does your real life personality compare to who you are as a character in EVE? Does a good leader of people in the real world make a good leader of pilots in game? Or vice-versa? Do your real-life skills help you with the roles you fulfill in your corporation or alliance? Or do you behave completely differently? Does the anonymity of the Internet allow you to thrive on the tears of others in New Eden whilst you work as a good Samaritan away from your keyboard? Or are you as mean outside of your pod as you are inside it? Have experiences in EVE Online affected your behavior, skills or attitudes outside of the game?

In a world such as EVE Online, with endless possibilities, it's easy to see why the attraction of developing an alter ego would be there. Let's try to answer Eelis' questions!

How does your real life personality compare to who you are as a character in EVE?

Get ready for a deluge of posts in the next few days!

As part of my "2011 Blog Revival Initiative", I'm working on a bunch of posts that should have been posted some time ago, but which I plan to post over the next few days. Don't think that this will be my new blogging schedule or that this will be the sort of blogging I'll now focus on. Once these are done, I'll start using a new blogging schedule I'm working on and revisit some old blog series from the past.

Speaking of which, if you have ideas, series or topics that you would want me to explore, please let me know in the comments below.

Stay tuned!

The Ultimate Guide to EVE Online - ISK Guide 3.0 [FREE]

Late last week, I was ask to share with you some good news from our friends at MMM Publishing. Now I'm  usually not the type to repost directly information that's being past on to me, but hey, this is EON, this is the "new and improved ISK Guide" and hell, it's FREE! So without further ado, and even though you may have already seen it on a few other blogs, here is the low-down!

ISK 3.0 - INDUSTRIAL-SIZED KNOWLEDGEBASE

The ultimate strategy guide for EVE players, from the makers of EON magazine

London, England - January 6, 2011 - MMM Publishing, a leading publisher of online gaming
magazines, has announced a new "EON Presents..." publication for players and fans of the award-winning science fiction universe EVE Online. This February "EON presents... ISK 3.0" will be released as a free pdf download, offering all EVE players the most exhaustive and expansive strategy guide that's ever been compiled in the game's eight year history.

Like previous "EON Presents..." projects (EVE Strategic Maps, EVE Career Guide), the ISK 3.0 guide is a collaborative effort between EVE players, CCP Games and the design and editorial teams of MMM Publishing. Previous versions of the "Industrial-Sized Knowledgebase" have been downloaded by almost 40,000 EVE players and the vast compendium is considered by many to be EVE's de facto player manual. 

The new expanded ISK guide has been updated to include recent changes brought to EVE
Online as part of the Incursion expansion, including adaptions to character creation, skill training
and planetary interaction. It has also been completely redesigned to be easier to read and reference important sections, with new images and tables within established chapters on getting
started, ship fitting, manufacturing, trading, exploration and combat. "EVE players have been crying out for a comprehensive strategy guide since the game first came out" says EON editor Richie Shoemaker. "With ISK 3.0 people are going to realise that the wait has been worthwhile. Compiled over many, many months it's an incredible piece of work that we're proud to help bring to EVE players."

Beyond the release of ISK 3.0 the team will begin work on a premium edition of the guide that
will be available to buy as a digital publication alongside EON Digital. The extended 500-page
guide will also be available to pre-order from the EVE Store as an exclusive and limited edition
print publication. Price and publication details will be announced at a later date.

"Creating ISK has been a labour of love for many months and we intend to keep updating and
releasing newer and better versions of the guide for as long as people want to read them"
said ISK’s creators Gábor Várkonyi and László Lipták. "Our dream is to eventually have a
professionally published edition in my hand and after having published EON magazine for six
years, MMM Publishing are the best people to make that dream come true." 

ISK 3.0 Lite Edition will be freely available as a pdf file from February 1, 2011 from
www.isktheguide.com, www.eve-files.com and all good EVE fansites. The digital and print
Premium Edition will follow in the spring. 

Contact: Ian Bond, MMM Publishing Director, info@mmmpublishing.com
http://www.EONmagazine.net
http://www.facebook.com/EONmagazine
http://www.isktheguide.com
http://www.mmmpublishing.com 

About MMM Publishing
MMM Publishing is a London-based publishing company specialising in community-driven
games magazines aimed at the players of massively-multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Since
2005 MMM Publishing has worked alongside industry-leading developers like CCP Games,
Sony Online Entertainment and Codemasters to help enliven the experiences of players across
the world. MMM Publishing's leading publication is EON the official EVE Online magazine. Now in its sixth year of successful operation, EON is published quarterly and sent out to more than 80 countries worldwide.

Don't you love FREE stuff? Especially when it's this good!

Speedlinking New Eden & more - The January 10th, 2010 Edition

It's been a while! Here are the articles, posts and videos that got my attention these last few days!

• Sleepless in Space: The Downward Spiral of Low Sec
• The Downward Spiral of Low Sec? I Don't Think So | Guns Ablaze
• How EON got its name « The official EVE Online magazine
• New personal Tweet Fleet policy » Ecliptic Rift
• celebrating the creative player iii
• EVE Evolved: Mining 101 -- The basics | Massively
• Letrange's EvE Blog: Thrasher - Glass Cannon fit
• New Eden Topology III – Solar system extremes « The Planet Risk Show
• EVEOGANDA: Idiot's Guide: Bombing!
• The book of ISK: more, better, soon « The official EVE Online magazine
• Solo PVP – It’s dead Jim… « the hydrostatic capsule
• Freebooted: The Free Boot Awards 2010
  
• YouTube - Making of Tron Legacy: Technology (Spoilers!)
• Game|Life’s Most Anticipated Games of 2011 | GameLife | Wired.com
• En Masse: More Mass Effect 2 DLC Coming | Rock, Paper, Shotgun
• GameSetWatch - Former Midway Artist Posts Concept Art From Hero, MK vs DC
• Reality Panic » 2010 in Books
• Game|Life’s Most Anticipated Games of 2011 | GameLife | Wired.com
• Galaxy Tab review: Android hitchhiking its way to tablet success

Friday Video: Could this be a new DUST 514 Trailer by CCP Games?

OK, clearly the video below - Mass Effect 3 Trailer - isn't the one we're all anticipating. But it does have that dirty, gritty, war-is-a-shit-whole feeling to it, which is what I expect the next DUST 514 trailer will look like. Based on the only DUST 514 trailer CCP has been so kind to release (over a year ago I might add - and nothing since!) we can certainly expect a very polished FPS. Let's just hope that it will have the appeal and breadth of the Mass Effect series!

If you were CCP, what sort of trailer would you release to really get people's attention? I'd love to hear your thoughts on that one!


Hope you'll forgive the tease! Fly safe!

The Great EVE Blog Pack Clean-Up - Early 2011 Edition

It's that time of the year again. Those of you that have been reading this blog for sometime now know that every now and then I do a little clean-up operation with the EVE Blog Pack membership. Call it a "shake n' bake" ops if you will. Though I try to enforce the Pack's Rules & Regulations on a regular basis, sometimes a good good ol'fashion clean-up is just needed.
So, as I've done in the past on numerous occasions, I'll be retiring all non-active blogs, blogs that have not had a post in over a month, or who's owners have asked to be removed (yes that does happen!).

So all of you who've always wanted to be part of the Pack, this is once again a chance to be part of this elite group! Hell, I might even re-apply myself! As I tweeted yesterday, I invite you all to submit your blogs or those you enjoy who you see as a good fit for the Pack. As long as they abide by the Rules of the Pack, I'll be willing to consider their inclusion.

So far, here's the suggestions received that I'm considering:

• Sleepless in Space
• The Tales of the Clan Oriana
• Prano's Journey
• Tiger Ears
• Through Newb Eyes
• EVE's parity bit
• Fiddler's Edge
• The Phoenix Diaries
• The Durzo Chronicles

Plenty of great blogs out there, so please keep those suggestions coming!

Looking forward to the next iteration of the EVE Blog Pack!

Planetary Interaction, like you've never seen it before - "Modern Times" [VIDEO]

Thought you guys would enjoy!
MODERN TIMES from BC2010 on Vimeo.
D.O.P: Richard Mountney
Lighting and Camera assistants:
Simon Mountney, Tom Mountney and Robin Mair
Film Excerpts and Music used under a strictly non-profit basis.

Basic Tackling 101 Tutorial [VIDEO]

As I get ready to dibble and dabble in PvP, videos like these will become very valuable to me.

If you're aware of other (better) videos, please post the links below in the comments. I'll make sure to showcase them some time in the near future!

2011, the year of rebirth, and so much more...

It's that time of the year. The time when you look back at the last 12 month and assess what you've accomplished, what you weren't able to do, and weigh all of that. Looking back, 2010 wasn't as bad as I imagined it. I was happily surprised that I had actually written more posst in 2010 than I had the previous year.
Nevertheless, its a far cry from what I had done in 2008, the year where I created the EVE Blogroll, the Blog Pack and the Blog Banter. I guess that's what having a full time job and kids does to you! I could go on and tell you about the number of posts I did, or the comments that they generated. I could also look at the total number of pageviews, or visitors that the blog had, but that's not the purpose of this post.

What I want to focus on right now, is the future. The future of this blog, as well as the future of my gameplay. Blogwise, I want to refocus this blog on EVE Online, with more guides, more updates on what I'm doing in-game, more focus on what the conversation is in the EVE Blogsphere, or the TweetFleet. I probably will continue posting non-EVE related material, but I want enough EVE-focused posts that it will seem more like an "EVE Blog", rather than a "Geek Blog"! See what I did here! :p.

Of course the EVE Blog Banters will continue, and I'll certainly try to give you a better heads-up, as well as participate more so than I have recently done. The New Eden Chronicles podcast with @MaeveTrinity, @Ardwulf and @Memoocan_NEC will continue as well (on a side note, we're still waiting for Apple to get its act together and list the podcast on iTunes). So please let us know your thoughts and requests!

I also want to put more focus on my gameplay and relate to you what I'm currently doing in-game. That's something I used to do years ago, but had stopped to put more focus on the EVE Community. I'd like to share that with you again.

I still have a bit of catch-up to do on my emails. So if you've written to me about getting added to the EVE Blog Pack, or for some specific request, do not despair. I WILL REPLY to you!

So here's to 2011, year of rebirth, year of focus! And thanks for sticking around for so long. Your company has been a treasure of inspiration!

Fly safe!