The complete guide to planetary industry in EVE Online

Last evening, my new corp's CEO (more on that later) ran a ninety-minute tutorial on Planetary Industry in lowsec. Genuinely interesting stuff, and exhilarating when you're being chased around a system — enough that it sent me down a rabbit hole earlier today.

I went looking for more, found a handful of YouTube guides, and figured the useful thing to do with that research was put together one guide that actually covers it end to end: what PI is, the two philosophies for running it, what to train and in what order, and how to build both an extraction setup and a full factory chain.

Get ready to dive down another long guide. You should come out the other end with a solid foundation on Planetary Industry — or Planetary Interaction, if you're working off the same ancient New Eden memory as I am.

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

Welcome to the fourteenth installment of the EVE Blog Banter, the monthly EVE Online blogging extravaganza created by none other than me, CrazyKinux. The EVE Blog Banter involves an enthusiastic group of gaming bloggers, a common topic within the realm of EVE Online, and a week to post articles pertaining to the said topic. The resulting articles can either be short or quite extensive, either funny or dead serious, but are always a great fun to read! Any questions about the EVE Blog Banter should be directed to crazykinux@gmail.com. Check out other EVE Blog Banter articles at the bottom of this post!

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

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

Mr. Invisible: 50 days to Covert Operations!

As I've recently mentioned, I'm currently training to play a different role within Phoenix Labs. I'm also tired of getting stranded in low sec or on the other side of a gate camp. Flying incognito seems like a sexy way of moving around New Eden. Screw the Pirates! :p

Using EVE Mon (@EVEMon), and based on the advice from far more knowledgeable pilots than I, I've put together the following skill plan. This includes the skills needed to fly the best reviewed Helios loadout (as provide in EVE Mon). I've been "informed" by this favorite utility of mine, that I should train some more Learning skills in order to save 5 days of total training. OK, then, but they're still boring skills!

I've put in a request to the Phoenix Labs Corp Request Department, and should be receiving 7 skill books I'm missing. Until I get those, I'm training Electronic Warfare IV. Which finishes in 35 minutes actually, and though I know I've got another skill in my queue, I just can't remember it now. Thank god for the EVE Training Queue! I've been dreaming of that forever!

I'll be able to fly the Helios as a Covert Ops pilot sooner than in the 50 days needed to train all these skills. In a month and a half from now, I'll just be impossible to find! Call me Mr. Invisible!

Anyways, your advice, comments and praises are always welcomed! Here's the 50 day queue:

1. Logic I
2. Focus I
3. Logic II
4. Focus II
5. Logic III
6. Electronics Upgrades V
7. Covert Ops I
8. Gallente Frigate V
9. Jury Rigging I
10. Astrometrics I
11. Minmatar Drone Specialization I
12. Cloaking I
13. Jury Rigging II
14. Astrometrics II
15. Cloaking II
16. Jury Rigging III
17. Electronic Superiority Rigging I
18. Electronic Superiority Rigging II
19. Astrometrics III
20. Electronic Superiority Rigging III
21. Cloaking III
22. Astrometrics IV
23. Astrometric Pinpointing I
24. Astrometric Pinpointing II
25. Astrometric Pinpointing III
26. Cloaking IV
27. Covert Ops II
28. Covert Ops III
29. Covert Ops IV
30. Electronic Warfare IV
31. Astrometric Pinpointing IV
32. Electronic Superiority Rigging IV

32 skills; Total time: 48 days, 21 hours, 49 minutes, 16 seconds; Completion: 6/30/2009

Training for Covert Operations - The Art of Espionnage

I've been playing EVE for almost 5 years now, and in this time, I've done lots with my main (and my only character really). From mining by myself (which I still do) or as part of a corporate operation, to trading across multiple regions, to running missions (3 at a time thank you very much!), even to a fewmedium and large PvP encounters.
Yet, as I mentioned recently in the 7th EVE Blog Banter, there are plenty of things I'd like to try. Amongst them, the art of espionage and covert operations.

In order to reach such a noble goal, I've relied on the expertise of my corporation; finding out what skills I need to train, and to which level. The list below is provided through Phoenix Labs Member Only site. It's a list of the skills needed, according to our in-house experts, in order to perform at the necessary levels.

The ones in bold red are the ones that require further training in order to meet the desired skills of expertise. As you can see, I'll need to request Cloaking and Covert Ops, in order to train them to level 4 each. These will be the ones in my training queue over the next few weeks.

Skills Required for Gallente Covert Op - Frigates
(Skill Required-Level Required-My Current Level)

Electronics ::

• Cloaking-4-0
  
• Electronic Warfare-4-2
  
• Electronics-5-5
  
• Electronics Upgrades-5-4
  
• Long Reange Targeting-4-5
  
• Propulsion Jamming-3-2 (currently in training)
  
• Sensor Linking-3-4
  
• Signature Analysis-3-4
  
• Targeting-3-5
  
• Weapon Disruption-3-2
  

Engineering ::

• Energy Grid Upgrades-3-4
  
• Energy Management-3-4
  
• Engineering-3-5
  

Gunnery ::

• Gunnery -3-5
  
• Small Hybrid Turret-4-5
  

Navigation ::

• Acceleration Control-4-5
  
• Evasive Maneuvering-4-5
  
• Fuel Conservation-4-4
  
• High Speed Maneuvering-4-4
  
• Navigation-4-5
  
• Warp Drive Operation-3-4
  

Spaceship Command ::

• Covert Ops-4-0
  
• Gallente Frigate-5-4
  
• Spaceship Command-3-5
  

I'd be curious to get your opinion on these requirements. Remember that these are not the minimum levels required to actually fly a covert ops frigate. They're meant to be the minimum corporate requirements as Phoenix Labs experts see it.

Do you think that they're adequate? If not, then why? What skills have YOU trained in order to perform as a covert ops pilot? I'd really appreciate to know more.

10 things every EVE Online player should know

EVE Online veterans are all aware that it's not the easiest MMORPG to jump into and that it's got a steep learning curve, with a hardcore player following. So I've put together another list to help players understand the nature of EVE, before they set out to make a living in New Eden. A kind of reality check if you will.

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.

So there you have it. If you're looking for a more extensive list, make sure to visit the "Tips and Advice" page that CCP has put together. They've got more tips and advice and provide additional details.

Fly safe, or die trying!

[Update: March 16th, 2010 - updated "Tips and Advice" link following @dianalynnETC tweet]

Treenara - 43,900,157 Skill Points and Counting

After almost 4 years of (on and off) training, I'll be passing the 44 million skill points mark in a couple of days. I've been wanting to share my skill make-up with you for a few weeks now, ever since I crossed the 40M mark. With The Ancient Gaming Noob sharing his main character's profile with us a few weeks back, I thought I'd do the same today.

I'm also curious to get your feedback, both form the fellow Carebears and from the PvPers out there.

The skill points distributional is as follows:

• Corporation Management................................ 15,072
  
• Drones............................................................. 6,479,812
• Electronics...................................................... 1,224,423
  
• Engineering.................................................... 991,518
  
• Gunnery......................................................... 11,213,690
  
• Industry......................................................... 1,844,243
  
• Learning......................................................... 2,289,229
  
• Mechanic........................................................ 1,025,188
  
• Missile Launcher Operation.............................. 2,482,594
  
• Navigation....................................................... 2,276,549
  
• Science........................................................... 1,304,750
  
• Social.............................................................. 1,387,594
  
• Spaceship Command......................................... 7,526,271
  
• Trade............................................................... 3,840,000

As you can see Gunnery, Spaceship Command and Drones are where I've concentrated most of my training - which is explained by the fact that I do a lot of missions and enjoy the PvE aspect of EVE. It also hides my desire to go Pew Pew, which still needs to be fulfilled.

In all, I have 119 skills, 63 of which are trained to level 5. I'm currently training Negotiation to level 5 also, which should be done in just over 5 days (EVEMon tells me it'll be done on the 23rd). Using both EVEMon and the PPL Skill Qualification templates, I've got a short list of skills to train in the next few weeks. Getting ever closer to the 50 million mark.

So, how have you trained your character(s)? Do you use EVEMon? Or do you simply training what you need, to be able to fly the ships and use the modules you want? What's your plan?

EVE Online Mobile Skill Planner is upon us!

Actually it's been in the works for a while now. This is something that I kind of had on my wish list and which I was looking forward to.

Now it seems that with the latest version (3.1.3) it will run on handsets, as long as your device needs to support MIDP 2.0 and CLDC 1.1. The gentlman behind this effort is Jaabaa, who posted about it on the EVE Forum wayback in June 2007, and who's latest update (see the edit note) is earlier this March.

The video below, though dated back to July of 2007, still gives us a good idea of what this mobile application looks like.




So it's not the full EVE Mobile edition, and you can't actually change or set skill training. But we're getting closer people. I guess you could call it EveMon Mobile Edition!

If anyone from CCP is reading this, please, oh please make this application official and allow us to change our skills in training. Once we've got the door open for skills, then we can add other mobile features (access to station facilities, chatting, monitor markets, escrows, etc. - hell, even voice chat now that EVE Voice is out; ok that may be pushing it!).

If anyone knows about a more recent video, please let us know.

For those that have handsets that comply to the spec requests, here's where you can download the application.

CK out!

I'm now qualified to pilot Gallente Battleships

After about a week of training the last 2 skills I needed, I now have the PPL qualifications to pilot Gallente Battleships. That's no small feat let me tell you! Just to give you an idea, this is the current list of skills that was needed to be trained to various levels.

Acceleration Control Afterburner Controlled Bursts Cruise Missiles Defender Missiles Drone Interfacing Drones Electronics Energy Grid Upgrades Energy Management Energy Pulse Weapons Energy Systems Operation Engineering Evasive Maneuvering FoF Missiles Fuel Conservation Gallente Battleship Gallente Cruiser Gallente Frigate Gunnery Heavy Drone Operation High Speed Maneuvering

Hull Upgrades Large Hybrid Turret Long Range Targeting Mechanic Missile Launcher Operation Motion Prediction Navigation Rapid Firing Repair Systems Science Sharpshooter Shield Management Shield Operation Shield Upgrades Signature Analysis Spaceship Command Surgical Strike Tactical Shield Manipulation TargetingScout Drone Operation Trajectory Analysis Warp Drive Operation Weapon Upgrades

It's a pretty exhaustive list as you can see, and quite a few of these skills need to be at level 4 or even 5. So there's a lot of time invested in training all these skills.

And Phoenix Propulsion Labs has a list of required skills for numerous qualification categories. Which is why I use these lists to plan my skill queue instead, and rarely use ECM or EVEMon anymore. The next qualification that I'm training is "Drone Commander" and "Long Range Ballistics Commander". For the former, I've completed the "Drone Operator" and "Drone Supervisor" qualifications, as for the later, I've completed the "Trainee Long Range Ballistics Operator", the "Long Range Ballistics Operator" and also the " Long Range Ballistics Supervisor". As you can see these are all combat oriented qualification, as I'm trying to become proficient as a Phalanx pilot.

The only thing that I can't train though is experience, that'll only come with time and practice. We'll just have to get out there and train with Phalanx Command.

Time to roll-up my sleeves and get to work. I'll let you know how things go.

Getting my wings to fly a Dominix

The 4 screenshots above were taken after I picked up my Dominix, which was build by our Manufacture & Production division, a few systems out from our headquarter in Badivefi. Man what a beautiful ship she is.

I've had a Dominix Blue Print Copy (BPC) for a few months now, but never actually requested that one be built. I neither had the skills ready to fly one, nor the rank to do so within my corp, PPL. But I wanted to, man did I want to.

So after joining Phalanx Division, I worked on my required skills in order to qualify for Gallente Battleships. You see, the Labs is an amazing corporation with an amazing set of people, dedicated to EVE. A stroll through our site will quickly convince you of the professionalism and dedication that's involved. And that's only part of the story. PPL members have their own dedicated website, which is used for all internal matters, including character development.

Because, in order to qualify for specific duties, you have to meet the corps minimum skill sets and level. In the case of being approved to pilot a Gallente Battleship, there are 45 skills required, at various level. Now that doesn't mean that you can't fly a Gallente Battleship if you don't have all theses skills, but in order to fly them with efficiency, you need the right skill set. And PPL's Board expects nothing else, hence, you better meet the requirements.
As most EVE pilots, I used to use EVE skill tools (EVEMon and ECM) on a daily basis in order to navigate the complexities of EVE Online's multitude of skill books. But that is no longer required. I simply look at what I'd like to do, or pilot, or control, and complete the list of skills that are required by PPL. There are qualifications for manufacturing, drones, science, Tech I and Tech II (over 30 Qualification categories in all).

In addition to Gallente Battleship training, I'm also looking to complete Drone training up to the level of a Drone Commander. But before I get there, I still have to complete my BS training, and that means training 2 more skills: Surgical Strikes and Large Hybrid Turret - the last 2 of 45 skills! I have a few days still remaining.

It's almost overwhelming to pilot such a ship for someone who has always in cruisers. How the hell do I set-up that ship? I've looked at dozens of threads on the EVE forums, trying to find the right 'Dominix set-up'. No small task, believe me.

Anyways, until I've completed those two last skill training, I'll continue flying my Vexor (with the new set-up). That should give me enough time to continue my research on the Dominix set-up, and find a good one that will match both the ship's capabilities, and my style of piloting.

I'll keep you posted, but if you've got any suggestions on a good set-up, then please post a comment to let me know.

Back after a short break

I took a 3 weeks break from EVE and from gaming in general. I was on vacation the last week of June, and then with the heat wave we got the first week of July it was too hot to play. But with the wall-mounted A/C unit that got installed last Thursday, I'm back in business.

Played a lot over the week-end, doing missions in and around Badivefi. Which is what I plan on doing once we've completed some mining ops after the 12th.

So more updates coming in the next few days. I want to rap up the current survey, update you on my current skill path (going Drone crazy), my promotion to Ensign within Phoenix Propulsion Labs the upcoming 4th issue of EON (which I should get this week), and other goodies.

Until then, fly safe and enjoy the summer!