And the Winner Is...

Ok folks, we have a slight problem.  I had a ton of entries!  While this is a GREAT THING, it also meant that I had an incredibly hard time figuring out who the Winner was going to be.  It could easily have been any of the Entries, I don't think there was a bad one in the lot.

Please bear in mind that my judgement is very much subjective.  As it's my Blog, and my ISK that's being used for the prizes, I felt like that was ok after all.  Still, I hadn't expected the numbers I got!  Due to this, the next time I put on a Poetry Contest (and I definitely intend to do this again!), I'm going to put together a panel of judges so we can get a more balanced, measured judgement.

Well, you don't care about any of that.  The finalists, in no particular order, are presented below.  If all you want to know is who won (strange for a Poetry Contest heh), then just scroll down to the bottom!  Yes, there are 4 Finalists.  Obviously, this is going to be a massively long Blog Post.  If the poem is based of an existing one, the Original Author is sited, but not quoted.  This is done for brevity.  So, here goes:


Submission by Bishop Harcourt, of DUST 514

(THE UNENDING, Original Work)

Body torn and broken,
life slipping from my grasp.

A life so newly woken,
now death's cold hand doth clasp.

The lights they fade,
as my screams do drown,

the battle's tirade
upon unhallowed ground.

I will be born again.


Submission by Webmandrill, of EvE Online

The IF of EVE (Original by Rudyard Kipling-If)
  
If you can keep your ship while all about you

Are losing theirs and it’s because of you,

If you can trust no-one and all men doubt you,

But still they let you fleece them blind anew;

If you can gank, and not be tired by ganking,

Or scam and cheat and not fall for the same,

If you can lose, and come back from your losses,

And not lose it when they say “It’s just a game.”:

If you can scheme, and scheme through to fruition,
If you can plot and counterplot and win,
If you can stand, watching an empire’s dissolution,
And know that by your actions it began;
If you can take apart the truth that’s spoken,
And craft it into traps for foolish souls,
Or feed on the scraps of hope you’ve broken,
All as the means to reach your goals:

If you can fit a tank for all occasions,

And have them waiting in the hangar when you die,
If you will fly and fight in any situation,
If you can jump, or not, and not ask why.
If you’ve felt the hand of burnout on your shoulder,

When the smooth is drowning slowly in the rough,

And another’s voice breaks through to make you bolder,

As it asks you “Can I have your stuff?”

If you know PL from Goons and that they’re different,

Or what’s a DCU and how they save your ass,

If you time your overheat unto the instant,

And salute a fallen foe to show your class,

If you can fill the unforgiving darkness,

With a universe of fire and death and fun,

Yours is the black in all it’s vastness,

And - which is more - You’ll be a frozen corpse, and cloned.


Submissions by Brenn Derrington, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original by William Carlos Williams-The Red Wheelbarrow)

so much depends

upon

a small fast

frigate

razed by hot

gunfire

beside the vast

titan.

(Untitled, Original by J.R.R. Tolkien-The Road Goes Ever On)

Space goes ever ever on,

Through that Gate where Earth may be

Black holes where once a sun has shone

Black depths where death’s awaiting me;

Beyond the wars by hatreds sown

And o’er their pilots’ gaping wounds

Past the belts of idle stone,

And a hundred thousand floating moons.

Space goes ever ever on

‘Round the cloud and burning star,

And fleets that wandering have gone

Search in vain for home afar.

Eyes that watch where Jove has been

In horror see those threats have grown

Wondering what it all may mean

As they stand guard and wait, alone.

The game goes ever on and on

Far past the gates where we began.

An unknown path its tale is on,

Though we must tell it, if we can.

Pursuing it, our eager fleets

Will clash and fight, and war is play

Where many ships and pilots meet.

And what is next? We cannot say.

Submitted by Mynxee, of EvE Online

(Untitled, Original Work)

slipping like a ghost
on pathways between the stars
signals beckon me

Thank you for ALL of the Submissions!  They were all fantastic!
 

Ok, so who are the Winners?   The Winners are...  

1st Place - Brenn Derrington!  Both of the poems submitted by this Author really seem to key in on some of the foundational experiences we have in the game.  In the first poem, both the sheer excitement and matching terror of a PvP encounter, and in the second the absolute Mystery and Wonder that we all can find within vastness of the game, no matter what we do as a 'Profession' inside of it.  Congratulations! 

Second Place -  Webmandrill!  I think that this poem really speaks to, and about, many of the things we actually encounter inside of the game directly.  Anyone who has played the game has experienced many of the things that the Authormentions in his poem.  Great job! 

Third Place - Bishop Harcourt!  Your poem, while centered on a Dusties experience of quick, sudden, repeated death, also is felt by us in EvE.  Your entry was short, abrupt, and to the point.  Your brevity, your tone, and the quick delivery of the words echoed the life-and lifespan-of a Dust Merc.  Well done!

Many other entries are worthy of Winning a Prize.  Please keep writing, and when I host the next one of these, please enter again!  All of your creativity and passion for the game we all Play is truly insipring.  Thank You for making this first incarnation of my EvE Poetry Contest a success! 

To all Winners: Please send me a mail at argosgelert@gmail.com with the Character Name in EvE you want you prizes to be contracted to.  Again, Congratulations!

Argos Gelert

PvP Fits?

A quick post before tomorrows big one with the Poetry Contest winners.

I've noticed that the most viewed Post on the Blog, other than the Contest, has been the one PvP fit that I've put up here.  I'm going to go ahead and assume that it means that people are interested in that kind of thing, so from this point onward I'll be posting at least one (1) new PvP fit each week, probably every Friday.  This may grow into something much, much more.  I'm considering simply writing a new, general guide to Frigates, Destroyers and potentially Cruisers in regards to their utility, roles, and potentially select Fits, and how they should be used in PvP.  Obviously any of the information contained within would be my opinion, and not necessarily the general consensus (or even the best options).  We'll see how inspired I happen to get once I start this project.

A.G.

I Love EvE, but EvE Doesn't Matter

Lately, I've been writing a bit of EvE inspired poetry.  I don't know who it was in my Alliance that really started it all, but I'm blaming Soro for having such an awesome parody of a Robert Burns poem.

During a rare moment of respite at work, I jotted down a few lines of another poem-a very rough draft-that won't be shown until after my Poetry Contest has finished up.  While working on it, I had a thought.  Does EvE really matter?  Now, hold on, don't go all crazy on me!  I know there are differing sides, the whole tongue-in-cheek (though sometimes seriously taken) 'EvE is Real', right along side the 'EvE is just a game everyone!'.  I actually agree with both, to a certain degree.

As a part-time PvPer, I realize that KillBoards are used by many people to judge 'how good we are' at playing.  Don't get me wrong, I like seeing my KB in the green, but that's not really why I play.  At the end of the day, I don't really care if it's positive or negative, because it doesn't really matter.  I play to have fun.  That might seem overly simple, but it really is that basic for me.  If I didn't have fun playing EvE, guess what?  I wouldn't play!  Mind-blowing, ain't it?

The way I look at it, if I get to the point where I obsess over my KB, get angry and dwell on my losses, take things out of game, or think that someone is 'bad at EvE' or that I'm 'better than they are' because their KillBoard is better than mine, then I need to take a deep breath, step back, and honestly take a break from playing.  Why should I let a game effect the way I view myself (be it self-esteem/self-worth or anything else), get me so angry I lose my temper, or say/do things I regret?  Basically, if I let something I do in-game negatively effect me in the real world, then there is a problem!

So, is EvE 'Real' then?  YES!  Why do I say that if I just wrote that it's just a game, and I shouldn't let it effect me in the Real World?  Simple.  The game, even though I love playing and intend to do so for months, years and maybe more, isn't real.  The people behind the screens ARE.  I've met some amazing people both in-game and at Player Meets.  Many of them I consider to be real-life friends, even if we've never met in real-life.  Many times we talk about what's going on IRL with us, the birth of a child, the problems at work.  Sometimes we confide in each other.  We ask for advice.  Much of what we get out of EvE, it seems, isn't about EvE at all.  It's about living, and life.  EvE brings people together, and that is what makes EvE 'Real'.  Without it, most of us would never have gotten to know one another.  We'd never have had MeetUps, FanFest, or any of these great an wonderful Events that get us out of our houses, into the Real World, and interacting with genuine, wonderful people.

So Eve doesn't really matter... but we have plenty of reasons to Love EvE.

A.G.

Blobs, BLOBS!

The other day I was roaming with a friend of mine, me in a Jaguar (my first time flying one in PvP!) and him in a Svipul.  We figured we'd do some dual roaming and see if we could find anything decent.  We got a few kills, but then?  Then, we actually found another Svipul on D-Scan.  Score!  I warped in first to try and tackle the guy, but he managed to warp off and escape before I could land point.  As we were preparing to warp out ourselves however, this happened: https://zkillboard.com/kill/45283806/ . I'll admit; this pilot took us completely by surprise.  While we had initially seen him on D-Scan, we never imagined he'd warp to us!  We pointed him as soon as we noticed him land on the field, and he of course died.  Then, he promptly accused of us blobbing him.  He went on quite a nice little rant.  I was honestly taken aback at this.  We were only dual roaming so I hadn't considered us a 'blob', and he was the one who warped into us-we weren't even hunting him at the time!  What I found most amusing is that shortly thereafter, he did this to an Alliance mate of mine: https://zkillboard.com/kill/45283970/ .  He apparently had a problem when he warped into two of us and died, but he also apparently had ZERO problem with participating in a 6 v 1 on another pilot.

I don't bring this up to shame any party-in fact, I bring it up to ask a question.  Why are people so adverse to blobbing when it happens to them, but then are apparently so willing to do it others?

Honestly, I think it's a fairly simple explanation.  Many people in LowSec prefer 1 v 1's.  The problem is, most people have gotten to the point that they expect their 1v1 to turn into them getting slaughtered by 3-5 other people that warp into the fight.  That, or for their opponent to be linked, or be using 1 billion+ ISK implants, or using drugs etc. etc. etc.  People don't expect a fight to be 'fair' or 'even' anymore (if there was ever really such a thing in EvE-something that I personally doubt).  They figure that if they are getting blobbed, why should they feel bad when they do it to others?  It's the rationale that 'everyone else is doing it'.

I'm not here to say 'everyone stop blobbing and it'll just go away'.  I don't believe that.  For every pilot that wants to 1 v 1, there are at least as many that want kills so badly they'll 30 v 1 if they have to as long as they get a 'kill' and don't lose their ship.  It's all about 'fear of loss' after all, and we as humans, inside game and out, are programmed to do what is necessary to avoid that.  To expect us to completely drop that instinct just because we are playing a game isn't realistic.  What I am saying is that as far as blobs go, we all just need to stop getting upset by it when it happens to us.  If you play enough, and undock and fight enough, guess what?  For every 6 v 1 you die to, you'll probably get in on a 3 or 4 v 1 kill.  Your kills will probably, eventually, even out. 

While we always try to post 'gf' in Local, we rarely ever get a 'fair' fight, as the idea of a 'fair fight' is mostly an illusion.  It doesn't really exist.  We all analyse our target before we even warp to them, trying to figure our chances of winning based on experience.  What can our ship do?  What can theirs do?  How is mine fit?  How is theirs likely fit?  It's a gamble, a chance, and that's the part that can be exhilarating.  The person on the other side of our warp is probably doing the same things!  One of us fails in our analysis, tactics or piloting and unless the fight ends in a draw, is destroyed.  We enter fights with the intent on killing another players ship while not losing our own.  In combat, despite what people might wish, there are no 'Rules'.  Almost everyone has blobbed before, just as almost everyone has been blobbed.

The point of this post?  I suppose it's simply to say that accusing each other doesn't do any good.  We are with very few exceptions, all equally guilty!  My advice?  Go for the next fight without hesitation, learn from each engagement, don't get discouraged, and above all Keep Flying!

A.G.

Poetry Contest

Hello All!

Recently, A Band Apart has been sharing EvE related Poetry on our Forums.  Strange, I know.  Awesome, absolutely!  I wrote one which is posted here, and have also done a few others which will, in due course, also be posted.  Well, that's not the point of this post.  What is it?  Well, the Title says it all!

After working on my last poem (which I'm still not happy with-I'm not perfectly happy with the one I already posted, so this one I want to get a bit better before it gets put on here), I thought 'Why isn't there an EvE Poetry Contest'?  Well, for all I know there IS.  I know there was a standard writing contest, after all.  However, since I'm not aware of it, assuming it even exists, I'm holding one of my own.  Why the hell not, right?

Initially I thought that I'd offer this just to A Band Apart.  However, there really isn't any reason not to open it up to all of New Eden.  I'm not very well known, however, so even though I intend to post this on Twitter as well, maybe we'll just get ABA members only anyway.

So anyhow, rules.

RULES (I hate rules):

1.  Write, in English, an EvE inspired Poem.  It can either be wholly original, or based off an existing poem.  If it's based off an existing poem, however, please copy the original, along with the author.

2.  Send it to argosgelert@gmail.com before March 27th, 2015 with your in-game Character name

That's it!   I'll read the submissions, and make a decision on Winner, Place and Show.  For you normal folks, that's 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Why do this?  EASY!  It'll take only as much or as little of your time as you'd like, and there are PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES!

1st Place - 1 PLEX

2nd Place - 250mill ISK + Pirate Cruiser of my choice

3rd Place - 100mill ISK + Pirate Frigate of my choice

Winners will be Announced on the Blog on March 31st, 2015 along with the text of all winning entries, and all Prizes will be Contracted either in Jita or Amarr, except ISK which of course will be put into the wallet of the Character name you submitted with your entry.

If you want to donate prizes, feel free to do so.  I'll add it to the prize-pool that I'm already paying out on a scaled pay progression.

Ok, that's it!  I've rambled on far too long, so GET WRITING AND SUBMITTING!  YES THAT MEANS YOU!!!

A.G.

'A Fight'

Below is a bit of EvE Poetry, written, quite badly, by me.  Apologies for the lack of proper composition heh.

'A Fight'

D-Scan shows my target,

Lone Atron drifting, drifting.

A faint hum sounds in my pod,

Engines fire the gate and I approach.

Alarm! Alarm!

A Huginn, quiet, stealthy,

Invisible.

A trap, and I have fallen.

In my pod I feel it all;

Shields fail with a flicker,

Armor sheds itself like

Layers of skin flaking away in a sandstorm.

Fire, fire,

It burns, but only in my mind.

Hull is rupturing, and I know

I am lost.

My pod seems to float,

And a soothing blue light envelopes me.

A flash, and for a moment I feel cold;

Then nothing.

I am blind,

Except for black, and the Darkness.

It passes in an instant;

I open my eyes, and I live.

A.G.

Fit-of-the-Week, 2015-03-05

So this is the first of my 'Fit-of-the-Week' posts.  This won't likely be a weekly thing, if I'm going to be honest.  It will come in fits and starts, a post here, a post there, and maybe a whole ton of them all at once.  Who knows.

Anyhow, some people will wonder whether or not it is smart to post fits that you use, especially ones that you use yourself in PvP.  To that I say, well, anyone can look up my KB and see what ships I die in, and the fits that I died in.  I'd rather help people fly new, exciting, and EFFECTIVE fits than try to keep the air of mystery around what I fly, and how.  That, and let's be honest here: I don't exactly have a massive Blog-Reading audience here hahaha!  Anyway, on to the first fit.

Let's be clear about this as well: I don't EFT or Pyfa (I know, GASP), so all of my fits?  They are theory-crafted in-game and are found to be effective by actual in-game experience.  As I don't do EFT or Pyfa, I won't run numbers for you, I'll just tell you how I fly it and how it works.

Scram-Kite Tristan

Highslots:
150mm Railgun II
150mm Railgun II

Midslots:
Warp Scrambler II
Stasis Webifier II
1MN Afterburner II

Lowslots:
Damage Control Unit II
Adaptive Nano-Plating II
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer

Rigs:
2x Small Auxilary Nano Pumps I
1x Small Anti-Explosive Pump I

Drones:
5x Hobgoblin II's
3x Acolyte II's


This fit was specifically built to kill close-in Brawlers, as well as Neuting-Tristans.  Don't forget to set your rep to NOT reload paste automatically (and also to load it in the first place).  Make sure you overheat your rep as well when you use it for the extra reps and the extra cycle speed. 

The Hobs are your Max-DPS option once your target is scrammed and webbed.  The Acolytes are used against any ship you think is Shield-Tanked, and against any kiters you might face.  As kiters tend to be Shield-Tanked, this can be quite helpful. 

Typically with this ship your goal is to fly between 7-9km out.  You can either try to orbit at range (usually around 7km), and use keep at range (set at 30km to draw you away) and approach as needed, or you can also manually pilot as well, which is what I do.  Use whichever technique you feel most comfortable with.  Also, if a target gets close to 9km out, make sure to overheat your point and web until you draw them back in!

Don't forget about your Railguns!  These aren't your main DPS makers, but they are important.  Use Javelin as it will hit nicely in scram-kite range, and has bonuses to tracking as well!  Carry some Spike as well to give extra DPS against someone who is kiting you (along with your Acolytes).

This is a great little fit, and one that is very effective at 1v1 PvP, or in small gangs as well.  Make sure your drones skills are up to par-T2 drones are a MUST with any Tristan fit.  I hope you can use this ship to go out and have fun, and hopefully get a few kills in it-I have killed more ships with this Fit than any other Ship or Fit, over any of my characters.

Good Luck!
 
A.G.

For Posterity

I'm changing Argos' Bio in-game shortly.  While this doesn't matter to most people (including me, to a certain extent), I am putting his old Bio on this here Blog so I can have it saved for the future.  That's it.

Corporation Pub Channel: EVEOGANDA

Corps. Diplomat for Stay Frosty.

Standard Stuff:

*  I do not usually do Agreed Upon 1v1's however if I agree to one it will ALWAYS be honored on my side.
*  I do not engage in duels.  If you want to PvP, risk shooting me in HighSec or just hunt me down in Low or Null.
*  I rarely ransom people, but if I do, it will be honored.
*  Link and Drug Free - Just Say No

Call me an Anarchist or simply an Evil Capsuleer if you wish.  You can insist that I am wrong for letting morals slide for easy pay and pleasure.  Condemn me if you will, but while I slip into my cabin with 10 mill ISK a shot whiskey served to me by a lovely Amarrian Slave Girl, you will be floating in a rusted out Rifter with second hand guns, all because you still cling to the quaint notion of 'Playing by the Rules'.

This is New Eden, not the Old 'Earth' of Legend.  The Rules are what we make them.

[19:37:57] Joffy Aulx-Gao > Dead playboy girls are still playboy girls