EVE Time is still very limited

The Rubicon 1.1 update was released with a 1.1GB patch file. This took an annoying 40 plus minutes to download and apply. I’m not sure if it is my location or my ISP throttling traffic, but ever since CCP went with a P2P approach to distribute their patch files the whole process has been extra slow.

Within 60 seconds of logging in I picked up the station sound volumes were messed up, and standings were not showing up in local. A little while later I noticed searching the market was 3-5 times slower. I’m not sure how such things get through testing.

I have still to read most of the Patch Notes. I did check out the BPO of the new and extra deployable structures, but ended up not buying any. I don’t really see a situation where I would need to build any for myself, and I am not sure there would be much of a market for them in my little area of Empire.

I also undocked and flew around a couple of the stations in my home system to check out the changes to their appearances. Nothing to write home about individually, but it adds polish to the overall look of the game.

I hope I don’t see one of those new Capital wrecks. Given I play solo – if I see such a wreck it will most likely be one of mine.

Otherwise I have been selling off a small proportion of my “To Sell” container. I also spent some time double checking where the re-cloak delay time was (a Ship Stat), and where the targeting delay after de-cloaking was taken from (a module stat but can be impacted by the ship).

The household should get into more of a pattern next week when the youngest starts Kinder, so hopefully I can do a little more in game after that.

Well they wanted the servers not to crash

For many hours now I have been watching with morbid fascination the massive, very long running and still on going Super Cap battle in EVE.  50+ Titans destroyed so far, which is mind-numbing when you really think about it.

http://themittani.com/news/breaking-massive-supercap-battle-br-5

http://www.twitch.tv/nick_fuzzeh

http://www.twitch.tv/dobbb

 

 

 

Castles in the sky

I started back at work two weeks ago, and haven’t managed to undock in EVE since. I’ve just logged in once a day to check I haven’t had a war declared against me and to make the occasional skill queue change.

The likelihood of war is remote, but I checked daily when I had a POS up, and I check daily now I have POCO.

Work has been solidly busy, but my absence from EVE relates more to the kids. The youngest has finished up at Childcare and is at home waiting for Kinder to start, and the oldest is on School Holidays. Having both at home together is much harder work than one or the other. While they have been better behaved than expected, the interruptions and distractions mean my work days tend to stretch well into the evenings, leaving no time for EVE.

Instead I’ve been spending more time playing Minecraft than usual. It is easier to pick up and put down in short sessions, plus the kids love the game and are entertained for hours by checking out copies of my world or chatting to me about it.

Today however I plan to undock.

You can’t do this playing Solo

Interesting reading…

http://tagn.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/the-malthusian-trap-of-hed-gp/

On one hand hats off to CCP.  Some 4,000 players apparently trying to fight and the node did not die.

Against that, the node not dying resulted in a situation that was unplayable for many of the participants.  That is no fun at all.

So where does CCP go from here?  Do they look at Drones to reduce some of the server work?  Do they look at a mechanism that freezes the system when x number of players are on grid, splits the grid and moves half the players on to a new node, then restarts?  Do they simply restrict the number of people who can be on any one Grid in game?  Do they limit how many people can use one Cyno?  Do they change the Sov mechanisms so that these sorts of battles will no longer influence it?  And how do they do all this without making it easier for smart players to game the situation, or have it seem so contrived that the game loses its immersion factor.

No idea what the answer is, but I know the players are pushing CCP into a situation where they are going to have to try something new to help the situation.

Skilled Up

Just a quick one – I think I mentioned this a while back, but here’s the image.

You can tell what part of the game I am enjoying the most at the moment.

I also have Covert Ops V and the Electronic Subsystem skills to V for Amarr, Caldari and Minmatar, so I can also maximise ship scanning bonuses.

Actually I have always liked the cloaky / scouting / exploration aspect of the game.  I picked up Cloaking V just the other day to go with Recon Ships V.

Day 8 – Sightseeing

I am not a true Wormhole Day tripper in the sense most people use the term. I am not running sites, sucking gas or ore, or focused on hunting others. I am just quietly slipping from one system to another, seeing where my travels might take me. I’m a tourist without an itinerary.

The concept is still to end up losing my Ship, but I am enjoying the randomness of the sessions. I am also finding that I am improving my piloting. Never underestimate the value of spending time in dangerous space to hone your skills. My probing is quite literally twice as fast (turned out I was nowhere near aggressive enough), my bookmark management far more streamlined, and I am using D-Scan with far more finesse. Adequate is ok for Empire space, not so much elsewhere.

[Kor-Azor]
Mora – 1 (WH)

It is a couple days later and I am back. I undock and in two scans I have bookmarked the only signature in the system, which turns out to be a wormhole into unknown space. With barely a thought I jump through, forgetting that I should be feeling some trepidation.

It doesn’t look scary at all

J100211 – 2 + 1 + 1 (WH to C3, WH to unknown, Gas)

D-Scan takes on a familiar look – Russian ships with graphics in their name. I notice no POS on scan, so I change my overview to the correct tab.

I make use of http://www.staticmapper.com/index.php and see this is a C1 with a static to Hi-Sec. I spend a few minutes finding the online and offline POS, although have a heart attack when I pull up just 3,100m from a battery when warping into the last POS at VI M6. It holds all the ships, which are all unpiloted. I slink away still cloaked.

As I start to scan the interface blips with the arrival of a new signature. This sees me revisiting an area in space with my probes. After 8 scans I have 2 unexplored wormholes (one which just turned up) and a pocket of Gas. I also have someone else’s Probes on scan. I figure they have come in from the fresh hole,  I bounce around the system working out what the probes are focused on, and figure they are actually on the new hole.  Playing with D-Scan shows they are spread about, so maybe the user didn’t come this way.

By varying D-Scan further I come to the conclusion the probes are not moving – and they stay that way over the new hole for an inordinate amount of time. Finally, long past the point where I have grown bored, they disappear.

I ponder if the other play was playing mind games, leaving said observer second guessing what was going on.  More likely they were just distracted, or maybe they were just not that good at scanning.  An Imicus frigate warps in at 100km from the hole and immediately cloaks.  Thanks to the ships name I know it is a local.

After a while the frigate de-cloaks and warps away.  I take the opportunity to warp down from my perch and go look at what was on the other side of the wormhole.

J101048 – 1 + 1 (WH to Low Sec)

This is a large system with a probable Low Sec Static. There are 3 areas where POS could be. I warp around to find lots of POS weapons in the first area but no POS, nothing in the second area, and an online POS with Ares, Helios and Noctis in the third.

There were an annoying 26 moons around the planet, and it takes a few minutes on D-Scan to narrow the location down to VI M21. I warp to Moon 17 and then in on Moon 21 to change my approach angle. Unexpectedly all the ships are piloted.

I watch for a short while, but given how empty the system is I decide to scan down the second Signature. I have a vague recollection that I could do this outside of scan range of the POS. 3 Scans later (should have done that in two) I am sitting off a Wormhole that I am guessing leads to Domain.

[Genesis]
Anara – 2 + 1 (Combat, Combat)

My guess is wrong. I’m in Genesis, although not near the Low Sec area I Operate around. I notice the system has a gate to Sharza. Why does that name sound familiar? I’m pretty sure there is a system with a similar name I used to spend time in, possibly in low sec.

There is a Pirate in system flying a Curse, but after a short while I am left alone. 5 scans later I find 2 combat sites, one which was quite tough to find. The Pirate returns and warps around, and with no Wormholes to explore I take the opportunity when the gate is clear to move over to the next system.

Sharza – 3 (WH to unknown, Relic, WH to Null)

There are two in system, both pirates, neither near the gate. I launch probes and in 5 scans have two wormholes (Unknown and Null) and a Relic Site. I also notice a Navy Slicer and Tengu on D-Scan at various points in time.

[Cache]
TPG-DD – 1

I check out the Null Sec hole first.  It is more Russian space, and with only the inbound signature, I step back into Sharza.

Sharza

The Pirate from Anara is now in system with his Curse. Busy little bees these guys are. I warp over and check out the second wormhole.

J124654 – 5+1 (WH to C5, WH to Low, Gas, Gas, Relic)

This wormhole has a possible Low Sec Static – which seems to make sense. I can see a Capsule on scan, so there is life, plus a venture, 3 towers and 2 force fields. I identify all the POS, plus another one out of initial D-Scan range. The POS holding the Capsule and manned Venture was on a planet with 19 moons. I started at 19 and worked my way down with D-Scan (since most POS seem to be parked at the higher numbers). The POS was at moon 4. I think I need to halve and then quarter space with D-Scan to cut the number of moons to focus scan on.

I bookmark both Ore sites in system and watch points over the POS, but the pilots do nothing of interest while I watch. I have spent a whole lot of time preparing for and then watching people not doing anything in wormholes.

After a while I notice on D-Scan that the venture has gone, then the POD, replaced by a Prowler. I warp back to the POS to check up on what is happening.

I then get a phone call from the Computer Maintenance Department wanting to talk to the Computer user. I say I don’t own a computer and just use a Smartphone. They sound confused and then hang up.

I look back at EVE to see the Prowler has continued to do nothing.

Then I have a short SMS conversation with my wife, who is down visiting her sister with our kids. (The reason I am able to be in WH space today).

I look back at EVE afterwards to see the Prowler has continued to do nothing.

Wormhole dwellers seem to do a whole lot of sitting around doing nothing.

Finally I give up and probe instead. It takes 13 scans due to how spread out the sites were and one very hard to find Relic site. I have a choice of a C5 Wormhole, or a Low Sec Wormhole.  I don’t much fancy the C5, so I head to the new Low Sec hole.

[Metropolis]
Uisper – 6+1 (Combat, WH to Low, WH to Unknown, Combat, Combat, Combat)

The wormhole looks very red – I presume it goes to Minmatar space. There are two other pilots in system when I step into Uisper, although one leaves shortly after. I waste no time and in 9 scans have 2 Wormholes and 4 combat sites.

I’ve just about had enough so want to find some place safe to dock up if possible. I check out the new Low Sec Link.

[Genesis]
New Eden – 3 + 1 (WH to unknown, Combat, Combat)

I’m back in Genesis low sec again.  It takes me a couple minutes to realise where I am – it is the system where man first arrived from Earth. Ok – that is cool, and is the exact reason I am doing the Wormhole tourist thing. You never know where you are going to end up.

The EVE Gate

I scan down a Wormhole to unknown and 2 combat sites, but decide I am just going to log off here at a safe.

Latest Trip Count – 9 sessions, 34 Empire Systems, 66 Wormholes, 4 Null Systems,5 Low Sec System, 1 kill

Day 7 – Empty C1

(I’ve been back at work for a week and my time off feels long forgotten. It has been surprisingly busy. Here’s the next installment of my wormhole stumbling’s, which happened a while back.)

I often use the Asset List whenever I am setting the Navigation computer to point me towards home. When I do this I tend to notice Palas in the list, and am reminded that my Wormhole Loki is sitting there. This happened again while I was flying the Astero to my Low Sec Base, and I remembered my original goal to do some Wormhole day tripping while on holidays.

[Khanid]
Palas – 0

I’m back in the long, rough edged hull of the Loki.  I have not spent much time in Khanid – but as I undock it looks like I will spent a little longer than expected as there are no Signatures to scan down.  I gate across to the next system.

 

Reteka – 4 (WH C5, WH, Data, WH)

There are combat probes out already in this system. It takes 11 scans and two interruptions from my son, but I end up with 3 Wormholes to Unknown space and one Data site.  The last of Wormholes was difficult to find, so I assume it might be to one of the tougher ones and arbitrarily pick one of the others.

 

J154906 – Who cares?

It is a C5, with two Archon, a Moros and a Cheetah on Scan. My thoughts on lower strength holes being to tougher holes might need some investigation. I warp to an outer planet and finding the area clear, launch probes and move them high above the system.

The system has reduced targeting, slower tracking, extra damage effects and other things I can’t understand my notes on. I notice on D-Scan that there are actually 5 distinct areas which are out of D-Scan range of each other, which seems unusual.

I see probes out on scan and decide I don’t much care to start my day in an active C5, so I return to High Sec.

 

Reteka

The combat probes are still on scan. I pick the second high strength hole to check out next. It is wobbling and looking unwell.

 

J130125 – 4+1+1 (Gas, Data, WH unknown, WH C1, WH Hi-Sec)

The new hole is a C2 with lots of ships on scan.

That certainly makes it more difficult to keep a track of hulls appearing and disappearing. I take a screen capture of the D-Scan list for my reference.  I warp around using D-Scan and find the ships, all unpiloted, at a POS on V M3. There are two other planets out of D-Scan range but one has no moons, and the other has no POS. It is at this time that I notice my inbound Wormhole has gone. I guess that means I am trapped.

A pigsty of a POS

Since things seem quiet I launch probes.  12 scans later and I have a Gas, Data, and 3 Wormhole signatures.  I keep an eye on D-Scan but the ship types do not change.  I go check the C1 first.

 

J105443 – 4+1 (Gas, Gas, WH Null, Data)

I sniff around and find the system empty, with 5 POS up without Force fields. (Nothing to loot.)  I am keeping an eye out for an empty C1 or C2 – and my mind races for a few moments as I consider the possibilities of this hole.  I launch probes and 8 scans later I have my inbound hole, 2 Gas sites, a Data site, and a wormhole to Null.

Ahhh – a static Null connection, that is why it is empty.  I check out what part of Null it is currently attached to.

 

[Catch]
Not Recorded – 1 (inbound)

I failed to record the system I jumped into, but it was AAA-Citizens Sov with no other signatures and plenty of active pilots. Since my entrance point was too easily scanned down and blocked, and I could hear the family making noises that indicated my EVE time was fast coming to an end, I return back through the empty C1, to the C2, and check out what part of High Sec it connected to.

 

[Kor-Azor]
Mora

The name of this system seems familiar. Maybe it is a training system? There is a 15 day old pilot sitting on the inbound wormhole in a catalyst, and plenty of pilots flying around on D-Scan. I simply pick a station and dock up.

Latest Trip Count –8 sessions, 34 Empire Systems, 63 Wormholes, 3 Null Systems, 1 Low Sec System, 1 kill

A Poetry Contest

I don’t really care for poetry (I think it has something to do with having to concentrate too much to read it), but Pilgrim in Exile is running a small Comp that might be worth a gander if you like such things:

http://pilgriminexile.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/plex-for-parody-poetry-contest/

 

BB 52 – Are we at the base of the Mountain, or on top of it?

BB 52 – The All Time (Weekly Average) graph for concurrent accounts logged into EVE at EVE-Offline.net shows a plateau of around 30,000 for the last four and a half years. Everything must come to an end sooner or later and that is what this blog banter is about – what’s on the other side of the plateau?

My first thought is that CCP should be congratulated for being able to keep a 10 year old game fresh and interesting enough that they have maintained a stable and viable population of active players. It seems profitable and is able to pay for a suitable level of continued development. All things remaining the same, I could see this plateau continuing for years to come.

My second thought is that all things are not likely to remain the same.

So will the trend go up or down?

CCP certainly seems to have tried increasing its player base. For what is a relatively niche, small subscription based game – it seems to be disproportionally mentioned in the media. New expansions often include improvements to the new player experience, trying to increase retention rates. They also have lead-ins such as novels and the expanded EVE franchise of Dust, with Valkyrie still to come. On the surface however that does not seem to have increased the number of people actually logged into the game.

A negative trend seems more likely. I could envision this might come from better competition or a CCP made disaster (financial, such as Dust, or player burning like Incarna). It might also be impacted by something much larger and outside of CCP’s control, such as a GFC lead economic Depression, or the implementation of Government taxes on Virtual earnings or the like.

As is often the case with Blog Banters, I was actually more interested in questions which were not asked.

Why, if the subscription base has increased every year, are we not seeing a similar increase in the average number of people logged in?

One of the more common suggestions for this is that EVE’s growth is attributed to an Army of Alts that generally do not log in as much as main Accounts do.

Is it also being influenced by an aging player base that has moved out of their parent’s basement, started a career, got married and had kids? While they can afford to pay the subscription, they simply can’t log in as much anymore?

Does it relate to game mechanic changes which mean you can get things done quicker now, and don’t need to be logged in for as long.

Might it be the existence of Faction Warfare, Red verse Blue and external communication tools like Jabber which allows people to log in, find PVP relatively quickly, and then log off?

Maybe it relates to lots of Bots no longer logging in 23.5×7?

Is the statistic itself misleading? Has CCP started to include the Subscription numbers from the Chinese Server in their media releases, which won’t be reflected in who is connected to Tranquility?

Or is it influenced by a mix of the above and more things aside? It would be interesting to know.

What can CCP do to increase the numbers that are online and active in EVE?

Simplistically they need to retain more new players and keep older players for longer, while exposing them to an engaging and growing world. That is obviously far easier said than done! It is also a topic that could fill a chain of blog posts.

I will say that I was rather pleased to see the number of new players trying to come to grips with EVE when I was mucking around with my latest Alt. The start systems were very busy. It would not surprise me if those who stayed with the game, plus extra Alt accounts, were roughly covering the loss of older players who leave.

To retain more new players I think CCP need to keep on reiterating and improving the new player experience and tutorials. Mining could have its own chain of 20+ missions. It would be nice to see a check list that is ticked off as you cover various topics. It would also be nice to have additional steps or phases available for players wanting to move out of Empire, like wading pool versions of Null or Wormhole space available in exploration Deadspace pockets. Most importantly I think CCP really need to work on the perceptions that the game is too demanding and inaccessible – that is the frightfully common response I get from people when I mention that I play EVE.

At the other end of the spectrum, how do you keep older players around for even longer? Or in reality are they already doing that as well as can be expected?

There are plenty of reasons for people to leave that CCP can’t do anything about – limited free time or money, short attention spans, changed circumstances around jobs, relationships or family. Even the failure of an in game corporation can spell the end of someone’s subscription. I guess all you can do in that regard is make it easy for them to return if they want.

The area they might be able to help with is the Bitter Vet syndrome – although that could be more difficult to address than new player retention. I think – despite some derision, the continual rebalancing and fixing small issues helps. In so many ways this is a much better game than it was when I started 7 years ago.

I’m not sure however fixing specific segments of the game over an expansion or two, or throwing in new Jesus features will work to keep the average older player around for longer. It might help the 10 to 20% of people who use that part of the game, but it leaves the other 80 to 90% frustrated. With expansions coming out twice a year, and often only focusing on one subdivision of the game, it can be years between players feeling like they have got their share of the development pie. I don’t mean that people have to be generic Wormhole / Null Sec / Pirate / Industrialists to get anywhere in the game. I mean it helps CCP if older players enjoy multiple segments of the game, so that their development work has a greater chance of impacting them positively.

Fucked if I know how you do that though.

Other posts can be found here

Malaise

A number of the blogs I follow are in a period of discontent with EVE, including

http://throughnewbeyes.com/
http://turamarths-evelife.blogspot.com.au/
http://mabricksmumblings.blogspot.com.au/
http://intellimoo.wordpress.com/

I can struggle at this time of year with EVE. The game is usually stagnant, real life is extra busy, I’m tired and run down, and I’m predisposed to reflection and review!

Reading the situation others are finding themselves in right now (without judgment or direct reflection), I noted down in my blog idea list “Why and how am I still playing EVE after 7+ years?”

The “Why” is relatively straightforward. I find the game interesting, and it is one of the mechanisms I use to get downtime. It is a distraction for 30 minutes here, two hours there, where I don’t need to be worrying or thinking about “real” issues.

The “How” is different. There are four areas I focus on which have given the game a longevity for me:

. Maintain and regularly update a list of Goals and work towards them

. Ensure I undock and do things without mind to the ISK/hour calculation

. Involve myself in the Social aspects of the game

. Appreciate the game for what it provides

I think they are all obvious – although my approach to them might be different due to my focus on solo play.

It is easy to be aimless and lost in EVE. To play long term you need focus, which means you need to have goals. These can be as minor as checking out some line in a patch note, or as grandiose as being infamous across New Eden. They can take 5 minutes or 5 years. While you are responsible for hunting down the options and working out what your goals will be, CCP needs to help out with a reasonable flow of new and changed tools and content.

Next is undocking. It may seem logical, but it is possible to log into EVE and never undock and engage directly with it. You might be organising your trading empire, or updating manufacturing queues, or contracts, or updating fits. When I catch myself in such a situation I make a point of undocking. I might mine for 10 minutes in a Venture, or run the lowest of low Anomaly, scan down a signature or go through the belts. It is of no consequence that the ISK I might generate is insignificant. I am amazed at how much content you generate by just being in space – being more aware of the pilots around you, and being available to interact with them.

You might have heard me remark once or twice that I play this game Solo. I don’t fly with other people, no one relies on me and I rely on no one else, I have no official blues, and I sit in an Alliance of just me and my alts. I do not however play this game removed from everyone else. I interact with other pilots in my game play, I follow other bloggers, I read various forums and EVE news sites – I have an idea of the EVE environment and my little place within it. This makes the game so much richer.

Last of all I appreciate the game and what it provides. I make a point of enjoying it, and reveling in all the cool things that can happen around it.

Actually, upon reflection, I basically make an effort to maintain the relationship I have with EVE.

I started dating my wife 22 year ago. Our relationship has lasted as long as it has because we have worked at it. We have joint goals that we focus on; we ensure we make time to spend with each other, we make a point of involving ourselves in and working on our relationship, and we appreciate what it provides.

Now sorry – I know that might be a little cheesy. I also request that you please don’t tell my wife that I related our relationship with my internet space ship game time. I do think however that there might be something to the concept. When there is a malaise settling in between Player and CCP, the solution might not be found in pouring over statistics and charts on how people interact with the game, but instead by speaking to a relationship counselor.

Lay of the land done

I’ve finished my bookmarking of the Low Sec systems I am going to spend time in. I flagged two more groups as Orange – one of which I had pegged as being non-hostile, until chatter in local alluded to them being blue and willing to fleet with one of the main Pirate groups.

Never underestimate the wealth of knowledge you gain just by sitting quietly in a system for an hour or two.

Actually, you see all sorts of strange things while quietly lurking. I watched a Capsuleer rating in a Typhoon Fleet Issue in a 0.4 System which is usually active with Pirates. An hour later in the same system I watched another Capsuleer using Discovery Survey Probes. I thought you couldn’t do moon mining in anything above 0.3?

With that somewhat arduous task complete I ran some sites through the area just for the hell of it, ending up with around 15M of loot.

I’m not sure about the final mix of ships I am going to use. I’m a bit spooked by how often the entrance systems are being camped. While I am going to be able to get through them most of the time, they are bound to get lucky on occasion. There are some backwater systems behind these camps which are quieter. I am considering stocking one or two of these with ships. I might even leave a jump clone there.

I did take the opportunity to use my new bookmarks to make a shortcut through the Low Sec systems and return to my base to pick up the Astero I had sitting there. I refit it and flew it back.

So – now that I am done and ready to spend some time in Low Sec, I decided to jump to my Wormhole Clone and do the day tripping I had planned to do almost a week ago!

162..

I’m down to the second last Low Sec System that I want to bookmark in the immediate area I will operate out of. I’ve made 162 bookmarks so far, on each Gate, Belt and Station, plus some safe spots and undocks.

I’ve identified the three main Pirate groups, where they operate out of, and some of their tactics and neutral Alts. I have flagged some of the better known Pirate groups that hunt the area, such as Rixx Javix’s Stay Frosty. I’m also aware of the main explorers who operate across the area at the same times I am active.

The area is busier than I had expected – both with how active the pirates are, and the competition for sites. There have also been an amazing number of lower SP characters mining and ratting – which are common fodder on the Pirate Killboards.

I’ve allowed myself to be distracted at times and ran a few Data and Relic sites. The drops have been poor so far. I’ve also kept an eye out for wormholes to known space, and visited Impass earlier this week for the first time in my career. It wasn’t very inspiring.

165..

The overly late CSM Minutes have been released

http://community.eveonline.com/news/dev-blogs/csm8-meeting-minutes-published/

Initial thoughts – they read and are laid out better than the last minutes, but are still too much in the format of “He said”, “She said”, “He said”.  While it allows people to see how each session progressed and what input each CSM member had (this was actually done very well), it bloats the document and makes it less effective at passing on information.  While I guess it means bloggers and forum warriors can write about the nuances behind their speciality topics, I think overall it makes the document too long.  It should be targeted at getting the maximum readership from the average EVE player – and to do that, it should be 70 to 80% shorter, and released within weeks.  Reading through several sections that interested me – such a reduction in size seems very achievable.

TO DO LIST

From the pointless and mundane, a list of any (and I mean any) EVE related task I’ve scribed down. Again this is just for myself. Note many come from reading release notes.

Odyssey

. Review Medium LR turrets (Rails, Beams & Artillery) [DONE]
. Review Active Tanks after Armor Repair & Shield Boost increases [DONE]
. Review new HACs and Command Ships [DONE]

Rubicon

. Revisit the fittings on the Interceptors I use as Shuttles [DONE]
. Buy Large Rapid Launcher BPO?
. Source / Stock some Siphons
. Buy and fit a number of SoE Frigates [DONE]
. Buy and fit a number of SoE Cruisers [DONE]
. Buy Small Mobile Siphon Unit BPO (10M)
. Test scanning down Mobile Structures with combat probes [PART]
. Identify the blast damage done by Ghost Sites in Hi-Sec, Low-Sec and WH. Tank for Explosive?
. Glance at the new Certificate System – anything obvious missing? [DONE]
. Test out Interceptor and Transport Ship warp times – change any standard ships? [DONE]
. Save basic fleet setups for Main and Main Alt
. Review all Exploration fit hulls – for use with mobile structure refitting service [DONE]
. Review my Sentinel Fit
. Review the fits on the various Interceptors I have [DONE]
. Review the fits on the Interdictor I have
. Review all fits using Rapid Light Missile Launchers [PART]
. Check out align option on scanned down anomolies and signitures with D-Scan [DONE]

General

. Run L4 Missions for SoE in Osmon? [PREPARED]
. Review all Clone Implant sets [PART]
. Source / Stock some Personal Hangers (is there a BPO?)
. Check what BPO I am missing
. Look into manufacturing Nanite Repair Paste
. Set up a Low Sec base of operations [PART]
. Continue Wormhole Trip
. Continue Exploration
. Continue Trade
. Keep an eye on the skills missing on the Main Toon
. Think about trying some of the other race Cosmos Sites

December Done

I post these for myself as a way of measuring and tracking what I am doing in game. While not entirely accurate, I use jEveAssets to track my rough overall financial position across all Characters and Corporations.

Game Hours & Play

It was one of my busiest Real Life months of the year, and I spent relatively little time undocked. I set up a new scanning Alt, did a handful of PI and trade updates, and a few sessions of Exploration. A reminder of why I play solo.

Characters

I have 1 Main and 8 Alt Characters. 1 Alt supports my Main, 2 are used for Industry, 2 as Scouts, 2 for Price Checking, and 1 for this blog.

Wealth

19.0B Wallets

. 5.8B Main
. 12.8B Corp

36.9B Assets

. 23.3B Main
. 6.9B Corp

Approximate Wealth
56.2B ISK (Up 1.9B)

This increase is misleading, as it includes 2 PLEX purchased during the 15% off sale to allow Dual training of my new Scanning Alt.

 

Industry / Trade Details

Minimum efforts made, with only small change earnt. I’m aware of one, possible two other bloggers I follow who are now in direct competition with me.

 

Training

Account 1 (Main) – 136M SP. Trained Astrometric Acquisition V, which has maxed out all 7 scanning skills. Picked up Afterburner V, Starbase Defense Management IV, and am currently working on Cloaking V.

Account 2 (Main Alt) – 128M SP. Covered off the PI skills to Rank IV, and trained Magnetometric and Gravimetric Sensor Compensation skills to V. Training a few random skills at the moment.

Account 3 (Industry Alt 1) – 42M SP. No Training
Account 3 (Industry Alt 2) – 13M SP. Finished off the basic Armor Tanking skills, current no Training
Account 3 (Scout Alt 1) – 14M SP. Working on some of the skills introduced over the last 12 months that were untrained

Account 3 (Scout Alt 2) – 1M SP. Trained 50 skills, 5 to Rank I, 18 to Rank II, 22 to Rank III and 5 to Rank IV.