Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Crossroads

I don't know what this great thing I'm meant to be doing is, and it looks to me as if I was supposed not to know. And I resent that, right?
--Douglas Adams

As promised, here's the options I see before me.  Fair warning, this post probably won't contain much useful information for anyone besides me, or an awful lot of redeeming entertainment value for that matter.  Except of course that you'll be treated to my "unique" writing style...yay?  If you haven't read that earlier post yet, you need to.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.


Back?  OK, good.  Let's continue.

There's lots to do in EVE Online.  In fact, one of the very first things I was ever introduced to was the EVE Careers Guide.  If you're unfamiliar with it, it's basically a breakdown of a very large number of things to do in EVE.  It's a little dated now, lacking some activities introduced in the last couple of years, but it's also probably the most impressive use of the PDF format I've ever seen and is definitely worth the read.  More recently there was The Flowchart.  While much more up-to-date, it doesn't go into the same level of detail, but is certainly a good reference at a glance.

Thankfully, I'm not really presented with that many different choices.  Finding myself enjoying the Ship on Ship variety of EVE PvP, combined with previous experience in Nullsec and a very negative Security Status, my options of somewhat simplified.  I began to see the options before me as approaching a crossroads and, because I love torturing metaphors, that's how I'll be presenting it to you.

The Way I Came

The most obvious, and arguably simplest, choice would be to go back from whence I came.  By that, I mean to simply find another Lowsec Pirate Corp and keep ransoming anything I can find.  As discussed in my last post, this was also my initial gut reaction.  After exploring the options that were immediately present down this path, I've found it's not quite as simple as my gut would've led me to believe.

It also has the arguable drawback of being something I've already done.  Don't get me wrong here, I love Piracy to death, but perhaps this opportunity for change should be seized upon and a change is in order.  Maybe not a complete abandonment of Piracy, but at least some tweaking on my current formula.

A Hard Left

I guess to any discussion of where I've really come from wouldn't be complete without Highsec.  Of course, I started here, although I only spent a few weeks in it, but going back presents other potential for PvP.  There is however a rather large roadblock in place.  Namely, my aforementioned Sec Status.

With a current negative nine-point-something the NPC Navy doesn't take too kindly to me entering Highsec at the moment.  While I know others have repaired their Sec Status in a marathon afternoon, by all accounts it was an extremely painful experience.  As someone who was pretty burnt out on shooting NPCs the first time I tried it, I don't really relish the thought of being forced into doing it again.  This puts a number of activities that I'd like to try, such as Mercenary work or Ninja Salvaging somewhat out of my immediate reach.  There'd need to be some pretty compelling reasons for me to put myself through that kind of torture just for highsec access.

The Right Way

Maybe a bit too broad of a category, but I'm going to lump all the other forms of PvP I could start immediately into this section.  That includes such activities as joining a Sovereign Nullsec alliance, having a go at NPC Nullsec, and Lowsec Factional Warfare.  I may be doing them all a disservice by lumping them together, but since my knowledge of each of them individually is quite limited, that's where they're going.

Through my casual following of Sov Warfare lately, it seems like I might just find a use for polishing off my Russian.  (Side-note: I took Russian in Highschool.  Yes, it was offered in Public Schools here.  No, I didn't think it was odd at the time.  Yes, everyone has pointed out that it's very unusual since then.)  Honestly though, I'm not really set up to be a Nullsec PvPer.  I may fly a mean Assault Frigate, but I haven't seen an awful lot of fleets where Assault Ships V is going to help me.  My focus on Lowsec Small Gang PvP has left me somewhat ill-equipped for the ships that are most popular in the world of Nullsec.  Finally, no discussion of it would be complete that all the things which turned me off to the concept originally still apply in that I'm not really thrilled with the idea of becoming just a cog in the wheel.

I still remember having the record set straight for me that NPC Nullsec is nothing like the Sov Warfare I had associated with 0.0 space.  From everything I've heard, it finds a sort of equilibrium between the Small Gangs in Lowsec and the Large Fleets in Sov Null, just with Bubbles and Bombs and...something, Oh My!  Would have been nice to have a third thing there...oh right, no gate guns.  Not very alliterative though...

Last, but-oh-who-are-we-kidding definitely least, is Factional Warfare.  Generally getting a bad rap as a completely abandoned concept from CCP, I've thought about joining FW.  One of the big appeals is that I could do it in Lowsec which I'm already accustomed to.  I could also just join the an NPC FW Corp and not have to bother with any recruiting hassles.  As I understand it, the negative aspects of FW are thus (Hopefully some kind reader will correct me if I'm totally off the mark here):

Basically, FW was created as this sort of easy way of getting into PvP.  You had a predefined Enemy, and the barrier to joining it was non-existent.  There was in fact a Golden-Age of FW shortly after the introduction where noobs in Rifters were seen duking it out all over Lowsec with the (largely pointless) goal of controlling Bunkers.  Enter the Spy.  It didn't take long for Spying to become common place and Fleets of Noobs to start running headlong into waiting Gatecamps.  At this point, everyone stopped trusting everyone and that non-existent barrier to entry was replaced by one almost impossible to overcome.  That about sums it up...I think?

From my perspective, however, I could continue to be a solo Pirate while in a FW Corporation.  All that would really change for me is that I get a Militia channel, and suddenly gate-guns wouldn't shoot me when I found someone from an opposing militia.  Also I could run missions for them or something, but I'm largely ignoring the PvE content here.

The Lonely Road Ahead

Finally, I'm considering going it alone.  Striking out in my own Corporation and just seeing how that goes.  Yeah...not much of a plan there really.  And that, in a nutshell, is the drawback.  I didn't plan on creating a Corporation of my own at this juncture in my EVE career.  It's something I've considered for a long-term goal, but I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet.

If I did do it now I'd probably follow in the footsteps of someone I have a lot of respect for, Sard Caid.  You may know him as the leader of Gunpoint Diplomacy [RANSM], an organization that has more EVE-Bloggers on board than you can shake a stick at, but it wasn't always that way.  Until last year, Sard was basically a Solo Pirate in a Tax Shelter who used to advise against being an outlaw.  The irony there still amuses me.  He did have a valid point of course, if I was to go it solo getting my Sec up to -4.9 would allow me to receive occasional backup in the way of Gate-guns.

Starting my own Corporation now would probably mean me just following a similar strategy.  Allowing myself to solo without the annoying chatter on an NPC Corp channel and allowing any eventual recruitment to just happen organically versus actively pursuing members now.  Maybe I could mix-and-match this with other concepts like forming a corporation and moving to NPC Nullsec, or Joining FW, or what have you, but I don't necessarily want to try doing too many new things at once.

Thank God He's Finished

So that's that.  The choices as I see them.  I'd love some feedback from anyone that cares to give it.  Writing all this down has sort of allowed me to analyze the options a bit better, but I still haven't settled on a decision. Hopefully I will soon though, so you can stop having to read about my inner ramblings and maybe I can share some entertaining and/or informative info in posts.  Almost forgot I used to do that, didn't ya?

Regarrrds,

FNG

10 comments:

  1. FNG

    I can tell you that's an interesting problem you find yourself in. And one that I had similar problems with recently.

    Based on those experiences I would recommend not "going it alone" Even flying solo is better when your doing it at the same time is others.

    My recommendation would be to write the Tuskers (if you meet the solo reqirements) or Gunboat and try to ask for a slot.

    If you decide that you do want to play with sovereignty (despite the fact that we roam 5-10 regularly, I don't think this is the direction you are headed) drop me a line.

    /US

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  2. I have good news, Tacklers are needed in almost every single 0.0 fleet. They serve a few key roles: scouting, tackling, get warp-ins, get warp-arounds, camp gates while the main blob goes to work on structures, and anti-bomber anti inty support. In my time in 0.0 (about 7 months) I've seen only one fleet that didn't need tacklers, and it was a SUPER fast moving Sniper HAC fleet with no intent to pin anything down, just alpha strike and move.

    I don't have any real experience with NPC 0.0, but I've been on the bad-guy end enough to know that it's generally a bad proposition for a corp/alliance to move there. I don't know how this would work for a solo pirate though.

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  3. Just to clarify mate - the Tuskers are no longer actively recruiting yet all applications put forward are considered and processed.

    Providing you put forward a quality application (which I'm sure you would) then it would be under serious consideration for the Tuskers.

    All the best with your travels.

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  4. Hey mate, I've always wanted to post on your blog but never wanted to log into an account of any kind. But now, you've forced my hand.

    I think you do have a very interesting dilemma on your hands. Change can be a good thing and perhaps the life of a high sec griefer or nullsec soldier is the thing for you.

    But, if you're interested in pirating and not necessarily going it alone, you'd be more than welcome to come give Sinners a shot. I've got a lot of respect for you and your blog and we tend to have some pretty good times. You don't know us - but, you never know anyone until you meet them :P

    At any rate, best of luck to you man wherever you end up. Just don't let the blog die!

    -Marc Scaurus

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  5. Word from the wise: I am currently in a solo corp of my own. If I weren't in so many public channels with many people to talk to, I would go insane from boredom.

    So do not do that option.

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  6. G'day, I look forward to hearing how you decide to go ahead. I have a similar issue as yourself, I have only been playing for about 6 months but I really enjoy the small ship PVP but its almost impossible to find a good pirate corp in the Australian time zone.

    What is working for me at the moment is signing on with Red vs Blue, as they are a good bunch of guys to chat to and If I can't be bothered going for a roam by myself there is always some good PVP action in one of the two home systems.

    http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Red_Vs_Blue_(RvB)

    But if you decide to go it alone and find yourself playing in the hours immediately after down time let me know and ill come join you :)

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  7. Well, I did the whole one-man-corp thing, albeit at a point when I had far less experience than you do now, and I would not want to go back.

    At the time it seemed fine, but it just pales in comparison to being in a good corp.

    As Kishin has pointed out, the "open" and "closed" recruitment is often not as clearcut as it sounds.

    For the Tuskers, "open" recruitment means that we are actively looking for members, and that our sp requirements are relaxed for the right candidates.

    "Closed" recuitment means we are not out on the forums encouraging people to submit applications, and that any applicant that does apply MUST meet our sp requirement (in additon to our other requirements). However, an application meeting those requirements will be seriously considered.

    I suspect other corps have similar approaches; smart corps realise that the "right people" (TM) don't always turn up according to a schedule.

    As for high sec, have you been back recently? I just can't stand the crowds in local; too much time spent in low sec, I guess.

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  8. Solo offers a freedom in EVE like no other, but it takes a special kind of stupid to enjoy it and do it for as long as I have.

    Being solo doesn't mean you don't have friends, it just means you make your own rules and you can actually do what you want.

    You must do what makes you happy and you can always change your mind.

    foksieloy makes a good point, public channels are key to keeping your anity sometimes even though the subject matter sometimes will do your head in :P

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  9. General recruitment for the tuskers is closed. But any decent application gets considered. I had a quick look at your killboard and it looks like you would have the 5 required solo kills.

    Good luck where ever your journey takes you in eve.

    PS: love the blog. It's a very entertaining read.

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  10. Everything ok? You haven't posted in a while, hope you didn't give up on EvE (unmentioned fifth option).

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