BB42 : 2012 Community Review of EVE Online

"A gaming universe as vast and unique as EVE Online is constantly evolving and the experience is different for every participant. Conventional games review techniques cannot possibly hope to provide an accurate measure of every aspect of EVE's gameplay. However, with a community initiative like the Blog Banters, we have the resources to deliver the most thorough and up-to-date review ever.

By combining the experiences of contributors from across the EVE metasphere, we get a wealth of opinions from veterans and rookies alike. We'll be able to combine input from faction warfare specialists, wormhole residents, null-sec warriors, missioners, pirates, industrialists, roleplayers, politicians and more to paint a complete picture of the health and progress of EVE Online in its current Retribution incarnation.

Who better to review EVE Online than those who know it best?"

Was it really 362 days ago we did the 2011 review? Doesn't time fly when you're violencing important internet spaceships! I'm tempted to re-read that post. I won't. I'll try and do one from scratch. I wonder how my views have changed in that last year!

So here I go......

Eve Online : Retribution - Faction War in 2012

My review is going to concentrate on faction war with a little bit of space piracy thrown in for good yaaaarrrrr measure.

Gameplay - Faction War PvP

Player verses player in Eve Online is simply awesome. Like many games you can fit your ship (avatar) with a variety of expensive and shiny bits of gear to make killing people easier. But wait! In Eve Online, if you die, you'll probably lose it...... ALL! Yes, Eve Online is rather unforgiving and all those billions you spent kitting out your ship can be lost in an instant and those modules and weapons that survived the destruction of your ship will probably be looted from your ship by your enemy. So make your choice, cheap gear giving less performance or expensive gear which will bring a tear to your eye if you get killed! 

Not many other games make your hands shake during PvP.

Whilst PvP is part of everyday life in Eve, Faction War is seen as the easy to get into part of it. The four playable Empires are at war with the Caldari and Amarr against the Gallente and Minmatar.

Whilst I was writing this, I thought I'd undock and see if I could get a fight for some screenshots. Took me two minutes...

Faction war is about PvP, pure and simple. Yes there are complexes to capture and NPC's to shoot and missions to run. But all of these are there to provide PvP.

Now the sandbox does has its problems. Think of it like real war. Its not supposed to be fair. You might be winning in an awesome 1v1, but there is always the possibility of his mates turning up to make your 1v1 a 1v12. There are no battlefields here, no arena's, no rules. You don't have a computer sorting you into equal teams, no sorting of players to make a good battle.

Notwithstanding this, with hand-shaking 1v1's and massive fleet engagements between hundreds of ships, PvP in Eve Online is certainly...

9/10

Graphics

In days-gone-by Eve Online was known as a game that didn't need an expensive rig to play. The gameplay was king and whilst the graphics were nice, it wasn't all about the eye candy. However, those days are not really with us. Now I have friends who cannot really play Eve as their PC fails. But for the rest of us, Eve Online is beautiful!

8/10

Longevity

I played WoW (sorry), I played EverQuest, I played Star Wars Galaxies, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online. I've been playing games on PC's since Wolfenstein 3D. Not one single game has lasted anywhere near near Eve Online. Why?

Single Shard - In March I was part of a fleet that ganked a PL titan. Two weeks later I was passing groups of players talking about it at Fanfest.

Not a single game - Bit bored? Do something different. There are dozens of "careers" in Eve.

No character classes - Other MMO - "Oh what a fantastic sword. Pity I'm monk class and therefore I cannot even hold it!". Eve Online - "If I train it, I can use it!".

Community - Well, what can you say about the Eve-O community other than 'Awesome'.

CCP - OK, some times they get it wrong. But then again which game developer makes videos like...

10/10

Ease of Getting Into.

Oh dear. Now we're on a sticky wicket! Whilst the learning cliff curve has flattened out a lot, Eve is still not an easy game to get into, especially with PvP. Don't believe me? Take a week old toon in the best ship they can fly and go looking for a fight in low-sec. You need to learn the mechanics, you need to learn how to fly, you need to learn the game. But most of all, you have to wait until your character has enough skill points to compete. Yes, in every fleet a T1 frigate to act as tackle is useful. But they also assplode pretty quickly. I tried PvP several times and hated it. Finally it clicked, but my toon was almost a year old by that time and if it hadn't been for the community I'd have given up and be playing a Kung-Fu Panda somewhere! I get a lot of hits from Google with people using the phrase "Is Eve Online fun?". Yes, yes it is, but you need to give it a chance. You get back what you put into the game.

The way Eve is, it'll never be very easy to get into PvP. But perhaps that is a good thing?

4/10

Sound

Eve haz sound! Apparently in the early years the sound in Eve taxed your PC so much most had to turn it off. These days it is different. Great music, stunning effects and alarms going off right, left and centre as your important internet spaceship gets hammered from all sides. All we're missing is the screams of the dying crew!

Retribution has done a lot to improve the sound effects and music in 2012. All is good!

7/10

Overall

There really is nothing like Eve Online out there. An amazing sandbox set in a stunning sci-fi universe where your actions can resonate through the universe. The PvP is meaningful and to me that is perhaps the main difference between all the other MMOG's out there. Sweating brow, shaking hands and the euphoria when the last ship in that gang of five tried to gank you explodes to your guns! With an amazing community, amazing devs and a truely amazing game, Eve Online is hear to stay..... providing we can attract the new blood from the bottom of that learning cliff!

38/50 doesn't sound right for an awesome game, but the inaccessibly of good PvP for new players does drag it down I feel.


P.S. - Comparison to last years review. Exact same score. Spooky!

Its The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

No, not Christmas! April for Eve Online Fanfest!

Hi all. I'm back! After a shit two weeks following my mothers sudden passing I've arrived back in the Middle East and ready to get back in the saddle/cockpit. Blogging at SC&S will return to normal this weekend! There is a blog banter going on don't you know!

On the 12th of this month, fanfest tickets went up for sale as well as the IcelandAir packages for flights and hotels. The hotel I stayed at was too far to drunkenly stagger walk back from the Harpa. I didn't see many on the packages that were near enough to the Harpa for my tastes so I decided to book a hotel nearer the Harpa (and the bars, and that hotdog stand) and buy flights separate.

So I'm all booked up and ready to hit Iceland in April.

Tickets to a week of geek - 277 Great British Pounds

Hotel for 6 nights - 747 Euros

Flights to Iceland - 248 Great British Pounds

Having separate credit card so wife doesn't know I just blew over a thousand pounds on pretend internet spaceships - priceless.

Few hints from my last time there -

Buy your booze at the airport. There is a huge shop in arrival hall.

Take the bus from the airport!

Iceland is very plastic friendly. You can pay for almost anything on your card even small purchases.

It's fucking cold.

Don't plan to catch anything early in the day. If you are at the Harpa first thing, you're doing it wrong.

Apologise to your liver in advance.

Find the Celtic Cross. It's a popular Eve-O hang-out.

Find the Laundromat Cafe. It's a popular Eve-O hang-out.

Take a camera.

Take a coat, its fucking cold.

Prepare for beards.

Have a great time!

One thing new for this year is that the Iceland Symphony Orchestra will be doing a concert of Eve Online music. Seriously! Looks interesting but the Wednesday before Fanfest is for boozing! May be I'll think about it.

Active Scanners, Pleeeease.

OK I'm sort of back. Still back in the UK and have hardly been on Eve since last weekend with the sudden passing of my mother last Sunday. However, I'm starting to resurface in the real world and the virtual world. Won't be back fully until next weekend. Funeral and travel back to the Middle East are this weeks fun 'jobs'. But I did log on today for a proper roam, my first in over 8 days.

First things I start hearing is how great the Caracal and Moa are now. This makes me a happy bunny. Of all the ships in Eve Online I've always loved the Caracal model. May be it is the Klingon Warbird look. Whatever it is, I really like that ship.

On my roam I didn't get any kills and didn't die either. First fight was with one of those new Caldari destroyers. He was long range fit, I was in a short range Thrasher. Managed to burn out of point range and escape. Second fight was verses a CN Hookbill and a Tristan. Got the Hookbill into low structure before he escaped and couldn't catch the Tristan. I roamed a bit sitting in a few plexs spamming D-Scan whilst waiting for someone to enter the plex.

This clicking is annoying. Very, very annoying. And with all those crew members on my ship, WHY THE HELL AM I HAVING TO DO THIS?

Seriously, does Kirk or Picard have this problem?

"We're hit!"
"Where did they come from? Did they decloak?"
"No sir, we just forgot to spam D-Scan for the last 5 minutes."

So really having to hit that button every few seconds is a bit silly. What we need is some sort of automatic update.

Would an automatic d-scan work? Something that updates every 4 or 5 seconds? Would it give too much of an advantage to carebears? Would it increase server load?

I don't know, but for me as someone who likes to sit inside a plex and wait for an unsuspecting squid to warp into my trap, it would be a godsend for my mouse!

So now I'm back in Eve, time to get myself a new Caracal and some of those new destroyers and have some fun!

AFK, BBIAB

I'm afraid the normal three posts a week won't be happening this week. I've had a death in the family and I am heading back to the UK later today.

I should be returning to the sandbox (Middle East) and back into THE sandbox (Eve) next week.

Fly deadly

o7

Vandalism

ALERT! Fan fiction featuring a goat! Your emergency exit is here for an interesting blog on killing newbs!

This is an extra entry for the Pod and Planet fiction contest. In the Eve-O forum post some rules were laid out which linked to the EON Guidelines. This included that you had to be careful with existing storyline characters. Which is understandable, I mean you shouldn't be killing off President Roden for a laugh should you? Empress Jamyl II wouldn't have a leaked home movie should she..... well actually if you read Templar One and what she was up to with Falek Grange (giggity)! Anyway, the actual example that was given, was about Tibus Heth and a goat, which obviously wouldn't be acceptable.

Wouldn't it? Of course not!

Could it? Well may be......

I love a challenge........

Vandalism

"Clear?"

"No!"

The two teenagers were hidden behind a pile of rubble which formed what was left of a partially destroyed office block. Soon the laughing voices could be heard as they approached. Petar peaked over the top. The two Caldari soldiers looked relaxed, they even had their rifles slung casually over their backs. This angered the young Gallentean even more, to see them ambling down the Gallente city's main street without a care in the world. It steeled his determination.

"Clear now?"

Petar looked down from his vantage point at Krissy and shook his head. At 16 she was a year younger than him but shared his anger over the Caldari occupation of their planet. They had met at the children's shelter after both sets of parents were killed in the Caldari invasion. Over the last three years they had grown close as brother and sister. Life at the shelter was hard and keeping together got them through a number of bad times. A lot of kids lost their parents and families in the invasion, many more were lost in the turbulent months after the Caldari seized control. The Gallente citizens on Caldari Prime had resisted but they were no match for the Caldari ground forces. Public punishments and executions had been a common sight in the city square for the first few months as people tried to fight back, were caught and were sentenced by the occupiers.

"Let them get round the corner before me move." he whispered.

Petar's house had been destroyed by a dropship during the invasion. It had been hit by Gallente defensive AA fire on the approach to the city and had lost control. 14 other houses had been wiped out in the crash. Petar had been out at a friends house when the invasion started and was spared the sight of this home and parents being crushed by the flaming wreckage. Krissy had not been as fortunate. Her family had survived the initial days of the invasion. Her older brother had joined one of the resistance cells that had formed in the immediate aftermath. One night, what he didn't know was that a miniature tracking drone had followed him back after a strike against a temporary Caldari field base. They came for him that early morning. From what little Krissy had told Petar of the event it appeared her mother had put herself between the Caldari soldiers and her son. She was given a plasma bolt in the chest for getting in the way. When the enraged father attacked the soldiers, he'd been shot too. They then simply executed her brother where he stood and took Krissy to the children's shelter and dumped her there.

The two Caldari soldiers disappeared from sight and Petar and Krissy sprinted from the pile of rubble, across the street and to the base of a statue that had been recently erected by the side of the road. Using the huge marble plinth as cover they hunkered down, keeping hidden from the windows of the building claimed by the Caldari Providence Directorate. This was the Caladari headquarters for the district. The building was set back from the road and the gardens in front had been replanted following the damage caused in the invasion. Some of the most intense fighting of the invasion had been around this block. Before the Caldari came this was the city hall where Gallente bureaucrats ran the city and surrounding area. The city of Vionles had sprung up well after the first Caldari/Gallente war where the Gallente captured Caldari Prime. It was mostly Gallente settlers that lived in the city with only a few Caldari. The city hall had been one of many beacons of Gallente dominance throughout the planet. Now it was full of Caldari military who ruled the city with an iron first. Petar looked up at the Caldari flag fluttering in the breeze on top of the building in disgust.

"OK, you ready?" asked Krissy.

Petar stuck his head over the plinth and scanned the local area with his eyes. He saw a combat MTAC by the doors of the headquarters but it was unmanned. In the months after the invasion this building was heavily protected with several armed guards, roving patrols and at least two combat MTACs at all times. But that was a long time ago, the empty scene he saw in front of him was normal since the resistance had been crushed and the Caldari occupiers had relaxed. All appeared to be clear.

"Yes, are you sure this will work?" he asked.

"Should do. Art-balls are in limited supply these days but I've programmed this one best I could. If the power pack inside is still functioning and can run the emitters for a full cycle I'm pretty sure it'll look like one, I just need to ensure it is positioned right."

Krissy pulled the fist-sized ball from her backpack and clicked a switch, a small light lit up. She pulled her arm back and threw it up at the statue where it stuck on the bronze figures upper thigh. They watched as the white foam started to be ejected from the ball. Slowly the mass of white modelling foam took shape, electrical charges from the art-balls power supply shaping the foam to the pre-programmed shape as it slowly expanded. Two legs started to form from an elongated body shape, then another two legs. Then a neck, followed by a head and two oversized floppy ears. Within a minute the small ball had transformed into a three metre long goat, which was firmly attached to the front of the statue of Tibus Heth. The two teenagers stood to admire their work.

"Pity we couldn't move his arms to grab the ears" Krissy giggled.

"Or use nanites to alter the head to put on his happy-face." Petra replied laughing.

The sound of a plasma rifle being cocked immediately behind them made them freeze. Nothing happened, so they both slowly turned together. Behind them were two Caldari soldiers who were looking up at the statue, now with added goat. Their expressions were a unusual mix of shock, anger and bewilderment. Slowly they lowered thier heads to inspect the two teenagers.

"So you think that is funny do you?" one of the soldiers asked threateningly. Petar and Krissy remained silent, they were frozen to the spot with terror.

"I think the interrogator's are going to have some fun with you t....."

The lead soldier suddenly stopped talking, a red mist erupted from the side of his head and he collapsed on the floor.

"What the....."

The other soldier raised his rifle and started turning when he too slumped to the ground, a red hole had appeared between his eyes. Petar and Krissy just stood there dumbstruck looking at the soldier who now had an obscene third eye. They were shocked out of their trance as a strange man sprinted up and took cover by the plinth. He was dressed in old style Gallente combat fatigues. A scarf was tied around his face hiding his features. He had a sniper rifle slung over his shoulder and was carrying a large bag.

"Get down!" he hissed.

The two teenagers suddenly realised they were in the open and crouched down by the statues plinth. They saw the man looking up at the foam goat.

"For fracks sake. Why here? Why tonight?" he groaned to nobody in particular, shaking his head slowly.

"Who are you?" Petar asked.

"Resistance kid. And you'd better get out of here. A shit-storm is brewing, and you and your pretty girlfriend don't want to be covered in shit now do you!"

"I am not his girlfriend!" Krissy protested!

"Whatever!" said the man removing a long metallic tube from the huge bag he was carrying. "Just get out of here! Oh, and whilst your timing sucks, nice touch with the artwork." He gave them a wink.

The two teenagers produced beaming smiles at the compliment and ran back to the rubble pile across the street. They could see a dozen other men in position all around the HQ building. Petar was thinking that this didn't make sense. There had been no resistance activity for nearly a year. The local resistance apparently had been defeated, or that was the word on the street. That is why security at the CPD building was so lax these days. Suddenly they saw the man at the statue plinth level the long tube at the HQ building. A small rocket spat from the end of it and slammed into the ornate doors blowing a three metre hole in them.

"I've got a feeling we need to be gone from this place, like now!" Petar whispered. Krissy nodded in agreement.

As they moved slowly away through the ruined building, crouched over for cover, they left the scene of the Gallente resistance engaged in a fire-fight with Caldari occupation forces, all spectated over by a large statue of Tibus Heth, with a comical foam goat stuck to the front of his groin.

Capsuleers and Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow!

......aka The Mating Habits of the New Eden Bound Capsuleer

A two-parter today. The second part is about capsuleers and "relationships" in-game. What do they do? But first, a fun little fight I had last night.

I've not been on Eve much in the last week. The alliance was going on a road trip last Tuesday but the moving op was too late for me. I decided I'd move myself on Wednesday (two alts in carriers and Drack in his dread with 4th account cyno). That didn't happen, because of wife. Ney bother, I'll do it Thursday night. As Friday is the weekend, I've got all night after I finish work and meet the guys down the bar after work. We started at 3:30 in the afternoon..... Suddenly, Friday! Hangover from hell! With 20 years practice you'd think I'd be used to it. By Saturday I was wondering what is the point in moving two carriers and a dreadnought three jumps for three days?

So last night I decided to undock a T1 frigate and solo roam a bit. First fight was Merlin Vs Merlin. I almost had him when another Caldari militia pilot turned up. I burnt out, warped off and gave a "GF" in local to which the new pilot replied "Asshole!". This got me confused until I worked out after a few more lines it was a Damar alt.

Anyway after a bit of a break I set out again only to jump into a T1 frigate gate-camp in the next system from home. There were four or five of them so I decided to try to burn back to gate, hold until some agressed and then jump back and try to out run those who followed. Either they all aggressed or were slow jumpers. 30 seconds later I was back in Nisuwa station looking at my ships wondering what could take all five but wouldn't scare them all off? I quickly assembled an AC Thrasher. ACs/rocket launcher, scram/MWD/MSE and I opted for TE's in the lows (Slashers and there TD's in mind). Add three extender rigs plus EM, Fusion and some longer range ammo and I'm ready to go. I undocked and saw they were in local. So I warped to a 1000km pounce from the gate and scanned, four on short range. A few seconds later two left local so I warped to the gate where I found two remaining. I engaged them and they attacked whilst calling their mates back. After a minute or so, four dead frigates and one frozen corpse. That was a lot fun even if it was only T1 frigates! It appears a Slasher got away but some guy called Jacob minced him in system :)

Now part 2. Capsuleers and, you know, Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow!

Now don't get me wrong here. I am NOT a roleplayer. However, I am fascinated by the universe of Eve Online and love the sci-fi setting. Hence the fiction I post on here.

I am an Eve addict. I cannot escape Eve. Even on holiday on the beach it's there in my mind (Yes I know, sad geek!). Eve = Crack.

I saw something on holiday earlier this month that got me thinking "Would this still be happening 20,000 years in the future in New Eden? If so then surely it would be the capsuleers doing it.....

The heels first caught my eye first. Extremely high strappy stiletto's ending in a wicked point. The shapely legs were smooth and tanned, disappearing under the hem of a skin-tight mini cocktail dress. Her figure was a slender hourglass. There was more than a hint of cleavage. Her skin was glowing and unblemished. The face was simply beautiful. Her make-up was expertly done and the hair looked like she'd just stepped out of a salon. This lady in her early 20's would not have looked out of place in the grand casino in Monte Carlo at midnight. Stunning, absolutely stunning.

Suddenly my concentration (drooling) was broken as my two slices of toast dropped out of the toasting machine with a clatter. I wasn't in the grand casino in Monte Carlo at midnight, I was at the breakfast buffet at a beach resort on the Red Sea. I was dressed like most of the others there. T-shirt (Tweetfleet one ofc), swimshorts and flip-flops, all ready to head straight down to the beach after I'd had my toast and a cup of tea (I am British after all!). Then a man approached her, placed his arm around her waist and whispered something in her ear which had her giggling like a schoolgirl. The way they behaved at the table, they were definitely NOT father and daughter even though he appeared to be at least three times her age.

Then the wife and I noticed them everywhere. Men in their 50's, 60's and even 70's with a 20-something stunner on their arm. Money and power! Every time we spotted one, which had become a game, my wife said "Its disgusting!" to which I replied "Lucky basta..... ow! Why'd you hit me? That hurt!".

But in New Eden its the Capsuleers who have money and power. Would they behave the same? This got me thinking on capsuleer relationships in New Eden. The novels and Chronicles have covered normal people, but they never really have touched on Capsuleers. The novel The Emperyan Age had a bit in, but they were Navy capsuleers so not the independents or privateers that we play. Do capsuleers have girlfriends/boyfriends? Do they get married? Do they do this with only other capsuleers or do they mix with normal people? If they do what about the age old issue of an immortal living with a mortal?

Have you ever thought what your character would do in this sense? I have within the fiction I have wrote and posted here. You can pretty much guess what Drackarn's usual is by reading "The Repairs". He has had a sort of relationship with another capsuleer which can be found in "Minmatar Aren't the Only Slaves.". I asked around to see if others had ever thought about this using Drackarn as the example.....

You could say he is your typical capsuleer. Aloof, superior and uncaring. He hasn't the time for relationships and generally relies on what's in the bar that night. A one night is a long-term relationship for him! He has a "friends with benefits" type relationship with an Amarrian female capsuleer from his past, but it never goes beyond that.

Rixx Javix - Rixx found love among the stars and married fellow Capsuleer Anastasia Javix over three years ago. She supports his aggressive life-style and is the foundation upon which his career has been built. Together they have two boys that dream of following their parents as Capsuleers one day.

Eelis Kiy - She is cautious but loyal and reliable. Once her respect is earned you usually have it for life. She greatly values friendships with her comrades and has strong bonds with her closest capsuleer friends. But she is also very stubborn, quick to judge and can hold a grudge forever. She finds it hard to apologise and harder still to forgive. She has a slightly depraved sense of humour which some people find offensive and others warm to instantly. Eelis is a creature of the senses and as such is fairly promiscuous. She was once quoted as saying "f**king is as necessary to the human condition as oxygen". Few realise that she is also very happily married though does not see her husband for months or sometimes years at a time, as their separate Capsuleer paths often take them in different directions.

S810 Jr - Never settled down for a long-term relationship as when she wants something she just goes out and gets it. Likes to be in charge of those under the sheets (or anywhere else they are at the time). Will happy settle for male or female so long as they can get the job done.

Gabriel Darkefyre - Tries to never forget his roots, always conscious of the human cost of his actions or inactions often getting hit with attacks of conscience (and promptly hitting the Bottle afterwards). He has not had a relationship, serious or otherwise, since becoming a Capsuleer.

Bagehi - Slow to trust, but fiercely loyal once that trust is gained. He is slightly paranoid when out of the pod and vulnerable, as he has made many enemies over the years. He generally stays away from relationships or one night stands for this reason.

Seismic Stan - is a recovering warp-coolant addict with a history of behavioural problems. Any chance he might have had of attracting a woman who likes a bad boy is probably scotched by his tendency to be a soap-dodger. Basically he's a dirty space tramp with imaginary friends (who often avoid him). He thinks romance is a Gallente STD.

Druur Monakh - At core I'm afraid I'm a rather social and trusting person - and I'm aware that neither quality meshes well with a capsuleer's life. I compromise by keeping a loose group of acquaintances, while satisfying my more direct needs with the occasional fling. I did dare to let another person (a pod pilot as well) into my life recently, but it ended badly, and I learned my lesson. I know that I can fully be myself with my dear sister, and that'll have to do.

vagy - he is a solo player most of the time and he thinks most of capsuleers are that way because of all the back stabbing and greed involved. Serious relationships are not for him. He's too paranoid from all the drugs to trust someone that much. He usually uses mortal sex slaves to satisfy the lust. He might have a chat with other capsuleers in bars just to pass time or get in contact if it's isk or loot involved type thing.

So you have an interesting mix there. Actually I'm surprised we didn't see more like the Red Sea Sugar Daddies.

On this topic I was actually chatting to Eelis at the end of last week regarding the blog post I used on a previous Fan Fiction Friday as an alternative about real-life Matari clothing. Eelis commented that the skull bra in that post looked uncomfortable. I said for New Eden it should be the front end of an Avatar not a skull. She then said the men's version should be a pair of pants with the an Erebus on the front. Then it just got silly. I mocked the ones below up rather quick using a mankini for additional effect. But Eelis went the whole hog. I ain't posting that. So Eelis, its up to you!

Coming to the NEX Store soon? :o)

My Eve Hollywood Blockbuster - BB41

Blog Banter 41: Director's Cut

The universe of EVE is not without its drama and epic stories, both in and out of game. Imagine a publisher, movie studio or television network asked you to prepare a pitch for a new brand of EVE-flavoured entertainment. This could be your big break, what would be your synopsis to deliver New Eden to a wider audience?

A week or so ago I mentioned I was working on a new fictional series which would be the story I would tell if I became a billionaire overnight and financed an Eve Hollywood blockbuster movie. I'm currently on chapter 3 of probably 12 or so. So how would I pitch it if this came true? "Here is $100m cash to start!". To be honest I think someone investing that money would have no problem finding a studio to run with the idea. I don't want to reveal too much of my planned fiction series... but I need to contribute here or I'd lose my crown of geekiest geek of all the banterers!!!!

Well, without giving too much away may be I could do a IMDB style entry. 

Teh Udder Interwebzs Moveee Database (tuIMDB)

Dark Silence (2014) (Still working on a title)
Action - Adventure - Sci-Fi
9.2/10
In the distance future, two people are thrown together during a natural disaster. They flee across the galaxy as a powerful corporation sends a beautiful assassin to silence them before they reveal the dark secrets they have seen.

Director - Joss Whedon
(Who else?)

Writer - Tony Gonzales and...... Who? Seriously, who the feck is Drackarn?
(Would need a professional author to take my poor fiction and turn it into something special, Tony G would be my choice as an experienced Eve-O writer)

Stars - Nathan Fillion, Mila Kunis, Kate Nauta, Malcolm McDowell, Eva Green, Megan Fox and...... CCP's Guard, Soundwave and Punkturis?????

Photos

Plot Summary

20,000 years in the future mankind has relocated to a distance part of the galaxy. A freak plasma storm on a terraformed planet hits a major city. A facility owned by a mega-corporation that is developing illegal bio-weapons is hit and containment breached. In an attempt to stop their secret escaping and to prevent the spread of the infected, the city is destroyed. However, two people escape from the facility and the city. A secretary who had no idea of the true nature of the work going on and a shady privateer starship captain who had been contracted to courier cargo to the facility. Before they escaped the planet, they saw the truth about the facility and the terrifying weapon that had been produced. Now they are the hunted. And the corporation will stop at nothing to ensure their secret remains.

Synopsis (Spoilers)
A private starship captain who deals in the darker areas between black and white, accepts a contract to carry some cargo containers to a starport at a major city. Whilst there an unprecedented plasma storm hits and he takes cover in a secret tunnel leading from the remote docking bay. Meanwhile a scientist who cannot bear to leave the secretary he flirts with daily on the surface during the storm, takes her to the hidden underground facility for safety. Not knowing that the subjects of the illegal bio-weapon research that goes on there have escaped. With the doctor killed by one of the staggering infected humans, the secretary is saved by the starship captain and they make it back to the ship and off world before the corporation levels the city, blaming the destruction of the city on the power station was hit by the storm. Now the corporation must hunt down the two survivors, for if it was revealed they were developing bio-weapons based on the forbidden Sansha technology, the four Empires of New Eden would surely rally together and crush them. The two survivors face a frantic chase across the star systems of the New Eden cluster, pursued by a deadly assassin.

Cast 
(Still deciding on names to some of the parts)

The Captain - Nathan Fillion
I know, I know. This is not Firefly but whenever I think of "private starship captain who deals in the darker areas between black and white", well there is only one isn't there!

The Secretary - Mila Kunis
The classic Hollywood transformation. Scared little secretary on the run, ends up sexy kick ass action star. 

CHIMERA - Kate Nauta
Seen Transporter II? Nuff said. This is the Caldari State version of THANATOS. No idea what I'm talking about? Read Templar One!


Admiral for Mega Corp - Malcom McDowell
Who better to play an older bad guy I ask you?

Nourvukaiken Station Fixer - Eva Green
An old friend of the captains. Helps to get them out of hi-sec and sets up a meeting with the barman in Nisuwa.


Barman in Nisuwa - CCP Guard
Well he has to be in there doesn't he! 


Lexx Jonlan/S810 Jr/Eelis Kiy (not sure who to use yet) - Winona Ryder/Alyson Hannigan/Katee Sackhoff
I envisage a scene in the bar alongside the CCP Guard scene when they are looking for the capsuleer.


Channel 47 News Anchor - CCP Soundwave
Well, who else?



Capsuleer - Robert Downey Jr
Not got that far yet!



Villore Task Force Commander - CCP Punkturis
Don't know why, but I can see her on the bridge of a Nyx looking mean!




Taglines
You don't buy silence, you kill it.

Motion Pictures Rating
PG-15 for scenes of violence, intense action, mild peril and scenes of a bow-chicka-wow-wow nature

Parents Guide
Sex/Nudity
The assassin is seen making love to a corrupt officer. She is naked and on top but the scene is brief and mostly in shadow.
A woman is seen getting a lap-dance from a female dancer in a bar.
Two women kiss briefly.
There are many dancers in the bar wearing revealing outfits.
Now, should the leads get it on in the movie? Or is that just shoe-horning it into the movie for the sake of titillation?

Violence and Gore
A man is bitten on his shoulder by a "zombie". The wound and a lot of blood is shown. The man is then shot in the head.
A female agent kills a man by breaking his neck with her bare hands.
A female agent kills a room full of people using martial arts and a gun. Some blood and bodies are shown.
A man with his throat slit is shown. The wound is not clear but there is a lot of blood.
A woman dies after slitting her wrists.
A man is seen dead on the floor. There is a lot of blood.
His wife comes home and is stabbed in the throat.
Two men are killed by being stabbed from behind.
I'm sure there are lots and lots more to come.

Profanity
X number of naughty words suitable for the 15 rating.
I like blog banters, but I'm not counting them all just for this one!

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking
Several bar scenes involving drinking and smoking.
References to a pirate faction that deals in drugs.

Frightening/Intense Scenes
The storm hitting the city is quite intense and a lot of death and destruction is shown.
The scene in the basement of the facility is quiet scary as the infected approach.
More to come, many, many more.

Did You Know?
Trivia

The bar tender in the Nisuwa Station scene, the news anchor on the TV behind the bar and the female Nyx super-carrier commander of the Villore task force are actually employee's of CCP, the creators of the game Eve Online on which the movie is based.
The line halfway through of "The logs show nothing." is a nod to a common response in the game of Eve Online from the Game Masters to people making support requests when they cannot find any evidence of the persons claims.

Goofs
I'm sure they would be some!

Quotes
CHIMERA - "What are you thinking?"
Colonel - "Well, I'm thinking how a young lovely creature like you could end up in my bed."
CHIMERA - "That's an easy question to answer. It's because you've been siphoning off your battalions combat weapons and supplies and selling them to the Sepentis you naughty boy."

Scanner Operator - "They are gone sir. No longer registering in system. Also no corresponding stargate activation!"
Commander - "Impossible! Double check the stargate database entries for the last 10 minutes."
Scanner Operator. "Checking. Confirmed. The logs show nothing sir."

Soundtrack
Weapon of Choice - Fat Boy Slim
Loves a Loaded Gun - Alice Cooper
Beneath the Asteroids - John Hallur

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