The New Eden Banter: EVE Blog Banter returns (2026 reboot)

Some traditions deserve a reboot.

Back in 2008, I kicked off something called the EVE Blog Banter—with a monthly email that invited bloggers to write, reflect, argue, and occasionally confess their in-game sins. The format was simple: one shared topic, many voices, and a roundup so everyone could discover each other.

I ran it for two and a half years (26 editions), then passed it to other EVE bloggers who kept it going. By the time I wrote my last entry—#68, back in October 2015—the community had produced almost 70 banters worth of arguments, stories, and insights.

Fast-forward to 2026. The platforms changed. The "blogging is dead" takes have multiplied. And yet... here we are. A few of us are still writing about EVE. Still sharing our virtual lives. 

Still building corners of the internet worth visiting.

So I'm bringing it back. 

EVE Blog Banter returns as: The New Eden Banter (NEB).

After Hours, Episode 3 (2016): Rixx Javix and I talk EVE Online, EVE blog banters, and community weirdness

The above is "After Hours Podcast – Episode 3", and it’s a nearly-decade-old (May 2016) chat between the infamous pirate Rixx Javix, and myself — looking back on the “golden age” of EVE blogging and how that whole scene shaped a lot of us.

I came across that old episode while researching for an upcoming project on EVE Online podcasts, past and present (more on that later).

EVE Blog Banter #68: If I show you my rig, will you show me yours?

They say "Better late than never..." Well that's all fine and dandy, but it makes for a shitty first impression. Or in this case, for a shitty re-introduction. I wanted to jump back into the  EVE Blog Banters, my child of yesteryears, who's all grown up and soon turning six, with a BANG! But the Blog Father is bit rusty, and three days late will have to do!

Enough ramblings (damn, I AM getting old!).

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!

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!

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. 

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. 

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?

EVE Blog Banter #23: Rome wasn't built in a day, neither was New Eden

Welcome to the twenty-third 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!

With Incursion giving us glimpses of what Incarna will have to offer (the the Character Creator), this month's topic, by @Minerpewpew, comes just at the right time. He asks "What are your thoughts on how Incarna will effect the current EVE Online social dynamic?" I'd like to see this questioning go a bit further. How will this affect EVE's player base? Who will Incarna attract? New players to the genre? Seduce old players back into the game? Will we see new players come in that will never leave their station? Please explore to the best of your abilities!

EVE Online is a game about spaceship combat. Right? I mean, in the end what ever you do in this virtual world, the result is some ship, somewhere, somehow, gets blown to smithereens! That's the whole purpose of the game right? Not quite so.

EVE Blog Banter #22: The Belated Edition

We may already be in November - and the 10th at that! - but October's EVE Blog Banter was held back on October 26th and quite a few of you participated. Unfortunately I didn't not. Elements that were out of my control prevented me from participating this time, though not from lack of interest.
So here is the list of those who participated in this last Blog Banter, as well as the topic:

Welcome to the twenty-second 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 topic is brought to us by L'Dene Bean of Nitpickin's who asks: Why, and how did you pick your corporation? Is your loyalty solid or just until a better placed organization "recruits" you. The shorter version:  Who holds your Unshakable Fealty and why?

List of participants:

1. Blog Banter #22: Corp Loyalty « Evil Silents
2. Confessions of a Closet Carebear: Corporation Loyalty - Brothers and Sisters till the end?
3. Who holds your Unshakable Fealty and why? | Nitpickin's
4. loyalty isnt for sale | A Mule In EvE
5. Blog Banter #22: Corporation Guilt? | Sarnel Binora's Blog
6. Ask Not What Your Corp Can Do For You… « The Lathspell of Mithrandir
7. New Eden History Student » Blog Archive » Why I went to college
8. Esprit de Corps
9. where the frack is my ship?: Blog Banter 22: Home is where the heart is
10. A "CareBears" Journey - Am I Loyal, Or Just Complacent?
11. Captain Serenity: Blog banter #22 - Loyalty?
12. Not a Nice Game (Blog Banter 22) | Interstellar Privateer
13. CK’s Blog Banter #22: A Fighter’s Heart « Prano's Journey
14. EvE Blog Banter #22: Where We Stand EvE Blasphemy
15. divagoth | wandering the gaming landscape
16. The Eternal Ninja - The Fang
17. An Amarrian Capsuleer: Blog Banter 22: Corporation Cooperation
18. Nashh Kadavr's EVE Blog: Bastard for Life
19. Double Threat: Blog Banter #22
20. Drifting: Blog Banter #22: Corporation Loyalty - Brothers and Sisters till the end?

Expect the email for the next - and 23rd - EVE Blog Banter to go out before the end of the week!

EVE Blog Banter #21: The Lure of the Wild

Welcome to the twenty-first 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!

This month topic comes to us from @ZoneGhost who a few month ago asked “Is Low Sec the forgotten part of EVE Online?” Is it? I’d like us to explore this even further. Is Low Sec being treated differently by CCP Games than Null Sec (Zero-Zero) or Empire space is? Can one successfully make a living in these unsecured systems where neither Alliance nor Concord roam to enforce their laws? What’s needed? Or is everything fine as it is?

The Wilds. A No Mans Land where pirates can hunt you down and ransom you, where you become canon fodder. That's the perception of Low Sec. Except there's a problem. It's rarely true. And that's where part of the problem with this vast territory that exists between Empire Space and Null Sec.

As many of you know I've been a Carebear for as long as I've been playing EVE, which is over 6 years now. And as many of you, I used to try to avoid Low Sec (and Null Sec as well for that matter) like it was the plague. But then I began to travel long distances, which saw me travel in Low Sec for many systems. After a while I started to notice something strange: Low Sec is a very empty and lonely place. Where is everybody?

Now I've never been a pirate, so I can't tell you how these folks make a living in Low Sec. What I can tell you though is that is should have been blown up and podded many more times then has happened over the years. And yes, I'm avoiding all together the PvE that's available in Low Sec. To me Low Sec should be the ultimate PvP arena. A wild realm where more often then none, one would be faced with destruction and "life and death" combat at the hands of pirate and poachers!

So I'm very happy to see folks like Mynxee put together an initiative like the "Making Low Sec Matter committee" in an effort to reinvigorate this vast underdeveloped area of New Eden. Not to say that CCP hasn't done its share trying to bring in capsuleers to this practically uninhabited part of our universe; but when dedicated, intelligent and knowledgeable players come together to improve our game, good things can only come out of this!

And in a few month, when I have roamed Low Sec looking for a victim, and know more about Low Sec, maybe I'll venture myself to a few ways for improvements. For the time being, I'll let the experienced partake in this noble project.

Participants:

1. CrazyKinux's Musing: The Lure of the Wild
2. Banter 21: Arr, Yer be talkin’ bout me lowsec | TheElitist
3. Banter 21: Low-sec- Chocolate Heaven
4. Subs' suds: Forever a noob in Eve: Low-Sec - the forgotten part of EVE Online
5. Blog Banter XXI - Lo-sec = Low Priority? | I am Keith Neilson
6. In the Ghetto | A Mule in EvE
7. where the frack is my ship?: Blog Banter 21: What's good for the goose...
8. Blog Banter #21: Change? | Sarnel Binora's Blog
9. Low Sec = Wild West ~ Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
10. a merry life and a short one: Low Sec: I Wanna Talk to You
11. Low Sec = No Sec | Diary of a Garbageman
12. EVEOGANDA: Blog Banter 21: Friggin' Low Sec
13. Drifting through the Stars: Blog Banter #21: Low-Sec - The Forgotten part of EVE Online
14. Captain Serenity: Eve blog banter #21 - Low Sec, The Forgotten Part of Eve
15. Low Sec: the Best part of EVE Online | Nitpickin's
16. Aeroxe's Assault - “Is Low Sec the forgotten part of EVE Online?”
17. Eve Blog Banter 21 | A Scientist's Life in Eve
18. Latro's Bunker: Eve Blog Banter 21 - Low-sec
19. A "CareBears" Journey » Blog Archive » EVE Blog Banter #21: The Low Sec Conundrum
20. EVE Blog Banter 21: Low Security Space « The Nomadic Gamer
21. EvE Blog Banter #21: Where Now?!? – EvE Blasphemy
22. Low-security space is for people who care « EVE's parity bit
23. Blog Banter 21 – Fish Heads and Baby Ruths
24. EVE on Real Life: Obsession with Lowsec
25. Stand by to Repel Boarders (Blog Banter 21) | Interstellar Privateer
26. EVE Blog Banter #21: Location, Location, Location « The Lathspell of Mithrandir
27. Blog banter #21: Stuck in the middle with you « Diary of a Pod Pilot
28. Persephone Astrid's YarrJournal » Blog Archive » Living la Vida Lowsec
29. Freebooted: BB21: Low-Sec - If it Ain't Broke, Introduce a Law-man
30. Flashfresh - The Pirate.: EVE Blog Banter #21 'Low Sec Needs Fixing? Yes but not too much...'
31. Nashh Kadavr's EVE Blog: EVE Blog Banter #21, low-sec love...
32. New Eden History Student » Blog Archive » Blog Banter #21
33. Blog Banter 21: No Man’s Land « Yarrbear Tales
34. Omnis Arcanum of EVE: EVE Blog Banter #21: Is CCP indifferent to developing Low Sec??
35. More coming shortly...

So, you want to be part of the next EVE Blog Banter?

The last few months I've been getting emails from a lot of you asking me how to get into the EVE Blog Banters. It's a very simple process which involves sending me (CrazyKinux@gmail.com) a short email asking to be added. Once I've added you to the list, I send you a quick email to confirm this.
Though you don't need to be on the mailing list to participate, being on it gives you a heads-up on the next Banter topic with the date that it goes live. This way our EVE Banters have the greatest impact and best chance to generate a good discussion amongst us.

Let me also add that you do not have to have an EVE Online Blog to be part of this. Though it's called the EVE Blog Banter, only your specific post has to be about that month's Banter topic, not your whole blog! So if you've got buddies that have blogs (not specifically about EVE Online) and play EVE, you can certainly tell them about the EVE Blog Banters so that they may participate!

I'll be emailing you all about September's Banter topic this week, so if you want a head start in writing your post, and have not been added to the list, then now's a good time to do so!

Fly safe!

EVE Blog Banter 20: Care for a little griefing tonight?

Welcome to the twentieth 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!

With the recent completion of the 3rd installment of the Hulkageddon last July, @CyberinEVE, author of Hands Off, My Loots!, asks: "Grieving is a very big part of EVE. Ninja Salvaging, Suicide Ganking, Trolling, and Scamming are all a very large part of the game. What do you think about all these things? You can talk about one, or all...but just let us know your overall opinion on Grieving, and any recommendations you may have to change it if you think it's needed."

[Though I was not able to participate in our last EVE Blog Banter due to RL conflicts, I still wanted to have it up with the list of participants. The next Banter promises to be a great topic and I will be part of it!]

Participants:

1. Blog Banter #20 Spoiled Children « Roc's Ramblings
2. Griefing, Ninja Salvaging, Suicide Ganking, Trolling, and Scamming | Nitpickin's
3. Blog Banter: SPACE POLIC HARASSMANT.
4. Guns Ablaze » Blog Archive » [EBB 20] Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked
5. EVE Blog Banter #20: Griefing, Ninja Salvaging, Suicide Ganking, Trolling, and Scamming
6. Victoria Aut Mors » Blog Archive » Blog Banter 20. Quit Yer Damn Whining!
7. EVE Blog Banter #20: A Very Simple Proposal | Venoms Bite
8. where the frack is my ship?: Blog Banter #20 : Think like a Capsuleer
9. Out of pod experience - 20th Blog Banter: You’re a Griefer, NO You’re a Griefer!
10. 2010 August 23 « Industrial Crisis
11. Adventures in Mission Running » Blog Archive » Blog Banter: Good Grief!
12. Blog banter #20: Griefing, not just for the tears « Diary of a Pod Pilot
13. Blag Banter #20: “Griefing” | Sarnelbinora's Blog
14. (OOC) CK’s Blog Banter #20: Griefing And Changing. « Prano's Journey
15. Vive Virtual: Motivated Grief
16. BB20 – A Shifting Opinion | Shifter's Mumbles
17. Fiddler's Edge: EVE Blog Banter #20: Pirates and Griefers
18. Banter 20: Scamwiches- Chocolate Heaven
19. mikeazariah » Blog Archive » BB 20 Blaming the victim
20. Freebooted: Dear God, Please Kill Them All
21. The Anti-Griefer « Revolting Carebears
22. Latro's Bunker: EVE Blog Banter #20
23. Blog Banter on Griefing: Express Yourself
24. Griefing… a Blog Banter | Diary of a Garbageman
25. Blog Banter #20: The Joy of Loss « Evil Silents
26. Did I miss anyone?

Disappointed but undeterred: why you'll never get me to quit helping EVE Bloggers

I've recently come under fire for somehow being a marketing tool of CCP. These accusations, have led others to ponder over my relationship with CCP and as well as question my writing style.
I thought I'd try to respond to these accusations.

It's kind of funny that after putting all these efforts over the last 2 to 3 years helping out other EVE Bloggers (by providing them with opportunities to be in the spotlight through the EVE Blog Pack, win some EVE merchandise, ISKs or GTC, or discuss various aspect of the game in the EVE Blog Banters) that my reputation should be slandered in this way.

It's a bit disappointing to be honest.

I promised myself that this post wouldn't be too long, but bear with me while I tell you a story.


The Beginnings

I started this blog back in 2005. Back then, there were not many other EVE Blogs. Over the years I started gathering links to other EVE blogs, to guides and anything that I found useful or that would help me out playing in EVE. At that time, I had no children and could easily play EVE for 30 to 40 hours a week without facing the wrath of my better-half. Then MiniCK came into our lives, and my gaming time started to suffer.

EVE Blog Banter #19: Growing Pains

Welcome to the nineteenth 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!

This months topic comes to us from @evepress, who he asks: The CSM: CCP's Meta Game? The CSM, an EVE players voice to CCP. Right? In the grand scheme of things yes, the players bring up issues and the CSM presents them to CCP. But in its current iteration the CSM was supposed to be given small authority to assign CCP assets to projects that the CSM thought needed work on. As it has come out, this was not the case. So fellow bloggers, is the CSM worth it, has the CSM improved the game in any way, or is it just a well thought out scam by CCP to give us players a false sense of input in the game? What's your take?

Talk about a loaded question!

EVE Blog Banter #18: The Heroes with a Thousand Faces

Welcome to the eighteenth 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!

On May 6th 2010, EVE Online celebrated its 7th Anniversary. Quite a milestone in MMO history, especially considering that it is one of the few virtual worlds out there to see its population continually grow year after year. For some of you who've been here since the very beginning, EVE has evolved quite a lot since its creation. With the expansion rolling out roughly twice a year, New Eden gets renewed and improved regularly. But, how about you the player? How has your gaming style evolved through the years or months since you've started playing? Have you always been a carebear, or roleplayer? Have you only focused on PvP or have you given other aspects of the game a chance - say manufacturing. Let's hear your story!

Six years! Six wonderful long years in which I've had the opportunity to fly with 7 different corporations, one of which I was the CEO of a one-man corp! I've flown with capsuleers from Coreli, TAKAGI, and a few others, but the one corporation which has had the greatest impact on my life amongst the star was Phoenix Propulsion Labs. PPL was my home for 4 years in all. During that time, I met with some amazing folks, some of whom I had the privileged to meet face to face in Las Vegas.

The Winners of the Women of EVE Contest are finally in!

In all these years running Banters and Contests, I have never seen such an overwhelming response and turn out. As such, narrowing down to just 10 entries proved to be far more difficult then I had originally expected. For the last few days, I have been starring at list of about 20 entries, unable to eliminate an entry and get the list down to the 10 winners. But it had to be done. I'll admit that the top 10 entries were randomly listed below; I just couldn't pick the best out of those 10 best entries. It's currently Tuesday 1:22AM (though I'm posting this on Monday!), my brain is shutting itself down, as I'm way past my bedtime!
So without further ado, here are the 10 winners of the "Women of EVE" Contest. Congratulations to all participants, and to these 10 bloggers in particular!

1. The Ghost Report: Eve Blog Banter: The Girls Who Fly Spaceships
2. “Prove It”: Women In EvE
3. Blog Banter #17 – Women in Eve
4. The Ladies of New Eden (An Analysis on How Men are not from Mars, & Women are not from Venus)
5. Cloaked and Watching You: The Ladies of New Eden
6. Space Broker: Gal-Ristas!
7. Tech 2 stilettos
8. It's a woman's world (they just don't know it yet!)
9. Ladies of New Eden
10. Lady Vengeance, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pew-Pew

And here is a reminder of the prizes you guys have just won!

• 1st Place: $75 in EVE Store merchandise [and 100 million ISKs]
• 2nd Place: $50 in EVE Store merchandise [and 100 million ISKs]
• 3rd, 4th & 5th Place: $25 in EVE Store merchandise each [and 100 million ISKs each]
• [Additional prizes for 6th to 10th place: 100 million ISKs each]

I'll drop a comment on each of the winners post later today and ask either update their entry mentioning their win (and their email address and character names), or doing so in a new post on their blog.

Other entries worth reading:

• Why I don’t play Eve Online
• Where Are All The Wenches
• Sweet Little Bad Girl: Eve vs Women
• Space Boobies Are Bad, m'kay?
• Getting more Eves in Eve Online
• Flashfresh - The Pirate.: Women? In MY SPACESHIP? Is she from Mars as well?
• mikeazariah » Blog Archive » The X-Factor

I wish I could have had the announcement sooner that today, but RL got in the way!

Fly safe all!

Steady as she goes Captain - Judgment begins for the Blog Banter Contest

When I initially launched the latest EVE Blog Banter Contest - The Ladies of New Eden - I expected to get roughly the same amount of entries as with previous popular banters - maybe 40. Or maybe even as much as the last Banter Contest which was about 60. But 80 entries? Not in my wildest dreams!
As such, I'm going to need a bit more time to go through all these entries and am pushing the winners announcement up to Friday May 7th, 2010 - tough if I can do it sooner, I will.

To make up for this delay, I've decided to bump up the number of winner to 10. Not only that, but Avalloc, one of the candidates for the 5th Council of Stellar Management, was kind enough to offer 1 Billion ISKs for all 10 winners!

So, to recap the Prizes to be awarded are:

• 1st Place: $75 in EVE Store merchandise and 100 million ISKs
• 2nd Place: $50 in EVE Store merchandise and 100 million ISKs
• 3rd, 4th & 5th Place: $25 in EVE Store merchandise each and 100 million ISKs each
• Prizes for 6th to 10th place are 100 million ISKs each

I hope this will make up for the delay, and that you'll bare with me as I ponder on who are the 10 best entries out of those 80 submitted!

For the Ladies of New Eden, and the ones to come - List of Participants

Like that small tiny Vexor beneath that huge gas giant, I've come to realize the monumental task set before me. The list below is only part of all the entries to the Ladies of New Eden contest. And since the contest doesn't end until next Monday, I'll still have a few more to add. Go me!
Some of you did not have the introduction with the links included, or a list of 5 participants for that matter. Both will be needed in order to qualify for the contest! Good luck to all!

1. The Ladies of New Eden
2. Is EVE a man's world?
3. Sorry, No Pink Spaceships Here Please
4. EVE Blog Banter: Chicks 'N Ships
5. Eve Blog Banter: The Girls Who Fly Spaceships
6. It’s not about fluffy bloody Kittens people!
7. Space Boobies Are Bad, m'kay?
8. Special Blog Banter: I Like Girls
9. Special Edition or making Eve More Casual
10. I wish my wife played EVE
11. Is there something special about women?
12. CK's Blog Banter
13. The Female of the Species
14. EVE Online Can Appeal to Women By Adding Casual Content
15. Blog Banter: The Ladies
16. Women Who Want EVE - Missing intro and participants links
17. Tech 2 stilettos
18. New Eden doesn't need to change for Eve – Adam needs to get over himself
19. EVE Online and… women (sorta)
20. Think Outside the Spaceship
21. EVE's monthly banter - Women, women, women
22. Girls Just Wanna Have... Guns!
23. Draco Horizons (Blog) - no list of participants
24. Don’t change Eve for me!
25. Where Are Teh Laydeez of EVE?
26. Where Are All The Wenches?
27. EVEquality: The Rise of the Female Gamer
28. Women? In MY SPACESHIP? Is she from Mars as well?
29. Blog Banter: Captain Kirk Hates Eve 
30. The Female of the Species
31. The Ladies of New Eden
32. EVE and the X by X Genetic Succession Unit
33. Sociability V
34. Girl on Girls in Space
35. What women want (in Eve)
36. Time Is On Our Side
37. Roc Appeal - No links to other entries
38. Women in EVE
39. Getting In Touch With Our Feminine Side
40. It's a woman's world (they just don't know it yet!) 
41. Women in EVE – Can it be done? 
42. You'd Rather Be Playing The Sims, Right?
43. Blog Banter #17 – Women in Eve
44. How To Get The Betty’s
45. EVE: WTB girls?
46. All about EVE
47. Ladies to the gunfight
48. Hell hath no fury
49. The Ladies of New Eden (An Analysis on How Men are not from Mars, and Women are not from Venus)
50. EVE Blog Banter 17: The Ladies of New Eden 
51. The Ladies of New Eden
52. Getting ladies to play Eve Online
53. Why Don't More Women Play EVE?? 
54. Getting Girls to Play EVE 
55. Et Tu, Brutus? » Blog Archive » Girls, Girls, Girls.
56. Why I don’t play Eve Online | Restokin
57. Ladies of New Eden | My Blog 
58. The female podling « Ore, Pirates, and Pods
59. Tinkers Blog: Ladies in Space
60. Ideas on How To Attract More Female Pilots
61. Ladies of Eve - Blog Banter
62. Your agent has ended your mission for not attaining more women - Not enough links to other entries
63. Let's Fly, Ladies!!
64. Bringing the Sisters to EVE
65. EnerlaNET Forums - 52 days of Eve Online
66. In Search of the Sisters of Eve
67. EnerlaNET Forums - Be a man! Fight back!
68. Getting more Eves in Eve Online
69. Making Bannan Peels Relevant: Gender Inclusiveness in CCP's EVE Online - Withdrew from contest.
70. Daughters of EVE
71. Women in Eve
72. “Prove It”: Women In EvE
73. It’s Hip To Be Square: Taking Videogames Out of the Basement
74. The X-Factor
75. The Ladies of New Eden... A Blog Banter Entry by Cattie
76. Gal-Ristas!
77. Question: Tell Me What You Think About This? 
78. Ain’t No Sunshine
79. What Women Want…
80. Lady Vengeance, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pew-Pew

If I've forgotten any of you, please let me know!