The 4th space

There has been some talk lately about 'room for the little guy'.  (Jester;  Mynnna; and a couple of others I can't put my hands on)

The little guy includes the small corporation, the newbie player.  The players that will shape Eve in a couple of years time.

Conventional wisdom says that new players should either remain in highsec or be absorbed into large null structures (and be bound by them); with lowsec being a place for those with some experience to eat newbies for breakfast.

There is a 4th space : wormhole systems.  Sure; I would not recommend that a beginner one month old pilot try to form a wormhole corp.   Mind you, after a month I was still toying with starter missions and discovering a whole new universe.

For the wannabe new corporation: you do need some skills; Anchoring to set up a POS; Scanning to find your way home; an industrial ship or 3 to bring 'stuff' in.  (There is no market in WH space with the exception of what you make with your fellow residents.).

Wormholes are for moderately active groups; You would probably want 3 or 4 accounts even in a "Class 2" wormhole (whether 4 players or 1 very organised one).  You need someone capable of remembering to keep the lights turned on (otherwise known as hauling fuel blocks or at least the ice products for those).

In wormholes there is always something to do: Planetary Interaction; combat sites; mining sites; running away from PVP roams; maybe even doing PVP roams; raiding your neighbour's sites.

Wormholes do have a home advantage.  You have a large defensive structure to run away to (your POS).  If you are organised: it has replacement/alternative ships; spare ammo; salvaging equipment.

There is a limit to the amount and size of ships that can be brought into a wormhole.   Are you a young group and the idea of a battleship scares the goo out of your pod?  Set up in a class 1 wormhole. 

Other groups might be content to see a battleship but not want to take on a Dreadnought or Carrier.  In that case a Class 2-4 Wormhole system might be for you.

It is also difficult to take a huge number of high dps ships on a roam; especially in the lower class wormhole systems.  You can take a few; but to bring in enough DPS to roflstomp a POS in a lower class wormhole system will simply collapse the entry wormholes instead.  Defenders have plenty of time to bring in what ships they like; and can even build ships that are too big to take in our out.

Now; like everything else in Eve; nothing is 100% safe.  WH roams can still ruin your day. Even a 'dickstar' POS can be broken despite the lack of capital ships if the attackers are determined enough. 

That said, a class 2 wormhole is a great place to practice sovereignty by occupation.

Some recent WH blog posts include :

• http://themittani.com/features/selling-rabbit-hole
• http://emergentpatroller.blogspot.com/2013/02/ooc-entry-71-what-makes-wormhole-pilot.html
• http://mabricksmumblings.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/the-start-of-new-chapter.html

Selling WH Bookmark

A few days ago we came across an empty wormhole.  http://www.staticmapper.com/index.php?system=J150109

Empty of towers but very full on signatures.  Very very full on signatures : 30+.  There is enough PVE in there to keep you busy for a while.

Not perfect PI but enough to be interesting.  It is a C2 with a lowsec/C2 static's; making it a reasonable springboard for the PVP inclined, or (even the Ganker v Player).

The exit (A239) was scanned at 2013.01.29 : 11:53 Eve time.  An A239 is a lowsec exit.  The wormhole will only be open for 24 hours.


I warrant that the WH is empty of active towers (1 inactive one).

A bookmark to this WH is up for sale by contract by Ernaga Foo in Piak (a nearby highsec system), for 200M ISK; for the next 24 hours or until sold.  Then however it works the WH is someone else's problem.

If you have questions; then send DoToo Foo an in game mail; but probably also leave a comment here; and another corp member may be able to answer questions while I am sleeping and you are awake.

This WH has been advertised on wormholesales.com, and http://evescan.com/; as well as in the "wormhole sales" and "wormholes" in game channel.

(edit : links to the two listings added)

Industrialists and Miners rejoice

Yesterday; a massive fight happened.  Reports of 800B ISK in damage.

I know the Eve economy is large; there are lots of ships, fittings, ammo and drones; ore, minerals and PI laying around in hangers.

But reports of 10% of players being involved; regardless of the initial incident being staged or not;  this will take effort to rebuild.  Even if it was staged; players have the sniff of blood; and are looking for a fight.

The drums of war are beating.  Now is the time for industrialists to make ISK.

According to a corp mate delivering stuff for me: Jita was so crowded after fight yesterday that "officials closed the gates"  will have to try later.  I didn't even know such things happened.

Among other things; in PI; I will be building more Robotics (T2 Drones, T2 Fittings, Fuelblocks).  I admit this is a slightly self serving recommendation; I am currently a net consumer of these, but it's still reasonable advice.

Robotics prices Everyshore region 6 months to Jan 2013

For those interested in making ships or equipment; go have a look at what was blown up and what did the blowing up.

Jita has been absolutely crowded, if you know what pilots want; maybe use eve-central to find named T1 and haul that back to a hub.

Almost everything needs minerals, and refined ore.  Now might be the time to mine if your that way inclined.

Ships have died. Strike while the iron is hot

1 WH bookmark for sale

We have found an empty C2 wormhole system recently in our travels.


J150109 ; a C2 with a C2/Lowsec entrance, currently have a scanning toon in this WH; Available for sale as a single lowsec bookmark into this system; free of active towers. 250M

Expired : The other is J141438; a C2 with a C5/Null entrance.  If you have a PVP disposition; this is the WH for you.  If you want this; get in quick; we will not be leaving a scanning toon in here.  The entrance will close by Eve time 2013.01.26 01:00.  Available for sale as a pair of lowsec and C2 bookmarks.

This is listed on http://evescan.com/ and http://wormholesales.com/wormholes. 


If you are interested in either of the above; please leave a comment or contact/send an in game mail to DoToo Foo.

POS implementation inhibits community

A POS is OK for a small corp; 1 division per player; with the CEO sharing the first division and master wallet.

Foo Holdings is such a small corporation.  We live in a wormhole, doing PI, sites, a bit of exploration and very occasionally PVP (mostly the recipients of said activity rather than the initiator).  The corporation is open to new players, and is a significant factor keeping two of our corp members still playing the game.

However, I won't expand the corporation too much further; the compromises in providing secure storage (one player per division) are not worth it. 

As such, while I can say 'Come and join me; EVE is harsh'; I can't go to my work colleagues and real life friends and say 'I have a welcoming home for you'; some of whom are EVE's target audience (and ex players).

One only has to look at something awful to see the value of 'a welcoming home' to bring outside players into EVE (as goons).  I am not on that scale, but there are still many pilots in my position.

My wish list for POS : (TL;DR make POS access more like what already works : NPC stations)

• Removal of individual storage per building (i.e. you have a corp hanger and a large ship assembly array; why do each need individual storage?  We use our LSAA for storage)
• Station based storage similar to in 'real stations'; even if it is limited to maximum storage volume. Potentially with role based quotas.
• Role/player based segregation of ships in the ship hanger array;
• Role based access to modules.  (Bob has paid for access to refining but not research).
• Let me set 'out of corp' roles to pilots.  Later possibly allow these role based permissions to be applied to alliances and even standing (similar to access to player owned customs offices - "POCO"?).  This especially includes storage.

I am an unusual pilot.  I am yet to do a security mission; yet to shoot a rat; yet to kill a player's ship or pod.  (I have both killed and repaired POCO's).  My personal experience and needs may not reflect that of the average player. Regardless of the above, I fly WH and lowsec.  I am a builder of a small community; and will probably remain so.

Separated POS access for 7 players in a single C2 wormhole is probably enough; but I have grandiose plans of building a wormhole or lowsec based empire one day; I am already prevented from setting up the way I want to with setting up a PVP corporate wing in the extended group (alliance?); they would need their own POS, with the expense that goes with that : more segregation.

As an aside; a POS anchored 'look at my achievements' billboard (similar to those billboards already floating around space) would attract the attention of many players, and would drive community participation.  Not my personal preference; but I have seen entire guilds driven by these activities in that other game.

A POS is player housing with a purpose, badly implemented.  I accept that a POS revamp seems like a feature that will not directly drive new players.  However, POS as it is today, drives segregation of players, encouraging isolationist play rather than combined communities.  But it is community play that holds players far longer than game content would otherwise allow.

The question is for CCP (and the rest of us) is one of opportunity cost: Given a limited set of resources; will EVE gain/retain more players out of a POS revamp; or out of another feature?

The advantage (and disadvantage) that an MMO has over a single (or few) player games is community. 

New players will not benefit directly from a POS revamp; but they might be brought into the game by
community builders who have tools to build their community the way they want.

One day, a space trader/pirate MMO will be implemented with "community housing" done right; providing community building players the tools they need.  It would include player trophy/achievement boards and infrastructure. Community housing would preferably be the 'go to' place for this infrastructure: building; research; defence; storage. Player POCO's are a very small scale version of this infrastructure. 

I do have some hope based on this CCP Seagull forum post, but bittervet is a term I came across first in Eve.  Looking at historical blogs and forum posts, POS implementation is something that has been bothering players as long as their have been POS.

In and of itself; any kind of "community housing" is not a solution.  That said, the game that does "community housing" properly, whether it is EVE or another one; will have a significant advantage.

A brush with Fweddit

After my most recent ship loss; I decided it really was time that I purchased some jump clones.

Yes, I could sign up to a corp that has the required standing and then sign out again; but in some things I am 'do it yourself' rather than hire it out.  That, plus my chosen lowsec bordering base has AFK'able distribution missions available; and the standing will also help with reducing taxes.

Well, I was given a lowsec distribution mission.  Stuff it; I have a Viator; it'll be alright.  (yes; my lost then found Viator)

I warp into system; gate is clear.  Cloak anyway and dock at station.  Bless it.  How many reds do I count?  3? 4?  Mild moment of panic as I wait to dock and start clicking on tanking modules.  Docked? fine.

Now; I spend most of my time in a wormhole; and often forget about local.  This time I check.  It's alright; they will be gone in a little while.  The last time I was here, it was a largely empty system; but that was months ago.

Umm.  Nearly 30 in local.  In lowsec.  mmm.  So; they are all in station?  Guests in station is about 10.  There are other stations; they might be there?

It's bed time anyway; so log off; go to sleep.  Wake up. Now 45  in local, still only a few in station.  Almost everyone is in the Amarr Milita; Almost every one is in Fweddit.  I have missed a blog in my travels.   http://themittani.com/news/fweddit-deploys-egghelende.  Oh fancy that; I am in Egghelende.

So; I read local.  Tears; gf; a very suspect offer to purchase undock rights.  Nope; not poking my head out of here just yet.

So I bring in an unskilled alt to have a look around.  I warp 100K from one planet over and dscan.  (By the way; I love the new camera tracking on selected items; makes dscan much easier).  Is that 8 wrecks I count; and an active hurricane? 

Still on alt; warp to 100K from station; All of a sudden; 3 more ships pop out of nowhere and a long chase happens.  This alt I have is really new (well he has PI skills but apart from that blessed all); and I have afterburners instead of MWD's and the distance goes from 120k to 100k.  Ok warp out, and set up another safe point.  Oh, and new wrecks too.

What do I know about escaping a camped station?  I know how to live or die at a jump gate; and even at a wormhole; but you have to get into warp before being able to cloak.

Ok, instawarp bookmark should help.  Nope; don't have one of those.  You generally want a quiet night for that; and I don't see one.

I have a few friendly pirate acquaintances; they know something about undocking in a camped system?  Sure.  When my very negative sec status friend comes in his cloaky frigate and says 'they are fast'; I get concerned.  A few more fresh kills get posted in local.  One of the kills is a cloaky frigate but not my friend.  Bless it. 

No point in having a ship if I am too afraid to move it.  So the question is : immediately after downtime or at a different time?  My negative security status friend suggests that they are camping; and just as likely to camp immediately after downtime.

Over the time; local is now down to the low 20's so we reckon that now is as good a time as any.

Form fleet; he lines up what should be a instawarp bookmark; and we test it with my unskilled alt in a frigate; 

Undock; screen goes black;  Warp off;  No problems;  works a charm.  Immediately warp off again to a safe spot.

We wait roughly 10 minutes, rinse and repeat; but this time in my Viator.

Undock;  screen goes black;  screen stays black; snafu? Screen still is black.  As I read it my screen finally comes back; and as I read DOCK!!!, I warp to him.  I have crap reflexes.

Chirp chirp chirp chirp. 

And then warp.

Had the lock finished?  Was it the warp core stabiliser that saved me?  I don't know; and only theoretically care.  Cloak up; warp out.  Any day you get away is a good day.

I have chosen a largely pacifist way to play this game.  There are still plenty of ways to get an adrenaline fix as a low sec / wormhole pilot.

Finally; Hiya to Fweddit.  Glad I bumped into you; but I don't see myself visiting any time soon.

Stupidity is what kills you

A couple of nights ago, I stepped into a Orca for the first time.  I "borrowed" another corp member's ship; and it was fit for extended cargo and not for defense.

I took some basic precautions; ensured we had a highsec route via a C2A (neighbouring C2), and scouted the route with a 'careless' frigate; that is; a disposable frigate spending far to long sitting on wh entrances, in hopes of finding any hungry hunters.

The orca got to highsec easy enough; dumped it's cargo of high volume PI mats into the nearest highsec station and then returned.  (As an aside, why is it that B274 wormholes never seem to end up in a system with NPC stations?)

On the way back; nothing in local in the highsec system; jump into the C2A (as I have 30 or so times in an iteron); Dscan (clear); warp to the C2A's K162 (my way home); and my heart sinks.  There is a blessed Proteus sitting on the K162.

Spam 'enter wormhole'; get through without any problems.  I know the other side is clear of uncloaked ships because of my cloaked scanning frigate sitting there.

I uncloak my frigate; on the vain hopes that someone will target it rather than my Orca.

This orca had an afterburner rather than MWD; still enough to give a boost for a warp. So I align to my home POS, hit the afterburner and pray.  I hear the wormhole pulse.  Almost there.  I have one warp stabiliser fitted. I hope it's enough.  The after burner is just finishing up. 

And the warp scrambled message pops up.  Sigh.

I am mildly furious; not at the pirate but at myself.  Why the hell didn't I use the T2 cloak as soon as I came through the wormhole?

If it was a traditional lowsec gate camp that I fell into; there would have been no doubt; hit a cloak and change direction (cloak + afterburner does not make an instajump).  This pirate however was on the other side of the wh.  I have plenty of time to realise my mistake;  Orca's are a reasonable damage sink; at least in comparison to the Iteron's that I fly around.

I end up with 4 blessed ships eating away at me.  They have me well and truly stuck.  I get my frigate away; no point in losing two ships.

The Orca finally blows up.  With the exception of POCO bash events; this is longest lasting 'encounter' I have been subject to. 

I also get my pod clear.  I know I was quick to warp out, but did not expect that I would be clear of all 4 raiders.  Some good news at least.

I don't enjoy losing ships; but I especially do not like losing expensive ships to mistakes that I know not to make.

As a distraction from my sorrows at losing a ship; I downloaded FTL .  Good game; very addictive.  And you will lose a lot of ships there too.

Now, back to resetting those PI planets to pay for that Orca.