Blog Banter 18: Devolution

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.

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 you 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!

I Am the Way I Am
As Kirith approaches a year old in a couple of months, not a lot has changed since I started playing. Inspired mostly by Ka Jolo's blog, this blog was started as I created Kirith. You can read back to his very beginnings on the blog if you have the time.

I have always been a pirate in Low-Sec and I cannot see that ever changing. I love the playstyle. It may sound very obvious, but with my experience under the belt I can say that you become a more successful pirate with experience, not necessarily better per-se. Situational awareness, how to spot a trap, when to ransom or Pod, when to GTFO etc. These are the things that experience develop and hone.

To date I have only flown Frigates, Assault Ships & Destroyers, not being skilled and thus able to use bigger or more widely varied ships. When I struck out with Kirith I designed "The Rifter Plan" skill training programme to fly a maximum possible skill Rifter. Afterall most of the skills I pickup have direct benefits to bigger ships & different hulls. I have stuck to this plan for the most part only going off piste to pick up Destroyers IV, Assault Ships IV, Gallente Frigate V and all relevant light drones skills to IV. There are only 18 skill levels to go now before the plan is finished, though that weighs in at another 245 days. Of course the desire for different hulls to play in is strong and so I am now interleaving skill plans in the following order of priority:

1, Minmatar Cruiser
2, Minmatar Battlecruiser
3, Minmatar Interceptor
4, Blackbird
5, Heavy Missile Drake
6, Minmatar & Caldari Stealth Bombers
7, Sabre

From the outset Kirith was going to be a solo pirate, and this is one thing that has changed. Due to a change in RL circumstances I became able to use voice comms, which meant that I could look at joining a pirate corp. There were a few options that I considered. VETO Academy, The Tuskers & M34N Corp. Having followed Jolo's blog for a long time even before I started playing EVE I knew if I was going to give Kirith a home in a pirate corp it really had to be The Tuskers. I was thrilled to be accepted, and I have not looked back since. I fly with what I can only describe as some of the most excellent pirates I have had the honour to meet in EVE.

The only other change that I can think of since Kirith was created is the creation of his support network of alts, some market traders for passive income, a probing alt, a miner and soon to be a Freighter alt. The prober proving extremely useful.

So, that's mine, what's yours?